What should I ask for?

Cara1024

Hi girls, I feel like my first appointments with the RE were not the usual ones because instead of the typical workup we went right to talking about surgery for my ute (now not needed) and DH's MFI. (Hes working with a urologist and I'm mostly just asking about testing for me in this post.) I just want to makes sure I know what to ask for in our next appointments because I feel like a few things have been missed or may need to be done on a different cycle day. Please ignore my ignorance if I get some of this lingo wrong. So here's the fertility testing I've done so far:

HSG, Progesterone checked cycle day 26 (of a 27 day cycle) back in Sept. showed I ovulated that cycle. both of those were with my OBGYN. 

I've had 2 ultrasounds to help diagnose my uterus. The second one was with the RE I'm working with now and he also looked (pushed the wand at) my ovaries. I was cycle day 9 and they saw about 5 small follicles on the left and 8 small  follicles on the right. He had blood drawn to check my thyroid that day also. The first RE I met with, but am not using, did mention doing a PCOS glucose fasting test. Is that normal to do on everyone even if I'm not suspected to have PCOS? That first RE also did several other labs checking vitamin levels, and a few other things (sorry I can't remember because that day was very upsetting and I even passed out in the lab), and she checked for vaginal cultures (that appointment was cycle day 23). I've never had cycle day 3 blood work. Not sure why that hasn't been mentioned by any of the 3 drs I've seen.

As someone who is hoping to start IUIs in about two cycles, please let me know what else I may need to have checked.  Thanks!

katib77

They will do cd3 blood work if/when you do your first IUI cycle...but it is surprising that they have not done it yet.  Is it possible that the hormone levels they would have checked them were done at that upsetting lab appointment and your current RE felt the levels told him enough?

 CD3 blood work has levels for LH, FSH, AMH, and maybe two or three more I'm not thinking of.  I would simply bring it up and next appointment, that since you have not had cd3 blood work you were wondering if they had drawn these hormone levels at another time.  And if so what did the results tell them and why do they not feel the need to draw them at the START of a cycle.  This way you'll either get answers explaining it or they will realize that, yep you never had them yet and need them. 

deelopi9

Usually on CD3 besides doing the blood workup they'll also do an ultrasound to check for cysts. The cd3 blood work is important normally at that time RE will check the FSH levels - if it comes back high-t can affect how you respond to the clomid on your cycle as well as checking your ovarian reserves.  Doing the bloodwork will help to determine what procedures to use on a particular cycle. I'd ask for them to check it just to be on the safe side. No use going through the injects/IUI and wasting both your and their time.

Cara1024

katib77:

They will do cd3 blood work if/when you do your first IUI cycle...but it is surprising that they have not done it yet.  Is it possible that the hormone levels they would have checked them were done at that upsetting lab appointment and your current RE felt the levels told him enough?

 CD3 blood work has levels for LH, FSH, AMH, and maybe two or three more I'm not thinking of.  I would simply bring it up and next appointment, that since you have not had cd3 blood work you were wondering if they had drawn these hormone levels at another time.  And if so what did the results tell them and why do they not feel the need to draw them at the START of a cycle.  This way you'll either get answers explaining it or they will realize that, yep you never had them yet and need them. 

Great! Thank you. I will ask just that!