TWW: Oct 31 - Nov 6

Momifbysea

Tell us how many DPO you are, what you're doing/not doing this month, when/if you'll test, and symptoms that have you wondering if this is THE month! 

If you haven't already made a separate intro, please first do so in a separate discussion thread so we can get to know you! Good luck!

Momifbysea

2DPO here so I'm going to wait until next week so I don't start to go too crazy!

jennh75b

10 DPO for me post first IUI + clomid.  Really sore BBs, even when walking down the steps I notice.  But, that's just the clomid.  I have nothing else going on.  I feel guilty/not guilty for having a glass of wine two days in a row over the weekend, but I rationalized that implantation probably hasn't occurred yet and my doc told me to live my life, have a drink when I want, so that is what I'm doing (one was after going to a funeral home, the other was for my early bday dinner with H's family, otherwise I have no real "occasion" to drink and I usually don't).  I thought I would have my blood test this Friday on my birthday, but I won't have it until next Monday morning, so no potential true birthday surprise BFP for me.  By that time, AF will probably have started, so who cares about the darn blood test.  I really have no hope, and I'd like to keep it that way.  Less disappointing.

vlagrl29

I am 10DPO and had a huge temp drop this morning.  Over the weekend I was at 98.6 and today I'm at 97.7 - It went a little below the red line.  I felt cold this morning which may have been part of it.  IDK.  Not sure when AF will come because O was late by 3 days.  I think by Friday.  I'm not going to test as I'm a spotter and that lefts me know when AF is coming.  No spotting yet though.  I'm temping the rest of this cycle then putting it back in the cabinet.  I'm tired of all the TTC stress.

PoeMasque

Lurking from WTO

@jennh75b have the wine! Honestly the research really only shows an effect if you binge drink, so just keep it under 4 glasses a day  

@vlagrl29 I could never temp due to my schedule, then I read the research on it and decided it wasn't a stressor I needed in my life. Fx that your spotting stays away! 

vlagrl29

Gah very light spotting started this afternoon. I'm dropping all testing in November and I think we won't even BD until cd 12. Save it all up lol. I just need a mental break. Tonight I was thinking that maybe I spot for too many days and that doesn't allow a long enough LP. How long does the LP need to be? I honestly don't remember how much I spotted 5 years ago with DD. 

Im going to go ahead and call my OB tomorrow to see if they can do basic fertility testing in their office. That way we can be ready in December. Called insurance and they don't cover IF treatments or any medicines that may be needed for it. So I'd like to avoid an RE for now if possible.

jennh75b

@vlagrl29  - I'm not sure if pre-AF spotting is a sign of a problem/issue.  I have pre-AF spotting several days prior, which sometimes stops for a day and then AF starts.  I have not been told I have low progesterone or any other abnormality during all of the RE testing.  I think we are just cursed with having a very dramatic AF entrance.  But it doesn't hurt to ask your OB about it.  Wishing you lots of luck in any testing you can get done under insurance!!!

I have a really bad pain in my right upper butt cheek/glute area.  I have chronic low back pain to begin with, but it's always...for 5 years now...been only on my left side around my sacroiliac joint, and sometimes it hurts into my left outer thigh area.  Well, for several days now, my right butt area and low back have been hurting, and it's like I did a million squats or something.  Today is 12 DPO.  My back pain always increases close to AF, but this is ridiculous.  I don't know if people this early in a pregnancy would experience something like this or not, seems like it would be a problem further along when you're carrying the extra weight.  Admittedly I googled it and I found a few forum discussions where people in the TWW complained of this.  But I won't hold my breath.

vlagrl29

@jennh75b - sorry about your pain.  I need to stop googling.  I just can't remember what my cycles were like 6 years ago when I was pregnant with DD.  They've always been pretty regular because I hadn't been on BC pills in years.  The spotting is annoying but at least it saves you from testing I guess.  I've only tested once in 5 months.

jennh75b

**Possible TW related to child abuse**

Today is my 41st birthday.  I spent the morning at my aunt's funeral.  Then I come home to my usual pre-AF spotting.  I POS yesterday after work because I just had this feeling, and of course it was a BFN.  And I'm not supposed to test without H, so I feel bad for that, too, and I won't be telling him I did.  They are making me get a blood test on Monday to see if it's a BFP, but frankly, why should I if AF is in full effect?  I'm quite sure it will be by then.  I'm definitely having wine with dinner tonight. Also, at the funeral home last night, my mom was saying how it makes her sad to see our pics when we were young because we're all grown up now, and my cousin said don't worry, some day you will enjoy looking at them when your kids have kids.  H was there, too, and he just said "yeah, some day" sort of quietly.  I figured my family would think at my age that child bearing was out of the picture, so never expected to hear a comment like that...as if I still was young and had all of this time ahead of me.  Not like it as malicious, I get that, but it just stung a little. Sigh.  And there is a horrible murder story in our local news about a girl who killed her child and I literally cried a little over it yesterday.  I hate people who have children and do not value the gift they have. ***End vent***

vlagrl29

@jennh75b - I'm sorry about your BFN and spotting.  I'm on day 4 of pre af spotting - so much fun isn't it when you know AF is looming around the corner.  Usually my spotting gets heavier by the day buts it's stayed pretty light which is weird.  Why do these things happen - little changes you know with your flow.  Because I ovulated late in October now my period is late.  I don't even test because of the spotting and I'm with you that why do the blood test if AF comes?

jennh75b

Thanks @Vlagrl29 .  

AF has arrived in full force this morning   I am not putting myself through getting that blood test tomorrow morning.  I told H AF arrived and he says he's not too upset because he knew the stats aren't great for IUI.  He hugged me and I cried anyway even though I knew that, too.  I think we are done with any kind of RE interventions. He still wants to keep trying naturally and he still believes it's going to happen for us.  i don't really believe that but I don't have the heart to tell him I want to give up.  this month H is going away during our prime fertile days and I don't even care.  

PoeMasque

Hugs to both of you ladies!! @jennh75b i feel you. I told my SO the same thing when AF came last cycle. (I'm done, the whole "magical" experience of TTC is ruined for me). at least we have supportive partners to cry on  

vlagrl29

I'm sorry @Jennh75b - AF started full force for me last night right after 5 days of spotting. I was thinking about it and I use to never spot that many days before. Maybe all this obsession over my cycle is creating it to be longer. I O'd late in October which made my cycle 34 days - it's use to be 28 or 29 days. I found an OB that doesn't go thru insurance and has cash pay memberships by the month. So if at 1 year of TTC if we still aren't pregnant we can go to her. She does fertility treatments. All I'm going to do this month is get a progesterone test from my chiros office and ask my OB if there is anything that can correct premenstrual spotting or at least shorten the days of it. I know it's been only 5 months of TTC for us - but it's made me so BSC I can't handle it anymore.

jennh75b

Thank you ladies - @ PoeMasque - yes, I'm so greatful to have such a supportive husband.  

My RE is making me take a blood test anyway, they said he is one of the docs that likes to have a blood test on everyone, so to me it's like rubbing salt into a wound, but I will do it because I don't want to be labeled as a non-compliant patient!

vlagrl29

I did find out that my chiro can do all those blood tests for a fraction of the cost.  He told me that I would need to just get the orders from my OB that way he could set them all up.  That is promising.  She told me that they do the progesterone test 7 days after a positive OPK.  I've been thinking about wether do get all that done this month or next and I've decided that I really don't want to do any charting or OPKs this month.  I think my brain just needs to decompress for 1 month.  It's not like 1 month will make or break it for me.

Momifbysea

I haven't had a chance to post until now... I'm 11DPO. This month our timing was good, -3,-2,-1,0,+1. Used olive oil as recommended by our RE. I'm taking prenatals, DH taking multivitamin and RE has us both now taking 2000mg vitamin D. HSG this cycle and one side may have had some mucous so it took longer for dye to go through but RE got it through both sides. He said our clinic experiences statistically significant increases of pregnancies in the 6-9 months following an HSG. I said I had read in the peer-reviewed literature that it was elevated for 3 months following, and he said well that depends on which studies you read. I had my appointment with him to discuss all my test results on Monday and received great news. He said I have the ovarian reserve of a 28 YEAR OLD! I am 42!!! However, he said egg quality is another story so who knows. But I had 4 and 5 follicles shown on ultrasound which I found encouraging. All other blood test results (e.g., FSH) were within normal range. I'm really hoping this is our month but am used to everything not aligning so am a bit numb to it at this point, not expecting anything.

Momifbysea

@vlagrl29 I understand! And I also was contemplating if I should do the progesterone test. Will see what happens this month and then probably go ahead with it.

Momifbysea

@jennh75b I'm so sorry to hear af came. But am so glad you have such a supportive partner in all this! Thinking of you both!

jennh75b

@Momifbysea  - wishing you lots of luck and excellent news about your RE tests!!!!  You pretty much hit every day there is, so great job with timing, too!  What is the olive oil thing you mentioned?

Momifbysea

@jennh75b our RE told us at our first appointment to save our money on pre-seed and use olive oil or vegetable oil instead. He showed us clinical trials and they are equivalently effective! Also, I just realized that, due to staying up til 2 for election results, that I posted on last week's thread, oops! Will copy to this week's...

jennh75b

I went to  my stupid blood test and the lady asked me if I thought I was pregnant and I said no, my period already came  she asked how long we've been trying and I told her and she says...stop trying.  sure, ok, makes total sense lady.  I hate people.

Momifbysea

@jennh75b that's ridiculous, not to mention a lot of other things I could say. Why do people feel the need to give input?!? Wine is clearly needed in this case. Not that you asked!:-)

vlagrl29

@Momifbysea got all the blood orders from my OB nurse so I'm going to give that to my chiro tomorrow to give me a quote on the CD3 draw.  It only costs $20 for the progesterone test.  That's a deal!  Talked to DH last night and we agreed that I will do the blood draws in December.  It feels refreshing not knowing what CD I'm on and not thinking about it.

vlagrl29

also my OB said 5 days of pre AF spotting is totally normal and doesn't think its affecting getting pregnant.  I just feel so much more positive right now.

jennh75b

@Momifbysea - thanks!  I actually had a margarita with dinner last night...much needed!!  I already got the blood test results...big surprise...not pregnant.  

Momifbysea

@jennh75b well at least they can't say you weren't a compliant patient, and glad you had that Margarita.