TTC Cycle 12 - SMEP

Temp dropped off a cliff this morning and AF arrived an hour later. Perfect timing but leaves me with 12LP which is better. Sent my chart off to the acupuncturist to look at. I think I will temp to confirm ovulation next month and then stop in LP.

I feel much better as with a ‘normal’ luteal phase I can say it’s just not our month rather than worry that it can’t happen because there is something wrong with me!

I would wait as long as possible to test.... something I am going to try next mon month I think.

Haven’t had any snacks today at work 😊 feeling angelic!!!!

I think I you know you’re ovulating and when it’s probably not that worth it. It means the first thing you think about every morning is ttc and I have found waiting for my temps to drop for AF a bit stressful! I do love data though - the geek in me likes it! I don’t think I’ll do it next month though as it has shown I am ovulating so I can just go back to OPKs.

No AF yet! 12dpo and today was all I was hoping for so am pretty chuffed with vit b6 results. My temp rose a tiny bit this morning when I was expecting a massive drop. I did test this morning (couldn’t resist) and got BFN but I guess 12dpo might still be a bit early.... anyways as much as I would LOVE to not get AF at all I will be happy with a 13-14 day LP going forward.

My aim for next month is to try to shift some of this last 10 pounds and really focus on what I’m putting in my body. Far too much chocolate and sweets being consumed!

Hi guys,
I’m good have taken some positive steps this month.

Vitb6, pregnacare and coq10 seem to have done something and I am 11dpo today - never got past 10 before. I actually got the symptoms I normally get around 8-9dpo yesterday so I am hoping it’ll stretch out til tomorrow and be 12dpo before AF comes.

Temping - this is why I am not too excited about AF not arriving yet. My graph has been pretty standard from what I can tell but 3 days in a row now it’s dropped a bit... still above cover line but I think it means AF is definitely on the way! Hoping as it is still above I might get a couple more days out of it!! Feel like I am tense all the time and constantly going to the loo to check!

Acupuncture- contacted a local person who specialises in fertility. Hoping to help with LP and also maybe with the anxiety I feel around it. When I filled in his surveys I answered no to most things so am thinking except this blinking LP there can’t be much wrong. 🤞

Have managed to meet up with some of my ‘mum friends’ and LOs this week so have had a good chat with one of them about it. We’ve spent a lot of time together and I know she is trying too. I feel better when I talk to people about it and they can help me rationalise it.

Building work starting a week early on house on Monday and work is busy so hoping to keep active. Also need to get on top of my eating this month - have been a disgrace!!!

Will be SMEPing this month as I a messed around a bit with it last month and missed one of my most fertile days in the end :(

Hoping your bloods come back soon and positive @LSL0708 have you tried temping? Has helped me understand my cycle a bit more but not sure I’ll carry on.... means the first thing I think about every day is TTC and not sure that is healthy.

@HalfPenny28 it messes with you for sure this journey but it will be worth it and I try to think mathematically odds are in our favour. Lots of people I know took a year or so. I feel like I am old so am panicking a bit!!!

@beachbum85 going private seems to be the way forward and if I book the doctor’s appt the GP suggested in August because I have conceived I will be thinking about that if she doesn’t seem to listen or take action.

Take care all xx

Thanks, I will do!
And keep us posted with your TWW this month

Hope the marathon is going well!
Yeah, Preseed makes it feel so much like a science experiment, apart from a bit too much slipping and sliding (sorry if TMI!)

I booked for a fertility investigation, but I know they'll look at the thyroid values too because it's all included in the patient history form, so I'm hoping I can cover both together. Consultation is scheduled for 1 July, so hope to know more then... and I hope it won't be anything too problematic!

Thanks @LSL0708. Actually I just a private hospital for an appointment, after spending a few hours doing my research. I figured that this is one good way to spend the savings - I already feel much better just knowing that we should find out if anything is wrong soon enough.

Hehe we call it the BD marathon too I think DP always gets a bit worried when I ask if he's ready! Very glad to hear you're feeling better and all geared up

Hi @LSL0708
TWW is practically over... spotting right now which is a sure sign of AF for me. I've needed to redo some thyroid tests and the results are a bit off, so I've been thinking about that mostly, and looking into seeing a specialist as I've read it can affect fertility, but my GP didn't seem too worried at all.

How early is your +OPK? I have had +OPK as early as CD10, so I was reading up on that and I think ovulation from CD11 onwards should be fine! I hope you're feeling a lot better now and enjoying peak DTD time

Ohhh @LSL0708, I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling too well! I hope you feel better soon... doesn't sound like a good combination for the round of DTD coming up! But, I agree, the start of my cycle is the bit I enjoy best too, so here's hoping you can enjoy it

Hi @HalfPenny28
Yes, it definitely gets harder! I have read that statistically, every cycle gets us closer to our BFP. I find it hard to think that way, but I'm trying!
This was our 2nd month of SMEP, and I don't mind it too, but we ended up with 4 days straight of DTD, and I think DP was exhausted hehe This month we tried Preseed for the first time (we weren't too keen either), and I did a bit of fertility self-massage.

Fingers crossed for everyone!!

Hello 🙋🏼‍♀️🙂 hope it's okay to join this one. I'm now heading into cycle 10. Never imagined it would take this long and finding every month harder than the one before! As everyone does I imagine. Hoping cycle 10 is the one that works for us.

I've tried SMEP before and didn't mind it.

Are you guys trying anything different this month? I've just started taking pregnacare and switched back to conceive plus as my husband prefers it to preseed I think.

Fingers crossed for you all this cycle!

Hi everyone!
Just thought I'd pop in and see how everyone is doing...

I've been trying not to think about TTC all the time, and not to spend some time on MN, but AF is due again this week and I can't really distract myself so might as well be on here!

Hope you've all been fine x

Baby dust all around!

Oh, I'm sorry you're not feeling so positive today. The ups and downs of this TTC journey huh
But I'm very glad to hear you managed to switch off a bit, and especially that you managed to get booked in for bloods and eventually an ultrasound. As you say, good to get the ball rolling since it can be a long process! Sounds like your GP was very reasonable
I hope everything will be fine, or at max something tiny that you can get treated for to get that BFP.

I keep thinking about whether I'd rather have an all clear and just be told to keep trying, or find that my throid level is too high, for example, and be given medication to sort that out and finally fall pregnant. That's the thought I fell asleep to last night
And then I went to take my blood test this morning, so my GP should be in touch with some more info over the next week or so.

Personally, the couple of times I tested before AF was due, I got really anxious about it and had trouble sleeping the night before... which is really silly. So I think I'd better try hold out, but I understand that everyone is different and a BFN can help prepare for AF too.

So sorry to hear about your BFN and that AF arrived @LSL0708 and @Excitablemuch
I think it's normal to feel irrational and disheartened at first, but I hope you get through that quickly - these beautiful days and some wine definitely help! Sending you both a virtual hug too

I'm going to try not to test this month, unless AF is late. I'm about 5dpo now and AF usually shows up around 16dpo... So still a long way to go. It's cycle 11 for us, and it feels like cycle 6,928

I would totally speak to the doctor - I'm sure it will help, mentally if nothing else, both in the case of looking into fertility tests or checking about the vitamins.

I went to the GP in February because I had a bit of a scary experience with my Jan AF (extreme pain, vomiting, fainted, had to be rescued from a restaurant bathroom by my colleague facepalm) and she referred me for a scan, but all that's been cancelled because of the pandemic. I did have a blood test done though and there may be something up with my thyroid so I was told to take another blood test 3 months later, which is next week. I must say that even talking through everything with the GP and being sent for some tests made me feel so much better, at least for a while.
I really hope your GPs help you out! Let us know what they say

Congrats for BFP @Hopefulmummie 

AF arrived yesterday at 10dpo again- like clockwork 😔 have ordered some vit b6 as
That seems to be something that can help with luteal phase lengthening. I think it is probably just the pill taking a while to come out of my system. As it was only cycle 2 I am trying to stay positive but must admit to behaving a little irrationally last 24 hours!!

I might see if I can get a phone chat with doctor about taking the vit b before I start. I am worried I am being too worried too quickly and then I'll mess with the cycle even more and do harm and mask other stuff?!? God what a minefield!

Sad to hear no luck LSL0708 definitely book that appt - peace of mind is good in these circumstances and talking it through with someone who is removed from it will help a bit.

I think next month I am going to follow SMEP, track up until positive OPK and then turn off all apps so I don't know what dpo I am. Will be back at work as well so the days will just go! I am also planning, after a tub of ice cream last night, to eat lots and lots of fruit and vegetables. Get my body fighting fit if I can!