The Hopeful Hearts Circle 1 - December 2025🎄💖

wow @Fullofconfusion that sure is a lovely looking line! Congratulations 💕 maybe I will take a leaf out of your book this month and try and listen to my body a bit more regards ovulation. Wishing you all the best, know it can be difficult to not be filled with anxiety!

I’m interested to see how this cycle develops. Flo tells me that ovulation is definitely happening on CD14 (currently CD11) but the Clearblue OPKs are still low. Suspect that I ovulate later than the app would have me believe…

@Fullofconfusionamazing line - congratulations lovely! Everything crossed for you ✨

I've just phoned the fertility nurse and turns out a number of things that were meant to happen, haven't. She's lovely but I can't help but be annoyed that we seem to have slipped through the net - I'm 41 so the clock is ticking! Supposed to get bloods tested for antibodies so that's now scheduled for next week and getting a referral to another obstetrician due to previous medical history. I remember someone commenting 'noone cares as much as you so you have to keep chasing' and that is so true!!

I mentioned short luteal phase but I have to wait for my next consultant appointment in March to discuss 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm super indebted to the NHS so don't like to moan but this feels so slow 🥴

@Fullofconfusion a definite positive!! Congratulations ❤

10dpo for me, temp is dropping so I imagine af is on the way..no shock to me really!

That's DEFINITELY a line! Congratulations @Fullofconfusion I can imagine there's a lot of anxiety and worry going on right now... but just take each day as it comes. Try and test as little as you can - because you can easily drive yourself insane stressing over progression. Keeping everything crossed for you!

@Janey3090same strength but an Amazon cheapy test (not sure of the brand). I prefer the easy@home ones as I trust them more.

My LH strips are never positive until closer to day 20! I usually ovulate late.

incidentally I didn’t track this month, just went on feel and I think I only managed to DTD 3 days prior and then the day prior to when I thought I ovulated. I’m CD32 today and think 10dpo if I read my body correctly.

I’ve been complaining of period pain and feeling like it’s going to start for almost a week! So this felt like a pointless test.

@Taysonicbe kind to yourself this month. I can totally understand taking a month away from tracking to take the pressure off. Especially when you’ve just had a loss.

@ThisHangryTigerI usually just start my period. Light on day one but definite bleeding and not just spotting. Last month I did spot for a day first but I had a really odd cycle. Not my usual

CD14 for me and no positive OPK yet, even though I'm on my third month of letrozole. However last month my positive OPK was day 16 so I'm hoping that's the case here, even though the lines aren't very strong yet!

That looks very real! Those tests are very sensitive as they are 10mIU/ml. What was the other test you used as it could have been that it's less sensitive, and that's why you got a negative? x

Oh flipping heck.

Girls I don’t know what to think. Now roughly 10dpo so took a test this morning with FMU. Negative. Got little one to school and came back home (I work from home) and looked at the test again before binning it and it had a mark on it that wasn’t quite a line but I’d put it back in the packet so thought it could just be transfer from the packaging and it was well over the time limit. Anyway tested again with another brand and I didn’t trust the first one and there’s a line. Within the time. And now I’m sat having palpitations because I think it’s real but I also don’t want to get my hopes up as I’ve been here before.

My answer probably doesn't help @ThisHangryTiger but I haven't been on any form of birth control for over 15 years now, and MOST of the time, my period arrives heavy and fast, but occasionally it will begin with some pre-period spotting. I think I notice any spotting particularly now because of TTC and hoping it might be implantation bleeding but I've had some irregular bleeds and odd-cycles over the past year which probably relate to the MCs and/or methotrexate treatment and/or large cysts.

Our bodies are such bloody mysteries aren't they?

Keeping my fingers crossed for those approaching the end of the TWW - hoping for good news still for you all but also hoping for a clear answer either way.

I've finished my miscarriage bleeding now and not tracking LH this cycle. I'm in no rush to try and conceive this month so will probably just wait until after my next proper period to decide what we do and go from there. Still reading and thinking of you all.

My chances this month are slim to none as DH has been away almost a week and according to my apps I'm ovulating today. I didn't bother testing this month as thought no point. Later today we both have a telephone call with the consultant to discuss our fertility tests. When I went in they seemed to suggest nothing wrong, just need time. We'll find out about DH's SA today. I might ask about progesterone and tubes checking and see what he says. Is it normal to spot a few days before AF when you haven't caught that month? I don't have a base line as I was always on contraception before TTC.

@LuckyDuck93mine is due Thursday. I usually have a luteal period of between 10-12 days and this is day 9. I’ve had cramps for the last few days and some back ache. Mega tired today. I know what you mean about just wanting AF to arrive so that you can start a new cycle. I do want it to hurry up as I feel it’s coming but also I don’t want an even shorter luteal phase as I worry about that anyway

@Fullofconfusion when is af due for you? I've been getting cramps in my lower back but af not due until Saturday, if its coming I wish it'd just get on with it so i'd know either way. Not a single symptom at all this cycle, pretty sure this isnt the one!

All they have said to date is blamed my weight I've had numerous bloods done etc but due to length of cycles never got a lh peak and they have been shockingly poor .. the fertility dr took one look at me said I had to loose weight and told me to jog on basically. If I had money I'd go private.. I go gym etc but have always struggled with long cycles and weight gain

Hi @Dollybird89have you had any investigation into your irregular cycles? I can imagine it’s hard to track anything. Hopefully you get some answers when your test arrives

@LuckyDuck93ergh I have proper period pain. Not feeling remotely hopeful

I am still here but all quiet as only CD9. First cycle using OPKs though and starting to use them so hopefully it will get more exciting soon!

In need of some advise... my periods are so irregular so have no definitive cycle(range from 4 weeks to 3 months). However its been about 30days since last period and have been extremely tired more than normal, cravings, a few cramps bad acne foggy brain and super wild mood swings (even cried when didn't like the take away menu) . The odd bit of spotting, but nothing heavy and today just had some small bleeding with small stringy clot. But then 5 min later threw up.. is this my body being cruel and deceiving me ? I'm just waiting on a test coming in post (now due to arrive tomorrow) ... been trying to conceive for almost 6yrs now with fertility Dr's being no help due to bmi

@Fullofconfusion I'm doing ok, think i've convinced myself that its just not going to happen at all until we see the fertility specialist (that we havent even got an appointment for yet) its just me trying to protect myself i'm sure, give me a few days i'll be utterly convinced i'm pregnant!
Only symptom I have is sore boobs..but like you say, definitely a man who decided pregnancy and af symptoms could be the same

@overworkwe drive ourselves crazy don’t we! I have a strong feeling that I’m not pregnant this month (didn’t track with LH strips just tried to listen to my body) and don’t think we DTD enough at the right time but I’m still symptom spotting knowing it means very little. When I was pregnant the first thing that I noticed was super sore boobs. I’ve had that a few times now when not pregnant and it’s just the usual pre period symptoms so can’t even use that as my marker. I think it’s more frustrating that most of the pregnancy symptoms are also period due symptoms! Like who made those rules, must’ve been a man!

I’ve stupidly convinced myself that I just HAVE to be pregnant this month because I’m constipated the only other time in my life I’ve had it for a prolonged period of time was when I was pregnant. Thing is though, I’m only 8/9 DPO (didn’t track this month) and this has been going on for about a week, so there’s no chance a pregnancy could be causing it as my body wouldn’t even know it’s pregnant. So now I’ll have the usual disappointment when my period arrives, plus being constipated to deal with. FML

@LuckyDuck93I’m stressing. I hate this bit! I have back ache and stomach cramps and the usual emotional, wanting to eat a tonne of chocolate stuff going on so I think it won’t be my month. Just waiting (impatiently) for AF to arrive. However also don’t want her to arrive too soon as I worry that my luteal phase isn’t long enough at the best of times. How are you doing?

@Fullofconfusion how are you getting on? You're right it feels very long this month, I think January always feels so long, so the 2ww on top of it is not ideal!

@Fullofconfusion Since we started trying (June 2024) I seemed to be ovulating around day 15-17 which I confirmed by opks, then coming on my period around day 29/30. But last few months and now I’m tracking BBT, it seems to be creeping later and then resulting in longer cycles. I have had a few colds this winter which I don’t usually get too often, so I’m hoping it’s been due to being unwell 🤞🏼

@Blondepeachsorry AF has arrived for you. Do you ovulate later in the cycle? I don’t ovulate until usually CD20ish and have a 30/31 day cycle usually. I think we’re all different. I can understand the frustration of a longer cycle when you’re wanting to try again though. I’ve been referred to the recurrent loss clinic but don’t have my first appointment until June. Can you request a different consultant?

@Dollybird89welcome and best of luck on your TTC journey.

@LuckyDuck935dpo for us both today. I’m starting to think this 2ww feels longer than usual. I’ve also had some back pain and twinges on one side today. Not feeling particularly hopeful but I guess there’s a chance