@Kindmom1 this sounds really positive hoping you get your bfp when you test again.
@Lh8609 hoping that it was implantation bleeding, I’ve got my fingers crossed for you.
I’m loosing my mind slightly this month I’m CD17 I would usually get a positive OPK CD14/CD15 but nothing yet. I did get a positive on Saturday on and CB advanced digital but I’d had no flashing smiley faces before I got my positive so I did a normal digital and a Wondfo that we’re both negative, also I’ve had no ewcm and no temperature increase so guessing it was a faulty test. My cycles are usually very regular so I have no idea what’s going on. I’m just really hoping I ovulate this month it’s starting to make me worry that I won’t x
@Lh8609 brown and pink is always promising! I think if it stops today might be worth a test in a day or 2 but if not then count it as an odd period and hopefully join the rest of us with BFP's in Nov! xx
I’ll keep you all posted, I’ve got 2 cheapy tests which I’m going to do tomorrow and Thursday morning. I’m saving my clearblues lol. My boobs feel really tender today and when I had a feel for my cervix earlier I could hardly reach it 🤞🏽 X
@KristinO1987 Well since af is commonly one day early or a day late accordingly to my calendar im going to wait at least 2 full days before testing.which will be Wednesday morning to test🤞🏼🤞🏼 Meanwhile ill keep paring for my miracle.
also i forgot to mention in my post that when i tested negative about a week or so ago i didn’t use first morning pee and i had recently started to drink more water and i remember thinking to myself “this pee looks soo clear I should test tomorrow morning “ but then i saw the negative and just brushed off and continue my day like nothing. I don’t know why i didn’t feel as sad/down as i always do. I thought it was maybe because im soo used to always testing negative lol 😂 lets see 🤞🏼✨🙏🏼🤞🏼🙏🏼✨
Honestly I just stick to first morning because it’s just easier to test ugh I hope nov is our month
Hi all. I’m not doing any ovulation tests this cycle just gonna go with the flow but finding it hard BDing every other day. We seem to be at it every day and mostly early morning I wake him wanting it. Not that he has a problem but I don’t want to make the lil swimmers too weak. It was my idea to go every other day but I can’t do it. So November may not be my month either. I’m still early in the cycle. And gonna try for a night off. I had longer cycle last one was a week late. So will every other day still be ok throughout xx
Hi ladies I’m trying to understand my CM. I’ve taken a break this cycle for tracking with OPKS and just trying to listen to my body.
Yesterday I had very Watery CM and we didn’t BD - today I have quite a lot of EWCM (so much I could feel it leaving my body) Never had so much before, this was around 3pm. My question is would this indicate OV is happening or about to happen? i now this evening have nothing and am dry again 🤷🏻♀️
@FlossyLZ i am on cycle 17 and have had 2 21 day blood tests one showing ovulation and the other no ovulation. My mans wee guys have been tested and there good so my doc has referred me to a specialist at the hospital. Im regular like clockwork even when not ovulating so goodness knows what's going on. Im getting pretty low about it so i stress out and work right now is stressful so its no good!
@Kylie1987 EWCM occurs from days before ovulation up to the day of ovulation and sometimes takes a day or so to totally disappear after ovulation. Just get to BDing at least every other day to make sure you're covered. the EWCM is caused by an estrogen surge that occurs before the LH surge for ovulation. If you pair with an LH test, you may have a clearer view of when ovulation would occur.
@GwentonEmmy I really dont think its the biggest issue to BD everyday. The healthy sperm (whatever amount it is) will still be hanging around and with each day you technically still increase the number of healthy sperm hanging around (even if you're increase the number of not so good ones as well). It only takes one!!!
Hi ladies. really struggling at the moment. I have lost my hope. any long term ttc ers out there with any words of wisdom? CD3 of cycle 19.
Hi @FlossyLZ, I’ve been TTC for more than 2 1/2 years now, and I’m soon to be 43, so time is really against me. I’ve had two early miscarriages and 2 suspected chemicals. Hope has been in short supply, and despair overwhelming. But I know the pain of regret if I quit would haunt me for the rest of my life, so I carry on.
Sometimes, I find stepping away from these forums, the endless flood of other people’s BFPs, and from the whole TTC perpetual-grief-meat-grinder is very therapeutic. I don’t mean stop trying, just stop obsessing and over-thinking the process. Analysing every PMT symptom, which also frustratingly mimics early pregnancy symptoms, because they’re caused by the same damn rise in hormones, squinting at countless OPKs, temp charts and HPTs, it’s enough to drive anyone batty.
By now, you probably have a pretty good idea about your cycle and when you ovulate, how long your luteal phase is etc... so taking a less clinical approach should come pretty easily, without risking missing your fertile window. However, if temping, charting and OPKs etc... works for you without stress, carry on!
Next, do you have a plan? Drifting from month to month, suffering through period after period, which starts feeling almost like loss after loss... it’s just not a good headspace to be in indefinitely.
My OH and I decided we were drawing a line in the sand. We gave ourselves 18months to either have a baby, get pregnant (be it naturally, by IVF, or by IVF with donor eggs), or be in the adoption process. My age dictated our 18mth timeline (fertility absolutely plummets to 1-3% odds of a healthy pregnancy after age 43), and also the ever increasing age gap between our 5 year old daughter and her future sibling.
So, we had a plan... natural conception was not working, so when the IVF clinics reopened, we signed up for our 2nd cycle (I’d had my first round about 16mths ago, but it ended in a miscarriage at 5 weeks, and the follow up consultant made a very negative impact on me, heavily implying my egg quality was the problem and that we were wasting our money, and that donor eggs were likely my only reasonable next step. This was devastating news, and put me off from trying again, even though we’d already paid for it, and I knew I had to go through another round eventually, even if my odds were 0%! We couldn’t walk away from thousands of pounds for nothing. We’d paid a heavily discounted rate for two rounds up front - it had sounded like such a good idea at the time! Oddly, the consultant wasn’t planning to change my drug protocol at all... but isn’t that the very definition of madness? Doing the same thing again, and expecting a different result? I needed to step back, and see another consultant, when I was ready to try again!
I ended up getting pregnant naturally in my 2nd cycle after my IVF miscarriage. But sadly, that ended in another miscarriage at 7 weeks. Now, I had the fear of god in me. My body was a decrepit failure and a traitor. But I hauled myself out of the depths of despair. And I got angry, REALLY ANGRY!!! I got passionate about getting my body and mind in optimum health and shape. I started kickboxing, weight lifting, running, HIIT, cycling and yoga (all things I enjoy and used to do before I had my daughter). That became my focus, NOT TTC. I cleaned up my diet - nothing drastic like cutting out whole food groups like going vegan, keto or dairy-free. I figure I got pregnant with my daughter eating lean meat, dairy and complex carbs, why would those things be causing me problems conceiving now? But I reduced refined sugar, processed foods and starchy carbs, and upped my veg and water intake. I’m the leanest and most muscular I’ve ever been in my life, and my mental and emotional state is better than ever.
I did research the science behind improving egg quality. I wanted to see clinical studies with proven, high quality supplements, conducted by experienced and qualified scientists and doctors.
I don’t know if your issue is egg quality, but putting yourself through blood tests and scans, speaking to fertility experts and RESEARCHING RESEARCHING RESEARCHING, will hopefully help you to find solutions to your fertility problems. Don’t stop looking and asking!
Anyway, I don’t have my happy ending to share with you...yet. I’m only a few months into my ‘F*#k YOU TTC Plan’, but I feel more positive than I have in years. I’m currently in the TWW after finally kicking my fear of failure to the curb and having my 2nd round of IVF (testing on Election Day !). I saw another, very upbeat consultant who did tweak my drug protocol. Things are looking considerably better already this round compared to my first round. My expectations are low... but I’m cautiously optimistic.
My best advice to you? Get yourself out of the TTC headspace, get proactive with scans, tests, treatments, research etc... get your body and mind in the best shape possible. It’s win-win. Even if it all fails, your body will still thank you, and you’ve given yourself a stronger mind to cope with whatever life solution you come to.
I wish you all the very best, don’t give up on yourself!!! You WILL find your happiness and heart’s desire.
Hi ladies. really struggling at the moment. I have lost my hope. any long term ttc ers out there with any words of wisdom? CD3 of cycle 19.
Hi @FlossyLZ, I’ve been TTC for more than 2 1/2 years now, and I’m soon to be 43, so time is really against me. I’ve had two early miscarriages and 2 suspected chemicals. Hope has been in short supply, and despair overwhelming. But I know the pain of regret if I quit would haunt me for the rest of my life, so I carry on.
Sometimes, I find stepping away from these forums, the endless flood of other people’s BFPs, and from the whole TTC perpetual-grief-meat-grinder is very therapeutic. I don’t mean stop trying, just stop obsessing and over-thinking the process. Analysing every PMT symptom, which also frustratingly mimics early pregnancy symptoms, because they’re caused by the same damn rise in hormones, squinting at countless OPKs, temp charts and HPTs, it’s enough to drive anyone batty.
By now, you probably have a pretty good idea about your cycle and when you ovulate, how long your luteal phase is etc... so taking a less clinical approach should come pretty easily, without risking missing your fertile window. However, if temping, charting and OPKs etc... works for you without stress, carry on!
Next, do you have a plan? Drifting from month to month, suffering through period after period, which starts feeling almost like loss after loss... it’s just not a good headspace to be in indefinitely.
My OH and I decided we were drawing a line in the sand. We gave ourselves 18months to either have a baby, get pregnant (be it naturally, by IVF, or by IVF with donor eggs), or be in the adoption process. My age dictated our 18mth timeline (fertility absolutely plummets to 1-3% odds of a healthy pregnancy after age 43), and also the ever increasing age gap between our 5 year old daughter and her future sibling.
So, we had a plan... natural conception was not working, so when the IVF clinics reopened, we signed up for our 2nd cycle (I’d had my first round about 16mths ago, but it ended in a miscarriage at 5 weeks, and the follow up consultant made a very negative impact on me, heavily implying my egg quality was the problem and that we were wasting our money, and that donor eggs were likely my only reasonable next step. This was devastating news, and put me off from trying again, even though we’d already paid for it, and I knew I had to go through another round eventually, even if my odds were 0%! We couldn’t walk away from thousands of pounds for nothing. We’d paid a heavily discounted rate for two rounds up front - it had sounded like such a good idea at the time! Oddly, the consultant wasn’t planning to change my drug protocol at all... but isn’t that the very definition of madness? Doing the same thing again, and expecting a different result? I needed to step back, and see another consultant, when I was ready to try again!
I ended up getting pregnant naturally in my 2nd cycle after my IVF miscarriage. But sadly, that ended in another miscarriage at 7 weeks. Now, I had the fear of god in me. My body was a decrepit failure and a traitor. But I hauled myself out of the depths of despair. And I got angry, REALLY ANGRY!!! I got passionate about getting my body and mind in optimum health and shape. I started kickboxing, weight lifting, running, HIIT, cycling and yoga (all things I enjoy and used to do before I had my daughter). That became my focus, NOT TTC. I cleaned up my diet - nothing drastic like cutting out whole food groups like going vegan, keto or dairy-free. I figure I got pregnant with my daughter eating lean meat, dairy and complex carbs, why would those things be causing me problems conceiving now? But I reduced refined sugar, processed foods and starchy carbs, and upped my veg and water intake. I’m the leanest and most muscular I’ve ever been in my life, and my mental and emotional state is better than ever.
I did research the science behind improving egg quality. I wanted to see clinical studies with proven, high quality supplements, conducted by experienced and qualified scientists and doctors.
I don’t know if your issue is egg quality, but putting yourself through blood tests and scans, speaking to fertility experts and RESEARCHING RESEARCHING RESEARCHING, will hopefully help you to find solutions to your fertility problems. Don’t stop looking and asking!
Anyway, I don’t have my happy ending to share with you...yet. I’m only a few months into my ‘F*#k YOU TTC Plan’, but I feel more positive than I have in years. I’m currently in the TWW after finally kicking my fear of failure to the curb and having my 2nd round of IVF (testing on Election Day !). I saw another, very upbeat consultant who did tweak my drug protocol. Things are looking considerably better already this round compared to my first round. My expectations are low... but I’m cautiously optimistic.
My best advice to you? Get yourself out of the TTC headspace, get proactive with scans, tests, treatments, research etc... get your body and mind in the best shape possible. It’s win-win. Even if it all fails, your body will still thank you, and you’ve given yourself a stronger mind to cope with whatever life solution you come to.
I wish you all the very best, don’t give up on yourself!!! You WILL find your happiness and heart’s desire.
This is such good advice im super motivated to start eating healthier
@Revbomb I know right. I will for sure use first morning pee when i test again.I hope and pray this is our month.
@R@Rose85 Thanks.I still dont want to get any hopes up yet.
Update——
as of today still no AF. Ive been feeling good, one thing i did noticed that i haven’t had my any of my usual monthly symptoms. Usually a couple of days before my period i start feeling very lazy, sleepy, weak, lower back pain, tender breast but i haven’t had anything. This morning i did feel like some short mild cramps but literally lasted me 5 minutes and nothing after that.
Today i was analyzing and remembered how about a week ago i got this bad headache n i couldn’t tell why, today i had it too. Not inly that yesterday and today i got car sick something that doesn’t happen too often to me. I don’t know what to think. Im scared to test n see a negative. I keep thinking what of my mind is playing tricks on my body with all this symptoms all for nothing.
This has happened to me before in the past where i start feeling happy for 2 daya late and then af shows up. I get even more sad then if af just shows up on time😭.
Above is my period pattern. I still haven’t gotten my period for October but it was predicted to be on the 26th still i haven’t logged any period for this month that is why the day keeps moving up. As yall can see the days are pretty close to each? I don’t know
@KiwiMoomin Thank you so much for your reply. That has helped. I do need to get myself out of the TTC headspace. Unfortunately covid hasn't helped. There isn't many places to go to be able to distract myself from ttc and due to covid our referral was delayed by many months. I feel like we are moving forward now. We are just pending my DH semen analysis results. All of mine have come back normal. I had a HSG last month which I was desperate to have so I think the reason why I feel so low is I had it in my head that that would work and help us conceive the month it was done. It is meant to increase fertility for a few months afterwards so I need to learn to be a little more patient. I do need to move forward from it, and not fixate on it. For various reasons I went gluten free last year. I did it for me and within a few months I felt better. I have stuck with it and honestly I feel in better health even though I have not been diagnosed as intolerant. Incidentally I feel like it has improved my period and cycle health if that makes sense. I found that before my periods were unusually light and didn't always look the healthy bright red colour I was used to. Even though I was ovulating (confirmed by blood test and temp). It took a while but over the past 6 or 7 months my periods are back to how they use to be so I do wonder if uterine lining is, or at least has been an issue in the past. I don't have my next appointment yet but I imagine we will get another soon and I am going to go with a list of questions. It is highly likely at this stage that we are dealing with unexplained fertility issues and would be recommended ivf. Unfortunately that isn't a financial possibility for us but I will be asking questions as to if there is any other options for us. They don't think egg quality is an issue, although I am nearly 36 so I suppose my eggs could do with being a little younger. There is a possibility that they may try drugs to try to induce me to release more eggs per cycle to increase the odds but I don't know if they will still do that as my scan shows my ovaries are doing really well and there are plenty of follicles developing each cycle, so I guess the risk is that they overstimulate me and it will mess with my cycle.
@Kylie1987 I echo everything @Poca92 said about ewcm. I have used natural family planning for years to avoid pregnancy and I relied solely on cm observation. I also achieved one pregnancy (planned) during my time using NFP. You are potentially fertile the entire time you obeserve ewcm and up to 3 full days afterwards. If you have days in between that you don’t observe cm, it might just be a little and staying up by the cervix. Funny story: the month I got pregnant with my son, I was pissed at my husband. We don’t have sex that much on the regular and he was playing his video games so much that we didn’t BD until one or two days after I stopped having ewcm. I was pissed because I thought we missed that month. But we got pregnant and now my son is 3.5 🤣
@Kindmom1 I’d also be testing but I have no control when it comes to testing. If your worried maybe give it another couple of days and if af still hasn’t arrived do another test x
@GwentonEmmy I don’t think it really matters I’ve read some information that say BD every other day and others that say the more the better every day even twice a day around ovulation x
@FlossyLZ I’m sorry you’re feeling down. I get how frustrating it can be. In a past relationship I tried for 3 years to conceive and it never happened. I remember how hard it was constantly looking at negative tests and feeling rubbish. This time my new partners is amazing and trying not to let me get wound up. I’ve made a real effort to eat better cut out alcohol (not completely but only occasionally having a drink). I do track ovulation and my temperature but I find that helps me relax as I know what is happening. I think trying to focus on something other than TTC is great advice even though we all know how hard it can be to do x
I’ve finally got a positive OPK today 4 days later than I would normally. I was a little worried about it but feeling better now, so hopefully ovulating tomorrow.
Replies
because it’s just easier to test
ugh I hope nov is our month
I’ve taken a break this cycle for tracking with OPKS and just trying to listen to my body.
i now this evening have nothing and am dry again 🤷🏻♀️
Sometimes, I find stepping away from these forums, the endless flood of other people’s BFPs, and from the whole TTC perpetual-grief-meat-grinder is very therapeutic. I don’t mean stop trying, just stop obsessing and over-thinking the process. Analysing every PMT symptom, which also frustratingly mimics early pregnancy symptoms, because they’re caused by the same damn rise in hormones, squinting at countless OPKs, temp charts and HPTs, it’s enough to drive anyone batty.
I don’t know if your issue is egg quality, but putting yourself through blood tests and scans, speaking to fertility experts and RESEARCHING RESEARCHING RESEARCHING, will hopefully help you to find solutions to your fertility problems. Don’t stop looking and asking!
im super motivated to start eating healthier
I know right. I will for sure use first morning pee when i test again.I hope and pray this is our month.
Thanks.I still dont want to get any hopes up yet.
as of today still no AF. Ive been feeling good, one thing i did noticed that i haven’t had my any of my usual monthly symptoms. Usually a couple of days before my period i start feeling very lazy, sleepy, weak, lower back pain, tender breast but i haven’t had anything. This morning i did feel like some short mild cramps but literally lasted me 5 minutes and nothing after that.
Today i was analyzing and remembered how about a week ago i got this bad headache n i couldn’t tell why, today i had it too. Not inly that yesterday and today i got car sick something that doesn’t happen too often to me. I don’t know what to think. Im scared to test n see a negative. I keep thinking what of my mind is playing tricks on my body with all this symptoms all for nothing.
feb- 21
mar-24
apr-23
may-25
Jun-25
july-26
aug-26
sept-25
oct- nothing yet!!!
Thank you so much for your reply. That has helped. I do need to get myself out of the TTC headspace. Unfortunately covid hasn't helped. There isn't many places to go to be able to distract myself from ttc and due to covid our referral was delayed by many months. I feel like we are moving forward now. We are just pending my DH semen analysis results. All of mine have come back normal. I had a HSG last month which I was desperate to have so I think the reason why I feel so low is I had it in my head that that would work and help us conceive the month it was done. It is meant to increase fertility for a few months afterwards so I need to learn to be a little more patient. I do need to move forward from it, and not fixate on it. For various reasons I went gluten free last year. I did it for me and within a few months I felt better. I have stuck with it and honestly I feel in better health even though I have not been diagnosed as intolerant. Incidentally I feel like it has improved my period and cycle health if that makes sense. I found that before my periods were unusually light and didn't always look the healthy bright red colour I was used to. Even though I was ovulating (confirmed by blood test and temp). It took a while but over the past 6 or 7 months my periods are back to how they use to be so I do wonder if uterine lining is, or at least has been an issue in the past. I don't have my next appointment yet but I imagine we will get another soon and I am going to go with a list of questions. It is highly likely at this stage that we are dealing with unexplained fertility issues and would be recommended ivf. Unfortunately that isn't a financial possibility for us but I will be asking questions as to if there is any other options for us. They don't think egg quality is an issue, although I am nearly 36 so I suppose my eggs could do with being a little younger. There is a possibility that they may try drugs to try to induce me to release more eggs per cycle to increase the odds but I don't know if they will still do that as my scan shows my ovaries are doing really well and there are plenty of follicles developing each cycle, so I guess the risk is that they overstimulate me and it will mess with my cycle.
@FlossyLZ I’m sorry you’re feeling down. I get how frustrating it can be. In a past relationship I tried for 3 years to conceive and it never happened. I remember how hard it was constantly looking at negative tests and feeling rubbish. This time my new partners is amazing and trying not to let me get wound up. I’ve made a real effort to eat better cut out alcohol (not completely but only occasionally having a drink). I do track ovulation and my temperature but I find that helps me relax as I know what is happening. I think trying to focus on something other than TTC is great advice even though we all know how hard it can be to do x