Ovarian reserve testing + Letter to ex GP
Since my last post I decided to be proactive on the whole trying to get pregnant soon thing.
I stopped Tamoxifen on the 8th of November and need to wait 3 months before trying to start a family. I had been wondering if it was a gamble to try naturally first since time is so precious in this game or if we should go straight to a specialist for help. I phoned to find out if there were any tests which could help make this decision and was happy to find out it is a simple blood test!
It cost me $90 to have my AMH levels tested. I had to google what that ment....
'Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone secreted by cells in developing egg sacs (follicles). The level of AMH in a woman's blood is generally a good indicator of her ovarian reserve. AMH does not change during your menstrual cycle, so the blood sample can be taken at any time of the month - even while you are using oral contraception................An AMH test gives us some insight into the remaining quantity of eggs and number of fertile years you may have, but it cannot tell us much about the quality of those eggs.'
I had the blood test last week but wont get the results till December 13th. Fingers crossed we have good enough numbers that trying naturally is an option!
On a side note. While at my GP it came up in conversation that my old GP who misdiagnosed my cancer 4 times over the space of a year does not actually know that cancer was the final verdict. My new GP suggested writing a letter to her so that she is aware and wont make the same mistake with anyone else. I think this is a great idea and have been thinking about it since this all started but hesitant to begin the letter as the emotions are still pretty raw on this front. Between my first doctors appointment with boob concerns to diagnosis was a year and a half. Her oversight due to my age could have literally cost me my life if my cancer was faster growing. Talk about a terrifying thought!
Pretty much I am stalling starting the letter by posting here instead. I also thought that some ladies who may not be quite at the stage yet but will be looking at pregnancy in the future might like to know about the AMH test.
Well. Enough stalling. Will go and write the letter now so I can post it tomorrow. Hope I find the right words to make this GP more vigilant and proactive on the BC detection front.
Will copy and past what I send her in the comments later xo
I stopped Tamoxifen on the 8th of November and need to wait 3 months before trying to start a family. I had been wondering if it was a gamble to try naturally first since time is so precious in this game or if we should go straight to a specialist for help. I phoned to find out if there were any tests which could help make this decision and was happy to find out it is a simple blood test!
It cost me $90 to have my AMH levels tested. I had to google what that ment....
'Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone secreted by cells in developing egg sacs (follicles). The level of AMH in a woman's blood is generally a good indicator of her ovarian reserve. AMH does not change during your menstrual cycle, so the blood sample can be taken at any time of the month - even while you are using oral contraception................An AMH test gives us some insight into the remaining quantity of eggs and number of fertile years you may have, but it cannot tell us much about the quality of those eggs.'
I had the blood test last week but wont get the results till December 13th. Fingers crossed we have good enough numbers that trying naturally is an option!
On a side note. While at my GP it came up in conversation that my old GP who misdiagnosed my cancer 4 times over the space of a year does not actually know that cancer was the final verdict. My new GP suggested writing a letter to her so that she is aware and wont make the same mistake with anyone else. I think this is a great idea and have been thinking about it since this all started but hesitant to begin the letter as the emotions are still pretty raw on this front. Between my first doctors appointment with boob concerns to diagnosis was a year and a half. Her oversight due to my age could have literally cost me my life if my cancer was faster growing. Talk about a terrifying thought!
Pretty much I am stalling starting the letter by posting here instead. I also thought that some ladies who may not be quite at the stage yet but will be looking at pregnancy in the future might like to know about the AMH test.
Well. Enough stalling. Will go and write the letter now so I can post it tomorrow. Hope I find the right words to make this GP more vigilant and proactive on the BC detection front.
Will copy and past what I send her in the comments later xo