The Really Useful TCM Thread

[lulu79]

As for me I think I might of Ov'd yesterday - the OPK in the afternoon was alot darker than the one the previous day and I think I had a pink tinge in my CM last night (i think). I will take another OPK this evening to confirm. We DTD thursday, Sat morning, Sun morning and Sun night - will get another session in this evenign and tomorrow again.

Oh and its my birthday today - 32 years old.... scary!

Yay for the ovulation Hopefully the spermies will give you a nice birthday pressie in the form of a BFP!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY too! It's mine next month (I will be 31) and I am dreading it already. Oh well at least its a good excuse for a few glasses of wine.

Thanks - I know my friend would have had the best intention but it just irritates me that she gets pg on the first month! (and they only have sex every few weeks). DH and I certainly get an A for effort if an F for results!

xxxx

 

[daydream_mum]

Hi girls,

Happy Birthday Reba! Hope you had a lovely day. Yay for ovulation and as lulu said, hopefully the spermies give you an extra good pressie.

Lulu, I had the same thing happen to me. My girlfriend knew we were ttc as well and she fell the first month. We are pretty close and it made sense that she wanted to tell me straight away. It was hard, but we met up for lunch and I just said straight out that while I was so extremely happy for her that she had to understand that I was a little jealous and sad for me and she hugged me and said she completely understood. From then on I felt happy to be a big part of her pregnancy even orgainising the baby shower! Her little girl is 4 months old now and while it still hard I love the little girl to bits. So after my long blab what I'm trying to say is, if you feel you can maybe just be honest with her about how you are feeling and she should understand and hopefully it will help you cope better as it's out in the open.

fitzy, just wanted to say thanks, because you have made me feel better about having the lap done too! I'm still nervous but almost excited to think that just maybe we will get some answers and be able to keep moving forward.

afm, I'm sick again! Really sore throat and woke to the room spinning this morning like I was badly drunk. I see Adam in two days so hopefully he can make me feel better before this lap. I'm just guzzling ginger, lemon and honey tea atm.

On the upside though, before I got sick dh and I dtd and it was fantastic because for the first time in about a year and half we just did it for fun!! You don't think your putting too much pressure on yourself but after that I realised just how much stress I'm under each month. So at least this lap has given me a forced month off which I think I badly needed.

 

[lulu79]

Daydream - thanks for the advice. I think it's going to be hard but as hoping once I haev some answers after lap things may be easier.

So sorry to hear that you've been ill but glad you have been enjoying DTD! Yay! Also glad to hear that you are almost looking forward to the lap. I know exactly what you mean. Once we have answers can hopefully start dealing with them or relaxing about things generally a bit more.

Afm I am on tenderhooks a bit as 7dpo today and last night had really bad cramps as if AF was about to arrive any min. Last month she arrived 7dpo (wtf!?) so am really hoping it is a bit longer this month even if I dont get my bfp. I think the soya may have messed up my LP even more Got my CD21 blood test today at 11.45 so am 'working from home' today. Gonna take all my motivation to actually do some work!!

How's everyone else doing?

xxx

 

[abster]

Hey girls... so much to catch up on! I came on and lurked yesterday but I'm finding it better not to spend too much time on here. I like come on and catch up on a few days at a time now. Thanks for your comments about my difficult week. Minimin, I loved your "rip her a new one" line - that's exactly how I felt! I'm sorry that so many of us have had to watch friends getting on with what we so desperately want to do - but at least we can take strength from the fact we can support each other through it. I'm avoiding the next two children's parties #1's been invited to (both of my pregnant friends) and sending my partner along with her. They just make me sad and I'd rather spend the time doing something for me. Just wish I could stop looking out of the window and seeing my pregnant neighbour! I've got a horrible feeling I'm going to have to avoid new babies if they arrive before I'm pregnant.

Reba, good results! When do you get your oestradiol results? I had those done with my CD5 blood test. Qing asked me why my AMH hadn't been tested but now i can tell her it's indicated by the oestradiol levels - thanks for explaining that one! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a busy time tests-wise on here. Lulu, how did your CD21 go yesterday? When do you get results? I meant to come on here sooner and tell you that I did mine on CD21 after only oving on CD18 and having a temp drop on the morning of CD21 and it still showed I clearly ov'd. To be honest I thought the CD21 would provide more informtion - I already know I'm oving. Still, I have a number to put to it now I suppose. So where are you in your cycle now? Hope the witch didn't arrive at 7DPO as you were dreading. I'm sorry your best friend's pregnancy has upset you so much - especially as you found out so close to Gabriel's angel day. It seems we are surrounded by insensitive women - and worse than that, insensitive, highly-fertile women with hugely-fertile partners. I do think that when we LTTCers have our babies, though, they will be all the more precious.

Minimin, when's your next scan? You know you're doing all the right things, so try to be reassured by that fact. I know that wont' actually stop you panicking but I feel calm for you if that helps at all?!

Daydream, hope you're starting to feel much better and enjoy your trip to see
Adam today. Good luck for your tests on 23rd.

Hope I've not missed anybody.. I know Fitzy's on holiday.

So. We went to collect our test results last friday. I think I'll give up trying to explain TCM to my doctor - I just don't do it justice and he smiles at me as if thinking I'm slightly loopy.
Guess what I found out?? It's not just me! I was collecting CD4bloods from 15th July -
My iron levels are a bit low, as are my red blood cell count and packed cell volume so I'm now taking my normal vegan supplement on top of my pregnacare. Doc said that it won't be preventing pregnancy but won't be helping either. I've always had up-and-down iron.
My renal profile was interesting, given my kidney yang deficiency - plasma urea was 1.8 (should be 2.9-7.10) and plasma creatinine was 46 (should be 53-97).
Liver function was fine.
Plasma Luteinizing hormone level was 2.1 (mid-follicular should be 2.1-10.9 and this was cd4, before oving on cd14, so OK).
Plasma Follicle Stimulating Hormone level was 10.5 (should be 6.2 -13.8 on CD2-4, so fine).
Oestradiol was 98 (CD2-4 should be 74-187) - Thanks to Reba I know this is an indicator of AMH levels, which Qing says tells you about your ovarian reserve, so I guess I'm OK, certainly within normal boundaries anyway).
Plasma glucose was fine and I'm rubella-immune, which I already knew from last time round.

My CD21 told me I'm ovulating, which I know, but now I know my progesterone level was 35.4 - post-ov level should be above 30. Given that I only ov'd on CD18 and had a temp drop that morning to 36.32, which than went back up to for the last few days, I don't think that's bad.

Would be interesting to know what my results for everything would have been last nov, before starting TCM.

So, my partner, after 3 days' abstinence...
volume 3.3ml
sperm count 53 million per ml (normal range above 20million/ml)
motility 57% (normal range above 40%)
forward progression moderate
morphology 85% abnormal (normal level is less than 85% abnormal)
no antisperm antibodies
minimal agglutination.
Comments: Motility slightly sluggish but approaching normal limits.

So he has plenty and it doesn't clump together or destroy itself but it's lazy and the tadpoles mainly have their tails wrapped round their heads, if they even have them.
Man, this is after he's been taking supplements! Maybe that's what the count and agglutination are so good. Am going to be getting him some l-carnitine, an amino acid which really helps motility and have started giving him the b-100 tablets I was taking as B12 is very good for fertility. He already takes a natural anti-oxidant complex.

So I'm CD 13 and ovulated yesterday! We managed to get in some BD on sunday morning and evening and monday morning and evening but there was nothing doing for the first 2 days of EWCM because of a domestic drama involving rats and a trip to a wedding and then chance to BD in the morning becasue #1 stayed with grandma for 2 nights (also because of rats and the wedding). Fingers crossed I guess!
Ooh, I've really gone on here, haven't I?!
Abi x

 

[daydream_mum]

Hi all,

well starting to feel much better! I see Adam tomorrow morning so I'm hoping he can reassure me about this lap and that I'm not going to wreck anything. My body just seems to be doing exactly what it's supposed to since doing the tcm except getting pregnant! I don't really want to mess it up. Possibly tmi but I'm sure I'm O'ing now which would be cd13 because I have heaps of ewcm happening and it all seems such a waste! Hopefully my body will keep up the good work after the lap and the lap just clears the way for the spermies.

Abi, your bloods seem similar to mine, our bodies do seem fairly similar at times. My iron was low also but it always is on the low side and I got the best result since starting the tcm.
Dh's sperm results were from what I remember as Dr still has the results
volume: 4ml
sperm count: 88 million
motility: not sure
morphology: 82% abnormal which they said should be under 75% (I guess every lab has different stats?)
no anti-sperm antibodies either
I don't think the motility was wonderful. Basically the dr said I could get pregnant from his sperm but it could be better.
Dh is on the herbs from Adam after doing the liver cleanse and is taking menevit.
He has to go have another 2 sperm tests done and is really due to do another one soon. When he gets round to it!

lulu, hope your day21 bloods were all good. Hope af didn't show up yet!

 

[daydream_mum]

Well I just got back from my appointment with Adam and it was good. He was very reassuring about the lap when I told him how nervous I was. I told him I was scared it would undo all the good I've done with the TCM and he said no it won't, but all the work I've done will help my body deal with the anaesthesia better than it has done in the past and that my liver will be much better able to process the meds they give me. He said it will be a small hiccup but he's happy that it's the right thing to do and will give my body a good clean out and he will work with that to give my uterus the best possible lining.

Adam has just got back from three weeks in China learning new things and got to speak to a professor from a tcm hospital over there who practices tcm a little differently. He focuses a lot on the yang and uses a herb to build up kidney yang, that can be toxic in high levels. Normal tcm advises using no more than 9g a day whereas at this hospital they start you on 60g and go right up to 250g! They have a great success rate with it though.

Adam suggested that because my kidney yang is my biggest problem, it's improved alot over the last several months but still isn't the best, that I try out this herb. Not in quite the big doses they use over there though! I am to start it after I get af after the lap and use it for three weeks. It will be in tea form that I have to cook for an hour! Then add my other herbs and cook those for 30mins. Arrrgh an hour and a half of cooking herbs is going to kill me. Adam is very confident that it will work. The trouble is that he advises not to ttc while doing it so that means waiting another full cycle after the lap and that was painful to hear. I'm so sick of waiting. I do trust Adam though and he thinks that this combined with the lap will give my body the best possible chance of falling pregnant and keeping it. We will however reaccess after the lap as to what is the best thing to do.

For treatment today I recieved a needle in the tops of both feet under my big toe area, two in my lower legs and a needle in each of my thumb flaps and a seed in my right ear! Never had that before but he said it will help with my anxiety over the operation which is my biggest issue right now.
I have no herbs to take atm and will see him four days after the lap and he will reaccess then and start some herbs.

He gave me more herbs for dh's spermies, which is a stronger formula and he has to take twice a day. He won't be impressed but I think he will do it. Sorry for the huge blah but was a lot to take in today so thought if I write it all down I won't forget it. So I'm feeling really good about having the lap now and where me and dh are going with our health. I can feel my bfp coming, it's still a while a way but oh so close now.

Abi, thats great you O'vd on cd13! Is that with taking the soy isoflavones? I want to give them a try next cycle we can actually ttc. What happened with the rats and wedding??

Hope your having a good holiday Fitzy!

 

[rubyloo]

hi all! just a quick look in to see how you all are....

abs, really interesting stuff on the bloods. one of my main problems (as identified by my accu lady) was 'weak' blood. i was diagnosed with boarderline aneamia last year - as well as taking Spatone daily (Floradix liquid is also recommended) i upped my intake of iron-rich foods to nourish the blood. i ate lots of apricots, figs and raisins - alongside this i also added in dark, leafy veg AND venison! i don't like beef or lamb very much, but at the time venison steaks were going on special offer in the supermarket. my accu lady also suggested pate/liver products. again, i began to include these in my diet. i am beyond certain this made the most significant difference to a) my health and b) actually managing to conceive. i'm sure you know this but strength of blood has a massive impact on fertility....anyway, you're pretty clued up so its a wee bit of advice for what its worth!

to all x

 

[Laummatt]

hey, I just have to jump in and second what Rubyloo has said. My tcm guy also suggested the same, pate, liver etc. He also suggested nettle tea, green tea (decaff) all of which I was taking the month I fell pregnant too.

 

[daydream_mum]

Eeeep lap tomorrow morning. I have to get up to go to the hospy in about 9 hrs. I'm not as nervous as I thought I'd be but we will see tomorrow morning!

Found out another couple friend of ours are pregnant today. They wern't even trying it was an ooopsie. Don't even really want to think about it.

Lulu, how are you going? Hopefully af didn't show and you don't need your lap!

Reba, hows the tww wait going after clomid or are you trying not to think about it.

Hi to everyone else and hope all is ok

 

[lulu79]

Hi lovely ladies

Daydream best of luck with the lap. I am sure your bfp will follow soon after! I know u must be nervous but at least you are finally getting it over with. I've been thinking of u earlier and meaning to come on here sooner. Pls let us know how it goes. Hugs xxx

Abi thanks for your post. Sorry to hear Dh's swimmers need a little help but all the stuff you are getting will help. I think selenium is meant to be good as well.

Well it's funny but I think my cd21 results will be a bit pointless as I got a BFP yday. I am shocked excited and also scared as I have had a little bit of spotting. I'm just praying that it sticks! I'm trying to be positive.

Baby dust to all- I hope my bfp gives some reassurance to all that a short luteal phase isn't the be all and end all. My tummy cramps on 7dpo must have been implantation....

Lots of love xxxxxx

 

[fitzy79]

Lulu....delighted to hear about your BFP and hoping it's an extrememly sticky liitle Bean!

 

[lulu79]

Thank you fitzy. I'm keeping everything crossed for you on the fsh cycle this month. Baby dust baby dust to you and all the other lovely tcm ladies xxxx

 

[glitterqueen]

so happy for you Lulu xxxxxxxxx

 

[glitterqueen]

well
start ivf drugs on 30th Aug first injection 22nd sept egg collection anytime from 4th oct
i am excited, nervous, sick ........................

 

[bernina]

Congratuls Lulu!! Just realized I can't spell. That was my garbled way of saying congratulations!!!

Best of luck for your ivf cycle Glitter!! I'm hoping for great sized follies and lots of high quality embryos to be transferred!!!

 

[lulu79]

Good luck glitterqueen- keeping everything crossed for lots and lots of supersticky embryos xxxxxx

 

[fitzy79]

Best of luck with this IVF cycle Glitter...hope it's a HUGE success. I have a scan tomorrow morning to see how my follies are responding followed by an accu session. Have booked another accu for Friday in the hope that it will be timed for the day or two before trigger shot...starting to feel a bit nervous but excited to see what my body is doing too!

 

[bernina]

I'm so glad your scan is tomorrow morning Fitzy! That means by the time I wake up I'll know your results. Sometimes this time difference works to my advantage!

Fitzy we both have exactly 938 posts, how crazy is that! I purposely edited this post so as not to disturb the count!

 

[fitzy79]

That's so funny Bernina...we've been following a remarkably similar trend..I just need my BFP in a few weeks to be back on the exact same page as you!!

 

[daydream_mum]

Congratulations Lulu! Im so glad you don't have to do the lap. Lots of sticky vibes going your way!