7 months ttc (cont of 6 months ttc)

@Swifty2 aw no, I'm sorry about AF. Have you ever had that happen before? It seems so soon after ov.

Morning ladies,

How are you all today? I have been reading about the tests and supplements and I had to Google what they where. I had no idea what AMH was. 👀🙈

The only thing I'm doing different this cycle is used conceive plus fertility lube during FW, upping my water and eating 2 brazil nuts per day. Continuing to take pregnacare conception alongside.

I'm feeling dull and mild crampy feelings. Nothing major and I'm only 5dpo going by my app so I'm also probably symptom spotting and reading into things too much. Wish I could switch off. It's imposssibleeeee. Going to keep myself busy today doing jobs around the house.

Hey all, feeling a bit pants this morning as AF has arrived only 5 days after opk and bbt suggested I O'd.

@Fifol I take vitamin D, green tea extract, l-carnitine and myoinositol but they're all for managing the pcos symptoms. Other than that I just take a TTC vit and fish oil. God knows if they make a difference but at least I feel like I'm doing something!

I think I'm going to use up the coffee I've got but then give up caffeine and drink the open bottle of wine I've got and then give up alcohol...I can't think of anything else that feels within my control!

@fez148 sorry, I have had nothing except stark white. Perhaps it was faulty? Can you do another one? 🤞

@posy1 I don't have too many others. Just folic acid, cod liver oil and vitamin d. I had been going to acupuncture twice a month and I am (when I remember) doing castor oil packs that she gave me - up until ov. OH is taking fenugreek and ashwagandha. I did also buy Angus castus to try to extend after ov but I'm a bit scared to take them in case they mess things up.

Does anyone recommend anything else?

Ok, i tried a cheap preg test this morning. Not positive, but little red spots on the sides, in the padding, where the line would be. Anyone had that? Will test again tomortow or monday with clearblue. So annoying.
I know this doesnt apply to most of you but there may be a good sign in not getting pregnant quickly. At least the uterine lining might be in a good state: www.newscientist.com/article/2121182-timing-when-you-get-pregnant-could-prevent-a-miscarriage/

@DSC1 thanks so much for that article. It's really reassuring. I keep telling myself it just takes one good egg, but I can't help worry. I'll save my money on the AMH test then and treat myself to more supplements.😂

@seafrontsky thank you, I would be very interested in what your fertility lady said? I think my TSH prob peaks too soon as I have early ovulation.
We might ask my GP for hormones tests and semen analysis. I had them checked 3.5 years ago and they were okish then, but things could have changed. Was going to try for a bit longer before contacting the GP, but Id like to have the info at least.

What cycle day are you on at the mo? Did your OH also have semen analysis? Hoping this is the month for you. 🤞

@Hoping41 I did medichecks hormone test and my fertility Oracle helped me understand the results (happy to share it that's helpful) but she said its about the balance of FSH and LH levels (you cant have too much or little of either) is more important. It also checks TSH levels which interestingly didn't pick up that as an issue but my fertility lady did and calls that the silent killer of fertility. My GP did CD 21 tests but didn't check it was exactly 7DPO so apparently the results are useless.

@DSC1 thanks for the article that's really interesting. You can see how people might get unnecessarily upset.

Thanks @DSC1 I'll have a read. Yes it's also my understanding it's not that relevant and can just upset you. My fertility masseuse is younger and conceived on an AMH of 1.2 so she thinks it's not really a useful indication either, but also agrees its about quality. Eggs take 3 months to mature so frustratingly any supplements/changes you make take that long to have an impact but it's great to know we can have some control and its not just the dreaded aging decline (which is so depressing and makes you desperate).

@Hoping41 I had it done through my GP last year as I had been trying for 12+ months and I'm 38.

@Posy1 @Seafrontsky here is the article...

www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/hormonal-fertility-tests-waste-time-and-money/

@Posy1 @Seafrontsky I had my AMH levels checked a few weeks ago - used a home finger prick test. My results came back slightly lower than average for my age (36 next month). I have a LG who is about to turn 2 and been TTC again for just under a year. I was really upset about it but someone posted a great article on the previous thread about how AMH levels aren’t actually a great indication as it is all about egg quality, not quantity. If you are ovulating each month and your eggs are good then having a lower AMH level shouldn’t matter. I will try and find the article xx

@Seafrontsky. Oh really, thats interesting. I suppose its quality of eggs rather than quantity as long as you are still ovulating maybe? Did you do it privately?

I haven't had it, but I am curious. I'm 40, so I'm guessing it wont be great though. Might just depress me. 😂

I've had AMH @Posy1 it was 6.7 which is about average for my age (38) but apparently it doesn't always have that much of an impact on whether you can conceive. What about others?

Thanks @Hoping41 thanks @posy1

No haven't had amh or any testing at all done

@Hoping41 out of interest what other supplements are you taking?

Just wondering has anyone had their AMH level checked?

@Fifol it's an antioxidant so shouldn't affect your hormonal balance or cycle in any way, just hopefully egg quality as @Hoping41 said. The ubiquinol version is much more easily absorbed, but it's expensive! I take 400mg - 200mg at breakfast and 200mg at lunch. Started off taking 200mg, but have increased it this cycle. My friend who is undergoing IVF is on 600mg a day.

@fifol I took it, it's supposed to improve egg quality. I took 1 a day but I think you can take more. I've just finished the bottle and I'll buy more if I don't get my bfp this month.

Anyone who takes coq10, does it mess with you cycle at first? And what dose should you take?

I feel I need to up my supplement game!

@Tilly1403 it's so hard. Sometimes having a treat is the only way. Takeaway and glass of wine tonight for me anyway and all the chocolate I can fit in!

@fifol I empathise with you, it's so tough and there are so many milestones and markers that just remind you how long you've been ttc for.

I've been taking moping about to a new level today, and have been comfort eating beyond belief, pancakes for breakfast, chocolate cake for lunch and now devoured most of a box of chocs for an afternoon snack! Definitely going to try and avoid wallowing tomorrow!

Our phases for re-opening the country have been brought forward a bit so ill be able to go and see my family a couple of hours away end of june, it was supposed to be end of july. Obviously those plans have been there a while now and I was thinking oh I'll have news for my mother by then. Knowing now that I wont makes me feel so so sad. I feel like an idiot but everything re opening is making me sad as it had seemed such a long time at the start and I was sure I would be pregnant when everything started to go back to normal.

@jessmcg I was toying with the alcohol thing too but I think it would make me miserable, this month I gave up drink the 5 days before ovulation and then the tww and that was a bit long for me! I'm not a massive drinker either but I do enjoy a drink now and then and it makes me feel a bit deprived when AF comes and I think argh what was the point! So I'm having a little drink tonight to commiserate (I've had some nice gin sitting on the side for 3 weeks and it's been taunting me!) And then I'll have a rethink about what I want to do longer term.
@Hoping41 yes definitely felt the stress but then it got better. I don't think it's integral to temp so if it causes you too much bother then don't do it but if you do persevere I don't think it'll remain stressful for too much longer. I also just temp no matter whats happened in the night or if it's a different time, I just note it down and then exclude it if it's way off the pattern. Eg when I've had a drink my temp is usually up the next morning so I record but discount it if it's mega high, or if I've taken my temp three hours early (which has happened once or twice due to not being able to sleep) I do the same. If after a couple of months you don't think the info is useful then give it a miss. Although hopefully you won't need a couple of months and you'll get your BFP before then

Welcome @swifty2
Lovely to read that taking temps stressed so many of you out at the start too!! Hopefully my stress will calm down and I'll be more efficient at it in a few days.
Sorry to everyone with af. This is a really tough journey - I had absolutely no idea when I started just how hard it would be!

@Tilly1403 Totally agree with everything you are saying and am also someone who likes to control and plan things so finding it more difficult than some of the more relaxed people out there! I have a 31 day cycle and ovulate around CD17/18 fairly reliably, so have a while to sit now, prepare myself mentally etc and then get back to it. It’s good you’ve already had everything done but doesn’t help when trying to figure out why things haven’t happened yet even if impatience might be the only reason! I look back and I realise my OH and I were still burning the candle at both ends when we started TTC last year, so I’m hoping now that we are being super sensible things will start to happen. I think that’s why I found this month particularly hard - we’d been pretty good and I thought it could happen for us. I’m toying with whether I stop drinking completely, but I just think it would make me completely miserable. I’m not a big drinker, but wonder if it would help? I just don’t know. Ps I’m the same - I temp and back up with CB digital. Feel like I’m covering all bases that way!