Just want AF to arrive so new cycle can begin...

[CaribouCarafe]

AF due in 3 days.

Am sure I'm out this month - negative FRER today and I have the usual PMS acne.

Just want my period to come already so that I can get this useless cycle over with and have a commiseration beer.

Just frustrating as have been taking pre-conception vitamins for months, cut out caffeine, no alcohol during TWW, have DTD every other day, tracked ovulation and with no success.

Anyone else fancy a moan whilst waiting for AF to show up?

Ps it will 100% happen @ls2020 💕✨

@mrswilso ooh I don’t know, I’ve never used them before but maybe see what today says? How long are your cycles? I’m really short cycles about 26 days and my fw doesn’t start til CD7 so seems a bit early but interesting!

@mrswilso well I’ve just had something very strange this morning, CD8 and had some very strong yellow and pink bloody CM... never had that in my life. We DTD on CD6 and not had any blood since CD5 so don’t think it’s period blood but surely too early for anything else?!

Feel like I’m gonna drive myself mad now because I’ve always convinced myself I would have IB when falling pregnant so I’ve always ‘known’ each month but it is way too early surely

That is strange @ls2020 . Like you say, it’s early, but 🤷🏼‍♀️
Keeping my fingers crossed for all of you 🤞🏻

@ls2020 it could be ovulation maybe? I've had a wee pink tinge around ovulation before...
Done another strip this morning and it's come out 23% on the app so I reckon I'm gonna be early this month...or my LH surge is a longer one...planning on DTD whenever I get any positive reading so I don't miss the peak haha!

@Ughmaybenot yeah I’m almost freaked out by it because it was very definitely there and without being TMI, there was like a lot but not loads, almost how i imagined it 🤣 kinda glad I was so asleep and just flushed it otherwise would deffo have obsessed over haha

@mrswilso yeah could be tho I normally get it next week, very strange! Could it have been that your pee was less diluted yesterday and picked up higher than normal reading? Sometimes your body can surge and if doesn’t release an egg, surge again?

Ugh I’m really struggling not to test yet, does anyone else seriously struggle to resist??
By my calculations/assumption, I ovulated 9 days ago, but my predictor reckons i shouldn’t be Due for another 9 days, so too early yet.
But oh the suspense 😂

Plus I’ve just been sick this evening for the third evening in a row... trying so hard not to get my hopes up!

@Ughmaybenot I’m a test nightmare, I’ll literally test any time, had to get some cheapies because my habit was getting expensive, the good news is that even testing an OPK keeps me at bay so maybe you could do similar? I think you want to keep until you’re about 3/4 days away from AF if you want to test early - sorry!!!

Well don’t know what’s going on with body this month, CD10 and entered FW but honestly feel like I’m in my week before AF, broke out in a million spots, cramping and constantly feeling sick, to the point I’m gagging brushing teeth and sleeping like the dead. Normally this week my skin clears and I’m full of beans 😔 worries I’m not ovulating as didn’t get a positive OPK last month and this month they totally clear even tho they should be showing a weak one normally now, building up for surge Monday

@LS2020 glad it’s not just me I’ve only got cheapie ones so I guess it doesn’t really matter but I think I do need to hang on! I hate the not knowing... and the getting your hopes up! Plus I’m picking up on everything as a maybe sign... like getting a few spots, whereas I never normally do til AF pretty much shows up, and not always then. It’s enough to drive you crazy!

Oh no I’m really sorry you’re having such a hard time of it, that sucks. I hope your body figures it out ASAP, nothing worse than that limbo feeling of, well guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

@Ughmaybenot the only good thing that comes with time through TTC is I’ve now started to stop symptom spotting as much because there is not one thing I haven’t googled now 🤣 legs look hairier? Done it, sneezed three times in an hour but not normally a sneezer?, done it, normally go to bed at 10.30 and felt sleepy at 10? Done it. And honestly there is someone on every google forum who has had that symptom so I have found it reassuring now that I’m not going to know until I get those two pink lines!!

Honestly it’s so annoying, I’ve been a bit overweight and read with depo it can stop you becoming pregnant longer so lost about 5kg since Feb and now it’s like my body doesn’t know what to do, this was supposed to make it easier!!

I know exactly what you mean @LS2020 and it does drive you mad. I’m really trying not to, and anyway, even if I did catch this month, it’s too early to be puking already really so it’s probably just my body being normal-weird 😂 the joys of a load of chronic health problems. Your list of googled maybe-symptoms really made me chuckle, it’s a funny old ride isn’t it? (No pun intended 👀)
Massive well done for losing that weight tho, I’ve only lost 6lbs so far, and finding it difficult to get motivated! Bodies are just funny old things aren’t they?

Yeah that’s what I always have to remind myself. I have really short cycles so even if I implanted super early at like 8 days, that’s still 5 days before AF so no way would I have enough hormone to even notice til just before. I think I’ve started to get too worried about my TWW and avoiding alcohol and doing things which is ridiculous as most people don’t know they’re pregnant and survive and I’ve found meditations helped a lot with that and it’s made it a lot easier to just say that progesterone makes me nauseous so that’s why I feel sick, not because I’m actually pregnant.
I can only do it through extreme calorie loss so been on 1300cal this week but then I struggle with it so I have 2 weeks really good and lose a kilo then I stop doing it and then do again next month, probs not great for me but otherwise my weight just stays same no matter what I eat x

How’s everyone doing? @Ughmaybenot @CaribouCarafe @mrswilso

My weeks just got weirder and weirder. Had massive cramps and backache, and this morning was so bloated and nipples driving me crazy. I’ve had the most neutral OPKs - no real line progression and just short of being a positive. I should have been due a strong positive today but nothing.

I’ve started to get almost exactly like EWCM but it’s milky white instead - does anyone know if this means my FW has ended?

Hey @LS2020 👋🏻 wow you’re having a really rough time of it right now, wonder what’s going on?? I’m sure someone more knowledgeable would be able to help more, I’ve no idea!
I am still hopeful for this cycle but less optimistic than I was. Honestly I’m so worried I’ll miss out this cycle, and then get plunged back into the limbo of waiting weeks and weeks to get my period again. That was awful last time, not making any progression at all.

Hi @LS2020 - am afraid I have no idea what that type of CM means, other than "have sex tonight and hope for the best"?

I'm now on day 10 of my cycle, not predicted to ovulate until day 16 (according to Ovia), so my OPKs are still light.

DH has agreed to do the SMEP this month, which is nice, however I'm definitely feeling less focussed on TTC than I have in previous months - more like if it happens it'll happen. Fingers crossed that SMEP + being more relaxed works out well this month!

Have also decided to relax a bit on the "no alcohol/no caffeine" front too - this time I'll have as much as I like of both until I get the positive OPK, then things will feel more normal .

@Ughmaybenot am really hoping that you don't end up with another mega-cycle - got all my fingers and toes crossed for you for that BFP!

@Ughmaybenot honestly if I was two weeks on I’d be so excited but CD12 does not bring me much hope 😂 hopefully you won’t be kept as long this time around for AF! Have you looked at any vitamins/supplements to try and regulate out?

@CaribouCarafe haha not the worst option! We’re trying every 2 days this cycle but it’s so hard with two full time jobs, how do people do it?! I’m glad you’re feeling relaxed, I was determined to this month and body is just having a fit instead 🙁 I’m glad you’re starting back on drinks, I honestly think unless you’re binge drinking, most people don’t know they’re pregnant for a few weeks so a few drinks here and there can’t hurt.

@LS2020 true, plus you can do more damage to your child from having one ill-chosen piece of cheese or salad than through one drink!

We've trying every other day for the last two cycles, but as you mentioned, life gets in the way. Plus last cycle my husband managed to mildly injure himself and was out of action for quite a few days (much to my annoyance as he hurt himself doing something really stupid).

I tried to 'be relaxed' in the first two months and I think essentially trying to force myself to be chilled out had a direct opposite effect! I'm only relaxed at the moment due to a sort of happy pessimism - have just accepted it might not happen any time soon.

@CaribouCarafe thank you so much, I’m hoping so but trying not to get tooooo optimistic.
What is SMEP? How does that work (brief overview anyway)?
speaking of drinking, MIL poured me a gin yesterday, and I felt a bit stuck. It was in front of DHs whole family so drank half and then DH managed to sneak the other half away, but it got me wondering afterwards really how strict I need to be with that.

@LS2020 yea of course. I hope you get a good outcome, one way or another. It is so bloody hard trying to figure out what on earth is going on sometimes!

@CaribouCarafe yeah I think I was getting stressed because I wasn’t living life as well as wouldn’t drink except on AF and didn’t want to over exercise either and made my life feel so slow, there’s been nothing else to do in quarantine 😂 I read somewhere that you shouldn’t change your social life while TTC otherwise all you’ll end up with is things you missed out on and I think it’s good advice.

Ah no that sounds like something my OH would do! Have you ever tried fertility meditation? It was something I never thought would be me and the first few times I listened I kept laughing at how ridiculous it is, but it’s been good for managing my hope and expectations and stopped me from going too sad when AF happens too. Wishing you lots of baby dust though and hope this month is your one!

@Ughmaybenot hopefully you find some changes soon, it must be incredibly frustrating with so much limbo time. I think if the every 2 days doesn’t work I’ll go back to trying SMEP. It’s called sperm meets egg plan (if you google website explains) but basically you DTD every 2 days from day 8, then when you get a positive OPK, do next 3 days, a day break and then the next day and that way you don’t need to DTD all the time throughout the month xx

@Ughmaybenot - SMEP is essentially what @LS2020 said - picture attached just in case it makes it clearer. I'm sure half a gin won't do any harm. Who knows, maybe it activates the gene for alcohol tolerance for later in life .

@LS2020 yeah I think putting things on hold was giving me a lot of angst, as if I'm living in some sort of fertility purgatory. Feeling much better now that I've eased up - I'm not knocking back bottles of vodka, just a bottle of beer now and again before my OPK turns positive.

Admittedly I'm not the best person for meditation - my patience is always on a knife's edge (mostly due to my work), so sitting or lying still doesn't combine well with my personality! I've started swimming again so that's helping me burn some energy and divert my thoughts elsewhere. I guess someone (after a spliff or two) could make the argument that the breath control and repetitive nature of it is similar to meditation...

Hey ladies 💕 has a hectic day in work and have only just checked in here.
Glad to see you’re all doing okay 🤗
I feel quite lucky this cycle that I’m finding myself a lot more relaxed...so far ha! I think after cycle 3 it’s been easier to look at my TTC journey as just that - MINE. I’ve managed to switch off this month, haven’t been tracking symptoms much but have started on OPKs.
Which brings me to the only thing bugging me this month...I pee’d on an OPK CD4 6.45pm (because I’m a disgrace and can’t stop peeing on ALL THE THINGSSS!) and got a surprising high reading in the app. I’ve continued twice daily (three times at the weekend when I was off...total overkill but I can’t help myself) since then and I’ve had “high” readings everytime expect this mornings pee! Whuuut? I did a bit of reading and it looks like my levels are normal range for the follicular phase so I’m not worrying too much...more wondering 🤔 any ideas what’s going on? I’ve stuck a shot of my readings on the bottom here.

And on living your best life while TTC...I’ve tried to curb my habits, but I’ve certainly not given anything up entirely yet! For the first few weeks little bub will get all it’s nutrients from the sac so I’m sure you’d have a BFP before the odd glass of wine could have any negative effects.

Ps @cariboucarafe
A spliff or two maaaaaybe why I'm feeling a bit more chilled this cycle 😯🤫🤭

@mrswilso I think you can have numerous 'highs' for LH but only one will be your 'peak'? I'm not an expert though, just something I've heard... apologies if I'm talking out my arse.

Also liking the naughtiness on this thread

Might give SMEP a go at some point then. It’s so bloody difficult for us at the moment, DH works in agriculture with our own business so he works so much this time of year... have had to track him down in a field before now
Not even sure when to test this month tbh 😂 Glow reckons I’m 5 days away from AF but based on my bbt im currently 12-13 dpo. I don’t even know anymore 😂