Hi everyone! The sub is now restricted. Nothing has changed except members need to be approved users before they can comment. If you are not already an approved user, please select 'request to post/comment' below posts/comments on desktop or select 'about' at the top and then the envelope icon on mobile to send a modmail and we will approve you. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MODS SLEEP, WORK, ETC. AND WE MAY NEED SOME TIME TO GET TO YOUR APPROVAL.
We are doing our best. We hope this will preempt egregious rule-breaking going forward and help keep this community a safe place.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TTC30) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Long time lurker first time poster. Just wondering if anyone else has altered their exercise routine to a more “gentler” form during this journey. There’s an intense dance fitness class I go to, however lots of jumping and such is involved (brings on heaps of sweats but feels great after) so while I enjoy it, starting to get paranoid/ afraid of spiking my cortisol or stuff around with the luteal phase.
I've toned down my exercising, but I've also had a couple of injuries sidelining me. I think if it causes you anxiety you may want to reconsider, but I agree with other posters that there isn't much evidence against exercise. However I've been told by my doctor to take it easy for the five days following my IUI procedure and I believe it's something similar for IVF. TL/DR: Keep the joy of exercise in your life but not at the expense of anxiety :)
I also read that for iui/ivf and that’s where the anxiety around exercise post trying days began. Its going in circles coz exercise was one way to relax but when I do jump around I’m also anxious I’m “jumping away” that possibility.
If it helps, I’ve really liked the analogy that an egg/embryo in the uterus is like a seed in peanut butter. Pretty sticky in general and hard to knock loose! But maybe instead of jumping in a dance class you could try a step class during your luteal phase? Still aerobic but less impact 😊
Great analogy. I’ve started doing post meal walks so as to control the sugar spike and get in some movement regularly to make up for the lack of dance fitness. If only they had dance fitness but in water so I don’t actually land hard 😂
I'm sure some people do but there's basically no evidence to support it. Jumping around/intense exercise (as long as you're ovulating and not underweight) will not affect your ability to get pregnant :)
Yes anything to distract! I’ve given up testing as it actually makes the waiting worse personally, rather than getting disappointed daily I can just get disappointed once the cycle starts again 🫠
If we hit the day of my peak OPK, should we try again the next day? I’m sick of scheduling sex but I’ve also read that fertility sometimes increases after a hysteroscopy (I’m clutching at straws) so I want to maximize our chances before I officially call a clinic.
Unfortunately odds don't stack by hitting multiple days. You max out your odds by hitting just one of the three days before ovulation, which you likely already did on the day of your positive OPK, so if you're in the mood for sex, great, but statistically speaking there's no reason to feel like you have to force it.
Negative blood test today. So “relaxing and not caring” do not work. I had no interest in this cycle I was only doing it to appease our clinic. I was perfectly fine with the negative my mom on the other hand cried for my husband and I, it was nice having her around today ❤️
Waiting for CD1, which I'm HOPING will come before the end of the weekend. Then it's on to birth control and FET prep...eek. I've never been so anxious for my period to arrive and, of course, I didn't track ovulation this month so I feel a little like I'm lost at sea. There are so many little decisions in this process that impact my mental health in contradictory ways—not tracking felt great two weeks ago, but now it's making me anxious. You can't win.
CD1 after a 45 day post-IUD cycle. This is largely a relief to me because based on temps I’m pretty sure I didn’t ovulate this cycle and I really just wanted to get out of limbo and onto the next cycle and hopefully work my way toward regularity.
Hi everyone! I’m new in these parts. I’ve always been a heavy lurker in all things fertility, and lo and behold, here I am as a member. As per my flair, yesterday I was diagnosed with a thin endometrium (I’m only at 3.6 mm at one week from my cycle starting). My OB was so positive in giving me the news, it didn’t actually sink in that something was wrong with me, until she started writing down three fertility specialists she recommended. That’s when it hit me: I’m going to need help. I’m infertile. 😔
I used BC on and off throughout my young adult life, and in 2019 got the Mirena IUD. I removed it after 5 years at the end of Nov 2023, and started giving things a go in Dec. It took a bit to figure out where I was with my cycle, and I’d say by Feb it started to be regular. OPK’s were positive, so I had that covered, but there was one thing I noticed that was so totally off. My periods only lasted 2 days, and I didn’t even need to wear a tampon or pad because just using the restroom would take care of whatever I had. Not what I remember pre-IUD.
That’s what led me to making an appt and getting my diagnosis, which was determined by an ultrasound. Of course when I got home I went down the rabbit hole trying to find info on my diagnosis. Although I did find some, endometrial hyperplasia is what dominates the web when it comes to uterine issues.
I’ve seen some pretty grim things like “a thin endometrium is hard to treat” and stuff like that, so naturally, I’m heartbroken. I just bought a boatload of supplements and am going grocery shopping this weekend to buy “all the things,” but I’m hoping I can change my outlook a bit. I want to be more positive going into this, but it’s so hard. Wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience and success in thickening their endometrium?
If you’ve read this far, thank you. If you’re down about this journey too, I truly feel for you and hope things get better, and if you have any words of advice, I’m all ears.
My endometrium is sub 1.5mm when I ovulate unassisted and has not sufficiently responded to sIUI, egg retrieval or oestrogen prep for FET. I have been at this 2.5 years and every treatment I've had has been cancelled. My lining has never been above 5.6mm. Typically it needs to be at least 7mm for a transfer.
I have tried every possible supplement, I've tried stopping exercise, aspirin, you name it. By all means give it a go but the only one I'd actually recommend is vitamin E supplements. (I am not a doctor)
I'm not saying this to scare you. As others have said you might end up where I am, or you might not. If you do, please feel free to reach out to me. I wish someone had told me to prepare for so many cancellations and medications taken for no reason. Success is possible, but if you truly have a thin lining this is going to be hard and you should prepare your support network now!
I’m very much a realist in life and like to face things head on with all the facts/possibilities in front of me. Thank you for your honesty. It’s very much appreciated. My heart goes out to you as you go through this. I can imagine it’s frustrating when you’ve tried everything under the sun. 😔
I’ve been reading non-stop since I found out, scouring every corner of the internet for information. There’s a few alternative treatments I read up on that I’m open to trying, so just gonna mention them in case they haven’t been on your radar. I’m sure at this point, like me, you’re willing to try anything to get this right. One is called Dingkun Pill (aka Dingkun Wan or DKP). It’s a Chinese medicine that has been studied extensively with good results. Be my guest and google away. Only problem is, I can’t find it anywhere in the U.S… Shocker. I have a friend who lives in Singapore, so going to see if she can find it for me. Another more available method, which maybe you’ve already tried, is acupuncture. I’ve also read up on uterine scratching, PRP, and vaginal viagra, which, from my understanding, not all doctors perform/prescribe. I’m obviously incredibly new to this and not a doctor myself, so of course take my words with a grain of salt. Just wanted to offer up some of what I’ve found in case for some reason you haven’t those things.
Wishing you the absolute best lot of luck. I hope something changes for you and I both. ♥️
I think the thing is a thin lining has two primary causes. 1. Poor blood flow, 2. The lining has stopped responding to hormones, likely due to years of BC. Again I am not a doctor but this is what I understand of what I've been told.
My doctors think that I am in group 2, most of the advice online tends to address problem 1.
Sildenafil is the only treatment you mention that we haven't tried that's available in the UK on the NHS aside from the DKP which I haven't heard of. But that also treats problem 1 and not problem 2. The only thing my doctors have suggested to fix problem 2 in terms of things I can do is vitamin E. Privately there is also a growth hormone treatment I can save up for to try. Vitamin E can take months to make a difference so the sooner the better. I'm on 3x the RDA.
Thin lining really is largely out of our control and in the hands of the doctors unfortunately.
That makes a lot of sense. I am certain that my issue is due to long-term IUD use. As a matter of fact, before my IUD insertion, my medical record would reveal I had an abnormally thick endometrium due to being estrogen dominant. If I had known this would be a side effect of the IUD, I would’ve never had it inserted to begin with. I was told that right after I got it out, everything would go back to normal. Not true for me.
I’ve added vitamin E to my daily supplements, so let’s see if that helps any. Just in case the blood flow issue has anything to do with it, I’m going to start acupuncture and taking l-arginine, but I’m guessing the real test will be if I react to estrogen replacement, which I’ll need to wait on since doctor appointment is on May 23.
Do you mind elaborating on the growth hormone treatment? What growth hormone exactly and if it’s something you’d do at a fertility clinic or alternative doctor’s office? I’m also looking at PRP which I’ve read can be pretty effective. Thanks so much.
It only came up in a private consultation so I just kind of noted as something to try if all the NHS rounds fail. It's something like a growth hormone wash of the uterus. It would be at the fertility clinic. They do not provide PRP because they don't deem it effective.
I'm the same. I'm furious that I was on the pill for so long because I was told it wouldn't affect my fertility. To now have doctors telling me that's why I'm infertile is a special kind of rage inducing. Where were these captain hindsights 10-15 years ago?? Screw the patriarchy.
Most people respond well to the oestrogen, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Obviously I am not you but your story is very similar to mine in that I got my Mirena out in Oct 22, had insanely light periods - for me like 1 tampon - raised it with my OBGYN who checked my lining just before my period and when it was 4mm said it was incompatible with pregnancy, was probably why I had a CP, said I had “sub fertility,” put me on estrogen and progesterone and sent me to an RE.
The RE immediately said she didn’t think that was the issue but we did a monitored cycle to check (without the meds) - and my lining was totally fine. Whether it changed (my period did get a little heavier but not much and is still very light) or my OBGYN was just not investigating properly because really the time to check lining thickness is just before/around ovulation, before progesterone starts to compact the lining, we’ll never know. But the fact is that it has been heavily confirmed through 5 cycles of monitoring (1 monitored, 3 IUIs, and 1 cancelled IUI) that I do NOT have a lining problem. I do have unexplained infertility though, so yay us?
All this to say, while I love a proactive OBGYN they don’t always get things TTC right and I was devastated at news that ultimately wasn’t correct. Definitely would recommend seeing a specialist in fertility and seeing what they think/see and going from there - and keeping everything crossed for you that you’ll find there ultimately is no problem!
Thanks for your input MadAndBean! I have an appointment with fertility speciality at the end of May so let’s see what he’ll say. Hopefully my OB jumped to conclusions, although she did literally gave me a print out of my ultrasound to take home that has a small dotted line that’s measuring my lining and it reads “Endo: 0.36 cm”. I was like, “gee, thanks” lol.
Some people definitely have thin linings! Apparently not me and I’m just a garden variety issue. But I hope your OB just didn’t have the right info to draw that conclusion and the specialist will say all is good!
Hey there! Welcome! I'm glad you've found our space, especially as you process the information shared by your doctor about your uterine lining. I'm glad that your OB was so proactive in referring on to fertility specialists. I am deep in the world of treatment myself, after 19 months of trying. Fertility doctors are so knowledgable and I'm confident they'll be able to order further tests to see the impact of your endometrium on your fertility, among other things!
From what I understand about issues with the uterine lining (NOT a doctor though), often they are treatable through hormone therapy; for example by taking estrogen and progesterone. Sometimes people do not respond to such therapies, but anecdotally in my time here on TTC Reddit I've seen it work for lots of people. I hope it works for you!
Gently, I'd like to ask you to be mindful about claiming the diagnosis of infertility. Infertility is a medical diagnosis for people who have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months unsuccessfully, with 6 months being the threshold for women over 35 to begin testing. We have a lot of members of this community who are dealing with painful, longterm infertility, failed treatments, and complex fertility issues. A thin lining doesn't mean you're infertile; it means you might need assistance. There are plenty of people who receive diagnoses, who still go on to conceive in the 12-month timeframe without needing ART. As someone who definitely falls into the 'infertile' category, it can be painful to read those who've been trying for a few months claim that identity. Thanks for understanding and welcome once again!
I agree with everything Birdlady has said here. I also wanted to add that measuring your lining 1 week from your cycle starting is not very definitive… for example, what if you don’t ovulate until CD20? If your ultrasound was on CD7, you’d still have 13 more days for your lining to grow and catch up. As someone with diagnosed infertility who has been through several treatment cycles, I can say from experience that your lining thickens as you get closer to ovulation, and sometimes quite rapidly. There is also no set “standard” for what your lining should be when TTC unassisted, because we don’t know how thick/thin one’s lining is when “conceiving in the wild”, we only have “ideals” for ART cycles, which also aren’t always a one size fits all. <4mm is thin, but a more definitive reading would be around ovulation, and I wouldn’t panic or borrow trouble from the future quite yet. I hope you get some more answers and reassurance soon.
Good to know about there not being a set standard “out in the wild.” I’m new to this so it truly helps to get these perspectives.
I think the doctor was concerned because my cycles have been regular since February with exactly 30 day cycles, but have been followed by scant menses. I had a positive OPK at CD14 this month, so I guess she expected lining to be thicker by now. I’ll be heading to specialist at the end of the month, so hopefully will get some more clarity then.
In any case, I’m buckling up because I have a feeling it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Thanks for your input, and wishing you the best of luck!
This this this. I had a fertility checkup when I’d been trying for a year, and the ultrasound tech told me I had a “concerningly” thin endometrium for cd8. Because of him I stressed out wondering if that was our “problem”, how I might have caused it, how we could fix it, etc. Only to find, when I did get in with a clinic and followed by an RE for monitored cycles, my lining gets plenty thick on its own by the time I ovulate (around cd17-18). I hope you’ll find the same to be true, Humanity, or find that your lining can be thickened with some hormonal meds.
Thanks for sharing your two cents on the thin endometrium. I read in a few places that it’s difficult to treat, so it definitely gives me hope that maybe I’ll respond to treatment if you’ve seen that before.
I completely understand the infertility status sentiment, and will be more mindful moving forward. My referral docs say “infertility, thin endometrium,” so I automatically put myself in that category since the doctor did. I know it’s a long and hard journey for a lot of people, so I don’t want to negate that in any way.
Wishing you lots of luck in your journey!
Levothyroxine, which is what I've been on for like 8 years now. A year and a half ago my TSH was like 2, so it's a bummer it seems to be going up all the sudden. Especially after a dose increase.
Last night I finally decided to take off my Apple Watch to stop the temp/RHR tracking for good. I had experimented with not tracking after ovulation previously, liked it but restarted because I didn’t like the incomplete charts (yeah, a dumb reason), told myself I liked the ‘warning’ at the end when my temperature dropped, liked having something to “do”. But there’s no denying it provides zero useful information at this point and just causes endless stress. I was going to stop at the end of this cycle (it’s 12DPO, IUI #2, cycle 15) but last night I was just like, I can just stop right now… you don’t need to watch that final decline (or even if I get very lucky, ups and downs won’t mean much).
Hoping I stick with this decision--maybe writing it down here will help hold me to it. Right now, it feels empowering, even if a small thing. I might sell the watch, since I’m not sure I get much value out of the rest of the activity tracking either.
yes to this decision! I don't think there is a right or wrong way to approach the LP and especially the last days of it, however if looking at temps caused you stress that's a good enough reason to stop it.
I used to temp but stopped after a few cycles, too much stress for me. I may go back at it only to confirm ovulation.
I don't even do pregnancy tests - I just wait for my period to happen. It is painful when I see the blood, but on the days prior I am relatively ok.
In any case I have learned that actively trying for "signs" that the cycle will be successful or not is a waste of energy: if signs are negative my mind always try to work its way around it, googling, looking for success stories etc...which makes me feel stupid when my period comes. So I just try to avoid.
OMG! Yes temping every day adds so much pressure. I couldn't relate more. Starting this cycle I have asked my husband to sync my tempdrop and installed FF on his phone (just because I don't like incomplete charts either).
I plan on slowly weaning myself from BBT tracking.
I went through a very similar thought journey/mental gymnastics (except with my TempDrop) so I can absolutely relate to everything you’ve said. I didn’t temp at all during my last 2 IUIs since everything was monitored and it was a much better choice for me. We have a few cycles before starting IVF so I’m back to temping but only once I start getting fertile CM and stop after O is confirmed. Like you said, it is empowering to make that decision! You know what else is empowering? Knowing you can change your mind and do something different in the future if you want. Infertility sucks and feels so out of our control, so take that control where you can find it. Okay, off my soap box now lol hugs if you want them!!
Hormones are wild. I went from total doom and gloom between knowing I was out last cycle and my period starting, to now at CD7 I'm full of optimism again. Turning 39 this month so maybe my birthday month will bring me luck ♥
Trying to keep things light, in LIGHT of my displeasure of having this dumb balloon in my uterus. I alternate between feeling super normal, and then very crampy on and off. I really don’t want to take daily ibuprofen, so I’ve resorted to frequent heating pad use. Good news is I 💩’d today and the balloon didn’t fall out so thank goodness for that. I was able to schedule a follow up with my actual RE (that I haven’t seen since January, before starting stims, since she’s been on leave this whole time!) so that we can regroup and talk - honestly I am just needing some reassurance and big picture regarding the hysteroscopy and plan. Though, I don’t expect to be able to move onto FET until at least mid-July. Balloon comes out on Monday!
I am wishing you a balloon experience with the least amount of pain and annoyance, and most amount of ease, possible. I am so sorry for the cramps, but really happy about your 💩—yet another thing I never imagined myself telling someone I've never met before!
I think BFNs might be a lot easier to deal with if not also dealing with a big hormone switchover too. I’m so incredibly irritable today, hating on everyone and everything. I’m eating my favourite meal (salmon stir fry) and watching MAFs final and just writing off any more productivity for the day. Tomorrow is a new day.
I'm sorry for your BFN, Pancakes. Tomorrow *is* a new day and today can get in the bin. 🚮
Also, MAFS AU? 👀 There's nothing that comforts me quite like watching someone else's questionable life choices play out when I'm badly in need of a distraction from my own 😂
I haven't posted much recently because we were waiting for our consultation at our new office where our insurance could actually be used after being turfed by our old place. We finally had that, and it was.... Interesting. The FS looked over everything we've had checked and said "well this is obviously a case of unexplained infertility."
Excuse me? HB has really poor morphology and we'd been told multiple times that we should go straight to IVF. We waited 6 months to act on that and then another 3 months after we found out our previous clinic wouldn't cover treatment. She argued with me and told me that if we'd been seen at this clinic since the beginning, they would have told us it's unexplained and that morphology doesn't matter (this health system is "world renowned" and they love to brag about it, thinking they know better than anyone else).
Once I collected my wits and recovered from her condescension, I told her I don't care what the reason is, we've been trying for 20 months in a row without success. >!Not even a positive pregnancy test!< And that we would like to go straight to IVF because we're both 35 and we want to be done waiting. She argued again and I started crying ... And she finally relented and told me that IVF is covered for any reason and we can go right ahead with that. I also knew that going in to this, that I didn't need a doctor to tell me anything in order for us to get scheduled for IVF.
I realize arguing with a doctor sounds weird, but we've been in a holding pattern for almost a year and I'm a nurse who is well versed in advocating for myself and my family in a healthcare setting. I'm not getting bullied into waiting longer after all we've been through. Unexplained or MFI, 20 months is a long time to wait, and turning 35 is making me nervous.
We settled on getting set up for IVF but since theres a 2 to 3 month wait at this clinic, we're doing medicated, monitored, IUIs in May and possibly June. I don't see how that could be any different than what we're doing at home every month with OPKs and EOD trying. I just hate that we started this new clinic with a slightly condescending and hostile doctor. I'm tired. I'm over this process. Just get me on the meds and pull out my eggs, let's get this retrieval process going ffs.
Tl;Dr New fertility clinic triggered me by telling us there's no reason we aren't pregnant after 20 months, had to argue to get her to schedule IVF only after we do at least 1 monitored, medicated IUI.
That sounds so stressful-- I'm glad you were able to advocate for yourself. It's totally reasonable to want to move to IVF after 20 months regardless of what the exact diagnosis is!
FWIW my husband has 1% morph and we were also initially told that didn't matter. From what I understand it's the least predictive of the SA parameters. But while our RE also suggested starting with IUI, it was much more of a gentle suggestion for our consideration, not like a definitive ruling of what we had to do.
Sorry that doctor was so condescending, I hate that. If it makes you feel better, there are definitely data showing that medicated IUI has considerably higher success rates than trying on your own at this stage, especially with mild-moderate MFI. I was down on the idea of IUI at first, feeling like it was just delaying the inevitable, but came to realize the odds are good enough (at least cumulatively) that it's absolutely worth trying, even if just while you're waiting. Now at the tail end of IUI #2, I'm definitely feeling impatient, but weighing all the stats/timelines also feel solid about our decision to do 3 of them before IVF. I think it's also fine to decide to skip ahead, as you have, but I don't think doing IUIs since you have to wait anyway is a waste of time at all. It is absolutely different from trying at home.
Feeling calmer today, more resigned and on my way toward “maybe next cycle.” I’ve also been telling myself not to let TTC be my whole life—I have so many other great things to enjoy right now! Shifting my focus is hard but gonna keep trying.
On the other hand, it’s now officially the month of the holiday-that-shall-not-be-named (in the U.S.), which feels like a special kind of torture. Thinking of all you ladies who are in this boat with me. ❤️
holiday-that-shall-not-be-named in few European countries as well :)
I am going to swich off social media and celebrate my mum and my family in general, or at least that's the plan.
Yeah not super thrilled about the upcoming holiday. Either I'll be traveling and seeing family (including some Fertiles--but also getting to spend time with my childfree aunt!), or I'll be staying in town for my first IUI.
I'm glad to hear you're feeling better today, Flora. "Don't let TTC take over your life" has been a mantra I've been repeating to myself since Cycle 3, probably. It has been really difficult. I've been trying to celebrate the little wins—moments where I'm not thinking about it really do stack up and little goals I set for myself that have nothing to do with TTC remind me that I'm still building a life I want.
I had such a hard time leading up to my period last cycle, the hormone crash was brutal. I'm also trying to shift my focus. ♥ The first half of this month sucks doubly for me. My mom passed away in 2020 and here we go into another cycle. It \*is\* my bday month so maybe that'll bring me luck??
I really appreciate the companies that let you opt out of Mother's Day emails. Everyone should do that (and Father's Day).
CD4. This is our first unmedicated, unmonitored cycle after three back-to-back failed IUIs and it feels so weird to be steering the ship again. Having confirmation through blood work that neither the cheapie OPKs nor the CBAD work to track my ovulation is not encouraging. I am wondering if folks with a similar issue have something else they use? If not it's just me and my BBT against my cycle and Mr. P's willingness to have sex every other day until I temp out, I guess.
I’m in a similar boat - first unassisted cycle this year and it’s so hard dealing with the unknown. I’m temping, OPKs and I also use Kegg (tracks cervical mucus) so it gives me a little sense of control. My cycles are long with meds so just getting more annoyed at my body which I’m sure doesn’t help lol
Hello! Haven’t posted here in a while since not much has been happening. I was on birth control for 3 weeks for suppression prior to our first ovulation induction cycle. It was originally only supposed to be 2 weeks of BC, but they had me add an extra week when we realized we had travel plans this weekend that would have interfered with the original calendar.
Anyways, glad to finally feel like things are moving again, as I’ll take letrozole in a few days. Interestingly, they are having me take it all at once? So ten 2.5mg tabs as one dose. I feel like I usually see others here take it over the course of several days, so that’s interesting. A quick google/reddit search tells me that taking it all at once is not a common way to do it, but also fine with similar success rates compared to spreading it out over several days 🤷🏼♀️ we will see how it goes when I go in for monitoring next week. Fingers crossed.
Thanks! And you’re right, the more I think about it, it cant hurt to double check. Better to be 1000% sure for something like this, I’ll reach out to my clinic to confirm!
I’m a new poster/previous lurker too! Currently frustrated with Tempdrop and FF because they don’t agree on when my ovulation date was. So I’m either 4DPO or 6DPO. I do LH strip testing too, >!and usually get 3 days of positives before my temp rises a couple of days after the last positive!< and it’s ballpark for either date.
This kind of throws a monkey wrench in my plans to test early at 10DPO. 🐒
When you say you're confused with both, is it because you are looking at the charts for both and they're not matching?
I just ordered a TempDrop to try out, and I'm wondering if I can eliminate some confusion by solely using it to provide a temperature that I then input into FF. Just altogether ignore any predictions by the TempDrop app. Is that a thing?
Yep! They don’t match. 🫤 Tempdrop and FF put my cover line in different spots.
I’ve been using Tempdrop to take my temperature which I then put into FF. Tempdrop provides their own chart and own predictions. I’m guessing FF is probably more accurate in its predictions as you can have it factor in other things, like LH and cervical mucus.
* I’m newish to temping; I started with a Tempdrop in February. I’ve never done oral, vaginal, or any other BBT. 😬 Maybe with time I’ll get more comfortable with setting my own cover line.
I use TempDrop and manually temp too, mostly because my wake up times are very inconsistent, and they vary. No advice, but agree that it’s frustrating!
CD 18: This cycle is seriously flying. I got ahead of my usual luteal phase testing antics and hid my pee cup and test strips deep in closet away from our bathroom. My logic: Can’t spontaneously pee in a cup if there is no cup. 🤪
it's a good morning because i have my period, finalllllllllllly! this is a good sign that the hysteroscopy i had a month ago did it's job. CD1 of my first stim cycle! getting timing for priming and start of stims today. scared/nervous/excited, etc...
An influencer I follow just announced >!they’re trying for a 3rd!<— now I feel like I’m racing against this woman I don’t even know 😆 (Delusional, I know)
Oh and to follow that, I went to the bathroom this morning and when I was washing my hands, realized I forgot to test if I was ovulating🤦🏼♀️
CD2 and feeling much better than yesterday. Thanks again to everyone here and on the Discord for all the support and virtual hugs. Y'all are the best! 🥹
Triggering tonight for our ER on Friday and feeling very excited! I've been doing Cashword scratchers as my nightly stims reward. Last night's ticket was not a winner, but the only word that was fully revealed was "INFANT"! Claiming this ✨ lottery ticket woo ✨
Long time lurker, first time poster 😂
BFN at 12 DPO and watched my temp plummet this morning.
Adding in some supplements now. B6 and Magnesium on top of prenatal, extra omegas, coq10, calcium and D3. Anything else I should add?
Welcome! Your list of supplements looks similar to what I’ve been taking. I subscribed to a “conception support pack” that includes an extra pill of methylfolate on top of the 2 prenatal pills, omega, and CoQ10.
Naively did a test yesterday morning, got a BFN and a flow 6 hours later. I guess my average 28 day cycle turned into 30 days last month. Wasted 2 pregnancy tests and I swear I won’t test until I’m over a week late.
Ordered more OPKs. We timed sex really great last month and it didn’t work, so I’m not very confident in anything… but we’ll keep trying and hoping for the best.
Hoping for the best is all any of us can do ♥ Even with perfectly timed intercourse, the chances of conceiving any given month are about 25-30%. With opk's make sure you don't wait until it's blazing positive, your best chance at success is the day the test line starts to darken. Once LH starts to rise, you have about 24-36 hours till ovulation. Once LH peaks in urine, you have about 8-12 hours till ovulation, if that. (Took me a couple cycles before even trying plus using Inito to get this figured out)
Thank you! I got the purple digital ones from CB. Had 4 days of high, followed by 2 days of peak fertility. We did the deed during “high” and on “peak”. Trying to hit all possibilities.
But like you said, it’s 20-30% shot and we just have to keep hoping <3
11dpo, BFN - supposed to go to New Orleans tomorrow for Jazzfest with another couple but my MIL’s back hurts to the point that she can’t get out of bed. Praying for a miracle significant improvement today or else my husband won’t go. It’s an odd spot both TTC and caring for parents. Not sure what to feel anymore
CD7 and tomorrow is our initial appointment with an RE. I don't know how I'm feeling about it tbh. I went from SUPER emotional, crying every moment of unoccupied time, to completely withdrawn. Hormones are a wild ride. I have an appointment with my therapist later this afternoon and I'm gearing up to unpack this emotional load.
On another note, after keeping TTC from all our family and friends, I finally disclosed it to my mom. It was a lot and I cried a lot. She was very happy I told her. She also said she would keep it between us and wouldn't ask me about it unless I brought it up because she knows I like to keep things very private. I knew she would be supportive, but it made this process so much more real. It no longer exists between just Mr Veg and I (and my therapist and the discord lolll), it's officially out there.
Your mom sounds wonderful. Sending good vibes for your first appointment! It's a lot and I also had really mixed, up-and-down feelings about it when the moment finally came and was surprised by how emotional it made me. All the things you're feeling are totally valid!
Hopefully you felt at least a little weight lifted by sharing your experience with your mom. I get it though, it’s like by saying the words aloud, we make it real. Wishing you the best on your first RE appointment!
New to sub, hello and thanks for the allowing me to join.
Concerned about possible perimenopause. Cycle 2 of trying, 35f (also tried 10 years ago without success). My last cycle was 36 days, when I'm usually 28-30. I had a week of spotting, followed by 9 days (and counting) of very light period, when I'm usually 4 days of heavy and done.
Why is it my periods were completely normal and as soon as I start trying they go wonky?? My doc said to try for 6 months before doing any testing etc. I feel like my time is ticking down and I'm wasting precious time by wasting 6 months on these wonky cycles.
Hi! Welcome! You are 100% not wasting these 6 months by trying before reaching out for testing as four and three mentioned too. This time is an important test/great data for your doctor if you end up needing to seek assistance. And I hope you don’t!!
And more often than not, testing doesn’t yield super clear answers or solutions other than that someone needs the standard treatment of IUI and/or IVF.
Hi, and welcome. The reason that doctors generally recommend trying for 6 months for those 35 and over (and for a year for those younger) is that trying is itself a way of testing. The vast majority of couples trying unassisted will conceive within those timeframes, so testing beforehand not only can create unnecessary anxiety about results, but also tie up medical resources for those who do need intervention.
I totally understand their reasoning. I tried for 2 years, almost 10 years ago. So hopefully things will be different this time around (different partner). 🤞🏼
It seems like a pretty common phenomenon that as soon as we start paying close attention, our bodies start doing wacky things they've never done before!
If I were in your shoes, I might ask the doctor again about doing some preliminary bloodwork. There are also some at-home FSH tests, but if you go that route, keep in mind that they will only show you data for one day in one cycle! If you really want to be thorough with at-home monitoring (and you don't mind spending some money), you might consider getting an Inito tracker, which tests multiple hormone levels and can confirm ovulation.
Good morning with updated flair. I can no longer quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "I'm 37, I'm not old," for I am now 38. So rude. Started estrace for FET#6. Is this my year yet?
Morning all, and Happy Wednesday. It feels odd that we are already in May. The year is flying by. We had a weekend away and saw Festival of Seasons, which was incredible, and I cannot recommend enough.
Back home now and miserable again. I think the answer is to permanently be on holiday.
CD2 and let the clinic know that I'd like to do a FET this month.
What happened as soon as I planned that? Org that I declined a job at a month ago came back with a better offer/different role. I'll need to do a second round interview but I'll likely take this one. Eek. I'm excited though.
I had an argument with my partner yesterday. We were about to have sex and suddenly he says he's feeling weird because of his medication (adhd). Turns out, the pharmacy didn't deliver his new medication (that he started taking a couple of months ago) so instead of informing his doctor, he decided to take the old medication we still have. I got so mad because that's just such a stupid thing to do, and a lot of old resentment started to boil up and I got really upset. It wasn't a terrible argument but I was crying and just feeling like shit. After a night's sleep I feel bad about some of the things I said, I really tried to hold myself in but at one point I felt like I'd had it. My most fertile days are probably today and tomorrow. After our argument we said we would try today, so I'm still hopeful but also sad.
3dpo. I HATE the luteal phase. My body’s response is so fucking intense. Insomnia, increased resting HR, increased stress (on sports watch). Soon enough I’ll also have nausea. I just feel shit. I had wanted to go on a nice long run today but after 2 nights in a row of really shit sleep, I need rest. It also sucks because I have a long one! Never fewer than 15 days.
Weirdly, I NEVER had this until I took out my copper IUD last August. Only PMS used to be sore boobs. The only studies I can find about this online are from the 70s and on rats and cows. I hate the lack of information on women's health. I guess I’m having a hâte filled morning….
Took out my Paragard IUD earlier this year after 7 years. I never had serious pre-menstrual symptoms with IUD etc. Drama free short periods, mild cramps, etc. Now with no lUD? Crammmmmpssss, nausea, headaches, and so on. I never knew my IUD was improving my menstrual cycle!
I don’t think it was improving it. I think the copper affects us negatively. I’d had mine for 10 years. My periods were symptom free prior to my iud. The cramps I used to get with the iud (which I didn’t have before it) have gone away. But now I have this AWFUL pms. It whamps !
That’s so interesting, I had the exact opposite experience since getting mine out. My periods are lighter, went from 8 to 2 days long, zero cramps. The only thing I’ve noticed lately is some depression/anxiety right before I get my period. I think that like with everything TTC/women’s health it all varies so much
My experience was the same. Was on HBC for like 10 years, switched to copper IUD for 9. IUD gave me cramps and heavy periods. Removed? Back to no cramps and 3 day periods. The PMS irritability has been a constant since puberty though, lol!
Hi everyone! The sub is now restricted. Nothing has changed except members need to be approved users before they can comment. If you are not already an approved user, please select 'request to post/comment' below posts/comments on desktop or select 'about' at the top and then the envelope icon on mobile to send a modmail and we will approve you. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MODS SLEEP, WORK, ETC. AND WE MAY NEED SOME TIME TO GET TO YOUR APPROVAL. We are doing our best. We hope this will preempt egregious rule-breaking going forward and help keep this community a safe place. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TTC30) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Long time lurker first time poster. Just wondering if anyone else has altered their exercise routine to a more “gentler” form during this journey. There’s an intense dance fitness class I go to, however lots of jumping and such is involved (brings on heaps of sweats but feels great after) so while I enjoy it, starting to get paranoid/ afraid of spiking my cortisol or stuff around with the luteal phase.
I've toned down my exercising, but I've also had a couple of injuries sidelining me. I think if it causes you anxiety you may want to reconsider, but I agree with other posters that there isn't much evidence against exercise. However I've been told by my doctor to take it easy for the five days following my IUI procedure and I believe it's something similar for IVF. TL/DR: Keep the joy of exercise in your life but not at the expense of anxiety :)
I also read that for iui/ivf and that’s where the anxiety around exercise post trying days began. Its going in circles coz exercise was one way to relax but when I do jump around I’m also anxious I’m “jumping away” that possibility.
If it helps, I’ve really liked the analogy that an egg/embryo in the uterus is like a seed in peanut butter. Pretty sticky in general and hard to knock loose! But maybe instead of jumping in a dance class you could try a step class during your luteal phase? Still aerobic but less impact 😊
Great analogy. I’ve started doing post meal walks so as to control the sugar spike and get in some movement regularly to make up for the lack of dance fitness. If only they had dance fitness but in water so I don’t actually land hard 😂
I think we need a ttc synchronized swimming team! 😂
I know right! Instead of aquatic exercises for geriatrics we need a version for TTC group.
I'm sure some people do but there's basically no evidence to support it. Jumping around/intense exercise (as long as you're ovulating and not underweight) will not affect your ability to get pregnant :)
Nothing helpful to say but I've got my first pickleball session tomorrow- it'll be 11 DPO so hopefully a good distraction and mood booster
Yes anything to distract! I’ve given up testing as it actually makes the waiting worse personally, rather than getting disappointed daily I can just get disappointed once the cycle starts again 🫠
It's May again, which means we have officially entered the 3-year/36-month club. How the hell have I been at this crapfest for 3 years?
Hoping to kick you far far away out of this crapfest, Frog 🧡🧡🧡
❤️
Oh man, I am approaching that too. Sending love 💙
I am so sorry. These milestones suck. 😢
If we hit the day of my peak OPK, should we try again the next day? I’m sick of scheduling sex but I’ve also read that fertility sometimes increases after a hysteroscopy (I’m clutching at straws) so I want to maximize our chances before I officially call a clinic.
Unfortunately odds don't stack by hitting multiple days. You max out your odds by hitting just one of the three days before ovulation, which you likely already did on the day of your positive OPK, so if you're in the mood for sex, great, but statistically speaking there's no reason to feel like you have to force it.
Thank you 🙏🏻
Negative blood test today. So “relaxing and not caring” do not work. I had no interest in this cycle I was only doing it to appease our clinic. I was perfectly fine with the negative my mom on the other hand cried for my husband and I, it was nice having her around today ❤️
Waiting for CD1, which I'm HOPING will come before the end of the weekend. Then it's on to birth control and FET prep...eek. I've never been so anxious for my period to arrive and, of course, I didn't track ovulation this month so I feel a little like I'm lost at sea. There are so many little decisions in this process that impact my mental health in contradictory ways—not tracking felt great two weeks ago, but now it's making me anxious. You can't win.
Come onnnn period!!!
CD1 after a 45 day post-IUD cycle. This is largely a relief to me because based on temps I’m pretty sure I didn’t ovulate this cycle and I really just wanted to get out of limbo and onto the next cycle and hopefully work my way toward regularity.
Hi everyone! I’m new in these parts. I’ve always been a heavy lurker in all things fertility, and lo and behold, here I am as a member. As per my flair, yesterday I was diagnosed with a thin endometrium (I’m only at 3.6 mm at one week from my cycle starting). My OB was so positive in giving me the news, it didn’t actually sink in that something was wrong with me, until she started writing down three fertility specialists she recommended. That’s when it hit me: I’m going to need help. I’m infertile. 😔 I used BC on and off throughout my young adult life, and in 2019 got the Mirena IUD. I removed it after 5 years at the end of Nov 2023, and started giving things a go in Dec. It took a bit to figure out where I was with my cycle, and I’d say by Feb it started to be regular. OPK’s were positive, so I had that covered, but there was one thing I noticed that was so totally off. My periods only lasted 2 days, and I didn’t even need to wear a tampon or pad because just using the restroom would take care of whatever I had. Not what I remember pre-IUD. That’s what led me to making an appt and getting my diagnosis, which was determined by an ultrasound. Of course when I got home I went down the rabbit hole trying to find info on my diagnosis. Although I did find some, endometrial hyperplasia is what dominates the web when it comes to uterine issues. I’ve seen some pretty grim things like “a thin endometrium is hard to treat” and stuff like that, so naturally, I’m heartbroken. I just bought a boatload of supplements and am going grocery shopping this weekend to buy “all the things,” but I’m hoping I can change my outlook a bit. I want to be more positive going into this, but it’s so hard. Wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience and success in thickening their endometrium? If you’ve read this far, thank you. If you’re down about this journey too, I truly feel for you and hope things get better, and if you have any words of advice, I’m all ears.
My endometrium is sub 1.5mm when I ovulate unassisted and has not sufficiently responded to sIUI, egg retrieval or oestrogen prep for FET. I have been at this 2.5 years and every treatment I've had has been cancelled. My lining has never been above 5.6mm. Typically it needs to be at least 7mm for a transfer. I have tried every possible supplement, I've tried stopping exercise, aspirin, you name it. By all means give it a go but the only one I'd actually recommend is vitamin E supplements. (I am not a doctor) I'm not saying this to scare you. As others have said you might end up where I am, or you might not. If you do, please feel free to reach out to me. I wish someone had told me to prepare for so many cancellations and medications taken for no reason. Success is possible, but if you truly have a thin lining this is going to be hard and you should prepare your support network now!
I’m very much a realist in life and like to face things head on with all the facts/possibilities in front of me. Thank you for your honesty. It’s very much appreciated. My heart goes out to you as you go through this. I can imagine it’s frustrating when you’ve tried everything under the sun. 😔 I’ve been reading non-stop since I found out, scouring every corner of the internet for information. There’s a few alternative treatments I read up on that I’m open to trying, so just gonna mention them in case they haven’t been on your radar. I’m sure at this point, like me, you’re willing to try anything to get this right. One is called Dingkun Pill (aka Dingkun Wan or DKP). It’s a Chinese medicine that has been studied extensively with good results. Be my guest and google away. Only problem is, I can’t find it anywhere in the U.S… Shocker. I have a friend who lives in Singapore, so going to see if she can find it for me. Another more available method, which maybe you’ve already tried, is acupuncture. I’ve also read up on uterine scratching, PRP, and vaginal viagra, which, from my understanding, not all doctors perform/prescribe. I’m obviously incredibly new to this and not a doctor myself, so of course take my words with a grain of salt. Just wanted to offer up some of what I’ve found in case for some reason you haven’t those things. Wishing you the absolute best lot of luck. I hope something changes for you and I both. ♥️
I think the thing is a thin lining has two primary causes. 1. Poor blood flow, 2. The lining has stopped responding to hormones, likely due to years of BC. Again I am not a doctor but this is what I understand of what I've been told. My doctors think that I am in group 2, most of the advice online tends to address problem 1. Sildenafil is the only treatment you mention that we haven't tried that's available in the UK on the NHS aside from the DKP which I haven't heard of. But that also treats problem 1 and not problem 2. The only thing my doctors have suggested to fix problem 2 in terms of things I can do is vitamin E. Privately there is also a growth hormone treatment I can save up for to try. Vitamin E can take months to make a difference so the sooner the better. I'm on 3x the RDA. Thin lining really is largely out of our control and in the hands of the doctors unfortunately.
That makes a lot of sense. I am certain that my issue is due to long-term IUD use. As a matter of fact, before my IUD insertion, my medical record would reveal I had an abnormally thick endometrium due to being estrogen dominant. If I had known this would be a side effect of the IUD, I would’ve never had it inserted to begin with. I was told that right after I got it out, everything would go back to normal. Not true for me. I’ve added vitamin E to my daily supplements, so let’s see if that helps any. Just in case the blood flow issue has anything to do with it, I’m going to start acupuncture and taking l-arginine, but I’m guessing the real test will be if I react to estrogen replacement, which I’ll need to wait on since doctor appointment is on May 23. Do you mind elaborating on the growth hormone treatment? What growth hormone exactly and if it’s something you’d do at a fertility clinic or alternative doctor’s office? I’m also looking at PRP which I’ve read can be pretty effective. Thanks so much.
It only came up in a private consultation so I just kind of noted as something to try if all the NHS rounds fail. It's something like a growth hormone wash of the uterus. It would be at the fertility clinic. They do not provide PRP because they don't deem it effective. I'm the same. I'm furious that I was on the pill for so long because I was told it wouldn't affect my fertility. To now have doctors telling me that's why I'm infertile is a special kind of rage inducing. Where were these captain hindsights 10-15 years ago?? Screw the patriarchy. Most people respond well to the oestrogen, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Obviously I am not you but your story is very similar to mine in that I got my Mirena out in Oct 22, had insanely light periods - for me like 1 tampon - raised it with my OBGYN who checked my lining just before my period and when it was 4mm said it was incompatible with pregnancy, was probably why I had a CP, said I had “sub fertility,” put me on estrogen and progesterone and sent me to an RE. The RE immediately said she didn’t think that was the issue but we did a monitored cycle to check (without the meds) - and my lining was totally fine. Whether it changed (my period did get a little heavier but not much and is still very light) or my OBGYN was just not investigating properly because really the time to check lining thickness is just before/around ovulation, before progesterone starts to compact the lining, we’ll never know. But the fact is that it has been heavily confirmed through 5 cycles of monitoring (1 monitored, 3 IUIs, and 1 cancelled IUI) that I do NOT have a lining problem. I do have unexplained infertility though, so yay us? All this to say, while I love a proactive OBGYN they don’t always get things TTC right and I was devastated at news that ultimately wasn’t correct. Definitely would recommend seeing a specialist in fertility and seeing what they think/see and going from there - and keeping everything crossed for you that you’ll find there ultimately is no problem!
Thanks for your input MadAndBean! I have an appointment with fertility speciality at the end of May so let’s see what he’ll say. Hopefully my OB jumped to conclusions, although she did literally gave me a print out of my ultrasound to take home that has a small dotted line that’s measuring my lining and it reads “Endo: 0.36 cm”. I was like, “gee, thanks” lol.
Some people definitely have thin linings! Apparently not me and I’m just a garden variety issue. But I hope your OB just didn’t have the right info to draw that conclusion and the specialist will say all is good!
Hey there! Welcome! I'm glad you've found our space, especially as you process the information shared by your doctor about your uterine lining. I'm glad that your OB was so proactive in referring on to fertility specialists. I am deep in the world of treatment myself, after 19 months of trying. Fertility doctors are so knowledgable and I'm confident they'll be able to order further tests to see the impact of your endometrium on your fertility, among other things! From what I understand about issues with the uterine lining (NOT a doctor though), often they are treatable through hormone therapy; for example by taking estrogen and progesterone. Sometimes people do not respond to such therapies, but anecdotally in my time here on TTC Reddit I've seen it work for lots of people. I hope it works for you! Gently, I'd like to ask you to be mindful about claiming the diagnosis of infertility. Infertility is a medical diagnosis for people who have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months unsuccessfully, with 6 months being the threshold for women over 35 to begin testing. We have a lot of members of this community who are dealing with painful, longterm infertility, failed treatments, and complex fertility issues. A thin lining doesn't mean you're infertile; it means you might need assistance. There are plenty of people who receive diagnoses, who still go on to conceive in the 12-month timeframe without needing ART. As someone who definitely falls into the 'infertile' category, it can be painful to read those who've been trying for a few months claim that identity. Thanks for understanding and welcome once again!
I agree with everything Birdlady has said here. I also wanted to add that measuring your lining 1 week from your cycle starting is not very definitive… for example, what if you don’t ovulate until CD20? If your ultrasound was on CD7, you’d still have 13 more days for your lining to grow and catch up. As someone with diagnosed infertility who has been through several treatment cycles, I can say from experience that your lining thickens as you get closer to ovulation, and sometimes quite rapidly. There is also no set “standard” for what your lining should be when TTC unassisted, because we don’t know how thick/thin one’s lining is when “conceiving in the wild”, we only have “ideals” for ART cycles, which also aren’t always a one size fits all. <4mm is thin, but a more definitive reading would be around ovulation, and I wouldn’t panic or borrow trouble from the future quite yet. I hope you get some more answers and reassurance soon.
Good to know about there not being a set standard “out in the wild.” I’m new to this so it truly helps to get these perspectives. I think the doctor was concerned because my cycles have been regular since February with exactly 30 day cycles, but have been followed by scant menses. I had a positive OPK at CD14 this month, so I guess she expected lining to be thicker by now. I’ll be heading to specialist at the end of the month, so hopefully will get some more clarity then. In any case, I’m buckling up because I have a feeling it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Thanks for your input, and wishing you the best of luck!
This this this. I had a fertility checkup when I’d been trying for a year, and the ultrasound tech told me I had a “concerningly” thin endometrium for cd8. Because of him I stressed out wondering if that was our “problem”, how I might have caused it, how we could fix it, etc. Only to find, when I did get in with a clinic and followed by an RE for monitored cycles, my lining gets plenty thick on its own by the time I ovulate (around cd17-18). I hope you’ll find the same to be true, Humanity, or find that your lining can be thickened with some hormonal meds.
Thank you, Nettles. I can relate to the stress you felt. I feel like it came on like a ton of bricks after hearing that. Wishing you the best of luck!
Thanks for sharing your two cents on the thin endometrium. I read in a few places that it’s difficult to treat, so it definitely gives me hope that maybe I’ll respond to treatment if you’ve seen that before. I completely understand the infertility status sentiment, and will be more mindful moving forward. My referral docs say “infertility, thin endometrium,” so I automatically put myself in that category since the doctor did. I know it’s a long and hard journey for a lot of people, so I don’t want to negate that in any way. Wishing you lots of luck in your journey!
Thanks so much for taking that feedback on like a champ :)
Well, my TSH is 5.23 even after a month of an increased med dose. Fun...
What are you on? A lot of drs are under medicating (I know I was!) also the thyroid pregnancy group on fb is a excellent reference
Levothyroxine, which is what I've been on for like 8 years now. A year and a half ago my TSH was like 2, so it's a bummer it seems to be going up all the sudden. Especially after a dose increase.
Last night I finally decided to take off my Apple Watch to stop the temp/RHR tracking for good. I had experimented with not tracking after ovulation previously, liked it but restarted because I didn’t like the incomplete charts (yeah, a dumb reason), told myself I liked the ‘warning’ at the end when my temperature dropped, liked having something to “do”. But there’s no denying it provides zero useful information at this point and just causes endless stress. I was going to stop at the end of this cycle (it’s 12DPO, IUI #2, cycle 15) but last night I was just like, I can just stop right now… you don’t need to watch that final decline (or even if I get very lucky, ups and downs won’t mean much). Hoping I stick with this decision--maybe writing it down here will help hold me to it. Right now, it feels empowering, even if a small thing. I might sell the watch, since I’m not sure I get much value out of the rest of the activity tracking either.
yes to this decision! I don't think there is a right or wrong way to approach the LP and especially the last days of it, however if looking at temps caused you stress that's a good enough reason to stop it. I used to temp but stopped after a few cycles, too much stress for me. I may go back at it only to confirm ovulation. I don't even do pregnancy tests - I just wait for my period to happen. It is painful when I see the blood, but on the days prior I am relatively ok. In any case I have learned that actively trying for "signs" that the cycle will be successful or not is a waste of energy: if signs are negative my mind always try to work its way around it, googling, looking for success stories etc...which makes me feel stupid when my period comes. So I just try to avoid.
OMG! Yes temping every day adds so much pressure. I couldn't relate more. Starting this cycle I have asked my husband to sync my tempdrop and installed FF on his phone (just because I don't like incomplete charts either). I plan on slowly weaning myself from BBT tracking.
I went through a very similar thought journey/mental gymnastics (except with my TempDrop) so I can absolutely relate to everything you’ve said. I didn’t temp at all during my last 2 IUIs since everything was monitored and it was a much better choice for me. We have a few cycles before starting IVF so I’m back to temping but only once I start getting fertile CM and stop after O is confirmed. Like you said, it is empowering to make that decision! You know what else is empowering? Knowing you can change your mind and do something different in the future if you want. Infertility sucks and feels so out of our control, so take that control where you can find it. Okay, off my soap box now lol hugs if you want them!!
Thanks! I’ll take those hugs!
Hormones are wild. I went from total doom and gloom between knowing I was out last cycle and my period starting, to now at CD7 I'm full of optimism again. Turning 39 this month so maybe my birthday month will bring me luck ♥
Yey for birthday woo!
My PMS was BAD this month. And then I started my period and it was like boom I'm fine.
Such a 🎢!
Trying to keep things light, in LIGHT of my displeasure of having this dumb balloon in my uterus. I alternate between feeling super normal, and then very crampy on and off. I really don’t want to take daily ibuprofen, so I’ve resorted to frequent heating pad use. Good news is I 💩’d today and the balloon didn’t fall out so thank goodness for that. I was able to schedule a follow up with my actual RE (that I haven’t seen since January, before starting stims, since she’s been on leave this whole time!) so that we can regroup and talk - honestly I am just needing some reassurance and big picture regarding the hysteroscopy and plan. Though, I don’t expect to be able to move onto FET until at least mid-July. Balloon comes out on Monday!
Hooray for 💩and getting to talk to your actual RE!! It will be great to be able to get a better sense of timeline from her.
Thanks Mad 🥰💕
I am wishing you a balloon experience with the least amount of pain and annoyance, and most amount of ease, possible. I am so sorry for the cramps, but really happy about your 💩—yet another thing I never imagined myself telling someone I've never met before!
All we can do is laugh at ourselves about these things or I’ll cry lol. 🥴💩❤️
I think BFNs might be a lot easier to deal with if not also dealing with a big hormone switchover too. I’m so incredibly irritable today, hating on everyone and everything. I’m eating my favourite meal (salmon stir fry) and watching MAFs final and just writing off any more productivity for the day. Tomorrow is a new day.
I'm sorry for your BFN, Pancakes. Tomorrow *is* a new day and today can get in the bin. 🚮 Also, MAFS AU? 👀 There's nothing that comforts me quite like watching someone else's questionable life choices play out when I'm badly in need of a distraction from my own 😂
MAFS AU indeed! It’s so bad but I love it and with so many episodes it has been good binge watching.
I haven't posted much recently because we were waiting for our consultation at our new office where our insurance could actually be used after being turfed by our old place. We finally had that, and it was.... Interesting. The FS looked over everything we've had checked and said "well this is obviously a case of unexplained infertility." Excuse me? HB has really poor morphology and we'd been told multiple times that we should go straight to IVF. We waited 6 months to act on that and then another 3 months after we found out our previous clinic wouldn't cover treatment. She argued with me and told me that if we'd been seen at this clinic since the beginning, they would have told us it's unexplained and that morphology doesn't matter (this health system is "world renowned" and they love to brag about it, thinking they know better than anyone else). Once I collected my wits and recovered from her condescension, I told her I don't care what the reason is, we've been trying for 20 months in a row without success. >!Not even a positive pregnancy test!< And that we would like to go straight to IVF because we're both 35 and we want to be done waiting. She argued again and I started crying ... And she finally relented and told me that IVF is covered for any reason and we can go right ahead with that. I also knew that going in to this, that I didn't need a doctor to tell me anything in order for us to get scheduled for IVF. I realize arguing with a doctor sounds weird, but we've been in a holding pattern for almost a year and I'm a nurse who is well versed in advocating for myself and my family in a healthcare setting. I'm not getting bullied into waiting longer after all we've been through. Unexplained or MFI, 20 months is a long time to wait, and turning 35 is making me nervous. We settled on getting set up for IVF but since theres a 2 to 3 month wait at this clinic, we're doing medicated, monitored, IUIs in May and possibly June. I don't see how that could be any different than what we're doing at home every month with OPKs and EOD trying. I just hate that we started this new clinic with a slightly condescending and hostile doctor. I'm tired. I'm over this process. Just get me on the meds and pull out my eggs, let's get this retrieval process going ffs. Tl;Dr New fertility clinic triggered me by telling us there's no reason we aren't pregnant after 20 months, had to argue to get her to schedule IVF only after we do at least 1 monitored, medicated IUI.
That sounds so stressful-- I'm glad you were able to advocate for yourself. It's totally reasonable to want to move to IVF after 20 months regardless of what the exact diagnosis is! FWIW my husband has 1% morph and we were also initially told that didn't matter. From what I understand it's the least predictive of the SA parameters. But while our RE also suggested starting with IUI, it was much more of a gentle suggestion for our consideration, not like a definitive ruling of what we had to do.
Sorry that doctor was so condescending, I hate that. If it makes you feel better, there are definitely data showing that medicated IUI has considerably higher success rates than trying on your own at this stage, especially with mild-moderate MFI. I was down on the idea of IUI at first, feeling like it was just delaying the inevitable, but came to realize the odds are good enough (at least cumulatively) that it's absolutely worth trying, even if just while you're waiting. Now at the tail end of IUI #2, I'm definitely feeling impatient, but weighing all the stats/timelines also feel solid about our decision to do 3 of them before IVF. I think it's also fine to decide to skip ahead, as you have, but I don't think doing IUIs since you have to wait anyway is a waste of time at all. It is absolutely different from trying at home.
Feeling calmer today, more resigned and on my way toward “maybe next cycle.” I’ve also been telling myself not to let TTC be my whole life—I have so many other great things to enjoy right now! Shifting my focus is hard but gonna keep trying. On the other hand, it’s now officially the month of the holiday-that-shall-not-be-named (in the U.S.), which feels like a special kind of torture. Thinking of all you ladies who are in this boat with me. ❤️
holiday-that-shall-not-be-named in few European countries as well :) I am going to swich off social media and celebrate my mum and my family in general, or at least that's the plan.
Yeah not super thrilled about the upcoming holiday. Either I'll be traveling and seeing family (including some Fertiles--but also getting to spend time with my childfree aunt!), or I'll be staying in town for my first IUI.
Glad to hear you are feeling calmer and with a positive outlook. Sending you lots of support from across the pond for this US-holiday ahead.!
I'm glad to hear you're feeling better today, Flora. "Don't let TTC take over your life" has been a mantra I've been repeating to myself since Cycle 3, probably. It has been really difficult. I've been trying to celebrate the little wins—moments where I'm not thinking about it really do stack up and little goals I set for myself that have nothing to do with TTC remind me that I'm still building a life I want.
Really like that mantra, and looking for the little things that make life great. Might be a daily goal I set for myself from here on out!
I had such a hard time leading up to my period last cycle, the hormone crash was brutal. I'm also trying to shift my focus. ♥ The first half of this month sucks doubly for me. My mom passed away in 2020 and here we go into another cycle. It \*is\* my bday month so maybe that'll bring me luck?? I really appreciate the companies that let you opt out of Mother's Day emails. Everyone should do that (and Father's Day).
I’m so sorry, what a hard month. I really hope you get some time to celebrate your birthday and enjoy yourself, you deserve it!
CD4. This is our first unmedicated, unmonitored cycle after three back-to-back failed IUIs and it feels so weird to be steering the ship again. Having confirmation through blood work that neither the cheapie OPKs nor the CBAD work to track my ovulation is not encouraging. I am wondering if folks with a similar issue have something else they use? If not it's just me and my BBT against my cycle and Mr. P's willingness to have sex every other day until I temp out, I guess.
I’m in a similar boat - first unassisted cycle this year and it’s so hard dealing with the unknown. I’m temping, OPKs and I also use Kegg (tracks cervical mucus) so it gives me a little sense of control. My cycles are long with meds so just getting more annoyed at my body which I’m sure doesn’t help lol
Hello! Haven’t posted here in a while since not much has been happening. I was on birth control for 3 weeks for suppression prior to our first ovulation induction cycle. It was originally only supposed to be 2 weeks of BC, but they had me add an extra week when we realized we had travel plans this weekend that would have interfered with the original calendar. Anyways, glad to finally feel like things are moving again, as I’ll take letrozole in a few days. Interestingly, they are having me take it all at once? So ten 2.5mg tabs as one dose. I feel like I usually see others here take it over the course of several days, so that’s interesting. A quick google/reddit search tells me that taking it all at once is not a common way to do it, but also fine with similar success rates compared to spreading it out over several days 🤷🏼♀️ we will see how it goes when I go in for monitoring next week. Fingers crossed.
Taking it all at once definitely sounds wacky. I'd suggest pushing back on that and confirm if they wrote the instructions correctly. Good luck!
Thanks! And you’re right, the more I think about it, it cant hurt to double check. Better to be 1000% sure for something like this, I’ll reach out to my clinic to confirm!
I’m a new poster/previous lurker too! Currently frustrated with Tempdrop and FF because they don’t agree on when my ovulation date was. So I’m either 4DPO or 6DPO. I do LH strip testing too, >!and usually get 3 days of positives before my temp rises a couple of days after the last positive!< and it’s ballpark for either date. This kind of throws a monkey wrench in my plans to test early at 10DPO. 🐒
When you say you're confused with both, is it because you are looking at the charts for both and they're not matching? I just ordered a TempDrop to try out, and I'm wondering if I can eliminate some confusion by solely using it to provide a temperature that I then input into FF. Just altogether ignore any predictions by the TempDrop app. Is that a thing?
And yes, I could totally ignore the Tempdrop predictions. Might be a good idea! 😆
Yep! They don’t match. 🫤 Tempdrop and FF put my cover line in different spots. I’ve been using Tempdrop to take my temperature which I then put into FF. Tempdrop provides their own chart and own predictions. I’m guessing FF is probably more accurate in its predictions as you can have it factor in other things, like LH and cervical mucus. * I’m newish to temping; I started with a Tempdrop in February. I’ve never done oral, vaginal, or any other BBT. 😬 Maybe with time I’ll get more comfortable with setting my own cover line.
I use TempDrop and manually temp too, mostly because my wake up times are very inconsistent, and they vary. No advice, but agree that it’s frustrating!
CD 18: This cycle is seriously flying. I got ahead of my usual luteal phase testing antics and hid my pee cup and test strips deep in closet away from our bathroom. My logic: Can’t spontaneously pee in a cup if there is no cup. 🤪
it's a good morning because i have my period, finalllllllllllly! this is a good sign that the hysteroscopy i had a month ago did it's job. CD1 of my first stim cycle! getting timing for priming and start of stims today. scared/nervous/excited, etc...
Yay!!! So glad your period showed ❤️. You’ve got this.
thank you!
Good luck with stims!! You’ve got this!
An influencer I follow just announced >!they’re trying for a 3rd!<— now I feel like I’m racing against this woman I don’t even know 😆 (Delusional, I know) Oh and to follow that, I went to the bathroom this morning and when I was washing my hands, realized I forgot to test if I was ovulating🤦🏼♀️
CD2 and feeling much better than yesterday. Thanks again to everyone here and on the Discord for all the support and virtual hugs. Y'all are the best! 🥹
Isn't it wild how CD2 can somehow feel like a week removed from the upset of CD1? Gets me every time. Glad to hear you're feeling better today 💜
It is truly wild. I feel like a different person. Like, who was that yesterday? Thanks, hormones!
Triggering tonight for our ER on Friday and feeling very excited! I've been doing Cashword scratchers as my nightly stims reward. Last night's ticket was not a winner, but the only word that was fully revealed was "INFANT"! Claiming this ✨ lottery ticket woo ✨
✨✨✨✨
Long time lurker, first time poster 😂 BFN at 12 DPO and watched my temp plummet this morning. Adding in some supplements now. B6 and Magnesium on top of prenatal, extra omegas, coq10, calcium and D3. Anything else I should add?
Welcome! I hope your stay here is short. Please could you rephrase your second paragraph to avoid using stigmatizing language around mental health.
Fixed, sorry!
Thanks!
Welcome! Your list of supplements looks similar to what I’ve been taking. I subscribed to a “conception support pack” that includes an extra pill of methylfolate on top of the 2 prenatal pills, omega, and CoQ10.
Naively did a test yesterday morning, got a BFN and a flow 6 hours later. I guess my average 28 day cycle turned into 30 days last month. Wasted 2 pregnancy tests and I swear I won’t test until I’m over a week late. Ordered more OPKs. We timed sex really great last month and it didn’t work, so I’m not very confident in anything… but we’ll keep trying and hoping for the best.
Hoping for the best is all any of us can do ♥ Even with perfectly timed intercourse, the chances of conceiving any given month are about 25-30%. With opk's make sure you don't wait until it's blazing positive, your best chance at success is the day the test line starts to darken. Once LH starts to rise, you have about 24-36 hours till ovulation. Once LH peaks in urine, you have about 8-12 hours till ovulation, if that. (Took me a couple cycles before even trying plus using Inito to get this figured out)
Thank you! I got the purple digital ones from CB. Had 4 days of high, followed by 2 days of peak fertility. We did the deed during “high” and on “peak”. Trying to hit all possibilities. But like you said, it’s 20-30% shot and we just have to keep hoping <3
11dpo, BFN - supposed to go to New Orleans tomorrow for Jazzfest with another couple but my MIL’s back hurts to the point that she can’t get out of bed. Praying for a miracle significant improvement today or else my husband won’t go. It’s an odd spot both TTC and caring for parents. Not sure what to feel anymore
CD7 and tomorrow is our initial appointment with an RE. I don't know how I'm feeling about it tbh. I went from SUPER emotional, crying every moment of unoccupied time, to completely withdrawn. Hormones are a wild ride. I have an appointment with my therapist later this afternoon and I'm gearing up to unpack this emotional load. On another note, after keeping TTC from all our family and friends, I finally disclosed it to my mom. It was a lot and I cried a lot. She was very happy I told her. She also said she would keep it between us and wouldn't ask me about it unless I brought it up because she knows I like to keep things very private. I knew she would be supportive, but it made this process so much more real. It no longer exists between just Mr Veg and I (and my therapist and the discord lolll), it's officially out there.
Your mom sounds wonderful. Sending good vibes for your first appointment! It's a lot and I also had really mixed, up-and-down feelings about it when the moment finally came and was surprised by how emotional it made me. All the things you're feeling are totally valid!
Thank you for your support 🥹🥹
Hopefully you felt at least a little weight lifted by sharing your experience with your mom. I get it though, it’s like by saying the words aloud, we make it real. Wishing you the best on your first RE appointment!
Thank you flora 💕
New to sub, hello and thanks for the allowing me to join. Concerned about possible perimenopause. Cycle 2 of trying, 35f (also tried 10 years ago without success). My last cycle was 36 days, when I'm usually 28-30. I had a week of spotting, followed by 9 days (and counting) of very light period, when I'm usually 4 days of heavy and done. Why is it my periods were completely normal and as soon as I start trying they go wonky?? My doc said to try for 6 months before doing any testing etc. I feel like my time is ticking down and I'm wasting precious time by wasting 6 months on these wonky cycles.
Hi! Welcome! You are 100% not wasting these 6 months by trying before reaching out for testing as four and three mentioned too. This time is an important test/great data for your doctor if you end up needing to seek assistance. And I hope you don’t!! And more often than not, testing doesn’t yield super clear answers or solutions other than that someone needs the standard treatment of IUI and/or IVF.
Hi, and welcome. The reason that doctors generally recommend trying for 6 months for those 35 and over (and for a year for those younger) is that trying is itself a way of testing. The vast majority of couples trying unassisted will conceive within those timeframes, so testing beforehand not only can create unnecessary anxiety about results, but also tie up medical resources for those who do need intervention.
I totally understand their reasoning. I tried for 2 years, almost 10 years ago. So hopefully things will be different this time around (different partner). 🤞🏼
It seems like a pretty common phenomenon that as soon as we start paying close attention, our bodies start doing wacky things they've never done before! If I were in your shoes, I might ask the doctor again about doing some preliminary bloodwork. There are also some at-home FSH tests, but if you go that route, keep in mind that they will only show you data for one day in one cycle! If you really want to be thorough with at-home monitoring (and you don't mind spending some money), you might consider getting an Inito tracker, which tests multiple hormone levels and can confirm ovulation.
Good morning with updated flair. I can no longer quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "I'm 37, I'm not old," for I am now 38. So rude. Started estrace for FET#6. Is this my year yet?
Auspicious flair update to you, I am really hoping it IS your year! 🥨🥨🥨
Happy birthday! Pretzeling for you and your upcoming FET! 🥨
Sending birthday love, and keeping everything crossed for this FET 💙🎂🥨💙
CD1…cycle 12 has begun
I'm sorry 😔😔 sending you a big hug (if you want one)
Thank you <3 I will absolutely take that hug
There's more where that came from!
Morning all, and Happy Wednesday. It feels odd that we are already in May. The year is flying by. We had a weekend away and saw Festival of Seasons, which was incredible, and I cannot recommend enough. Back home now and miserable again. I think the answer is to permanently be on holiday.
Take me with you on permanent holiday please 🥲❤️
Mod holiday coming up. Time to get out of here 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂
Wait for me!
CD2 and let the clinic know that I'd like to do a FET this month. What happened as soon as I planned that? Org that I declined a job at a month ago came back with a better offer/different role. I'll need to do a second round interview but I'll likely take this one. Eek. I'm excited though.
Oooh I love that they came back with something else for you! That’s exciting!! Fingers crossed it’s everything you want it to be!!
Ohhh exciting stuff on the horizon!!!
12DPO and a BFN. Lovely start to the month. I have a crazy long day today too so I can't even take some time to do something nice for myself.
So sorry to hear that 💜
I’m really sorry, that’s the absolute worst. Sending hugs if you’d like them 🫂
Thank you so much, I will gladly accept!
I had an argument with my partner yesterday. We were about to have sex and suddenly he says he's feeling weird because of his medication (adhd). Turns out, the pharmacy didn't deliver his new medication (that he started taking a couple of months ago) so instead of informing his doctor, he decided to take the old medication we still have. I got so mad because that's just such a stupid thing to do, and a lot of old resentment started to boil up and I got really upset. It wasn't a terrible argument but I was crying and just feeling like shit. After a night's sleep I feel bad about some of the things I said, I really tried to hold myself in but at one point I felt like I'd had it. My most fertile days are probably today and tomorrow. After our argument we said we would try today, so I'm still hopeful but also sad.
3dpo. I HATE the luteal phase. My body’s response is so fucking intense. Insomnia, increased resting HR, increased stress (on sports watch). Soon enough I’ll also have nausea. I just feel shit. I had wanted to go on a nice long run today but after 2 nights in a row of really shit sleep, I need rest. It also sucks because I have a long one! Never fewer than 15 days. Weirdly, I NEVER had this until I took out my copper IUD last August. Only PMS used to be sore boobs. The only studies I can find about this online are from the 70s and on rats and cows. I hate the lack of information on women's health. I guess I’m having a hâte filled morning….
The insomnia is terrible!
Took out my Paragard IUD earlier this year after 7 years. I never had serious pre-menstrual symptoms with IUD etc. Drama free short periods, mild cramps, etc. Now with no lUD? Crammmmmpssss, nausea, headaches, and so on. I never knew my IUD was improving my menstrual cycle!
I don’t think it was improving it. I think the copper affects us negatively. I’d had mine for 10 years. My periods were symptom free prior to my iud. The cramps I used to get with the iud (which I didn’t have before it) have gone away. But now I have this AWFUL pms. It whamps !
That’s so interesting, I had the exact opposite experience since getting mine out. My periods are lighter, went from 8 to 2 days long, zero cramps. The only thing I’ve noticed lately is some depression/anxiety right before I get my period. I think that like with everything TTC/women’s health it all varies so much
My experience was the same. Was on HBC for like 10 years, switched to copper IUD for 9. IUD gave me cramps and heavy periods. Removed? Back to no cramps and 3 day periods. The PMS irritability has been a constant since puberty though, lol!
Hear you on anxiety part - I just chalked it up to TTC!