How Long Did It Take You To Get Pregnant? - Page 2

[MissMommyNiceNice]

I was on the ring for about a year before we started trying. I think that made all the difference. It has one of the shortest return to fertility rates of all the birth controls. I was pgs 2 weeks after taking that last one out.

The second time was sort of an accident, but not really. We weren't not trying. And as responsible adults, we knew what might happen if we decided to get really drunk and dtd sans condom.

We have some friends in your same boat. He has some lazy sperm, she has some cysts. but they're working on it, and hopefully it will happen soon for them. And you!

When all else fails, you can always try the good 'ol drunken teenager try! It works for so many. Myself (minus the teenage part) included.

[Snapdragon]

I know I pm'ed you about this- but I just wanted to re itterate- before you start wondering too much what is going on with you, I recommend having your dh get a semen analysis. I think sometimes we don't realize that it is some what common for the man to be the problem in ttc. If his results come back totally fine, then you know for sure that it is something for you to address. But it seems like un necessary stress to try to figure out if there is something about you that you can change without knowing what you are exactly dealing with on his end.

[Jelinifer]

Originally Posted by Katie34

I know I pm'ed you about this- but I just wanted to re itterate- before you start wondering too much what is going on with you, I recommend having your dh get a semen analysis. I think sometimes we don't realize that it is some what common for the man to be the problem in ttc. If his results come back totally fine, then you know for sure that it is something for you to address. But it seems like un necessary stress to try to figure out if there is something about you that you can change without knowing what you are exactly dealing with on his end.

This... totally and completely!!! It took DH and I 12 mos. of TTC with 6 grueling cycles of Clomid (that stuff was terrible towards the end!!!) We knew I had some irregular cycle stuff going on due to my charting (another fan of TCOYF!), which is why I began the Clomid... and still nothing else. Finally, after 5 months on Clomid we got DH tested and his sperm analysis results were awful... he had 3% normal morph and a count of 61.3 mil... and this was after six months of him doing accupuncture and TCM diet. I finally went and got the HSG and conceived that cycle... which was a total fluke. We truly have a miracle baby-my OB likes to remind us of that whenever he sees me With DH's sperm quality it should have taken IVF... and were just in the process of getting a referral to see an RE for IVF. Luckily, until that point I had been seeing an OB-GYN who has a sub specialty in infertility who does everything except IVF... IUI with injectibles included.

[NSmomtobe]

I got my IUD out 3 months before TTC.

We got pregnant on cycle 4 of actively TTC (using cervical fluid to indicate fertility and basal body temperature to confirm). Unfortunately, I miscarried this pregnancy at 6 weeks.

After my miscarriage, I was more determined than ever to get pregnant again right away. We really stepped up our efforts to try every day or every other day during my fertile time (determined by cervical fluid). Then, in March/April, we decided that we should take a month off from TTC because we didn't want a late December baby. Still, I couldn't stand to let that month's egg be wasted, so I took ONE chance that month and now I am expecting a late December/early January baby. This pregnancy occured in the 4th cycle after my miscarriage, after 9 months of TTC, and exactly one year after I got my IUD out.

Because it took less than a year, we did not need to see a fertility specialist.

[lizsky]

I second the suggestion to get DH checked out. My close friend went through years of TTC and stressing about her body when it actually turned out that he was the main reason they were struggling. (she's 31, he's 28). They opted for IVF and their new little girl arrived a few weeks ago

The other thing I'd offer, is that the medical establishment can make women feel like they are old and its not really true. DH & I are about your age (he's 30, I'm 28), and I got a comment from a Dr last year about how I was "past my prime" and needed to start trying asap or else...needless to say, I didn't see him again. We did decide to try this year after I finished grad school, and it happened fairly fast for us, although we DTD every day for over a week, and we were on summer vacation so our stress was pretty low.

I think the upside of your situation is that you ARE young and you already know at age 29 that you guys have had a harder time and are working to address it...some folks I know didn't find this out until they were in their late 30's and its more challenging to address at that point. Best wishes to you both.

[Cczar]

I have known women who have been on the pill for quite some time have affects from contraceptives from using them for a period of time. My twin sister being one of them. She tried for at least 6-8 months to get pregnant before achieving pregnancy. Her cycle was off and really started to focus on her body. I suggested to her, and will you also, the "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" book. This book is excellent to read for pregnancy achievement to allow you to understand how to know what your body is doing and when you are about to ovulate or have already. I used this and succeeded with Pregnancy twice. The first time - right away and the second time in 4 months. You can do other things to increase cervical fluid which allows the sperm to stay alive in time for conception. Taking mucus building over the counter medicines like Robitussin (EXPECTORANT ONLY) do not get anything with cough suppressant this will do the opposite affect with your cervical fluid by reducing it. Those are my best tips for you. I did use the expectorant during my second try and birth since it took me 4 months and was successful! I hope you can be too! My best suggestion after you achieve pregnancy and have your baby - don't go back on a contraceptive pill but use charting and other more natural ways (like condoms) as birth control. Good luck!

[dirtyhipegirl]

with dd at age 21 it was a surprise, #2 took about 10 months of ttc. It was very hard not being able to get pregnant. The only thing I did was read taking charge of your fertility, and started charting etc...that and a lot of prayer.

[soontobeamama]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, but I just had to respond.

Your story is so incredibly, eerily similar to mine. I too was 29 when I started trying (my husband was 26, yay for younger men!), had a history of problems with PCOS that like you, improved when I lost weight but I was currently at one of my heavier stages, and irregular, long cycles, and (the one factor that was different) had had my thyroid removed the previous year, so I was (am) on synthetic thyroid replacement pills.

I got pregnant exactly one year after my husband and I started trying. I'm due in March.

I never saw a RE or even had a work-up at my primary care physician. I planned to the month I found out I got pregnant. For months, I temp'd and tried to time my cycle, but it was always a mess and I could never find a pattern or figure out if I ovulated. Same with the OPKs. So, by the spring, I had really given up and had stopped temping (we didn't stop trying, I was just convinced by this point that it wasn't going to happen any time soon). I actually also largely stopped being depressed about it. It felt sort of freeing to stop being so obsessed with it (I say this as someone who doesn't judge and was completely obsessed for about 9 months solid). The worse time was Christmas last year--I was completely depressed that we didn't have a little one on the way to buy cute outfits for and to dream about.

Anyway, I missed a period in May, but I took a lot of pregnancy tests in late May and early June and they were all negative, so I was sure I wasn't pregnant. But in early July I developed a really bad cough and went to my doctors for some meds. The nurse was taking me into the room to get a chess x-ray when I saw the sign that said, "If you are pregnant or think you may be, yadda, yadda, yadda," and I said to the nurse, "Well, I KNOW I'm NOT pregnant, but I guess technically I could be." I was completely blown away when she led me back into the waiting room and the doctor announced, "Yep, you're pregnant!" I was apparently three weeks along at that point (although I had no idea because of the missed period the prior month).

Anyway, I've completely hijacked your thread, and I'm sorry, but I really wanted to let you know that I've been in your (almost) exact situation, and my story had a happy ending. You're welcome to PM me if you like a sympathetic ear. I know how hard the waiting is--it's hell.

P.S. When I called my friend who had also been trying for almost exactly a year to tell her, kind of dreading it because I didn't want to hurt her with my good news, she said, "Funny you should mention it--I'm pregnant too!" She's due four days before I am.

[kanga1622]

DH and I tried with FAM to get pregnant for over 3 years after using FAM to avoid for the previous 2+ years. I am honestly convinced that the 23 lbs I lost after starting an exercise routine was the key for us to get pregnant. It's the only thing that really changed for us during that entire time.

We did no testing other than CD3 bloodwork to test FSH, LH, and thyroid. That all came back normal. We were getting ready to start thinking about having DH tested when we got pregnant.

[NullSet]

I wanted to second many of the PPs in making sure you are ovulating when you think you are. For my second pregnancy it took us about 6 months and that was just because for the first five I assumed I did the 'normal' ovulate at day 14 thing. Once I started charting I discovered I ovulate later than I thought I did.

[ladyleah]

I am sorry you are struggling-- it's tough being in this spot.

There has been great feedback here, and I agree that getting the TCOYF book, as well as Randine Lewis's The Infertility Cure (its and acupuncture, diet, herb book).

I have had a lifelong hx of GYN issues (a "mild" PCOS dx and Endometriosis Dx as well). I have never been regular, and had surgery in Sept. 2008 to remove a huge cyst (not an ovarian/endometrial one) from behind my uterus that was causing me pain. We started TTC in October of 2008, and I got pregnant in March of 2009...HOWEVER.....

I conceived this baby on day FOURTY TWO of my cycle-- yep, I ovulated waaaaay late! This was after several docs, including a well respected RE-- told me that I would never ovulate that late-- and that I should start taking provera to "force" my period to start. I refused because my gut told me that jumping into meds this soon was not natural for me, or safe. I did have a full work up with an RE, as did my spouse, but I refused to start with any of their recommendations because, again, it just didn't feel right.

So, for me-- knowing my body through the TCOYF book, and following the suggestions from Randine Lewis book were critical. I trusted my body- and I knew how to read the signs. If I would have thought that I "couldn't" ovulate so late and that something was wrong with me, and knew that the day 14 rule was across the board for everyone I would have given up long ago and opted for the agressive tx that the RE wanted. I just focused on balancing my own health and wellness instead-- and this is what worked for me.

BTW-- I am 34, had never gotten pregnant before-- and am now 35 weeks (and have had an AWESOME pregnancy...I feel great!) along.

Best of luck to you.

[Tattooed Hand]

Originally Posted by LeeLo

Ladies, thank you SO much.

I'm literally sitting @ my desk @ work crying. Thank you for sharing and for the support.

I take:
MACA
B Complex
Women's multi
Folic Acid
High Quality Omega 3
Royal Jelly

I purchased TCOYF =)
I have a bbt thermometer, although i've found it hard to temp because of my puppy and early rise time and i just plain forget sometimes, i will try to do this the very next month.

I have seen both an RE and a naturopatic doctor. I stopped seeing the naturopath because i switched insurance but have been thinking of her recently and plan to return.
She checked my thyroid, took a blood screen my hormones got checked by RE. PCOS diagnosis came from my re and blood screen showed vitamin D deficiency only. She also checked insulin levels. They were ok.

I know its only been 8 months,,but i'm scared.. My DH doesn't share the worried feelings and feels we have all the time in the world. Sure. He has probably another 20 years!!! haha

Anyway, thank you again. It does seem to help ease my tensions to hear your stories----- especially since i have 3 best friends who are pregnant right now and it only took them each no more than three months.

I will try to be more patient. And try to do what i can to help my chances.
I'm trying not to jump the gun on more exploratory testing --like a hysteroscopy, but i feel i will if it doesn't happen....

Don't give up hope. Both in my personal experience and in those of close friends, your cycles are notoriously erratic up to 6 months after you go off the pill! Your body's cycles have been regulated by these external hormones and when you go off the pill, the natural rhythms of your body take a while to re-establish themselves, so some people have a hard time getting pregnant because ovulation is erratic (or they end up with an unwanted pregnancy!). I had one of the latter.

This time around (I'm 34 weeks) I went off the pill about a year before I began trying (we used condoms) and I began exercising and eating healthier to "get in shape" for pregnancy. I tracked my cycle and the second time we had unprotected sex in my natural ovulation zone (right at 14 days), I got pregnant. I think if I had been straight off the pill it would have taken much longer (I conceived 10 days into my cycle with my unwanted pregnancy, which was only 3 months after I got off the pill).

Don't give up hope!

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by Mamatoto2

MayI ask why you're taking the above supplements? I'm not challenging, I'm just not familiar with all of them or why one would take each of them (although I can figure out the folic acid, but I'm not sure what the women's multi and folic together add up to, folic acid-wise)

Anyway, with regard to the remembering to temp thing....I can't remember how many consecutive hours of sleep you need before temping (5 maybe?) and I know that you're supposed to temp at the same time every day. I think I picked some crazy time I'd always be sure to be asleep for the set number of hours (4 or 5am maybe). I got a small travel alarm I'd set just for temping so that I could still use my regular alarm to get up for the morning. I kept my bbt bedside. When my travel alarm went off I'd pop the bbt in my mouth and when it beeped, I'd stick it under my pillow and be right back asleep. When I really woke up for the morning, I'd retrieve my bbt from under my pillow and check my temp (if you pressed and held the button on the bbt it would display the last recorded temp) and then I'd fill in my bedside paper chart for the day, and enter it into fertility friend when I got a chance.

Mama,
Thank you for your input. =) While the multi contains folic acid, its a very small amount and the additional i take, is another small dose, i think together they add to 800 mg/day.
Royal Jelly is supposed to help with fertility.
MACA is a great supplement I've added to regulate hormones and boost energy/overall health. It's moved my o date up some days when i use it religiously, which i find to be good because on cycles where i'm not behaving et. eating right and exercising, my o date seems to get pushed out a lil more.

thank you so much for the input on the temping.
DH gets up around 5 for work, so I'm going to try that.

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

First I am not sure why you are counting back... for me that does not indicate my ovulation at all. I am a late ovulator- 14 days would have left me very not pregnant.

I have never seen an RE. I have little problem getting pregnant, I have had problems staying pregnant. I miscarried in July and waited a couple of cycles before trying again and then got pregnant.

I'm counting back because its what is estimated to be my luteal phase. I'd been charting cm and bd'ing....
One month i was closely monitored by an RE, and although they couldn't pinpoint the Exact day of my ovulation, it was about 14 or 13 days before i got my period that month.
I count back to pinpoint (kida) when i ovulated because no matter when i ovulate, i usually get a period 13 or 14 days later...
I'm going to try to pinpoint it more accurately by temping soon.
I temped some days this month, but did not stick to it, so I mostly kept track of symptoms, cm and bd'ing.

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by MiracleMama

Hi, i know how frustrating it can be to wait and wait when you just want to be pregnant so badly. It took us about a year to get pregnant each time (I'm pg. with baby no. 3 now). I also had 2 miscarriages.

For this pregnancy...the only thing I did differently was to stop temping! The month I stopped charting and stressing about ttc was the month it finally worked (after a year plus one loss). So yes, I agree, TCOYF is a wonderful resource and you should chart for a while to get to know your cycle. But emotionally, I needed a break from it after a year. I wasn't sleeping well, stressing about what my temp. would be when I woke up.

Lots of luck and baby dust to you. I hope you get pregnant soon.

Thank you Miracle. This really makes me feel a little better. I know, i really know 8 months isn't a long time..but i get worried because of the donations..
I just didn't think i'd have a problem. Thank you so much.

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by Katie34

I know I pm'ed you about this- but I just wanted to re itterate- before you start wondering too much what is going on with you, I recommend having your dh get a semen analysis. I think sometimes we don't realize that it is some what common for the man to be the problem in ttc. If his results come back totally fine, then you know for sure that it is something for you to address. But it seems like un necessary stress to try to figure out if there is something about you that you can change without knowing what you are exactly dealing with on his end.

Thank you Katie. Yes, we've talked..and while i feel he is back to normal and is taking supplements to increase his fertility, I'm going to talk to him about that and hopefully address it. I think i mentioned that he's not into the stressing and testing thing...so i hope i can get him on board.
I already did the break down and cry thing in front of him after 5 months..telling him i haven't taken a pill since almost 6 mos prior..whats wrong with us, etc. He doesn't seem to worry and appears to not to want to jump to conclusions.

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by NSmomtobe

I got my IUD out 3 months before TTC.

We got pregnant on cycle 4 of actively TTC (using cervical fluid to indicate fertility and basal body temperature to confirm). Unfortunately, I miscarried this pregnancy at 6 weeks.

After my miscarriage, I was more determined than ever to get pregnant again right away. We really stepped up our efforts to try every day or every other day during my fertile time (determined by cervical fluid). Then, in March/April, we decided that we should take a month off from TTC because we didn't want a late December baby. Still, I couldn't stand to let that month's egg be wasted, so I took ONE chance that month and now I am expecting a late December/early January baby. This pregnancy occured in the 4th cycle after my miscarriage, after 9 months of TTC, and exactly one year after I got my IUD out.

Because it took less than a year, we did not need to see a fertility specialist.

Thank you!!! Have a happy, healthy 9 mos.

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by Cczar

I have known women who have been on the pill for quite some time have affects from contraceptives from using them for a period of time. My twin sister being one of them. She tried for at least 6-8 months to get pregnant before achieving pregnancy. Her cycle was off and really started to focus on her body. I suggested to her, and will you also, the "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" book. This book is excellent to read for pregnancy achievement to allow you to understand how to know what your body is doing and when you are about to ovulate or have already. I used this and succeeded with Pregnancy twice. The first time - right away and the second time in 4 months. You can do other things to increase cervical fluid which allows the sperm to stay alive in time for conception. Taking mucus building over the counter medicines like Robitussin (EXPECTORANT ONLY) do not get anything with cough suppressant this will do the opposite affect with your cervical fluid by reducing it. Those are my best tips for you. I did use the expectorant during my second try and birth since it took me 4 months and was successful! I hope you can be too! My best suggestion after you achieve pregnancy and have your baby - don't go back on a contraceptive pill but use charting and other more natural ways (like condoms) as birth control. Good luck!

I'm NEVER going on the pill again.
This whole process has given me new insight, and a new feeling about everything. For so long, i had so many goals in line, thought so differently. Now i do see life is an absolute miracle no matter how or when it happens.

[LeeLo]

Originally Posted by soontobeamama

I haven't read the entire thread yet, but I just had to respond.

Your story is so incredibly, eerily similar to mine. I too was 29 when I started trying (my husband was 26, yay for younger men!), had a history of problems with PCOS that like you, improved when I lost weight but I was currently at one of my heavier stages, and irregular, long cycles, and (the one factor that was different) had had my thyroid removed the previous year, so I was (am) on synthetic thyroid replacement pills.

I got pregnant exactly one year after my husband and I started trying. I'm due in March.

I never saw a RE or even had a work-up at my primary care physician. I planned to the month I found out I got pregnant. For months, I temp'd and tried to time my cycle, but it was always a mess and I could never find a pattern or figure out if I ovulated. Same with the OPKs. So, by the spring, I had really given up and had stopped temping (we didn't stop trying, I was just convinced by this point that it wasn't going to happen any time soon). I actually also largely stopped being depressed about it. It felt sort of freeing to stop being so obsessed with it (I say this as someone who doesn't judge and was completely obsessed for about 9 months solid). The worse time was Christmas last year--I was completely depressed that we didn't have a little one on the way to buy cute outfits for and to dream about.

Anyway, I missed a period in May, but I took a lot of pregnancy tests in late May and early June and they were all negative, so I was sure I wasn't pregnant. But in early July I developed a really bad cough and went to my doctors for some meds. The nurse was taking me into the room to get a chess x-ray when I saw the sign that said, "If you are pregnant or think you may be, yadda, yadda, yadda," and I said to the nurse, "Well, I KNOW I'm NOT pregnant, but I guess technically I could be." I was completely blown away when she led me back into the waiting room and the doctor announced, "Yep, you're pregnant!" I was apparently three weeks along at that point (although I had no idea because of the missed period the prior month).

Anyway, I've completely hijacked your thread, and I'm sorry, but I really wanted to let you know that I've been in your (almost) exact situation, and my story had a happy ending. You're welcome to PM me if you like a sympathetic ear. I know how hard the waiting is--it's hell.

P.S. When I called my friend who had also been trying for almost exactly a year to tell her, kind of dreading it because I didn't want to hurt her with my good news, she said, "Funny you should mention it--I'm pregnant too!" She's due four days before I am.

Thank you for sharing. Waiting, worrying, wondering is hell. I have a lot of what-ifs in my head...and i'm really trying to not be consumed with it..but its hard.

You ladies definitely helped me feel a little better about my situation.
The biggest part of all of my worrying is the egg donation aspect. I've obviously helped other families..and i've never thought of my own situation...or future fertility.
The doctors reassure me that all it will probably take is time, but i just keep thinking, and worrying..maybe overthinking.

[gillibean]

How long did it take you to conceive?
8 months since I got ppaf, but she took 26 months to show up in the first place.

Did you do anything different that cycle?
I gave up on charting and we went DTD like every day. It sort of made up for the lack of it once I started getting queasy with pregnancy. The other thing is that it was going to be our last month of trying until December. We're thinking of moving next summer and didn't want to be due in the middle of a move.