futuremama88
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- Jul 19, 2011
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Hi ladies,
I am trying to conceive my first child and am quite worried about my fertility as I have a lot of signs showing me that something might be wrong with my body.
I have only started charting this cycle, but I have counted my cycle lengths for a long time just for the purpose of trying to predict when my next period would come so I could make sure to wear a pad when I thought it would come soon. My cycles are all over the place, however. When things are normal and fine (i.e. no stress) my cycles are still irregular, anywhere from 32 days long to 36 days long.
But when I am stressed out my cycles can be anywhere from 38 to 51 days! I have gotten a lot of such cycles in the past year and a half, maybe because I have experienced a lot of stress during this time. We have moved three times in that time span, for a while we suffered from financial hardship and fiance losing job and lots of problems with bad landlords and horrible apartments and breaking leases... it has been a hard time for us and has taken its toll on me. My cycle is always screwed up when I'm stressed out. Things are much better for us financially, and we want to have a baby, but there are still stress factors in my life.
I also suffer from vaginal dryness and I have no idea whether I ovulate or not. I bought some OPKs but I don't know what day to start testing with them, as my cycle is so irregular. My book suggested taking cough syrup to help with vaginal dryness, which I have begun to take this cycle, and it has seemed to help to a certain extent but I still don't think that I produce as much fluid as I should. I drink a lot of water and I have changed my eating habits as well. In my early teens I suffered from anorexia and stopped menstruating altogether, but since I have recovered I suffer from no self-esteem issues or eating problems at all. For a while I ate a lot of white bread, white pasta, sugar, and red meat. I also didn't get any dairy at all and did not eat much vegetables. In June I changed my diet and have cut out white carbs, sugar, and red meat. I eat a lot of oatmeal, potatoes, chicken, beans, lentils, etc. I also started drinking 2 cups of milk a day. And now I drink 4 cups of milk a day. And I eat much more vegetables and fruit.
I started TTC last cycle, but did not chart. My man and I just had sex every second or third day all cycle long, and I did not become pregnant. I had a 44 day cycle. Now this cycle started on July 6th, so I'm on day 14 of my cycle. We have been having sex every second day so far. I am charting my CM and my BBT. My CM has been creamy, white, and watery for the past 3 days. My BBTs are very low, from 96.9 to 97.1, which the book says could mean a thyroid problem but my man says is just because we wake up so early (5AM). He also thinks that my crazy cycles are just from stress and brushes it all off as no big deal. He thinks it also comes from eating too much starch and not enough milk. I also only started taking vitamins last month, and never took them before, so he thinks that I suffered from vitamin deficiencies which upset my cycles.
My doctor has given me ultrasounds and pelvic examinations and says that everything is fine in there. She tested my blood and said that everything is fine. But I can't shake this nagging suspicion that something is wrong with my body. The irregularity of my cycles and the low BBTs really freak me out. I don't know if I ovulated last cycle, but I suppose by taking my temps now I will be able to tell if I ovulate this cycle. I have a quite anxious and nervous personality type, and I suppose I am just looking for advice and for women to talk to about all of this. I really don't have female friends or any female relatives that I feel comfortable discussing all of this with. I am young and confused and still getting to understand my own body, and feel somewhat shameful and abnormal.
I am going back to the doctor on August 24 but she says she really thinks there's nothing wrong. She says I don't have PCOS and she tested me for a bunch of hormones, the names of which I don't understand, but that all levels were normal. She says she can't do anything else for me until I've been trying for a year. In August I'm going to see if there are any other issues she could test me for and maybe send me to a specialist. Until then I'm going to keep trying for a baby. I have never been on the pill and my man and I used withdrawal before all of this. My biggest fear is that by staving myself when I was young I totally destroyed my system and made myself infertile. It haunts my nightmares and upsets my sleep. I am 22 years old and want to have a large family, so this is very important to me.
I am trying to conceive my first child and am quite worried about my fertility as I have a lot of signs showing me that something might be wrong with my body.
I have only started charting this cycle, but I have counted my cycle lengths for a long time just for the purpose of trying to predict when my next period would come so I could make sure to wear a pad when I thought it would come soon. My cycles are all over the place, however. When things are normal and fine (i.e. no stress) my cycles are still irregular, anywhere from 32 days long to 36 days long.
But when I am stressed out my cycles can be anywhere from 38 to 51 days! I have gotten a lot of such cycles in the past year and a half, maybe because I have experienced a lot of stress during this time. We have moved three times in that time span, for a while we suffered from financial hardship and fiance losing job and lots of problems with bad landlords and horrible apartments and breaking leases... it has been a hard time for us and has taken its toll on me. My cycle is always screwed up when I'm stressed out. Things are much better for us financially, and we want to have a baby, but there are still stress factors in my life.
I also suffer from vaginal dryness and I have no idea whether I ovulate or not. I bought some OPKs but I don't know what day to start testing with them, as my cycle is so irregular. My book suggested taking cough syrup to help with vaginal dryness, which I have begun to take this cycle, and it has seemed to help to a certain extent but I still don't think that I produce as much fluid as I should. I drink a lot of water and I have changed my eating habits as well. In my early teens I suffered from anorexia and stopped menstruating altogether, but since I have recovered I suffer from no self-esteem issues or eating problems at all. For a while I ate a lot of white bread, white pasta, sugar, and red meat. I also didn't get any dairy at all and did not eat much vegetables. In June I changed my diet and have cut out white carbs, sugar, and red meat. I eat a lot of oatmeal, potatoes, chicken, beans, lentils, etc. I also started drinking 2 cups of milk a day. And now I drink 4 cups of milk a day. And I eat much more vegetables and fruit.
I started TTC last cycle, but did not chart. My man and I just had sex every second or third day all cycle long, and I did not become pregnant. I had a 44 day cycle. Now this cycle started on July 6th, so I'm on day 14 of my cycle. We have been having sex every second day so far. I am charting my CM and my BBT. My CM has been creamy, white, and watery for the past 3 days. My BBTs are very low, from 96.9 to 97.1, which the book says could mean a thyroid problem but my man says is just because we wake up so early (5AM). He also thinks that my crazy cycles are just from stress and brushes it all off as no big deal. He thinks it also comes from eating too much starch and not enough milk. I also only started taking vitamins last month, and never took them before, so he thinks that I suffered from vitamin deficiencies which upset my cycles.
My doctor has given me ultrasounds and pelvic examinations and says that everything is fine in there. She tested my blood and said that everything is fine. But I can't shake this nagging suspicion that something is wrong with my body. The irregularity of my cycles and the low BBTs really freak me out. I don't know if I ovulated last cycle, but I suppose by taking my temps now I will be able to tell if I ovulate this cycle. I have a quite anxious and nervous personality type, and I suppose I am just looking for advice and for women to talk to about all of this. I really don't have female friends or any female relatives that I feel comfortable discussing all of this with. I am young and confused and still getting to understand my own body, and feel somewhat shameful and abnormal.
I am going back to the doctor on August 24 but she says she really thinks there's nothing wrong. She says I don't have PCOS and she tested me for a bunch of hormones, the names of which I don't understand, but that all levels were normal. She says she can't do anything else for me until I've been trying for a year. In August I'm going to see if there are any other issues she could test me for and maybe send me to a specialist. Until then I'm going to keep trying for a baby. I have never been on the pill and my man and I used withdrawal before all of this. My biggest fear is that by staving myself when I was young I totally destroyed my system and made myself infertile. It haunts my nightmares and upsets my sleep. I am 22 years old and want to have a large family, so this is very important to me.
....
