24th June - 4th July Testing Buddies (thread 2)

[Wyewaving]

I hope @littlebee1990 doesn't mind me starting a new thread as our old one was full...

Congratulations to @SK2970 who had just posted a positive test!

(Point me in the right direction if I've missed a new thread)

Ah @Foodie2020 sorry you're feeling down, it's a massive thing isn't it. Just try to enjoy the journey with your husband.

My DH has accepted supplements surprisingly happily, think he's getting excited about it :)

@nottherealslimshady. That's great news about your oh . We have got as far as he has researched them and will start to take them soon . He also asked when the "good" week was 😂 so think he is also feeling a bit more involved and excited x

Sorry to jump in. I could really do with some advice. I have pcos. Ttc 20 months. On day 3 of what I thought is my period but it's completely different to anything I've experienced! Hardly any blood, dark brown in colour. I've tested negative but could that be because hcg levels aren't high enough on day 3? I'm concerned because I was supposed to take my clomid tablet yesterday but don't want to risk it if this is a pregnancy. What do you think? Am I imagining things?

@Foodie2020 I’d be careful with the B12. Despite what many GP surgeries seem to claim, you should only be given tablets if your deficiency is due to diet i.e. you are vegan or similar. If you have a normal diet then the deficiency suggests malabsorption and should be treated by injections. These should be carried out regardless of COVID, although I know lots of practices have tried to stop them. I’ve done quite a lot of reading into this and honestly believe there is a lot of negligence around B12 treatment. I have injections myself due to malabsorption caused by coeliac. Fortunately my practice has continued to offer them. The tablets may raise your levels in the blood test but are unlikely to be utilised by your body as ‘active’ B12. It’s very unlikely that taking the tablets will cause your B12 to be too high. Rather your symptoms sound like your active B12 is too low and should be treated by injections. In fact, it’s rare to have complications from high B12 because it’s water soluble. The main problem is that a high level of treatment can put pressure on your potassium levels and so you need to make sure you get plenty of that in your diet. Also folic acid.

Sorry if that sounds really preachy - it’s an issue that’s very close to me as my own treatment has been highly variable when changing GP practice.

@1992EM I admittedly told him it was mostly because he's dieting at the moment and could be missing out on things he needs 🤣 he drew the line at me propping my bum up last night though!

Ita nice that they're "taking an interest" it's always kinda seemed like their job was to provide the sperm whenever they wanted and everything else was our area lol

@Dinosaur86 I can totally relate to this . I had to fight my GP as they initially gave me tablets which never seemed to sort the problem . I now get the injection every 6 months and it has made such a difference. It is wrong we have to have this fight .

@EasterBunny7 Sorry to hear about your pcos . How long are your cycles ? If they are on the shorter side it could be late implantation bleeding. What kind of test are you doing ? A pink dye early detection test is better early on as detects less hormone .

@nottherealslimshady I think the smiley face opks won my oh over 😂. I am glad he is taking an interest though . I mean we have to change our lifestyle for the duration of ttc and pregnancy . It's only right they do their bit during ttc 😂 Well that is my personal view on it. 😂

@Foodie2020 sorry you have been feeling down. The stress of TTC is definitely something I am sure a lot of us can relate to. I know a lot of people who have conceived at 39 / 40s so try not to worry about the stats! Stay positive x

@sle0911 & @Nottherealslimshady - good luck for the TWW now!

@nervousnoob - how are you doing? Any sign of AF? I would recommend the CB Digital OPK, really easy to use!

@EasterBunny7 - can you take another test this morning?

@TravelGem - so I have been using pretty much every app going 😂 it’s really interesting they all have different dates that they think I will start my fertile window and will peak:

Eve - start Friday 10th, peak Tues 14th
Ovia - start Sunday 12th, peak Weds 15th?
Flo - start Saturday 4th, peak sat 11th
Premom - start Tuesday 7th, peak sun 12th
Fermo - start Thursday 9th, peak tues 14th

I got my first flashing smiling face so think the Eve app is the most accurate so far but will see which gets my peak correct!

I got another flashing smiley this morning (CD14) but the line looked noticeably darker than yesterday so am feeling positive!

First flashing smiley for me (cd13). I've continued to have very light spotting when I wipe, almost every day since AF. No idea what that's all about but I've booked a smear 🤮 My mum had fibroids so I'm hoping it's not an indication of that, as I know they can sometimes make it difficult to conceive.

On the plus side Hubby has agreed to take the wellman supplements 🥳 and as I always seem to do at this stage in my cycle, I'm feeling optimistic and hopeful! Fingers crossed for lucky cycle 5!

@mylittlebean2019 thank you- I have to admit I'm finding it hard. How are you doing now?

@1992EM and @Dinosaurus86 I have to admit I have had a quick look into the B12 and know it can affect ovulation and viability of pregnancy but tried not to look into this too much. I have been using Pregncare so getting the folic acid. I do not have other conditions which should affect B12 and I'm not vegan so it'sd not diet. My levels were below 200 when the put me on the injections but after being on these 6 months I moved to the tablets (50mg three times a day) and the blood showed above 1100 B12 levels. Like I say I have 90% of the feeling back in my little finger and numbness went in the second finger, but I have been a little lethargic and when it was low before my moods dipped really badly. Any chance you could suggest some good sites for research as the NHS ones aren't too good and most others look at gestational low B12. On my CB ovulation digital, I have been high (indicating an estrogen surge but no LH increase {thats the peak only}) for 6 days but I'm not sure this could be related to the Vit B12. what do you think?

@TravelGem I have Flo, Clue and Fertility Friend. I like Fertility friend as you can log a high and separately a peak from CB ovulation digital whereas the others only log a high.

@Foodie2020 perhaps take a look at the Pernicious Anaemia Society website (they also deal with general B12 deficiency, particularly since the tests for PA are not particularly reliable). Even the NHS website is not bad, although often GPs seem not to follow it. It states pretty clearly that if the deficiency is not due to diet then it should be treated by injections. Honestly, I would push hard for this. It is important but I know many people find their GPs rather awkward. Depending on where you are based, you can also pay for B12 injections at places like REVIV. You shouldn't have to do this because it is essential medical treatment but I know some people end up using them.

I'm not sure if B12 deficiency would actively inhibit ovulation or pregnancy but it does work hand-in-hand with folic acid, which is of course known to be very important. I will try to post more later but have to dash now!

@Dinosaurus86 Thats Fab. Thank you

@Foodie2020 I haven't read up on it impacting ovulation . I think if your cycles are regular you should be ok . At one point I was low in both folic acid and vit b12 so I take extra folic acid alongside pregnecare. You can buy it cheap from amazon . I am not sure if it is necessary but read that it can't do harm and it will come out in your urine if you have too much. I have only ever used the NHS website but thank you @Dinosaurus86 I will have a look at the others too .

Has anyone experienced their opks getting lighter instead of darker ? The cheap ones I bought say I shouldn't be testing until cd13 which is Sunday . I know I most likely won't be ovulating yet so not too worried but just assumed it would gradually get darker. Flo is saying I'm in the fertile week and I will ovulate the 15th so we will see how accurate it is .
Also another question, I have the CB digital ovulation tests that identify 2 days . Will I get a flashing smiley or will it only be the 4 day ones that do that?

@1992EM it's the simple thing 🤣 my line on my OPKs went up and down, i would guess that you wont get a flashing smiley with those ones. Fertility friend has a line compare bit in the photos that you jus tap the control and test lines and it tells you the difference, it said mine were pretty much the same when I was getting flashing smilies

@mylittlebean2019 thank you :) I'm not feeling too confident this month tbh, ovulating later than expected and having no physical symptoms have thrown me. We'll see though 🤞 good luck in your fertile week!

@Dinosaurus86 @DoctorBambino re you guys testing twice a day now? I found my line to be darker in the afternoon and my peak was the afternoon. Think I read that 12-8 is the best timeframe to test but dont drink 2hrs before

@nottherealslimshady thank you . I think I test too early too. Might start doing it in the evening instead. I'm hoping my peak isn't until next week as my oh is working long shifts this weekend.

@1992EM and @mylittlebean2019

I am using internet cheapies - One Step. My cycles can be anywhere from 28-41 days. So, that puts me at either 11dpo or 16dpo.

I did another test this morning and it was negative

I am dreaming, right?

@EasterBunny7 when did you get your positive opk? 11dpo is still early . If you have 41 day cycles maybe wait until you are officially late and test again. It could just be too early to test.

@Foodie2020 just to add, if you have neurological symptoms - which it sounds like you do, then really you should have alternate day injections until there is no further improvement. This would need to be accompanied with making sure you eat lots of potassium, and I suspect, the higher dosage of folic acid (I think 5mg rather than the typical 400ug). Testing B12 levels while you are being treated is not generally recommended, although I know many GPs will insist on it... (this is mentioned on the Pernicious Anaemia Society website). Did they do any investigations into why your B12 was low?

@Nottherealslimshady I haven't tested twice a day yet but I'm considering doing it again later this afternoon, since the line looked better this morning. My problem is that I really struggle to go 4 hrs without the loo!

@Nottherealslimshady I just did another one now but still the flashing smiley. The line maybe looked a bit darker than this morning. I’m hoping I might get a peak tomorrow though!

@EasterBunny7 that is still very early, theres time yet :) 🤞

@1992EM I'd guess early next week but if I were you I'd be DTD in the run up if he can find the energy, I've been giving lots of massages this week! 😂

@Dinosaurus86 yeah I know what you mean, I was having my last wee at about 12ish then not drinking until 4. How close in colour is the test line to the control, mine was about the same darkness for a couple of days then was suddenly much darker than the control.

@nottherealslimshady no luck tonight. 😂 Oh is off next week so here's hoping ovulation happens then.

@Nottherealslimshady mine is pretty close to the control line atm. Was lighter yesterday and the day before. Am hoping it will be darker in the morning but I think I could still have 2-3 days before ovulation so not sure!

Morning ladies!
Hooray I’m finally in my fertile window according to my apps! CD12 and going to start using OPKs from today onwards. Hope you’re all ok xx

Hi Ladies,

CB has had me in the run up to ovulation for 6 days now but no ovulation- that's annoying!!! oh and I will have demolished half my CB sticks by the time it comes I think, lol. We decided not to actively try but not actively avoid either so a less pressure month for our third month TTC.

@Dinosaurus86 no they didn't do any tests, but it may be a family thing as my mom also has them and could become anemic quite frequently growing up. My mom still has the same weird symptoms as me with vision disturbance and tongue. I had the loading dose originally but when having the injections it would only stop the symptoms for 8 weeks when 12 weekly injections. Going to look into the PA site some more- it looks really good.

Thank you for listening to me moan ladies. Good luck to everyone going into their fertile window and in the TTW

@Foodie2020 I got 8 days of high readings before my peak! If AF turns up she better reimburse me my 30 quid!

@Littlebee1990 yay! Fingers crossed for you.

@1992EM hope it times right for you, he best be ready to work

@Dinosaurus86 yeah mine was line that for a few days, then I think you ovulate the day after your peak reading, once you get a peak on these clear blue ones the face stays up for two days and you cant retest