Chart Spotters Unite!!

[ovenREADYhotcrossbuns]

Yum was in need of a new thread, and I thought the title was apt because it's not just TCOYF charts anymore... hope it's ok?? I don't want anyone to think I am taking over

Just needing something, anything, to take my mind OFF my impending doom

Sorry to see you are on CD1 Seaside.

We haven't had much luck on this thread this month.

The blood tests I'm having tomorrow are FSH, LH, Prolactin and TSH (thyroid, I think). Not really sure what they are all about but hopefully it will tell me something.

I know what you mean about the 'man flu'. I had this bug a few days before DH and got no sympathy at all. Then he got it but of course it was 10 times worse than the version I had .

Ready you haven't upset me at all you're points are very valid and helpful
I like honesty and ideas

I am feeling v low today because we're definitely not going to try this month now
I also worked out that we may have to skip next month as well to qualify for the 1.5 months pay

Particularly as we had a massive row last night and I properly annoyed dh
I agree Seaside I will go and see the specialist

Its harder as well as I have all the signs OV is imminent

I want to come back to work afterwards and I think I would upset them being taken on for a project role that I couldn't complete because I was off pg
I live up the road from where I work and I really like the company so

Still I have lots to be happy for and the new job is a big boost.

so I want to keep them happy is what I meant to put

I'll have another chat with dh tonight

I suppose in the scheme of things 2 months doesn't make that much difference but emotionally its hard.

OMG whilst in the process of discussing it we had sex! Ooops could be the most expensive shag ever! Doh

Afterwards dh said well that settles that then

3catsoo how is your flu? When do you get the test results?

MrsMC how goes it with you booked your holiday yet?

Ready I'm not much of an expert on temps. Mine are usually below 36.6 before OV and above after. The lowest has been 36.2 and that is rare. Thanks for your advice I am still torn but also really want kids so the shagging goes on

3cats - good luck with your tests today. I know you won't get the results straight away, but I hope everything goes well

City - Phew, I am glad I didn't upset you. I sat and struggled with what to type, in the end, I thought I'd just be honest. Pressed send and then panicked Well,well,well - there is no better way to settle uncertainty over ttc like having a good old fashioned sesh In all honesty, you would deal with the situation if you were to fall this month, and you will have become so invaluable to your new role by the time the pregnancy affects things, that they will be so happy for you, and accommodating!! SO if you fall - WOOO!! and if you don't then you won't be as disappointed as other months, because you can feel as though your baby has decided to wait til you get sorted in your new job first. Best of both worlds
About temps, I get the odd one pre-ov that dips under 36° - the range given in my book suggests this is perfectly normal, and it was just somethingDuchesse said that made me start to doubt it. I know MrsMc sometimes dips under 36° too, so thought she might know (she knows everything ) the answer

Speaking of MrsMc - Got your DH back from his stag adventure? And your house reclaimed from the relatives? ...And breathe How are you feeling? Still sick? I hope not.

Quickly... about me, and my chart. Ok, Sunday I did my OPK earlier than I had on other days, and I got a stronger line, but not quite as dark as the control. So I marked it as a -. Then yesterday I tested 3 times (thank goodness for accessdiagnostics! ) and they got fainter and fainter. In light of this I have changed Sunday to a +. Do you think this is silly? Am I trying to crow-bar a + in? It's just the EW started on Sunday and yesterday, so it feels very much like my fertile time!? I am kicking myself for not doing another opk later on Sunday now. But hindsight is a wonderful thing! ARGH.

Course you didn't upset me Ready. I like honesty, banter and people to chat to even when their views differ. I don't think they would be too happy as it's a very male dominatated career driven environment but bugger it!

We haven't been going at as much as normal so its unlikely to happen anyway. If it doesn't then I can enjoy the cocktails on the beach!

City you devil! Such a nice way to give in though.
Wish I had more sex like that these days!

I am now full of holes. The nurse struggled to get blood when the needle was in and then it just poured out once the needle was out! All done now though. I have to wait a week for the results.

I have another shocker of a migraine and have been vomitting all day (with DD2 watching over me with my head down the loo ).

Sorry I can't help with the temps either Ready. I don't know whether to start temping again. My cycle seems fairly predictable and between me and the software we seem to pinpoint Ov. It's my body thats working against me.

How's everyone else?
It's a bit quiet on here again.

3catsoo so sorry about your migraines

What a nightmare. Could they be linked to hormone issues? Just an idea

I think they are. I've had them since I was 14, which is when I got my periods too.
I've tried so many treatments and excluded things from my diet but nothing seems to stop them.
The are hereditary too and all the other females in my family suffer with them.
We just live with it to some extent but when they come with sickness too it can get a bit much.
Yesterdays was a bad one but I don't always get so knocked out with them.

How are you today?

Oh 3catsoo that's tough. Maybe an alternative or herbal approach could help? My Mum gets them and dh's Dad
The blurry vision and sickness is tough

I am good today but nervous. we have our first hospital appointment at barts this afternoon...Don't know what to expect

Still we were naughty again this morning so maybe we'll get lucky.

It would be very amusing to fall pg the month of the first fertility appointment and the first month we nearly stopped trying (temporarily) It has really taken the pressure off dh so I may use it as a future tactic.

How is your head?

Hope your appt went well today City.
It sounds like a good tactic to me.

My head is much better today thanks.
AF seems to have calmed a bit too. I thought it would be like last months, which lasted a bit longer.
I'll soon be counting down again.
I've decided to try to eat more healthily this month and to think about what I'm eating. Maybe it will give me something else to concentrate on.

Do let us know how your appt went.

It was good from a get the main tests male/female ordered...

But efectively he told dh temping/charting was bollocks and that my temping/charting was stressing me out and the route cause of out infertility (bollocks) and also dismissed the concept of a 9/10 luteal phase even being a contributing factor.

Dh has now decided that temping/charting is like a cult and not to be continued 'because the doctor said so' not only that but we paid loadsa money for the CFBM just to leave it in the cupboard because it 'stresses us out' to be honest we would have no idea when I OV if it wasn't for that tool.

So to entertain dh I am going for 2/3 days sex no useful monitoring its silly but workable this month as we're away from Tues

Anyway if it wasn't for MN I wouldn't realise how diverse the NHS fertility advice is. I know of other doctors who value the charts and recognise the short LP phase issue etc.

Feeling high about the sheduled tests but low tha now dh sees temping/ charting in witchcraft terms

3catsoo I suffered from abdominal migraine as a child (worth a google) my triggers are chocolate/ red wine/ flashing light

Everyone is very different, but there are trials, options and you maybe want to consider eliminating 'triggers' one by one in case you can recognise how they are onset eg. food/ light/ lack of sleep/ stress

Then going forwards you can tackle them early

As I understand family experience you have to catch them early to take things like 'migraleve' as they are preventative drugs.

My mum and dh's father suffer and its defintely no fun

Maybe get your doc to start from scratch and re-evaluate your options?

City - glad your tests are booked, when are they, do you know yet?

Sorry about the consultants view on temping.
They all have their own thoughts I guess.

I do feel less stressed by not temping but I wouldn't say I feel no stress, it comes with the ttc territory doesn't it.

This month DH goes away when I'm on CD20, so if I ov on CD19 like lasy cycle, we should be jsut in time to try. Hopefully I won't get too worked up and delay Ov.

So you are in the 2ww after your 'naughty' episodes. Have you got long to wait now?

I might research the migraine stuff again. I guess with age things may have changed.

I can't take any of the strong migraine drugs as they totally knock me out, not good with a 3 yr old in the house.

Thanks for the info.

Who did you see Cityangel? I think the temping/charting thing stresses some people out but makes others feel better. Maybe you could try not charting for a month or so and make your mind up based on your own reactions - not on how the consultant tells you you should feel.

I know that after 12 months of ttc I was still charting, but it was only as a background thing which didn't really figure too highly in my life as I could read my body and my CM very well at that point. (In fact, in the final month when I did eventually get pregnant the temps didn't rise and the opks inconclusive so I thought it was my first anovulatory month.)

When is your next appointment for the results? When I went for my results he just said they were 'all OK apart from my fsh'. I wanted to know all the hard facts and numbers though, so I had to draw each one out of him one by one. I felt like I was being a pushy hypochondriac but I really wanted to know everything to feel in more control. If you are like me then be prepared to have to do that.

3cats -Sorry to hear that you suffer with migraines. My bestfriend?m mum suffers really bad. And when they hit, she has to sleep ? that is the only way to get rid of them. No painkillers work and they come with sickness and are hormonal.
I agree it would be a good idea to investigate what your triggers are.
Awful about your blood tests, and all the leaking ? hope everything comes back clear.

Cityangel - It is really sad that the consultant said that charting was causing you to stress out which can cause the infertility. I am sure that in some cases, charting can cause women to stress out, but I would imagine those would be the charts that don?t show any clear patterns, which is a sign that something is not working as it should. So is it the stress that is causing the fertility or the potential problems that need investigating. I think it is far too easy for them to say, oh the charts are causing your infertility. Stop charting and see what happens.
Do you feel stressed out by charting? I always say that if you do, then charting isn?t right. But I know that for me, charting calms me, I can see a pattern in my temps, and I feel that we are doing the best we can.
I don?t suppose it can hurt to stop charting for a couple of month, have sex every 2/3 days and see what happens.
Hang in there flower. Fingers crossed all the test go well.
When do you start your new job?

Thanks for all the wonderful messages they really cheered me up. Things are manic I handed in my notice and I'm going away next week.

Today I have a transvaginal ultrasound Bit nervous but should be ok.
Dh doesn't have a sperm test until June, but maybe he can get on the waiting list.

I saw a female outpatient consultant at Barts. I don't agree that temping stresses me out I find it a very useful guide, but I am going along with it for a month to keep dh happy. I imagine it will come up on holiday in discussion. Ready I completely agree with you and I really don't need a doctor to point out the more sex the better

I can't do the CD3 test this month as I will be away so I'll have to do it a month later. They'll also test for Rubella.

How is everyone else. I will try and pop back in later to see how its going.

It's so quiet on MN at the moment, well, certainly the threads I am linked to.

City good luck with your scan - I am sure it will be fine. But understand your nerves! The things women have to do huh! It can't hurt to stop temping for a month, like Rubles says and see how you feel - not how you are expected to feel. I was surprised it was a woman consultant that was so dismissive on the LP. Have a lovely time when you go away,

I think I read that wrong, I looked further down the thread and you said "he" for the consultant... sorry

Yeah it was a he and the dismissive short LP was more irritating than the charting comments. Still we've got some basic tests scheduled so that should help.

This afternoons test needs am empty bladder. I bet it feels empty right up until the point they start

Afternoon test went better than expected. Got the all clear from ultrasound. I got to see my uterus, lining, ovaries and folices which was unexpected.

How is everyone else doing? Enjoying the weekend?

City - glad the test went well.

Have a good weekend all.

City - That is great that you got the all clear, and that it wasn't too bad a procedure. It's cool that you got to see everything as well. How are you feeling?

3cats - Hope your migraine has gone and you are feeling better

Oh, almost forgot. City - when I had a chart spot, I noticed that the software moved your OV to CD20 - is that based on the monitor over the temps??

I think its over the temps but haven't been as attentive as normal so could be anything!

Happy weekend everyone particularly those doing watching or having fun with the marathon