Okay, this is just a quick post to ask a question to all of my bloggie friends out there.
Yesterday I went for my annual ob/gyn visit. I will say here that I go back and forth between liking and not liking him. He does seem like a nice man. I would never have a baby with his practice b/c I have a good friend that goes there as well and she had some not so great experiences with them while going through the pregnancy process. Also, he is the one who (or maybe his office) failed to tell me to fast for my first day 3 blood work, so my blood sugar was high (obvi) and instead of re-testing me at his own cost, put me on terrible Metformin (blah).
Anyway, I digress.
So, my ob/gyn comes in and says so, are you actively trying to get pregnant. Yes. How long? 3 years. Nods. (Really, buddy, you should know this). Are you still having regular periods? Yes. Well, that's good, at least we know you're ovulating. I am certain I am not. You have to be. You wouldn't be having regular periods if you weren't. We could do a day 24 blood test for your progesterone levels and I'll prove it to you. No. I've done everything and I don't want any more tests. Have you charted your temperature? Yes, they are all over the place. My temperature tells me nothing. Silently nods.
I did try to soften it by telling him I know he's an expert, but I am not a normal case.
Obviously my therapy has not begun dealing with my issues with doctors.
However, I was told by my first RE that they could test progesterone and do OPKs, but the only way to be absolutely certain that I ovulate is to hold the u/s wand in my vagina and watch it happen, which obviously isn't an option.
So, what have you all been told/read? Can you have regular periods and not ovulate. I mean, in the 3 years I have been TTC, I have had 2 very late periods (and strangely, they both came the first month I began seeing a new RE).
I have read that you absolutely can have regular periods without ovulating. If your charts are all over the place, that's a pretty good indicator.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, that they can only really tell by ultrasound, although I think doing your progesterone towards the end of your cycle would be a very good measure of whether you are or not.
I think your doc doesn't know what he's talking about... one thing I've discovered is these non-REs sometimes don't know that much.
My RE told me that the only way to prove ovualtion is a pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteI believe you can have a period with out ovulating. I did it for years. I needed ovidrel to make myself ovulate when I cycled.
ReplyDeleteDitto to what some of the other ladies have said. I don't ovulate regularly, yet I almost always get a period - my cycle can swing from 28 to 56 days. Just because a doctor is nice, does not mean you have to stay with them and their practice. He needs to hear you and respect what you are saying and what you have been through. Good luck to you! :)
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that when we did our first 3 IUI's on clomid that I didn't ovulate. I got cysts that were still there on day 2 of my next cycle. My progesterone tests indicated that I did ovulate, and my cycles were regular. So yes, it's possible that you don't ovulate. I do ovulate on my own and with femara. So I don't think I have exactly the same problem as you have though... By the way, I'm visiting from ICLW...
ReplyDeleteSeriously?! I really hate it when doctors fail to look at your chart before opening their mouths. I mean, really?! It takes like two seconds, and in so doing they can prevent themselves from saying stupid things. I would find a new OB/GYN if I were you. Someone who might actually check your chart before seeing you, and care enough to know just a little bit about your story.
ReplyDeleteYou ABSOLUTELY can have a regular "period" without ovulating. There is a good write up HERE about that. I think that if I were in your shoes I would run like hell away from that office. You can concede that you like the OB/GYN as a person but detest him as a doctor.
ReplyDeleteBoo! That's for lazy doctors.
ReplyDeleteAnyhoo. I seem to have a similar story to yours.. have you been diagnosed with PCOS? Pardon me if you've written on that and I didn't see it. A PCOS girl, like me, has temperatures all over the place, and can have regular periods too. I did. Just a thought. :o)
Visiting from ICLW! I agree with Kim. Although I don't get AF on my own (PCOSers can have such different symptoms!), when AF was induced I never ovulated (used BBT chart, opk's, and a clear blue easy fertility monitor). My OB was giving me issues too as I have a child (took 5 yrs to get pg with her), he thought it would just come with "time". I continued testing with the OB, did unmonitored Clomid cycles, and after a miscarriage I finally asked for a referral to an infertility doc. I am so glad I did as I got diagnosed with PCOS (even though I didn't have any of the outward symptoms). I had many cysts on my ovaries and after 8 months of treatment my IF doc finally got me that sticky BFP. I got referred back to the OB, and he has been the best doc ever! He just didn't know a whole lot about IF issues...
ReplyDeleteI hope you get some great answers soon!
Over on ICLW...and I am with the above...run, run, run like the wind - time is to precious to spend on nincompoops. It is a huge problem if doctors don't listen to their patients - and even bigger if they never hear them. Sending love and dust for the future xxxxxxx
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