Was I unreasonable to ask GP for blood test?

AmandaC · 05-12-2003, 08:11 AM

Hi there
I went to see my GP last Friday to ask about doing an FET in September. I've been taking herbs since Sept and there have been some improvements so at the same visit I also asked if she would do a blood test because I want to see if my LH:FSH is any better. Last test was 3:1. GP said that she didn't want to waste lab time. I didn't really push it but it would be useful to know to decide whether to carry on paying £40 every 6 weeks for the herbs and seeing the herbalist. What do you think? Is it a waste of nhs resources?
Amanda C
PS I'm not being treated by the nhs for ttc at the moment so I don't think I'm exactly a burden.

katiwren · 05-12-2003, 08:21 AM

Amanda,

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I have to admit, I just tend to give up on getting blood tests, etc from docs and just judge on how I'm feeling.

I don't think that you are wasting NHS resources or that it is unreasonable, but then again I can't seem to get anywhere with the NHS either. I think that you should be able to push hard and get the tests done, but it might not be worth it if it'll get your doc too upset.

I'd say if you are feeling significantly better, that's probably the best way to judge anyway. In reality, it probably matters less what your numbers are than how you feel. Maybe you could leave it for another month or two, then when you get a bit closer to further treatment, push to get it done?

--KT

hunterli · 05-12-2003, 08:25 AM

For me, I judge how effective my treatment is by how regualrly AF visits and if I see any signs of ovulation. But then I'm not TTC!

Maybe you need a GP who is more sympathetic about your attempts to improve your own health? I wouldn't have thought the NHS paying for the occasional blood test would be a big deal, considering how much you are doing for yourself.

Lis

eb3b · 05-12-2003, 08:50 AM

I don't really have anything to add to the two replies to this post so far, I just wanted to throw my hat into the ring, as it were, and show some support!

Insensitive GPs are surprisingly common still, it would seem. I believe I have posted here before my experience with my previous GP - convinced my my womb was enlarged, and since I wasn't haven't periods, insisted I have an 'urgent' scan. After a week of panicing the u/s picks up polycystic ovaries but everything else is normal. She didn't even metion my supposedly enlarged womb, simply said 'oh I told you it was your ovaries' (which she hadn't).

That's why I changed docs. As Hunterli says you need, especially with something as emotionally demanding as TTC, a doc who is sympathetic. If you can change docs then it might be an idea, but I would advise doing so on someone's reccomendation - there's is no point in changing and finding a doc with similar or worse attitudes.

In the meantime, while I would agree I don't think your request was unreasonable, it's up to you how much you want to push for it as katiwren said. I agree with Hunterli: I would go by O signals, temp, AF, etc to see if your body is functioning more normally than before. If you aren't already charting or making a note of CM etc then I would start and use those as your indicators of how you are doing. So long as you are Oing regularly then you have a chance to TTC, no matter the LH:FSH ratio. It's my understanding that that simply interferes with you Oing in the first place. Getting a 'quality' test of the O (for progesterone levels) once/if you do so is standard practice in many fertility clinics and it may be worth asking your doc for one of those, but then who knows if you'll get a sensible reaction to that either?

Charting temps etc may be your answer at the minute.

Safia

AmandaC · 05-12-2003, 01:18 PM

thank you for your support. It has been quite difficult over the last year or so. We moved to Norfolk from Oxford (for DH's nhs job!). My gp in Oxford had a special interest in fertility and she was great and the Fertility Unit was also excellent, and the funding in Oxford was pretty generous too. Moving here we have no funding anymore, the nhs resources here are much poorer and I think that has an effect on the GP's attitude and I have had to get used to a different fertility clinic with a very different culture to Oxford's. Having tried to manage things more myself its frustrating not to get the feedback. If we want to press things further I might take DH for support it might help confronting the GP with another doctor even though its outside his specialism. Anyway thanks for being there to help me let off steam.
Amanda C

x Sarah x · 05-12-2003, 03:47 PM

Hi Amanda

What herbs do you use? I'm waiting for IVF, still got 12 months to wait and was thinking of trying something myself in the meantime.

I don't think you were unreasonable to ask your GP for blood tests, we pay enough NI. Doctors don't like the idea of us using alternative medicines. My GP got a huff on the other day when I mentioned that I was going to see a nutritionist.

Next time don't ask her, tell her you want blood tests. You are entitled to them.