Coping with Infertility

Lesson 1: Suspecting and Diagnosing Infertility

Going To the Appointment - What To Take With You

First things first, be sure to take your partner with you! The last thing that you will want to do is have to schedule separate appointments for you and for your partner. But your partner is not the only thing that you should take to your appointment.

After being sure that your partner can and will go the appointment with you, you should both start making a list of questions that you have in a notebook. I suggest that this be a notebook that is also a binder of sorts, so you can add folders and other papers to it that you will want to take the appointment with you. These kinds of notebooks/binders are available in most stationary stores, as well as places like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target, Shop-ko, and other variety stores.

What you should include in your notebook/binder:

• A listing of all questions to ask the doctor with room for the answers as well
• A schedule or planner of sorts for keeping track of appointments and tests
• An area for fertility charts or listing of OPK results
• A listing of all medications used by you and your partner
• A section for information about tests and procedures
• A section for your insurance information
• A section for your medical records or the names and addresses of any health care professionals that you have seen in the past

You can also use this notebook/binder as a fertility journal, and we will refer to it from now on as your fertility journal (FJ for short). Even if, right now, you don't think you will need or want to keep a journal, this may change. Make a special section, maybe in the back of your FJ, that contains nice paper that you feel comfortable writing on. In this, you can write down your feelings, how you think your diagnosis or treatment is progressing, vent your frustrations or anger, and just have a special place that is all your own. It is also a good idea for your partner to have their own Fertility Journal as well.

If you look back up at the list, you will see that the first thing to put into your FJ is a list of questions to ask the doctor. The reason for this is because it is really easy to remember all of the questions you and your partner have, that is until you walk into the office at which time your minds may go blank. If you have all of your questions written down with spaces between them for the answers, you will be much better prepared to move forward with any additional testing or initial treatment that the doctor suggests.

Everything on the list above is important for it's own reason. However, this is not the 'be all end all' of what to keep in your journal. You and your partner will have your own priorities, and you must include other information and lists that are important to you.

The more information you can give to your doctor during your first visit, the better. If you are charting your fertility signs and you obviously do not ovulate, that lets the doctor know which blood tests to order and which medications to start with. If you walk in with nothing, then you should expect to have every initial test ordered.

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