Second guessing, need advice...

[dirufangirl]

Hi,

Sorry if any of this is TMI.

As far as I know my info is as follows:
Avg. cycle length- 26 days
Avg. Period length- 5-6 days
LMP- 4/10-4/14
Possible O- 4/19-4/21 ( took opk and results were questionable, but I took some on 4/20 and 4/21 and those were definitely negative )
Insemination- 4/18-4/20
Temps high (98.00-98.01) w/ a slight dip (97.76) still above cover at 11 dpo
CM- creamy
HCG test at 9 and 10 dpo both negative


I am 11 dpo and my symptoms include: tender breasts ( I sometimes get sore breasts before AF, but that feels like when I was a kid and my breasts were first growing this time feels different ). I feel queasy, not nauseous. I have been hungry more, normally I don't really have an appetite. I feel tired all the time, I nap all day and then I can still go to bed early at night, and I have a decreased sex drive, normally it is very high. I have been emotional today, even crying.
I'm not sure what is going on and it's driving me crazy. I would like advice... do you think I could be pregnant?

 

[Cppeace]

You definitely have a chance. Your info is fine and definitely not tmi.
The best shot at conception is the 1-3 day period before ovulation usually and it sound like you likely hit it.
Your symptoms sound decent if they are unusual for you. Any positive before 14dpo is early so you definitely aren't out.
Good luck and keep testing.

 

[dirufangirl]

Thank you soo much for replying. It is hard doing the TWW alone. That's why I joined this forum. I was prepared to go through a pregnancy and birth alone, but I guess I didn't account for dealing with things if it doesn't happen or the TWW. Not having anyone to talk to when you think you might be pregnant, hope you are pregnant and then find out you aren't is very hard. I did it for a little while, but I can't do it anymore.

On a side note I see in your signature you are on xbox, do you play? I have a 360 and an xbox one. I am like you I am dirufangirl on pretty much everything steam, PSN, and xbox. Sorry if I seem kind of nosy, that isn't my intention. I'm just always excited to meet other gamers.

 

[Cppeace]

I do play somewhat but not a ton. I don't play a ton of multiplayer though, but you can friend me if you wish Can always use more friends.I also work for Xbox lol.

I am happy to keep you company in the ttc journey. I've been at it a long time but am happy to cheer others on. I know a ton about ttc and such and always help when I can.

 

[dirufangirl]

I don't really play multiplayer either. I'm not that great at games LOL you work for xbox, that is awesome. and I will definitely friend you if you really don't mind. I appreciate the company. I know you have probably talked about this more than you care to, but how long have you been TTC? I'm sorry to ask, but i'm new.

 

[Cppeace]

No it's no problem. I don't mind talking about it. I've been trying to conceive since June of 2015 with one 3.5 month limbo and one 3 month break so about one and half years all together.
My guy has low sex drive so we don't have sex often. I have started doing insemination since December.
I don't mind having a new friend on xbox at all. Currently all I have is my guy and a few I met in Monopoly lol

What games do you play?

I work from home for Xbox and do love it lol

 

[dirufangirl]

I play all kinds of games, but right now I'm playing Dragons Dogma, and Dragon Age Inquisition. I have Played all the Dragon Age games multiple times and this is like my third playthrough for Inquisition. It is also my first on xbox, I played on the PS4 before when I was still married.

Do you use your guy's sperm for insemination? I know that might be a weird question, but I am curious. How do you figure out the timing?

 

[Cppeace]

Yes When we can't have sex I use his sperm for insemination. I do the insemination the same time I would if having sex as it is basically the same odds and everything. Usually I try and start at around cd 11 or 12 and try to do it every other day or so until I confirm ovulation with bbt. My cycles have been a bit quirky lately but hoping they go back to my normal cd 16- 19 ovulation. We shall see.

The best way to judge is it's best to try and do the insemination 10-16 days before you expect AF. If you check your cervical position it can help as well and monitoring cm can also help a bunch. Opks can help many as well as ferning.
I do the opks, bbt and monitor my cm and most of eh time cervical position. I also usually get ovulation pain the day of ovulation.

I am happy to explain any of that for you if you need more info.

 

[dirufangirl]

My issue with timing is that the donor travels in from out of state, and can only stay a few days at most, so I have to be really spot on with my timing. And you can only confirm ovulation after it happens, right? Another thing they want to know dates months in advance so they can plan things, but it is very difficult for me to time things correctly that way. I don't have a set cycle. It's anywhere from 25-28 days, so I have a general idea when I will get AF but I don't know for sure until it happens. And a cycle doesn't start until the first day of your period, right? Also about checking your cervix, do you use your fingers? I have tried to check my cervix, but I cant find/reach it. Even doctors have a hard time and they know what they are looking for. I've thought about buying a speculum but I feel a bit weird. Do you know the accuracy difference between using saliva or CM to check for ferning?

 

[Cppeace]

Saliva is what I have heard works best for ferning.

If your cycle is 25-28 days then you most likely ovulate cd 11-16. If you have to guess I would inseminate on cd 12 or 13

Yes your cycle starts when AF starts.

If opks work for you then you may get a gradual darkening leading up to ovulation. Or with ferning you'll starting seeing partials a day or two before ovulation.

Finding the cervix, yeah I can usually find mine with my fingers but not always. I trust my cm more than my cervical position.
Um using a speculum you'd be able to see it when high and open. It's not hard to do, just takes the device a flashlight and a mirror, but it's up to you how comfy you feel doing it.

How many cycles have you tracked. How long is your typical LP?

 

[dirufangirl]

Generally my cycle is 26 days, more often than not, but it isn't always. According to FF it's 95% regular. I have been casually tracking my periods for years, but I recently started seriously tracking temps, CM, everything. My first attempt at tracking temps was wrong, because I would do it whenever I got up instead of at the same time every day. But I only seriously started tracking when I decided to have a baby on my own. I was divorced and then was in another relationship ( which is how I ended up on the other side of the country ) We were supposed to have a baby, but then he dumped me, so I decided since relationships don't work for me, I would just try for a baby without one. I was kind of lazy with my temping sometimes, so my chart is incomplete. Now I am very diligent about it. Especially now, when I think I might be pregnant. I try to keep the mindset that it won't happen, but I can't help but hope. Then if I'm not it just makes it worse.

 

[Cppeace]

We all, even the long termers, hold out that hope every month. Sometimes its just a little bit and sometimes it grows. If you are normally 26 days cycle then you probably ovulate on cd 12-14 and I'd still say cd 11 is good for insemination. If you could do it two days in a row even better.

 

[dirufangirl]

Thank you, I feel much better about my timing. I was second guessing everything. I did one insem on CD9, two on CD10, and one on CD11. FF said i ovulated on day 10, but I'm not sure how accurate that is. Other apps have my ovulation way later so I was worried, about which was more accurate. Like I said I was kind of lazy with temps, and I didn't get a solid positive with OPK. I just had one that was pretty dark then negative ones after.

 

[Cppeace]

Well,I would advise, if you happen to not get pregnant this cycle, to do 2 opks a day starting on cd 9. Do one earlier and one late after noon or early evening. Some women have short surges and may see a positive on one phase of the day the lh surges.
Your insem timing sounds fine to me though. Could be perfect 1-3 days before is best and up to 5 can even work if you have fertile cm that early to sustain the sperm.
I have my fingers crossed for you, hon.

 

[dirufangirl]

Thank you. I checked my temp this morning and it went up a hair. I'm kinda stressed about temps (I know I shouldn't be) because I have no idea of norms for me. This is the first cycle I've started temping and I was doing it wrong in the beginning then I was just lazy. I don't know if I will have a slow decrease until AF or just a sharp decline. I know I shouldn't even worry about being pregnant right now, because there is nothing I can do about it one way or another. But I seem to be worrying about everything right now. I worry about not getting pregnant, what if it really doesn't ever happen? I worry about getting pregnant, and if the baby will be ok without a dad? I worry about what my temps mean. And I worry about every little symptom, is it all in my head? Do I really feel these things or am I making myself feel them, because I want this soo badly? I'm not sure if I can handle a BFN, because that means I have to start this whole process over again. Find a donor, coordinate dates, and have a very limited amount of time to somewhat get to know them, stress about timing, and then second guess said timing the whole TWW. I'm sorry I'm being such a downer, but I literally have no one else to talk to.

Also you asked about my LP length right now it's estimated to be 11 days, but i don't know how accurate that is. FF doesn't have that info yet as I just started tracking. Other apps say 11 days because of my cycle length.

 

[Cppeace]

It will take at least 3 tracked cycles before you can confirm you LP accurately. An 11 lp is healthy and fine, but with a 26 day lp you are more likely to have a 12 or 13 day one.
Your temp can go up or down in the 2ww and be perfectly normal. It's typically a good sign if it keeps going up. Most women tend to see a temp drop the day AF will start or a day or two before. Usually this temp drop will be around the coverline temp or lower.
As to your other fears, those are normal and you'd have other fears if you were in another situation instead. Kids can grow up fine without a dad- I generally recommend getting some kind of positive male model in their life one way or the other- family member, big brother's program, friend. Otherwise though I think you'll do fine being a single mother. Most single mothers thrive. You seem like a strong woman, making the choices you have and I know you will do fine.

 

[dirufangirl]

Well my temp is still way above the coveline, so maybe that's a good sign? 12- 13 days for LP sounds about right. Does that have anything to do with why some women get BFP on 8 and 9 dpo? If they have a shorter LP, does that mean AF comes sooner? I have been talking to a few donors, just in case I'm not pregnant. One suggested shipping sperm. I'm not sure about my chances of conceiving that way vs. fresh sperm, but it would be a lot more convenient as far as timing. I can wait as long as I need to verify fertility, and I can have inseminations throughout my whole fertile period. I'm just not sure how viable the sperm will be. It would be overnight shipping, so 24-48 hours depending on the weather. If I did go that route, I think I would request fresh samples. One donor says he has tubes already, but I don't know how long he has been storing them. And I don't think it's like a cryo bank with nitrogen storage. At least if it is as fresh as possible hopefully my chances will be higher.
Can I ask you, when you do inseminations, do you use a soft cup? I have never even heard of that until recently. It seems like it would be complicated to use. I heard people say that you put the sperm in the cup first, then insert it. How would that even work? Are there any real benefits to using one as opposed to not? If it does work better I might consider using one, especially for shipped sperm, to give them the best chance. Do you know of anything else that would help increase chances?

 

[dirufangirl]

I posted a reply earlier, but when I submitted it it said it wouldn't be posted until it was reviewed. That hasn't happened before. I wonder how long that will take? I don't want to repost in case it shows up later.

 

[Cppeace]

That's odd and has never happened to me... Did you have a link or something in it?

 

[dirufangirl]

It did post eventually, it's the one above the reply where I said it was being reviewed. I took my temp this morning and it was way up from 97.77 to 98.18. That should be a good sign, right? I will probably take an early pregnancy test tomorrow morning. The other tests I have been taking were the ones that came with the ovulation tests, and I don't think they are that sensitive. I think with those you take them the day after you miss your period. I have one first response, and one clear blue (not digital) left. So now I just have to wait and see. How are things going with you?