TTC #1 no previous pregnancies cycle #6 - looking for others in the same boat!

[MocktailMe]

Hi all.

As per the title, TTC first baby, I've never had a confirmed pregnancy before. I'm 31, bf is 27.

Been trying to conceive 9 months, but due to PCOS only 6 cycles.

This year I've lost weight, and my cycles since January have varied from 28 days to 38 days. Had PCOS confirmed, and currently waiting for an appointment with gynaecologist to see if I need further assistance. Appointment is taking its sweet time so for now doing it the old fashioned way still with plenty of hope (at least some days, not so much others!!!).

I'm currently on cycle day number 28, negative tests, no signs of a period in sight, CM up to my eyeballs and a whole heap of doubt over when ovulation occured!!

If you are :

TTC #1
A woman who has never been pregnant
Pissing on sticks at an ALARMING rate
Potentially with PCOS but healthy ovaries welcome 😁

Then PLEASE join my thread, so in need of buddies in a similar boat! ⛵

No offence to those TTC #2 or more, genuinley ❤️ just hoping to speak to people who also have no idea what pregnancy would feel like, and who also maybe have the fear they CANNOT ever get pregnant ❤️

@maple1234 From the research I’ve done having sex every other day is fine - basically sperm lives in your body for up to 3-4 days so the most important part is having sperm in you ready to meet the egg when you ovulate.

Ovulation occurs shortly after lh levels rise so it looks like you timed it well this month!

Another indicator you’re in your fertile window is cervical mucus so if it’s like an egg white then you maybe fertile.

I know from my lh tests I ovulate around day 12 ish so I normally try and do days 8/10/12/14/16 ish just to be sure.

good luck!!

Hey @maple1234 you've definitely covered the period enough to be in the game. Bear in mind each perfectly timed cycle with two healthy people only equates to around a 25% chance depending on age. So nothing is definite, but you're in for the wait!

As for me, this last week has seen me start my period again after a short 22 day cycle. I know periods can go slightly haywire after a pregnancy loss, so not stressing about the cycle length, but am or course disappointed for an unsuccessful cycle. We had covered about 16 of the 22 days.

Hi ladies. Sorry for the radio silence been back at work.

I have a private scan tomorrow, I can honestly say I have not enjoyed this pregnancy at all. The experience of before has really tainted this, I am hoping it is good news tomorrow because I’m not sure how I’ll cope if it’s not!

Wish me luck ❤️

Good luck 🤞🏽 wishing you the best for tomorrow

@KTB34 good luck for today. Please let us know how you get on xxx

Thank you ladies. Scan went very well, we have a little bean with a healthy heartbeat. Only measuring a day behind based of LMP so we are happy. Can breathe a sigh of relief and pray we make it to 12 weeks!

I hope everyone is ok! Please don’t give up ❤️

@KTB34 really pleased to hear it all went well! I hope you will be able to relax and enjoy the pregnancy a little more now.

@MocktailMe thank you! ❤️ how are you getting on? X

@KTB34 amaxing ❤️ everything crossed go on little bean!!!!! We’re all rooting for you ❤️

Congratulations. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy 💓

@KTB34 just keeping on keeping on really. Had a very short first cycle post ectopic - 22 days. No idea when I will ovulate this month, so we've made sure to cover everything so far but it's only CD 9 - could be the right time if it's another 22 day cycle, but could be a long way off yet! Very frustrating I don't feel like I know what's happening in my body at all right now.

Hi ladies, how's everyone getting on?

@KTB34 amazing news from your scan, I'm so pleased to hear you have a healthy little bean! Keep us updated, we're all rooting for you!

@MocktailMe any signs of your cycle settling down? It's so frustrating when you don't know where your body's at.

I've officially made it to cycle 12... I was hoping I wouldn't get to cycle 12 but here we are 🙃It's a tough one to accept but I had blood tests this week and we're waiting for a referral for DH's tests so we've got the ball rolling at least. Just trying to keep up a healthy lifestyle which helps with my PCO anyway, but I am treating myself with a couple of glasses of wine tonight, it can't all be doom and gloom 😂

@Tater05 have some wine for me I miss it 🤣

I am as well as can be, thank you. 10 weeks on Monday, no signs or symptoms for MC so I am literally taking each day as it comes.

I hope everyone is well?

Hey @Tater05 lovely to hear from you.

I felt the same when cycle 12 hit, it felt like a brick wall. The thing is I did then go on to conceive on cycle 14 so it does go to show that the one year mark doesn't necessarily mean it can't be done without assistance. Managing the PCOS I think is the single most helpful thing we can do.

My partner has been on a self inflicted strict diet and exercise kick since his results I'm dead proud of him.

I'm now CD 15 and we have covered about 9 of the 12 days since AF ended. Just really trying to give it our all. I have a feeling I probably ovulated a couple of days ago but haven't tested enough with OPKS to be sure. Didn't want to either. We couldn't possibly have covered more days than we have so it wouldn't have changed anything and figured this way would be more fun and less stressful!

If it's another short cycle I'll have my answer soon enough as to whether it worked. And if it didn't I have another appointment with my fertility consultant in about 3 weeks now. So either way I'm trying to keep my head up.

@KTB34 glad to hear you're approaching 10 weeks, my fingers are crossed for you that it keeps going as it is! I'll have a wine tonight for you haha, I was trying to do dry January but when AF hit I decided I might as well have it while I can!

@MocktailMe a brick wall feels like a good way to describe it, even though they're now saying it's still quite normal for it to take 18 months. At the moment the idea of possibly going through another year of this feels exhausting, but I think that might get easier as the months go on!? Only time will tell I suppose.

That's very good of your partner, definitely helps when you're both in it together. Mine's half way there with healthy eating and I'm hoping when we get his results that might get him back to the gym!
I think when you're definitely covering that many days OPKs will just cause more stress. You're doing better than us with 9 out of 12 days anyway, we usually only manage about 6 times between AF and the end of the fertile window. But at least 3 or 4 of those should have us covered.

When you're referred to the fertility consultant do they give you quite frequent appointments? Is it to try something new or to check how things are going? I'm hoping our referral doesn't take too long but it's already seeming like it will!

This will be the 3rd time I've seen the consultant since the end of August so not hugely frequent but enough that you don't feel left hanging.

She told me not to have the hysterosalpingogram after my ectopic just asked I come back to see her to discuss all my results and things so far, so not sure what's next really. She might be assuming there is tube damage and acting as such. I'm wondering if we may we offered IUI with clomid at this appointment but I'm trying not to get my hopes too high.

Ahh ok that's not that frequent, probably a good thing as I do spend most of the month trying to forget about it all!

Hopefully she'll offer you something to move forwards with, even if it's not IUI it will be the next best steps for you.

Yeah it's every couple months so far which I think is about right.

Obviously can't shake the hope that I might be pregnant before the next appointment!!! Hope is such a double edged sword - we need it, but it really does make the disappointment so keen.

I took an ovulation test yesterday late afternoon (Sunday) and it was positive. Took another this morning and back to way more faded again - negative. DTD this morning (Monday), we didn't yesterday (Sunday) but did Saturday, and the day before that and every other day if not every day for a week prior! So surely I'm in with as good a chance as any. I've had EWCM for about four days now.

Overall I feel good knowing we have managed every 48 hours or less all month so far - I really really kick myself when I realise I missed the window and find it mentally a lot easier if I know I did absolutely everything recommended in terms of timing. I can't help but wonder if we had never missed a window would I just be pregnant with a healthy pregnancy by now anyway and have never had an ectopic.

Hard to believe it's been over a month now since I got discharged from EPU with the pregnancy all over.

@MocktailMe that’s really good to hear that you’re doing with the fertility specialist I’m meant to chase my referral if I don’t hear by March.

Fingers crossed you’ve caught it this month 🤞

Also encouraging about DH getting into lifestyle stuff I need to pursuade mine to do the same!

My husbands away till Thursday so I might catch ovulation not sure…

I’m also trying Myoinositol and hopefully getting my thyroid checked by my GP as I’ve convinced myself I’m insulin resistant…

@MocktailMe Sooo true, you need some hope in this journey but it does make it all the more disappointing! Even when you're being realistic but still a bit hopeful. I keep hoping we'll be one of those couples who gets pregnant as soon as they're referred to the fertility clinic and even though I know we probably won't be I'll still be disappointed when we're not 😅

It sounds like your body is getting back to normal and you'll have definitely covered the window. I'm fairly sure we missed the window the first few times of trying but if anything that feels better looking back on it, it means it's been less months where we actually had a chance. But having said that, if I'd missed the window when I was tracking I'd be really frustrated.

@CharLdn When were you first referred, have you been waiting long? Fingers crossed you catch ovulation. I've been wondering if I should try Myoinositol as well but I'm already taking so many supplements so I'll wait to see what they think when I get to a fertility specialist. Do you know if you have PCOS? Sorry if you've already mentioned before! My doctor told me that when I'm craving carbs and sugar (which I often do) it's because of my polycystic ovaries and something about the insulin. I don't fully understand it but maybe it's something similar for you?

Afternoon ladies, I really hope your new year is off to a better start than mine 🫶

Good luck to all with upcoming consultations, tests and fingers crossed for some little miracles at the end of any TWW!

@Kateb149 I hope all is okay with you and your pregnancy!!

Very frustrated and upset to say following my MVA I have retained products, which are vascular and pregnancy tissue so need medical intervention yet again. I tried medical management but the tablets have done nothing 48 hours on. So, surgery again on Friday but under general this time so more risks and more anxiety. Hope to get the all clear finally after this 😔

Oh @KT199 I am so gutted for you.

It's such a nasty spot to be in. When I was stuck waiting those two weeks for everything to (luckily, naturally) pass I felt so conflicted. On the one hand I just wanted it to be done with and my womb empty - but even typing those words makes my heart pang. You need this pregnancy over so that you can try again - but how awful to have to be counting down til it is. My heart truly goes out to you. Wishing you the very best of luck for Friday. The one good thing with the general is you'll be able to wake up and have it done with which might be a blessing in disguise for your mental health although the toll of surgery won't do your physical wellbeing well.

My friend had to have surgery under general and overall it did seem to put a real definitive end to everything - her hormones seemed to settle much quicker than mine did and her cycle was back like clockwork too. I think it does give you a headstart on getting back to normal. Always here if you want to chat.

@Tater05 I don’t have PCOS but signs of insulin resistance which I’m going to get my GP to investigate with blood work.

I’m taking conceive plus ovulation support as I’ve been trying for 13 months so figure if I give this a go it can’t hurt.

I’m also trying to generally eat a higher protein low GI vegetarian diet, do strength training and walk more as figure it can’t hurt either!

I was referred in early December - they said if I don’t hear by March to call them.

@KT199 everything crossed for Friday ❤️

Hi everyone, I'm joining this thread as I'm TTC#1 and also have PCOS. Currently on cycle 2 of trying and reading through this thread has been so comforting, as it feels like everywhere I look are stories of people getting pregnant first try which makes me feel a bit stressed out! So this thread is really reassuring.

A little bit about me and my PCOS - I've had irregular periods my entire period-having life (currently 29 y/o) and got diagnosed when I was 18, but confirmed by tv ultrasound at 21. Periods range between 28-45 days but in the last five years or so, I would say that they're quite regularly between 30-35 days with the odd cycle being shorter and longer. This whole TTC has been a learning curve and I'm still figuring things out!

But anyway, I'm really thankful for this thread in particular. And I look forward to joining you all on your journeys!

Welcome @bramarcan !

It's good to have you on board. Cycle 2 is such very very early days that hopefully you'll find you won't struggle, but if you do we will be here.

Best tips I can possibly recommend for managing PCOS :

Cut - or limit heavily - alcohol. The sugar plays havoc and once I stopped drinking I started having much more regular cycles.

Excercise as often as you can.

Stick to your three solid meals a day. Again, I think this helps manage blood sugar and makes a real difference for me.

Be wary with OPKS as a PCOS woman - you will likely get multiple surges a month. That means your body produces the LH hormone and you will try to ovulate, but it may not actually happen. Keep testing even after you get a peak, as you may see a second or third, and you won't know til later on which was the real ovulation. That will save you a lot of headaches!

I'm really glad to hear reading our thread has been helpful. Not sure if you've combed the whole thing through but we have at least one baby on board now, so it's not all bad news, although all of us have had a rough 6 months or so since starting.

Where are you in your current cycle now?