2ww#3 - hope, hormones and help

Not offensive at all littlemimosa This TTC malarky leads us to dissect a lot of health and lifestyle decisions we make! I have been veggie for many years but started eating fish again a few months before TTC. So now my protein is from fish and plant-based sources. Have to say though that India has the largest veggie population in the world - and with a total population of over a billion, there aren't too many issues with procreation :) so taking some slight comfort from that!!!!

This TTC malarkey is really something isn't it. The whole PMS Vs early pregnancy symptoms is neurosis to the max. Never before did I care about the cramps I was getting or what my boobs felt like - but now hyper aware of every symptom - psychogenic or not! Even when you try to be rational about things it's very easy to get carried away isn't it!

Good luck to anyone expecting AF this week. I am feeling lot more positive than when i did earlier today when period started. Onwards :)

This new cycle will be our fifth cycle of TTC. Going to use sperm meets egg plan. Also thinking of having a fertility MOT privately - has anyone had one?

Hi guys. Good luck and patience to all those in the 2WW. I can vouch for pms being very similar to early pregnancy symptoms. With both my DC I swore I was getting AF only to be shocked when she didn't arrive.

Sarah you poor thing. You've really been on a rollercoaster this month.
I have to agree about soy/soya products. I read a lot about nutrition and the effect on the body and know there have been studies done showing the detrimental effects of soy on fertility (including on sperm). It's problematic for two reasons. One is because it acts like a fake oestrogen (a phytoestrogen) in your system thereby messing up your natural hormonal balance. And two because in the west soy is highly processed and GM (unlike in Japan for example where it is consumed as a whole food).
I really really hope this isn't taken the wrong way, I totally respect anybody's decision not to eat animals, but there is some anecdotal evidence to say that SOME people who are vegan or vegetarian and have fertility issues would temporarily benefit from eating some meat and fish. I'm just putting this out there in an effort to help anyone struggling with the heartbreak that is infertility. I hope it doesn't offend anyone (including you Sarah!) it's just my thoughts.

Phew long post or what.

It sucks! #Feelinguncomfortable
#bellylookslikeIateachickenwhole

I don't understand why PMS symptoms are so soon after OV and 2 weeks before AF

missyem the problem is always that pms symptoms and pregnancy symptoms are very similar so could be either. Hopefully it's the latter!

So I am CD17 and 3DPO, AF due around the 5th - 8th. I have a heavy feeling already about this month but here goes anyway. symptons: sore nipples, tender/sore heavy feeling boobs, low dull tummy ache and then today sticky slightly stretchy CM. Is the concnesious this is all PMS?

@Sarah2209 how much soy are we talking? I have 1 decaf soy cappuccino a day do I need to ditch? 😭

Hello all. Rhi, so sorry for you. I am also South Wales based and I hope whichever hospital you are at is looking after you well.

I am on CD 24 and waiting for ov. I only had a luteal phase of 8/9 days the last 2 cycles so not holding out any great hope this time round. On holiday next week which will be 2ww (Or 1.5 week wait in my case).

Hmm, might have to switch builders tea for rooibos from now on...Also, I had no idea about soy. Very interesting!

Sorry to hear that kitkat321 - sounds like that's not what the decision you wanted and a hard thing to come to terms with.

Hope you're holding up ok Rhibee.

I'm feeling completely and frustratingly normal. 3 days til AF due and no symptoms. Boobs annoyingly painless (oh the things we wish for!).

Thanks for the tag @lisara79. Unfortunately dh has proclaimed he now doesn't want a second child so looks like it's off he table.

My head can see the logic in this but my heart is a bit sad - good luck to everyone still trying! I hope this is the month for you!

I eat a lot of soy as well as also veggie. Another thing to cut out...!

Frigging period. An unexpected early appearance. At least I didn't even have time to get my hopes up! I wish I were doing something exciting to cheer myself up but I'm on my way home to do some more work. Yay... Have a good evening ladies!

Hello Cannonball - sorry witch has come to visit...she's so bad!!

I gave up caffiene altogether, had a horrendous 3 day headache mind you - scary withdrawal....

I've just read how bad Soy is for women trying to conceive.... so scary, as a vegan I eat a lot and it's really bad for the sperm trying to fertilise the egg....!! Soy is temporarily off the table....

Got to try it all as I'm running out of time

A really short cycle, even!

Hope you girls are getting on okay and AF stays away xx

I'm sorry rhibee. Sounds like an awful situation. How are you bearing up?

Thanks all, re: your caffeine tips! I've been generally good at avoiding apart from at most a tea a day - but there are many days I don't have any. I'm going to switch to decaf tea.

I am CD25 today. I'm not due AF until Friday but I've been getting cramps today and have just seen blood on tissue when I wipe. Another month bites the dust... And this month is a really cycle. What is going on?!

Thanks LittleMimosa and Lisara - hope you are both ok?

RhiBee - how you doing?

Hello Jords and Melodypond - nice to see you again! Hello again to any newbies....

It was a tough month.... I had that awful scan (and now have another to look forward too), was told I’d ovulate 4 days later, didn’t and ended up not ovulating for another 4 days, so Clomid really lengthened the pre-luetual phase of my cycle. OPKs were not working, they’d told me I was ovulating the week before and I knew I hadn’t as I had the scan... it really threw me off...

Then the 2ww, sore boobs, really, really emotional - not like me at all! A bit of nausea, really thought we’d done it. Then had at 11dpo (tmi!) had a day of brown discharge - just little bits and thought yes - this could be implantation!! Then it stopped and I really thought I was pregnant, and then Saturday morning - full on painful cramps and lots of bleeding. Gutted.... didn’t do any early tests as didn’t want to go through the experience of a chemical again, but it felt painful enough that something new was happening - though could have been the Clomid? Saturday was a bad day

So onto next new cycle - CD3 today and 2nd day of taking Clomid this month. Will book in for my scan tomorrow - be interested to see if this month is also a much later ovulation month, or whether that was just the first month?

Been reading up on tips to help ladies with their fertility - and apparently sunflower seeds and pineapple are really good! Though the pineapple should only be eaten the day of and after ovulation... not before as it can effect cervical mucus... who knew! It’s fascinating reading about all these foods that can help or hinder pregnancy!!!

I’m willing to try it all at this point to see if it helps....

Aw Lisara how are you today after the panic attack? I'd say yes it definitely could be hormones. How have you been feeling generally both physically and emotionally? I know you've been really positive about things but I wonder if you've processed the loss?

@littlemimosa I really appreciate you sharing your story. I do have a son already.

Hi everyone. Thanks Lisara for starting the new thread. Glad to hear you're doing well after your m/c. Kudos to you for such a positive attitude.

Rhi I'm so sorry:( you must be devastated right now. If I remember rightly you have one DC already? I just wanted to say that I had the exact same thing happen at 6+3 with my second pregnancy. I then went on to conceive my second baby on the second month after the m/c. I know this is no consolation to you right now but i just wanted you to know I understand how you feel and that there is hope. I'm thinking of you sweetheart.

Sarah I'm so sorry AF got you. How was your first full month of clomid on reflection? Did it affect your cycle lots? How are you feeling about everything?

As for me, having had two months off due to crazy early ovulation, I'm now on CD6 and determined not to miss this one so the sex has commenced early this month. That egg is not getting away again!

@RhiBee29 so sorry you're going through this. Hugs and support for you.x

@lisara79 I'm 6+3, bleeding continuously now. They didn't tell me the level. Pretty sure it's a miscarriage now

Thank you for the welcome. Sounds like you ladies have been chatting for a while.

This is all rather daunting and I never really understood, and still don't fully know what we all could go through. It's mind boggling!

@Rhibee29, I wish you all the best and sending you positive vibes.

@Lisara79, thank you. I will this month, although will spend 2 weeks symptom spotting! Already spent too much on OPKs and tests and I am only 2 months in.