I’m sorry to hear that you’re feeling low, which is understandable with all that’s on your mind right now. All I can say is I feel you on the weight struggles. I’ve been stuck in a plateau for months that I’m trying to break past and it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes like, dang, will I ever make it over this little speedbump? But the advice usually is to tweak something you’re doing because when you’re doing the same food and workout consistently your body gets too comfortable with that. Fasting definitely could help! But I want to say great job on your activity levels, that’s already so good for your health!
Currently I’m feeling all over the place about my first ttc round. It’s like my brain can’t settle on an emotion rn because the realist in me is like ‘don’t get your hopes up because it often takes a while to conceive for the average person and xyz other reasons’ but another part of me is like ‘But what if! I hope it happens ASAP!’
I’m also trying to recalibrate my routine to lose more weight. I’ve started doing 16:8 fasting a few times a week and am trying to drag myself into the gym on a regular basis. What i struggle with most is consistency/routine though so it may take a while to get on a schedule again
It sucks to have a stressful job and try to TTC. I’m sorry. I had to leave my job in [name_f]December[/name_f] because of that (understaffed, had to work 8-2 or 3 w/o lunch, etc). I hope next week is better for you or you can find something soon.
Well looks like it’s been a bit of a sucky week for quite a few people as I’m in a similar boat. I haven’t ovulated yet (hopefully today) despite having been consistently ovulating on CD18 the last few months (today is CD21).
Except for my new lower carb diet (it’s not full keto as I’m eating under 100g/day not 50/day but most of it is fruit and such) I haven’t really changed anything. And a diet like that is supposed to help, not harm, the cycle of people with PCOS so now I don’t know what to think. I even tested 2-3x/day on CD 17-19 trying to catch it because that’s normally when I ovulate and nada. Zilch.
I’m trying to get better at going to the gym but am still experiencing a lot of tiredness yet anxiety at night. Like, I slept from 12:30am to 6:30am (I know it’s not 8hrs but it’s not 2hrs either) and then went back to sleep after DH left for work from like 8:30 to NOON. I’m only supposed to feel like that if I’m pregnant, darn it.
If this continues, I may have to go in and have my annual done early (trying to do it and my fertility appointment at the same time in [name_f]May[/name_f] as at my preconception my OBGYN said he didn’t think we’d have trouble (lol) but to come back at 9mos instead of a year) just to see what’s going on.
@pacifica I hear you on those mixed feelings and trying to stay level headed. I try to tell myself to enjoy life and just take TTC as it comes. Make interventions when needed, etc. But, I still go into clown mode, like I did yesterday when I took my 4th (or 5th? lost count) pregnancy test. Gym and fasting is the goal for me, too… maybe I’ll try to get there this weekend. @cms1512 Sorry about the confusing ovulation experience you are having. I know I don’t ovulate some months with PCOS. Doesn’t it stink when you have all of these symptoms/feelings that are supposed to be related to periods or pregnancy?.. but then you can’t blame it on that? This past week I have also felt tired and emotional. Wish I could just say, oh it’s because I’m pregnant or that time of the month again!
Ugh I hope your ovulation happens soon or that it’s back on track next month at least!! That’s so frustrating.
@turnip that’s the mindset i want to have ultimately but the unknown timeline of ttc is such a stressor. Definitely going to try to stay level-headed as much as possible though.
It’s proving to be a rough time to have a day full of OB ultrasounds to do at work because I almost teared up during the last one. Sweet little 12 week baby and all was well
but my mind went to “oh great she’s the same age as me and already has four kids” and that didn’t sit amazingly in my brain…
@turnip Well I’m an unusual PCOS-ee in that I typically do have regular cycles/ovulation (they diagnosed me with just the string of pearl ovaries so…) so that’s why this is a bit concerning to me. I started having EWCM just this afternoon so maybe I’m just late this cycle. LH is still negative though. Guess we’ll see! Regardless, it’s likely that I’ll struggle to conceive anyway (this is month 6) but I’m trying not to go there mentally yet.
@pacifica I have a friend/acquaintance that is younger than me and has 4 children because she got to start when she was 20. So I get you on those feels.
I’m also watching my friends get pregnant w/o tracking and I start feeling guilty like “am I preventing it by tracking…?” I know that’s a weird thought but it feels like it sometimes.
Welp.
It’s sundown on CD22 and no LH/BBT rise in sight. A bit surprising and disappointing as either ovulation is just going to be really late (and our trying was so well-timed this week) or I’m going to an have anovulatory cycle.
I’m discouraged because I started this diet in an attempt to help conception and now it seems to be messing with it? I’ve been so regular since coming off BC and was before BC but…maybe my hopefulness was naiveté.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] curious: does anyone know how far back your cycles are affected? Like is what happening now affecting my cycle or 3 months ago? [name_m]Just[/name_m] trying to understand and look for any cause? Does anyone know the biology enough? I’ve tried looking online but am not finding a whole lot.
Im not 100% sure Im understanding your question but from my understanding the answer would be yes and no. There’s so much that could influence your cycle, and some things have longer impacts on your body, some take longer to show an impact, where others can have a quick short term impact.
So things like prenatals, healthy life changes, exercise, etc. would definitely have a long term affect on your cycle that may not be immediately apparent. Things like stress, illness, injury can have a short term affect on your cycle that could affect your immediate cycle and have no lasting impact.
However anovulatory cycles happen to everyone every once in awhile, and they could be caused by so many different things it would be really hard to exactly pinpoint what the cause would be. If you werent trying/tracking theres a good chance you wouldnt even notice. Late ovulation/anovulation really sucks though when youre ttc. I hope you things get back to normal foe you here soon!
@cms1512 that’s so frustrating! It may be that your body is still adjusting to the dietary changes and those haven’t kicked in yet. I bet they’ll be helpful going forward though.
Currently anxiously awaiting a positive LH surge because my donor vial got delivered and I wish I could will ovulation to happen immediately so I can use it. But the tank will keep it frozen for a week and technically ovulation would happen on Monday/Tuesday so I’m not late… just too darn impatient.
On the lighter side my parents have been cracking many jokes lately. We were talking and I said if I conceived off this first cycle my due date might be around American Thanksgiving and my mother goes “aww, a real turkey baster day baby”.
Looks like we were all having a rough time recently.
Work is kicking my butt lately— we’re now at almost a month without a day off, which is making me feel incredibly burnt out, exhausted, and stressed. But I’m trying to get as many hours in as I can before the end of [name_f]March[/name_f] (our spring break, which will be a week of no work/no money being earned).
I’ve also been pushing my body with workout limits as I compete this weekend & I’ve been practicing/conditioning like crazy so I can be better prepared. We’ll see if it did me any good.
And today I’m feeling sick… the flu has been going around with the kids I work with so I’m hoping it isn’t that
All of those stressors/issues aside… there’s a bit of stress as my partner’s planned career change fell through and we’re finishing up the new move in. We decided we’re not going to prevent conceiving but we’re putting off the actively ttc journey for a little while. I’m just worried that, with the career change falling through, we won’t be in as good of a spot financially as we thought we’d be when we set out to ttc. I can always pick up another job/more hours, but that makes me worry we’d end up in a rough spot relationship wise as our work schedules already don’t align well
Im sorry to hear about that snag in your plans for TTC! Keeping my fingers crossed things work out for the better.
Ugh, I’m stressed today because still no LH surge and my cervical mucus hasn’t turned into egg whites either.
Summary
It’s this mix of watery with a few sticky bits.
[name_f]My[/name_f] basal temp went down a little, too. Predicted ovulation is supposedly tomorrow, but will it really happen? I’m scared things are off track this month.
I had a lovely birthday and a week off work that was relaxing and meant I could do a few tasks around the house that I’d been meaning to do for ages but not gotten round to (like putting up artwork etc). We’ve been in this house for a year and slowly but surely it’s starting to feel more like home… even if I have decided it’s probably not the [name_f]Forever[/name_f] Home we’d hoped it would be (I was naïve about what I wanted from an area).
But I am, as always these days, just a bit sad. I see a lot of stuff about raising awareness of baby loss and, to be clear, I absolutely think that’s vital work that should be talked about. But it’s been over a year now and I’ve never had a positive, and that’s it’s own form of pain.
I am sorry everyone is having a hard time! It is nice to have this space to share with one another.
@hvnewton I hope you get to a place where you feel less stress, get more breaks, and have some financial stability. Would the job hour additions be temporary? Hopefully once you get more settled in your place, you will have more time for rest and being with your partner.
@Maerad You are so right about TTC having its own feelings of pain and isolation. People also always want to give you advice on how to do it better, or you get to hear about other stories of immediate success.
I do have a bit of good news to share with the group. If you remember me, I was on CD 60 something last time I posted. No, I didn’t get a positive pregnancy test after my 4 or 5 negatives, lol. That would’ve been nice. But it was the next best thing…
I did my first 17 hour fast in 2 years. Coincidentally (or maybe not?) I started my period a few hours after breaking the fast. I do think that fasting brought it on. Anyway, I am CD 4 now and have been BBT for the first time. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if this isn’t “the month”, I hope to get into a routine of BBT and using an OPK.
@turnip yes! I switched brands after that defective pack and am using ClearBlue now. Along with checking CM and BBT daily. I’ve been using the strips 2x a day for the last few days to try to catch the surge when it (hopefully) happens so then I could inseminate. But so far nada on the surge front.
It’s interesting that the fasting seemed to coincide with your AF coming. I wonder if that was the magic ticket?
Speaking of lifestyle changes I’m manifesting gym tonight. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though I’m stressed i need to not make excuses for not going lol
Aaaah I’m confused now. [name_f]My[/name_f] OPK at 530 a.m this morning was negative but just now (11:30ish) I was in the bathroom checking and EWCM! I’m glad but a little weirder out that my surge prediction was negative and now the mucus has appeared a few hours later. Is that normal?
@pacifica - From my experience, the two never coordinated!! In the cycles I’d get EWCM it would happen usually 4-5 days before I’d ovulate (confirmation of exact timing by BBT). However!!! I conceived multiple times by starting to time intercourse at the appearance of EWCM instead of waiting for that positive OPK days later. The EWCM is the best for keeping the sperm alive and well in the seminal pool as they wait for the egg to drop, and in good conditions sperm can survive for around 5 days. I’d suggest start having sex tonight and the next few days to ensure your best chances, I bet you’ll see a positive OPK in 48-72 hours.
Thanks for the (speedy) info, I’m all over the place emotionally rn!! I’m home inseminating so I’ll go ahead and do it later tonight and cross my fingers. Im hoping the CM and dropping BBT will be good signs even if my OPK hasn’t gone positive yet.
@pacifica - Oops!! I’m sorry, hopefully I caused no offence, I’ve been lightly following this thread and now that I’ve connected your username with your posts I feel silly! [name_f]Do[/name_f] you only have enough semen for one attempt this round? I’ve had friends conceive with donors for various reasons and I know the timing sometimes really stressed them out. I think attempting today or tomorrow could give you really great odds though! It’s always best to have sperm waiting instead of trying to hit that moving target of ovulation! Sending you so much love and luck!!!
Oh don’t worry at all, I don’t mind! It’s only about one step removed from traditional baby dancing Everyone in this thread has been lovely, and I feel grateful it exists for us to commiserate + share info. Originally I was nervous about how I might be received as a single parent by choice but that’s been a non issue.
And yes I have just one sperm vial for this month but if things don’t take I will plan on ordering 2-3 vials next time around just to have that extra go at it. Thanks for the well wishes!
@pacifica - It’s an old thread, but (if the link works, if not, scroll down parentberries, it’s from 2022) there’s a discussion about some berries that had DC babies or plans for them a few years ago if you are interested in reading! I believe quite a few are still active on Nameberry and would gladly offer you further support in your journey too!
@pacifica I’ve heard that the hormone tested for in OPKs is actually best tested for at lunch time. But take that with a quite large pinch of salt. Good luck!
I’m only supposed to feel like that if I’m pregnant, darn it.
Sweet little 12 week baby and all was well
I’m home inseminating so I’ll go ahead and do it later tonight and cross my fingers. Im hoping the CM and dropping BBT will be good signs even if my OPK hasn’t gone positive yet.
Everyone in this thread has been lovely, and I feel grateful it exists for us to commiserate + share info. Originally I was nervous about how I might be received as a single parent by choice but that’s been a non issue.