To TTC or not to TTC, that is one of the many questions...

Morning!
Taking the dog out now but will check out that link in a bit - thanks LQ!

Morning all,

HP & Confused, now of course I am no Dr and I don't want to diagnose but certainly the symptoms that HP describes do sound (to me as I have been there) as endometriosis. The reason that I say that is because you mention it being relieved a bit by going to the loo and the type of pain and the fact that it comes monthly makes me think that too.

Sorry if this gets a bit TMI for anyone but the cells that grow when you have endometriosis can also grow outside of the womb, in fallopian tubes and even attach to the bowel. This can cause inflammation which is where the pain comes from.

Confused what is even stranger about endo is that how developed/ extensive/ bad the cells are it doesn't always correspond to how much pain you are in. So for me I started to have endo when I was 16! It took a long time to get a diagnosis (which I know a lot of endo suffers feel happens) but i think the delay was moreso because of my age and people thinking it was just my cycle settling, given my age.

It wasn't properly diagnosed until I had a laparoscopy as the other sneeky thing about it is that it sometimes does/ doesn't show up on internal ultrasounds.

reading back through this I don't want to and have worried you both but have either of your doctors ever mentioned that this is what it could be?

There is some info here www.endometriosis-uk.org/index.html

which might be quite useful. Def think you should both go back to the Dr to get some more advice.

Confused re my NHS date thing, I am quietly peed off! The 2 diff calculators were both from the NHS website, one is a calculator on the website and the other is in this program that you can download onto your desk book to look at developing pregnancy week by week. Both were calculated using the first date of my LMP but one came up with 6 weeks (online calc) and the programme can up with 7 weeks. Have tried to reset in and input dates again in case i made a mistake but it just makes the same calculation. sigh.

It's worth a try. I guess I will find out in a couple of weeks time. Fingers crossed!

Oooh, wonder if it stays that way. Will be weird if coming off the pill makes it go away...

Still, no sign of it at the moment - hurrah!

I don't blame you. It sounds crippling!

Ooo, we cross posted again!

At this point I'd be prepared to try anything to stop it! If coming off the pill makes it worse, I'm going back on it, quick smart. It would be unendurable all the time.

Cross posted!

Yes, went all nostalgic seeing our wedding venue on t'telly! I still miss having our wedding to plan and get excited about and it's nearly two years ago now (sad bugger I am.)

Am back with you - our venue is now off so I don't have to look or listen to Michael Winner any more!

Thanks for the info, I'd be interested to hear whatever else is said or investigated - but obviously understand if you don't fancy sharing it too!

LQ so the NHS date things don't tally then? Weird. You'd have thought that someone would have spotted that wouldn't you? Bit of a school girl question here, but your date of conception isn't an actual given is it, as you can ovulate at any time (although it's normally in the middle of the cycle.) I say this as when we did sex education at school they told us how we could get pregnant during periods etc. On this basis, could you be a few weeks more or less than they, as in the NHS, predict?

That's exciting (the wedding venue on telly, not MW!!).

The pain normally lasts as long as it takes to get to the loo from waking up and the spasms starting. It's normally less than ten mins if I go quick!!

One doc suggested IBS, but I have no constipation or diarrhoea, so it doesn't really fit. I would just like it to Go Away!

It's crazy we may have the same problem!

Bit distracted - our wedding venue is on telly! (Michael Winner thing on ITV - hasten to add that someone told us it was on, we didn't tune in regardless!)

Your pain sounds worse than mine, mine is far shorter and less regular. While it's very intense when it happens, it's also only for a mere 20 mins or so - although the description sounds very similar (and yes, having a, ahem, poo helps a bit as it feels like everthing is throbbing with pain.)

Curiouser and curiouser said Alice...

Back after the hideous Michael Winner thing -would love to shove his smug face in a blender but the venue he's in is top

Quick, while no-one is looking....

I've been having this for a long time, at least eight years. It starts on the day I start bleeding, when I wake up. It feels like a combination of a red hot poker and a massive muscle spasm. I start cold sweating, my head throbs and I try to ride the pain. If I can catch it quickly enough, and by that I mean going to the loo, it stops at that. If I don't, the pain stabs through my whole lower half. Agony doesn't really cover it.

The intensity of pain increases with how heavy I'm bleeding, and stops once the bleeding stops and I start my next packet.

The only advice my doc had a few years ago was to run my packets together, which I did do to decrease the frequency of incidents.

The fissure issue may be a red herring, as that seems to be more recent. But it may all be due to the fissure, which is known to be the third worse bowel pain you can have, after cancer and suchlike.

Frankly, I have no clue. For a time I worried it might be endometriosis, given the link to the bleeding. If it was the fissure, wouldn't I get the pain throughout the month?

To be honest, I'm going to have to go back to the docs. I'll see what happens this month, but it's been pretty bad the last few months.

Evening,
Right, I would never talk about this in RL, but I want to pick your brains HP re this pain business. I have come on about an hour ago and I cannot help but think it was linked to Monday's panting episode. Please tell me your theories as the symptoms I have are a bit too vague to Google, though they don't feel vague when they happen!

I would type more but I'll hang on for now as I bet half of the regular posters are probably asleep

confused yep! Consider DH thumped!

Seems like my data is all up the spout! Booked in for a scan today turns out I am 6 weeks pg not 7 as the stoooopid NHS pregnancy planner told me. Even when I worked it out on the NHS calculator it said that I was 6 and not 7 so why has one NHS website got 2 different calculating systems that don't add up

i mean really, its no biggy, but just thought i was a week further on.

I am watching sport relief, some of the celebs are good, some are annoying but slightly less so than usual as they are doing work for charity.

another mammoth sleep this afternoon- lord knows what I am going to do when i go back to work.

Temping has distracted me a bit from the worry I had coming off the pill, as I have found that nothing is as fun as making a graph from yourself!

My temp stayed up this morning -one more day up and I think Fertility Friend is going to think I've ovulated. Can that be right, so early into my first cycle?? There are other signs as well....

Not having a massive weekend, perhaps a walk at some point and some relaxing. I have some work to start for a course I'm doing and I'm also planning to work on my CV. I've seen a job I fancy (good money, permanent contract, close to home, lovely location) but it means leaving behind my current career. Anyway, am sticking my CV in and seeing what happens, will decide if anything comes of it.

Wow, it's Friday again!

Thanks all - it's good to be able to rant and off load!

YTD, get you and your temping knowledge! I wouldn't know where to start! I feel as if I have enough going on physically without starting to temp etc too, but then I guess I am not TTC. If I was maybe I'd have a different point of view...

LQ - have you thumped your DH yet?!

So, any plans for the weekend? I have none as I am utterly brassic Lots of dog walking but not followed by pub visits I think!

Hey confused, I am really sorry to hear about your friend S, I think that you probably started discussing this whilst i was away from the thread a few weeks ago but I just wanted to say it sounds like you are being an amazing mate and seeing your friend through a really difficult time plus giving them practical support and advice too, so a big hug to you.

Its not clear what the reasons are for the Dr changing the prognosis but it might be a good idea for your friend to ask him, I think that would worry/ concern anyone, and it might be that its changed for the life assurance reasons but still, your friend has a right to know.

HP agree that everyone does seem to be going through different tough times at the moment, at least we can all be some kind of support to each other on here.

Surely by far however the worse problem going is your spot! I am sure everyone else would agree and you have my absolute sympathies. Have a good Friday ladies, DH is at home today working but with my complaint about my hurty breasts has decided that it is supportive and helpful to try to pet them now and again (uninvited i assure you) and say "poor, poor boobies".

Morning all! Was in bed early last night as up early today.

Also wanted to pass on internet hugs to Confused. No matter what, I think you are being brillient about this whole thing, which is surely one of the hardest things that can be thrown at us by life. It's great you were able to help S out with his medical stuff (although I'm a bit shocked at the consultant).

So many of our little group seem to be having really tough times at the moment. It makes me sad, but hopefully coming on here to 'talk' in an anonomous way helps a little?

(Also, Confused, I'll def talk more about the mystery pain when it's not so early! I have no clue about the bowel-gynae connection, if indeed there is one. I am thinking of going back to GP and asking for more help, as fainting really scared me. But I don't fancy further 'investigations', the fissure examination was bad enough!!!!

Right. CD11. Spot is gross, a no doubt healing but disgusting red scab. And I haven't even poked at it for days! Spotting still here, unfortunately. But my temp has shot up. Can't read anything into it yet as my data is a little erratic.

Have good Friday, see you later.

Thanks LST. He has loads of people being far more use than me, I think that's why I am so pleased that the hypo thing is something at least I can specialise in.

Hmm, that sounds borderline competetive, it isn't meant to!

Enjoy your supper dinner and thanks for the hug, I do need appreciate them!

I have to go and eat dinner (as it's 9pm!) but couldn't not send a big virtual hug to confused - will write properly soon but that is really sad and really tough (though brilliant that you're being so actively useful as well as being an incredible support in general - which is fab too). He sounds like he's doing really well, physically (apart from the diet-related things, which you've probably helped to fix or at least improve now) and mentally, which is great - that will be helping him and everyone else immeasurably. OK have to go but lots of warm wishes over the airwaves (or whatever they in fact are...).

Offload time gals. Not really expecting any answers but just need to, well, offload.

Spoke to S. He has had episodes of hypoglycemia which neither the oncoligist or GP could offer much help with (I find this weird in itself to be honest.) So, I sent him a long email (he is quite familiar with things diabetic and subsequently diabetic from living with me anyway) with general info and also food info (it was also a sneaky way of me to try and get him eating more good high calorie stuff rather than the 'junk' he has been told to eat by two dieticians. He had chemo yesterday - still going relatively well with side effects at a minimum - and mentioned my 'hints and tips'. The oncologist said he might be 'pre-diabetic' which is absolute arse - he would have HYPERglycemia not HYPO. I would have thought a consultant, even if one who didn't deal with diabetes, would know this. S pointed out that surely he had it wrong - he'd be hyper not hypo etc and the oncologist looked suprised and then agreed. He also brought up some of my diet stuff with the dietician and also said that he thought the sweaty spells he has been having at night may be diet related - she agreed with him too, and was (says Confused smugly) impressed with the info he had on the email I sent, remarking he was indeed doing his homework. (To be honest he probably knew a lot of it anyway through picking up stuff from me.) I felt really good as I was able to properly help with something. I have been sending regular parcels, cards, texts and making calls but nothing is as useful as this, not by any stretch. Anyway, there is a more gloomy side. His oncologist has agreed to write to the life assurance people to say he has 12 months or less left. He was originally told 18 months to two years. I asked if this was for the sake of the life assurance rather than RL but he said he thought so too, but the oncologist seemed deadly serious so S doesn't really know. The chemo is working well, and the side effects like I said are relatively minimal which is fab news, he is also not in pain really any more and said himself he does not feel as if he is ill. So, why the shorter prognosis? Can chemo kick ass and then suddenly stop and then the cancer takes over at breakneck speed? Or, is anything possible, good or bad, so nobody knows? I speak to him and he's so incredible about it all it makes it seem close to normal life, and then I hang up and want to crack into pieces.
S'not fair

lol! Thanks confused - always good to feel like your not losing it!