Newbie Intros w/o 2.8

keikilove

Welcome, new members! Please read The Ultimate TTGP Guide pinned at the top of the board (https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12685680/the-ultimate-ttgp-guide-newbies-read-this-first). It's full of information about TTGP and about our community here on The Bump. 

Please introduce yourself and share as much (or as little) as you would like. Once you're ready, feel free to jump into any of our daily/weekly threads to participate in the community!

Ages (you and SO): 

How many months have you been TTC?: 

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: 

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) 

ronnie320

Hello! Have lurked for a little while and thought I would jump in!

Ages (you and SO): 28 and 31

How many months have you been TTC?: 3

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: OPKs, PNV

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.): Hi! MH and I have one little girl (17m) and currently TTC for #2! I’m a lawyer and have been WFH for the last little while since coming back from my last mat leave so I haven’t even been to my office in person since Dec 2019, which seems crazy! I watch way too much TV and currently watching SATC since I have never seen it! 

Currently -38C here with windchill...brr. Hope everyone is having a good (and hopefully warmer) Monday! Looking forward to getting to know everyone

mrs_tacos

Ages (you and SO): Me: 34 MH: 36

How many months have you been TTC?: 1

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: I'm re-familiarizing myself with temping and charting right now, PNVs, and waiting for my body to regulate after having my implant BC taken out in October. I'm currently on CD112, and I need this madness to end. 

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) Hello! We've just started TTC #2. MH and I have been married for 13 years, and we have one DS who is 3.5. (s17 BMB. I was also active on this board in 2013-2014 when we first started TTC him, and I feel like I've forgotten so much!) We also have an old Boston Terrier who is very chill but does whatever he wants, and a Siamese cat who is everyone's boss. I'm a SAHM and an erstwhile writer (was a freelance writer before deciding to stay home with DS), and my hobbies include reading, watching re-runs of the same six sitcoms and any kind of true crime or cult documentary, and wishing I got more sleep.

TW in spoiler:
 

Our journey to have DS included two losses and almost five years of infertility. I know we are starting fresh right now, but those things hang over you. I'm trying to be optimistic, but I'm nervous.  

LJMoon6

@ronnie320 Hi and welcome! Your temps sound like my temps! Where are you from?

@mrs_tacos Welcome to the board! Did I read that right? CD112?!

mrs_tacos

@LJMoon6 Yeah girl, unfortunately you read that right. I had two periods almost back to back when my BC implant was taken out in October, and then nothing since except lots of random times when I feel very hormonal and then nothing happens.  I am waiting on an appointment with my OB to discuss jumpstarting my period. It's so bizarre having absolutely no idea what my body is up to. 

LJMoon6

@mrs_tacos Ok, I guess that makes some sense, coming off birth control. But ugh! I'm glad you're getting in to see your OB! Hopefully they can get your cycles going again soon and your stay here is short.

pajamstagrams

@mrs_tacos ugggh that sucks re: cd 112. When I went off the pill waaaaaay back in the day (like 15+ yrs ago) I didn't get a period for almost a year (I had some issues lol).  I hope AF shows up soon for you!!!

ronnie320

@LJMoon6 I’m in the prairies in Canada! Where are you? 

@mrs_tacos that sucks, I’m sorry hopefully your cycle regulates soon and the OB is able to help!

LJMoon6

@ronnie320 I was going to guess Canada based on your long mat leave! Jealous about that! I'm in MN which likes to get the brunt of the polar vortex here in the states. I've actually never been to Canada but would love to one day!

mrs_tacos

@LJMoon6 Thank you!

@ronnie320 Thanks, fellow newbie! I look forward to getting to know you.

@pajamstagrams Thanks! And ugh, a whole year, that sucks! If I go that long I will have pushed myself into AMA territory, and I don't know how I feel about that. 

ETA: Not because 35/AMA magically changes anything, just because this feels like a terrible age to waste a year of fertility waiting around for my period to come back. Sorry, I said that oddly.

acleverusername

@ronnie320 @LJMoon6 LOL! I was ALSO going to say "you must be from Canada" based on the mat leave length. Hehe. (PS, @ronnie320 fellow Canadian over here though currently "moored" in California. Not a bad place to be especially given the Prairie cold snap I've been reading about!) Welcome to the community! As always, I hope your stay here will be short and sweet. 

@mrs_tacos Welcome (back?) to the community! CD112?! Holy hell girl, that sucks! Hopefully you can get in with your OB ASAP. What kind of writing did you used to do? Fiction/non-fiction? Any particular focus area? I'll look to you to point out all of my grammar mistakes. ;-) Hopefully your stay here is shorter this time. Hopefully it doesn't get there for you, but we do have a pretty awesome weekly IF thread.

mrs_tacos

@acleverusername 1:I used to write whatever came my way- some SEO work, some freelance journalism, some editing, some weird start ups. But fiction has alway been my love. These days I only write things I want to. I've been asked to join a project that will give an honest view of motherhood, and what it can take to become one, and I work on my novel and my passion project- short horror stories- when the mood strikes me.

2:I was lurking a bit today, and the IF community looks so inviting here. It was so intimidating last time around that I just stopped posting. FX we don't have to go down that road again, but if we do, I'm glad to know you guys are here!

acleverusername

@mrs_tacos I'm in 2 other online fertility support groups (focused on IF) and this one here gives me the greatest sense of belonging and ease. 

gingermama29

@mrs_tacos hi and welcome! I know you said you just had BC implant removed but I'm curious if you previously had long/irregular cycles. I totally feel your 100+ day cycle pain though. I had a 100 day cycle during this last year and it was the absolute worst. I have PCOS and crazy irregular cycles. I hope you don't need to join the IF thread but know that if you do, they are wonderfully welcoming and supportive. 

mrs_tacos

@gingermama29 Thank you! I'm so sorry you've had to go through this too. I don't have prior experience with long cycles, though my cycles varied in length anywhere from 25 to 40 days, and I had an inconsistent LP. I think prior to this my longest cycle was 43-ish days. I don't have PCOS, but after a bunch of tests in 2016 I was told I have something "PCOS-adjacent," which is possibly the least helpful diagnosis of my life, but there we are. 

kiki047

@mrs_tacos "PCOS-adjacent"?! WTAF?! Well whatever it is, I hope you have an easier go of it the 2nd time around but if it comes down to it, you're welcome to pop into the IF thread even if it's just to ask a question. 

mrs_tacos

@kiki047 I know. I have many overlapping symptoms with PCOS, but not actual PCOS, and I think my doctor got tired of trying to puzzle it out, so I got a lazy diagnosis. And thank you! I seriously can't tell you how much it means that you've all been so welcoming. I've been excited to TTC, but also really nervous because of our history. I just feel relieved that every one here seems so kind. The old Bump was fun, and a lot of people were very helpful, but it could be the wild wild west. I would never have dared to go anywhere marked for IF to just ask a question. 

acleverusername

@mrs_tacos did your doctor explain that there were 4 different PCOS phenotypes? You might not fit the first one, but you might in one of the other 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6683693/ > in case you're interested. Also agree with @kiki047 assessment "WTAF?!" lol. 

mrs_tacos

@acleverusername I am very interested, thank you! Honestly, I remember some talk of different types of PCOS, but I think I learned about them from a friend with PCOS, not my doctor. 

ETA: I think I should add that the main issue was that my ovarian cysts weren't consistent enough for him to feel he could diagnose PCOS. I get them semi-frequently, but not as many or as frequently as expected with PCOS. 

kiki047

@mrs_tacos I can understand that. I've been around for 3 years now so I've heard stories and seen some of the old threads.... it definitely isn't anywhere near that contentious these days, in fact other than the odd random special snowflake (we call them "Peggies", lol, I'm sure you'll see that nickname come up) it's fairly tame around here. I appreciate that the IF thread is thought of as kind of a sacred space, and it certainly isn't a place where anyone could just go hang out just because it's taking them longer than they want to get KU, but it is probably the one place on TTGP with the most combined knowledge if only because some of us have been trying for so long and we've tried or heard of just about every treatment option out there. Some of us don't really check the dailies so we wouldn't necessarily see if there's a question there. Another place to go would be the monthly Chart Stalk/Questions thread.  

mrs_tacos

@kiki047 I hope I didn't sound like I plan to go traipsing over there with all my questions! I promise I will always respect the scared space of the IF threads. My own journey with IF is long and kind of weird, but I've been there enough that I never want to disrespect that or hurt anyone. 

keikilove

@mrs_tacos I completely hear you on how the tone of TTGP has changed over time. Honestly, there was a ton more snark when I first checked it out here almost 3 years ago. But there was also a ton more humor, interaction, and people who seemed truly invested in each other. It’s kind of fallen off once the pandemic started— although I’m happy to see things are picking up again with more interaction & consistency from members. As far as the IF thread: you’ve been down that road before so I’m sure you’re welcome to ask questions there if you need to. Some of us have been there so long that it’s starting to get old, but we are happy to share our knowledge and support. It doesn’t sound like you fit into this category, but we’ve definitely seen some folks who’ve dropped in over the years who don’t have IF but are frustrated because it’s taking longer than X months to get KU. That’s just annoying. 

mrs_tacos

@keikilove I definitely see how it's dropped off. There used to be almost too many people to get to know, but you kind of found the people who were around when you were and in a similar place, and went from there. In fact, I met someone here and found out we lived just a few minutes away from each other, and we've been IRL besties for seven years! I hope I can be a part of the board becoming more active again. I would never have known anything about charting or temping, what to ask about/avoid/be cautious of when I started seeing an RE, or basically anything I know without this board. And I remember all the dramatic randos who can't believe it could possibly take them more than five months or whatever to get KU, or who just didn't understand ovulation and timing at all. There's nothing like a public internet forum to make you realize how poor our health education is in America.