September Bus

[juneybean]

Tentatively joining this bus...

Age: 32
TTC: #1
Cycle: #10 (ugh!)
BFP due: 2nd September

Checking in again. Just finished 3 night shifts (ugh). I'm CD 16. Got an ALMOST positive OPK this afternoon so going to get with the DTDing over the next few days. I'm not seeing EWCM though :/

does anyone else work nights and shifts? really hard to coordinate TTC. I'm so tired and stressed too that I'm worried it'll affect our chances... had a pretty easy 9-5 job when we had DD. :(

Thanks @juneybean

@Meggimoo I wouldn't worry too much. It's only been a couple of months since you came off the pill so will probably settle down.

I sometimes get spotting the day before a period - for some reason my period only ever starts first thing in the morning (my whole life) so I just think spotting the afternoon before is just the forerunner to the main event.

If you really are worried then maybe ask GP - to get reassurance. I asked that gynae about my periods being light and it was great to get a professional answer!

jane do you mind if I ask what the GP said about light periods? Mine are really really light! Is it a problem?

*gynae sorry

Welcome back @Janefx40

@McTufty what kind of cocktails are on?

*off to find B6 supplements

@mctufty how do you know about the weaker luteal phase and spotting? Interested to know more. I always spot every months for 3/4 days before fully AF. I haven't been in any contraception for 2.5 years so it can't be related to that. I have mentioned it at the doctors but they never said anything. The only person who is interested is my accupuncturist! Please can you give me some.more info or send a link?

Thanks

pixielove

I'm on 2x B-50 as apparently B6 can help strengthen luteal phase, I read somewhere it works by promoting hormonal balance and can help with follicular stimulation meaning a stronger ovulation. I read some succes stories so went with it!

750mg vitamin C which is proven to increase progesterone and seemed to work for me as I now get a proper temp spike on my chart after I ovulate.

I'm also on vitamin E and L-arginine as I found this suggesting it promotes blood flow to corpus luteum which improves luteal function

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633338/

I also take zinc and baby aspirin. So yeah! Loads. I have more herbs eg maca root that I don't take as I'm worried I'll harm my body if I take too much!

mrsjones

I'm not a doctor so I might be talking shit!

Spotting before your period can be a sign of low progesterone because progesterone is responsible for keeping your endometrial lining intact before your period. If you spot early it could be a sign that your progesterone is too low.

Coming off birth control is one reason you might have low progesterone or a week luteal phase but there are plenty of others.

As I mentioned above, I had great results in only one cycle from taking 750mg vitamin C which I saw a study which confirmed that increased progesterone. Not sure why but it worked for me! Could you try that and a B-50 tablet if the spotting is an issue for you?

Oh wow great advice thanks. You guys are way better than google!
@mctufty I'm not 100% sure on dpo as I've only just started tracking my cycle about 6 weeks ago. Using 2 apps to see which I like best and got a box of OPKs ready and waiting!

@mctufty hmm interesting. I had my day 21 bloods done last month and my progesterone score was 28 but I have no idea of the measurements that is in. The nurse said this wasn't a problem but I've ready conflicting info on here. Do you know anything about that??

I know you weren't addressing me but thought I'd offer what I know... I had day 21 test and was 44.

However I've heard conflicting info about what number it should be above to indicate ovulation.

There are also two measurements but suspect one is American.

mrsjones never had mine tested so I know nothing about it sorry! I am sure it's a fine score given what the nurse said

@juneybean thanks that is interesting. I'm sure my version won't be American as I live in the UK...not sure whether to ask for a second opinion? I had seen some ladies mention on here that it should be over 30 but I can't find any research or info on the web?! I do get static smiley each month if that is enough? Just no bloody fertilised egg yet!

See I think you can have a surge but not ovulate. Temping would be your best bet if you can?

@McTufty the gynae basically said it wasn't a problem because my progesterone result shows that I am ovulating. He said it would be a problem if it meant I wasn't ovulating but prog plus positive OPKs mean that I am. Not sure if he was also taking other things into account too. It was great to be able to stop googling and just trust a professional opinion x

@jane sorry do you mind me asking what your progesterone levels were?? Just intrigued!

@mctufty I get up at all sorts of different times due to work so I think I would find temping really hard?

@Mrsjones17 considering how obsessed I am with all this, I'm amazed to say I can't remember my exact result and left the paperwork at work! But I know it was either 81 or 87 nmol which I think is 26 or 27 on the other scale! When you get your results there is a normal range based on that particular lab. I was just above their normal range x

Doesn't temping work so only by taking body temperature when you wake, nothing to do with being at a certain time? Correct me if I'm wrong? Super interesting @McTufty, thanks!

In my tww.

What has gone well this cycle :

• Got my first positive opk.

What hasnt:

• Got sick with a cold which seems to have thrown temps out. I got the spike way before O should be.
• Dtd every day during fertile week. However by the time opk+ day, DH was a bit worn out... couldn't get it up. Must pace ourselves better next month!

@Piewraith hopefully his swimmers will live long enough.... would it be too late to DTD again tonight?

@McTufty thanks for that. Wasn't aware that Vit C increased Progesterone. I was taking 1000mg a day till I ran out last week. Best I go buy more as I know that is where I do battle.

I take 1/2 tablespoon of Maca Root Powder in my morning smoothy. Zinc, Folic Acid, prenatal vits and then a lady at the health shop advised that I take these vitamins called Femzone. Think they are made my Good Health. They have Vit B6 in as well Chaste Berry in them which is supposed to level out your hormones and help the body make its own progesterone. I also read that one should eat pineapple after ovulation as it's supposed to do something can't remember what. The lady at the Health shop said both me myself and DP should eat an alkaline diet as having too much acidity in the body kills sperm. So I've been drinking water with lemon and pineapple also is suppose to alkaline the body. But I also worry I could be doing too much. Especially when my Gynae told me to just take Prenatal Vits and Folic Acid.

Ladies, I keep getting super panicky that I've not had the foresight to properly prepare for TTC, and that the time has just run away with us. So basically, with my first, I took folic acid etc well ahead of time. But now our lives are so crazy looking after my 18mo, I haven't even been doing that. I take a vegetarian multivitamin which has 100% of my required folic acid in, so that's something (I take that regularly regardless of TTC) but it isn't a massive dose, and sometimes I didn't take it daily. And now what if we get lucky this month?? I would hate for something bad to happen to the baby because I'd rushed in to TTC due to age gap desires...😱😪😪

WWYD - am I worrying too much? Lots of people get randonly pregnant and don't take any of the vitamins, right? Shall I get some today in town and then if it takes us a while to conceive, I'll have had something?

Agh, feeling super unprepared this time around.

@roseandtime nothing you can do about it now, so no point worrying. Just get some today.

@Piewraith - feel your pain. By the end of the week it felt like a real struggle, not helped by ovulation being delayed a day or so.

Next month - every other day until peak

Yes I think we will do eod as well next time. If there is a next time... You never know right?

pixielove it's pineapple core, it's good for implantation apparently!