Thread 23. TTC #1 - New Year, New Opportunities. Let's keep those BFPs rolling in!

[AlexiaB]

Calling all OPK-ers, Temp-ers, Clomid-ers, Femara-ers, IUI-ers, IVF-ers and anyone else on the TTC #1 Bus.

Happy New Year! It's 2017 and it's OUR year

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. We've ditched the Gregorian calendar in favour of the TTC Cycle Day calendar, and we don't get a lot of baby dust in these here parts, we just keep it 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!

We have a new Grad's Thread. We recently lost a whole load of ttc veterans to the good side and we're absolutely desperate to join in the fun! May 2017 lead us all to upduffed heaven and the Grad's thread, amen.

We don't have rules as such but expect to be talked down from the ledge with kind but firm words if you get too hysterical. But most importantly, don't convince yourself that you're pregnant in the tww. That is paramount!

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

Oh - just went to loo and very slight pink cm when wiping again - my body is being very strange. AF due tomorrow skipper, but I've never spotted before which is why I'm confused. My brain tells me AF is on the way, but these womb tricks are throwing me off. Will test tomorrow morning if still nothing. Got a fuck it day planned, so at least I'll have something to cheer me up!

Sorry Mumh! I read through fast and probably should have worked out that that's what you meant.

Pyjamas sorry you're being subjected to uterine torment. How many dpo are you and when are you expecting AF? Tentatively suggests it could be IB.

My OPKs and cheapy tests arrived from Amazon this morning! When does everyone start peeing on sticks to check for O?

Sorry pyjamas, I cross-posted with skipper.

Ah I see, I've been using period tracker lite but didn't find that very helpful so swapped to fertility friend I've yet to figure it all out but hopefully I won't need to x

I thought IB flash, but as AF due tomorrow I think it's a bit late for that - so probably just an odd month where I'm thrown another different symptom to contend with! Obviously I've googled the shit out of it, and as with all symptoms, it's helpfully either a sign of AF or pregnancy. Great!

Pyjamas - ha ha we've all been there. Every month I think I won't be waylaid by strange and wonderful symptoms but I always am. Thankfully(?) I haven't had time to notice symptoms this cycle with everything that's been going on.

Hi guys, I'll do a proper catch up a bit later (and welcome newbies!) but I thought I'd just do a bit of a brain dump from my doc's appointment this morning in case anyone finds it helpful - particularly those (Jam ?) who I know have got initial appointments coming up. Some is specific to me but some of the advice was more general to may be useful to others.

Because I couldn't get a GP appt for a couple of weeks and because I wanted to be as prepared as possible for that, I decided to pay for an initial consultation at a private clinic to discuss aspects of my medical history, next steps etc in more detail before going back to my GP to get the ball rolling.

The most encouraging thing she said was not to worry too much and that I was still young (at 33). There are a number of tests that she wants my GP to do including Vitamin D, B12, full thyroid and antibodies. I've also got to get the results of some tests that I had done a few years ago to rule out things like Lupus (I think this is only because I have a number of other autoimmune systems. I'm pretty sure that I don't actually have Lupus!). In addition, she wants me to do the ovarian reserve test next month and for DH to do a SA. Those later, we can do privately.

We'll have a follow up appointment once she has those results. If they're abnormal, then we'll look at IVF/ICSI (probably on the NHS depending on waiting times). If the results are normal, she did say we could consider HyCoSy or something like that but she said that there was nothing to indicate that there was anything wrong tubes so it might not be worthwhile. Depending on the results of the ORT, if everything seems fine then she would probably recommend that we just keep trying naturally for a bit longer. If the ORT results are low then we would look at other options - I got the impression that we'd be better off going private if it was 'unexplained infertility' but she may have just being trying to sell the clinic!

In terms of things to be doing right now, she has told me to up the amount of folic acid I'm taking to 5mg because of some other medication I'm on which can 'use up' folic acid. In general though, she recommends taking Omega 3 and Co Enzyme Q10 until conception to improve egg quality. She did also say that the guidance was no alcohol at all while TTC. This is based on current UK/US guidelines which I think are probably a bit conservative so I'm not going to abstain completely but I will probably just save it for special occasions rather than just having a glass of wine because it's Friday.

Sorry that's so long!

Sk1pper - Glad you are feeling better today. Looking forward to high five PMA soon :)) lol xxx

Kathrino - wow thank you for sharing this information xxx

FX Pyjamas - glad I'm not the only one who googles the shit out of things ... made me smile, thank you and good luck xxx

Mumh - cycle 1... don't threat just yet :) xxx

Flash - I test on day 11 of a 28 day cycle, use first pee of day :) good luck and happy poas xxx

Ive got friends coming over tonight but I'm praying they cancel because I literally want to vegetate in front of the tv. Does this make me a bad person? I can't stand social situations at the moment, wish I was a hermit crab.

kathrino that's a lot of really good info - i just want to add that an alternative to omega-3 supplements is reduction of omega-6 high foods, as these omegas compete for the same enzyme. If you eat a diet too high in omega-6 your body won't process the omega-3 and this can lead to inflammation. Omega-6 is found in chicken, sunflower oil, peanuts, sesame, corn oil etc so cutting back on these things will have lots of good benefits

So I've come to the conclusion I am rubbish at temping not managed one day yet keep either waking up and getting out of bed and forgetting, waking up and reaching for glass of water then thinking doh or waking early and then tossing and turning all of which would give an off reading! Arghhh

Need to catch up on this thread so many posts...

Sorry I'm such a thread stalker 😟

missy don't worry! I found this too, and then decided to randomly test any time I woke up and throughout the day, including before going to bed, for a couple of days. I found that my bbt dropped the longer I was awake so if I got a surprisingly high temp any day, say 6 am, I just tested again an hour later. Ultimately you just want to get into the habit of doing it, and a single temp means nothing anyway - you need at least three raised temps to confirm ov, and usually you get a couple of low ones before AF. So I'd say loosen up a little about it and don't stress, you're looking for trends.

Whilst I'm at it can you tell I'm bored at work I've been told different things about fertility indicators from doctors and complementary health practitioners over the last year. Apparently EWCM indicates ov within a 5 day window (the change to sticky/dry confirms ov), BBT can rise anywhere from day of ov up to 3 days after (!) and opks also can predict LH surges that don't end with ov, or can predict ov up to 3 days in advance.

My body is clearly proof of this, the cycle I got my BFP it went like this:

CD 11 - +ve opk
CD 12 - dtd
CD 18 - temp rise & dtd
CD 30 - +ve pg test

We literally dtd twice that month, due to all sorts of factors, so I could now be 6+5 or 7+5

Happy Friday everyone 💛

Fxskip that makes me think I really need to start doing it throughout the cycle. I always stop a day or two after the + OPK - maybe that's where we are going wrong

Kath thanks for sharing all that info. Does anyone have a link to that co enzyme thingy? I look these things up but never sure I'm getting the right thing?! Your appointment sounds so helpful - lots of practical advice. How do you feel about it all? What is ORT? Did she say anything about HSG boosting fertility?

Yes hep I aided and abetted the stealing of bank notes
Still keeping my LSFX for you!

Welcome mumh LSFX to you too!!!

kaydee you should defo look into taking vitamin D. I recommend this book - and no I am not receiving any royalties!!!

pyjamas I have taken umbridge against your womble on your behalf I am praying to the fertility Gods that when you test tomorrow you get a BFP!!!

flash From about cd10 - but will depend in your cycle. I would recommend trying different times of day - FMU is not always the best.

Thanks for your post kathrino sounds like you have found a good FC. Best of luck with tests.

sk1pper you could NEVER be a bad person!!!! I say call and reschedule - esp after week you have had. I believe you should have some kwick too.

fxskip not sure what you mean by stalker? No one told you you could leave!!!!!!

Good luck to all our testers!!!!

Fx tightly for you pyjamas I hope the spotting is a positive sign for you 🤞🏼

Hope you are feeling better today skipper

Agreed with hep I feel nervous about taking too many supplements..

Welcome newbies!

Flash I use OPK s from day 11, knowing I tend to ovulate on day 15. Usually once a day at first then 3 per day on days 14,15,16 to make sure I get it and carry on one a day until it fades back down

Thinking of you both pug and Alexa 💐💐

Kathrino reread and guessing that's ovarian reserve test. Also - no alcohol 😳😰

Kwick - you've given me so much cake recently, I hope it's not sympathy cake as it needs to be earned. Also, i am now convinced you are on some strange pyramid scheme and you have to shift a load of those books. So I might just well buy one so that you can eat to tonight.

Friends cancelled - Whooooo!

Welcome newbies!
pyjamas sorry if I've missed something, but shouldn't you test??

Thanks for the info kathrino and fxskip. I'm on a diet for January that cuts out all grains inc peanuts (not a nut apparently despite the name!), dairy and sugar (except for the sugar in fruit). It's sounds extreme but can still eat all fruit, veg, meat, eggs and nuts. I'm taking a seven seas marine oil plus multivitamins supplement and folic acid. Is this likely to be bad for TTC? (Or good?) kwick feel like you might also know.

Happy Friday everyone!

That's a really good point re Omega-6 Skip. I don't really eat fish but do eat quite a lot of chicken so I think my levels are probably out of whack!

Jam, sorry ORT is ovarian reserve testing. I think it's the equivalent of the Day 3 blood tests but they also do an internal scan at the same time (sounds a bit messy...). She didn't say anything about HSG and the impact on fertility, I guess without any test results it was all a bit of a hypothetical conversation anyway. It's difficult to know how I feel at the moment other than not looking forward to lots of things being stuck up my fanjo but I guess it will be a small price to pay if it gets us where we want to be.

Thanks kwick, I took your rec (I think?) and went to CRGH as it was most convenient for us. Swanky!

Sk1pper, I know that feeling very well. Do whatever you need to do (and hopefully your friends have cancelled by now!). Hope the wrist isn't too sore

Pyjamas, hoping that the spotting is a good sign! FX!

Skipper I do not blame you one bit. My crazy difficult friend wanted me to meet her new girlfriend tonight and I lied and said I had plans. I do not have plans. Unless a date with my cat counts?

Haha kwick you and that book maybe I will give it a go!

Harriet is that diet for fertility or another purpose? I think dairy might be good for eggs... whole milk has certainly featured on this thread ..

Kath yes the fanjo poking not ideal. Fwiw I found the internal scan absolutely fine, not painful at all. Just weird.. but they do it all the time I guess?

Hurrah for friends cancelling sk1pper! Enjoy your evening of peace and quiet!

Jam, that's reassuring re internal scan, thank you! I presume it won't be worse than a smear test which I can just about cope with and the consultant was very sympathetic about my reasons for being a bit about those kind of examinations. I'm just going to bribe myself with a lot of and (whatever the doctor might say!)

Harriet, I don't think that sounds like a bad diet. Plenty of fruit and veg can only be a good thing. The main things that I think can be concerning are lack of vitamin D (which you can't really get from food) and B12 but you should be okay re the latter if you're eating meat (dairy is the other main source).

Hi all. I thought I'd let you guys know I have a date for my first IVF appointment at the end of the month (very exciting to be moving forwards but a bit sad) and have been reading the paperwork prior to it. From CD1 I have to drink 2 litres of water and 1 litre of milk per day. I know some of you don't like milk or want to drink it for ethical reasons (I totally understand as am all about the free range organic etc). Just thought I'd let you know what my clinic recommends for follicle growth. (Kwick you were right all along!).

That's great gee! Are they doing straightforward ivf or with icsi or anything else? That is a LOT of fluid to drink, not sure I could get through all that!

Excellent news Gee - and yeah that is a ton of fluid!! I will be running to and from the loo all day if it comes to that.