How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Hi ladies,
Hope you don't mind if I ask a question- Just wondering how you knew it was time to start seeing an RE? Did you have a set time frame in your head? I think DH and I are getting close to that point. My ob-gyn told us to try for a few more months but I'm not sure I agree. Thanks!

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

We waited over a year to see a RE, looking back, I wish I went sooner.
I kept saying, "one more month". Let's try OPKs, lets try temping, lets try green tea, lets try standing on my head and spinning, etc. I guess I was in denial, if I admitted a problem, then I would have to face/deal with it.

Of course this is a personal decision, but I am big for telling friends DON'T wait, it can't hurt to take a few tests. Age is also a factor, in my humble opinion, after 30, after 6 months, go to a RE.

Just because you see a RE doesn't automatically mean IVF. There is a LOT of testing, and in between things, which take UP TIME.

I wish you the best in your decision and hope you get your BFP quickly !

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

I waited until we had been trying for a year. However, I was pretty sure I would have to go that route because my cycles were not really regular and I had a lot of spotting before my period.

I will say, though, that I feel like I wasted some time with my regular OB by trying Clomid unmonitored. My RE was able to find my problem and fix it. So, I really really wish I had made the move earlier.

Good luck to you!

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Well, I had problems about 10 years ago before starting the pill. I had terrible irregular periods. My gyn at the time told me I probably had PCOS......

10 years later DH and I decided we wanted to try and have a baby so I went off the pill .. and just as expected I went on CD60 and still didn't have my period. When I saw my OB (diff dr than the one 10 years ago) he told me to hold out a little longer and then give him a call if I still didn't get my period in like two weeks. When I asked him about my past medical records he refused to look at them and told me none of it mattered!


Well, I decided to take matters into my own hands, especially since I had been initially told I may have PCOS. I went to an RE where it was confirmed I had PCOS and now I'm going through treatments to ovulate and hopefully get a BFP!!

I would say there's no set time frame really.. I mean, I waited about 3 months to see one, when really they say couples under 35 should wait a year. In the meantime, I KNEW I had a problem so I didn't want to waste any time. If I didn't have any previous issues, I'd probably try and hold out at least 8-10 months or so........ but then it's so hard to say what you would do in positions you aren't really in!

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Thanks for all your responses! It's been about a year and I'm starting to get concerned. I have regular cycles. We are BDing regularly throughout my cycle especially in the middle. I have temped in the past and it looked like I ovulated but who knows. I also tried OPK's for a few months and I got a smiley each month. At this point, I'm just concerned and frustrated because nothing has happened.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

DH and I were TTC for about 6 months. Prior to this period, I noticed that my period is still very regular in terms of coming every 28 days, BUT it is very irregular at the same time because I would spot about 3 to 4 days before the actual real flow. THe flow would only last for 2 to 3 days. After not getting pregnant and piecing everything together, I decided to go pass my OB/GYN and see a RE. During our first consultation at the RE, she informed us that technically speaking we've been trying for over 18 months. Even though during the first months, we weren't trying during my peak ovulation time, we were still having sex without protection so according to her, that's considered "trying" medically.
After Semen analysis for DH, my baseline blood work and HSG, I found out that my FSH is elevated at 12.7.
I'm kind of glad that I bypassed my gyno. If i listened to her to wait until another 6 months, I can't imagine what the outcome would be. My gyno thinks that since DH and I are still young (28), we should be okay. THat's not always right.
Hope that helps!

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Since I was 15 (and diagnosed with pcos) I never got a period on my own, I would always need provera or bc so when we told our ob we wanted to try she suggested we go straight to an re. Its took us 7 months at the re to get pg.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Posted by PennyCat

Posted by mnmsoinlove

Since I was 15 (and diagnosed with pcos) I never got a period on my own, I would always need provera or bc so when we told our ob we wanted to try she suggested we go straight to an re. Its took us 7 months at the re to get pg.

I am basically in an identical situation..... we are seeing an RE now for almost 2 months.. What method finally worked for you?! TIA!

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Posted by mnmsoinlove

Posted by PennyCat

Posted by mnmsoinlove

Since I was 15 (and diagnosed with pcos) I never got a period on my own, I would always need provera or bc so when we told our ob we wanted to try she suggested we go straight to an re. Its took us 7 months at the re to get pg.

I am basically in an identical situation..... we are seeing an RE now for almost 2 months.. What method finally worked for you?! TIA!

I started out doing a couple of months on metaformin which didnt work. We had 3 iuis with clomid and our third one was a success.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

Posted by DaisyGirl

Posted by BBmaking

DH and I were TTC for about 6 months. Prior to this period, I noticed that my period is still very regular in terms of coming every 28 days, BUT it is very irregular at the same time because I would spot about 3 to 4 days before the actual real flow. THe flow would only last for 2 to 3 days. After not getting pregnant and piecing everything together, I decided to go pass my OB/GYN and see a RE. During our first consultation at the RE, she informed us that technically speaking we've been trying for over 18 months. Even though during the first months, we weren't trying during my peak ovulation time, we were still having sex without protection so according to her, that's considered "trying" medically.

I could have written this myself- the spotting and short AF as well as the not trying during my ovulation time before we started actually trying. If that's true then we've been trying a lot longer than a year.
Thanks for sharing your experiences- I know what i need to do. It's just like someone else said- it's hard to acknowledge there might be a problem. I just keep thinking next month it'll happen. Or I come up with a reason why it didn't happen this month.
Thanks again ladies

Message edited 2/28/2010 8:59:49 PM.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

after stopping BCP i never got AF.
my ob/gyn told me to temp to see if i was ovulating. turns out i wasnt.
i went back to the ob/gyn and she gave me clomid but no monitoring and i wasnt comfortable with that. the next day i found an RE and havent looked back since. it was exactly 6 months since we had started TTC that i went to my first RE appt. but if i had been ovulating regularly i dont know how long i would have given it before seeing and RE.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

I never had any issues with my period. My cycles were regular since when i first started. I went on the pill when i got married, was on it for about 4 years and my period again was very regular when I got off the pill. We were then trying for 8-9 months. I went to my Gyn for a regular appointment and i had already started using OPKs so I gave him a chart of when I got my period and when i was getting a positive on the OPK.

I guess it depends on each Gyn, but mine said that we should do some due diligence and he sent me for bloodwork, an HSG and for DH to get a SA. Turns out the bloodwork was off and he sent me immediately to an RE. I am glad he did, because i would have never known there was a problem. I actually was super shocked when i found out that i had an issue.

ETA: I was 29 when i first went to the RE.

Message edited 3/1/2010 2:46:32 PM.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

We were going to wait the year, then the year came and went. I think for me, it was a mental block of admitting we were having a problem. I did all the tests w/y OB/Gyn (HSG, post coital, b/w, SA w/ DH's Urologist) and everything seemed OK. So we knew we needed help.

Re: How did you know it was time to see an RE?

I think that if you know you have issues and want to get pregnant, you should go.

I waited about 4 months..I was 41 with regular cycles but I was 41.