TTC 35+ Thread 7

@Lexber yes it's very awkward not knowing in the first stages but a feint line is definitely a low rather than a nothing so I'd just keep testing at the moment and see how you go!

@Marvellouslymadmum if my dates are coming up right and I just had AF early then I'm only on about CD6 which is very early, but as I don't know what is happening I thought better to start early and track through and see what happens to help me understand than mis a possible chance and be non the wiser for next month?
The chart is suggesting ov day 15 so will be interesting to see what happens..

@Kitekat81 that's my plan, just trying to get my head around it all and figure things out.

We are both very much in the mind frame of it will happen when it's meant to so no pressure but it'd be good to figure out what's going on at the same time.

I guess everyone is different- I've seen so many mixed experiences. Some drop right into a good cycle, others takes a few months.
I've always tracked my cycle even when only spotting a s I found it helped me know when I was ovulating as I could feel the symptoms. So that part is normal to me. I guess it's more the not knowing what's going to happen regards AF or ov that's frustrating me. After 9 years either no AF or spotting I don't fancy a 5 day bleed followed by an AF as I was mardy enough this last week when bleeding and showed all symptoms of AF (according to the oh.. haha) xx

@Lexber I don't have any experience with a coil, but I expect it may take you a couple of cycles to work out what's going on! I would take the pressure off yourself and see it as an opportunity to get into practice using OPK's, plus any other things you want to try at this stage 😊

I only had my coil out last week followed by a bleed for 5 days which I'm still 50/50 I wasn't due to ovulate as I should have the week before removal? But as I had what felt like a light AF I wasn't sure and someone suggested opk to see what happens. I've downloaded an app to track and will test each day to see what happens.
First month so all confusing.. the app said low which makes sense.
I am either going to get a proper AF this coming weekend or start to ovulate.. 🤷🏽‍♀️

@Lexber that's still very faint so I would say that's a negative test. You need to do it over a few days to start to see whether it's getting darker or lighter, and over a few cycles to see what's normal to you. It should get a lot darker than that when you are getting close to ovulation.

@Lexber as far as I can tell yes, not a peak but going that way. I find the strips hard to read compared to others though

Sorry it is 2 posts as I'm using app and wasn't sure how to attach a picture but I've now sussed it ...

Am I right thinking this is heading towards ovulation as there's a line? Xx

Just done my first ever OPK.. and now I’m even more clueless haha

@climbershell it was a very eye opening experience for me online dating lol great that you lived so close though! It made things difficult for us with the distance and everything but was definitely worth the commitment!

I forgot who said this as on previous page, but I don't test in the morning as can't use fmu. Not gonna test out in my van 😅

Just tested sat & sun so around 4.30pm. I'll be testing after work now, so anytime between 5&6:30 really. I just don't drink much or pee for an hour before.

@Marvellouslymadmum haha, good story. We met on a dating app too. We actually only lived a few roads away. 10 days after we met I buggered off on holiday for 5 weeks, but we saw each other pretty much every eve til I went lol. I got back and within a couple weeks I was living at his Fri-Mon. Within 5 months living his 6 nights a week, tho I didn't officially move in til 10 months & didn't rent out my house for another few months

@kg1145 don't know if I've missed it, but how many dpo now and have you done a digital with number of weeks pregnant yet? Exciting!

@Kitekat81 thank you, I have thought about writing a book about it actually

@Marvellouslymadmum aww that's so romantic! 💕 You could make a movie about it! 😄

@Kitekat81 no they weren't just platonic but we were just sort of getting to know each other in all kinds of ways, we'd talk about everything, basically knew each other so well by the time we actually met that it was like we'd known each other forever! It was a combination of his nerves of actually meeting and timing, we had made arrangements a couple of times but had to cancel and after a while just kind of decided to get to know each other talking, we lived about 1.5 hours away from each other, when he found I was about twenty minutes away from him watching his cousins band it was kind of the push he needed and just said shall I come down? I of course replied yes but wasn't sure if he'd actually turn up and he did! By the time he got there half the pub had heard what me and my friend were talking about and were all watching the door every time someone came in 😂 so he opened the door and everyone stared at him, he was shaking like a leaf and I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat haha

@Marvellouslymadmum that's a brilliant story! How did you manage to go 6 months without meeting him though?? Were your chats online more platonic than friendly? Weren't you curious to meet him?!

@kitekat81 thanks that's useful! I'll have a go with fmu tomorrow and see what happens.

@KG1145 glad your line is getting darker 🤞🏻 for you, af has arrived for me today so on to the next month for me!

I didn't add anything before about my partner and how we got together so here's us - we had both been married for 12 years in horrible relationships then finally separated and got bored sitting home in the evenings with the kids so on a whim joined pof to chat to people. We found each other (and some right old weirdos!) and started chatting, spoke for 6 months every day but hadn't met yet, then one night I went to a gig for a small band I liked and sent him a pic of me and my friend there - it was his cousins band! He came down to the pub we were in and we knew straight away. The rest is history really, moved in together after 10 months and it's now been just over 5 years - good old online dating lol

@KG1145 fingers crossed for darker lines over the next few days! 🤞🤞🤞

@Noodella18 I usually test 2x (sometimes 3x) per day when I think I'm getting near to ovulation. I'd rather do that then I don't worry about missing the peak, and I don't really worry too much about holding my pee for a certain number of hours before taking a test. I've sometimes had my peak in the morning so it can happen any time of day. If I were you I would do a morning test when you get up, but try and do another one later in the day as well.

@climbershell aha ok good! Sounds like you smashed it, well done! I have no idea if I've even ovulated, I think my wee is always too dilute to get a good read. What time of day are you doing yours. And @Kitekat81 what about you? I've been trying to test in the day but it's so hard not to drink much, would much prefer to test in the morning instead.

@KG1145 pleased to hear line has got darker. Keeping fingers and toes crossed for you! Re the gluten thing, if you get a test for coeliacs you need to be eating gluten normally. My ex didn't ever get a proper diagnosis because he gave up gluten and was just a different person he was so much better, but then the doctor said the test wouldn't work unless he started eating gluten for 6 weeks and it would have made him so poorly that he couldn't do it. So if you want that kind of test get it before you give up the pasta! Not sure about any intolerance tests though.

@Noodella18 oh no I'm talking about myself with dtd lol

2ce could be enough! We all know once can be enough

@climbershell yes sorry I meant easy@home tests and premom app. Not sure if you were talking about yourself or my ov in your second para? We only dtd where the solid hearts are, so twice, the other hearts are sex drive (when my fella was out of action with the bug 🙈) Kind of wondering if we should give it another shot tonight.

I've only not checked messages since yesterday and there are so many!

I hope you lovely ladies are all ok, especially today. It can be so hard for so many. Fingers crossed that you will be celebrating this time next year and be proud of how much work and love you are putting in to get there xx

Thanks for everyone who replied re the gluten. I got a bit peeved of the consultant and acupunctarist making suggestions based on some medical trials but neither suggesting I get a progesterone or gluten allergy test... Instead I'm just told to go totally gluten free and take progesterone (which I'll have to pay for privately and they go up your bum btw...! ) on what feels like a whim. I feel like I fell in a gap really, my drs don't know what's going on because I paid to see a consultant privately for bloods after my second miscarriage and my consultant is private so I only had one appointment... The general consensus on here re the gluten seems to be moderation is fine and I think that's sensible. I've cut back on most things that contain gluten but I've decided to not going to go crazy. I am going to look into how much a private test costs though to test for a gluten allergy just incase I think they're pretty cheap...

@thislittlebird what book is it you're reading on the gut? It sounds interesting. And yes, I haven't heard of anyne else cutting out gluten either. From the research I've done gluten can cause infertility and miscarriage but the evidence so far is only if you have an allergy, there haven't been studies yet on the impact of intlorerences. As if we haven't already got a million other things were trying to research and make changes for already!

@Noodella18 Thanks for sharing your expereince of naturopaths. I have never noticed I have had a bad experience to gluten. I have a lactose intolence but that it as far as i'm aware.

@twelvestars you're right, especially as for me I think a huge factor with fertility has been stress so a drastic change of going totally gluten free when I don't need to would be counterproductive potenitally. I feel really conflicted on it tbh as I want to do everything I can but then likewise have to balance with potential stress.

@TTCat39 and @Noodella18 sorry to hear you're having a bad month. If it helps at all I've had a couple like you describe, January/February were particulary bad and it was just all consuming. Couldn't sleep and it all just built up, I was just sad all the time and couldn't picture myself being happy. The hard thing was I felt so incredibly angry at my partner too. Angry we didn't start trying sooner, angry we were dtd the wrong times, I was having to intiate all the time, I was the one doing all the research and he had one job to do for a few days a month and he wasn't. You name it I was angry about it! Lockdown makes it all worse too. I found this group has helped me just realise I'm not alone in it all. I hope it's reasurring to know others have been there too and I hope the cloud passes for you soon xx

Its been lovely reading some of the stories of when you met your partners and the whirlwind romances :)

@sickofthisyear thinking of you and sending love.

@M4v3r1ck - I tested yesterday and it was darker so that's a good sign. I restrained from testing today, my period is due in two days so I think I'll test tomorrow again. I've had a couple of losses before so don't think I'll be able to relax in the slightest until I'm past those dates really... Still googling and symptom spotting, for example been having cramps and more cm so just praying everything is ok and this little bean sticks!

Wow that was a long reply!

@climbershell I use the easy@home opks. I have a rapid surge so mine hover around the 0.1 level until the day of the surge when they shoot up to 1.4 - 2.0. Occasionally I might get some warning with a 0.4 the day before, but often I don't. So I would say 0 on cd8 is completely normal if you aren't expecting to ovulate until around cd16.