The Official TTC Thread!

[Festy]

Welcome, Buttercup! You''ve gotten some good advice and of course talking to your doc is the best. Hoping your stay here is short!

Fisher - oh, I hope this is O for you. I cannot imagine keeping up with BDing for 3 weeks like that! You and Peony are my BDing heroes! Is that yucky?

InLuv, I''m pulling for you!

I''m trying to be a little less obsessive about checking this thread, so I may be a little more forgetful about checking in with everybody. It doesn''t mean I''m not thinking about you all - I just need to downshift a little.

I have my regularly scheduled gyn. exam this week, which of course I''ll have AF for - great timing. But as long as I''ll have some face time with the doctor I''ll tell her what''s what and see if she thinks we need to be worrying yet. I seem to be O''ing, but what with DH turning 46 and all, I wonder if she''ll want to test him after 5 months of being off BC. On the one hand I want to have him tested just for the peace of mind, on the other hand I know that it will be agonizing for him and I don''t want to put him through it. We''ll see...

 

[tiffanytwisted]

Date: 11/30/2008 1:23:50 PM
Author: peonygirl
Fisher, I totally agree with everything that you wrote!!

As for me, I''m on day 37 with no sign of ovulation. We''ve been trying to BD every other day for the last 3 weeks just in case. My husband asks to look at my chart every few days, and I just feel like apologizing to him! He won''t hear of it though.

By the way, I would like to ask a charting expert why my positive OPKs tend to happen in the middle of my temp rise (vs. the start) and if it''s okay that I tend to have a very slow rise over 4-5 days, since most of you seem to have a big jump over just 1-2 days. I''m concerned that even if I have signs that I ovulated it''s not a ''productive'' ovulation because the hormoes are peaking that the wrong time. Is the TCOYF board the Ovusoft one? I think someone recommended that one. Also, I have a VIP membership at FF. Are there any people there I could ask? Thanks SO much!

There is a section on the FF board for VIP members to ask questions about their chart. It seems pretty informative.

 

[sunkist]

Ok, I have a question

I tried to do my first temp this morning. Set my alarm for 6am, but I woke around 5:20 to use the bathroom and figured I should try and do my temp then before I got out of bed. So I grabbed my BBT and realized it was dark and I couldn''t see the screen! So I couldn''t see when my BBT was on and ready, nor could I have read the temp when it was done. What do I do? Maybe I should get a night light??

Anyways, I did a temp again at 8am even though I hadn''t slept well after I got up at 5:20.

Haha! And as I was trying to fall asleep guess who was in my dream. You Fisher and Paul! and I was telling you about my problem with temping this morning. haha

Do other BBT have a back light so you don''t have this problem??

 

[peonygirl]

THANKS DD!!!

I just posted on the Ovusoft board.

Sunkist, I have the BD brand (haha!) from drugstore.com. I press it once and it beeps to start (plus the screen lights up). Then it beeps continually every few seconds while it temps (which I like, ''cause I know it''s working), and then it gives a double beep when it''s done. I can light up the backlight after that to see the temp, plus it stores it until I take my temp again. Love it!!

 

[Sabine]

Hey Sunkist! A beeping thermometer would have helped me, but dh would have started sleeping in the other room for as often as I temped, I swear! I had a few mishaps where I thought the thermometer was on and it wasn''t, but mostly, I would turn it on, stick it in my mouth, and just wait patiently for it to beep. Then, when it was done, I would carefully hit the button to turn it off (it would beep again) and go back to sleep, and then look at the temp in the morning (I''m assuming yours will store the last temp since most do). Sometimes, if I had issues, I would use a little book light to check on it. And other times, if I couldn''t wait, I would take the thermometer into the bathroom with me and look at it there.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Sunkist,

Hilarious about the dream.

I don''t have BBT with a backlight, and I wouldn''t want one that beeps every second because that would get on my nerves and I always go back to sleep afterwards. I keep my cell phone by my bed at night and I use the backlight on the phone to read the temp. Then I go back to sleep and look it up again in the morning (because it stores the temp). I think most BBTs stores at least 5 temps.

My BBT therm beeps when it''s first turned on (so you know it''s working) and again when it''s done.

About taking your temp a little earlier than your set time; that''s fine. They say about 1/2 hour before or after is no big deal and if you have to potty, well, you have to potty. The early temp is more reliable than the later temp. I''m like you though and I temp when I first wake up and if it''s early, I temp again when I get up for good. The earlier temp is supposed to be the better temp though.

Like this morning I had 97.89 (I think) when I first woke up and then when I got up again three hours later (closer to 8:30am), my temp was 98.01. I put the first temp into FF for charting purposes. Even though I really, really, REALLY wanted to put in the 98 temp, because that would be more of a shift in my temp, making it more likely that I really have ovulated.

Alas, this is the drama that comes with being analytical and nuts for a baby when doing the BBT and charting thing.

It''s fun!! I promise!

Good luck to you, girl!!

 

[sunkist]

Peony that''s hilarious that your''s is the BD brand, how appropriate! I just got the Target brand, wish it had a backlight. Fisher, I guess you''re right I can probably just use my cell phone as a light. I''ll try that tomorrow. I''m going to play around with it tonight, but it does beep when I turn it on and I probably don''t need to look at it to make sure it''s working, I''ll just assume it is. I''m just nervous about recovering my last temp when I really wake up, afriad it won''t give me the right one. haha! Thanks, Sabine too! Ok, going to try this again, hoping it works

 

[peonygirl]

Sunkist, sounds like a plan!! Ultimately the temp shift should be big enough to be clear even if you wake up slightly earlier on some days, so don''t stress about that. Incidentally, I use a bunch of BD products at work too. I guess it''s a biotech company.

 

[peonygirl]

Hmm, maybe if I turn my chart upside down I could see something, lol.

I'm just hoping to get my period soon so this cycle can be over.

 

[InLuv101]

Good Morning All!

Peony -- I sure hope you get AFF soon too.

Sabine -- Glad to see you still around cheering for the rest of us!

Sunkist -- Sorry you are having temp issues. My BBT doesn''t have a backlight either. It beeps when I turn it on and then beeps 4 times when it''s done. I usually just turn it off and go back to sleep and since my BBT stores the last 4 temps, I can just look at it when I wake up.

Festy -- I totally get trying to not be so obsessive about this thread. It can help to take some time away. Don''t get me wrong, I love it here, but sometimes it''s good to think about other things.

Blushing -- Hey testing buddy...how are you holding up? Anything interesting going on with you?
******************************

It''s 12DPO here. Sore boobs. Extremely sore boobs. I never really remember them being this sore but I could have selective memory

. I had a tiny tiny amount of spotting yesterday and today, but I''ve had spotting pre-AFF on some cycles and not on others so I''m trying to not really pay attention to that. I will say though that pre-AFF spotting on other cycles has been more like brownish tinged CM and this spotting is like tiny bright red drops. I''ve never seed that before. Oh well, I''m sure it''s nothing. My LP is 13 days so I''m waiting for Tuesday morning with no AFF to test.

 

[blushingbride]

Hi Ladies - another quick drive-by since I''m swamped due to the Thanksgiving holiday. InLuv - your symptoms sound promising! I wonder if the spotting is from implantation or is it too late for that at 13 DPO...hmmmm. Festy, LL, Peony and Fisher sorry to hear that you either got your AFF or had wonky cycles. It''s nice to know you can start with a clean slate and that this next cycle might finally be the one!

As for me, I''m at 12 DPO and I''m supposed to get my AFF today. Still no signs of her yet, but I have a sneaky feeling she''s coming. I had a temp drop last Fri and then stopped temping. I just got frustrated and wanted to just wait it out without the stress of temping, etc. So, I have no clue what my temps have been doing since then and maybe it was just a fluke that day or the fact that we were at my parent''s house, etc., but I freaked out and decided to put the thermometer away.

If I don''t get my AFF today, I may test tomorrow however, I''m thinking I wait until Wed. I don''t feel anything different. I''ve had some breakouts on my face which is rare, some hot flashes and cramping over the weekend, but no other symptoms or signs.

I did have a really vivid dream last night that I POAS and it said pregnant.

It seemed so real to me that when I woke up, I was really bummed that it was just a dream.

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

 

[mela lu]

Oh Blushing!!! Lets hope that dream comes true!!

 

[AmberWaves]

Hi everyone. Nothing much here, CD 24, 8dpo. Boring boring boring. With all the holiday hullabaloo, I''m not quite as focused on TTC, I''m just trying to find neat things for Christmas. (Any ideas for DH?) I''m so tired today, despite the coffee.

Thanksgiving was better than I had hoped, with all the babies and pregnant people I didn''t die. who''d have thought? Hehe. I did have sexy 4inch boots on and now my pointer toe is numb. So that''s fun. Luckily my fantastic scabbed knees are mere scars now, and I feel oh so pretty.

Random bits of stuff: I baked chocolate chip cookies last night, and they are soooo good! For Thanksgiving I baked cupcakes and made buttercream from scratch. About 30 cupcakes, two kinds. I never want to see a cupcake again. I bought this Loreal lipstick stuff that is "infallible" and boy it stays on. I tested a small circle on my hand and well, it''s still there! I look like a leper, perhaps a bit of leoparD! It also left a lovely lipliner-like ring around my mouth and I look like a daytime hooker because nothing gets rid of it! DANG!

Anyway, hope everyone is doing well, here''s hoping for a good result for Inluv and blushing.

Happy belated for Fisher and Drk (shoot, I think it was DRK?)!

Peony, I''m sorry for the stupid chart- I had a bit of a stupid one myself.

 

[InLuv101]

Date: 12/1/2008 10:59:10 AM
Author: blushingbride
Hi Ladies - another quick drive-by since I''m swamped due to the Thanksgiving holiday. InLuv - your symptoms sound promising! I wonder if the spotting is from implantation or is it too late for that at 13 DPO...hmmmm. Festy, LL, Peony and Fisher sorry to hear that you either got your AFF or had wonky cycles. It''s nice to know you can start with a clean slate and that this next cycle might finally be the one!

As for me, I''m at 12 DPO and I''m supposed to get my AFF today. Still no signs of her yet, but I have a sneaky feeling she''s coming. I had a temp drop last Fri and then stopped temping. I just got frustrated and wanted to just wait it out without the stress of temping, etc. So, I have no clue what my temps have been doing since then and maybe it was just a fluke that day or the fact that we were at my parent''s house, etc., but I freaked out and decided to put the thermometer away.

If I don''t get my AFF today, I may test tomorrow however, I''m thinking I wait until Wed. I don''t feel anything different. I''ve had some breakouts on my face which is rare, some hot flashes and cramping over the weekend, but no other symptoms or signs.

I did have a really vivid dream last night that I POAS and it said pregnant.

It seemed so real to me that when I woke up, I was really bummed that it was just a dream.

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Blushing -- well my spotting yesterday & today would have been 11 & 12DPO. I did find some charts on FF that had spotting on 11&12DPO that resulted in a BFP but I''m not holding my breath. Don''t FEEL preggo but the super sore boobs have me kinda hopeful...Oh this TTC journey is just too much sometimes.

 

[Sabine]

Inluv, I had spotting at 10 and 11 dpo! Although I will admit, mine was definitely brown. Good luck to you and to blushing!

Amber, you are too funny! I refuse to use the long lasting lipsticks for that reason, for me, it always rubs off the main part of my lips pretty easily, but stays around the edges no matter what.

 

[InLuv101]

Date: 12/1/2008 12:42:17 PM
Author: Sabine
Inluv, I had spotting at 10 and 11 dpo! Although I will admit, mine was definitely brown. Good luck to you and to blushing!

Amber, you are too funny! I refuse to use the long lasting lipsticks for that reason, for me, it always rubs off the main part of my lips pretty easily, but stays around the edges no matter what.

Sabine -- Thanks for weighing in!

It's encouraging to hear that you had some spotting at a later DPO. Went to the restroom a few min ago and the spotting is now brown...we shall see what happens

 

[Festy]

InLuv - I know how you/we all are about getting our hopes up. So I''m not saying anything. Nothing at all. This is me saying nothing.

Re BBT, for the past two cycles I''ve been using the kind you have, Sunkist. It only beeps when it turns on and off and doesn''t have a light. While it gave me reliable temps, I''m switching to the BD brand this time around. My other one gave me way too much grief in terms of not knowing if it was turned on, if it was working, etc. I''m looking forward to the beeping and the lights!

I''ve taken the past two mornings off from temping while AF is here and I''ve slept SO much better! But I also miss it. Weird.

 

[peonygirl]

Does anyone happen to know how much the temperature of one''s bedroom affects basal body temp? I''ve NEVER had temps in the 96s, and this month I''ve had two! Both times I woke up shivering because our room was cold (like 60-65 degrees). Even when I put the heat on 70, it''s always colder in the bedroom and bathroom for some reason! Thanks!

 

[ChinaCat]

Hello all.

Peony- Can''t answer since I don''t temp- but I hope your crazy chart straightens out soon. You too Fisher!!! I was thinking about how long both your cycles have been and have a general question:

Since others here think they haven''t ovulated, is that why the cycle is so long? So you only get AFF if you ovulate? Or will your body eventually just give it up, so to speak? I am sure this very obvious, but be nice to the liberal arts major who took little science classes.

Festy- Blah. Meh. Had high hopes for you. Funny story about the BK though!

InLuv, Blushing- Come on girls, don''t we need some August babies around here?

Amber- Glad you didn''t die from all of the babies and knocked up ladies. We had 2 year old twin girls at my house for Thanksgiving, and let me tell you, even with like 7 adults supervising them, the wiggle worms almost killed me.

As always, probably missing tons of peeps. But sending you all baby dust!

As for me, I am CD30 or 31. Just waiting for AF. Feeling like I need my sweatpants already today. Wish she''d just show up so I know my cycle is regular. Think I will definitely buy OPK this time around and maybe even a BBT! I''ve lasted about 2 or 3 months without temping, so I feel okay jumping in next month.

Can I just go to Walgreen''s or are the good ones online at drugstore.com????

 

[peonygirl]

Hey China! Not a dumb question at all! The answer is that you can definitely have a period even if you're not ovulating. Even if an egg isn't released, the lining of one's uterus can build up and after a point it has to shed. Another cause of this is a reduction in estrogen, which is what happens when you are taking the pill and you move to your placebo pills.

Anovulatory cycles tend to be a lot longer than ovulatory cycles, though.

Even with just two wonky cycles I'm starting to be concerned that I might have PCOS, because every person I run into that has really long cycles (over 40 days) seems to tell me that they were eventually diagnosed with that.

 

[Sha]

Hi peony,
I''m normally a lurker on this thread, but am just chiming in to say "I FEEL YOUR PAIN!""

Today is CD42 to for me and I still haven''t O''d!! It''s the most frustrating thing! It feels like you''re waiting forever and forever just for SOMETHING to happen in your cycle... not to mention trying to schedule BD for an O that never happens!

I''m wondering about PCOS too..... I had an ultrasound a few months ago, and they said my ovaries looked polycystic, although I don''t seem to have the classic symptoms of PCOS - i.e overweight, acne etc... If that''s you in your avatar, it doesn''t seem as if you do either. I''m planning to go in sometime for bloodwork to check my hormone levels and see. I really hope you don''t have PCOS either.

Why can''t TTC just be easy???

 

[peonygirl]

Hey Sha!! We are definitely feeling each other's pain, that's for sure!!!!!!!!

Both of the people I know IRL with PCOS aren't overweight either, nor do they have any of the classic symptoms. I guess a bunch of symptoms tend to be associated with PCOS, but really the only symptom one needs to be diagnosed is 8 or fewer menstral cycles a year, with a good percentage of those being anovulatory. The "cysts" aren't even a necessary part of the diagnosis (some women with them don't have PCOS, but many women with them do have it). At least that's my understanding, maybe DrK knows more.

Apparently some people with PCOS never ovulate directly after coming off the pill, but some do and then stop.

Edited to add: Sha, how many cycles have you been charting and how many of those have been very long or anovulatory?

 

[Sha]

Date: 12/1/2008 5:56:27 PM
Author: peonygirl
Hey Sha!! We are definitely feeling each other''s pain, that''s for sure!!!!!!!!

Both of the people I know IRL with PCOS aren''t overweight either, nor do they have any of the classic symptoms. I guess a bunch of symptoms tend to be associated with PCOS, but really the only symptom one needs to be diagnosed is 8 or fewer menstral cycles a year, with a good percentage of those being anovulatory. The ''cysts'' aren''t even a necessary part of the diagnosis (some women with them don''t have PCOS, but many women with them do have it). At least that''s my understanding, maybe DrK knows more.

Apparently some people with PCOS never ovulate directly after coming off the pill, but some do and then stop.

Edited to add: Sha, how many cycles have you been charting and how many of those have been very long or anovulatory?

Hmmm...that''s interesting info, esp. about women with PCOS having fewer and fewer menstrual cycles a year. I stopped the pill in April and started charting in May. Since then I''ve ovulated every month except this one, but my O day has been moving around a lot. For the past six months I''ve O''d on CD19, CD20, CD21, CD16 (freak early O!), CD24, and CD19, in that order, so I''m definitely a late O''er. My cycles have generally been between 32-35 days. This is the first month I''ve gone so long without O''ing at all. I did have a high fever around CD28, though - not sure if that messed up things or what. But still...it''s concerning. I''m hoping it''s still me just getting regular after being off the pill - but it could be PCOS-related too.

Didn''t you just come off the pill? Could it be that your cycle is still regulating itself? What was your last wonky cycle like?

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Hi, ladies!!

It did snow today, but not enough to cancel work.

It was so, so pretty, though!!

***
About all this PCOS stuff, if I *know* that I ovulated my last two cycles, should I be worried about that at this point? I did have a long cycle over the summer (my longest ever, 60 days), but that was also only a few cycles out from coming off the pill. I don''t have acne, never really have (and freak out when I get even the smallest pimple because I''m so not used to it), but am slightly overweight. My Dr. said not to worry about anything because I looked fine, but now I wonder. No testing has been done, and I''ve always had longer periods than the average (but not like this... the dang PILL!!!)

***
Another random thing: I took my temp when I got home, just for kicks (yeah I know, you need to do your first waking up temp, but again, I''ve been worried about the low temps I''ve been having lately) and it read 89.9. Now that''s flipping high! Would it be normal for a temp to slide down to the 97 range after being that high during the evening? Another thing to try to google.... (I''ve never googled so much in my life!!)

***
Peony,

I have been wondering about the temp in the house thing, too. Our temp in the house has dropped dramatically since the summer, seeing that we kept the A/C at 78 during the summer and now the heat at night is down to 55 and we just wrap up really tight under the covers and have a small heater in the bedroom going. I''ve thought that same thing, but have wondered if it''s just me trying to find answers to make me feel like my body is doing what it''s meant to do, drop eggs!

I tried to google it online, but to no avail.

Anyone care to weigh in on this?

***
InLuv and Blushing,

I''m hoping only the best for this cycle for both of you. Peeing on a stick is great fun, and tomorrow is your day! Whoo hoo!!!

Come share the (good) news with us soon, won''t you please?

***
Amber,

I''ve always disliked lip color for the fear of feeling like a whore. I tend to go with lip gloss more than anything else because of this. I did the stay on forever lipstick one time in college; I felt like I was walking around with a scarlet letter, like "just take me" was written on my forehead. I feel your pain.

Glad the gangreene is gone, gone, gone!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

For those with PCOS questions there was a thread about it in Family etc. at one point, and it included a questionnaire to see if you are at risk. Lots of women here seem to have it with varying symptoms. Though, IMHO, if all that is really needed for the diagnosis is less than 8 periods a year (which you mentioned Peony) then me thinks this may be another case where doctors are just waving their hands at a women''s health issue without trying to really understand it... there could be one million causes of less than 8 periods per year.

 

[Sha]

Date: 12/1/2008 7:59:47 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
For those with PCOS questions there was a thread about it in Family etc. at one point, and it included a questionnaire to see if you are at risk. Lots of women here seem to have it with varying symptoms. Though, IMHO, if all that is really needed for the diagnosis is less than 8 periods a year (which you mentioned Peony) then me thinks this may be another case where doctors are just waving their hands at a women''s health issue without trying to really understand it... there could be one million causes of less than 8 periods per year.

Thanks for mentioning that questionnaire, Dreamer. I will look it up.

 

[peonygirl]

Hey Sha! I went off the pill on June 1st. I had three ovulatory cycles (31, 36, and 35 days), 1 44-day cycle with a possible but unclear ovulation pattern, and now I''m on day 38 of my fifth cycle with no signs of ovulation. I think that it sounds like you''ve only had one iffy cycle, so I wouldn''t be too worried yet. I was hoping that my super-long cycle was going to be isolated, but now it doesn''t seem to be.

Both Sha and Fisher, it might be worth it just for piece of mind to get tested for some things on CD3 of your next cycle (if you don''t get a BFP this one) so you could rule out any hormonal/thyroid issues. I''m getting FSH, estradiol, lutenizing hormone, prolactin, and TSH tested, if I ever get my period.

You probably wouldn''t even have a make an appt, just call your ob/gyn and ask. It''s perfectly reasonable to do these things if you''ve only been trying for a few months.

DD, I guess my PCOS answer was somewhat simplistic because I know that a few other things need to be ruled out in order to make a diagnosis, such as thyroid issues. But basically it is a hormone imbalance, generally of elevated androgens (male hormones) with a varied pathogenesis. I think the heterogeneity of it makes it difficult to diagnose (and like most things that without a known infectious or physical trauma-based etiology isn''t that well understood). I don''t know the exact percentage of cycles in which ovulation is absent which would suggest PCOS, but if one is having 8 or fewer cycles a year it would seem that there would definitely be several anovulatory ones at least. I do think that if someone had long cycles (even very long ones) but consistently ovulated a PCOS diagnosis would not be indicated.

 

[sunkist]

InLuv, it sounds like my BBT is just like yours. I temped this morning with better luck

So we''ll see how it starts to look in the next few days! And InLuv, Tuesday morning is tomorrow!! Keeping fingers crossed for you and Blushing- you too!

Festy, let me know if you like the BD brand better than the BBT you''ve got now. Mine worked OK this morning. Temp was a whole heck of a big difference from the first temp I took on Sunday. But the times were 3 hours apart too, so I can''t wait to see if tomorrow''s temp is more similar to today''s!

Amber, care to share your cookie receipe if it''s not too much trouble? I''m always looking for good choco chip cookie recipes!

I''ve had a pretty bad headache today and it''s getting worse how that I''m home from work. I wish I could take more than the 3 ibuprofens I just had, but I think I''d better stop at that

I had a really nice day yesterday though. Hubby and I cooked a delicious tri tip dinner for my inlaws. I love cooking easy meals that look gourmet! My MIL wouldn''t eat my mashed potatoes though, because she said I put too much butter in them. I didn''t. Oh well

 

[AmberWaves]

Hi Sunkist!

Here is my recipe:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 egg
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used one cup of milk and one cup of semi-sweet)

Preheat the oven to 325 (yes, low, but the cookies bake longer). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

So good and chewy! They hardened up a bit today, but they were/are HUGE cookies. I packed one in Paul''s lunch today and all the kids and teachers were like, "where''d you get that tasty cookie? It looks great!!"

 

[peonygirl]

Random, but Sunkist, what kind of ring setting do you have? Is it Tiffany/Superbcert? I''m thinking about changing my setting at some point and I love yours.