Thursday, August 25, 2011

Cycle Charting, OPKs & Pregnancy Tests.... Oh my!

So as most of you out in the TTC world know, charting your cycle is instrumental to success. Being a Lesbian and having to get pregnant by means of donor sperm whether fresh or frozen requires very precise planning and timing. The difference of a mere few hours can make the difference between 1 line or 2 at the end of the 2WW. So first things 1st let's learn a bit about cycle charting....

1) Basal Body Thermometer Charting (BBT)- This method has got to be one of the more debated items that I see among the TTC boards. Everyone has their preference To Temp or Not to Temp, that is that question. What you may ask is the answer? And all I can say is it is a matter of personal preference. When I 1st started charting my cycles I thought women who charted were obsessive about it and I did not want to become that gal, so I avoided it at all costs. But after a strong suggestion from the Midwife went went on ahead and caved to temping. I will say that temping does require a certain level of obsession to be effective. I mean you can't do ANYTHING before you temp, not even open your mouth to grunt Morning to your DP before you temp. That freaked me out the 1st 2 weeks and so if I felt like I was waking up (even though I may have just been turning over) I would temp which caused my temps to be erratic. Did I mention that you have to have at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep also? Yup all fellow insomniacs and mid-night bathroom breakers we have to stay put for at least 4 hours before our normal wake up time for this temp thing to work. I know SHEESH what a lot of work! Well I am now a month into temping and I once I gave up control over the thermometer to not let it control me I have become much more relaxed about it, and my temps are now getting a good pattern. Well you may be asking what the heck do I do with all these numbers now? I personally use Fertilityfriend.com to track my cycle, the nifty computer on the website will calculate when you O'd and can also give you a hint about whether you are Preggers or not during the 2WW. ( I will be honest in saying that is probably my only incentive to temp LOL)

2) Cervical Mucus- I know what you are thinking... umm you mean that mucus? Yes that mucus :-) Every month our bodies go through a cycle and if we pay close attention to our bodies we get very distinct clues about ovulation. Throughout the month your CM takes on different characteristics ranging from menstrual blood, dry, sticky, creamy (lotion-y), and egg white/slippery. The egg white CM is the optimal cervical mucus for insemination and conception as it gives the spermies a nice boost and smooth highway to the uterus. You can check your CM several ways: some women actually check for fluid internally either throughout the day or after a bowel movement, you can also take note of the secretions in your underwear, and egg white CM is very noticeable it is that time during the month when you feel consistently "wet/moist" for no apparent reason, you may also notice an increase in libido. *Note: You can also check your cervical positioning internally, however I do not do this so I am not skilled in this*

A great book to find out more information on temping, CM, cervical position is "Taking Charge of your Fertility" by Toni Weschler!

3) OPKs- There are many different kind of OPKs out there. We have 3 different kinds that range from low-medium-high....
                 Low: Internet cheapies as we like to call them here in the TTC world. They are Ovulation tests that you can get from the internet. I prefer the tests from Early-pregnancy-test.com they are relatively inexpensive and they come in nice package deals with pregnancy tests included. These can be great for those of us with POAS (pee on a stick) syndrome which causes you to want to pee on any any everything in preparation for a pregnancy test.
                 Medium: We have ClearBlue Easy Ovulation tests, these are the infamous "Smiley Face" OPKs that bring so much joy to everyone that uses them! You have no other choice but to get excited about the possibility of a positive pregnancy test when using these tests. I only use these when we are actually really close to Oing because the test sticks are not cheap and the big O you get when you are not having peak days are disappointing.
                 High: I will warn you that the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor is a very expensive piece of equipment, but it is proven super effective in pinpointing Peak/O days because over the months of TTC it gets to know your body. Although it is expensive you are not required to test everyday which is nice (it tells you when to test). This is our 1st month using it so I am not very proficient in it's use, but we will see how things go this month.

Because we are using a mid-cycle ultrasound and trigger shot this month there is not a whole lot of need for us to use OPKs, but I still feel the need to know what is going on with my body so I will still be using all of the above during this cycle.

Which brings me to Pregnancy Tests....

The last cycle that we tried DP and I stood in the aisle of the Walgreens for like 30 minutes researching online and debating over which pregnancy test to buy lol! We couldn't decide on just 1 so we bought our top 2 choices: EPT digital test (the Pregnant or Not Pregnant test) which is the ultimate slap in the face when you aren't pregnant. And the First Response Gold which is supposed to pick up a higher level of HcG and displays a Yes or No which is an equal slap to the face as the EPT. We also have internet cheapies from Early-pregnancy-test.com to help satisfy my POAS addiction! There are a lot of different tests out there that measure HcG at different levels so I would encourage you to research the tests when you are shopping for them and pick the one with the lowest  HcG detection level!

I hope this information is helpful to someone out there... the world of cycle charting can be tedious but it is all worth it when you think of the end result!

Baby Dust and Many Blessings to all!

CD3: RE Appt Update

Hello out there! I hope everyone is doing well in the Blogosphere! I had a really short appt at the RE (Reproductive Endocrinologist), just for my Day 3 Labs to check my FSH & estridol levels, they also asked for a urine sample. I will hopefully get my results back tomorrow at some point, and I although we are crossing our fingers for normal results, I am being a realist and I am bracing myself for not so great test results. I am really happy that after next Wednesday we will have a clear picture of what is going on with my body so that we can have a clear game plan to work with for TTC.

Aside from my labs I was able to get some great news as well! On my way out I caught my RE's medical assistant and I asked her about whether our cycle would be monitored or unmonitored and she gave me 2 options: A)Take the Clomid and track Ovulation with OPKs, then insem after a positive OPK B) Take the Clomid, come in on CD12 for a mid-cycle u/s, and then use a trigger shot to force Ovulation. I took option B, it was exactly what I was thinking that we needed! Especially since our donor's vials are all still in quaratine and we are working with 1 vial we need all the insurance we can get so that we can get pregnant! We are scheduled for our CD12 ultrasound next Saturday and could possibly be inseminating as soon as Sunday!! How freaking exciting yet nerve wrecking at the same time!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Vitamins & Supplements Galore....

Hello World! It appears that I am getting much better at this Blogging business :-) I just finished my 2nd Vlog on Youtube, and have decided to start making it a habit to complete my blog entry as soon as I finish my Vlog so hopefully I can keep up to date!

So today's Vlog entry was about all the Vitamins and Supplements that I am taking aid with TTC. I will warn you in advance that the list is VERY long (I am now a certified "pill popper") :

Overall Health Vitamins
1) Vitamin C (500mg)- Currently I am taking a basic blend from Wal-mart, but once I finish these I will be switching to a more complete blend from either Super Supplements or Trader Joe's

2) 100% Vitamin E (400i.u.)- My Acupuncturist recommended this to help with overall health, but she stated that it is also really helpful with the breast tenderness that comes with PMS which is great so I am not "boob poking" the whole 2WW!

3) CO Q10 Enzyme- (100mg)- Another recommendation from the Acupuncturist, it is used to help with blood flow and general health.

4) High Potency B "100"- The is a B-Vitamin complex that has a nice blend of different B vitamins and has a nice extra bonus of folic acid included as well.

5) Vitamin D3 (5,000i.u.)- Because we live in the Pacific NorthWest it is recommended that everyone take Vitamin D3 because of the lack of sun here. We are pretty much all Vitamin D deficient and it can play a major part in fertility so I was already taking this prior to TTC, but have been a lot more consistent with it. I have this currently in gelcap form, but have also taken the liquid tincture for under the tongue.

6) Acidophilius & Probiotic Complex (2 billion organisms per tablet)- This is another supplement that I was taking prior to TTC because I have suffered with Candida in the past and I like to keep a check on it. I will however be changing brands once these pills are complete to a live enzyme form.

7) Prenatal Multivitamin- This is a Trader Joe's blend that is made to be gentle on the stomach, I love it because I never have any digestion issues with it, and it gives me lots of energy. I take it in the middle of the day to aid with absorption.

Vitamins/Supplements to Aid in Conception


8) Flax Seed Oil (1000mg)- I am taking this to basically help out with egg quality. Since I have suspected PCOS it is very important that no only do I ovulate, but the egg/eggs that are released are healthy.

9) Omega 3 Fatty Acids (1200mg Fish Oil, 600mg total EPA & DHA)- This is the super egg helper that I am taking, and I just use the Flax Seed Oil as an insurance policy. My Acupuncturist had me bump these up to 6 pills a day because I HATE fish and refuse to take the liquid form. Trader Joes carries a odorless form and it is a major difference from the regular because I am no longer burping up fish throughout the day LOL!

10) Gaia Adrenal Health- For those of you who know, or may not know I was in the military and as a result of my service I suffer from PTSD. My PTSD symptoms cause my body to always be in a "fight or flight" scenario even when there is no present danger. Having your body constantly releasing adrenaline wears on your body over time, so I am taking this to help keep my adrenal glands calm and it also helping a lot with my anxiety and insomnia which is great!

11) Queens Delight
                Royal Jelly 1000mg
                Propolis 600mg
                Bee Pollen 1500mg
I am so in love with this Bee Pollen Blend! I have ordered some for my mom and DP takes it as well! There are so many uses for it besides fertility (energy, natural anti-depressant, antibiotic, antioxidant, etc) I notice a major difference when I take it and so has DP!

12) Calcium Magnesium Citrate- Pina Colada Flavor (750mg)- I will tell you right now that this does NOT taste anything like Pina Colada! It is very thick and is pretty gross, but because I am lactose intolerant and suffer from migraines the Acupuncturist suggested that I need more calcium and magnesium in my diet and she recommended a liquid form to help with absorption.

13) Vitanica Pregnancy Prep- Our Naturopath that will be doing our insemination recommended this blend to aid in getting my body prepared for pregnancy. It is filled with all kinds of natural herbs like (vitex/ chasteberry, red raspberry etc) to help tone and prepare the uterus.

14) FertiliTea- After reading so many great reviews on the web about FertiliTea I decided to give it a try and I must say that I really like it! I was one of this people that would always have a bit of tea with my sugar, and I refused to drink tea without sugar in it, but this is defintely the exception! It has a nice minty flavor, and is a wonderful blend of chasteberry, red raspberry leaf, green tea, ladies mantle, nettle leaf, and peppermint leaf.

15) Maca Root Powder- I ordered a basic organic powder from Amazon.com and I will forewarn you that it has a very strong taste! I can see why most women have to take this in pill form. **Also don't ever try to take a tablespoon of maca and attempt to wash it down with water/milk trust me it turns our awful and I am sure you can choke to death once the maca starts expanding lol!** I usually mix my maca in my morning smoothie and every time it definitely overpowers any fruit that I put in the smoothie, but I cannot figure out any other way to get it down. I will however be discontinuing the maca because it is not recommended while on a fertility medication.

Vitamins/Supplement to aid Implantation


16) Bayer Low Dose "Baby Aspirin" (81mg)- From the boards/medical professionals I have read that taking a low dose "baby aspirin" is supposed to help build the lining and can also help thin the blood which could be the culprit of repeat miscarriages and since I have suffered 3 miscarriages I am willing to do anything to prevent that.

17) Bromelain (2400 GDU/ 500mg)- Another common topic floating around the boards is pineapple and it's effects on the lining during the 2WW. I cannot imagine consuming 5 million pineapples in a weeks time, and the fact that pineapples are not safe during pregnancy (can start uterine contractions) I decided to just go with the source of the pineapples popularity which is the enzyme Bromelain which is in the pineapple. I will be taking these every morning on an empty stomach to assist with the lining. Who knows I may add a few pineapple smoothies in there too ;-)

Fertility Medications


18) Clomid (50mg)- So this is the BIG ENCHILADA! We have made the decision that we need to utilize every available resource we have especially since our donor's spermies are still in quarantine and we only have 1 vial to work with this month, so we decided to go ahead with the Clomid. With the suspected PCOS it is better for us to be safer than sorry and ensure that we ovulate. The next thing is to try and convince our RE to let us trigger as well so that we can pinpoint ovulation exactly.

Non-pill TTC Helpers

  • Water: Water is SO vital to TTC because it aids in flushing out all the bad things in your system and your kidneys. I try to drink about 4 liters of water a day if not more. I adjust my water intake based on my urine color output. If it is clear to light yellow I know that I am on target, but if it is a darker color I know that I need to increase my water intake. Also I have gone to solely drinking water (with the occasional Kool-aid slip up thanks to the DP lol!) I have cut out all caffeine, sugar drinks, soda, etc.
  • Journaling for me is very important as well, it is a safe place for me to express any feelings that I may be having (anger, sadness, joy, anxiety) and I know that I will be using it a lot more once we get into the 2WW and the anxiety kicks in.
  • The other thing that ties in with journaling has to be meditation twice a day. I try to start my day with positive affirmations, and I end the day with Circle+Bloom's PCOS fertility meditation series to help me relax and prepare my body for conception!


Whew...... that is everything (I think) I told you I was a certified pill popper! I am really hoping that everything combined works with my body to build a nice little nest for a baby :-)

All of the Vitamins/Supplements I am using have come from either Trader Joe's (very inexpensive and good quality) or Super Supplements (on the more expensive end but excellent quality). You can also order all of the vitamins/supplements from the Internet (amazon.com).

Well that is all for now, we have Cycle Day 3 testing tomorrow and I will be back to update you on that tomorrow! Until then... Many Blessings!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

So apparently I SUCK at blogging....

So it seems as though I am only good about blogging once every 6 months or so (SHEESH), but I promise I will get much better at it. I am going to start seeing it as a journal that I don't get such a hand cramp from writing and hopefully that will motivate me to blog more. Ok so on to the good parts.... as you can probably guess we are not pregnant :-( unfortunately our February attempt did not take, but the super exciting part is that we got ENGAGED in February while in the 2WW and we are now less than 6 months from the Big Day! The decision was made that we would wait to start TTCing again until we were closer to the Wedding, but after 6 months of waiting we have decided to throw Traditionalism out the window and we have jumped back on the TTCwagon!

Today starts it all for us! It is officially Cycle Day 1 (CD1)!!! I don't think I have ever been more excited about get old Aunt Flo (AF) as I was today, however once the cramps kicked in that excitement wore off real quick LOL! But that excitement comes for a good... no GREAT reason: We have done some serious preparations this time around, including going to a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) which was such a wise decision, not only because we are a Lesbian couple and cannot just "relax and get pregnant", but because financially frozen sperm is NOT cheap and we wanted to make sure there were no impending road blocks on the TTC path. We are so happy that we made the decision to go to the RE because we found out that there is a very good chance that I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). We did an ultrasound and I had the classic PCOS "string of pearls" which is basically a bunch of cysts that can hinder fertility ( I will do a future posting explaining PCOS further), so our RE decided to start me on Clomid (a fertility medication the assists with egg growth and ovulation). I am also seeing 3 different Acupuncturist (1 Japanese-style & 2 Chinese-style) each week, my philosophy is that the more positive vibes and approaches I have on this journey the better. Even if the Acupuncture does not help with TTC if anything else it is keeping me super relaxed going 3 times a week which is great! We are also working with our (hopefully one day) Midwife & her colleague who is a Naturopath for inseminations. We were offered insems at the RE office, but it seemed so sterile to us, and that is a huge leap going from home insems to having to be in an icky Dr.'s office, so we are going to insem in the Naturopath's office with candles, music, and great energy!

I am going to do a future blog post about all of the herbs/supplements I am taking during this journey, and trust me it takes it's own blog entry because there are at least 17 herbs/supplements but there may be more added any day LOL.... oh wait yep because we just got the Clomid so that adds another one. So stay tuned for our MEDS blog post!

We are going in for Cycle Day 3 Testing on Thursday to test my FSH, Estradol, and other basic fertility testing which will give the RE a better idea of my PCOS status and that way we can have a clear game plan. I am also going in next week for an HSG to make sure there are no blockages or issues in my uterus, I also hoping that the HSG clears out everything for the egg & spermies to meet and implant!

There is so much more to tell, but I will be typing out a novel so until next time (which I promise will be sooner than 6 months!)..... Peace & Many Blessings!