TTC with SMEP

@Vea1601 my cycle is only about 26 days sometimes shorter and period is only 2-3 days and same as you it can be quite light. Well at least you can make some sense of blood tests etc. Yes that’s the problems it’s so expensive to go that route.

@PlanBea it was not long before lock down. But it was the actual fertility clinic as I had the ultra scan for bleeding and it was coming up to the year my GP said she would refer us. I’ve asked for copies of the AMH blood test and my husbands SA to see what they actually are. Though I was offered a day 3 blood test and that could be useful.

@Vea1601 oh I'm on CD5 today. How about you? My typical cycle is 31-33 days, but my last one was 26 for some reason so who knows if my 21 day will even be timed right?

Day 21's fine. Ovulation tests appear to show ovulation... Or the lH surge anyway.

@Vea1601 were your day 21s ok? I've had 2 day 21s late last year, one negative and one that was ok. I've got one booked near the end of this month and my DH has his sperm analysis this month too. I changed GP with moving house then covid happened so everything is delayed. But we're back on track. It just feels like forever!

@Jilly1988 when were your tests? If it was before 12 months the doctors won't have taken it further but now you're on 13 they should take it further now. My periods barely last 2 days but I do have 3 days of spotting beforehand, so if there's not a problem with my progesterone I'd be amazed.

Hi @Jilly1988 I'm similar with the periods. Mine are 2-3 days. Very light in general. I worry that's not good for fertility - I'm a nurse so have some knowledge. But can't really get a straight answer. The fertility tests are quite expensive. £395 for my bloods (amh), pelvic scan and hubbies semen sample. If I need a HyCosy it's an extra £450... Not sure if we can afford that tbh...

@Vea1601 @PlanBea @Hoping41 I’m in the exact same position. I think mine is hormonal too. I had day 21 tests back in January and they said it was ok. But I have really short periods at times and this month temp didn’t rise after ovulation and I had bleeding for a day at 3 dpo. So something not right. I’ve been trying for 13 months been trying SMEP a few months but nothing. I’m tempted by private tests as NHS did one blood test and ultrasound and said I’m fine.

Hi @Hoping41 no I'm not on there. A fb group would be nice actually?

@smileyt what a bizarre day it must have been for you. A positive that you weren't expecting and then off to work! I'm due af on Friday or Saturday. I'm cramping today and temp is the same as this time last month so don't think I'll waste a test.
@vea1601 I know exactly what you mean. Have you been to the drs for tests and been told all is fine? I've been trying for 13 months but there are many reasons why I'm not being successful. I'm on another thread for people ttc for at least 7 months, we've got a fb group too and everyone is lovely. You should come join us (unless you already have? There are so many names).

Hi @PlanBea I'm sorry you're my fertility twin. I wouldn't wish it on anyone else?! We sometimes struggle to dtd at the right time. Husband struggles to finish occasionally with the pressure I think. Improved a bit with changing things in the bedroom. Who knows! Have you had any fertility testing? I had day 21 bloods. When I burst my appendix they were querying an ectopic and did an internal scan and said nothing wrong there that they could see. We've got private fertility testing booked in a few weeks after my next period (giving us 1 last chance) and husbands 1st semen sample. I'd LOVE it if a miracle happened for us both this month ha. What cycle day are you on?

@Vea1601 I'm at the same stage as you and have done every day, multiple times a day, every 3-4 days, and this will be my first SMEP month. If we both catch pregnancy this month I'll be touring it as a miracle to be honest I think it's just the feeling of control. I think my problem is hormones rather than not having sex at the right time, but I'm willing to give it a shot

Yeah no other children. Never been pregnant. Trying 19 months now. First time using SMEP. But to be honest we've had sex every day in my "fertile week" and used expensive clear blue advanced digital ovulation tests for much of that time. So the only difference with this really is maybe giving his sperm chance to recharge and having sex at a later point too in the month with the extra day at the end. We've done months where we've only dtd once or twice around ovulation too. Nothing much works! I'd be interested to know if anyone tried for a long time and had success. Same with preseed I guess.

I'm so pleased for you @SmileyT its nice to see a positive. I often wonder though (and I genuinely don't mean this in a negative fashion) if you'd have gotten roegnant this month without SMEP. And folk like me who have been trying an age it won't work for. Maybe we've just been unlucky. Or maybe there's something more up. Only time will tell. I so hope this pregnancy sticks for you and you don't experience anymore heart ache lovely.

Hope you don't mind in joining in to this thread. I've just started the SMEP this month to see how it goes just saw the thread and thought I'd pop in and say hi 👋 so everyone. I'm currently cycle day 11 LH levels are started to slowly go up for me now so I'm heading into the weekend of ovulation. This is our 2nd cycle TTC.

Hope you don't mind in joining in to this thread. I've just started the SMEP this month to see how it goes just saw the thread and thought I'd pop in and say hi 👋 so everyone. I'm currently cycle day 11 LH levels are started to slowly go up for me now so I'm heading into the weekend of ovulation. This is our 2nd cycle TTC.

Just popped on to catch up and saw your news @SmileyT. Fantastic! Congratulations! Bet you couldn't sleep after that?!

@Hoping41 @Vea1601 I love Selling Sunset, I only just got into it but looking forward to bingeing on season 3 in August. The crazy houses are just jaw dropping!

@SonjaMorgan I think new bedtime reading is needed haha. I keep having crazy vivid dreams in the past few months, can't explain why!

@vea1601 it's amazing, isn't it! I sat down yesterday to watch the new series and was so disappointed tui realise it's the 7th of August it's out. I used to live in Dubai and it seems as crazy and materialistic a life as there was!
I'm glad we're not the only couple struggling! Every month that passes seems to affect my oh more. Here likes to fix things for me and he can't fix this. What we need is a holiday but there's no chance of that with his work ☹

@SmileyT OMG YESSSSSSS I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

At @Hoping41 newly obsessed with selling sunset here!! We're also struggling with tiredness and dtd. Both working. Both slightly sick of each other haha. Not really but it's hard to keep it interesting. We've tried doing new things but not sure that's keeping the spark alive either ha

Oh and @sonjamorgan definitely change your before sleep reading 🤣🤣

@vea1601 I'm cd25 and feeling very pessimistic for myself and optimistic for everyone else! After trying for over a year and being 41 it's always at the front of my mind that this is really unlikely to ever happen. I know exactly what you mean about it feeling like a chore. My OH has worked every day of lockdown and he's shattered. We've been dtd far less than we were before ttc!
@sonjamorgan at least I can remember your name to type in these messages!! Have you been watching selling sunset on Netflix? A very similar vibe!

@SmileyT wow congratulations! Did you managed to get back to sleep after testing?

We roughly follow SMEP but I gave up tracking my ovulation as my cycles were all over the place. They seem to have settled down a little in the last 2-3 months so I figure it's worth another shot.

@Hoping41 I am a housewives fan. It is my guilty pleasure and I never discuss it in real life.

I had the strangest dream last night that I was pregnant and I knew this because my nipples were incredibly sore. They became darker (I was reading about early pregnancy symptoms last night) but then turned black, like burned jelly tots and dropped off. I have woken up to breast pain. Maybe I need to change up the evening reading.

@SmileyT congratulations on your BFP