TTC for 1 year +

[FlapJackered]

Does anyone want to join?

I have been TTC #1 for 15 months and had a MC at 8 weeks in February.
I am off to the GP tomorrow to try and get a referral to a reproductive endocrinologist.
Tried every trick and tip and old wives tale in the book to get a bfp!
It would be good to have a group of longer term ttcers to chat to.

@FlapJackered thanks for the helpful reply, much appreciated. I think I might try the b complex first and if no luck in a few more cycles, might try the soy. I've just read a couple of horror stories of it messing with cycles etc. but I am getting increasingly desperate.

Strange she said about only doing super light exercise. I have heard that vigorous exercise can cause issues, but I'd have thought a bit more than walking/light swimming was OK. My one hasn't said that, in fact she said I should do a bit more than just yoga haaa. God, it's a fucking minefield.

@purplefig my LP is normally ten days, but progesterone prescription makes it fourteen. Without the prescription, I read that vitamin B and yams are the ones that help. Soy isoflavones stimulate your ovaries to ovulate so they don't really help.
With yams, you eat them after you ovulate, but the vitamin B has to be taken the entire time. You need both B12 and B6. You will need to Google the dose, as it's quite a bit, and I don't remember the exact numbers. One thing I know, if you start taking it and decide to stop, you have to do it gradually, you can't just quit one day. Also, if you aren't taking vitamin D, you should, unless you somehow get a lot of daily sun exposure.
Progesterone cream might help too.

@Goodyear2019 you mentioned you take iron, are you anemic? It is possible to be fertile twice if you didn't ovulate the first time, that's rare though. If you go by Dr advice, in a normal 28 day cycle, most suggest BD on days 10 through 20, every other day.

@KatBeCool not anaemic but borderline. We've been trying to BD from day 8 (every other day) until I get a smiley OKP then BD that night plus the next 2.
I've got an appointment at my GP next week so going to ask about any tests they can do.

@KatBeCool You're an absolute superstar and a legit pro pro !!! Thanks sharing all your info. I've made a note of it all and I'm going to start on the vitamin b stuff next cycle, so will look into doses ahead of that. Quick q - can you sub yams for sweet potatoes? I'm not sure I've seen yams for sale in this neck of the woods!

Anyway. Me me me me. How're you holding up?

@purplefig yams are thought be more potent, but sweet potatoes will do. I read somewhere on this site that you can get authentic yams from African markets.
You can start vitamin B any time, it takes time to build up on your body anyway.
I'm CD 5 so no excitement here. Just shoveling those supplement piles into my body.

@Goodyear2019 good luck with GP!

@KatBeCool I live in the South West so no African markets nearby unfortunately! Might be a couple of Asian ones around, but certainly none near me. I think I'll have to stick to sweet potatoes for now. I might nip to the shops on the weekend in that case, and go in search of some vitamin bs. LOL at shoveling supplement piles in ...my pile is slowly growing. I am now the proud producer of pregnacare pee™. Thanks again for your help, really appreciate it. Think I'd go barmy without this forum .

@Flapjackered Hi! I've looked into the vigorous exercise thing quite a lot as I'm a regular runner and was worried about it too! The theory is that because vigorous exercise places stress on your body it makes your body think that it's not a great time to reproduce...so it doesn't! I cant find anything that actually defines "vigorous" though - but from reading, anything where you are "out of breath" and upwards is too much. I guess this varies for everyone! Also there are many studies that say there's no link at all! I am cutting down on my running but not going to stop entirely as its my main stress reliever!! 😊

Also could someone kindly help me re Agnus Castus...I've bought it but held off taking it as the bottle says "do not take this product if you are trying to become pregnant"!? 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Cd11 for me today and opks are almost at peak. Looks like all back to normal after last months delayed ov after the marathon 👍😁

@PineappleC agnus cactus affects your hormones, not everyone needs that, not everyone knows when to safely take them, hence the warning.

@purplefig sorry just saw your message! I took Soy cycles day 3-7 last month. It brought my ovulation forward by 2 days but unfortunately didn’t work for me I would of tried it again but am having blood tests done this month so didn’t want it to effect anything.

@flapjackered I’m not sure. The GP told me to come back at the end the month after my 21 day blood test to discuss DH results and mine. 🤞

@pineappleC CD 11 for me too!

@FlapJackered I am having acupuncture at the moment and she said the same thing to me - lots of light exercise - walking, cycling, etc

I've also been going for acupuncture, monthly sessions for the last few months. No idea if it's actually doing anything but I enjoy it and find quite relaxing, plus it makes me feel like I'm doing something to help myself at least.
I'm a bit lost with all the vitamins and supplements etc. I've not had any tests yet so don't know if we actually have any problems to 'fix' or if it's just a case of taking a bit longer. But does anyone know if it's worth taking vitamin D, I work inside and don't get much access to natural sunlight?

I'm enjoying it too - I find the sessions very relaxing and have discovered that I ovulate a week later than I thought!

Hoping (since I have got pregnant twice before, neither successful) that it has been a timing issue

@NotMaryWhitehouse who would have thought having needles stuck in you is relaxing haha! In my sessions she's just been focussing on my general wellbeing, blood flow and getting my 'Qi' moving. This is maybe a daft question, but how were they able to tell you were ovulating a week later than you thought?
I've never had a positive pregnancy test so really not sure what our issue is, fingers crossed it's just timing!

@Goodyear2019 FWIW it's recommended that everyone in the UK supplements with Vit D Oct - March as we don't get enough sunlight. If you don't get out much in Spring/Summer I'd consider supplementing throughout the year.

@Goodyear2019 @NotMaryWhitehouse I'm really enjoying acupuncture too and also find it oddly relaxing. I must say, I had it done on CD1 and didn't suffer any of my usual period low mood and my energy wasn't as bad as it. Who knows. I'll keep at it for at least a few more months.

@Goodyear2019 what @purplefig said, absolutely take vitamin D. It's one of the most important things you can do for your body even when not ttc. DH and I both take it, especially in the winter. Fish oil too (hubby has to take flaxseed oil as he can't handle the other one).

Thanks for the info @purplefig & @KatBeCool I'll pick some vitD up, will also try fish oil.
I noticed with my last cycle that I didn't have any AF cramps and I usually have quite painful cramps on day 1. Not sure if that's because of the acupuncture or not but that's the only thing that I've been doing different from previous months. My mood hasn't been as low this last cycle either (apart from the usual upset when AF arrives!)

@Goodyear2019 from using BBT charts. I had been half heartedly taking my temps, but stopped when the battery died!

We went through a couple over that period last year and then the one she's had me doing for my last cycle and said 'and obviously you ovulate on day 18/19' and I just stared at her! Like, eh? What? 🙈

I have a 27 day cycle so had been working on the assumption, along with my CM, that I might be ovulating in day 13- so to learn that the week we were relaxing after really.... going for it.... was in fact the week we should have been 'focusing on' has been something of a revelation.

If you don't temp, start!

@Goodyear2019 I should say- I think one of my problems might also be a low progesterone issue, but that is my gut feeling rather than any actually diagnosis and
I think having a short luteal phase is potentially a related issue.

@Goodyear2019 that's strange - I'd say my cramps were better this time too. And like you I had my usual big ugly cry at the arrival of AF and then I was strangely...positive. What is this witchcraft!?!?! Also it's kind of nice to chat it through with someone else other than my husband, because we have decided not to tell anyone we're trying atm.

@NotMaryWhitehouse you probably already know this but I'm completely new to the idea of a short LP and I found this post really helpful yesterday www.thepreggerskitchen.com/short-luteal-phase

Oh and have any of you guys tried the infamous fertility smoothie!? (www.babble.com/pregnancy/fertility-smoothie-lori-bregman/) I've just been out to get the ingredients on my lunch break. It doesn't sound amazing, but I'll give it a go.

@purplefig I had not read that! Interesting. I like data- the more I know, the better I feel (generally!)

Where the F did you buy royal jelly from?! Honestly, I thought that was something in body creams???

Had no idea I had a short luteal phase btw, all brand new info! @purplefig

@NotMaryWhitehouse ahhh I'm leaving the bee bits out because I'm a vegan. Well, in theory . I've gone on a bit of an egg bender atm! Glad it was useful - I binged her blog yesterday. She did a great month by month overview of getting her LP from 7 days to 12 (www.thepreggerskitchen.com/results) . She did end up having IVF, so a longer LP didn't work for her.

@NotMaryWhitehouse I did start temping, but couldn't really get my head around it and it was stressing me out so I gave up. I use OPKs to try to find my fertile time.
I think in my next cycle I'll keep trying a bit longer just in case...my husband will be delighted lol!
@purpefig haha it totally is witchcraft! My acupuncturist lady is lovely so it's actually quite nice just to go have a chat. Who knows if it's working but it's certainly doing any damage :-)