Clearblue Fertility Monitor Support Group Buddies Vol 5!!

Karbea - sounds good to me - peaks at the right time of the cycle!

Am still waiting for my peak - day 15 now, so here's hoping!

I gave up the booze months ago - don't really miss it - don't have time for a hangover anyway!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine! x

chocciedrip where did you find the nutritionist?

I had my 2nd peak day this morning.

Keziah gad to see you are staying positive. Just remember too that our bfp came in the last month possible before IVF, and we'd been told there was a chance we may have to go for ICSI as well due to my DH's anti-sperm antibodies. We think we were unbelievably lucky, and also think we'd have stood no chance if we hadn't done what we needed to to improve the odds as much as we can.

karbea The gist of the changes are this. Cut out alcohol. I did allow myself the occassional glass of wine (like when AF arrived), but generally switched to zero alcohol beer. This was the hardest change for me because I loved my booze, but once done, you'll wonder why it was ever an issue

Cut out caffiene - I switched to decaf coffee and tea.

If you or your DH smoke, stop straight away.

Eat three meals a day. I previously only ever ate dinner and thought I'd get fat doing this, but my weight didn't change.

Aim for seven - SEVEN - fruit and veg a day. Smoothies can help you get a lot of fruit in one go in the morning. Add a handful of oats to your smoothies, and some yoghurt because protein apparently slows down the absorption of sugar.

Of your fruit and veg, one of them, every day, should be a leafy green veg.

I also recommend you consider cutting down on tuna if you eat it regularly. I had a hair analyses test that showed I had higher levels of mercury than I should have (and so did DH) and the only possible source was occasional tuna steaks and tins of tuna. We were given revolting sea weed capsules to help us shift the mercury from our systems because apparently its slow to leave your body once there.

Your Dh should do all of the above too.

We also went on a vitamin regime - DH and I. I recommend you see a nutritionist who specialises in fertility issues to get your own guide of what you need, but I am happy to post up my list again if you like. We saw a big jump in DH's sperm stats after he started on vitamins.

My DH is still taking all his vits now even though we got a bfp because he wants to keep as healthy as possible in case things go wrong. He stopped drinking when I did, and is still not drinking.

Finally, it takes three months before any of these changes start having an effect.

Very good luck.

Yep I've tried to stop caffeine - but chocolate...

hi - I will try and find choccie's thread and post in it what she did having seen a dietician. No caffeine in drinks, no alcohol for definite - and low fat dairy is a no no bizarrely!!

Keziah What are you going to do diet wise? I'm trying hard, but we eat out a lot i've cut down A LOT on alcohol though.

Thanks Tilly - encouraging to hear you got more eggs second time round, but sorry about your result. If you have 3 miscarriages - natural or from IVF you can get some NHS tests done (ie no pay!) to see if any reason for this.
My problem is conceiving naturally though!

But - am going to give natural bfp a real go the next few months. Really going to look at my diet, choccie has inspired me there after she made massive changes and got a bfp after 19mths ttc naturally.

Karbea - peak sounds great, shows that you are able to use the CB monitor and it is helping. And you too Tilly - but sorry know nothing about charts.... KC is the expert oracle here I think , so hope she comes along.

KC - how is work going for you?

Hello, I got my peak today CD15 but any idea what my chart is doing? www.fertilityfriend.com/home/332dc0 I got a + OPK last night as well (I could feel I was ov'ing), so have I actual ov'd or am I just getting all the hormones and no egg (due to no temp increase)???

Hi Ladies and welcome Karbea just wanted to say hello to all. Cd 16 and got a peak - still gives me a thrill even after all these months! (sigh!)

Keziah - sorry to hear your news. when we had our 2nd IVF (private) we did have to pay for the tests but they seemed to test for a hell of lot more than the NHS 'standard' tests and that was sort of relief as I imagined I had something they hadn't yet found! The 2nd time round I produced more eggs, (7 in total) and they were abetter quality. i wish i could say why that was but I m afraid i can't. My end result ultimately was the same as the first time round but at 10 weeks. Saving desperatly like you for another go and b'ding for all im worth in the meantime!

Much love too all

Tilly xx

Karbea - how long have you been ttc? I found out lots from using the CBFM and am also too lazy to temp but think it is good. In fact the real reason temping will not work is due to another physical condition I have (Immune problem - no IgA) my temperature runs lower than normal, have frequent infections and my top temperature EVER when I had septacaemia was 38.8 (thankfully Gp knows my temperature being low doesn't mean I have an infection but when in hospital they take it as Gospel as I am ok, grrrr... ) - so can't reliably use temp and have no ECWM.

storm - bless you. Looking into one more cycle of ICSI too, but that takes time to get a review, 7 weeks, get another appointment to see about 2nd cycle and also re-do all those tests (privately this time unless gp is nice, sigh!!) x

KC Umm guess I should start temping again then. It's all such a who har first thing in the morning (especially as i'm far from a morning person)!
Mind you, I guess all this "might" be interesting to my GP if I have to go and see him... (body has this month, and next to get itself up the duff, or i'm off to the doc's!) xx

Just butting in to say......she's bloody good is our KC - like an Oracle!

and...... Keziah sorry about your bleeding and BFN hun. Its positive that you are considering TTC yr 3 with gusto. I will be constantly watching and hoping for your news.

Always Lurking
Storm

SBC - great about the EWCM, I don't have any either and my prolactin level is 650 to 980. Am going to Gp (oh a month to see mine!!) and going to insist on another prolactin blood test and I will tell them I know of someone who had lower level than me and was referred - as I think my prolactin is an issue as it is way off where it should be but 2 Gp's and NHS gynae say "no".Hope this is good month for you xx

Karbea Yes I am. The monitor shows that oestrogen peaks and leuteinising hormone peaks. These happen prior to ovulation. In the majority of women, this will be a good indication that ovulation will occur BUT it is possible that it doesn't. Although not always true, a good indicator of ovulation is a regular menstrual cycle. This is why the first question a GP should ask is whether you have a regular cycle. They are normally looking for a cycle of between 21 and 35 days.

Temping tends to pick up the progesterone peak, which can't occur before ovulation. Progesterone is secreted by the corpus luteum on the ovary. This is the follicle from which the egg has been released. It is secreted AFTER the release of the egg. Therefore, progesterone levels should be very low until after ovulation. Progesterone peaks around 7 days after ovulation and then declines unless you become pregnant, in which case betaHCG released by the embryo tells the corpus luteum to keep secreting progesterone until the embryo is implanted and the placenta established. If pregnancy doesn't occur in a cycle, the corpus luteum retreats, progesterone levels fall and this triggers menstruation and a new cycle.

Therefore, if you do ovulate, the CBFM is fantastic at advising on timing. If you don't ovulate, it's not. Temping can be used as an indicator to demonstrate that ovulation has occurred, although the best test is a blood serum progesterone test done 7 days BEFORE your period is due. The results can't actually be interpreted accurately until after your period has started. It's only then that your GP will know the timing of the test was correct. Although specificity is not 100%, a serum progesterone test is a pretty good indicator of ovulation. That said, the NHS doesn't undertake these until you have been TTC unsuccessfully for 12 months (6 months if you are over 35), as it's not unusual for it to take 12 - 18 months to become pregnant. The other thing to bear in mind that the older you are, the longer it can take to conceive and it doesn't mean anything is necessarily wrong.

knackeredcow so are you saying that even if the monitor says I'm ov'ing i might not be?

Hi all

Thank you all for the support, am feeling a bit better today - think I have actual EWCM for the first time ever so was disappointed that CBFM gave me a low, but it is the first poas this cycle, so maybe tomorrow! FX

Keep having this irrational thought that maybe I am actually already pregnant (stupidly tired, feel a bit sick etc) despite the horrifically painful AF just a week ago. Why do our bodies play such evil tricks on us!?

Think it is just my hormones levelling out as I now have a prolactin level of just 256 which is within the normal acceptable level

Keziah FX for you, you are being very brave - do you have support from the clinic with counselling etc? I can't help with the cycle day, I still get confused by the day 1 being effectively my day 2 each month!

Hoping this is all our months, SBC

SBC - ouch, that is not nice. Totally understand - go back to work next week and the colleague I work with all the time has just announced her 2nd pregnancy!!

Today was my OTD, a BFN as expected as been bleeding for 5 days. Absolutely no idea what day is day 1. Was it first day of bleed, was it today as OTD? Have cried myself out at least, just low now and lacking hope. The thought of ttc for natural bfp is so hard but promised dh we would, for year 3 of ttc with great inent!

Kitty Glad to hear that it's going well for you x

SBC I know exactly how you feel. I am really bad at taking folic acid and I have given up giving up drinking. I really don't think it makes any difference - well it hasn't in my case.

I have four members of staff. 3 are aged between 30 and 34. Two are recently married. Although this is a sweeping judgment (as we all well know not everybody can become pregnant, and not everybody wants children), but I think it's fair to surmise somebody may become pregnant and I want it to be ME. Scared it won't be and I'll have to bottle up my own disappointment.

Karbea Temping is good for confirming ovulation. It's been found that women are most likely to conceive in the 6 days leading up to and ending on the day of ovulation. The mostly likely chance of conception is if you have sex 2 days before ovulation. As temping is retrospective, it's likely to be too late to conceive by the time you see the rise in temps. When sperm first enters the female's reproductive tract it isn't capable of fertilisation. Although it can reach the fallopian tubes very quickly, it takes some hours to undergo a process called capacitation. During this period, the head of the sperm change shape so that they are able to penetrate the egg. It's not understood how, but the female reproductive tract induces this process.

Therefore, the advantage of the CBFM is that it warns you when you are about to ovulate increasing the chance that you get the timing right. That said, looking for EWCM in conjunction with temping is useful. Temping can also be indicative of confirmation of ovulation, whereas the CBFM isn't. The CBFM tells you that the expected hormonal changes are occurring, but doesn't actual prove that you are ovulating. So used together they can be useful. I don't bother as I've had the "Day 21" progesterone so I know that I do ovulate.

hi all just thought id stop by and say hi. I always hope that I will log on and see the graduate list has doubled I do so hope for some good luck soon especially those who have been trying for so long. things going well, quite tired and feel like whale still another 22 weeks to go! xxc

Good Evening Ladies, hope we are all well!

Todays stats (Karbea you are now on the list!):
Rosieposey TTC#5, Cycle #12, CBFM Cycle 6, age 38, UCL 29-35, CD125
Twowoulddo TTC#2, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle 1?, age 31, UCL 31, CD133
CrazyAlien TTC#1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle 2, age 28, UCL 31-35??! CD97
Arabella36 TTC#2, Cycle #1, CBFM Cycle 4, age 34, UCL29, CD90
Roastie TTC#1, Cycle #23, CBFM Cycle 2, age 32, UCL 29, CD84
TinaO99 TTC#2, Cycle#2, CBFM Cycle 2, age 42, UCL 28, CD80
wantbaby TTC#1, Cycle #12, CBFM Cycle 6, age 38, UCL 28, CD70
Scoobielou TTC #1, Cycle #1, CBFM Cycle 1, age 32, UCL 31, CD??
SlightlyBabyCrazed TTC#1, Cycle #25, CBFM Cycle 3, age 35, UCL 28-32, CD9
Tilly TTC#1, 3years, CBFM Cycle 10, age 36, UCL 28-34, CD11
Ses TTC#2, Cycle #7, CBFM Cycle 9, age 38, UCL 28-30, CD28
Fr00tbat TTC#1, Cycle #7, CBFM Cycle 3, age 32, UCL 30-38 (av 34), CD28
Keziah TTC#1, Cycle #31, CBFM Cycle 19, age 35, ucl 28-31, CD26
Littlefan TTC#1, Cycle #13, CBFM Cycle 6 , age 32, UCL 28-38, CD25
aMuminwaiting CD19
Loup TTC#1, Cycle #3, CBFM Cycle 3, age 31, UCL33-35, CD18
OlisMum TTC#2, Cycle #1, CBFM Cycle 1, age 26, UCL 30-31, CD16
KnackeredCow TTC#1, Cycle #19, CBFM Cycle 8, age 32, UCL 28, CD11
Karbea TTC#1, Cycle #6, CBFM Cycle 1, age 37, UCL 22-26, CD9

Graduates:
Emmylou30 BFP 22/10/10
MissLolita BFP 30/10/20
Notnearly BFP 6/11/10
StormBird BFP 10/11/10
AnytimeNow BFP 20/11/10
IloveKittyElise BFP 30/12/10
Boba BFP 07/01/11
Chocciechip BFP 11/01/11
Clockspotter BFP 21/02/11
MissyRaines BFP 19/03/11

Am probably having IUI this week, if OV happens before next Sunday - FX

Yet another one of my staff dropped the bombshell of being 6 weeks pregnant - not planned or tried and longed for - which is then the cue for everyone to start with the you'll be next!! None of them know how long we've been trying, so quick cry in toilet and avoid them all for a few days whilst they talk baby, baby, baby and the questions like what's folic acid!!! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH I've been taking it for two years in the vague hope I get PG and they get pregnant whilst drinking, smoking and eating c+$p! Guess I'm doing it wrong!

Rant over!!

SBC

knackeredcow I think I'm going to give up temp as the cbfm must be more accurate than just your temps surely??? I'm on cd 8 (although it thinks 7) and I've 2 squares now (high) but it said to expect this on cycle 1 of using it. I'm just excited in the hope I might be ov'ing I'm so scared i've left this baby making lark to long

Hi Karbea No I don't temp but that's because I am too lazy trust the CBFM.

Agree with you Keziah only one funded cycle where I am too.

Do you have to have all the tests redone at the clinic or could you get them done elsewhere. Just wondering if you could have them redone on the NHS?