Thread 19 TTC#1 Just. Keep. Swimming.

[AliceScarlett]

Hugh enjoys ISW and his love affair with Doreen. He watches out for skittle tits and weepyitis. Mrs Arseholey Fucknut (Af) shows up when you least want her but brings wine and soft cheese as a consolation prize.

We don't have rules as such but expect to be talked down from the ledge with kind and well meaning but firm words if you get too hysterical. But most importantly don't convince yourself you're pregnant in the tww That is paramount! It messes with your head and makes you crazy crazier

We don't get a lot of baby dust in these here parts. We want a fanny full of determined Doreen, not unicorn farts and gnome tears with extra sparkle. We've been going a while now so the novelty has somewhat worn off and we're slightly battle scarred and bruised in the cervix area.

Post your stats and add your dates. A more lovely, supportive group of ladies you couldn't wish to meet. We like it when the grads stick around. No question is too daft. We have opk experts, cervical mucus management teams and symptom spotters extraudinaire!

hep - thank you for updating the spreadsheet. I'm counting down with you, its really nice to hear you sound a bit chirpier - it will be great for you to start trying again and I have fx for you.

difficulty - good luck! I am really tempted to try acupuncture, the only thing putting me off is the price tag. What do you get acupunctured, if you don't mind me asking?

geeup - sorry AF got you. Typical NHS too, I really don't rate the NHS at the moment - I know they are under pressure and don't have money but appointments are being cancelled left, right and center on MN at the moment.

skipper
The acupuncture for fertility targets my lower stomach, toes, lower legs and left arm and forehead

All a bit weird but il give anything a go!

Thanks sk1p - I agree it's hard for NHS when they're so strapped but don't give me the prescription unless you can do the scans! That's just cruel!

I think if the acupuncture helps then is a small price to pay. It's £50 a session so only £300 so far and I'd rather try that before medical intervention which is likely to happen with my history otherwise

If I become pregnant I'd like to continue with a holistic approach and do the hypno birthing program etc

geeup how frustrating. Not surprised you're livid. Can they book you in now for next cycle or do they need to wait until closer to the time to get the dates right? FX this is the month and you won't need it

hep yay to your countdown! Hope it goes quickly for you!

Also, thanks for circulating the schedule. I am currently in no mans land. Thought I was dpo 14 today from FF but no AF and plenty of BFNs. Having looked at my chart I'm wondering whether I actually ovulated later than I thought. I was ill around that time so my temps are erratic. If I actually ovulated later then I'm out in a big way as we didn't get to dtd for ages because of DH being away and then ill himself! All a bit of a screw up here so just taking each day as it comes. The other ideas I have entertained are that I haven't ovulated at all or that I have a cyst (all courtesy of Dr Google!)

Difficulty - thanks, I have a local acupuncture place that has just opened. The guy has already emailed me back to ask me to give him a call. I'm thinking maybe I ought to wait until I see my Doctor first, could save myself some money.

There's been lots of chat! Sorry to all those who got AF and welcome to all the newbies

music I doubt you have a cyst unless you have irregular spotting/bleeding, bloating and lots of pain? Being ill has probably messed with your ovulation this month. I don't mind interpreting your chart if you want to share. Being in limbo sucks! I'm on cd44 and have absolutely no signs of ovulation. It's taking a lot of strength to stay calm and rational. I think vitex completely ruined my cycle this month, well I'm hoping that's the reason and now that I've stopped taking it things will go back to normal.

geeup can't you take it without the scans? I know loads of people on FF who are prescribed it without scans/monitoring and all is fine. Obviously I don't know your situation fully though.

Starmist can't believe your MIL, that's so rude! I would have to say something to her. I'm lucky that my MIL is very sweet, caring and giving. It's my mum I have issues with. Although we're very close she can be difficult as she's rather judgemental and argumentative.

About names- we have chosen our boy but we have a list of girl names that we both love. I think we'll wait to see the baby first before deciding which name suits her.

Hope everyone's having a good Monday xx

Hey alexia that's reassuring about the cyst thing - I don't have any of those symptoms. Thay is so weird re your delayed ovulation. Do you chart? Does that mean your temps have just stayed low the whole time? Sounds like it was a good idea to stop taking supplements. I have been taking vitamin D this month so maybe that has impacted mine. It's so hard to isolate one factor that has changed isn't it! I will figure out how to share my chart with you...

Hi music, alexia, just to say it's possible to have a cyst without symptoms - I did. Found it when having a scan for kidney infection when I was 18. Apparently they are very common and lots of people have no symptoms so don't realise they even have them. Mine went away by itself. They're most common in teens/early 20s. Saying that, it's very unlikely you have one music - maybe stress?

Music that's good you don't have any symptoms. To share your chart you can screenshot it on your phone then attach the pic on here. Mine's so long I've cropped half of it but you can see it's just been going along steadily doing nothing much! The only little peak was due to bad sleep and I have an open circle for this morning because I temped an hour later. It's so boring
I don't think vit D would affect your cycles but you never know! I've taken it for a year now and it's been ok for me.

Oh that's interesting harriet. Glad yours cleared up on its own! I'm sure they're mostly harmless unless you're in pain or have pcos.

Ooh harriet glad yours sorted itself out. I think it came up when I was looking at why I might have high temps for longer than usual with no BFP. But it did say it is really rare.

alexia gosh, that is a while without an interesting temp! Do you think it was definitely vitex? What does that stuff do?

Just waiting for Hycosy...

I have decided to take hope from Eastenders... Denise at 47 is preggers
Sometimes you do have to grapple around for PMA!!!

Hep hope your trip goes well

geeup sorry about AF WTF they cannot fit you in? What does that even mean???

Difficulty I heard someone getting the but between their fanjo and jacksie done for fertility.... even so I am trying to make an appointment

Where is starky??????

I had a symptomless cyst at 19 and they removed it and my right ovary... medicine has moved on since then but if in doubt try abd have a scan.

What do you all use to chart your temperature?? There's room in ovia but your charts all look similar (and not like ovia) lol
My thermometer arrived today so I'm going to start tomorrow!!

Hep I'm moving my test date to 15th given late ovulation.

I've taken vitex all month for the first time but temps seem good still but remarkably like my mega 36 day cycle from the summer. Had really weird sharp pain this morning right in middle of womb area, lasted about 15 secs and was very localised like someone was stabbing me on the inside with a pencil
Crazy symptom spotting begins

Mouse we use Fertility Friend which is much better than Ovia for charting. Good luck with temping :)

Music I think so. Well it's the only thing I've done differently to last cycle, which was 26 days long! It could be a post mc thing but I'm hoping it's just the Vitex. Oh and it's supposed to regulate cycles lol

wing has it made your cycles longer?

Thanks Alexia. I'm hoping it helps answer some cycle questions since I have no idea. Is there anything I should look out for to see if AF is on her way? Or is it just ovulation.

Please look away now if swearing causes offence.
Just had Hycosy: fuck, shit, wank, bollocks that was painful.
On my way home in a cab - need to lie down and put a hot water bottle on my womble.
Left tube a-ok; right one, Dr needs to double check images. Even though I only have left ovary, it seems egg can travel to the other tube
Feel exhausted and it is only Monday...

What is a hycosy kwick? Sounds awful! Hopefully it's shedding some light on the matter though. Hope you can rest up this evening!

Alexia I have had to play around with my FF because there was a week where I couldn't use my temperatures when I was ill. They were a good degrees higher than my normal temps! So I have one chart where I substituted a couple of normal (for me) temps because I had a rise shortly after and I wanted it to give me crosshairs and it won't if you don't have enough low temps before a rise. This one puts me at 14dpo today.

BUT if I take out my fake temps then it doesn't recognise the first rise as O, it picks out the second rise. That actually hadn't occurred to me until recently so could completely be the reason that AF seems late. I really wish we had been able to dtd over those few days

The only thing with that second graph is that my normal temps are 36.2/3 which is why I though O had already happened by that point.

All this is complicated by the fact that I have had no + OPKS.

All thoughts welcomed!!

Also, sorry for clogging up the thread...

You guys have been busy bees- has taken me ages to read through and catch up!

Kwick-hope you have a relaxing evening planned and painkillers? How do you feel about the results?

Geeup- I'm sorry that really sucks. I am recently ex NHS and my husband is too- it's all falling apart at an alarming rate atm unfortunately, too many years of bad planning and decision making are now coming to a head. I hope the next month speeds by for you

Music- sorry I don't temp but I'm sure one of these clever ladies will help you out shortly

I have a question for you all too- my IC OPKs have nearly run out and my delivery doesn't look like it will make it here in time..I have some cheap ones from Poundland- does it matter that they're different types? As long as I see a change?

OMG Kwick what is Hycosy? Sounds very uncomfortable.

Today is 10 days since MC and I believe I had what I would normally term as ovulation pains on Saturday afternoon. I was at a wedding ceremony when I felt it so quickly drove home after (not far from church) to check with an ic ovulation stick and it came back positive! I don't think it is picking up hcg as all pregnancy tests have been negative for 1 week now.

We had dtd the night before but I weren't going to try hard this cycle until after AF. What are the chances that we get a bfp so soon after? I'm not holding my breath though we haven't followed with anymore dtd since Friday night so the chances are very slim.

Mouse here's my top tips -

1. Don't stress yourself out over every single temperature. Keep calm and you'll sleep better too.

1. Choose a time to temp each day when you know you will have had at least 3 hours solid sleep, then set a daily alarm. (I temp at 6.30am every day including weekends)

1. Each day input your basic data on the app- Temperature, CM (cervical mucus) and BD (baby dancing/sex).

1. If you use OPKs there's a section for that under Data > Tests & Devices.

1. If you don't temp at the same time each day you will see an 'open circle' on your chart. This indicates an unreliable temp, I try my best to keep these minimal.

1. Ovulation is detected once FF detects 3 days of elevated temps, and you'll see red "crosshairs" on your chart pinpointing ovulation day.

1. You will know AF is coming once your temp drops dramatically/below the coverline (the horizontal red line) as you approach the end of your usual luteal phase.

1. It will become much easier once you know what your pre and post ovulation temperature range is. For example I just know I haven't ovulated unless I see temps sustained well above 36.40.

Hope this helps and apologies if it's long winded!