Some Advice?

[maltesemom]

Hi ladies!

Before I begin explaining, let me mention that I've made another obgyn appt because I am so confused!

I only started tracking my cycles when my husband and I decided to NTNP 3 months ago. My first cycle was 28 days, next one was 26 days, and then now this one is only 24 days. Today is CD1.

We officially started TTC 2 cycles ago, with this cycle being the first where we temped and did OPKs. Well I was really sick this cycle & traveling time zones so my temps were all over the place. FF didn't give me crosshairs but I did get that ovary pain around the same time I got a +OPK. I think I ovulated and I think we BD at the right time but no dice. AF showed today after two days of spotting

I am so depressed because I really thought this was our month, but now I am starting to get worried. Are my cycles irregular or is it normal to have a couple of days of fluctuation? Also, is my LP long enough if my cycle is so short?

Thanks ladies and baby dust to us all

 

[Akirkland]

Hi ladies!

Before I begin explaining, let me mention that I've made another obgyn appt because I am so confused!

I only started tracking my cycles when my husband and I decided to NTNP 3 months ago. My first cycle was 28 days, next one was 26 days, and then now this one is only 24 days. Today is CD1.

We officially started TTC 2 cycles ago, with this cycle being the first where we temped and did OPKs. Well I was really sick this cycle & traveling time zones so my temps were all over the place. FF didn't give me crosshairs but I did get that ovary pain around the same time I got a +OPK. I think I ovulated and I think we BD at the right time but no dice. AF showed today after two days of spotting

I am so depressed because I really thought this was our month, but now I am starting to get worried. Are my cycles irregular or is it normal to have a couple of days of fluctuation? Also, is my LP long enough if my cycle is so short?

Thanks ladies and baby dust to us all

Hey! I'm no expert and I'm not a doctor so please don't take what I say to heart, I'm only trying to help with what I know. First of all, I'm glad you made an appointment because your doctor will be able to give you better answers, second I'm sorry that today is CD1 but if you have been traveling and sick you could have missed your window or your body might have just said I'm not physically prepared for it if you did hit it right at that time.

That being said I believe it is possible to O when you have shorter cycles, and you're completely normal. Cycles change from month to month for each person, it's very rare for people to have the same exact amount of days between cycles. It fluctuates a lot and most can be due to stress, physical activity, food I mean anything can cause it to change. If you read a lot of the comments or posts here it shows how many women can go from 28 days a cycle to 35 or more.

Don't be depressed, I wish I could just hug you and tell you it will be alright because it will be. I've read a ton on many different websites that it's normal for it to take up to a year for people who are TTC to conceive. Which can be frustrating and I'm certain you don't want to hear but the good news is you're not alone in this, you have all these lovely ladies to help you through it and your OH.

I'm hoping this cycle will be it for you so tons of all around for you!

 

[maltesemom]

Akirkland- thank you so so much for your reply!

That definitely makes me feel better- I tried googling but I couldn't get an answer whether a regular period means you always have 28 day cycles or whether you can fluctuate. At least that's a relief.

I am really nervous that I don't O for some reason...I work out pretty hard and I have a major caffeine/chocolate addiction Sometimes I wonder if this is causing problems? I didn't want to change my lifestyle too much while TTC because I am afraid I will be even more obsessed, but have you kicked the caffeine/sugar habit? Is it ok to work out hard?

I hear that it takes a year, and I was totally prepared (or so I thought). That is until I started constantly reading about TTC, and stalking boards, and filling out FF compulsively haha!

The wildest thing is that my mom and grandma were really fertile! My grandmother had 15 kids. I was hoping that fertility is genetic

FX and Baby dust to the both of us!

 

[Akirkland]

Akirkland- thank you so so much for your reply!

That definitely makes me feel better- I tried googling but I couldn't get an answer whether a regular period means you always have 28 day cycles or whether you can fluctuate. At least that's a relief.

I am really nervous that I don't O for some reason...I work out pretty hard and I have a major caffeine/chocolate addiction Sometimes I wonder if this is causing problems? I didn't want to change my lifestyle too much while TTC because I am afraid I will be even more obsessed, but have you kicked the caffeine/sugar habit? Is it ok to work out hard?

I hear that it takes a year, and I was totally prepared (or so I thought). That is until I started constantly reading about TTC, and stalking boards, and filling out FF compulsively haha!

The wildest thing is that my mom and grandma were really fertile! My grandmother had 15 kids. I was hoping that fertility is genetic

FX and Baby dust to the both of us!

You're very welcome! I also read somewhere last night that you don't need a period to O, it's why women who are breastfeeding can get pregnant oh and I also read that the whole 14 DPO is when everyone will O is outdated and wrong. Every person is different, it's why some women end up pregnant when they had during their AF, the guys seed can last about 5 to sometimes 7 days inside of us women and if you O 5 days after CD1, you'd end up with a bun in the oven. SO our bodies are naturally all over the place, I know with mine I fluctuate between 28-31 days in a cycle, so don't feel like you're abnormal.

I don't know at all if working out has that type of change in our body, I mean if you're working out really hard every single day I would think that puts a toll on your body and might cause some issues? Don't quote me on it though at all, I'd ask your doctor about it but that's just what I think. I would try doing a month of relaxing with everything, mind, body and soul. As for caffeine, I've only read it's not good to have when you are pregnant, nothing about TTC with it. I don't drink much caffeine o begin with but I have a hard time with sweets, I hope that doesn't stop me from conceiving either. Lol

I completely understand getting obsessed with it, I mean it's hard not to when all this charting, temping, OPK's are right there and you can use it to hopefully do the BD right on time. I got that way before but I am really focused on not doing those things for a few months myself. I want to just have fun with it and hope I fall pregnant. Although...all that stuff i actually really fun to me to see where my body is at. Lol!

My mom and grandma's were fertile too! But my aunts on my fathers side were not, so I hope I am fertile as well but I might not be. It might take me awhile. FX for us both though!

 

[Kazy]

I know average length if cycles vary from person to person and it's normal to have some fluctuation. Were you on the pill before trying? I was this last time and my cycles were a bit irregular for awhile.

 

[Kazy]

Oh and what I've heard about LP is that it isn't about entire cycle length. Only the length from O to AF. I think anywhere between 10-16 days is normal.
I'm not a dr either but that's what I've read.
I wouldn't say I'm someone who works out really hard but I do regularly and it has never affected TTC. So unless your body fat percentage is extremely low it usually doesn't.

 

[maltesemom]

Thank you ladies for your posts! So maybe this is too late, but I am committing to giving up caffeine. The last week has been hectic with work, and I was SO stressed out. But I am re-prioritizing this week (read:today) and trying to put my health first.

Your advice is really valuable- so thank you. What you are saying makes sense based on some more research I've done. Though I still worry about the working out- I don't think my body fat is that low ( i am still getting my period) but i am on lower end of the weight range. That said, I'm making an effort to stop pushing so hard. It's so hard! Working out is a stress buster for me.

I found a doc on american pregnancy site but it won;t let me post!! it's called the essential guide to getting pregnant.

It's prob way basic for you guys, but it really helped me, The major thing I learned from that doc is that maybe I've been calculating a really narrow fertility window- I think my husband and I end up bd'ing just once or twice during that period... do you guys feel like FF is just too narrow?

There have been two new pregnancies announced- I actually threw caution to the wind (no one knows my husband and I are TTC) and asked one of the ladies what app she used. The app is called "My Days" and it def gave me a wider window in terms of my fertile days. Just thought I'd share!

baby dust to you!

 

[Kazy]

Hi again. I found to
Charting to be the best way to see if LP was actually a problem. It doesn't help predict O but does tell after O so it's helpful after a few months to see what your cycle is doing.

 

[crazycatlady5]

My friend used my days, and is now pregnant. It's the only thing she used to keep track of her cycles.

 

[maltesemom]

So I charted my whole cycle last month and my temps were all over the place. FF didn't give me crosshairs and that's what is freaking me out. I was traveling & I was sick so that's prob it, but I felt sick to my stomach over it ! I will see how this month goes- my dr. appt is on Jan 22nd though so hopefully I will have enough data to share.

I am at this point where I just want to know if there's a problem You know what I mean?

 

[maltesemom]

I am liking it a lot. I also switched to Clearblue OPK. And it gave me a flashing smiley that coincided with what My Days gave me. Fertility friend says I won't start my fertile period until CD10 but accordinng to the CB, I started CD8. Which makes sense because my cycles are shorter. The Wondfos aren't precise enough and I am tired of trying to interpret shades of pink

 

[Mrs.Gj]

I just started using MyDays as fertility friend seemed to be a bit complex for me. I was able to put in all the CD1s I had kept track of. I know roughly when my high fertility days are and can feel O pain most months. This is my first month actually tracking with MyDays as this is our first month actually ttc but so far it has been right on point with my high fertility window coinciding with my ewcm. My cycles are on average 28 days but I do get some 27 day and some 29 day cycles. I think a slight fluctuation is normal.

 

[maltesemom]

Thanks! i am feeling relieved. I am so mad at FF LOL! I think I've been missing out on fertile days.

I also get pain- sometimes it's so bad that I have to take an advil. The only thing I haven't been able to figure out is whether this means that I am actually ovulating- I know that seems silly. Like after this pain, does the 24 hours start ? Or is the 24 hours prior to feeling the pain?