Toot Toot! It's the August bus - here to bring us all our hot, hot, hot summer BFPs!

[MrsGingerbread]

August bus welcoming all newbies and experienced TTCers. Let's start the summer loving. :)

haha Kitty so your just giving an illusion of calm!! My mums lovely but because ive only recently told her weve been ttc shes very clingy and worried about it all.

Treacle haha the things we do aye. I was dtd with a broken lower rib argh that bloody hurts I dont advise doing that!! I hope it clears up soon

What is an hsg? And what is the reason for abstinence? Sorry I've never looked deeply into ttc just dtd lots, didn't know what an opk was until I joined this thread!

cinnamon hsg is where they inject dye up into your tubes to see if there are blocked or have any other problems. You can have sex before because if by any chance your pg it could cause problems, but ive also heard some people get told not to have sex after either but ive googled and every doctor seems different!

Lovely kittens MrsE I am trying to persuade DH as I think it woul dbe lovely for DD but he's more of a dog person sadly

Kitty I took 200mg (5 tablets) before bed CD5 - 9 but that is only because I decided to do it last minute. I think CD3 - 7 is best. Some people take less and work up - apparently it is half the strength of clomid and I'm packing a few couple of extra pounds so thought I'd take the max....in for a penny and all that I o'd on CD19 which is pretty average for me but I think if I had taken it earlier it would have helped bring it forward. I had three days of positive OPK's (it can give false postitives like clomid if you don't wait 3ish days after the last dose) and my CM has been less abundant. I am probably 2dpo but waiting for FF to confirm.

I'm also planning on using natural progesterone as I don't think my post ov temps are great but I totally accept it may be unnecessary but I heard SI can (again like clomid) cause your lining to be less thick. I am only doing this for 3 months max if no BFP as I'm not sure on the long term use.

On another note DH got his sperm results and they are not good...really surprised as he is so fit and healthy - there is nothing much he can change although he has been wandering around in loose boxers the past few days in an attempt to cool them down. He's getting tested again in a few weeks incase it's a one off but it was a shock to hear - is anyone elses DH in the same boat? I really thought it would be me with the issue......

So sorry to hear about your husband's results Surrey What were they exactly? Goodness is there is plenty your DH can do to improve the quality before the next tests xx in the meantime, I think you would benefit from DTD every other day or every two days, rather than every day, due to his results? I've read such couples having more success this Way, but can't remember where.

Have you read this? community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a12154345/bfps_with_soy_isoflavones Gives me so much hope!

Good news not Goodness !!

Hello you lot! I think in officially on the august bus now, as I still haven't ovulated and I'm on day 36! So not much hope in July now. Isn't PCOS just a total scream?!

Surrey - my DH had his SA done last week and whilst the count and morphology were both good (count above average) the motility only scored 40% when it should be at least 50% (I.e. how many of the little guys are actually moving). 10% were judged as 'rapid'. Not the worst thing ever and it can improve but like you I was really shocked as he is super sporty and healthy too! Although he did go through a really stressed/anxious phase at the turn of the year, which we think is behind it. We really don't need both of us to turn out to be sub-fertile!! Lol!!!

Bear in mind that sperm (and our eggs for that matter) are 3 months old by the time they appear/ovulate/whatever, so whatever you're doing right now will impact on the quality in 3 months' time. So maybe think back 3 months and work out what was going on then and try to improve it so he can be retested... DH is getting retested in a month to see if there's any improvement (which would test the theory that he should be getting better and better the further away from that stressful time we get). Hope this helps!!

OMG those soy things are definitely worth a test drive for the long cycles crew!!! Awesome research Kitty, will see if I can take them alongside my PCOS meds next cycle.

I don't have the exact results as he wasn't making very good notes but I'll ask him to pick up a copy when he goes in for another pot! I think the count was 6 million and the range is 15 - 39 million and motility was 14% so poor but I figure that's 840,000 little men heading in the right direction and it only takes 1!!

From what I understand you need a few results to make sure it's not down to a blip - he'll do it in the hospital as the 30 minute journey there won't have helped. He doesn't smoke and never has, runs several times a week, doesn't drink much at all, eats fairly healthily. He sits at a desk using a PC so no laptop on lap. He has been taking Wellman since January along with extra vitamin C, zinc and fish oils. He only showers so no hot baths, doesn't cycle - literally the only thing is tight boxers!! We have a DD so it was good enough at one point. I'm staying hopeful - we were joking it would be amazing and we'd frame it, he only did it as it was the last thing we needed doing before I could be referred and so for the Dr to say the results were as low as they were was a shock. Makes me think everything I've been doing was a bit unnecessary...

Yes I read that thread! (and any others I could find on it) I think the results are great! If it's going to work it seems to work quickly. I think there were some stats that of the BFP's around 78% were on the first cycle. I'm a sucker for anything like this - I tried softcups but the high(ish) rates of mc made me worry that maybe some poor sperm that weren't up to the job were given a helping hand whereas at least with this you are having a better egg and better ovulation.

I had to go to a big Tesco to get it BTW

Good luck if you try it though I hope you don't need it!

Hey Chandler those aren't bad at all, although the bonus in my situation is although I do have the long end of normal cycles my bloods are showing that all is normal thankfully. As you say we don't need both of us to have issues!

As you're in Thailand and I hear getting fab treatment can't you get a more medicated cycle? I heard something about HCG shot to trigger ovulation (after checking there are large enough follicles there) although admittedly I have no idea if that suits your situation but it seems common on a lot of the american boards

There is nothing really I can think of that would have had that drastic an effect 3 months ago....general stress but nothing out of the ordinary. If the next result is poor we may pay for private testing...I feel for him although he is taking it well as he thinks the next one will be fine but if it isn't.....

What are you taking already? I think there are a few things that you can't take it with so check first!

Treacle You may need an antibiotic. UTI's are really nasty to say the least x

Kitty how annoying to be in limbo land...I am sure it would wreck my head! I still have my fingers & even my toes crossed for you x Hopefully you will have news soon & I really hope it will be a BFP! xx

Welcome MaGratgarlik x

Cinnamongrey Oh fx! You are nearly there! Yip! Yip! Hooray! I hope you get your BFP! x

Grandhigh It's difficult to say...I had a look at your chart & your temps are rising, but I can see what you are saying regarding the slow rise of your temps after your +opk & peak...what were your temps like today?

Kurama Oh fx for you! I hope it is implantation bleeding! Wouldn't it be fab, if you got a BFP!! x Hugs to help your through the wait x

I wrote this earlier but clicked on preview, rather than post!

Hi everyone! I need to read back to catch up but just saying hello. I am cd 13 now xx

Wow KittyVonCatsington, your chart does look interesting. Hopefully in a pg way though. Could you have ov'd later than your chart suggests hence the neg tests so far? Sorry if this is obvious/ridiculous as not really an expert in charts can't even understand mine . Speaking of mine, thanks for taking a look at it, you too laurano81. I think you may be right about gearing up to ov but also wondering if the slow rise in temps means I may ovulate twice this cycle. My temp did increase again today and my chart now looks like this. But I had some cramping today and (sorry for TMI) what looks like brownish discharge in my underwear so wondering if this is possibly ovulation spotting? Guess I will jump my husband tonight and tomorrow to be on the safe side lol.

Aprilray I am tempted by the idea of a tarot reading or indeed any kind of reading that can give me an insight into my future. But my husband would mock me for a very long time so I have never done it. Boo to the delay in your good news though unless you are going to get a BFP soon and the good news in 4-5 months is the results of your 20 week scan .

Where do you work SurreyBunny or if you're worried about your privacy maybe you could just give us this guys address ?? So sorry to hear your dh's results weren't as good as they could be. My husband had poor results too when we were first ttc but the good news is that I am here again 2dc later if that helps.

ChandlersFarang my husbands results were similar to your dh's so as above, there is hope. Hopefully the help you are getting over there in Thailand will push you towards your BFP sooner than you would get it on the nhs.

Man that's a lot of smileys. Apologies everyone.

Ladies, I need a good slap (or a hug) - not sure I can look at another negative OPK... :-(

Kitty your chart looks v promising!

Sorry to hear you're having -be opk's HettyB :( I don't do them so I have no advise I'm afraid.

I've had cramps on and off today 6dpo. Been for a run today but they back now I'm relaxing again. Have creamy cm but not lots of it. Trying not to read too much into it as I'm trying to more relaxed this cycle doesn't ever work does it! :)

I like smileys TheGrandHighWitch

Chandlers As far as I have read, don't take soy isoflavones with Agnus Castus/Vitex as they cancel each other out. Still trying to get more info about Metformin. That's what your taking, isn't it?

Grand Looking at your chart, I think you are 2dpo and that the brownish spotting is left over ovulation blood as it is brown. I could be wrong, but that's how I read your chart with all the info you have. DTD a little more certainly can't hurt! You may be right about a later ovulation for me but I didn't keep DTD so will just keep taking my temps and waiting

Hetty What CD are you? Plenty of women don't get a positive OPK at all but do get their BFPs. The lovely fancyacupoftea a few buses back got her BFP that way by DTD every other day instead. I do recommend temping though as it does give you more information about when you actually ovulated.

Hope you're okay laura!

Thanks KittyVonCatsington you are awesome at this charting thing. I hope you are right and I ov'd successfully 2 days ago as not sure how much effort I can put into this dtd lark lol. I really hope you get an answer to your odd cycle soon preferably by way of a bfp of course.

Thanks Laura!
Kitty I've only had sore nipples for past 3 days but nausea for about a week and mood swings since sat. Keep retasting things I've eaten or smelled over last week and had really bad nausea when trying to eat tea. Never had such a violent reaction to food and drink I know I love before.... Been really stressed and worried today and stomach/ ovary pain. Main thought going through my head is I'm not ready for this, I can't even keep my body healthy and pain free so how can I keep another well??? Dh kindly told me to stop being stupid and of course we are ready.... I love him and hate him right now. Oh god someone please put me out of my misery I can't cope with not knowing!

Wow maybe I do need to chill

Oh and can I add tiredness and insomnia to my symptoms. And needing too wee more and constipation. My body really hates me right now

Am seeing if I can post a photo from my phone - no it's not fluffy kittens (sorry) but it's an IUI price list from my hospital in Thailand, which shows how much that fertility treatment costs! Thought it might be of interest. I've put the currency conversion against the main things. Basically I'm getting meds (metformin and Femara), monthly ultrasound and doctor's time/appointment for £154 per month. Which is

(oops) ...not bad at all!! can you believe you can select the baby's sex for £175?!?! No wonder there's an absolutely insane number of boys being born in countries where they think they are 'better' - well, especially China given the one-child policy. Nuts!!

The injections are available there too Surrey, they aren't on that list but I had them last cycle (FSH to grow a follicle and then HCG trigger shot to ovulate) and they do work. I'm trying meds (metformin and Femara, kitty!) instead from now though as I'm now paying for treatment myself (insurance company won't cover fertility treatment, the bastards). I would like to have a more normal cycle to keep trying on our own with a bit more routine behind it, and hopefully the meds can give me that!

Kitty - thanks! I'm not taking Agnus cactus or Vitex so that's ok. A quick google does suggest some women have taken soy alongside Clomid or the meds I'm on, and with some success too... Interesting.

GrandHigh - thanks for the reassuring words on the swimmers front! I'm not too worried about his results. Even just 10% of 40 million (his count) being rapid is surely a shitload! They need to jump the PCOS hurdles too though, so I'm just glad they are numerous!! ((and I love smileys - you're all just lucky I can't put emojis in my replies or you'd all absolutely hate me!! They love that shit in Asia!))

Surrey - the journey to the hospital could DEF have had an impact. DH did his on-site. Any temperature change will affect them for a start! Have you thought of trying some fertility lube in the meantime? Could help to improve things! I got Balance Activ from boots and that helps with sperm motility...

Sorry, me again... One other thing I was going to mention is how massive an impact my 3 weeks back in the UK has had on my current cycle!! My last two were 40 and 42 days respectively. This one is now looking like a 50/60 dayer!!! I flew on day 1 and got back on day 21, had a scan on day 23 and was told my entire system was in a 'resting state' doing nothing to make an egg. Now day 36 and i feel like something's happening... But isn't it amazing how much impact that had?! The medical advice does say that long haul travel, poor sleep, change to routine/diet, stress can delay ovulation and AF by days. Seems I've managed to do all of the above, and make this cycle soooo yawnsome. Human bodies are nuts!!!! I guess they weren't built for what we put them through these days though, bless them.