TTC 6+ months plus, part 2

[skeletonbones]

New thread as the old one was getting to 1000. So, 4 BFP's in the last thread, lets see if we can up the total considerably on this one :)

Karbea, I am also wondering if I have ov'd twice this month. I had EWCM, then the next day the temp dip that usually accompanies ov. Then two days later (no more EWCM) I had another temp dip. Now my temps are rising.

But I am ill (sore throat) and it is my first month on agnus castus so who knows.

pout I don't generally have any pain mid-cycle, despite having bleeding. It's just for 2 to 3 days during AF that I get knocked for six. Try not to freak out too much, I did have some intense pain around ov time a few months back, but it went away and I'm pretty sure that I was noticing things that I just never paid attention to before. TTC has made me hyper-aware of everything and sometimes I think that I'm magnifying the symptoms that I do have because I'm so focused on them. That said, if you're really worried, it never hurts to speak to your GP.

Pout I get mild cramping in my lower abdomen throughout my luteal phase most cycles. I put this down to something trying to implant in my teflon womb.... But who knows. I never get it pre ov.

Hi Ladies

Hope everyone is well.

I am so glad that there are other TTC peeps who are rubbish with children! Our friends brought their two-year-old round yesterday. He is a real cutie and I feel terrible that I don't really know how to interact with him. I swing between talking to him like I do to our cat, and treating him like an adult. I am truly hopeless. Always thought it wouldn't matter and that if I had one of my own I'd know what to do with it!

I walk very briskly through all baby sections in shops and avoid eye contact with all the products. Just feels at the moment like even looking is tempting fate! I even avoid looking at the new girl/boy baby cards, I can't really cope with them...

I'm on CD3 at the moment and feeling soooo much bettter that AF has nearly gone and not being in the 2WW any more. Honestly, the 2WW is pure evil, mental torture! I have got that weird optimism at the beginning of a cycle, where you think somehow this cycle will be different, does anyone else get that?! I'm off to the doctor's tomorrow though, bit nervous about that.

Noticed that there is a thread about Agnus Castus going on elsewhere. I've been taking it for six weeks now and the AF that's just gone is the first proper one since taking AC. I know a lot of negative stuff has been written, but I just thought I'd say that it's made a big difference (for the better) to my PMS and AF. PMS was much reduced, I normally blow up like a balloon & gain about 4 pounds in water weight, get lots of cramps, v sore boobs etc. AF is normally v heavy and painful and I take co-codamol over three days. This time I had only slight PMS symptoms, no weight gain, and AF was lighter, shorter and vastly less painful - only took two paracetomol & didnt really need to even take them. So very much better; my hair is still shedding though, I'm trying to ignore it and hoping it'll go away!

Sorry for rambling, just thought I'd mention it as I know a lot of ladies on this thread have a similarly miserable time with AF. Oh- it also reduced my pre-AF spotting from two days to one.

Am blathering on loads and havent even name checked anyone - sorry!!! Will have a proper catch up on all the news now!

X X

Hi popcorn, I think I posted yesterday about getting my optimism mid-cycle rather than the beginning. I think in the early stages I'm still smarting at the BFD just past, whereas by ovulation time I get a bit excited, thinking it could all be kicking off in there . Then I delight in making up symptoms for the 2ww, until spotting starts and drags me back to earth with a bump .

I too talk to small children like they are animals . Show them who's boss . Which is clearly rubbish, as in my house the animals are Boss! I'm getting better though, out of necessity. 2 years ago I went to visit a friend in hospital and held her 1-day old DD. Then a few months later, nephew 1 arrived, so held him at a few hours old. From then on I've had steadily more exposure so although sometimes I am a bit of a numpty, I can find my way around nappies and bathtime and storytime. I can do a fun face and a stern face. My main downfall is I get bored of playing with them so easily. Lego, anyone? Oh god no, I'd rather gnaw off my own arm . I thought it'd be different with your own except most of my mum friends confess this bores them rigid too. So if I ever get a BFP the resulting child will probably spend a bit too much time in front of the tv. Oh dear, I'm a bad mother already. Fruitshoot and Greggs, anyone

Nelly Ha ha. Greggs - definitely, sausuage rolls all the way! Yes speaking of putting them in front of the telly, I was seriously amazed at the effect that TV (peppa pig specifically) had yesterday. I mean it was like he just went into a trance, I can totally see why stressed out parents end up parking them in front of Nickelodeon.

You sound like you are getting on great though, nappies and storytime - you are well on your way there!

Speaking of pets, my highly strung cat is terrified of small people, and I think if we ever manage to produce an offspring she will be packing her kitty suitcase and bogging off in disgust!

nelly and popcorn I am definitely a fan of the telly, but have learnt from watching my friends that I will have to be very careful about what they watch. Peppa Pig and Mr Tumble = good, Kung Fu Panda = wired 2 1/2 year old running and trying to do flying kicks at anyone in sight .

Saw friend tonight who is going through the adoption process and felt really bad for her and her dh. Yet another of their close friends is pregnant and, despite knowing about all of the things that they've gone through in the past few years getting to the point of choosing to adopt, thought that it would be a good idea to announce this pregnancy in front of everyone at a birthday party. Not like it wasn't bad enough that they were celebrating the birthday of another friend's kids and the place was rammed with happy families. It just boggles me that they couldn't appreciate that my friend might find this upsetting. The pregnant couple are very good friends who, like us, have been asked to write a reference to support the application to adopt, so not like they're just acquaintances! Anyhow, rant over. Kind of nice to feel indignant for someone else for a change.

Madness your poor friends, that is horrible. I could rant about this all day, but all I'll say is that I can never believe how insensitive some people can be about infertility, it can be breathtaking. I hope the adoption process is successful for them.

hi - we have been trying since dec 2010, trying not to get stressed over things but doc did blood tests which showed i did not ovulate so have to go back for more tests, she is going to approach the nearest specialist and ask to get me an appointment but isnt hopeful until after 1 year of ttc, but she will try as i am 33 and hubby 36.

they did the tests as i am having very irregular periods, going 2 cycles then skipping a month, also on average a 35-40 day cycle :(
have to have 2nd batch of bloods done this week, i dont have any of the normal symptoms of ovulation either so cant go by that, feeling down today so not sure if its due to impending period or not.

anyway - rant over, hope youare all ok.
SweetPea

madness that's horrid for your friends. I have to imagine (as I like to think the best of people) that those who haven't had fertility issues just don't realise how hurtful these things can be. If I can dredge my mind back to when we first started trying, AF arriving was more like a mild annoyance, as opposed to the complete and utter headfuck it is now, 14 cycles later . So I guess if you've never been through that, you'd just never get how it can reduce you to a sobbing angry mess that gives the evil-eye to any pregnant woman on the planet. But as you say, surely the fact they know about the adoption should illicit some tact . I hope they get through the adoption process soon :)

Hi sweetp, are you new? Apologies, the thread was rather busy and I was away for a few days and lost track! I really feel for you. It's hard enough trying and failing, knowing that at least I'm ovulating, it must be triply hard for you :(. Though of course there is the alternative view that once you find something "wrong", that means you can actually get on with treating it; whereas if there is nothing technically wrong yet getting nothing but BFNs, there's nowt to be done but keep shagging and cross your fingers.

I think I've had too hard a day at work, I fear I am making no sense .

HI everyone, i'm now 21dpo with no sign of AF or a BFP! Totally screwed up methinks! Ive just finshed a 16.5 hour nightshift so heading to bed but have made an appointment at the drs as clearly something is up!

Hope everyone is well

Karbea - yes sorry you are off work stressed. I hpoe you feel better soon. And I like your healthy attitude of 'it'll be me next'. I try to think like that too now but deep down I don't have much confidence in this!

Pout at teaching your dogs to say Mummy. When I'm with my parents dogs, I like to sit next to DH on the sofa and put both kids urrr 'dogs' on our laps and then I say to DH, 'aren't we a happy family'. It's slightly worring for him especially as I normally whip out my camera phone to take a picture of the 4 of us...'say cheese!'. He normally draws a line there.

Izzy - i really hope you're pregnant - you do hear of people who just don't get a bfp for ages and ages. Have you had any pregnancy symptoms or AF symptoms?

Hello to everyone else!!

Good luck at the doctors Izzy - here's hoping that you are pregnant after all!! Do you think they could do a blood test for it - like they do after IVF treatment?

Hope it goes OK anyway.

xx

Someone make me step away from the Baby Name finder on MN.... I am still missing one important ingredient before I need to find a name for a baby - and that would be, erm, the baby?

I should know better.....

I drift over there sometimes biscuits. And Pregnancy. And Childbirth.

Oops.

Yep, I've just been on Pregnancy and on childbirth too. With a brief interlude at one child families just in case we never get no 2 :(

Hi pout - no, don't mind you asking. I'm 32.

Facebook is definitely one to avoid, unless you are only friends with single /unbelievably sensitive people. You can hide individuals' news feeds though, a useful tool for dealing with more baby-mad acquaintances! You don't have to de-friend them, and they can't see that you're not reading their news...

Now I'll disappear off this thread again as I'm off on holiday for a couple of weeks. Nice to 'meet' you all though!

Well thats me back from the doctors, was in and out in 5 mins! She thinks i may have polycystic ovaries. I'm getting blood tests done on fri for a range of things including thyroid function and rubella status. She then went on to say if these dont flag anything up then i'll be left another months au naturale because in my area they dont refer you until ttc 18 months!! So thats me, at least im gettin blood tests done!

Izzy at least they are doing some tests? Frustrating though that there is still no answer :(

I know a month seems like a way off but by the time your test results are back you'll be a few weeks in to that month. It sucks that you have to wait 18 mths though

I don't know what else to say - I so wanted it to be a BFP for you. Maybe this is the time for a and a

Incidentally, Izzy did she not even consider the possibility that you could be of and just not testing positive yet?

'pg' not 'of' - iPhone autocorrect should have learnt 'pg' by now - I write it often enough!

Izzy just read your post on another thread - I misunderstood - I didn't realise that they weren't going to refer you until January. That really sucks!

Just a thought, and I am no expert, but I have never heard of people having to wait so long. Just googled and looked on an nhs page here and it only mentions 12 months. My thoughts are whether it is worth seeing a different GP to see if they would do it at 12 months? Don't know what other people's experiences are of getting referred but round here it was after a year.

If however, the blood tests they are running now throw up anything it may be that they could treat you without even the need for a referral and you could be happily updiffed by January - heres hoping :)

Lots of hugs anyway xxx

karbea not heard from you for ages so I'm really sorry that you are suffering from stress - I hope things start to pick up for you again soon (preferably with a BFP). I hate being away from work because it makes me think about TTC and how bad I am at it :(

Had a slightly rubbish month with TTC because I didn't get any EWCM... although I don't temp anymore (because my EWCM is normally so reliable, hmm) I did a temp at about CD15 and again at about CD20 and it does imply that I OVed but I don't know. If I didn't get EWCM then it really doesn't bode well for DH's swimmers does it?? Anyway, I'm having CD19 as my latest possible OV date which means that I am 6dpo (bad science going on here) and since I feel pretty much the same as normal (except that I am getting a cold) I am not hopeful. Again. In fact I am just not hopeful fullstop. DB's wedding is on Friday so I am now having to face the fact that SIL is likely to be PG before me and I am basically mortified at the thought of this...

Grrrrr - DH rang the GP and they are refusing to give us the actual results from his SA. I'm sure they can't do this can they?? We have to settle with 'normal' at the moment

Hey lovelies

Izzy sorry to hear about the potential PCOS, it's good they are doing tests though, hopefully you'll get a BFP before you need the referral.

We went to the GP today and he has referred us to a fertility specialist (it's been a year for us now). It was apparent that he knew bugger all about fertility - tried to talk to him about temps, ovulating etc and he honestly looked like he didnt know what I was talking about. He is doing the day 21 blood test for us to 'speed things up' before the referral, but I knew more about what that was for than he did. Bet doctors curse the day the internet was invented, especially as far as anxious 30-something barren women are concerned!

We also discussed DH's sperm results and I realised that DH had totally got the wrong end of the stick (so to speak) about them (I think because the doctor basically didnt explain them at the time - probably because he didn't understand them). DH had told me that his count was on the low side, but it turns out his count is fine (60m) but he has a high number of abnormal forms - only 2% normal! So that was a bit of a shock. The doctor seemed to think that that was ok as according to him 4% is considered normal, but now I realise how little the doctor knows about fertility, I'm a bit concerned. So...I am now going to read back through this lovely thread to see what you ladies have said about swimmers! Any advice/thoughts v v welcome...

Biscuits and Euro your baby name antics are making me smile!

Purple Every time I decide not to temp/use opks, confusing stuff seems to happen to my cycle and I feel left in the dark, so I start temping again, even though it makes me obsessive. Sorry your doctor is being similarly useless.