What the $*!# is wrong with me then??!

[blueeyedgirl1]

Hello all,

Needing some BnB ladies' expertise here and really hoping someone's got some ideas for me!

Background: started TTC Sept 2010, conceived in Nov, miscarried in Dec. Two weird cycles in Jun & Jul this year which I think were early losses (4 wks) but never did a HPT so no confirmation of what happened.

Have had a CD3 test - all normal. Don't know values as they didn't tell me, and I'm having to have it redone as the original GP never ordered testosterone to be measured, but all other values were "normal". Now under a different GP at the same surgery, who has re-ordered CD3 with testosterone.

Just had my CD21 test back - progesterone was 74, so nothing wrong with that. I went off a positive OPK on CD15, so had the blood test on CD22. However, it's now CD29 with no sign of AF. Did a HPT this morning, negative, and I don't feel at all pregnant.

First question: CD21 test - should this be done 7 days after OVULATION or 7 days before AF? My periods are irregular (range 27-36 days) so if I wanted 7 days before AF, then it'll never happen.

Symptoms:
Every month: spots/acne mostly on right-hand side of my face, mostly along jawline, on my chin and down the side of my throat to almost behind my ear
Most months: spotting starting about 5 days before AF
Most months: Bad, one-sided migraine-like headaches which leave me out of action for a full day, usually if AF is later than usual or if flow suddenly stops/lessens. It almost feels like my body feels poisoned by AF not working.
Frequently: Painful & tender breasts, particularly on the right side. Last two cycles this has started on day of ovulation, according to +ve OPK
Constant: lack of CM when aroused (sorry TMI I know), I produce plenty of CM on a daily basis but it doesn't increase when DTD. Sex drive very erratic. Long-standing issues with depression & anxiety. Some excess body hair, with dark, coarse hairs around nipples, one or two between breasts, quite a lot on my belly and lots of pubic hair, more than most women. I'm very fair skinned, have light brown hair and am not of the skin type to have lots of dark, abundant hair. Hair on my head is dry, porous and frizzy.

My luteal phase appears to vary quite a lot, it's quite long and has never been less than 13 days that I can tell but I'm on 15DPO and no sign of AF so it looks like this one's gonna be a LONG one.

Anyone got any ideas? I'd seriously "hoped" it was low progestrone as I just want an answer. I want to know what the problem is so it can be fixed.

I get positive OPKs on the Clearblue sticks. A few months ago I decided to keep testing after my first +ve and ended up with THREE +ve OPKs in a row! In subsequent months I've stopped after the first +ve to save money on buying the sticks. I test with FMU and have had +ve result every cycle for the last 4 cycles. I've never tested every day of a cycle, purely due to cost. I don't temp either.

I'm of normal height and weight, my BMI is 20. I'm 28, non-smoker and hardly drink.

Does anyone have any ideas? IS there actually anything wrong with me or is this all in my head?

I know we're all dealing with LTTTC issues here and I hope mine don't seem too paltry! I know I'm under GP review but they refuse to refer me until Sept 2012 at the earliest and it seems they only do something if I come armed with info.

Should add, I had a laparoscopy done in December when I had the ERPC and that came back as "all clear" and looking very "clean" although I don't know if they looked at ovaries or anything to check for PCOS.

 

[cooch]

Spotting= low progesterone, possibly poor ovulation (although not that poor if your managing to get pregnant)
Day 21 should be 7 days after ovulation.
Acne can be a sign of PCOS as can erratic cycles.
Headaches could be high estrogen.
At the lap they would have noticed if you had cysts and possibly have checked for endo.

There are lots of if and buts and maybes, and no one can really tell you anything for sure unless they investigate. Lots of women have symptoms but it amounts to nothing. I had agony cramps and only a tiny but of endo. x

 

[Amber3]

Hi blue

I would recommend you to look into NaProTechnology. It is a great fertility help offer that will really help you to get to know and understand your body on the way. You can look at this link, there is a little film: www.fertilitycare.eu
I hope you will figure out what is wrong and get pregnant soon.
Best wishes,
Amber (ttc almost 5 years w. endo)

 

[blueeyedgirl1]

Thanks both for the ideas, much appreciated.

Cooch, I was convinced the spotting, sore boobs, acne, mood swings, etc, was due to low progesterone but with a level of 74, obviously that isn't the problem. Was pretty gutted as I thought we'd identified the problem and would be able to fix it and move on towards a success.

Don't know how much they would have looked at ovaries during lap as lap was purely to find a suspected ectopic pregnancy, although I know they would have had to have looked at ovaries to make sure there was no embryo there.

Not sure if they've tested my oestrogen but will ask and try to find out.

Am thinking about going private to get more tests, I guess it all depends on the testosterone results for the CD3 do-over.

Think it's time for a SA too - can GPs order those, does anyone know?

Amber, thanks very much, will look into that for sure!

 

[phoenixrose]

Blue, I agree, a lot of your symptoms seem consistent with PCOS (hair, acne, irregular cycles, and you don't have to be overweight to have it). For me I have polycystic ovaries (but not PCOS), my second FS found this during a cd3 u/s, as he saw the 'string of pearls' (if you do it closer to O then the huge follicle kind of masks the sting of pearls). But my testosterone is fine and so are all my other bloods. So for me it seems to be the only answer (that and mild endo). Doc says that the PCO is affecting the maturity of the egg, so now I'm on clomid, as it's suppose to help with that.

As far as the spotting: I also had spotting, usually about 3-4 days before AF, and my progesterone checked out fine also. But when I have to take vaginal progesterone in the 2WW, I don't spot what so ever...go figure. So I have weird theories on that one. But definitely go armed to the doc with info...and always say "I was doing research and..." and not "I was reading online and..."

 

[blueeyedgirl1]

Thanks Phoenixrose - that's really interesting to hear. GP won't refer me to FS until we've been trying for 2 years, so no referral until Sept 2012 and I don't know how much the GP can/will do.

I'm 28, OH is 30 so it's not like we're ultra young or anything and I'm really miffed that they have a 2 year rule here. Would like to go private but no way we can afford it and OH isn't very willing at the moment.

Will definitely be making a list of my "symptoms" every month and putting it in front of GP's nose at next appointment and suggesting PCO!

 

[phoenixrose]

Hey blue, I not sure if it's possible for you to do something like this, especially if your doctor is not in on it, but you should read this post by another girl from the UK, maybe it will give you some ideas: https://www.babyandbump.com/problem...759-finally-starting-chlomid-anyone-else.html I know the UK is bigger then I think it is, but maybe you could ask her where her doc is.

There's not much you can do in terms of what a GP can or can't do but in terms of what the GP will or won't do, try developing an American attitude about it. We have the attitude that "I pay for your salary (even if it's through taxes) so you should do what I want." It's true that we feel entitled over here because we see things as a given and not as a privilege that can be taken away. Obviously you have to be polite about it but maybe you can demand a little more, tell don't ask, what's the worst they can say...no?

Also, about not temp'ing: maybe you should at least temp around ovulation to confirm. you can take the temps on the same day that you start testing with OPK's and then stop taking them on morning you get a significant rise in temp. I don't bother with everyday, I just put the thermometer on top of my alarm (my phone) so that I remember to take it.

Good luck and lots of

 

[blueeyedgirl1]

That was a really good thread, Phoenix, thanks for the link. As I'm missing work due to hormonal migraines (off today as a matter of fact) and because I've got irregular periods with lots of hormonal symptoms, perhaps I can see a gyno on that basis. I wonder if my GP would be up for this approach.

I've decided to temp this cycle, it's CD1 today and I'm going to start tomorrow morning. My concern is that I tend to wake up with quite a bang every morning, my heart races and stuff when the alarm goes off, so I think it might throw my temps off due to the adrenaline rush. But I won't know if I don't try, and it's likely a FS would tell me to temp anyway.

I'm tempted to do an OPK every day from CD5 just to see what the results might be, but I use the Clearblue ones as they can be used with FMU and I just can't do ones I have to do later in the day as I wee LOADS, often once an hour, and if I go without a drink for several hours to try to put off having to wee for the required 4 hrs, I get a headache. And the Clearblue ones cost an awful lot, even if I buy them on Amazon, so I think I won't do that just yet.

 

[phoenixrose]

Blue, I think everyone gives too much weight to the "just woke up, don't move, take temp" thing. I've done that and then taken my temp 10 minutes later, after playing on the phone and it doesn't change much. I've also gone to the bathroom and then remembered and it doesn't make a huge difference either...maybe .1 max difference, if not the same. I mean, you can't go to the kitchen, eat breakfast and remember half an hour later =) sorry, the point of the story was I don't think your alarm will change the temp.

They probably won't work with the device you're taking about but I vet my O tests online at: https://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/ovulationtests.html

They also have a pack of cheap ones at target. You have to pee in a cup instead of , because it doesn't have the plastic housing, but I think the price is worth it