London TTC buddies chat thread

[mk8]

hey girls

im back and less hacked off at the idea of another (potentially) long post being deleted.

so here goes...

how are you all ladies?

sophie- how is your running going? a colleague of mine is doing the half marathon in sept and i thought of you. go for it honey! =) how are you doing with the meds for your thyroid? hope no nasty side effects and the thyroid is getting under control! as i said above, the transvaginal u/s really isnt that bad. my sister had it and she said she thought the smear was worse. personally, i disagree because the smear is a lot quicker, but the smear felt like something was being scraped down there, whereas the transvaginal just feels like something being shoved up you (think of it no more than your hubby's "friend") and they have a look around. for me, i think i found it emotionally weird more than physically weird. i guess it shouldnt matter but i expected this cute little lady who came to get me from the waiting room to do it, not the big dude i saw as soon as i walked into the examination room! so be prepared for that. otherwise, its absolutely fine.

clanger- how are you doing hun? more big kicks now from the little man inside ya? i soooo cant wait to have those fabulous feelings. im trying to remain positive and telling myself that it WILL happen. i just need to relax and remain relaxed.

thanks for your kind words about the endo. i have calmed down now. what will be will be right? ive had scans and nothing showed up so i just have to accept that everything is in working order until the next set of scans happen (hopefully never as i will get my bfp soon!) talking of tests, hubby hasnt booked the sa and tbh girls, i dont want to chase him. if we find his sa is perfect now, we arent going to do anything different anyway. i want to wait a year before i go for invasive tests like hsg etc. if the sa is bad, i hear theres not a huge amount you can do in terms of meds etc. in the meantime, we are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle etc. so my thinking is i dont want to push him for tests unless it has been a full year. one thing i havent been able to do is relax about the whole ttc thing. for me, ive been ready to have a baby since early last yr, but financially it didnt make sense and we were getting married in aug 2010. it made sense to wait. as i was on the pill (albeit v briefly- 2 months) over my wedding/honeymoon (wanted to avoid period coming), i decided to let it clear out of my system for a few months before ttcing. and i think by then, i was so ready emotionally to have a kid that it felt like we have been trying forever - does that make sense? anyway, since cycle 1, i have been stressing. i really dont want that. not good for me, hubby or our marriage.

wow, totally went off on one there. =)

leeze- how are you doing? my goodness, it isnt long for you at all. i really hope that everything is going well with the flat sale and you are still finding some time to relax. what else have you bought lately?

by the way sophie, you have inspired me with your get fit regime. i have joined a gym so fingers crossed i dont waste my money by not going. aim is to go 2x a week. they have a pool, which will be fabulous!

in terms of my general ttc update, i am on cycle 15. i usually get an opk on cd14 or 15. well, not this cycle. haven't been taking them religiously at all but the pattern went like this: negative cd14, darker cd15 (noon) but still negative, took again on CD15 at 830pm and it had gone lighter, took again CD15 at 10pm and it was darker (think pee not concentrated at 830pm). i know it sounds like i am a poas addict, but honestly, this cycle, i so havent bothered with all that really.

i suppose its also because i am busy with work and i have a holiday booked! off to china ladies!

 

[mk8]

Hey ladies

I wanted your thoughts on something.

CD16 for me today. I expected to see a positive on CD14 or CD15 but I didn't. Today, I POAS 3 times at work (yes, THREE!) because I wanted to check to see if I get a positive at all this cycle given I am getting bloods done. All Boots own brand. All negative. Got home at 10pm and thought I'd test again - peed in a cup, dipped a cheap OPK in it, result: positive. I dipped the Boots own brand OPK in the same sample: negative. WHAT?! Which do I trust???

I have used OPKs around 5 cycles. Got positives in all of them but I used the internet cheapies. I used the Boots own brand ones in cycle 1 but ran out before I got a positive (started testing too early and only had 7 sticks) then switched to the cheapie brands that cycle.

I am now really confused. Did I ever really get an LH surge? Have I ever ovulated? I temped a few cycles but I wasn't diligent about it at all (taking them at different times, had disturbed sleep) etc. Fertility friend said I ovulated but that may be because I reported EWCM and positive OPKs. My temps are actually really erratic. Just weird.

I am doing bloods this cycle so it will be interesting to see what they say.

Hope you are all well.

 

[SophieBee]

Hey ladies

mk8 - I always found OPKs far too stressful to be honest and much preferred going over to the CBFM. The window in which you can catch the LH surge in an OPK seems so narrow and can be thrown out by so many things - I didn't stick with them for very long. In my opinion, the combination of the positive OPK and the FF confirmation indicates that you probably did, but as you say the bloods will confirm - at least you've got that happening this month. Remember as well that it is perfectly normal for most women to have anovulatory cycles every now and then, so even if you didn't ovulate this month it doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Thanks for the words of encouragement about the transvaginal scan as well - I need to take some of my own advice and step away from google, the horror stories I was finding... Anyway, I've got to suck it up and get on with it - we aren't going to get anywhere if I don't!

I'm glad you are feeling a bit more positive about things as well - I completely understand where you are coming from in terms of being emotionally ready for ages. I'm sure it will hapen for you guys soon

No side effects with the levothyroxine so far - about 2 weeks into taking them now I think so hopefully they have started kicking in. Except I keep forgetting to take them - it has to be first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (I can't eat for an hour after taking them because it affects absorption or something). I think I might have to put a note on my front door so that I don't leave the house without taking it!

Training going OK. Only problem is that I have started training more on the treadmill as it is easy to do that at the gym before going into work rather than get up at 5am and run around the streets here. Treadmill running is so much easier than pavement running, so when I do my weekend training runs it feels so much harder! I'm getting up to about 9K on the treadmill with no real problems, but as soon as I run on the streets I'm knackered after about 3K. Of course it doesn't help that I live in a spectacularly hilly part of London, but I think I need to start hitting the streets more often - especially in the run up to the 10K. I don't want to get to Clapham Common and struggle the whole way through. Less than a month to go now!!!

Hope everyone's well - I feel like I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm going to make myself a hot toddy with fresh ginger, lemon juice, honey and the active ingredient - Calvados! There are some advantages to not being preggers I guess...

XX

 

[Leeze]

hi everyone

MK8 - I agree with SophieBee - I think the CBFM is best in terms of accuracy and also helping pinpoint the most fertile days. I also sometimes did the internet cheapie OPKs before I got the CBFM - sometimes they gave a positive the day before the more expensive ones, so I'd say you'll probably O tomorrow or the next day. Get some BDing in just in case!!! Also with EWCM, the months I got this it tended to be about 2-3 days before I got the positive OPK. If you're thinking of getting a CBFM I'd recommend checking out one of the larger Superdrugs with a pharmacy - I saw it there a couple of times for about £30 and normally they're a lot more expensive than that.

SophieBee - 9k on the treadmill is brilliant. I bet when you do the 10k you'll have a lot more steam too because of the atmosphere and all the other people around you. Great that there's no side effects from the tablets. Is it worth setting an alarm on your phone with a reminder to take the tablets each morning, that's what I'd do? I had a transvaginal scan too, it wasn't too bad - just a bit uncomfortable. Mind you, I wasn't really prepared for mine as I didn't know I was going to have one so I didn't have time to worry about it!!! I hope you feel better soon, that hot toddy sounds great!!

Clanger - how are you doing, honey? I think it's about time you gave us a bump pic!!! Are you feeling lots of kicks now? Getting a seat more easily on the bus yet? Hope you're enjoying 2nd trimester

I've been sleeping really badly recently so am feeling pretty tired most of the time. Mind you. I've started trying to get an afternoon nap in when I can (even half an hour at work) and this really helps. Also my bump has suddenly got a lot bigger and I really notice now that I'm carrying all this extra weight around. Still feeling very excited though, just wish that I could start maternity leave now (got 6 weeks to go still) - and then I could just rest and put my feet up!!! My best friend is about to go into labour at any minute, she's 8 days overdue and had a false alarm last night but it sounds like it's very imminent!! I'm really excited for her, which is great - because if you remember I really struggled when she got her BFP because she was on the pill and I'd been TTC for nearly a year and I felt really jealous. Funny how things change.

xxxx

 

[mk8]

Hi girls

Leeze- it is indeed funny how things change Hope you are getting a bit more energy back now. People tell me pregnant ladies need to go on long walks before they are due as that helps you with the birth. Not long now... so exciting!

Sophie- fabulous news that there are no side effects from the meds. I really hope that this drug sorts out the thyroid issue. Good luck with the training also- amazing!

You have inspired me to do some exercise Sophie- joined a gym and will be going tomorrow for my first session! I put exercise on hold ladies as I kept thinking "Oh but if I am pregnant, I should exercise as I don't normally". Well I have decided I cannot be bothered to put things on hold now. I need to look after my health and exercise ought to help. I also had cups of tea last week (gave up caffeine when started TTC)- how rock n roll am I? Haha.

Any hoo. Thanks for the info on OPKs and CBFM ladies. I have resisted the CBFM as it is soooo pricey. I would buy it if it was cheap but whenever I look, they cost £100, which I am not convinced is worth it. Hubby and I have pretty frequent BD as you ladies know. If this month isn't thee month, then we are going to scale it down as some of you have suggested. Rather than every other day, we will try BDing every 3-4 days. I hope this happens soon ladies. I am getting kinda sick of the wait.

Clanger- how are you doing?

 

[mk8]

Hey girls

Had a lovely meal with my old uni pals today Also went to the gym this morning- woo!

Leeze, I just got an email shot about cheap CBFM. I recall you telling me it is good, but I was always apprehensive as it's so pricey (£100). How did it help exactly? How is it better than OPKs? Does it suggest when to do the baby dance?

Hope you are all well today. 3 days until bank hol weekend. YEAH!

 

[SophieBee]

Hello all

Well I have been completely wiped out by this cold - just horrible. I seem to be quite susceptible to colds (don't know if it is related to my autoimmune thyroid thingie) but this one has been particularly nasty. Started on Saturday and only really just starting to feel less dreadful today. Trying to decide whether or not to go in to work tomorrow (I have Friday booked off anyway). I guess I'll see how I feel, although I really don't want to spread this around the office so I may well opt to stay home in case I'm still a bit contagious.

Ugh.

Nice going on joining the gym mk8 Hope you enjoy it! I've been missing my exercise this week, but just too wiped out to do anything

On the CBFM, I used one as well as Leeze (off it at the mo because of the break of course). It's good because it gives you the high days as well as the to peak days, so you often get notification of around 5 fertile days - quite handy if you've got other things going on or just need a breather day! I also liked that it uses fmu, so no need to dehydrate yourself all afternoon or poas at work. It is on the pricey side, particularly as you have to use 10 sticks per cycle, so you need to buy a new box every 2 months, but amazon sell them quite cheaply and I also heard of people getting ebay bargains.

How is everyone else doing anyway? Any updates? Thanks for the lovely support re the scary scans and stuff - It makes me smile to think that this thread, with only 4 active members, will soon have 3 experts in transvaginal scans. Where else are you going to find that

xx

 

[mk8]

Hey Sophie

Haha... transvaginal scan experts r us!

How often did you do the deed when you were using the CBFM? Assume you make sure you do the baby dance on the peak day? Which is the day before O?

 

[Leeze]

hey lovelies, just a quick one as it's late and I'm bushed!!

MK8 - well done on joining the gym, great idea!! re the CBFM I like that it remembers your past cycles as well as predicting your 5 most fertile days. Like SophieBee says, one of the things I liked is that I think there's less pressure to wait for O day and you have more warning of when O is coming so you can be a bit more relaxed about BDing if you're feeling tired or not in the mood. Also, if you're DTD every 3-4 days then you can try for your first high day then also your first peak day - both of these would be good days. And, I also like the bit about using it first thing in the morning so you don't need to worry about holding your pee all afternoon (or carrying round sticks/trying to do tests at work etc)

SophieBee - sorry to hear you're still not feeling well. I say have the day off and rest, you deserve it!!

My updates would be that I had my 30-week midwife appointment on Monday and the midwife said the baby is head down at the moment. I know that can change but it's a good sign!! Also, my friend had her baby yesterday. She is totally adorable!! And, my OH and I are going to Bournemouth this coming weekend to stay with some friends who live right by the beach!!! Lovely!!!! Otherwise I'm pretty tired a lot and not getting great nights sleep, but am kinda used to it by now!!! xx

 

[mk8]

Sophie, hope you get well soon honey. The crappy weather doesnt help im sure. X

 

[mk8]

Oh leeze, not long now! So exciting. Hows the flat sale going? Hope alls well.

 

[Leeze]

Oh leeze, not long now! So exciting. Hows the flat sale going? Hope alls well.

there's one search that we're waiting for the results for and if that comes back this week then we're supposedly going to exchange tomorrow - but I think it's most likely next week. I'm keeping everything crossed but this has been dragging on for so long I won't believe it till it happens!!! xx

 

[mk8]

Good luck hun! Wow... what a year it will be!

 

[Leeze]

woo-hoo - we finally exchanged on our flat today!!!!! So excited!! How's everyone else doing? xx

 

[mk8]

YEAH LEEZE! so happy for you. new home with brand new baby soon. How fab has 2011 been for ya?! =)

I am OK. Had a really nice catch up with a friend today and met up with hubby to head home sweet home.

Generally trying to chillax.

Clanger- how are you doing?

Sophie- you? 100% now?

Hope everybody has nice plans for the weekend. Talk about crappy weather. Lets hope the sun comes out for us this weekend.

 

[SophieBee]

Hello all

Thanks for the well wishes - am feeling 100% better now! Depressing myself at the moment by watching the Reading Festival on telly and wishing I was there. Still, I'm going to see Pulp on Thursday so I'll get to have a teensy little bit of the action!

WHOOOOP for Leeze's news about the flat! Fantastic stuff, I'm really pleased for you guys

mk8 - how's the chillaxing going? We're off to a christening in Coventry tomorrow, which means a crazy early start and not the most relaxing way to spend the day. It's Mr Bee's nephew though, so no getting out of it!

Sigh, my fave Strokes song is on now so I'm going to have a bop around my living room

Hope you're all well - clanger, any news from you???

 

[Clanger]

Hey ladies,

Been away for over a week touring our lovely uk and visitor people and now catching up on what's new with you london girls.

Leeze...huge congrats on the sale...what a saga it's been you must be over the moon.So....down to the exciting part now...whats the nursery going to look like? Also....you must be impressively massive by now and fab that your little lady is facing the right way for take off.Are you doing snuggle to prepare for the birth (other than watching one born every minute on 4od...just me then!).

Sophiebee hope the cold has buggered off.Pulp sounds amazing, where you seeing them.Do some posing to common people for me pleAse.Am also guilty of often watching festivals on tv and going all emotional and jealous.Hope the christening marathon is ok...what a trek...did you get the train.

Mk8 glad you are having a lovely chilled bank hol weekend.How's the foot tickling/reflexology going is that helping with the chilled out-ness?! Saw you asked about the cbfm, I didn't get one as I am
Too tight (though a look in my wardrobe my disprove that theory).Like the others I found opk dehydration annoying and found them unreliable...some brand didn't even give me a control line...what's that all about?!I found temping worked well for me...roll over in bed, stick thermometer in mouth, wait for the beep then stick the figure in my iPhone and get a lovely graph.Suited me to do things that way then just plan to get down to it 3 times over the 5-6 day period I knew I would be fertile.But differed things suit different people and tempings not for everyone.

All ok here.I still go from feeling hugely excited about the little man coming along to major moments of pregnancy anxiety...have I felt him move today?What's that strange feeling in my.... (insert body part) Etc etc but all par for the course for a worry wort like me and mostly loving and milking every moment of pregnancy as feel so, so lucky.Have naughtily resisted getting measured for new bras so far...as I can't face wearing the flimsy no underwired ones that mean that my nipplles will be poking through everything O wear.But going to have to go on a serious bra shopping spree soon as they are rapidly taking over the top half of my body!

Big bank hol love to you all.xxx.

 

[Clanger]

P.s.Leeze snuggle was meant to be "anything" not sure how that happened blame it on either pregnancy brain or dodgy iPhone prediction!

 

[SophieBee]

Clanger, your typo made me giggle - have you ever been to this site: https://damnyouautocorrect.com/? It without fail will cheer me up and make me laugh, no matter how rubbish I'm feeling.

We had an epic fail in getting to the christening today - our train was massively delayed from Euston, so we ended up getting off and going home. Annoying. Especially as we were up at 6am. Grrrr. So no christening. Ho hum.

Seeing Pulp at Brixton Academy, which is my fave venue (and nice and easy to get home from as well). Will be much fun - missed them back in the mid-90s, so excited about seeing them live at last.

Oh dear, just had a mammoth laughing session at some of the typos on damnyouautocorrect.com and now Mr Bee is looking at me oddly - he doesn't find it nearly as funny as I do...

XX

 

[mk8]

Hey girls

Clanger, so good to hear that you are enjoying the wonderful signs of pregnancy I bet youre glowing heaps n heaps! Have you started to buy stuff yet? My friend was telling me she had a mammoth shopping weekend for her baby (due in Nov). Was so happy hearing it until her insensitive hubby p-d me off (more on this below).

Sophie, sorry to hear of your mammoth journey I hope that Pulp made up for it. How are you getting on with the meds by the way? Do you have in mind when you will be back on the TTC bandwagon again or remaining chilled out for now?

Leeze- how are you and the cutie pie girl inside you doing?

I was very chilled on Sat and Sun. My sis in law (who has two little ones) said to me on Sun "I had a dream you were pregnant, is it true?" I thought "haha, I wish!". I hope it's a good omen it will happen for me soon. It was lovely seeing my niece and nephew- such cuties. Made my heart melt seeing hubby play with them. I also felt a pang of sadness that we are not expecting our own little baby yet. Today, a friend made me feel worse. You remember the guy I told you about who kept going on about how I should have a baby soon, that single ladies were sad and ladies over 30 were over the hill? Well, I saw him again today and everything I said he said "oh, cos you want a baby soon yeah? wink wink". Anything I said he would link to babies. He doesn't know we are trying so I found it all really insensitive. He has also been telling a group of our friends that we havent met up with them much because we are baby making- what the hell????? We havent seen them cos a) we havent always been invited to various events (which is totally cool) or b) we have other plans - we have been enjoying meeting other mates, going out ourselves, seeing family, going on holidays. I am furious. It's been an hour since I have got home. Still mad. How dare he?! Grrr.

On a TTC note, my temps dropped this morning. Cycle day 26... Not a good sign. But I promised myself I will NOT cry this cycle. I will not! My boobs started to hurt today (not good) and i told hubby when we were out. He said it was ok and he would book a docs appt to get his swimmers checked. Here's hoping that I am still going to get my BFP in next few days eh?

Off to have a bath to chill. On the reflexology note- it def works for me ladies. I find it very relaxing indeed