Post Pill TTC Party

[TheDaydreamBelievers]

Come one, come all ! A thread for those TTC after coming off hormonal contraceptive pills.

Discussions typically include:

• Baffling temp charts
• Absent or oddly timed EWCM
• Whacky cycle lengths
• AF gone AWOL (current high score is 141 days post pill)

@Sarahp2308 aw your lab sounds hilarious! So cute. It’s all ahead of me!!

@Cams50 he’s definitely a character 😂 the puppy days were nowhere near as bad as I expected and mine was HYPER as a puppy, he’s a lazy git now apart from when he’s stealing pizza’s out of the shopping bags

@Sarahp2308 he sounds so funny 😂 Glad you didn’t find the puppy years too difficult. Can’t wait ☺️🐶

@MintGreenLife any luck with the BBT today?

Ah I love all the doggy stories. I was temped to get a puppy given we are now working form home until at least spring, and will then only be back in the office part time, but opted for a baby instead. Maybe if TTC doesn't work out I'll go down the puppy route instead!

@AMS19 well it went up! I'm not entirely convinced as I didn't sleep brilliantly, partly because I was a bit nervous about my BBT 🤦🏻‍♀️ But I think mainly from having a lazy day yesterday. Fingers crossed it keeps on going up!

I've been googling like mad trying to decide whether I should carry on taking Agnus Castus now I may have ovulated. The opinion seems mixed - some say up until ovulation, some say until you get a BFP 🤷🏻‍♀️ Think I'll carry on for now and try and do a bit more research later today x

@MintGreenLife this looks very promising :) And your DTD pattern looks great! Try to relax now and enjoy your TWW x

@Kay00 thanks :) fingers crossed my temp stays up/keeps going up!

I think I've actually changed my mind about AC already - I was only taking it about 5 days, so who knows if it made a difference. Apparently it increases LH, which creates a stronger ovulation and better corpus luteum, which is what's responsible for progesterone in your luteal phase. Looking at a graph of different hormone levels across the cycle LH doesn't play a role in the luteal phase, and so as AC should have already done it's job helping the corpus luteum, I'm not sure what the point is in taking it in the second half of the cycle.

it's so hard to know what the right thing to do is when you start introducing these sorts of things! If I ovulated when I think I did on my one and only chart where I can identify ovulation, then I had a 12 day luteal phase...so hopefully progesterone isn't an issue anyway. Urgh I am worrying a little as to what's best!

@MintGreenLife omg yes that's a brilliant temp rise!! So excited for you

As for AC - I guess if you think you may have oestrogen dominance you might still need to carry on taking it? In case it affects the progesterone in the LP I guess. It's all very tricky though!

@Juno231 thanks so much :) here's hoping it continues!

I honestly don't know, if my charts from my last few cycles were clearer it would be so much easier to understand. I think I either didn't ovulate first two cycles off the pill, or had an extremely short luteal phase, which apparently is common the first couple of cycles off the pill. Third cycle I think I ovulated and had an LP of around 12 days, but not massively sure on that either. Last cycle I think was anovulatory as I carried on having EWCM right up until AF, but then I had a couple of high temps too towards the end, so again not massively clear on that one either!

I've found two sources by herbalists/homepath's that say it's fine to take all cycle, but stop when you get a BFP. But then I've read a few threads where people say they miscarried after the stopped taking it...so tricky urgh.

@MintGreenLife oh wow thats a fab BBT rise!!! Yay!!! Yes you have absolutely done everything you can this cycle and your body totally seems to be playing ball. Now to just wish the next 14 days away 😂😂

@Juno231 @AMS19 I think for now I'll keep taking it - I was only taking half the dose anyway, and then if I did get a BFP, I'll pay for a consultation with a fertility specialist/herbalist about what to do next, as some sources suggest taking it up until 12 weeks to help with progesterone, others say to stop taking it as soon as you get a BFP, and some say to taper it off when you get a BFP!

@Juno231 I think the tricky thing is working out if my body even needs it now I have ovulated (if I have!), and so am I creating a difficult situation for myself if I did go on to get a BFP...eek!

Hey! Just thought I’d jump on too if that’s alright!

I stopped my pill start of sept and had my withdrawal bleed. We’ve been Dtd every other day ( I have A pretty high sex drive anyways when I’m not on the pill and I’m half thinking of doing the SMEP). I don’t actually really know if/ when I ovulated as I just came off the pill this month. I had loads of back pain and ewcm from cd 14-19. So I’m guessing in that time some where. However I have never had a positive OPK. I was using clear blue but that little flashy face was getting expensive 😂 haha. I did have some pinkish cm on Thursday but I only noticed it after we DTD so I’m not sure if that’s related to implantation or sex?!?

Being the idiot that I am I’ve done a test which is negative! The SMEP says not to test until CD35 and I’m only on 28 so maybe I have times! my boobs are so sore, heavy and bigger. Like almost coming out of my bra! My lower stomach feels “heavy”. That’s the only way I can describe it. It could just be the pill making me crazy 😂

Hi @Sperr welcome ☺️

It’s difficult because my symptoms coming off the pill were similar, takes a while for your bodies hormones to settle down, but you definitely can get pregnant straight away after stopping the pill so don’t rule it out.

I totally get the thing with boobs mine feel exactly the same, huge, heavy and bursting out of bra so uncomfortable! AF is due any day for me so it’s probably just that.

@Sperr I'm very similar to you. Came off the pill on 13th Sept, had my withdrawal bleed 5 days later which was SO light. I didnt even need to use a pad. I'm now waiting for my first proper period and am on CD18. I've had such a heavy low stomach, very bloated but heavy rather than air. My nipples are absolutely killing me and really erect and big. I'm absolutely exhausted too and had some reflux for a while. But had no OPK rises at all...mine is so low there isn't even a second line. And just a really random BBT chart. So think mine is all post pill related

@Sperr Welcome! If you Ovulated CD 19 then you might only be 9 DPO, so you could be too early to test (although we all understand the temptation!!), try testing towards the end of this week in AF hasn't arrived by then... good luck!

Thanks for your replies - I’m still doing the OPKs to see if maybe I will ever get a positive haha. I read that some people will have a really long first cycle and ovulate later so maybe that might happen to me! And in fairness the last couple of days my line has been getting darker (I’m now using IC) It’s almost hard to think of a time when I wasn’t on the pill to know how long my cycle was!!

@AMS19 my nipples have gotten bigger and are so sensitive! I noticed my boobs look veiny as well. Then I started googling symptoms of early pregnancy and got my hopes up

I’ve been 6 weeks off the pill now and still no period however coming off the pill felt pregnant symptoms but they are exactly like AF symptoms and I am not pregnant. Sore heavy boobs, nipples hurt lower abdominal pain, bloating, feeling sick and dizzy spells etc so I think it was just the pill working it’s way out of my system x 6 weeks on all I seem to be getting now is sensitive boobs.

I’m hoping this means that a period comes soon so I can start working out my ovulation/know that I am ovulating

I’m currently 10DPO and the temptation to test is soooo hard to resist! I haven’t actually got any in the house which is why I have managed to hold off this long 😂

@Sperr it is so uncomfortable! I've never felt anything like it. I'm so bloated my jeans are struggling to fit around my stomach

@Moocher90 I'm the same. I just so want the first proper AG so I can start tracking a clean cycle. I dont actually want to start trying properly until November so I'm fine about not ovulating now, but want to know i will actually ovulate at some point!

Morning everyone. I came of the pill after my last period. This is my first cycle so not sure if my period will come or not, I have been using Ovia for tracking

Haha one of the perks of being CD4 then... nothing to test! Although I have been known to test after particularly light AFs just in case it wasn't AF lol.

@Sperr unfortunately TWW symptoms are the same whether it's BFP or AF related - I know it's hard but it's probably best to temper your expectations and avoid a little bit of heartache. But that might be my bitterness at cycle 10 talking lol - over the months I think I've had every symptom under the sun yet I'm still here :)

@Juno231 so true! 😂 that’s why I just dont have any in the house if I’ve got to actually go out and get one it adds a whole new level of effort 😂

@Sperr unfortunately PP is correct all symptoms are fairly similar, its like a cruel trick to get your hopes up

I’d actually be happy to get AF as well just to know it’s all working again (never thought I’d look forward to a period in my life haha) I’m still not due for a week or so anyways!

I’m starting to think I will ovulate late though even though I had symptoms last month as my opk is getting darker than it’s ever been!

This is definitely a TMI but just went to the bathroom and had a brownish tinge in my CM.... what could that mean?!

When I think back about it, I had really bad bloating when I came off the pill too, and I still get it now (I am today!) I find it very hard to know what it relates too though as I’m sensitive to some dairy, and also eating too much bread doesn’t agree with me. I love both so can’t stop eating them anyway

Where is everyone at at the moment? Interested as to who else is in the TWW with me! I’m currently 3DPO on CD34 and I feel very confused about it. It means if AF arrives this month ive had a pretty long cycle, which I’ve only had one other time so far (45 days). So either I’m in for another 45 day cycle, or will have a very short LP which isn’t going to work well
Annoyingly too, it also means if this is right, I’m either in for a unfortunately timed first anniversary with AF, or the perfect one if I get my BFP in the day’s before. I so so hope for the second one, but I’m trying to not get my hopes up.