Hi everyone, I just got progesterone and prolactin tested at 8 dpo. My doc posted the results and said that the prolactin was normal and progesterone indicated ovulation had definitely occurred. All good, but the actual progesterone level seems low to me (and is towards the low end of the "normal" range given). This may be a very ignorant question, so forgive me, but is it possible to have relatively low progesterone and still ovulate? How low does progesterone need to be before there is cause for concern? Thanks for any and all input!
This is the weirdest chart I've had yet. I'm skeptical that I've O'd. I wasn't doing OPKs because it's a waste (benched this cycle). Thoughts? Additional charts in siggy.
Me: 34 | DH: 33 Married Aug. 2013 TTC #1 Sep. 2016 ***TW***
BFP Jan. 15, 2017; MMC Mar. 4, 2017 at 10w6d BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF. BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
@Starla I think it's a good chance you did! I wouldn't worry unless temps start going wonky after today ;) cm matches up, and there's a change in the shape of the line that I always saw with my charts, too. See what happens, but you should be good
@darkstar42. Okay so I know it seems like bc progesterone is a number, there's this whole range and just bc it's normal is it <i>Really</i> normal? Etc. But really in this case, its more binary than that. Pre-ovulatory progesterone is almost zero. Mine was consistently 0.4 or 0.5 every time they measured it during monitoring. Whatever that number is, @blackhottamales says over 4? That aspect is pretty black and white. So your 7.8 is definitely post-ovulatory. Don't worry about that. It will also rise over the course of your LP and makes a nice arc if you are not KU and goes back down to basically zero at some point during AF.
Where people run into trouble with low progesterone is once they are ku, if it doesn't continue to rise appropriately, they may be placed on progesterone support to sustain the pregnancy until the placenta takes over some time around 10-12 weeks. But that's got little to do with your numbers at any given point in the lp. Hope that helps!!! <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/4i/ymi8kp7oqrbe.jpg" alt=""><img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ji/enpgtaegqj1n.jpg" alt="" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ji/enpgtaegqj1n.jpg">
@zamora_spin I agree with pps. I came with mine all printed out and while I guess maybe it's interesting? Could confirm that your timing has fact been good? Lp length? My Creighton doctor didn't take any of that into account and started us from scratch anyway - (took him almost 6 months to finally give us the SA), and by the time I was at the RE, we were talking about ivf so my charts really didn't matter. If you want to print them out, by all means, but don't be surprised or too crushed if the doctor doesn't seem to think they are all that critical in their analysis. :/
Thanks @BusinessWife! Speaking of progesterone, would a slow rise be indicative of low progesterone? I've had it a couple cycles, although not this drastic.
Me: 34 | DH: 33 Married Aug. 2013 TTC #1 Sep. 2016 ***TW***
BFP Jan. 15, 2017; MMC Mar. 4, 2017 at 10w6d BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF. BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
@starla I don't think it's necessarily cause for concern. What matters is that it DOES rise. ;) <div class=" Quote"><img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/jw/zr6vr2ixjb3g.jpg" alt="" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/jw/zr6vr2ixjb3g.jpg"></div><p> </p>
Hoping to get some insight from you lovely ladies!
The past several months I have not had any egg white cervical mucus (or even watery cm that I've noticed), but I've had plenty of creamy cm. I've tried upping my water intake, drinking green tea, and this past cycle I even tried EPO.
Has anyone else experienced a lack of EWCM? Have you tried anything that really helped you? Does anyone know what might cause this? I'm wondering if I should ask my OB/GYN about it. I'm not really sure if it indicates a lack of estrogen or what it could be related to, but I know it's a lot more difficult for swimmers to reach the egg without ewcm.
@dukestar5 I partially answered this in TFAS but answering it here too. If you drink a lot of caffeine, that could dry up your CM possibly. Also, do you check up by your cervix daily? You could possibly be missing it if you don't "go fishing" for it. Did anything change in the past couple months that could have contributed to it drying up? Any medication or anything? As for the low estrogen thing, I have no idea, so hopefully somebody smarter will answer that part of your question!
@offtoneverland Thank you! That does make sense. I usually only have one cup of coffee a day, but perhaps I should go caffeine free for a month to see if it has any impact. (No medications or major changes that I think contribute to it). And I do not check my cervix, mostly because I'm not sure exactly the best way to do it...I usually base cm off of what I see on underwear, but I know that may not show the full picture.
@dukestar5 Definitely recommend checking your cervix if it doesn't make you too squeamish! Your EWCM could be hiding up there for sure. (TMI maybe?) I usually check mine after using the bathroom, but you could also do it with one leg up on the toilet or bathtub or something like that. I can reach mine best with my middle finger, then kind of sweep around the cervix to check everything out. After doing it for a while you'll get used to it and it'll be like second nature! Hopefully by doing that you can find some EWCM!
@dukestar5 I also have heard anything acidic can dry up cm (so citrus, etc), and I think probably also alcohol? Some women have also had success with guanifes.... I have no idea how to spell it; the stuff in mucinex.
@dukestar5 If I didn't go searching for my CM I would completely miss it. You really do have to check up near your cervix if you don't see much CM on your underwear. I do mine squatting on the toilet each time I use the restroom.
@dukestar5 checking undies is not really recommended. I was taught with Creighton method how to check on the tp, wiping front to back, but you have to be *vigilant* and check all day long, before and after every time you use the bathroom, especially after BM, before bed, and after the shower, is actually when I noticed it the most, because the heat gets things going apparently. Now I don't have to sweep anymore, but I sat down with an instructor for several weeks to learn what to look for and how to classify the different characteristics. ***TMI*** You really can't tell anything from what is often a dried out pantystain. Lol not to be gross, but don't even bother lol ***/TMI***
@offtoneverland@doxiemoxie212@josie12367@BusinessWife Thank you for taking the time to respond. Very helpful! I will have to do a more in-depth check, so to speak. Probably TMI, but I actually get quite a bit of CM on my underwear (and I also try to check when I wipe), but I usually find it is creamy CM. I've been charting since January (and only TTC since May) so there were earlier cycles this year when I did notice EWCM, but the past few months I have not seen any of the really clear, stretchy cm. It is good to learn that the underwear method is probably not the best (lol)...I am going to start the internal check and hopefully I have better luck identifying changes. Thank you all again...I don't know what I would do without TB ladies!
@offtoneverland. I have also take Creighton Method. It was super useful for learning about that system of charting and CM and my cycle in general. As it is predominatly associated with Catholicism, as @BusinessWife has mentioned, associated NaPro doctors often hesitate or completely do not believe in most assisted fertility treatments (IUI, IVF) beyond hormone supplementation. SA are also difficult to obtain. However........again, it was very helpful to get to know my CM.
Anyone find it off almost all of my temps are in the 96 degrees? I guess I like to get my body really cold when sleeping? It's my first month with a good BBT thermometer so I guess time will tell--just seems like the average is more in the 97/98 degrees.
@blackhottamales What time are you temping? If you have an alarm set to temp, is it waking you from a deep sleep? I tend to get cooler temps earlier in the morning and if I'm deeply asleep when I wake up to temp.
@darkstar42 I have a pretty good natural alarm clock so it's usually not too deep of sleep. However you make a good point, this weekend I've been sleeping hard so the lovely weekend 5:45 alarm is maybe why these past 2 DPO temps are lower. I guess I need to be patient and see how this week goes. Thank you! edited for additional ramblings. I also think the traveling over Labor Day weekend didn't help me. But I'll be traveling during next cycle as well.
@blackhottamales, everyone's temps are a little different. My pre-O temps tend to be low-ish too, around 96.8-97.3. Low temps can be tied to hypothyroidism, so it's wise to get that checked out with a simple blood test if you haven't already, but otherwise absolutely no need to worry.
Me: 30 | DH: 31 Met: August 2006 Married: July 2012 TTC #1 since June 2016
I have a possibly silly question. When AF arrives in the evening, is that day considered cd 1? I started bleeding yesterday around 4:30pm, but it was very light (i.e., not enough to fill a pad) all evening. Normally I wouldn't care about being super precise, but I'm trying to schedule cd 3 bw, and I'm not sure if I should be scheduling it for Wednesday or Thursday. I emailed my doctor's office, but their response of "cd 1 is the first day you start bleeding" wasn't super helpful. Help!
@darkstar42 my doctor said it's fine if bloodwork is off by a day either way. She said cd3 can be cd2 or cd4, and 7dpo can be 6 or 8. (My doctor is not my fav tho so.... take that all with a grain of salt?)
I personally would count yesterday as cd1. I think it's probably a judgment call more than anything.
@doxiemoxie212 Thank you for the info! I'm still torn on how to count it, but I'm leaning towards today as cd 1, just because the bleeding yesterday was so light.
@darkstar42 I would count today as CD1 if that were me. But that might also be because I spot for multiple days prior to AF and the way you described yesterday I would consider spotting.
Me: 31 DH: 34 Married: April 2016 TTC December 2016 BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17 MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017 BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18 TTC January 2019 BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
@MrsMiller8588 that actually brings up a question for me - @darkstar42 what color was the blood? If it's bright or dark red my answer still stands but if it's brown or pink I'd def agree today is cd1. I get a lot of spotting before AF, but it's always definitively not straight up blood colored so that's how I differentiate.
I actually hat the "enough to fill a pad/tampon" test because for how long? What kind of pad/tampon? My friend NEVER needs more than two light tampons per day on her period and never has needed more, but most people wouldn't leave a tampon in for 12 hours so. I don't know. (Sorry, tangent lol)
@doxiemoxie212 I hate that test too! I never leave a pad on until it's completely full, because I'd risk leaking, so it's more a test of "if you let a pad fill all the way, how long would it take?" Bleh. Yesterday was borderline. Some of the blood seemed to be older/spotting blood, and some seemed to be new. Bodies are weird.
Also, you friend only needs two light tampons per day??? WTF. Totally not fair.
@doxiemoxie212@darkstar42 I hate the color of blood "test". Hahaha. Most of my spotting is the same color as AF just a lot less of it... but if I counted it as AF my periods would be 10+ days sometimes.... so I mostly go by if I need more than a liner it's AF.
TMI - I think I'm an extra heavy bleeder - I use a cup but yesterday emptied it 3 times and still overflowed it and leaked! Those are designed to be used for 8 hours....
Me: 31 DH: 34 Married: April 2016 TTC December 2016 BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17 MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017 BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18 TTC January 2019 BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
@MrsMiller8588 girl, I bleed HEAVY too! Day 1 and 2 I need to change my HEAVY tampon every 30-60 minutes or I leak. I have ruined so many pants, so many sheets... may they rest in peace... lol
@darkstar42 I love this game. This was me today too! Last night for me was definitely spotting. Only slightly tinged CM really. This morning was a spot, but it was darker/brownish and basically stopped after that. Eventually it did get brighter in color, was there every time I wiped (and basically TP was not enough to just wipe it "away"), and then for me, where I call it is, "do I need to put in a tampon?" Or maybe if you dont use tampons, "do I need to put in more than a liner?" If so, even a light one (tampon, that is), it's AF. So I called it, and sure enough when I changed it midday it was definitely necessary lol. Sorry gotta love all the TMI on TB. ;)
I once heard a doc say it's more than spotting if you bleed through a pad/tampon of any size. Which seems cray to me ... but maybe it's basically if you bleed through the lightest pads/tampons, would be the logic there...?
@canucklehead123 <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ei/dae36kazrzwa.gif" alt=""> Right? Uhmmm... I definitely don't bother with anything but regular and super, and I prefer not to bleed through them regardless. But If I <i>had</i> only had a light one in from 10AM this morning it would have been bled through by 2PM? I guess?? Jeez. Lol. Who knew it could be so difficult!
@BusinessWife@canucklehead123 Who knew figuring out cd 1 would be so hard! I don't use tampons, but did use a pad yesterday. I don't think a liner would have been quite enough. Here's my calculation though: if I assume yesterday at 4:30pm was the start of AF, Thurs afternoon (when I scheduled bw) would be exactly 3 days later, right? So I should be fine? Sigh. I'm probably overthinking this.
@darkstar42. Yeah, like PPs said, you have wiggle room. ;) if you have your apt, just stick with that and don't stress. ❤ im going on for cd3 Thursday too, but if insurance hasnt processed yet, it might be Friday :/ the nurse said its fine either way *typo
FF changed my O date on me from CD 14 to CD 16. Chart link is in sight. I don't agree with the change based on my CM and temps. The last two months I've charted i always get the O dip you see on CD 14.
So, opinions? Can I manually change my O date back to CD 14 somehow?
Re: Chart Stalk and Questions Thread Week of 9/4
@darkstar42 what was your progesterone number? I don't know off hand the answer but it might help those that do to know where you're at.
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
@darkstar42. Okay so I know it seems like bc progesterone is a number, there's this whole range and just bc it's normal is it <i>Really</i> normal? Etc. But really in this case, its more binary than that. Pre-ovulatory progesterone is almost zero. Mine was consistently 0.4 or 0.5 every time they measured it during monitoring. Whatever that number is, @blackhottamales says over 4? That aspect is pretty black and white. So your 7.8 is definitely post-ovulatory. Don't worry about that. It will also rise over the course of your LP and makes a nice arc if you are not KU and goes back down to basically zero at some point during AF.
Where people run into trouble with low progesterone is once they are ku, if it doesn't continue to rise appropriately, they may be placed on progesterone support to sustain the pregnancy until the placenta takes over some time around 10-12 weeks. But that's got little to do with your numbers at any given point in the lp. Hope that helps!!!
<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/4i/ymi8kp7oqrbe.jpg" alt=""><img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ji/enpgtaegqj1n.jpg" alt="" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ji/enpgtaegqj1n.jpg">
@zamora_spin I agree with pps. I came with mine all printed out and while I guess maybe it's interesting? Could confirm that your timing has fact been good? Lp length? My Creighton doctor didn't take any of that into account and started us from scratch anyway - (took him almost 6 months to finally give us the SA), and by the time I was at the RE, we were talking about ivf so my charts really didn't matter. If you want to print them out, by all means, but don't be surprised or too crushed if the doctor doesn't seem to think they are all that critical in their analysis. :/
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
<div class=" Quote"><img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/jw/zr6vr2ixjb3g.jpg" alt="" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/jw/zr6vr2ixjb3g.jpg"></div><p>
</p>
The past several months I have not had any egg white cervical mucus (or even watery cm that I've noticed), but I've had plenty of creamy cm. I've tried upping my water intake, drinking green tea, and this past cycle I even tried EPO.
Has anyone else experienced a lack of EWCM? Have you tried anything that really helped you? Does anyone know what might cause this? I'm wondering if I should ask my OB/GYN about it. I'm not really sure if it indicates a lack of estrogen or what it could be related to, but I know it's a lot more difficult for swimmers to reach the egg without ewcm.
DD1: 8/2014
TTC #2: 6/2017
BFP 8/3/2017 | CP 8/4
BFP 10/16/2017 | CP 10/21
BFP 12/18/2017 | CP 12/28
BFP 2/15/2018 | EDD: November 2nd | It's a girl!
DD2: 10/2018
DD1: 8/2014
TTC #2: 6/2017
BFP 8/3/2017 | CP 8/4
BFP 10/16/2017 | CP 10/21
BFP 12/18/2017 | CP 12/28
BFP 2/15/2018 | EDD: November 2nd | It's a girl!
DD2: 10/2018
DD1: 8/2014
TTC #2: 6/2017
BFP 8/3/2017 | CP 8/4
BFP 10/16/2017 | CP 10/21
BFP 12/18/2017 | CP 12/28
BFP 2/15/2018 | EDD: November 2nd | It's a girl!
DD2: 10/2018
Probably TMI, but I actually get quite a bit of CM on my underwear (and I also try to check when I wipe), but I usually find it is creamy CM. I've been charting since January (and only TTC since May) so there were earlier cycles this year when I did notice EWCM, but the past few months I have not seen any of the really clear, stretchy cm. It is good to learn that the underwear method is probably not the best (lol)...I am going to start the internal check and hopefully I have better luck identifying changes. Thank you all again...I don't know what I would do without TB ladies!
Thank you!
edited for additional ramblings.
I also think the traveling over Labor Day weekend didn't help me. But I'll be traveling during next cycle as well.
Me: 30 | DH: 31
Met: August 2006
Married: July 2012
TTC #1 since June 2016
***TW***
BFP: 7/12/16 | MC: 9/12/16
BFP: 1/18/17 | MMC: 2/13/17
BFP: 10/7/17 | EDD: 6/21/17
MTHFR: homozygous A1298C
I personally would count yesterday as cd1. I think it's probably a judgment call more than anything.
TTC December 2016
BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17
MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017
BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18
TTC January 2019
BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
I actually hat the "enough to fill a pad/tampon" test because for how long? What kind of pad/tampon? My friend NEVER needs more than two light tampons per day on her period and never has needed more, but most people wouldn't leave a tampon in for 12 hours so. I don't know. (Sorry, tangent lol)
Also, you friend only needs two light tampons per day??? WTF. Totally not fair.
TMI - I think I'm an extra heavy bleeder - I use a cup but yesterday emptied it 3 times and still overflowed it and leaked! Those are designed to be used for 8 hours....
TTC December 2016
BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17
MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017
BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18
TTC January 2019
BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
TTC December 2016
BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17
MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017
BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18
TTC January 2019
BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ei/dae36kazrzwa.gif" alt="">
Right? Uhmmm... I definitely don't bother with anything but regular and super, and I prefer not to bleed through them regardless. But If I <i>had</i> only had a light one in from 10AM this morning it would have been bled through by 2PM? I guess?? Jeez. Lol. Who knew it could be so difficult!
*typo
FF changed my O date on me from CD 14 to CD 16. Chart link is in sight. I don't agree with the change based on my CM and temps. The last two months I've charted i always get the O dip you see on CD 14.
So, opinions? Can I manually change my O date back to CD 14 somehow?
Thanks!