Post Pill TTC - Still Partying

[MintGreenLife]

No idea how we managed to smash through 1,000 messages (40% of them are probably me anyway, ha!) in such a short space of time, but a new thread is needed for the post pill TTC party, so here it is...

Tag anyone I've forgotten please, and new party-goers always welcome :)

@juno231
@kay00
@flowerkm
@pumpkineverything
@ams19
@sarahp2308
@cams50
@sperr
@moocher90
@lisalx

@Tillybabs hey again 🙂 for me I use OPKs (ovulation tests you pee on) and track my temperature (BBT testing). I know the other ladies also monitor cervix and CM but I dont do either

Welcome @puffin85 and @Tillybabs you're in the right place to start your TTC journey as between us we have seen pretty much every eventuality!

@puffin85 I am 35 and trying for my 1st too 😊 . Im on my 4th cycle off my pill but only my 2nd month TTC. You came off the pill last week, did you get a withdrawal bleed?

@tillybabs sorry to hear about your M/C all those years ago. Sounds like your on about CD33 but in your 1st cycle off the pill that could mean anything as you may not have ovulated yet, or you might be one of those lucky ladies who falls into a nice regular cycle straight away. I wonder if some of the pains you had last week were actually related to ovulation? Did you get any fertile cervical mucus? If so then you could be in your TWW.

Ok thanks.

Sorry what does CM mean?

Hey @Tillybabs some people might have answered your question already, but there are a few methods you can use. Some work best for people with regular cycles. You can get OPKs (think that stands for ovulation predictor kit) which is basically a stick that you wee on or dip into urine, like a pregnancy test. About a day before you ovulate your hormones spike and the test picks up on this in your urine. If you start testing say 10 days or so after the start of your period you should be able to pick up on the spike and get a good idea of when you ovulate. Another method is taking your temperature every morning when you wake up. After you ovulate your temperature goes up and stays up for at least 3 days (is this right? Someone correct me if I'm wrong). If you're consistent with the temping over a few months you should be able to spot a pattern and know which days in your cycle you tend to be fertile. Finally there is monitoring cervical mucus (haha it's not glamorous) because the consistency changes around the time you ovulate. You can do this by checking for discharge in your underwear or by putting a finger inside your vagina... If the mucus is clear and slippery/stretchy you're probably ovulating.

Haha I wrote an essay there

Thank you.

I think I had cervical mucus about 2 weeks ago and I remember noticing it and wondering what it was. We had unprotected sex that same day and day after.

These pains I had really felt as if I was coming on my period and then it just went and nothing.

Sorry I’m new and rubbish. I thought by replying to a message it would automatically @ that person!
The above reply was in reply to @Kay00

@Puffin85 haha thanks you for the essay, it’s much appreciated!

That’s interesting. I will try the temperature method definitely. I do think I noticed the mucus funny enough because I noticed some discharge a couple of weeks ago and wondered what it was. I can only imagine it was that! I never know so its great to know this.

I’m 39 btw and so I’m hoping all will be ok fertility wise

@Kay00 Thanks for the welcome 🙂umm no bleed. I was expecting to have one - but I was on Cerelle and I think withdrawal bleeds don't always happen. No symptoms at all really which is nice! If a little weird

@AMS19 glad you have a spa weekend lined up!

@Tillybabs if you Google it there are lots of charts which tell you what CM looks like at each stage of your cycle (sometimes with delightful real life photos) handy for comparison 🙂

@Puffin85 lol I will google that now!

@Tillybabs basically @Puffin85 is pretty bang on. You can also test the position of your cervix (if it is low and hard then you are not fertile if it is high and soft then you probably are fertile).

I highly recommend you track your temperature, its a bit of a pain to start with as you have to set an alarm to wake up the same time every day (you can go back to sleep again) but you soon get used to it. Other than a scan its the only way to be sure you ovulated.

Temping however cannot tell you when your fertile (your temperature rises for three days after ovulation and by that point its too late) so the OPKs, cervical mucus and position of your cervix can be used to let you know when your fertile... and when to have sex (BD or baby dance 😆)

@Kay00 ah ok I see. I will see how I get on with the mucus and positioning of cervix. I will google that one too!

And check my temperature to see when I have ovulated.

My OH has already joked about doing the BD daily to increase our chances 😱🤣

Haha, tell him to hold his horses as every other day gives you a better chance!! (His sperms will be immature if you have sex daily and you want good mature swimmers to meet the egg)

@Tillybabs I'd definitely recommend seeing if your local library has books on pregnancy and conceiving. Or get one from amazon of course 🙂I found one at the library called 'what to expect before you're expecting', found it helpful for understanding the when the best time in your cycle is to conceive, how often to have sex etc. Oh just googled it, it's this one www.whsmith.co.uk/products/what-to-expect-before-youre-expecting-2nd-edition/heidi-murkoff/paperback/9781471175305.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhOKljpqj7AIVCp53Ch3u0gT5EAQYBCABEgKY2_D_BwE

@Kay00@Puffin85 thanks so much for the advice and recommendations.

I will definitely order that. I really had no idea about these things so thank you.

Exciting times for us all fingers crossed ❤️

@Tillybabs to add (another small essay) to what the other ladies have written - I have been getting ovulation pains since coming off the pill (similar to but different from af cramps), and the day after I ovulate my nipples usually instantly go very sore until af turns up. Just to say that you will start to notice the patterns for your own body after a while.

Initially I worked out I ovulate roughly around cd 14 after doing ovulation tests for a couple cycles, and now I know the 'symptoms' that come with it. I do not temp, my cm is all over the place, and I do not want to feel for my cervix because I am very prone to UTIs so I don't like messing about around there!

Also I am pretty sure bd every day is fine and that the 'doing it too often' thing is a myth so if you are up for it then why not go for it haha. Personally I cannot do much more than two or three days in a row lol, it just becomes less exciting then hahaha.

Oh also def get the cheap OPKs off Amazon, and don't use them alll month esp once you have the hang of it. Don't waste your money!

Hey @MintGreenLife can I ask where you saw higher FSH = higher miscarriage rate? My FSH on day 90-something of cycle 1 was 5.7, so a lot higher than yours . Hoping I dont have to worry about it too much!

@TheDaydreamBelievers it's not FSH! Please don't worry! It's TSH which is your thyroid level. Hopefully you've just got muddled ☺️ Don't think FSH would play any role in that sort of thing xx

As far as I have read, anything below 9 is normal and okay. Online seems to say would have to be over 15 to be problematic for a pregnancy? Sorry to be back on here, just caught my eye and worried me.

@AnonymousXXIX thanks for the advice.

I guess different things work for different people and so I will give them all a try and see what works best for me. I never knew a much about this so it’s good to know and to be able to try different methods.

As for BD-ing every day. Yea that won’t be happening, luckily the OH just said it in jest 😂. I wouldn’t be able to walk after a few days so it’s a no from me 🙈

Ahhhh @MintGreenLife sorry I'm being a worried spoon! Sorry to ask. I'm such a worrier atm. Hopefully will relax when/if make it to 12 wks

@TheDaydreamBelievers did you see my reply above? X

Yes saw it now thank you @MintGreenLife. As you said I misread and panicked!

Hope you guys are doing well! Cant believe its onto chat number 2!