Clearblue Fertility Monitor Support Group Buddies Vol 4!!

KC - great you getting all those bloods done. I agree with asking the nurse (she could always check with a dr there and then ) for the day 21 progesterone test .. it was a pre-requisite before referral sent for me. Also the day 3 one for comparison and a prolactin blood test (as if that is too high, dont' ovulate!) - mine is too high but apparently not high enough for medication!!Yes, annoying about other tests, but having bloods etc takes time anyway! Also if going for NHS funding both of your BMI has to be below 30 (mine was 31, now 28) - though am sure that will be ok for you. Can be above 30 for testing etc, but not for IUI or IVF etc.

It is weird, go to fertility clinic - new one, so 4th apt in reality this week and I am symptom spotting (lots of trips to loo, sore breasts etc!) - I know it is most unlikely, but should I take a pg test before I go? I will be 11dpo then?

stormbird the same happens to us, after too many days BDing DH says he feels that not so much is coming out. When that happens to us we tend to wait a day without doing it to build back but we do not worry with that at all.

Hello Fedup, I was surprised to find that charting is quite good - im a bit crap on timings and sometimes am an hour or more out in taking my temps but used in conjunction with the monitor its a really good way to tell when you are about to ovulate and when you actually have, Still hasnt got me up the duff yet though

stormbird:so sorry about your termination. hope it happens for you soon.do remember though that sometimes it takes a few months for your body to return to normal after something so traumatic. on a positive note, as your body has got pregnant before, it will do so again, just as soon as it is ready; this time, fingers crossed, you'll have a healthy, happy nine months with a healthy baby at the end, please God.
hi rosie, nice to 'meet' you. hope everything in RL resolves itself soon, and you can get to grips with charting,etc. all this business is stressful in itself if you ask me.x

Hello ladies, long time no post. Have had some RL worries to be contending with and i havent felt much like posting tbh but am just poking my head in to catch up generally and say hello.

This is my second month on the CBFM and charting and so far both seem to be working. Last month i didnt get a single peak on my CBFM and i thought that was because whenever i have had a positive opk its always in the afternoon so i set my M button this month to 3pm and tested after midday, sure enough on day 16 i got my peak (at about 2.30pm) and my temps went up the day after so fingers crossed this two week wait comes to something (probably not though) I have the worlds shortest lh surges though because when i tested again (for fun) at 8pm it was gone on and the opk that i tested with was neg, same next morning so it just goes to show that i would miss my surge if i tested in the morning as my surges seem to happen in the afternoon and literally only for a few hours - temps have confirmed that ov took place though.

Welcome to the newbies :) really hope you get your bfp's soon - ive been trying since January and i guess in the grand scheme of things 8 months isnt long but considering we do it at the right time every month and im about to hit 39 i am beginning to wonder ... i think i had a chemical pg in Feb as i got a few positives really early on then they turned neg at about 10dpo followed by three day late AF so who knows maybe there was success but a sticky one would be great.

Hi Fedup and thanks, this is our 4th month of trying for #1 and 4th month actually TTC.

We were expecting but our first baby had a fatal neural tube disorder and we terminated at 15wks back in may. So as soon as we could we started trying again. I'm getting really fed up of these BFN's just lately though.

Fingers crossed and good luck with your TTC adventure.

XXXXX

thanks for the welcome stormbird. how long you been trying? you certainly seem to have covered all bases. I've been told not to take the opks too seriously:just as a rough guide. as you have done the main thing:BDing all over the ovulation days, just keep fingers crossed that this will be your month.x

Hi Everybody,

Hope you are all well. Been reading through the posts - my there is a lot to get through.

Welcome to fedup Izzy Want & Attenborough

So CD17 for me and still no Peak. Had highs since Friday (I think). Can't really understand it as usually OV around CD15. If I OV late according to the CBFM I'm hoping for a long cycle like the last one otherwise my luteal phase will be short and as I understand it thats not great for implantation. The strange thing is I've had positive OPK's since Saturday (I know I shouldn't be doing these too but I can't help POAS). Still haven't had that all important and significant temp rise though. I do hope that I get a peak tomorrow or I think I'll be worrying about it!!!

On the plus side we have BD'd everyday since CD9 (we even managed it twice in one day ).

TMI ALERT DP however has complained that he has noticed he's not producing as much semen as usual, but I said to just put that down to way too much BDing. I hope I'm right!!!

Must dash......will post again soon.

XXXXX

KC: not offended at all. I am a QC, and DO work long hours and stress is definitely an inherent feature. However, on the plus side, we are home in the evenings together, and all weekends. I did take a three month break in January, but was a like a fish out of water. I have been doing my present job for fifteen years now. Without it I am completely lost.
We BD infrequently throughout the month. However, when the smiley face shows up DO IT for 3 days consecutively. The last cycle we did it 2 days before the smiley face and 3 days after. I did have the symtomms, accompanied by cystitis, only for AF to rear its ugly head with a vengeance.
Without children, I can just about manage, as I have not known any different;without my career, I feel like I've lost a limb. Completely out of my depth.
The regularity of my cycle and ovulation like clockwork is what baffles the medical community as well as us; on top of all the test coming back ship shape. I DO believe that stress may be hampering my chances; but sat at home, I stress more. I cannot sit still. When I had the three months 'out', I managed to draw up some plans for extending our house, and managed to carry them out:in our break:even more stressful than being at work:trying to get the materials and builders in the same place at the same time:nightmare. But it did come good in the end. I hope this ttc comes good in the end too. It is THE one thing I have failed to achieve:hence my life choices haunting me constantly:on a daily basis.

Today's stats ladies

Hope everybody is well?

FlyingCat TTC#1, cycle 26, CBFM cycle 2, age 30, UCL 28-29, CD92
Rach879 TTC#1 cycle 7, CBFM cycle 1, age 30, UCL 30-34, CD59
BabyHoping TTC#1, CBM cycle 4, age 33, ucl 31-38, CD 57
Emmylou30 TTC #1, Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 1, age 30 UCL 35 CD49
Ses TTC#2, cycle 2 CBFM cycle 4, age 37, UCL 30 CD39
Jenni4 TTC#2, cycle 5 CBFM cycle 2, age 36, UCL 26 CD39
ljg TTC#3 Cycle 4, CBFM cycle 3 age 38 UCL 28-30 CD35
Starlet22 TTC#1; cycle 13; CBFM cycle 7; age 33; ucl 25; CD27
wantbaby TTC#1, cycle 9, CBFM cycle 3, age 38, UCL 30, CD 27
Hairytriangle TTC#1 cycle 10, CBFM cycle 1, age 42, UCL 28/29, CD25
Rosieposey TTC#5, Cycle 10, CBFM cycle 2, age 38, ucl 29-3, CD24
Keziah TTC#1, cycle25, CBFM cycle 13, age 35, ucl 28-31, CD 23
Missyraines TTC1, Cycle 11, CBFM cycle 6, age 33, UCL 32, CD23
KnackeredCow TTC#1, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 1, age 31, UCL 28, CD21
PinkCustard TTC#2 Cycle9 CBFM Cycle4 age 33 UCL 30-35 CD 21
Stormbird TTC #1, Cycle #4, CBFM Cycle #4, age 28, UCL 28 CD17
TangoTime TTC #1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle #2, age 32, UCL 28 CD16
Boba82 TTC#1 cycle 16, CBFM cycle 3, age 28, UCL ?, CD16
IzzyWizzyletsgetbusy, TTC#3 Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 2, age 34, UCL 28-29, CD12
chocciechip TTC#1 cycle 8, CBFM cycle 8, age 39, UCL29, CD4
Lychees TTC #2, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 8, Aged 36, UCL 30-35, CD3
Headbanger TTC #1, Cycle #9, CBFM cycle #2, Aged 30

GRADUATES

Harry2007 BFP 01/08/10
Vnewmummy BFP 19/08/10
Row78 BFP 07/09/10

Hi Keziah yep you are right that it's best to have tests repeated. Fertility clinic where we are are strict too. DH (he's a GP in a town to the north of the city in which we live, but refers to the same fertility clinic) has had referrals rejected for his patients where tests have been inconclusive or not done correctly. He also added fertility clinics are so strict to keep the cost down! [Hmm] There is no reason why they can't do the tests, and they are more experienced in running them, BUT if you refer as much back to the GP as possible then it doesn't come out of their budget!

Am booked in for fasting blood glucose, thyroid function and rubella antibodies tomorrow. I will be on CD 21 of a 28 day cycle, so DH has told me to ask the nurse to do a day 21 progesterone, if the GP hasn't ordered it (he says this is a pre-requisite for our NHS fertility clinic). Not sure if I feel comfortable instructing nurse what to do. Wish DH could go with me!

Fedup With respect to your work and long hours, do you think that might be having a negative impact on ttc? Sorry if I am being too nosy. Just tell me to p**s off, I won't be offended. The reason why I ask is that I left work in May due to two factors. Very high stress levels (although I loved my job and was very good at what I did) and an absolutely manic diary (I travelled every week and was away from home on average 3 nights a week). With a DH who is required to do rolling on-calls at weekends we had very little opportunity to BD. Certainly my GP asked us about frequency of BDing when we went to see her. Official guidance is every two to three days, and that can be really really hard with modern working demands. Sorry - hope I haven't offeded you, or anybody else for that matter. I don't like being off work and I've become very, very down. This is not helped by the fact that DH hasn't told his parents the real reasons and I keep getting pressure on me by FIL to get a job. He insinuates I am being lazy. It's really hurtful and DH and I row about his father a lot. (I am doing voluntary work, but FIL told me that it was a "waste of time") Although the decision to give up work was a difficult one, it really was a chicken and an egg scenario. DH and I kept missing ovulation because I ovulate mid-week and I was always away!

Thanks for encouragemnt Fedup ... it is quiet here, not sure why today! Ah, the key thing is Fedup that no-one at work knows apart from the person to authorise time off and he is sworn to confidentiality!! Couldn't cope there ... though if I do get fertility treatment I am not sure how to handle that with colleagues, as every female in my area has at least one child!

Nice one! BMI of 28 is good. It's under 30 so it should be ok for a baby to burrow! Is it always very quiet on these threads, or is there a time when they pick up?
I daren't mention our intentions on babyfront in RL, the pressure would be unbearable. Bad enough that dh and I share it like a couple of naughty overgrown kids. Couldn't bear people asking every time they saw us. Enough pressure at work, thank you very much.
You are awfully brave to let everyone in on your plans. Hope everything gets rolling for you soon x

Oh - is anyone using Protein Shakes, such as Whey to go? I have read some positive things about them as help with protein levels and as I am vegetarian I know mine are low

Hi Choccie

Yes, understand elderly parents etc! Mine live helpfully 2hrs away, but have told them what we are doing and my brother is JUST going to have to do more. not long till Christmas, will give you time to choose where to go etc!! Will let you know what I find out and keep posted

I go on Friday, trying to keep my healthy eating up, as got BMI down to 28, from 31, but would like it to be nearer 25 (I sort of lost mometum at 28!)

Yes, kezia, I see your point. However , bogged down at work and home(elderly parents) at the mo. Will definitely look into it. After Christmas may be easier for us. Good luck your end. Keep us posted hon x

KC - how frustrating! I had my referral LOST by a secretary and so many other things. However, frustrating as it may seem fertility clinics can be very strict so having it done again makes sense. Have you had general blood tests yet by gp? For thyroid etc? If not, might be worth doing that while you wait. And your day 3 and day 21? My fertility clinic ordered more but the fact the gp had one set meant less wait when in fertility clinic.

Fedup - why not go to fertility clinic sooner? Mine had 6-8 week wait after referral, which wasn't sure of with moving hospitals! No point going to private clinic in my city, as only consultant there is the one I saw at NHS! Frustrating if no cause, but you may find a private clinic does more tests? I wouldn't mind one lot of IUI first, just in case it works - as 1/5 of cost, would help me prepare for IVF etc... but I will know more on Friday!

Hi KC! Thanks for such a detailed description: you are a girl after my own heart! Ever thought of becoming a door to door sales rep for the CBFM? You could even start your own parties! You're GOOD. I've decided I may invest in one: certainly cheaper than the Digi ones I'm using now:in the long term. But, on the condition that one of you girlies falls pregnant and OWES it, hand on heart to the monitor! X

Hi Ladies - hope everyone is all OK.

Choccie sorry to see from the stats that AF got you.

I am rather annoyed with my GP at the moment. Got my first set of test results back (ie the swabs) all OK. That's good. Except I have to have them re-done as the kit she used to take them is not what is recommended by the lab. Although I know the results are correct (unless DH has been sleeping around behind my back, which he isn't - I trust him and poor bloke doesn't even have the stamina to meet all my demands at the moment let alone those of another woman LoL) and the microbiologist did note that the test is indicative of result, GP's decided to repeat. However, now I've got an attack of thrush ( again - I swear it's the Pre-Seed causing this) they don't want any cross contamination and so won't do the repeat for a couple of weeks 8th October. Results take a few days and GP won't do referral to fertility until they are back. So my referral is delayed by another month because the GP didn't keep up to date with how to do a vaginal swab. I feel really now. Might speak to the nurse tomorrow when I have my bloods done and see if I really have to have the swabs repeated as the chance of a false negative result is so minimal.

Welcome to wantbaby

Keziah and Fedup I've only been ttc for one year but have never had a BFP either

Fedup The CBFM changes from low to high when oestradiol levels increase. My understanding is that the monitor continues to display high fertility until the peak in LH is detected, which tells the machine to display peak fertility. It then automatically shows a second peak day, followed by one high day and then reverts to low. If a peak day isn't shown within a cycle then the machine hasn't detected the LH surge (that triggers ovulation) in that particular cycle.

OPKs only detect LH as this is the hormone that actually triggers ovulation (usually 24 to 48 hours after the start of the surge) and not oestradiol (which causes the high display on CBFM). So yes, the smiley face is shown when CBFM would display peak.

The digital tests work by comparing the colour of the line formed by the presence of LH against a control line. The more LH present, the deeper the colour. When the test line is the same depth of colour or darker than the control line, then the test displays a smiley face. This isn't as accurate as what the CBFM does. CBFM doesn't compare against a control line, but against your baseline LH levels (LH is always present throughout the cycle at lower levels), which it establishes early in your cycle on the first day it asks for a test stick. Therefore it's looking for the point at which the LH line on the test stick is significantly darker than its depth of colour at the beginning of the cycle. So CBFM is more personalised. Whether it makes it more accurate, who knows?

Hi Izzy, thanks for the welcome. Hope you get a peak this month. As I am not familiar with the monitor, forgive me for asking, but if you got so many highs last month without a peak, does that then mean you wouldn't have got a smiley on the Digi opks? Or are the two completely unrelated? The reason I ask is that I swear by the Digis inspite of no results 2 years on! I have yet to hear of someone having a successful pregnancy as a direct result of the opks. In RL or on mumsnet!

Hi ladies,

A brief wave and hullo. Nice to see so many new faces. I'm flatout busy with work but thought I'd swing by and update my stats and see how everyone is. Will post properly at some point this week. x.

FlyingCat TTC#1, cycle 26, CBFM cycle 2, age 30, UCL 28-29, CD91
Rach879 TTC#1 cycle 7, CBFM cycle 1, age 30, UCL 30-34, CD58
BabyHoping TTC#1, CBM cycle 4, age 33, ucl 31-38, CD 56
Emmylou30 TTC #1, Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 1, age 30 UCL 35 CD48
Ses TTC#2, cycle 2 CBFM cycle 4, age 37, UCL 30 CD38
Jenni4 TTC#2, cycle 5 CBFM cycle 2, age 36, UCL 26 CD38
ljg TTC#3 Cycle 4, CBFM cycle 3 age 38 UCL 28-30 CD34
Starlet22 TTC#1; cycle 13; CBFM cycle 7; age 33; ucl 25; CD26
wantbaby TTC#1, cycle 9, CBFM cycle 3, age 38, UCL 30, CD 26
Hairytriangle TTC#1 cycle 10, CBFM cycle 1, age 42, UCL 28/29, CD24
Rosieposey TTC#5, Cycle 10, CBFM cycle 2, age 38, ucl 29-3, CD23
Keziah TTC#1, cycle25, CBFM cycle 13, age 35, ucl 28-31, CD 22
Missyraines TTC1, Cycle 11, CBFM cycle 6, age 33, UCL 32, CD22
KnackeredCow TTC#1, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 1, age 31, UCL 28, CD21
PinkCustard TTC#2 Cycle9 CBFM Cycle4 age 33 UCL 30-35 CD 20
Stormbird TTC #1, Cycle #4, CBFM Cycle #4, age 28, UCL 28 CD16
TangoTime TTC #1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle #2, age 32, UCL 28 CD15
Boba82 TTC#1 cycle 16, CBFM cycle 3, age 28, UCL ?, CD15
IzzyWizzyletsgetbusy, TTC#3 Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 2, age 34, UCL 28-29, CD11
chocciechip TTC#1 cycle 8, CBFM cycle 8, age 39, UCL29, CD3
Lychees TTC #2, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 8, Aged 36, UCL 30-35, CD2
Headbanger TTC #1, Cycle #9, CBFM cycle #2, Aged 30

GRADUATES

Harry2007 BFP 01/08/10
Vnewmummy BFP 19/08/10
Row78 BFP 07/09/10

hi kesia:not long story at all. we are in a similar position, but a lot older, also they cant find anything wrong with us:so nothing to correct. i am 40, he is 43. everything comes back normal, therefore where do we go from here. like you, i've never had a positive preg test either. well done for switching consultants, hope the new one is more understanding. it is really hard, but we'll all come through smiling, fingers crossed x

Ok, now I've sorted that I can post properly!

wantbaby I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I had a mmc at 16 weeks in July and found it such a shock - there's so much emphasis on the 12-week mark and you just assume you're ok when you get that far. I can only imagine what it must have been like at 20 weeks . I hope things work out for you soon.

Also wanted to wish keziah and fedup best of luck with upcoming appointments - hopefully they can start to give you some answers and move things on for you both.

I got my first high of the cycle today, so am hoping to see some normality instead of last month's 13-highs-and-no-peaks!!

Aagh - x-posted with pinkcustard , sorry - will try again:

FlyingCat TTC#1, cycle 26, CBFM cycle 2, age 30, UCL 28-29, CD91
Rach879 TTC#1 cycle 7, CBFM cycle 1, age 30, UCL 30-34, CD58
BabyHoping TTC#1, CBM cycle 4, age 33, ucl 31-38, CD 56
Emmylou30 TTC #1, Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 1, age 30 UCL 35 CD48
Ses TTC#2, cycle 2 CBFM cycle 4, age 37, UCL 30 CD38
Jenni4 TTC#2, cycle 5 CBFM cycle 2, age 36, UCL 26 CD38
chocciechip TTC#1 cycle 7, CBFM cycle 7, age 39, UCL29, CD35
ljg TTC#3 Cycle 4, CBFM cycle 3 age 38 UCL 28-30 CD34
Starlet22 TTC#1; cycle 13; CBFM cycle 7; age 33; ucl 25; CD26
wantbaby TTC#1, cycle 9, CBFM cycle 3, age 38, UCL 30, CD 26
Hairytriangle TTC#1 cycle 10, CBFM cycle 1, age 42, UCL 28/29, CD24
Rosieposey TTC#5, Cycle 10, CBFM cycle 2, age 38, ucl 29-3, CD23
Keziah TTC#1, cycle25, CBFM cycle 13, age 35, ucl 28-31, CD 22
Missyraines TTC1, Cycle 11, CBFM cycle 6, age 33, UCL 32, CD22
KnackeredCow TTC#1, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 1, age 31, UCL 28, CD21
PinkCustard TTC#2 Cycle9 CBFM Cycle4 age 33 UCL 30-35 CD 20
Stormbird TTC #1, Cycle #4, CBFM Cycle #4, age 28, UCL 28 CD16
TangoTime TTC #1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle #2, age 32, UCL 28 CD15
Boba82 TTC#1 cycle 16, CBFM cycle 3, age 28, UCL ?, CD15
IzzyWizzyletsgetbusy, TTC#3 Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 2, age 34, UCL 28-29, CD11
Lychees TTC #2, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 8, Aged 36, UCL 30-35, CD2
Headbanger TTC #1, Cycle #9, CBFM cycle #2, Aged 30

GRADUATES

Harry2007 BFP 01/08/10
Vnewmummy BFP 19/08/10
Row78 BFP 07/09/10

Just updating the stats as i seem to have gained a day!

FlyingCat TTC#1, cycle 26, CBFM cycle 2, age 30, UCL 28-29, CD91
Rach879 TTC#1 cycle 7, CBFM cycle 1, age 30, UCL 30-34, CD58
BabyHoping TTC#1, CBM cycle 4, age 33, ucl 31-38, CD 56
PinkCustard TTC#2 Cycle8 CBFM Cycle3 age 33 UCL 30-35 CD 52
Emmylou30 TTC #1, Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 1, age 30 UCL 35 CD48
Ses TTC#2, cycle 2 CBFM cycle 4, age 37, UCL 30 CD38
Jenni4 TTC#2, cycle 5 CBFM cycle 2, age 36, UCL 26 CD38
chocciechip TTC#1 cycle 7, CBFM cycle 7, age 39, UCL29, CD35
ljg TTC#3 Cycle 4, CBFM cycle 3 age 38 UCL 28-30 CD34
Starlet22 TTC#1; cycle 13; CBFM cycle 7; age 33; ucl 25; CD26
wantbaby TTC#1, cycle 9, CBFM cycle 3, age 38, UCL 30, CD 26
Hairytriangle TTC#1 cycle 10, CBFM cycle 1, age 42, UCL 28/29, CD24
Rosieposey TTC#5, Cycle 10, CBFM cycle 2, age 38, ucl 29-3, CD23
Keziah TTC#1, cycle25, CBFM cycle 13, age 35, ucl 28-31, CD 22
Missyraines TTC1, Cycle 11, CBFM cycle 6, age 33, UCL 32, CD22
KnackeredCow TTC#1, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 1, age 31, UCL 28, CD21
Stormbird TTC #1, Cycle #4, CBFM Cycle #4, age 28, UCL 28 CD16
TangoTime TTC #1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle #2, age 32, UCL 28 CD15
Boba82 TTC#1 cycle 16, CBFM cycle 3, age 28, UCL ?, CD15
IzzyWizzyletsgetbusy, TTC#3 Cycle 2, CBFM cycle 2, age 34, UCL 28-29, CD11
Lychees TTC #2, Cycle 12, CBFM cycle 8, Aged 36, UCL 30-35, CD2
Headbanger TTC #1, Cycle #9, CBFM cycle #2, Aged 30

GRADUATES

Harry2007 BFP 01/08/10
Vnewmummy BFP 19/08/10
Row78 BFP 07/09/10