Post Coital Cervical Mucus test anyone?

MNturnsVA

Hi ladies.....So I just have a question about this test.  I know they want to do it ideally around the time of O and I actually have the appt scheduled already but I'm wondering if I should change it.

I typically O anywhere from CD 18-20 (ish) and I'm scheduled for CD 17 right now.  Part of why I'm wondering if I should reschedule though is because if we are going to try to have sex EOD CD 17 may affect that and I worry that I'll O late or something or not at all again this month which would be my luck......and our schedules have been and are probably going to be somewhat crazy for the month too, of course.

I'm sure I probably need to call the dr office and talk to one of the nurses, just wondering if anybody has any insight or experience with these.....

Thanks!

bsckgb7

My RE said to have sex 2-6 hours before the appointment.  So I woke him up for sex that morning (around 6:30) and had the appointment at 9:30

KidShrink

Is your cycle being monitored? That would be the easiest way to make sure it's timed properly. The RE asked for a specific date given where my follies and hormones were in that cycle. Then BD early morning, and off I went.

MNturnsVA

No.....I had asked about that and I don't know if she just was poo pooing my thoughts or thinking that could wait till a later date or what. They said originally for me to come in on CD 15 but I said I don't usually O until later in the month,  So then we said CD 16.   But I also told the nurse I didn't O last month based on my temps and she took that as I didn't turn an OPK.  I know they don't put much stock in temps, so I'm not saying much but.....I don't know....

KidShrink

RE or OB? Medicated cycle or not? Either way, I wouldn't feel 100% comfortable with the approximate dating. I know some RE also work that way for IUIs, which makes no sense. What happens if you missed ovulation (either too long before or just a little after)? You just wasted a cycle, and all the money that went with it. I don't know where you live and whether there are other REs around, but if you don't get the answers you're looking for, I would personally look elsewhere.

MNturnsVA

I wanted to try to do a monitored, non medicated cycle, but I'm guessing the RE didn't feel it was necessary or the nurse misunderstood.

MNturnsVA

The RE doing this is my 2nd opinion.  The 1st RE wanted to jump right into Clomid and IUI even though my HSG and my blood work thus far has come back as good supposedly and DH's SA came back good as well.  The 2nd RE, the one ordering the post coital test, said that based on DH's swimmers, we would't have any higher of a success rate with IUI vs us just doing it ourselves based on the info he had to go off of from what we knew at the time.

Yea, I just feel like I don't want to chance it early or too late.....but I don't know if they'll do anything at this point.  I'm on CD 3 right now.  If they were to just do a monitored cycle is it too late already for that??

MNturnsVA

Also, I do like this guy better than the 1st because he's a little more conservative....so I don't really want to go get yet another opinion.....but.....

@bsckgb7-  how did your RE "schedule" the test though?? Did they schedule it ahead of time or wait for you to turn an OPK or how did they do that part of it?  at first they were saying at this office to come in on CD 15 but I told them I don't usually O until day 18 or so.  That is how we came to CD 17.

riveridgional

I don't understand how your PCT would affect EOD. Since you're early on in your cycle now, just start having sex whenever so the EOD would line up with your scheduled PCT. The PCT should optimally done in your fertile window. The point of it is to make sure you do not have a hostile cervical environment for DH's swimmers. My RE said the same thing about a good postcoital test meaning an IUI wouldn't really do much to improve chances. Based on my experience, he was right. My initial PCT was set for CD13 and I normally ovulated CD 15 or 16 at that time. He did monitor me that morning (unrelated to PCT as it was part of my initial testing [first ultrasound]) and thought I would O on my own CD15 based on what he was seeing. He also did a repeat PCT when I was on Clomid and being monitored the whole cycle. Not completely sure why he did it twice on me.

Also, based on your RE's comment regarding your DH's swimmers, it sounds like he has no issues with his sperm. Therefore, the EOD mentality doesn't really apply to you. You could have sex everyday during your fertile window and not decrease your chances. The EOD recommendation is a minimum recommendation in general for TTC and is recommended for those with any MFI instead of every day. In fact, when I did TI with a PCT and teigger, I was told to BD the night before PCT, Night of trigger (same day as PCT), night after and night after: 4 days in a row.

I've never heard of doing a PCT with only 2-6 hour delay. I was told 12-8 hours.

KidShrink

I don't think so, that's typically when I had my first U/S and bloodwork (I think generally it needs to be CD2-5 for baseline hormones and antral follicule count). Then it depends. My RE would see me again on day 6 when I did injectibles, or day 9 when only doing oral meds. Because I ovulated early, I'd be going back daily from then until the day they'd detect my LH surge and my follies looked good. I'd take the trigger that night, and then BD (so PCT the morning after trigger in my case I believe).

bsckgb7

My PC test was scheduled on my first monitoring appointment.  I don't turn an OPK, so we just had several appointments starting pretty early.  Still confused how that would screw up the EOD thing.  Like riveridgional said, if you know when the appointment is, just start having sex so that day falls on the day of the appointment.  

MNturnsVA

@riveridgional-  I guess I was trying to "plan" ahead for the EOD sex because our schedules are crazy right now, well DH's is anyways.  He's been working 10 hour days or more and stressed from work so I don't want to add to it this month but don't want this month to be a wash either.  And there's no telling when things will improve for him because his employer is VERY slow about making change. So I was more just trying to not over stress DH and have good timing for test at the same time. 

they told us to have sex the night before or the morning of the test but night before is more optimal as we have schedules that vary slightly some days and DH works 5 min from home so even on our 9-5 days, he doesn't have to get up as early as I do.

But I was told the sperm would be alive for 12-24 hours? after so we should be good.

Drove2u

Sorry for asking this but what exactly is a post coital test? I'm curious.

KidShrink

@Drove2u : not my favourite test, but then probably much better than a HSG. Essentially you're asked to BD (when in your fertile window), and then a few hours later, run to the RE for him to take a sample of your cervical mucus and see how many sperms are still alive in there (to make sure you're not killing his boys essentially). But doing IUI kind of bypasses the need for that as the sperms don't have to cross the cervix.

Drove2u

Oh my!! Well that's a lot of pressure isn't it? I can't believe they can test for stuff like that. Amazing!!