How to get your easy peasy blood test results that you’re super anxious to hear about in one 18 million easy step steps.
Sunday
7:00 – I sleepily go to the hospital lab through the ER entrance to get the 7dpo progesterone level test done. Easy peasy – in and out in 20 minutes. Trying not to think or worry about things.
Monday
11:03 – Mom emails to ask if I had the results.
11:05 – I email back – nope, waiting until after lunch to call them…. trying not to be a pest 🙂
11:25 – No, I have not had lunch, but I can’t hold out anymore and I call the doctor’s office…leave a rambling message on the nurse’s voice mail…apologizing for being a pest but trying to nicely explain how frickin’ anxious I am b/c I really hope my number is higher this cycle. I thank her in advance for immediately calling me back with the results when she gets them.
11:30 – Start writing this post to keep my hands busy. Should do some work, but instead I’m hoping & praying for a higher number this cycle.
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Trying to get some work done…
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12:00 – Going to an early lunch (normally don’t go until 13:00). Need to get out of here for a bit.
14:20 – Seriously?? It hasn’t even been an hour?? Trying to remember what time the clinic closes so I can call back before then. I hate that they are so bad about calling with test results. I don’t know why I expected this time to be any different.
15:20 – Called the doctor’s office again. I have zero self control. At least I didn’t leave her a message this time.
15:45 – Called one last time. Actually left the nurse a message this time b/c I’m pretty sure the office closes at 16:00. Super frustrated that I couldn’t even get a call back in 4 1/2 hours.
16:14 – Nurse J. called! BUT, no results. Stoked she bothered to call though. Said if the test went out early yesterday (yep) they should have it by tomorrow for sure, and possibly late afternoon today. SO yeah, probably getting the results tomorrow.
Tuesday
10:45 – Still no call. Trying to sit on my hands so I don’t bug Nurse J again. Waiting patiently for the phone call. Debating how early I should POAS… I’d rather see a BFP or AF….anything but a BFN. Definitely thinking I should wait until Sunday…
11:53 – Finished writing another post. Seriously? Still waiting.
13:22 – BEYOND frustrated with myself for being patient. I finally call in and get the message “Oh! Nurse J has Tuesday afternoons off.”
Are you freakin’ kidding me?!???
Leave a message with the other doctor’s nurse, but don’t have much hope that she’ll actually get back to me. So annoying.
16:18 – Can’t believe it – the OTHER Nurse J (not my normal doctor’s nurse) actually called me back. That’s the good news.
The…okay…news – my 7dpo progesterone level was 11.1.
Better than last cycle (an 8.8), but I was also on 150mg instead of 100mg of Clomid.
Ladies who have tracked their progesterone levels – why would your RE have said about an 11.1 while on 150mg Clomid? I’m bumming pretty hard right now b/c you hear about levels in the 20s, 50s, and higher… 11.1 just seems so low still when I’m getting pumped full of so many hormones. I just wish this would work. 🙁
How frustrating!! I know it feels like 11.1 is a low # for being on 150mg of Clomid but on a positive note it does mean you ovulated.
I responded to clomid once and then not at all, I used a trigger shot so I don't even know if I would have O'ed on my own.There's always Femara???
I hate when nurses, doctors, etc forget how emotional this is, and become less sensitive to our needs (and obsessions!) I've been in your position many times, and I always worry what they think, but in the end…who cares? Good for you for being persistant.As for your result, although it's a little lower than normal for a medicated cycle, it's not by much. And at least it went up from last time. Have you ever considered/taken p4 support?
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I am sad to hear that your doctor's office is not very efficient in calling people back…especially with such important information in the waiting. Sometimes I think they forget how sensitive this information is and how you are waiting on pins and needles to hear back. I think there should be sensitivity seminars for RE's and anyone who works at a fertility clinic to help them to better meet the needs of their patients. Maybe we should start up some of those trainings! 🙂
I don't think 11.1 is horrible, but it isn't great either. I second Amanda's question, have you considered progesterone support? It's worked really well for me, lengthens my LP from 9-10 to 16+ days (and I have two kids I credit to it as well.) I hadn't been taking it until my measly 7-day LP post m/c. (10dpo today with no sign of AF)
You can have some of my hormones because Lord know I have way too many of them. P.S.I'll be having a talk with your ovaries….and they will listen to ever gosh darn word that I have to say.
Josey: big hugs to you – I am always here if you need to just get away and have a girls weekend in the city 🙂
I went through this last cycle.I had my test on Monday and finally Thursday I called, and she called back Friday morning. the nurse told me I was at a 8.9, which was possible that I o'd but I had been tracking everything and knew that I probably didn't. But my doctor said she was happy with those results and didn't want to change my dosage. But, after hearing the risks of increasing my dosage, we're moving to 100 mg. I will definitely be on my toes for the results this time, and it better not take that long. I feel like such a pest too, I think I called 5 times today after my sono. Hopefully she's not wishing I'd go to someone else yet! 🙂 Patience is not my strong suit
you could definitely ask about progesterone support following ovulation. you are right to say that your result this time is better than last, but 11.1 is still not great. i would probably ask for the 200mg of clomid, to be honest….
My doctor doesn't seem to be concerned with the number as long as it's over 10. She says anything over 3 means ovulation, anything over 10 is a good egg. I got like 12 or something – I can't even remember – with my 200mg Clomid cycle and she didn't seem concerned at all. Every doctor is different though and you could always ask for a progesterone supplement.
@Junks – you rock. Please have a STRONG talking to with my ovaries. To everyone else, I asked my doc (well, actually his nurse) about progesterone support a couple months ago and she told me that he told her that it wasn't needed. Mind you, this is when I had a 10 day LP and no guarantee I'd actually ovulated and UGH…I so wish I was going to an RE and not a regular Ob/Gyn. @Kelly – that's good to hear. MAN I hope that's high enough.
I totally know how you're feeling. Every time I got my 7dpo p4 tested, it was very discouraging. I wish I could tell you what it was on this last BFP cycle, but I stopped getting it tested after I started acupuncture and herbs. But I really think the Chinese medicine did the trick in strengthening my LP. And I also think (though I have no real idea) that my p4 was still a bit low during my BFP cycle, but the embryo attached itself in time to save things. My OB thinks that theory is totally stupid, but who knows. But keep it up with the acupuncture and herbs, and I really think it will make the difference for you–if not this cycle, then pretty soon!
Ugh – how FRUSTRATING!!! I'm hopeful about the number because it does mean you ovulated which is a great sign. Hopefully your egg and sperm met and in a few days you'll see that second line!
What a roller coaster sweetie. Hey higher levels is a good thing!