****** November WTO ******

TScalei

Ty @MooFish2364 @Riversong15 @szwill86 - I really like the opks as just a confirmation of oing. I feel like for the price of the wondfos I have nothing to lose.

sierrafoxtrot-2

@mjolk I was wondering the same thing. My cycles have been irregular and my LP has been short (9-10 days) since my MC. I have read about vitex, it seems it can take a while to have an effect (2-3 months) with taking it every day. I have read conflicting reports about taking it during pregnancy. My only thought is if it really does work then why don't we hear about it more often. I'm curious if anyone else has any thoughts or experience with it.

mjolk

@SierraFoxtrot  I was looking at studies... in some very small studies it appears more women became pregnant after using vitex than with placebo. And it is something doctors suggest in Germany for short luteal phase.

I plan to take a small dose everyday and see what happens. Herbs are not well regulated and perhaps as a consequence there are much fewer studies on them. I'll try to remember to update on what it does, if anything, to my cycles.

kidria

I started taking Vitex a month or so before TTC.  I have a short luteal phase and wanted to try to lengthen it.  I'd say I was able to add a day to my LP.  Not much but it was something.  That change has stayed.  Not sure if it made me any more fertile, though!  I got lucky on the first round of TTC.  Now I'm on round 4 after MC and still on Vitex soooo....who knows.

roxgibbons

 I hope you are all well. I haven't been too active on the boards lately for a myriad of reasons but I am back now. Getting close to O and in the next couple of days so I will hang out here for a bit. 

@tscalei I've used a bunch of different OPKs but my favorite are the generic CVS ones. They have very clear lines and I did get KU using them. The clear blue digital have always been hit or miss with me. GL! 

oliveoil-2

I am CD2 today so WTO in about 2 weeks, hopefully. This is my first cycle after D&E so not sure how regular it will be.

@artemis618
@RiverSong15
@endo_mom
@laeberge3
@NewMommyCoop

Just catching up on this thread now but wanted to mention I had just bought It Starts with The Egg off Amazon and now I'm scared to read it for fear it'll make me BSC!

I got my hair dyed the day I got my BFP and can't help wondering if that contributed to my miscarriage. Also had our apartment sprayed for ants a few weeks into the pregnancy because the girl living below us (we're in a three family) was having an issue and I tried checking with my OB's office and the pest control company and couldn't get definitive answers but was told it shouldn't have any effect on my pregnancy (we stayed at my in laws that night just in case...). Can't help thinking about everything that may have caused my miscarriage sometimes...

That being said, I try to "be green" as often as possible. The EWG is a great resource if you haven't checked it out yet, they even have an app you can scan products with and get a rating on how safe/hazardous they might be. I use this when I'm buying household cleaners and beauty products.

mrsegan13

@oliveoil, you did NOT do anything to cause your miscarriage. I highly recommend Panic Free Pregnancy. Word of caution: It Starts with the Egg only gave me anxiety. The suggestions in that book would be so impossible for the majority of people to implement that I feel like it was a waste of money. Even though the author cites studies, you still have to be skeptical because correlation isn't the same as causation and the reality is that most people get pregnant without those suggestions...just my two cents. 

migdala

@oliveoil I know those feels.  You didn't do anything wrong - that old myth about hair dye has been disproven many times over.  I scrutinized everything right after my MC, I kind of wanted to blame myself because that would mean I could do something differently the next time and feel "in control".  But I just don't think it works that way.

AFM, I'm on CD9 and AF only ended on CD7 but this morning I got a flashey smiley on the CB advanced OPK (meaning estrogen rise).  It'll be interesting to see whether this cycle follows last cycle, in which case I'd O on Saturday, moving my O day one up from last cycle.  DH and I will be at my parents' for Thanksgiving along with all 3 of my siblings, so that should be fun  

laeberge3

@oliveoil Definitely take It Starts With the Egg with a grain of salt.  It freaked me out for a couple days, too! Like @mrsegan13 said, if we seriously made all the changes in the book, it would be incredibly expensive and very difficult.  I made some changes based on the recommendations (trying to avoid BPA), but don't let it freak you out!

I'm still chilling in WTO - CD 42.  Likely just waiting for period now or calling my doc if it doesn't show within two weeks.  Looking forward to that RE visit. 

RiverSong15

@oliveoil My RE actually recommended I read ISWTE. I asked her about what to prioritize, since avoiding everything in the book is difficult. She said BPA was the biggest issue (so, switch to stainless steel water bottles, and avoid plastic Tupperware, particularly when reheating food). Beyond that she said to eat organic where you can and to avoid "scented" products where you can. So, I'm going to try to buy organic for the "Dirty Dozen" fruits and veggies and stopped using perfume/air freshener.

 I think of it this way: any little thing I can do reduces my overall exposure to toxins. I don't need to do everything, but doing something still helps. So, I'm focusing on the biggest routes of exposure for toxins: ingestion (eating/drinking) and inhalation (breathing scented products). I'm trying to avoid what I can, where I can, and when I can. Becoming obsessive over it would be detrimental to my mental health, which is just as important as physical health.

mjolk

My fertile window will probably be when I'm at ny parents for the holiday.... challenge accepted?

Day 2 of 400mg Vitex. Not encountered any side effects yet.

oliveoil-2

@RiverSong15 That's good advice. All this stuff is so interesting to me but also overwhelming to think about. Just good to remind yourself that starting small is better than not doing anything at all!

NewMommyCoop

@oliveoil I agree with @RiverSong15. I started reading ISWTE this past weekend and started freaking out; however, tons of people get pregnant without doing anything. I realized that if I just make some common sense, healthy changes in my life, that is the best I can personally do. I bought glass pyrex food containers on Saturday, switched to metal water bottle a few weeks ago, switched to natural, chemical free shampoo and conditioner, face wipes, and face cleanser (already used a chemical free body wash and Tom's (BPA-free) toothpaste.) I stopped using perfume when I was pregnant in August. Best of luck to you on this journey.

SP128

Hi all.  I was going to buy ISWTE but decided against it.  I know me and I would go BSCier than I am now.  

CD1 for me.  

hartmich

SP128 said:

Hi all.  I was going to buy ISWTE but decided against it.  I know me and I would go BSCier than I am now.  

CD1 for me.  

Reading these posts I have come to the same conclusion. No perfume? No scented candles? Yikes. 

I do use plastic Tupperware constantly because I bring my lunch to work. Maybe I'll stop doing that. 

Also, AF has just arrived. 

RiverSong15

@hartmich I agree, it's a balance. I never used that much perfume to begin with, so it wasn't a big thing for me to give up. Tupperware is the hardest for me. I haven't replaced any of my beauty products, deodorant, etc. also, sorry for AF.

szwill86

@hartmich @riversong15 I haven't read ISWTE, but I do know that the Tupperware brand "claims" they've been BPA free since 2010. I've thought about this too since I meal prep and all my dinners/lunches are in them. 

Mack2342

I have not read that either and after all the discussion on here I won't be reading it.  

*TW-LC* the only thing I changed when I was pregnant with my son was reducing my caffeine to one beverage a day and removing the glade plug ins from my house as I did read about that somewhere else.  I got my hair colored sometime during pregnancy and got my nails done a couple of times.  He was born a week late but otherwise healthy.  Just gotta do what works for you 

starfish827

Here we go again...CD1 for me. FX for all waiting to O in the next few days.

Mack2342

I'm on CD 8.  Looking forward to O in the next several days.  It would be so nice to get a BFP right before the holidays.  Fingers crossed for all of us!  

RiverSong15

Looks like I go here now. H and I decided to try this month, so we're off the bench. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little terrified... O should be Saturday or more likely Sunday. 

SP128

CD4 here.  Going to start doing OPK next Wednesday I think.  FX for a early Christmas presents for all of us!!

Taggarab

Positive OPKs last night and this morning so HIO and hopefully moving to TWW soon. For some reason I find myself being very pessimistic around O time

lin0442

Good luck, @Taggarab !

CD13 today, so I should O soon. I'm feeling pretty glum about this cycle- today was my EDD, and I haven't been in much of a mood to HIO. Holding up pretty well, all things considered, but of course it's been a tough week. 

Also, I have no idea why I have to have such bad acne right around my O *and* around AF. All I want is some decent skin at some point in the month- I miss bc sometimes. 

Mack2342

@lin0442  thinking of you on EDD.  

oliveoil-2

@lin0442 hugs to you on EDD
I have the same problem with breakouts around O and AF. Ugh. Then when I was pregnant, I had perioral dermatitis so it's just constant skin issues, bleh (although I'd take bad skin for 9 months if it meant I was pg again for sure!)

Good luck @Taggarab and everyone else gearing up to O soon!

RiverSong15

Good luck @Taggarab.

Sorry for the EDD @lin0442. They're always tough. Hugs. This the month I first got pregnant last year, so I'm having a lot of feelings and anxiety around TTC again myself. It seems triggers can be everywhere at times.  

TScalei

@RiverSong15 -glad to see you here!
@lino0442 - I'm sorry about the EDD- hugs.

Still waiting to O no EWCM or darkened line on wondfo but I thought I would o sat or sun so I should be right on track. Have just been having an up and down wknd (if that even makes sense) w the holiday. Made it through 2 holiday gatherings with only 2 people asking when we were going to have kids.  But their have been several pg announcements on FB. And I went to barre this morning and their were 2 pg women there complaint about being the center of attention at Tgiving bec they were pg and how they have to be careful in the future bec they can get pg so easily. It's like - want to switch problems!?Their can just be so many unexpected triggers in this process and it's just hard. End rant.

SP128

@TScalei that's rough to deal with. I hear that its so hard. I just had a twin pg announcement on thanksgiving. 

For or ladies that do opk, what cycle day do you start?  The first month I did it I got pg. it was luck that the first day in did it it showed a line. The line was gone the next day.

happy Sunday 

starfish827

@SP128. I usually start on CD10. I have regular 28 cycles and ovulate usually CD14. I start OPK  twice a day starting on CD13 to make sure I dont miss the surge. I usually have 2 days of +OPKs and once the line is lighter than the control I stop testing. GL this cycle

szwill86

@sp128 i second what @endo_mom said. I start on CD 12 knowing i usually O between CD 13-17. I test twice a day (am when I wake up and around 5-6pm) and once the line fades after a positive, I stop testing. 

Hopefulmommy1980

Day cd8 here. I've got my fingers crossed for all of you ladies that this is the cycle!

SP128

@endo_mom @szwill86  Thanks ladies.  Wednesday will be CD10.  Let the peeing on sticks games begin!

RiverSong15

@SP128 The OPK box usually has a chart based on your average cycle length that tells you when to start. If you have irregular cycles, I'd start based on your shortest cycle length. I have a pretty predictable CM pattern where I get 3-4 days of EWCM before O, so I start OPKs when I seen EWCM. 

@TScalei I'm so sorry for the PG announcements. That's always hard.

As for me, O was either yesterday or today based on OPKs and CM. I'm hoping it was yesterday so timing is better, but I'll be moving on to my first TWW since my last loss in April. 

starfish827

@SP128 Hope you can identify the surge and for good timing.
@Hopefulmommy1980 Few days until O day. I hope you can BD at the right time.
@RiverSong15 FX that this is your cycle.

oliveoil-2

I've only used OPKs once before (it was the cycle I got my BFP) and I started using them once I noticed EWCM.

Because this will be my first full cycle after MC, I started right after AF ended in case it's not a regular cycle... but in hindsight, I don't think that was a good idea because I had line as dark as the control yesterday on CD8 which freaked me out. I did it again just a few hours later and line was light. I don't think there's any way I could be ovulating THIS early and think maybe it was dark because I was dehydrated (we went out drinking the night before!)??? Any know if that's possible? Temps and CM don't correlate yet so I'm pretty sure it was just a false looking positive.

Have been using Wondfos, waiting on my CBAD to come from Amazon!

Wingless00

@RiverSong15 How have you been feeling on this first cycle off the bench? I'm hoping that you are lucky right away and that the TWW isn't too stressful. I had a hard time my first month off the bench. It was better than not trying but hard all the same...  

@SP128 and @oliveoil  I'm not sure that I can be any help with the OPK questions since I have had to use a combo of CM, OPKs, and BBT to pinpoint ovulation. It's taken me a few months to figure out how all of the data fits together and I'm guessing that it's even more difficult to know what is happening right after a MC. Good luck to you both! 

RiverSong15

@Wingless00 We've been on the bench for a long time, so the first time we had unprotected sex was weird. I had a lot of anxiety around it. Today I'm pretty glum about our chances. We only hit two days in FW, and if today is O day, then it was -2 and -3. I know those are still good, but I'm feeling pessimistic. Just in general, I wasn't expecting so many different emotions to be swirling around. I'm about 80% afraid and 20% excited.

justsuzie

@RiverSong15 Luck be with you this cycle.  Hope the tww isn't excruciating.

SP128

Thanks ladies for the feedback : )  My CM is not great so it's only temping and OPKs for me.  I wish I knew what my baseline was.  Got pg the first month I temped and used OPK.  Cycles vary from 27-30 days so I'll start at CD 10

@RiverSong15  Positive vibes your way : )