Who has paid for FertilityFriend.com membership?

[MummyAbroad]

Is it worth it?

I did, and initially I thought hmmm not worth it. And then I got pregnant and forgot about it but now going back to the non membership version it is utterly crap in comparison- the extra dongles are cool!

So it probably is worth it if you are an FF addict!

Its a while since I used it for charting, but it was pretty good back then for that type of stuff. The forum boards are good and active too, although mostly US based ladies (not that that's a bad thing at all just products may vary, different school systems, etc) so some of the advice is not as relevant. I do love FF - used to be more of an addict than I am now. Not sure if membership is worth it - probably though - when I joined they were giving out free gold life time memberships so I've never paid.

Thanks ladies,

I think I am pretty lured in now, I like the bells and whistles and now I want to ask VIP questions.

Just need to decide if its an optimistic 90 day membership or the discounted 365 days...

I went for the 365 days and was up duff within 5months. So would have had to renew after 90days but it was pretty annoying not to need the last 7months membership.

Congrats!

I think they should offer a refund if on unused months if you get upduffed, I am sure they would get loads more sign ups!

If you get pregnant while you still have paid membership you can move to a sort of pregnancy tracker website which is quite interesting in the early days when you want a week-by-week update of how small the embryo is.

But yes, I too paid for the full membership and though it was useful, esp when I realised I had been using the ov sticks wrongly.

Sg : how can you be using ov sticks WRONGLY?

snorting them? tee hee

Sorry I will shut up, just was having a silly moment.

That's exactly wot I was gonna write: but then thought better of it! But seriously, as I am relying on the opks quite a bit it would be nice to know the right way from the wrong way! Mummyabroad: it's nice to "see" you popping here there and everywhere. Hope we do get lucky soon xxxx:-)

Don't remember now, something to do with which were the good days. Remember being quite ashamed when I realised...

Come on, sg, you can't say something like that hanging in the sir babe! We're all in this together. It's all about days! Opks state to BD 24-36 hours after a positive- are you saying that's I correct? If so, rack your brains and help us all out in the name of sisterhood - cos that maybe where we are all going wrong! Reply asap required. This is serious.

Apologies for typos. Predictive text on iPhone rubbish! X

nice to "meet" you (or should that be "MNeet you" )

I think using it "wrong" would be:

• not reading the instructions and shagging at the wrong time.

• relying TOO much on the positive OPK and stopping shagging too soon

I have just been waffling on on another thread about how I got a temp shift three days after a positive OPK. I think this was largely due to stress, which can delay ovulation, even after your body has "geared up" by releasing LH.

I think the instructions should read "ovulation will occur 12-36 hours after a positive result as long as you are nice and relaxed"

Mummyabroad: does that then mean that ovulation definitely takes place after positive opk? There is no chance of it having taken place already by the time the smiley face shows is there? As you can tell I'm paranoid about missing ovulation?!:-)

Sorry, don't remember: Ds was conceived 17 months ago after all. But I think MummyAbroad probably identified the problem correctly, i.e. relying too much on the opk and stopping too soon.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor all my knowledge comes from Taking Charge of Your Fertility book, FertilityFriend.com and the internet!

But I THINK that you can get a positive and

a) ovulate very late after that (longer than it says on the package)

b) not ovulate at all

This is because the test is detecting the LH hormone which is a signal made in the pituitary gland in your brain to tell your ovaries to release an egg. So you are detecting the signal but you cant detect whether the egg actually gets released (something could go wrong). If all goes according to plan it will be released 12 - 36 after the positive, but everyones bodies are different and indiviudal circumstances like stress can affect the outcome too.

If you want to know that ovulation has definitely happened you can find that out by taking your waking temperature everyday and plotting it on a chart (see fertilityfriend.com)

The best way to use OPK's is in conjunction with other things like checking CM and CP and taking temps, that way you can put all the pieces of the puzzle together and work out whats really going on.

hope that helps fedup

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As far as I can remember...Mummyabroad is right. You can have a surge and no actual ovulation - sometimes/rarely you can have several surges in the same cycle. I think the term was luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome (LUFS)?

My LH surge was always several days long - so wouldn't just go by the first +ve. I bought cheapy access diagnostic sticks/cassettes. And I would tend to O and then get a temp shift after about day 2 or 3 after +ve on OPK. And then DTD on the day we saw the +ve and then each day (yawn!) until I had O'd.

Possibly you could miss O if your LH surge was really short-lived and you got your +ve on the downward hump of it - but if you DTD that day then you'd likely catch the egg anyway.

I do wonder if I had LUFS as my cycles were between 30-37 days, I always got a +ve but for several days and didn't get pg after 13months (x2 for both times TTC). But got pg straight away with Clomid + HCG shot. But didn't get pg with Clomid without the HCG shot. HCG shot forces the egg out! Anyway....Good Luck to you all TTC!!!

BTW...agree that monitoring temp, CP and CM was good as extra back-up info as to what was going on O-wise. But might add to stress for some. Didn't for me though.

Mummyabroad: you are a godsend. Your advice is like goldust to me! I shall go forth and attempt to multiply based on the solid info you have just so kindly imparted. We will begin to bd frantically AFTER the smiley face - and not even try before : as seems to waste toomuch energy needlessly. Thankyou Hun. How are YOU? Xxxx:-)

Zam: think we posted at same time! Thanks. Is it possible to get hcg shot without clomid? I think my poor eggs probably just need a push!

Erm....not sure? No experience of it. I would think possibly not. Never heard of anyone in passing just having an HCG without some sort of fertility meds. Don't know why.

Actually...this is exactly why FF is really, really helpful. There are always a tonne of people on there with every shape and size of answer/med info etc. The forums are very active too - could ask on the general TTC board, or probably more luck trying TTC 6months + or 12 months + or with Clomid for that particular question.

Hi Zam

Phew, so glad I didnt get it all wrong!

Fedup I can really recommend the Taking Charge of Your Fertility book by Toni Weshler (sp?) I was ignorant of all this stuff until reading that book.

I am feeling about an HCG shot too now! I am 22 DPO still BFN (with blood test, so not preggas) and no AF !!!!! Back to the doc for me. Sigh.

PS Fedup, the other extreeeeeeeemly important thing I have learned is: DONT tell DH when you have a smiley face, (massive amounts of pressure = total passion killer) just go put some sexy underwear on instead!

Zam:I WILL make time for ff, I promise! After we've sorted my dad out re: his discharge from hospital tomorrow.
Mummyabroad: ordered the Tony weschler book from amazon a while ago, which failed to arrive. They reimbursed me, didn't have the energy to order another one; some days I just lose the will.... Honestly, don't know how I'll fit a baby into our setup! Don't think I could squeeze anything else in!
Sorry about your BFN: hope the doc can be a bit more proactive FX for you.
Re: letting dh remain unaware of smiley opk: not a chance! It's the only time I'm keen at the moment (and he knows I'm on a mission when it's the right time, bless him!) Not an ounce of energy to be wasting doing things which are not in our life plan! Sounds terrible, but it's the truth, elderly parents both sides and job commitments don't leave many opportunities for extra curricular activities! :-(

fedup...good luck with your Dad. Just looked on Ebay - they're selling TCOYF on there. I just sold mine for peanuts a few weeks ago, or you could've had mine. But still a few bargains on Ebay!

Thanks zam, will get onto that straightaway. Supposed to be working, believe it or not! X