TTC 12 months buddies please

[Whilstwewait]

Hi,

We have just hit the 12 month mark of TTC and looks like AF is on the way I am on another thread that's really supportive but I do find it disheartening when people get positives on the first couple of cycles of trying. So thought I'd start a thread for anyone around about the year mark. It'll be good to share things and get advice from people who are at a similar stage to me. Im 34 and my husbands 36. We are TTC number 1 x

@Whilstwewait glad you enjoyed your break x

@PlanBea if you can that would be lovely thanks for offering. I don't have the book so any info I can get would be great! x

@Motherofkittens28 that's great news and so very quick all very reassuring x

@Fran2020 sorry to hear AF is on its way. I'm expecting mine over the weekend! x

@Chel93 that's really good they saw them on your scan hopefully makes you feel abit better knowing you have plenty there still x

@notyetamumbuttrying @Whilstwewait @Hayley19835 AF definitely arrived today so cycle 14 now! I've been feeling sad especially as I seemed to have different symptoms this time. Trying to keep positive though but it's hard 😔

The doctors called me back and I am going in on Tuesday for her to check my cervix and do some swabs. She'll also referring me for a scan and to the fertility clinic for HSG (but there's a bit of a backlog for there). Feel good to be doing something though! Hopefully get my partners semen analysis back early next week too.

@PlanBea oh wow, yeah you definitely should get yourself booked in for a massage! Haha yeah the needles would just break! 😂

@Fran2020 That's good the doctors are sending you for more test's hope the wait isn't too long for your scan and HSG xx

@Fran2020 aw sorry to hear but great you're getting seen too! Must feel positive because you're being proactive with getting the tests/scans done etc. Let's hope the SA doesn't take too long either! 🤞🏾

I go solid smiley this morning so now for 3 days in a row 😂🤞🤞

Has anyone else noticed issues with the femometer app and taking pics of opk tests. Since the most recent update this week it's stopped showing the test and I just get a blank box where the test should be. 😩😩I've messaged them and they said it could be network issues but it's only done it since the update. Its fine whilst generating the result but when it gives a score the test has gone

Hows everyone doing? Is anyone due to test? I'm 4 or 5 DPO and driving myself insane. It feels like i can't switch off from TTC. I keep reading loads of threads. I need to limit myself to once a day I think. If AF arrives this month im going to chase my consulation appointment and if its too long to wait going to try another clinic. I've seen someone get pregnant with clomid and one with progesterone (both ovulated normally but spotted from 8 dpo like me) so hoping i can at least get something to try whilst waiting

@claireb707 I don't use that app sorry. I tend to just know myself the darkness for ovulation as mine never seem to be darker than control just the same colour. Hopefully you've ovulated now xx

Thanks don't think I have yet as my cheapie opk was darker this morning than yesterday 😂

@Hayley19835 @notyetamumbuttrying Thank you! I definitely feel more positive when I'm doing things like this. Really hope I don't have to wait too long for the scan and HSG. 🤞🏼 I reckon we should get the SA results back early this week. Hope you're both ok?

@Whilstwewait I tested this morning at 11dpo and it was negative, cried for about 3 hrs. My OH is still being positive about it just being too early but I cant take the emotional stress, I'd rather just conclude its over for us this month. At least I know from the day 21 test that I ovulated this month. If all my symptoms inc incredibly sore boobs for the last 10 days are just progesterone related then i really don't think my levels have been high enough for ovulation before this month, I never get these symptoms. Its so hard every month isn't it? No matter how much you tell yourself not to get your hopes up and just forget about it you just can't help it. I got really annoyed yesterday as we visited a friend and her 2 month old and she was telling me how she was crying in her office after the sevond month of not conceiving but then they got pregnant month 3! Im probably just hormonal but when she then told me to just relax and it might take a few years i wanted to scream at her! She also made me feel really bad about not wanting to be heavily pregnant on my wedding day. I already feel pretty guilty at the though of stopping actively trying so as to avoid that scenario but it was like i don't deserve to feel beautiful on my wedding day. Sorry, im ranting, its been an emotional day!

@Fran2020 hope SA results arrive and you get a positive answer 🤞🏻I'm good AF is due to arrive today and so far nothing 🤷‍♀️ to scared to test just yet! x
@Motherofkittens28 sending you the biggest virtual hug hope your feeling a bit better now 🤍

@Motherofkittens28 so sorry you're having a shit day. I've had plenty like that. As much as people mean well saying relax and it'll happen its infuriating. No one understands what this is like unless they've been through it themselves. In the grand scheme of things not trying for a couple of months for your wedding won't make any difference. Don't feel guilty about it. You deserve your special day just like you deserve your baby. No reason why you cant have both xx

@Fran2020 hiya! Cd1 and cycle 12 today! 2 days early so my LP has not gone back to normal since taking agnus castus so that's a bit poo! How you doing?

Thanks @Hayley19835 and @Whilstwewait, ill just be glad when AF arrives and I can truly close off this cycle

@Hayley19835 sorry it took me a while to check TCOYF, it was packed in an inaccessible box in the room of Stuff (all our belongings that don't have a home yet in the new house because we haven't been able to buy furniture in lockdown haha). It doesn't say much about short follicular phase but says it is typically 8 days+ so it doesn't seem like something to worry about too much!

@Whilstwewait how are you getting on today? I'm now 7dpo according to my ovusense and my brain is just constantly on TTC. Or McDonald's cravings for some reason - can't remember the last time I had a McDonald's but this weekend I absolutely needed some chicken selects haha. Too early for it to be a symptom, but I'm symptom spotting like a crazy lady!

@Motherofkittens28 sorry to hear it's getting to you at the moment. I totally get it, the waiting and not knowing is awful. If it was a weekly thing it'd be bearable, you'd have an answer in a few days and could try again. But waiting 2+ weeks to ovulate, and another 2 weeks to see if you were successful, followed by another 2+ weeks to have another go... It's constant. It sucks. Of course after so long it's stressful. Sometimes you do want to be able to write it off as waiting even a few more days feels like torture. Do you have people IRL to speak to about it?

Today I'm 7dpo according to my ovusense. What's interesting is according to my Daysy I haven't ovulated. My graphs are basically two opposites. Ovusense measures core body temperature rather than basal, every 5 minutes during the night and then comes with an average excluding outliers.

Following seeing that curve in temps which I've never had before, I've started symptom spotting and also deciding I'm going to disappoint myself by getting optimistic. I'm picking both versions of torture this month.

@PlanBea thank you lovely thats reassuring!
So AF was due yesterday so far nothing and no signs or symptoms of it coming so not sure what's going on. Had random mid cycle bleeding so not sure if this is the reason why. I'm too scared to test just yet can't take the disappointment xx

@PlanBea im not familiar with a daysy. Ive only ever temped a couple of times. Could you transfer the temps into fertility friend and see whether that detects ovulation? Ive just POAS. Im an idiot. Only 6 or 7 DPO at most. Haha. I keep imagining some twinges that either aren't there, wind or my jeans are too tight.

@hayley19835 you've done so well not to test. I know what you mean sometimes its nicer to live in hope for a bit than get a negative. Your random bleed may have been implantation or late ovulation. How long ago was it again?

@Motherofkittens28 i know what you mean as soon as my spotting starts id rather just get my period so I can get on with my new cycle

@notyetamumbuttrying sorry you've hit the dreaded cycle 12. Hope it's a lucky one x

Thank you @Whilstwewait got a call from the docs tomorrow so hopefully I'll be able to get bloods done next month! How's things with you?

@Hayley19835 that's promising then! Let us know if you end testing!

Up that was meant to have in there @Hayley19835*

@Whilstwewait random bleed was 13 days ago very light not what I'd call full on AF as I'm usually quite heavy lasted 4 days.
I'll leave it a few more days then test if still no sign xx

@PlanBea, thank you :) I do have a couple of friends I talk to but they both have kids and had no problem getting pregnant so sometimes they find it hard to empathise as they've just never experienced it.
I've concluded that you just can't stop yourself symptom spotting, you are even when you are pretending not to!
@Hayley19835 hopefully late AF is a good sign, I've got my fingers firmly crossed for you!

@Whilstwewait it's just a thermometer with a calculator in to do a red/amber/green for fertile days. When I started temping it seemed easier than figuring it out myself. The temps are flat, it's the difference between a single oral temp and overnight vaginal temps that's so stark! Hopefully it means I've had ovulations before but haven't noticed them.

@Hayley19835 have you picked a date in your head of when you're going to test? I'm desperate to test this cycle but only 7dpo so going to try and stick to Saturday at the earliest (might do an IC to keep me occupied )

@Motherofkittens28 yeah, my friends are either not mums or met through DH (wives of his close friends) - DH is very private so it doesn't seem fair to tell them. Talking to my mum was no use and made me feel worse. And people who haven't been through it don't know what to say! You've always Got an ear here but sometimes you just need to talk to someone who knows you, you know? Hope you're feeling a bit better today x

@PlanBea no i've tried not to think about it I don't even have any tests on the house now as was fed up of the disappointment every month and I'm sure AF is just playing with me and will arrive x

*in

Just found this thread, been TTC for 15 months. Due to coronavirus our appointment to see a NHS fertility specialist has been cancelled twice so are going private now.

Been tracking ovulation with opk's and body temp since 9 months and my main findings are the following:
-Cycle length changes anywhere between 23 to 30 days
-Luteal phase only 8-9 days

• OPK's stopped giving me peak (LH surge) results the last 4 cycles, before that I got a peak every month

-Period comes with severe cramping (1-2 days, but last cycle 6 days of cramping!) and large blood clots (pretty much no normal blood flow)

• excess amounts of EWCM for 7-10 days
• BBT is super erratic, there is no 'base line temp'. Up and down throughout entire cycle. Temp doesn't drop before period but stays high (37 C +) till after period. I do see a temp spike around predicted ovulation date most months but as it's so up and down throughout the cycle I have no idea if I can rely on this to pinpoint ovulation.

Based on all these symptoms GP says 'everything is probably fine, just try to relax'. :(

I'm probably just overreacting but I feel like I'm noticing sooo many red flags and not being able to see a doctor is incredibly stressful and worrying :(