The Elderberry Pavlovas: sit on the sofa of hopefulness and make yourself a special omelette while prescribing the vomming cat to those that deserve it and observing the lunching of the tactless.

Ahh thanks guys. Yes it's gone down from 15 in March to this so I should be pleased- cant say the time has flown by though. No sid I feel no physical difference whatsoever, but I wasn't poorly to start with- they caught it by fluke really following my mc.

I probably read your chart wrong- just saw lots of AM and PMs on the BD but so assumed you were really going for it!

Really have nothing but admiration re step kids. From seeing friends who are step mums (and having a step mum myself) it seems to me from my outsiders view that a big factor in the relationship working well is how the dad behaves. Don't know if this really is the case though...

It's very quiet in here nowadays...

Thunder awesome news! Must be such a relief! Are you feeling a difference physically? Glad they got it sorted so quickly! And OMG sex 2x daily, not even we are that overachieve-y!! Must've recorded something incorrectly!!

Boom the only thing worse than horrible bitey things is.... mind is going blank sorry! makes mental note to check SKs for lice again Re: my mental toughness, don't be fooled; I cry lots & DH is sensible enough to roll with it, mostly bc all of the truly hard bits are ones he's brought into my life (sounds unintentionally pervy), but then so are most of the truly good bits so I keep going. stepmotherhood is no joke, check out the step parenting board if you're ever in the mood to see a beating!

Thanks Kuma for the confirmation; how're things with you today?

Oh yay Thunder! Great news! Now just need AF to sling her hook and you'll be diffed in no time x

Oh yeah meant to say that chart looks anonymous to me too, sid

Hi ladies

Got latest test results and my TSH is now a lovely healthy 1.52! Hopefully that is the last obstacle so I may be back on the game from this month? clutches at straws

sid I don't know about charts but just checked yours for password etc. does it show that you're having sex twice a day?!! Pheweeee- hats off to you and mr sid!

Bad luck with the itching boom

Hi kuma. Bad luck with the awkward conversation/questions thing. Love your response though- may use that myself in future!

sid looks completely anonymous to me.

Sorry to be hear AF's been doing her rounds. Commiserations thunder kuma bunny - next time!

Thunder thanks for the info, I was just looking through all the letters I've had from the GP and I've got one saying my TSH is 'normal' but not the level. So I might raise that at the next clinic appointment in July just to see what it was. They didn't do a T4 test as far as I know... Hope you're down under 2 soon

Sid must be so hard being away from family. I'm not sure I'd be a big enough person to deal with SKs while going through all this, especially away from family support - you must be one tough cookie!

Barking are you still on your yellow brick road? Fingers crossed for you x

Hi Puppy!

Had a lovely morning walking the dog but since I got back have come up in loads of itchy bites/spots...not sure if I walked through a swarm of midges or something but I'm scratching like I've got fleas! So attractive..

also bc I am one paranoid bugger can someone please confirm that my login/password info doesn't show up when the link I attached is clicked?

Barking here's my chart (I think) - any ideas? This is my first month temping; only started on the 7th & I haven't been recording every single detail every single day. i'm not exactly consistent with what time I temp, so that could explain the "rockiness" accdg to the FF details page.

CBFM people replied to my email & said that ongoing High readings don't necessary indicate a problem, more like ovulation is happening but stick isn't picking it up for one reason or another. In my case might be bc I'm not weeing on it long enough or holding the stick down til it gets put in the machine. Sounds almost stupid enough to be true.

Blind my cycle is usually 28-30 days, what about you? Your festival plans sound fantastic, really would love a break from all this TTC malarkey but at age 38 I don't feel like time is on my side Yes I'm a bona fide Amurrican, never been to Oz! We didn't Skype which is just as well as I was a teary mess all day yesterday. Some days I just really miss my family and find it hard to cope with life here. My DH makes it worthwhile but man is it hard sometimes.

Thunder sorry she got you, and Bunny hope your cramps subside soon

Comiserations thunder, bunny, she got me too .

Although I had a generally good weekend I had to endure the usual questioning from the MIL about when DH are going to have kids. I didn't really manage to entertain the conversation this time and just told her that I don't like kids, I only like cats. Hopefully we won't have to keep repeating this conversation..... We had had some respite as my SIL was pregnant, but their baby is now 8 weeks old so it seems I am fair game again.....

Anyway I am trying to stay positive, we've got a lot going on this month and should hopefully be moving into a new house so I intend just to dtd as much as possible then if I nothing happens find a new and hopefully nice GP and get some tests done....

Also on a positive note tally, my best mate has hypothyroidism and three kids, so once it is controlled I think it shouldn't be a problem.

tally yeah I think that's what caused my miscarriage

And yes bunny she got me

Bad morning all! Well it is for me, Monday + not pg + it feels like my womb is being ripped out by that evil bitch does not a happy bunny make! My colleagues already think I'm a moody cow, they ain't seen nothing yet!

Hope all those expecting AF don't get her! x

Hi all, just checking in ready for arrival of af and annnnnoooother cycle. (can u see the optimism radiating from me!!)
af due anytime between Wed & Fri so ill be back sometime this week!

now you mention thyroids, I'm having a sort of flashback from my appointment last week and remembering that I need to go for a blood test. that might have been for thyroid function, I can't remember. Someone mentioned this issues being linked to miscarriages but I think it might have been here. I wish I could remember!

Bollocks. Think she just arrived. Humph.

Well then boom, how long have you got? clearly not long as you just said flying visit I know a fair bit about thyroid tests now...

So they usually measure two hormones- TSH and T4. I won't go into detail about what they are here but happy to if you're interested.

It's the TSH that is the number they seem most interested in. The NHS say the 'normal' range is 0.5- 5 although it seems other research says that 3 should be the max.

Guidelines say that when pg, this number should ideally be kept below 2.

So having recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I have agreed with my dr to try to get TSH level between 0.5-2 (even though they would consider me 'normal' ha! That'd be a first at my last test where I was 4.6

I hope this helps? Happy to blather on explain further if it would be helpful.

bunny I cry all the time nowadays, pmt or not. I'm expecting af tomorrow or tues. I really really hope she doesn't show up. Stating the bleeding obvious.

Evening all!

This is just a flying visit so big hellos to all! Will catch up properly later, I just have a very quick question and hope someone who knows will answer. I remember seeing something on here about thyroid function tests and someone saying that doctors say a certain level is normal but actually fertility can be impacted if it's at the higher end of the 'normal' range. Does anyone know what the 'normal' range is and what the best range for fertility is? Just wondering!

Thanks berries! xxx

Oh kitty that card must have been difficult to see!

I didn't have my planned sob in the BubbleBath of gloom in the end. But I did nearly cry whilst watching the muppets film, pmt anyone?!?!?

Ah so you're American sid?! I'd decided in my head that you were an Aussie! Dunno why! Yep we're cycle buddies this month, how long do you think you're cycle will be thus month? Was secretly hoping dh would forget to dtd this month as kinda fancy a blow out in a few weeks! Looks like this festival will be pretty tame now! Did you Skype your dad?

Did feel a little sad for dh earlier when someone put a Father's Day 'dad to be' card on fb. Ah well, maybe next year

And very cool sweet tree happy

Evening!

Oh dear thunder hope your problems disappear soon! It's crappy!

Ugh barking yep cramps started here this morning too, AF due weds/thurs so I expect spotting to start soon

sid ah you is an American, must be tough being away from family, how long you lived here?

Haha thanks thunder. The photo was the right way up when I uploaded it. Not sure what happened there!

Yes happy! Wow looks great! and amazing how you get it to stay horizontal like that too

sid I'm really sorry you're having a rough day. That must sting so much.

Let me know what you think of the book! I doubt my taste sometimes!

Can people see my photos now? Don't know what I'm doing!

Hi all. Tough day here so far; SKs have showered DH with FDay goodies and it's awfully sweet but just highlights how awkward they are about acknowledging my role in their lives, and all I can think of is hoping even harder for the day to come when I'm an actual mother and will have at least one child in my life who isn't conflicted about loving me and being happy I'm around Sounds bitter doesn't it. More to the point I miss my own father; we're skyping later and I know I'll cry. I'm American hence the crazy emotionality? It has to come from somewhere!

Thunder I've just downloaded the book you recommended - 30p on Amazon!

Sorry AF got you Bunny. The first couple of days are rough; go easy on yourself Your time will come!

Blind you and I are cycle buddies, CD16 here too I've tried the 'hope DH remembers' thing - he does remember but doesn't bang on about it like I do so it's impossible to tell if he knows, or just isn't talking about it. Maybe yours is the same?

Happy sweet tree, wow! Sounds fantastic!!

Tally that really isn't on about your job. Are they saying it's a permanent thing, or just til they find someone?

CBFM still showing 'high', no 'peak' yet, argh. Have emailed CBFM people for info.

Thanks Barking for the chart link - no clue how to link mine! I'll figure it out. Too funny about your DH's friend - your DH must've pissed himself laughing!!

Hope the rest of the berry gang is having a good day - hopefully next year we'll all have tiny ones (or ones on the way) to make Father's Day even more special bumps into the rest of you lot skipping down the yellow brick road of positivity