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The Official TTC Thread!

Robbie - I KNOW! Early implantation!!!!! I couldn''t believe it when it was happening, but like I mentioned at the time, i *knew* I was KTFU (knocked the fark up) 2 days after conception. It was surreal to me that I was implanting that early (classic signs: implantation temp dip and MAJOR cramping). I often wonder (and maybe Dreamer can comment) if my embryo is "more advanced / older" than other embryo''s that may have implanted a few days later?! Is that even possible? I don''t know.

Welcome haven! Your Avi cracks me up. This is a great little place. i love it so much I can''t leave!!!! PS. I added the name HAVEN to my babyname list about a month ago. I think it would be SO pretty for a girl.
 
So, I went to my doctor for my yearly exam today, and we discussed TTC. I will be 35 this year, so I asked if she thinks I should have any specific concerns. I told her that I was temping and tracking on FF. She took the site name down because she hadn't heard of it.

She didn't have much specific advice for me. Basically told me that the statistics re: reduced fertility at age 35 don't necessarily apply to me as an individual, and there's no reason to believe that I am not very fertile, unless something changes in the future. This was our first month charting and TTC'ing, so I have no reason to believe that I will have any issues conceiving.

She sent me for lab work to see if I'm a carrier of the cystic fibrosis gene. I was unfamiliar with this test before my visit today. I went to the lab immediately after my doctor visit. If I am a carrier, then my husband will have the test as well. Is it common for a doctor to order this test? Just wondering because I hadn't heard about it previously.
 
Still bleeding. Maybe a little better than yesterday? At least my beta''s still rising - now at 580 at 20dpiui. About a day behind where it should be on average, but it seems to be catching up to the curve (based on betabase.info stats) a little. Boy oh boy do I hope this sticks. My doc wants me to be off work at least till Wed, so I feel bad for the others having to cover my call shifts. Oh well, me and ?baby come first.

I hope you guys don''t mind that I''m still on here with a BFP? I feel so much closer to TTC stuff than I could to the pregnancy thread at this point. I think it''ll take a clear heartbeat to make me even consider moving over there...

Robbie - I definitely think a 2 day implantation dip is possible. Your chart looks good! Are you testing tomorrow?

Sabine - good luck tomorrow!

Peony - glad you could confirm O!

Ebree, blushing - congrats on O!
 
I got a BFP at 11 DPO. Me thinks you should test Sabine
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Okay, gotta jump into the "implantation dip" conversation. There is no such thing as a dip in temps that significes actual implantation. What actually happens is when you ovulate, estrogen drops and progesterone takes over, causing a big ol' rise in temps. Then, many/most women experience a secondary surge in estrogen half way through the LP. For some women, this causes a dip in temps (because estrogen lowers temps, progesterone raises it). High estrogen means you are super fertile--it also causes lots of good EWCF--so such mid-LP dips are often associated with a slightly greater likelihood of being KTFU. About 11% of women have such dips when they do not get a bfp, whereas about 20% show such dips when they are KTFU (note this means 80% of women who are KTFU will NOT have a mid-LP dip!). So the TRUE cause of the association between such dips and being KTFU is high estrogen... and maybe that lasts a couple days, as with Mela! Note that implantation may or may not have happened when she had the dip. I also had a dip (see attached) at 5 DPO. I don't know how long Mela's LP is, I don't think she does either since she got KTFU so fast both times
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, but if I had to guess I would guess her LP is like mine around 10 days, which is why we both had "early implantation" dips. If you have a longer LP, your dip may happen a 7 or 8 DPO since that is half way through your LP! It just happens that this is also the period in time when implantation tends to occur.. about half way through your LP. So the moral of the story is that dips = good because of high hormones. Dips does not = implantation or even really signify being KTFU, since 80% of women who get KTFU don't have them!

As for whether or not an embyo that implants early is more developed.... all eggs must be fertilized within 24 hours to be viable (or close to that) and development starts then. So every baby is the same level of development by 10 DPO, say. Rather, the blastocyst will be more or less developed by the time it implants.

hee hee.. raining on parades over for the night
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But those dips are purdy ladies! BTW, what does my chart say about gender EBree? LOL! Marathon = no crystal ball I'm afraid!

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Date: 10/20/2008 9:22:11 PM
Author: drk
Still bleeding. Maybe a little better than yesterday? At least my beta''s still rising - now at 580 at 20dpiui. About a day behind where it should be on average, but it seems to be catching up to the curve (based on betabase.info stats) a little. Boy oh boy do I hope this sticks. My doc wants me to be off work at least till Wed, so I feel bad for the others having to cover my call shifts. Oh well, me and ?baby come first.
Dr K that is wonderful news! Is it more like spotting or is it red blood? Just wondering... Take it esy and put those feet up. You look after other people all day in your job, let them look after you now
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drk,

I was thinking about you today! I'm glad to hear the beta's going up, and hopefully it'll catch up soon! Hang on, baby drk!

Robbie,

About the gender prediction, I'm not sure. There's a board on FF for women who are trying to "sway" for one sex or another, but I don't hang out there much as I'll take what I can get! No swaying for us, unless you count swaying for PREGNANCY.
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What I've noticed looking at BD pattern (from their predictions), is that LOTS of sex favors a girl, while one shot or "less" sex favors a boy. I'm guessing here, but: Less sex = more sperm = lots of Y sperm able to reach the egg faster. Lots of sex = less sperm = thins out the Y sperm? I could be wrong, but I thought I read someone explain it that way.

They also factor in CM quality, because fertile (EW, W) favors a boy while creamy (C) favors a girl. This theory, of course, comes from Shettles.

ETA: DD, you'd have to ask those crazy ladies! Your BD pattern favors a girl, but your CM favors a boy, so who knows!
 
Hey loves vintage. I think it''s great that you had a cystic fibrosis test! My new ob/gyn asked if I''d had one too at my first TTC apppointment (I''d already had one back before my wedding). I believe that the mutation is carried in about 1 in 30 Caucasians, and it''s really one of the most severe and unfortunately common pediatric genetic disorders. It''s recessive though, so it could only crop up if you and your DH both have the mutation. I''ve known several incredibly sweet kids who passed away from it, although I believe that most people live into their 20s.

I had a CF test too, along with a bunch of other ones like Tay-Sachs that are common among Ashkenazi Jews.
 
I guess the boy/girl thing is that sperm carrying an X chromosome is supposed to be slower but hardier, and Y sperm is supposed to be faster but die sooner. Thus, the closer you BD to ovulation (and not BD at other times), the more likely you are to have a boy. I''m not sure how that works, except for the fact that the X chromosome is bigger and heavier than the Y.

I''ve heard that the theory doesn''t pan out too well in research though, or if it does it''s only a very slight difference.
 
DrK, I'm glad to hear your beta is catching up to where it should be!

LV, I've never heard of testing for CF as a standard test either.

DD, that's interesting. I knew about the secondary estrogen surge, but I didn't realize that that's what accounted for all "implantation" dips. I thought some were actually related to implantation, but you just couldn't tell which it was until after the fact. I have a dip in about half of my charts.

Ebree, ah, I thought you were talking about the shape of the chart. I'm pretty sure I read something on the Shettles method being disproved since what he was studying were proven not to be X and Y sperm, but rather older and younger sperm, but I haven't been able to find the article again.

Peony, I didn't realize that you were an Ashkenazi Jew, me too! Yet another similarity, LOL. I called the insurance company to find out what the testing would cost and it was really expensive. DH and I sat down and decided that even if we found out I was a carrier of something we'd still want to try for our own, so it was pointless for us to pay the money for the test.

ETA: DH is not an Ashkenazi Jew (he's an Irish/German catholic) so it also seemed less likely that he'd be a carrier.
 
Date: 10/20/2008 10:03:42 PM
Author: peonygirl

I've heard that the theory doesn't pan out too well in research though, or if it does it's only a very slight difference.

Exactly. I was just reading a thread on the Gender Prediction board where a woman had a three day cutoff before ovulation, and half said girl while the other half said boy. Some were going by the Shettles method while others thought boy because supposedly, lots of women on FF with cutoffs had boys.

In conclusion: Who the heck knows?
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Date: 10/20/2008 10:07:31 PM
Author: robbie3982

Ebree, ah, I thought you were talking about the shape of the chart. I''m pretty sure I read something on the Shettles method being disproved since what he was studying were proven not to be X and Y sperm, but rather older and younger sperm, but I haven''t been able to find the article again.

Interesting! Well, there goes his whole theory! LOL.
 
Ebree, since I can''t find it again, I suppose it''s possible I dreamed it. That would be a really weird dream though...I guess I''ve had stranger ones, LOL.
 
Hey Robbie. Cool! Is your DH Jewish too? My DH is an Ashkenazi Jew too, and we actually did our testing through a subsidized program in the Jewish community. I don't think you live in the Chicago area, but most major cities have one. You can ask your local synogague/rabbi for a referral. It was only like $50 for a testing battery that would normally cost about $1500.

I don't mean to freak you out since you're already trying and your DH might not even be Jewish, but it is INCREDIBLY important to test for these things. There's way more out there than just Tay-Sachs in the Jewish community, and about 1 in FIVE Jews carry an allele for one of these devasting recessive conditions. These aren't just nuisances. Many are deadly or have devastating pathophysiology. It's not even about having your own kid or adopting; you could do something like preimplantation screening.

As someone who works in genetics research (albeit I focus on a specific mutation on the X chromosome that is completely random), is premed, and has volunteered in hospitals seeing children suffer incredibly from things like CF and sickle-cell, I can't stress this enough. This is directed towards everyone, not just Robbie.
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Depending on your ethnic background (African American, Mediterranean, etc) there may be specific tests are worth having.
 
DD - it''s red drips, even more noticeable when I go to the bathroom. So not really a period, but more than I normally classify as spotting too. And this uncomfortable belly feeling at night seems to be when it gets worse, so maybe I''m having mild cramps?

Well, another 36h to wait for the next bloodwork and the scan. I hope I get some good news then too!
Kate
 
OMG, I''m a jerkstore again!!!!!! The line came up immediately!!!! No squinting necessary as it''s much darker than it ever got last time and it''s 2 days earlier!!! Just for fun I tried my last $tree one too to see if it would pick it up and it''s there, but really faint. Those tests suck. If the digi can pick it up, it should be a lot darker on the $tree one.

Peony, for $50 I would''ve done it even though the chances of DH being a carrier are pretty small. Too late now though. Since he''s not Jewish though I''m really not worried.

robbie3982-10.21.08-test-01.jpg
 
CONGRATULATIONS ROBBIE!!!!!!!
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Thanks, Maisie! I just hope this one sticks.
 
Here''s my bfp chart for anyone who wants to see:

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And a pic that shows the FRER better (plus it has PS in the background!)

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Congratulations Robbie!!!
 
Robbie!!! Congratulations!
 
Date: 10/20/2008 5:28:53 PM
Author: EBree
I actually did this cycle! On Saturday night, at around midnight, I felt some odd cramping on my right side. I felt it for about 20 minutes, and so just in case, I made DH give it another go. After already ''going'' twice that day. Poor guy.
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About 20 minutes ago, I felt this sharp pain for ~10 seconds on my left side. If it was reproductive part-related, would this be the supporting cysts? Ouch.

ETA: Sabine, I think you''re fine to test at 11 DPO!
Ebree, how interesting. The 20 minute cramping sounds like what I experience when I *think* it''s O pain. A day or two before that I start feeling stuff that''s hard to describe. Like things are moving around. Anyhoo, I''m glad I''m not the only one!
 
Congrats Robbie, that is wonderful! Sending lots and lots of sticky vibes your way!
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Oh Robbie!

I hope this little bitty baby wiggles and sticks in there tight, sweetie!
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How amazing, twice in a row!!!

I''ll be thinking of you and that little one!

By the way, did you tell DH in another cute way, or just fling the tests in his face? hahah... I''d do the flinging thing out of total excitement at this point!!
 
8 days past ovulation. Definitely sticking to CD 20 for my ovulation. Whoo Hoo! I should be having a 34 day cycle. I'm so excited! Today's temp was 98.2; I think this cycle has 98.2 being the zone, so I'm happy to be there.

I need to schedule for my yearly exam and I usually do that in late October or in November and I've not scheduled one yet, hoping to be preggo and then I'd have a whole different reason for visiting the Dr. Plus, I'm switching Dr.s because I want to deliver in a particular hospital and had to find a group that someone I actually knew had been to, because I'm like that.

Anyway, my point is that I need to schedule an appt., but I keep wanting to put it off. I've been told that your first preggo appt. includes a PAP smear anyway, and that would be the point of my appt. So, if I have an appt for my yearly exam, and then end up preggo a week or two later, will they do another PAP that soon after just doing it?
 
Well, I guess it would have just been way too much coolness in the world for Robbie and I to get pregnant in the same month and find out on the same day...

Cycle day one for me now. Boo.
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Stupid AFF. I''m not too surprised since last night I started getting cramps and had spotting right before I went to bed. Then I had a major dip in temp this morning, and going to the bathroom confirmed it. At least I didn''t waste a test and now I know I have a 10 day lp. Plus, next month should be much better for us, since DH will not be OOT and we can bd a lot more!

I''m so excited for Robbie though!
 
Thanks Tiffany, Festy, Lindsey Fisher and Sabine!

Fisher, I didn''t do anything cute this time or last time. Both times I just switched on the light freaking out and waking up DH who gets up later than I do. Today I stuck the digital and the FRER in his face and said, look! He said, "that says pregnant!" in a really sleepy voice and was about as happy as he could be for still being 99% asleep. He kissed my tummy goodbye this morning and it was really cute. We''ve started referring to the baby as "baby uncle sam" since my EDD based on O date is the 4th of July. I think that if you''ve recently had a pap you don''t have to have another, but I guess every doctor could be different. I''ve heard that many women only fill out paperwork at their first appointment.

Sabine, I''m sorry AFF showed up
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. It would''ve been cool to be due 1 day apart, but it would be cool to be pregnant at the same time even if we''re due a month or more apart. I''m crossing my fingers that next cycle is it for you!
 
Congratulations Robbie!! That''s great news!!! You are one fertile woman
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Our due dates are only about 2 weeks apart! I''m thinking I''ll be due June 22!

Sabine - sorry about AFF...but hang in there! You''ll be preggo before you know it!

As for me, still preggo. No morning sickness yet. I kinda wish I had it so at least I would know something is going on. But right now I have to rely on all those pregnancy tests I''ve taken
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My first dr appt is November 5th. Can''t wait! I am super tired though, but I''ve found taking a nice long walk helps w/ energy.

Good luck to the rest of you ladies. I''m keeping my fingers crossed this is your cycle!
 
OMG!!! Congratulations Robbie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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