The Good, The Bad and The Yams!

@Books hubby is also keen on the “sex every few days the whole month” thing, even after we found out I’m not ovulating, he’s like... “but we can keep trying... just in case, right...?”

@LexieJean ha yes I find the squiggly line helps us avoid the unromantic 'we best have sex tonight' chat as we both know to make the effort. Though I have the opposite problem in that my dh can't understand why we aren't having sex every few days throughout the whole month 😂 He read it on nhs website and thinks it must therefore be adhered to. Wishful thinking 😉

@Pinkemi ah yeah it's hard for sure! Breakfast is the hardest for me as I love granola and I'm bored of eggs now!

@owlpatrol oh man.. thats hard! I struggle to stay below 50g most days.. but then i love fruit.

@Pinkemi aparently under 20g I think I am doing about 30 so pretty well done. It's easier as dp is doing it with me

@owlpatrol how "keto" are you going? Ive been trying to cut down on carbs as heard its better for fertility.. but dunno how low is low enough you know?

Anyone got an ava bracelet? I keep looking at it and thinking should i get one. There is a testimonial from a lady who had been trying for 11 months (about the same as me) and is now pregnant. Just.. very expensive!!

@books I love the wiggly line idea! Even though we’ve been through it a million times my OH doesn’t get that fw is a WHOLE week- perhaps this would help him! 😂

Hearing other folk are taking a step back from all the tracking is making me feel a bit better. Haven’t done an OPK for a couple of months, just plotting the very basic info in Ovia and trying to go with the flow more. Hoping that less stressing about tiny details will help us chill and hit the jackpot. Fingers crossed for you all too! 🤞🏼

Hey ladies! So sorry to hear about the poss endo/cysts/tracking stress/ill grandparents (me too on that one though luckily they're in UK so easier travel wise).
Personally I stopped bbt and detailed tracking about 5 months ago as it was causing me way more anxiety and extra upset when FP arrived. I now sometimes use opks around the right time to pinpoint ov if its helpful for docs info (eg 21 day test) but otherwise just aim for sex eod in fw. And I use a v basic period tracker app called Woman Log. Rather unromantically I draw a squiggly line in our kitchen calendar to indicate fw so hubby knows when it's business time 😆

Hi ladies! Hope everyone is doing well. I'm in a much better place this week I have been dieting (keto diet, aparently good for hormones) and so my moods are overall better. I think I'm around 10dpo now but just riding out this month as we have so much on not ttc related! Booked a holiday for a week in the lake district and can't wait hoping the sun stays till August!

How is everyone? Xx

Hey yammers

Sorry to hear about all the possible endo stress on top of TTC. Good to know how the symptoms can vary- yet another way our bodies keep us guessing!

@orca I have ditched most of my tracking now. I still use opks but the Ovia app for instance was making me obsess over every tiny detail! Too much! So now I just know when my fw is by keeping track on Clue and at about cd12 use an opk until ov. And I’m just using internet cheapies. Sometimes now I get to my acupuncturist and have no idea what cd I am- I find it so much better this way, far less stressful. Earlier in the year I was completely obsessed and I think the constant tracking was making me far worse mentally.

In football news this World Cup is totally messing with the start of my fw! 🙄 OH out last night and tonight to watch and then in no fit state to attempt impregnation afterwards! 😂

Yammers, have any of you stopped using OPKs and charting? I think it makes me more obsessed, and my GP etc don't seem interested that I do it in terms of what it might show. Every month I'm like hmm what's changed this month and getting seriously OTT with it. Wondering if I should sack it all off and just the sit for my period to show each month?

Thanks @bridget33 that's interesting to know. Did you go back to the GP?

@justkeeprunning5 I had no idea endo could show like that, hope it doesn't come back quickly. The female body seems to have so many things that can be out of sync

Hey Ladies,
I also have/ had endo. I had a lap last year to remove a dermoid cyst from my ovary and they also found some endo that they cut out at the same time. I just have to hope it doesn’t come back too quickly.

I have really light periods and absolutely no pain with them. Just a little discomfort occasionally during sex. So not all endo means pain / heavy periods.

Has anyone has a Hycosy on the NHS? My GP seems unsure of where to refer me to. Or privately and able to to recommend anyone in London area?

The last few months have been really bad @OrcinusOrca (for me anyway) - pain killers haven't touched the pain and I've had bad lower back pain and also bad swelling and major bloating around my abdomen. I used to do pregnancy tests each month, but the last few months I haven't needed to as my period pain starts a few days after ovulation. I think I'm going to go back to the gp tomorrow to see if my referral can be quickened up. My cousin has really bad endometriosis but I assumed I didn't have it as I thought it resulted in heavy periods and long cycles (which she has) but apparently you can have it with light periods as well.

Hit post too soon. That is such a long wait for gynae

@bridget33 I don't blame you. Sometimes you get a sixth sense about things don't you and you think well I may as well push in and get on the list etc. 10 months isn't nothing at all, it's an age when you're going through it.

Can I ask how bad your period pain is, is it comparable to anything, what type of pain etc? I never know what is normal or isn't. And do yours always hurt the same amount? I had awful, awful periods after a termination aged 21 so I went back on the pill and they slowly improved over about 18 months - 2 years. Generally mine are less bad now but my last one on CD1 was really bad again.

Hi @OrcinusOrca - appreciate the hand holding. I was referred in April and was told I'd prob be seen in September/ October. We have ben ttc 10 months so not that long but I just know something is not right as my periods are so light (despite having unbearable pain). DH also has a lower than normal sperm count. I kind of just want to start ivf but I know the waiting list for that must be quite long as well. I hate waiting and not knowing what is going on with my body! Chippy tea sounds delicious 😋

Here to handhold @bridget33

I have an ultrasound a week on Friday, I'm worried they'll find similar. Do you know how long you might be waiting for on the NHS? I can't remember how long you've been TTC etc but I have seen lots of endo threads on Mumsnet, including plenty who have gotten pregnant. Hopefully some people on here can help too.

Monday's are rubbish. I'm about to tuck into a chippy tea and might go to bed at 9! My wrist is really sore today and I have double Physio tomorrow.

Hi everyone, am feeling proper meh today. I have been cramping so bad for the past week and FP turned up today. I have been worrying quite a bit lately about my horrendous cramping a week before I'm due combined with light periods so booked a private vaginal ultrasound on wed and was seen on Friday.
A blood cyst was found in my right ovary and the gynaecologist suspected it could be as a result of endometriosis. I had no idea light periods can be cause by endo - it's basically because menstrual blood is unable to leave the body so stays in your womb/ turns into cysts etc.
Am feeling really down about it as I can't afford more private treatment and am on the waiting list to be seen by an nhs gynaecologist which could still be a few months.
Endometriosis would explain a lot but I'm terrified of an official diagnosis. Anyone else had the same experience? Sorry to be a Debbie downer - am normally pretty positive but this has hit me hard. Big hugs to you all xx

Oh gosh major bold fail going on there. That's the cherry on top of my week 🤣

@Booksandbaths1 thank you so much for asking that's so lovely. I've been feeling so spectacularly  that I've been lurking recently. Really struggling with the aforementioned baby bomb.

I had some acupuncture and gua sha earlier in the week and then had the most awful IBS flare up that night and my OCD was appalling the next day too, the worst it's been in a good 3-4 years I'd say. Got another slot next week and am rather nervous now, hoping it could be my body magically trying to fix self but who knows. I'm 6DPO today (so close timing to you
@Owlpatrol )and bloody spotting again. It's getting a day sooner each cycle at present. Weirdly I ovulated really early this month compared to recent cycles too, more like CD15. I am utterly convinced there is a problem stopping us from conceiving so I have zero hopes whatsoever. Got an ultrasound a week Friday. Also got an MRI of my head in a couple of weeks (not fertility related!) and have to see the physio again on Tuesday about my hand/wrist. I am well and truly ready for the knackers yard it would seem...

Hope all of you ladies are well. Will get catching up. Sorry to hear your grandfather is unwell @BGDino hope you are all holding up OK.

@Booksandbaths1 I know what you mean re missing a memo, uncertainty is so awful as well. Wish fertility (or lack of) wasn't such a difficult subject navigate our lives through.

Hi ladies sorry I've been AWOL this month I've needed a couple of weeks off during fw and been so busy we've only managed to dtd once. Dp still needs to go for his S.A. and time is just flying by at the moment. On a positive note I lost 4 pounds this week started the keto diet and aparently it's meant to be good for fertility! Anyways I'm about 5dpo now and not terribly hopeful but you never know! I'll catch up later with the thread xx

Oh @hope that is sooo frustrating! 🤬

@dino that sounds like a nightmare, I hope your time there is ok. Seems crazy to be thinking about TTC at all whilst all that’s going on but I too would be thinking about it still. It’s so hard not to. Good that you have a plan in place but take care of yourself while you’re over there.