The Elderberry Pavlovas are pimping everyday – a lovely thread for 30+ ladies TTC #1 (Thread 7)

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Newbies very welcome provided they meet the entrance criteria (TTC #1, over 30, TTC for 3+months, must have a special pot, NO instadiffers) and bring a bouquet of sausages when they join!

frog she has tried a mooncup but wasn't for her. I've never tried one. Yet to be convinced. A mate got one stuck and she had to ask her boyfriend (now husband, but was quite new at the time) to fish it out!!

cats I've had bad acne since I was a teenager but the pill Dianette got rid of it and I had lovely skin. Now I've got horrible acne again and can't take anything for it. It is killing my confidence. Don't know who I'm more jealous of, pg women or ones with flawless skin. Dermatologist has given me some cream to try, but suggested that the change in hormones involved in being pg might help. Hmm. Do you not think I'm trying?!?!

barking, sorry about your skin. I empathise with the misery. Mine is also quite sensitive, so that stuff in Boots irritates it too. Dr Google, here I come!

I'm not really sure what my previous cycles were like cats. I went to the doctors at 19 because my periods were so irregular, and got put on the pill. If I could go back now I'd demand that they do some investigating to find out why, but they never gave any hint that it might be something to worry about and my 19-year old self was just happy to be regular.

Since coming off the pill 8 months ago I've had cycles ranging from 14 - 35 days. Last 3 were between 26 and 29 days though, so I thought things were starting to settle. So you can imagine my excitement as the days ticked by this time and no AF. I really thought that this was the one, but it's just the opposite! I don't think I was ill around O time, but I've only ever had one definite positive using OPK sticks so maybe I don't ovulate much at all?

I just want to know what's going on really, but all the doctor said was to arrange a 21 day blood test when I finally get AF. So here I am, just waiting. Man, I hate waiting!

Firstly wtf is a mooncup?!?!? Sounds like something an astronaut would use!!!

Secondly, anybody staying in on the pity sofa tonight? Hubby is out from 5 till late so I shall be lurking on here I expect with my strange spotting awaiting evil AF with a glass of

TMI alert but bunny you did ask. It's a silicone funnel shaped thing you insert which collects all the blood. You simply take it out, empty into the toilet, rinse & re-insert. Costs about £20 but you never have to buy a tampon again. After AF has finished you boil in a pan to sterilise until next month. (DP was horrified the first time he saw me doing that!) Can be tricky at first to get hang of & you do have to be happy to rummage around inside a bit but no risk of TSS, saves a fortune & is so much better for environment as you're not creating any sanitary waste.

Re acne I was also on Dianette for years & then they told me it was no longer advisable due to high hormone content or something & switched me to Microgynon. My skin seems to have settled down now which you would hope by the age of 36 but i totally understand the misery it can cause. I got told to take evening primrose oil to try to regulate hormones but don't take it now & not sure it's safe if TTC? I use Liz Earle cleanse & polish which seems to work for me. The super skin oil is also good but pricey.

Back from the dildocam appt, guys. Nearly shit myself when I realized the only sonographers coming out of the exam rooms were big burly men, but happily a grandmotherly type lady was the one who worked her magic on me. Yes, the wand does in fact look like a dildo; it's awkward for the first few minutes, but I could've stayed in there for hours looking at the screen - it's weirdly fascinating. The only abnormality was a good one - two ready-to-pop follicles one one ovary, and lots of little ones on my right. No guarantee that the two mature ones will actually release eggs, but even still, seeing for myself that everything up there is alright was a HUGE relief. Nice to have visual backup that the cbfm peak reading this morning was accurate.

Shag week now in effect!

Ps about skin woes, have you tried tea tree oil? It dries spots up really quickly. Wish it worked on skin redness, which is the bane of my existence.

Thanks berries. I'll keep on keeping on with the sensitive skin stuff, methinks.
sid, thanks for the dildocam info. All sounds good!
Think I'm on the 2ww now, perhaps?

We've got friends over for dinner this eve, DH cooking up a storm after his cookery course on Monday. Salmon masala & Bombay potatoes. Good ttc food. Fortunately it's a gay couple, so no talk of babies!

Have a good evening. I'll check in later

Ah thanks frog interesting!

Good newssid

cats you are so lucky,mine won't cook anything!!!

It's me, iLoveMyCats under a new name that can still be shortened to cats, as I like it.

sid dildocam sounded good!

frog I've been on Dianette on and off for years. I kept getting a doctor that said it wasn't safe and wouldn't prescribe it then the acne would come back and they'd try creams and antibiotics again, I even tried roaccutane which was horrible. However, although they promised me all the nasty side effects would be worth it in the long run as it's guaranteed to get rid of the acne forever it all came back when I stopped taking it as I ended up in hospital with acute colitis and the doctor thought it was too much of a coincidence I was on roaccutane so made me stop it. I was supposed to have taken enough of the course for it to have worked anyway by that point though. Four or five times I managed to then find a doctor who was willing to prescribe Dianette again and it all cleared up each time, but about a year before ttc they refused again and I'd been moved to Cileste (sp?) which wasn't as good for my skin and I'd started on antibiotics as well. Obviously had to come off everything when ttc and my skin has just got worse and worse since. It's now on my back and chest and creeping occasionally onto my shoulders, making summer and holidays miserable as I either cover up or feel even more self conscious. I just want to get pg so it will all be worth it, and I can see an end in sight as either the change in hormones will sort it out, or I can start taking more drugs again post pg/bf etc!!!
I believe I have tried everything and spent a lot of money trying.

cats we've been on a fish diet all week after a friend came to stay last Sunday who is on a health kick (she's super fit) and only eats veggie food or fish. We had salmon and cous cous when she came over, then this week DP has been at the Jamie Oliver app and cooked nothing but fish (and one night of chicken) this week. He doesn't usually eat fish but having been persuaded of the health benefits of not eating as much red meat, is now embracing it!! I've just called to ask him to pick up fish and chips on his way home from a mate's - that counts as well, right?!

bunny THE MOONCUP

Oh yes, fish & chips counts

bunny strange spotting?? When is AF due?
Sid glad to hear all went well today and everything looks ok. What's the next steps??
Re bad skin. I went on the pill at 14 for this reason, and had totally forgotten about it until I came off it and my skin went mad. 18 month later and it's only just calming down, only a few hormonal spots around O and AF now. In the meantime I found nothing that worked, sorry

Glad your dildocam scan went well, Sid! It is quite interesting watching the screen, isn't it? Can't imagine how exciting it must be when you get to do it because there's a baby there to look at.

Twinkle BFN but no AF yet? How many DPO are you?

Bunny, I expect to be on the pity sofa for some of the evening, although do need to DTD at some point...not crucial time yet, but like to get a good run up!

I really fancy a glass of wine but I know next weekend is going to be quite a boozy one so I think I should refrain. Maybe a hot chocolate as an homage to the snow.

Sitting here on the pity sofa with a rose spritzer, can't believe DH has left me lol I do have my fluffy babies keeping me company though!

merk yep third day of pink spotting, AF due Monday.

How you doing?

thanks for thinking of me berries, am really touched circling between denial, anger and despair at the moment. It feels like grieving. Just wondering how I'm going to cope at work next week as TBH I'm in bits.

cherry there's a spot on the sofa we're holding for whenever you need wine, sympathy, hugs or somewhere to rant or cry x
bunny is that much spotting normal for you? I'm ok, lazy night in with some wine making things better. And AF all done so moving on with this cycle

Hugs cherry

merk Seeing as you asked, TMI though, I usually get a few days of brown goo so this pink stuff is odd, I fully expect the goo to turn up tomorrow though and AF on Monday.

Cherry, come and join us on the sofa. All of those emotions are completely understandable. I've read more than once that coping with infertility is on a par with dealing with bereavement and I can absolutely see why. We all have these plans of how we see our future panning out and then something like this throws the most monumental spanner in the works.

You have another appointment on Monday, yes? Have they mentioned anything about counselling? I think you should ask if they haven't. NHS guidance is that all fertility clinics should offer counselling before, during and after treatment. It sounds like it could help you. I know it's something that I will strongly consider once I get to the clinic stage.

Don't give hope yet - this is a blow, that's for sure; there's no way of sugar-coating it for you and I think we are all sensible, straight-talking ladies here who would see straight through that anyway. However, in all seriousness, they will have options for you, even if the second opinion confirms what you already fear. Have you read the (sorry for saying this word) infertility boards? I don't post there but I read the threads and there was a lovely one last year from someone looking for an egg donor. She updated recently to say that she was doing well at 24 weeks pregnant.

bunny fingers crossed goo stays away and mr bunnies mojo returning has made the difference!

Hugs cherry. Hope you get some news on Monday that will make next week more bearable.

Watching Madagascar 3. In pyjamas. Another crazy Saturday night!

Thanks merk I'm a natural pessimist though so I'm not holding my breath!

cherry I think boodle is right, def ask about counselling and don't give up hope yet. Do you have friends/family that know you are TTC that you could chat to?

Thanks guys, you are truly wonderful
I've told a couple of close friends - along with DH they've beem amazing. Wondering who to tell what now really along the way. As little as possible in most cases but clearly my many Dr apts and the sudden emotional instability will clearly point to something up. I manage a department at work, it's full on so will also need them to cut me a bit of leeway while I deal with this.

Boodle thanks for the advice, straight talking definitely appreciated, I can't thank you all enough will definitely check out the counselling options.

Hope you are all doing OK, I 'll let you know how Mon goes.

Cherry, I've told a few people at work now, and I'm so glad I did as they have been really supportive and are looking out for me. There are plenty who I wouldn't dream of telling because their cliquey, passive-aggressive moaning gets me down but I've picked the ones I have told carefully, and they've been amazing.