Thread 21 TTC #1 - The one where all our cycles went haywire but we DID NOT GIVE UP

[FXSkip]

Calling all clomid-ers, OPK-ers, temp-ers and anyone else on the TTC Bus.

We are long past cervix prodding (in fact we know where it is at any given time just by closing our eyes) and we have ditched the Gregorian calendar in favour of the TTC Cycle Day calendar. We don't do baby dust, or baby-dancing, we just keep legs spread and fingers crossed (LSFX) We love a baby bomb from a prior bus-mate, but if we get told to 'just relax and enjoy it' ONE MORE TIME you will get a punch in the face. You get kwick-cake if you behave, and talked down from the ledge when you need it.

Hop on board, post your stats and prepare to be dazzled by the wealth of TTC knowledge we long-timeys have to share....

SMEP is exhausting, I just ramp things up around positive opk and try to have sex 2-3 times a week either side of it.

tenner remind me what SMEP is again?

Some men even pray
Same morning eleven posts
Since men evolved pious
?????

Yay new thread.
Miw
27
TTC#1
Cycle ? Have lost count
Am not temping or anything like that as I would get in a pickle.

Smell massive elephant poops?
Smash my erotic parts?
Shoot misogynistic elected president?
I enjoyed that too much

It's the sperm meets egg plan. If I've read it correctly (based on a 28 day cycle) it's:

Dtd every other day beginning cd8
Dtd on +opk day and the 2 days after, miss a day, then one more BD.

Eg for my 30 day cycle
BD cd 9, 11, 13, 14 (+opk day) 15, 16, 18

Seems a lot but hey ho. Needs must

Alexia your wee might have been more diluted. Keeping everything crossed for tomorrow morning for you xx

starmist** that's a lovely sentiment

Welcome Mira fx for this cycle

Stay strong bluebird

Alexia. I keep forgetting to ask. Do you have a pro account for your FF. I really love all your custom data tracking at the bottom of your chart!!! I'd love to be able to do that.

I thought AF was arriving yesterday as I had very pale brown mucus, not enough to be classed as spotting but I figured that would quickly follow. Since getting home from work & through the night there hasn't been anything on my pantyliner. I'm hoping so badly AF stays away & this is a good sign.

Awesome new thread FXskip!
I'm Music
31
Cycle 5
CD 11

Star I'm really rooting for you - what CD is this? Will you hold out for a while longer before you test? It's sounding positive!

Thanks Music. This is CD 33. I'm usually a 31 day cycle although I have had a couple of slightly longer ones. I'm scared of the crushing disappointment of a BFN. Haven't poas for months as AF has always shown up. Don't plan to test until weekend if I make it that far.

Ooooh good luck Star!

In happy news my temp went down today so I'm pretty confident that I didn't O ridiculously early. Really need to not get hung up on daily temps! Can that be a new thread rule? Lol

Tenner we have started on the preseed this cycle. First use was last night. Thumbs up from me. DH was fairly ambivalent. He said it felt different but not necessarily better or worse. I'll take that! We only used a small amount so don't know whether we'd need to use more than that for it to be effective.

FX for FRER this morning Alexia and anyone else POAS. Star I totally get why you'd want to hold off for now.

Alexia I also love your chart

Fingers tightly crossed starmist with you on the BFN phobia, really hope you get that second line

Hurrah for preseed music did you use the applicator?

Jam we didn't because it isn't fertile week yet so it was just a practice run! How much do you use and when do you put it up there?

I do really worry about DH's reaction to planned LSFX. I told him we needed to get busy once or twice this week to make sure his spermies were in good shape before FW (starts this weekend hopefully) but it felt a bit of a struggle last night and that wasn't even a high pressure event - no positive OPKs or anything. He is really stressed with work at the moment so that isn't helping and is due to continue for the next 3 weeks. Any tips?!

SMEP would be a no go for us as consecutive days are too much for him and I don't want to get him started too far before O and him get LSFX fatigue!

Music it is difficult! Try and keep it fun / relaxed. I find doing it when I get in from work takes pressure off. The odd morning shag too, mix it up. We also like having music on! And I make sure DH knows I'm enjoying it - not just doing it because we have to. I totally praise him for being a hero / stallion at the end of fertile week too. Think that helps! Haha

Music, I find with pre-seed less is more. Too much and he's liable to slip right out of you!! Also there's less friction which is less enjoyable for both of you ... just use a tiny bit to ease entrance in my experience. When I first tried it I used the amount the box recommended and it was like a freaking water slide. As for LSFX timing ... can't help you there, I'm finding DH every month is able to perform until the critical day. Then it just doesn't happen :( We've had to resort to medicine syringes and softcups a couple of months.

Jam, looks like I've missed a bit - you were Jem last time I was here!

Congrats Alexia! So happy for you. :)

Better set my place here (though at the moment I seem to be posting once or twice a thread, these things move FAST!)

I'm Kav - age 37, currently on cycle - er, 11, I think? Never had a sniff of a bfp in all that time. Waiting to get fertility treatment set up and currently smack in the middle of the FW. Still OPKing but pretty much nothing else as I've learned to keep hopes and expectations to a minimum.

Hugs to you all. xxx

Morning everyone

FX Alexia and Star and good luck to anyone in FW.

Anyone got any clue what is going on with my temps this cycle? I had a negative OPK yesterday (CD7) as expected but I don't know why they're jumping about so much. I have been a bit restless in my sleep lately but never fully woken up before my alarm.

LOL kavan "water slide" that is sooooo funny !!! You made my day

Best of luck star and Alexia!!!!

So I am on cd19!!!! Scan just showed NO follicle growth... they took bloods to check on LH... but if I surge, follicle is not big enough. I am on a milk IV...!!!! Joke but I am going to chug as much as I can stand today.
Dr not overly worried apparently this can happen with PCOS ladies - I am sure earlier cold and constant work stress is not helping!!!!
Scan booked for tomorrow...

Morning ladies.

I am trying to follow SMEP but consecutive days may well be too much for DH. We didn't manage to DTD every other day since CD10 either, as he was away with work.

Ah well. It'll happen soon I hope!

😂😂😂 waterslide! Hahaha kav that's made my day

Forgot to add I use the applicator music! I think the point of preseed is it helps the semen travel more easily, no? So getting preseed right up there before you have sex helps them on their way through the cervical hunger games.

kwick I am on tenterhooks for you! come on little folly!!

I'm 4dpo, or that should be 4 days-since-I-think-I-might-have-ovulated. Thus in the tww, but not holding out any hope. Really I am just hoping to get a better grip on my cycles, also I started a new job on Monday so at least I've got that to distract me.

I'm putting together a spreadsheet to monitor stats, but I am missing some data! When you post your stats can you try to include age, cycle number, CD (or LMP) and test dates?

Im currently missing the below ages:
Mrs G
AlexiaB

and the below cycle numbers (if known)
harrietm87
miwelaisjacydo

tar ladies! Also, will we keep the grads on a per-thread basis to stop the list becoming depressingly longer than the bussers? Ie for thread 21 we have only AlexiaB so far?

Thanks fxskip! I'm not trying yet hence why no cycle number. I'm CD15 today and AF due 1st Dec - hoping it's my last AF! when we start in Jan it will be officially cycle 3 I guess? (Cp cycle 2 in February)

Thanks for all the congrats :) Here's the frer. I'm still really anxious because I'm spotting but the sickness is a good sign!

Haha at the waterslide Kav I also used a full applicator the first time and DH was slipping all over the place lol. Music I'd recommend using the applicator to get it up there to help the sperm, but half the recommended amount is plenty!

Star I've got everything crossed for you.

FXSKIP I'm 25. Excited to see the spreadsheet!

Mrs it's probably just restlessness causing the fluctuations. I wouldn't worry too much, it should settle down.

Mouse & Music yes I have a VIP membership. The extra data is selected from 'Specifics' (I don't know if non-VIP accts have this?). It's located on the 'Data' page below 'Tests & Devices'. I also used the 'Customize Data Entry Form' to tailor my specifics. If you don't have a VIP account you should be able to get a 1 month free trial to test it out. I then bought a 90 day membership. When that ended and I looked to renew, the 1 Year membership was discounted to £19 so I snapped that up!

Kwick that sounds stressful. Wishing you luck for tomorrow

Good luck to those trying SMEP. Even if you don't hit the plan perfectly you'll hopefully still be having more than enough sex! Remember, try not to let your partners go more than 4 days without sex/ejaculation, it keeps sperm supply good.

Oops sorry Skip I'm 25.

Eeek huge congrats Alexia what amazing news! And you thought you didn't ovulate, how strange. Goes to show that not even temping can fully confirm things sometimes.