What would you do differently?

[Isme]

So my period just came a day early (13dpo, CD39) and I am trying to stay positive and focus on giving myself the best chance possible next cycle. We've been TTC for aroud 8 months, though not every cycle was perfectly timed and I did experience a chemical pregnancy few months back, so I don't want to panic quite yet... But I am getting a bit frustrated and impatient.

Anyway, my cycles have never been super regular, but they have gotten incredibly stupid since we started TTC. It could be that I am trying to fix things and just making things worse along the way... Which brings me to my question again:

What would you do differently next month of you were me?

Except for the cycle after my chemical, I seem to normally ovulate around cd18-cd20. This month, though, I ovulated around cd26. This was especially irritating because I was trying to do things to improve my chances-- not prolong the agony and waste more time by delaying my ovulation even further than normal. :/

This last cycle was the first one with me taking an activated b-complex (containing b-6) and also 500mg of maca per day. One of those must have caused the delay in my ovulation, as I can't think of any other reason.

Sooo... Would you keep doing the same thing next month and hope it evens out? Would you add more maca (most people take 3x what I was taking) and hope it improves things? Or would you cut out one (or both) supplements and hope that you ovulation will move back up a bit?

Has anyone dealt with something similar concerning either maca or a b-complex? Please help!

 

[55comet555]

So my period just came a day early (13dpo, CD39) and I am trying to stay positive and focus on giving myself the best chance possible next cycle. We've been TTC for aroud 8 months, though not every cycle was perfectly timed and I did experience a chemical pregnancy few months back, so I don't want to panic quite yet... But I am getting a bit frustrated and impatient.

Anyway, my cycles have never been super regular, but they have gotten incredibly stupid since we started TTC. It could be that I am trying to fix things and just making things worse along the way... Which brings me to my question again:

What would you do differently next month of you were me?

Except for the cycle after my chemical, I seem to normally ovulate around cd18-cd20. This month, though, I ovulated around cd26. This was especially irritating because I was trying to do things to improve my chances-- not prolong the agony and waste more time by delaying my ovulation even further than normal. :/

This last cycle was the first one with me taking an activated b-complex (containing b-6) and also 500mg of maca per day. One of those must have caused the delay in my ovulation, as I can't think of any other reason.

Sooo... Would you keep doing the same thing next month and hope it evens out? Would you add more maca (most people take 3x what I was taking) and hope it improves things? Or would you cut out one (or both) supplements and hope that you ovulation will move back up a bit?

Has anyone dealt with something similar concerning either maca or a b-complex? Please help!

hi,

I've heard that B-complex is supposed to lengthen your luteal phase after taking it for awhile, so I don't think that delayed your O. I have no idea about maca tho.

 

[Isme]

I had also been under the impression that b-6 was just supposed to lengthen the luteal phase, not tack on extra time before ovulation. But then again, maca is also reported to move up ovulation in many women, and clearly that didn't happen here either. I wish things were just more clear.

 

[55comet555]

I had also been under the impression that b-6 was just supposed to lengthen the luteal phase, not tack on extra time before ovulation. But then again, maca is also reported to move up ovulation in many women, and clearly that didn't happen here either. I wish things were just more clear.

I just read on another post that to some women it can delay O? idk, now I'm confused about it. haha. FX!

 

[squirrel.]

Hi there,

I feel like your TTC twin we're trying for our third too, have been trying 8 months now and I too had a chemical a few months ago.

I've been trying various things to help our chances. I was having issues with late ovulation, so I started taking Soy Isoflavones on CDs3-7. I don't know if you've heard of it before? It contains chemicals that are biochemically similar to oestrogen, so it tricks your body into thinking you have raised oestrogen levels, which can trigger earlier ovulation and better egg quality /quantity. I took it when we were TTC our daughter, as after tracking my cycles before we were TTC and noticing I ovulated late and irregularly, I thought it would help. It did and that first cycle on SI with her I ovulated on CD13 and we conceived. This time, it's been less effective (I'm trying different tablets, so it could be they're not as good). I still ovulated CD21 and CD22 the last two cycles, but this time, I ovulated CD15, so that's promising!

Vitex is another thing to take to help regulate your hormones, but you shouldn't take it at the same time as SI. I didn't know this the cycle I conceived my daughter and I took both SI and vitex. It seemed to work for me, but the general advice is that you shouldn't take them simultaneously.

Other than that, I take extra vitamin C (which helps your progesterone levels) and extra folic acid (maximum recommended dose, this can help with implantation). The folic acid I take has cassava root extract in it as well. It's marketed at people trying to conceive twins: ha! I do want twins, but I know you can't take a pill every day to get them. It did have very good reviews though, so I thought I'd give it a try.

In terms of helping his swimmers I always lie down for at least 30 minutes after sex and also (TMI) most of the time orgasm afterwards, which supposedly helps draw sperm into uterus. What I find frustrating is that the last three cycles our timing couldn't have been better, so I worry that it hasn't worked yet

When this cycle inevitably fails I'm planning a couple of things for next cycle:
- Using my old brand of SI tablets that worked last time
- Using soft cups after sex
- Using preseed
- Drinking grapefruit juice and raspberry leaf tea daily (helps with lining apparently)
- Trying DTD every other day instead of every day during fertile week

Good luck! I really hope this is your cycle!


Edit to add: I forgot to say, when I first ovulated for the first time after having my daughter, my luteal phase was only three days long. I panicked and started taking B6. I then didn't ovulate till CD60!!! The next cycle I stopped taking it and I ovulated CD25 (for the next two cycles). So I reckon it did delay my ovulation by quite a bit. I was still breastfeeding, so that did mess up my cycles, but it shouldn't have messed them up that much!

 

[j1405]

Wel. Yap B6 is probably the culprit here. I started taking it this cycle hoping to extend my lutheal phase a bit. As you would note from my chart in my signature, instead of ovulating around cd 12 like normal, I ovulated a whopping 10-12 days later than normal!! Very frustrated!

I think if you already chart and use opk's, maybe add the 'simple' things like Preseed and give your dh a good supplement and additional zinc to make the swimmers nice and strong. Bd every 2nd day and with some luck you might get pregnant soon!

Oh and sorry if this is TMI but try to orgasm afterwards. A few ladies have said that this worked for them and I myself did this the month I got pregnant with my son. Worth a try and especially the days around ovulation. Good luck x

 

[Isme]

Hi there,

I feel like your TTC twin we're trying for our third too, have been trying 8 months now and I too had a chemical a few months ago.

I've been trying various things to help our chances. I was having issues with late ovulation, so I started taking Soy Isoflavones on CDs3-7. I don't know if you've heard of it before? It contains chemicals that are biochemically similar to oestrogen, so it tricks your body into thinking you have raised oestrogen levels, which can trigger earlier ovulation and better egg quality /quantity. I took it when we were TTC our daughter, as after tracking my cycles before we were TTC and noticing I ovulated late and irregularly, I thought it would help. It did and that first cycle on SI with her I ovulated on CD13 and we conceived. This time, it's been less effective (I'm trying different tablets, so it could be they're not as good). I still ovulated CD21 and CD22 the last two cycles, but this time, I ovulated CD15, so that's promising!

Vitex is another thing to take to help regulate your hormones, but you shouldn't take it at the same time as SI. I didn't know this the cycle I conceived my daughter and I took both SI and vitex. It seemed to work for me, but the general advice is that you shouldn't take them simultaneously.

Other than that, I take extra vitamin C (which helps your progesterone levels) and extra folic acid (maximum recommended dose, this can help with implantation). The folic acid I take has cassava root extract in it as well. It's marketed at people trying to conceive twins: ha! I do want twins, but I know you can't take a pill every day to get them. It did have very good reviews though, so I thought I'd give it a try.

In terms of helping his swimmers I always lie down for at least 30 minutes after sex and also (TMI) most of the time orgasm afterwards, which supposedly helps draw sperm into uterus. What I find frustrating is that the last three cycles our timing couldn't have been better, so I worry that it hasn't worked yet

When this cycle inevitably fails I'm planning a couple of things for next cycle:
- Using my old brand of SI tablets that worked last time
- Using soft cups after sex
- Using preseed
- Drinking grapefruit juice and raspberry leaf tea daily (helps with lining apparently)
- Trying DTD every other day instead of every day during fertile week

Good luck! I really hope this is your cycle!


Edit to add: I forgot to say, when I first ovulated for the first time after having my daughter, my luteal phase was only three days long. I panicked and started taking B6. I then didn't ovulate till CD60!!! The next cycle I stopped taking it and I ovulated CD25 (for the next two cycles). So I reckon it did delay my ovulation by quite a bit. I was still breastfeeding, so that did mess up my cycles, but it shouldn't have messed them up that much!

Wow. It does sound like we could almost be TTC twins! Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I guess I should have mentioned in the OP that I am taking other things along with the b-vitamins and maca. Chelated magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, etc. I was taking a daily dose of vitamin C for the reasons you mentioned, and also because it helps to absorb the good stuff in the maca (specifically the iron, which is important for me because I am a bit anemic). I have been taking 800mcg folate (activated folic acid, which is better absorbed by the body) and 8,000-16,000 mg of activated b-12 for several months now. That was part of the reason I started taking the b-complex, because all b-vitamins all work together in the body, and I was worried about causing an imbalance. I also knew that b-6 could help with progesterone levels, and I wasn't even sure if I was taking enough because my b-complex only had 10mg (500%)-- but it was apparently enough to jack things up. After thinking about it, I guess it makes sense. If b-6 increases progesterone, and excess progesterone can prevent ovulation, then it would follow that b-6 could delay ovulation. I forgot to mention in the OP that I only got my surge at CD24 *after* I stopped taking the b-complex for a couple of days. Before I stopped it, it looked like I was never going to ovulate.

Anywho, thanks again for sharing! I have decided to just continue taking the low-dose maca along with everything else this cycle. I can't get the hang of soft cups to save my life, it seems, but I will continue to use preseed and I will try to elevate my hips after DTD. I will skip taking the b-complex until AFTER I think I have ovulated, and hopefully that will prevent me from having a super long cycle again. If it doesn't work this time around, then I will definitely look into the soy isoflavones that you mentioned. I have heard good things about them, and your story was so successful. It definitely makes it sound tempting. I would be a bit afraid if the increased risk of multiples, though... So I've got my fingers crossed that I get a BFP before I end up resorting to them.

Good luck to you! I hope this is your month.

Wel. Yap B6 is probably the culprit here. I started taking it this cycle hoping to extend my lutheal phase a bit. As you would note from my chart in my signature, instead of ovulating around cd 12 like normal, I ovulated a whopping 10-12 days later than normal!! Very frustrated!

I think if you already chart and use opk's, maybe add the 'simple' things like Preseed and give your dh a good supplement and additional zinc to make the swimmers nice and strong. Bd every 2nd day and with some luck you might get pregnant soon!

Oh and sorry if this is TMI but try to orgasm afterwards. A few ladies have said that this worked for them and I myself did this the month I got pregnant with my son. Worth a try and especially the days around ovulation. Good luck x

Wow. I just responded to your thread about this, actually. I'm so glad I'm not the only one, though it sucks that you had to deal with it too. Did you stop taking it any any point to allow ovulation to occur, or did it just happen eventually on its own? When I saw that my ovulation appeared to be delayed, I actually stopped taking the b-6 for a couple of days, and that is when I finally got my positive OPK. I'm hoping this means that I could just not take it during the first half of my cycle, and then resume it after ovulation to give my luteal phase a little boost.

As far as the other little tricks, I don't temp, but I do use OPKs. I have been giving my DH various supplements to help (zinc, folate, vitamin D, maca) and I'm hoping that they are doing good things for him. We do use Preseed, but I tend to use it as a lube and do not insert it with the applicator. I wonder if that will help... We also could probably BD a bit more than we do. Normally we only get it in once or twice during my fertile window (right around my positive OPK) and I wonder if that's another problem. It seems like everyone else is doing it a lot more. Ah well!

Good luck to you this cycle! Hopefully skipping the b-6 will be your ticket to a BFP.