7th month TTC

Thanks @hopefully2021. Pretty sure I got a BFN today at 11dpo so looks like I'm out and period due to start on Sunday. Fingers crossed for you and let us know how it goes

@LondonladyTTC Thank you! I'm planning to test on Sunday so if it's negative I have a day to pick myself up before work on Monday! I always find if I test during the week I waste hours staring at a test which is obviously negative then googling what I can do to improve my chances... Hope your feeling okay and looking forward to the weekend
@friendlyBadger how are you feeling? are you planning to test this weekend? Wishing you plenty of baby dust!
xxx

Good luck for testing @hopefully2021 and @friendlyBadger ! 🤞🏻 I will be thinking of you both for the next few days.

@hopefully2021 In terms of anything different this cycle, I started taking seven seas trying for a baby vitamins halfway though my last cycle and I have heard rave reviews so I am trying to stay positive that they might work this time round. I have also gone back to temping this month (I will attempt anyway!) as I want to be pretty sure of where I am in my cycle when I see the doctor on 6 Feb.

Also trying to eat as much fruit and veg as possible and do more exercise as my activity as reduced considerably in lock down now that I am wfh and although I am not drastically overweight, inactivity and pasta for lunch every day can't be good for fertility.

Xx

@friendlyBadger looks like we are in similar points in our cycles, I'm 8 DPO today but same on the zero symptoms front - there was one month I really convinced myself I was, I was even constantly heaving like I was going to be sick - I'm pretty sure the mind can play horrible tricks on us . Only one symptom I am suffering from the past week is bad bloating but that could also be from pigging out the last month or my body getting ready for AF to come!
I completely get that about a BFN being harder than a period - I find myself staring at it for ages convincing myself there is a line which is why I only test the day before now as the line would be very clear at that point if I was pregnant...
Good news about booking your appointment, I'll be booking mine next week if AF does arrive - so glad I found out about the time wait otherwise I probably would have let it until March thinking we would be seen straight away!
@LondonladyTTC - enjoy that glass of wine! Are you planning on trying anything different this month? Me and hubby have been taking proceive supplements the last 2 months so I'm hoping they start to make a difference soon
xx

@friendlyBadger happy to hear that you got your appointment booked! I am going to look into the egg count option too as it will be nice to know what my long term fertility looks like for planning number 2 (if I am lucky enough to be blessed with a number 1 of course! ☺️)

I am only on cycle day 2, so have ages to wait (but enjoying being able to have a glass of wine and a hot bath)

I actually just called back and changed to the egg count package because it's only £50 more than the initial investigation. Had to pay the full £300 but can get a full refund still

@hopefully2021 I'm 8dpo... Not feeling very positive though because I have zero symptoms and I feel disheartened from being so sure I was pregnant other cycles... My resting heart rate has also fallen although who knows if that really means anything. What about you? My luteal phase is 12 days so period should come on Sunday so will try my best to wait because I weirdly find seeing a BFN even harder than getting my period.

I actually re-read Fertility Plus reviews yesterday and they are amazing so I called up and made an appointment for march (there still seems to be a 2 month wait). You have to pay a deposit but you have to give 48 hours notice to cancel for a full refund

@LondonladyTTC can I ask what the cancellation policy is with Fertility Plus? I emailed them yesterday asking what there current waiting time is for an appointment & cancellation policy but they have not got back to me yet. Thanks for the heads up on the possible time delay - if it's still 2 months I'll go ahead and book up if AF arrives this month xx

@LondonladyTTC @friendlyBadger seems like we are all similar in age and the length of time TTC, wishing you both plenty of baby dust this month! Sorry to hear about your chemical Londonlady - that must have been gutting
Where are you both in your cycle?
I'm about 7 DPO today, AF due next Tuesday so will probably test on Sunday or Monday - I have my stash of FRERs at the ready!

@friendlyBadger I am 31 as well, and have been trying since the beginning of June last year. I had the most bizarre chemical in October (got a faint positive after a normal period, and then another period 2 weeks later so assume it was a chemical), but that is all. I did try B6 for a few months but sadly it didn't extend it- I maybe should have continued but I am always reluctant to take so many supplements so have been trying to trim back- DH kept making jokes about be being able to rattle I was popping so many pills! 😂 I also find BBT incredibly stressful and end up getting a terrible nights sleep so stopped doing it three cycles ago.

@hopefully2021, I share very similar feeling regarding my career. If I weren't TTC it would an ideal time to be looking out for new opportunities but I have been with my current employer for 9 years too and the maternity benefits are fantastic, and I love my department.

@HereWeGoAgain07 I have seen quite a few positive reviews about the proceive supplements, so fingers crossed they work. Totally agree, not having eating out, meeting friends for cocktails, and general life busy-ness to distract me it has become all consuming!

@friendlyBadger I couldn't agree more, I feel like a slave to my clear blue fertility machine! I actually phoned my gp for the first time today to talk through some of the things that's been on my mind and as much as being told it doesn't seem i have anything to worry about is a good thing.. its also frustrating being told its around a year before they will look into anything.
I dont know about anyone else but I think ttc just now during a full lockdown for however many months means there's not much else you can be doing other than focusing on ttc!
I think I might look into a private check too, even to put ny mind at ease because it does start to weigh on your mind.

We have started to take proceive supplements too so I'm hoping they may kick in soon

@friendlyBadger. Thanks for replying. Ill have a little look. I am booked in for some bloods at the end of the month but as ive potentially ovulated later my AF may be later so need to move those bloods. Im on cycle 6 how about you?

@LondonladyTTC I'm 31 and I've been trying since June but had a 1 month break in August. Am currently on my 7th cycle. I've haven't had a whiff of a BFP at all. No chemical pregnancies or anything at all. You?

I use OPKs and i take my BBT sometimes to confirm ovulation but i generally find BBT super stressful so try to avoid. What about everyone else? What do you all do?

@JessB89 tbh no idea but i took folic acid, 50mg b6 and also omega 3 that cycle and was fine and I think they're all pretty common supplements! It hadn't even crossed my mind that you couldn't take them but you may be on to something so do some research. The only thing I mentioned before is my period was weirdly super light that month but may have been a coincidence. How long have you been trying for?

@friendlyBadger hello, hope you dont mind me jumping on. I think i may have a short luteal phase looking back at my cycles. Can you take B6 if you already take folic acid and DHA? Thankyou

@LondonladyTTC @friendlyBadger it's so nice to also talk to others in London that are going through the same feelings & emotions etc
I know exactly what you mean about it taking over your life - since we started trying in July last year it's all I think about, I'm reluctant to even think about progressing my career like I originally wanted to pre-covid as I'm scared that each month could be the month and I wouldn't want to set myself up with basic maternity pay and not much say over flexible hours when returning (I've been with my company for nearly 9 years, they offer enhanced maternity and I just know I could agree flexible working hours much more easily)
It does feel like your life gets put on hold whilst on this journey - I thought it would take a couple months I really did not expect how emotional and hard it could be as you only really hear about the success stories & 'accidents'
How long have you both been trying for & how old are you if you don't mind me asking?
Strangely I already enquired with Fertility Plus back in November just to ask for pricing! They seem to have the best reviews so if it comes to it I think I will also go with them for initial testing on me & hubby

Also @LondonladyTTC i assume you've tried this but i took b6 last month and it extended my luteal phase by a couple of days and have read about a lot of success for women with short luteal phases. I stopped taking it though as I had a weirdly light period that month so was worried it had been caused by the b6

So nice to be chatting to locals :) i don't really ever post on forums so was nervous but everyone seems so friendly.

Ah i've heard about fertility plus too. I read their reviews a while ago which looked amazing but they were a bit more expensive than ARGC. Tbh though i'd happily pay more for it to happen sooner!

I know I feel you re taking over your life. Ive found TTC to be detrimental to my mental health and it's taking over my life too. So hard during lockdown especially because life feels so on hold!

Hi @hopefully2021 and @friendlyBadger , I have booked with the Fertility Plus clinic on Harley Street, mainly because one of the consultants who works there specialises in short luteal phases which is I suspect is what is what my main worry is (although Sod's law, it was 11 days for the first time this month so in the normal range!). One of the ladies in the short luteal phase group saw him, was proscribed clomid and then conceived first time which kind of enticed me to book! I just booked an initial consultation and will see what he recommends scan/ test wise.

@friendlyBadger that is great that you have had a couple of tests already and they have come back normal.

I so hope we all get pregnant soon! It is honestly taking over my life... I don't even feel like I can focus 100% on work at the moment but the sensible side of me says I should keep focussed on my career while I am waiting to conceive... constant mental battle to stay focussed!

Lovely to chat to others who are TTC in London! It feels a bit more like a community!

Thanks @LondonladyTTC and @hopefully2021. Good tip about the 2 month wait. I'm also London-based so am also interested in which clinic you are going to? I've been looking at ARGC which seems good from the reviews. No idea how long the wait is though.

I've actually already had blood tests and an ultrasound for non-TTC reasons and they were all normal (except my lining was slightly thin but nothing super serious I don't think) so unsure really what other tests they can do? Still good to have a second opinion and also see if there are any other tests they can do though.

Thank you @LondonladyTTC, do you mind me asking who you ended up booking with and if you have booked a couples package? I've been looking out of curiosity at clinics in Harley Street and have been reading reviews etc to try and help me pinpoint who I would like to go with if it ends up going that way!
@friendlyBadger fingers crossed, wishing us all lots of baby dust over the next few months xxx

I have a private appointment booked for 6 Feb, and just having it booked has been helping to keep me positive. I have also been tracking, but making sure that I don't rely too heavily on the exact ov date and continue over the month (just because that's what it recommends on the NHS website). My luteal phase has been on the shorter side which is the main reason why I bit the bullet and booked an appointment.

Wanted to flag that the Dr I'm seeing seemed really busy and I could only get an appointment more than two months in the future so if you are thinking about going in March, maybe best to start looking around now and checking their cancellation policies for in case you do get pregnant before then .

Ah ok thanks @hopefully2021! Good luck and hopefully we won't need the tests in a couple of months :)

@friendlyBadger when I spoke to my doctor he said I have to wait until I have been TTC for 12 months before he can refer me for any tests (I think if you are over 35 it's 6 months), me and my husband have decided we will go private for a 'fertility MOT' in March if it still hasn't happened by then just to rule out any obvious issues or get the ball rolling in the right direction if there are any problems xx

I'm in exactly the same position. I'm 31 and started trying in June/July. Currently 7dpo and no symptoms and feeling so disheartened and sad and like it will never happen. Also wish I'd started earlier and finding it so much harder because of covid making me feel like my life is on hold!

I read somewhere that you should seek help after 6 months of trying if you are having TIMED intercourse in your fertile window. (I use OPKs and BBT) so am tempted to seek help privately if no luck after cycle 8. I guess the NHS will still make me wait 12 months despite it being timed?

I’m also on my 7th month after a very early miscarriage/chemical/not sure what it was!

It’s hard, I wake up positive, set things to focus on then digress and end up here 😩 7 months is nothing but try telling your mind that hey!

Good luck to everyone this year 🤞🏻