Permitting myself a moment to obsess... Looking good?

[buko]

Hi, all! I used to have an account here, but never posted in this forum before as I've never TTC before!

A little backstory-- feel free to skip!

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Husband and I married almost 14 years-- I'm almost 34 and he's almost 42.  We weren't 1000% sure we even wanted kids and were completely sure we didn't want them until we had been married a while, so I've been on birth control (Ortho-Tri) for, yeah, about 14 years.  Decided we wanted to have kids, went off BCP in November, planning to start TTC in January or Feb.  November "cycle" (beginning with fake w/d period) was semi-normal looking.  December had an ultra-short luteal phase (6 days), so I started taking B6.  January, I didn't consistently chart because we spent 2 weeks in a time zone 13 hours ahead, takes 20 hours just to get there and back, etc., etc., and with all the craziness and stress, I knew I wasn't going to get the most accurate numbers.  I did have somewhat fertile fluid on days 16-23, and we DTD exactly once, on Day 20 (when I had EWCM), but that's it.  Then I got really sick (flu).  Best guess is that I O'd on Day 21-24, but no way to tell for sure.  At least my luteal phase lasted a bare minimum of 10 days-- up to 13, but probably 11-12. 

BFN and AF and all that-- no surprise.

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This was the first month we decided to really give it the old college try.  My chart isn't super-consistent because I wake up in a 3-hour range (Day 15, I woke up close to noon-- probably hence the spike), but you can see a pattern:

Good signs?

-Lots of DTD, as you can see-- husband extremely eager to "get the job done," LOL.

-Arguably a little temp dip on Day 20, and I had the feeling of possible O pain that evening, just before my temp went up.  I used to have O pain fairly often as a teenager, before I started on BCP, so I think that might have been it... though it also honestly could have been gas, LOL.

-Today (6 DPO), I woke up to a little additional jump in temp even though I took my temp close as possible to my "regular" time (probably 70% of the time, I temp between 8:30-9:30-- this was 9:00). 

-I also had a bit of spotting this morning.  I do tend to have a bit of spotting here and there (even on BCP), but haven't had any for a couple of weeks... just sayin'.

Not sure if it will pan out to be triphasic, but it's at least encouraging so far, no?  When I was a teenager, pre-BCP, I remember having a fairly regular, long cycle-- somewhere in the 32-35 day range?  So the late O may be normal for me.

What do you think?

I'm considering testing the day after tomorrow (8 DPO).  I guess I feel like, even if I do have a very early loss after that, that would be good info to have at this stage in the game.  But I'm hoping we're very sticky!  

[buko]

Haha!  Okay, so obviously, I know it's WAY too early to know anything.  I guess I'm just wondering if the combination of indicators is at least promising.

That is...

1) Lots of DTD around O.

2) Possible triphasic second temp rise + spotting at 6 DPO.

*sigh*  Obviously I'm an overexcitable N00B. 

[Chloe'sMama]

Just wanted to say WELCOME!  I don't know much about charting etc, but if you DTD during your fertile period, there is a good chance you could be pregnant!  Good luck.

[buko]

Thank you!  Yes, we DTD for 8 straight days during (and probably a little after) my fertile period.  DH was very... determined, LOL.  I know your chances are actually improved if you DTD every OTHER day if your partner has low sperm count, etc., but we have no reason to think his sperm count is low, so every single day, it was!   

[Jaimee]

Welcome to MDC (again)!! 

I would say that CD20 is quite likely as your O day despite disturbed temps and this second rise in temp b/c your CF backs that biphasic pattern.  So you timed BDing well for that.  Implantation spotting is actually quite uncommon and to have it happen on the first possible implantation day (6dpo) would make it even less likely (though not impossible).  It is also possible that it is spotting associated with O and that your O day was in fact CD25. What was your CF like on CD25 and 26? O spotting is one of those things that while not common, could randomly happen one cycle and is typically a sign of increased fertility.  Unfortunately your BDing was not well timed for that possibility, though sperm can live in fertile CF for up to 5 days. But, it's most likely that this spotting is from fluctuating hormones.  It could still be issues from the birth control and/or the stress you've been under from all the traveling.  So I would count from CD20, but keep in mind that CD25 is a possibility if AF has not shown and you're still getting BFN's.  Also keep in mind that most pregnant women do not get triphasic charts and some non-pregnant women do, so it's not a terribly reliable sign of pregnancy.

All this speculating aside, you definitely have a chance of being pregnant!  Keep us posted!

[buko]

Thanks, Jaimee-- you confirmed some of what I was thinking-- it could go either way. 

My CF was pretty much creamy on CD25, but it's a bit hard to say, bc...  If my O was CD25, that's not the best thing in the world, as you can see the last time we DTD was CD23, plus I had what turned out to be a yeast infection from maybe CD22-CD25 (cleared up quickly).  AFAIK, yeast infections are bad news for TTC b/c of the PH.

It does seem somewhat likely that my O was CD20, even with my variable temps, partially because I had classically fertile fluid through CD20 and then it dried almost completely up on CD21, like clockwork (I am almost never truly "dry," but on CD21 and CD22 in particular, I was either dry or creamy all day).  Also, though I know it's only been 3-4 cycles since I stopped BC (all cycles looked ovulatory), my last few O days were CD18, 20 and then somewhere in the 21-24 range, but my best guess was ~22-23 (that one could have also been delayed slightly b/c of the travel and stress-- I've been back home now for more than 5 weeks, BTW).  Just meaning that CD25 would be a little later than I'd generally expect-- though of course, not at all out of the question, since I haven't been off BC that long and things aren't completely regular right now, if they ever will be. 

But I do hear you on the spotting thing-- not necessarily being implantation.

I will say that a couple hours ago, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, after drinking a cup of my regular tea, I got SUPER bloated and gassy.  I didn't eat anything in the past 2 days that I don't eat daily or at least weekly-- like I literally ate the most "typical" possible last 4 or 5 meals-- so, who knows.  Granted, I think DH may have planted the association in my subconscious this morning, when he said bloating was a common symptom of early pregnancy (I didn't know before), but I forgot about it until I got super-bloated this afternoon... at least my conscious mind did!

LOL, me and my obsessiveness... I am such the typical newbie TTC'er, I'm sure. 

I keep wondering to what extent genetics come into play...  I'm sure it's no guarantee, but both my family and DH's are very, VERY fertile, with essentially no infertility issues at all, children fathered by men 50+ and conceived by women 35-40+.  My mom in particular literally got pregnant the first cycle she tried for me (when she was 29) and then within 3 cycles when she tried for my brother (when she was 39).  Probably doesn't hurt my chances, but who knows how much of a good sign it is?

[Jaimee]

Bloating is definitely one of my first pregnancy signs!  Baby #3 was a massive oops so I had no idea I was pregnant, but around 15dpo, I was so bloated that I looked pregnant and thought to myself, what the heck?  Turned out, I was!

[buko]

Who knows, but it's nice to see a silver lining on bloating, LOL.  Ergh, I'm soooo gassy today, and it would be one thing if I had a milkshake or something (I'm lactose intolerant), but this is out of nowhere.  I'm just at myself, here, getting excited about burping and farting.  

[buko]

Well, my temp this morning was 98.0, so still a possible triphasic pattern.  I know I just came off BC 4 months ago, so my last 3 charts probably aren't super-reliable, but I will say that while all of them showed a BIphasic pattern typical of an ovulatory cycle, none of them showed a triphasic one, so maybe...?  I'll try not to obsess today, but you can believe I'll be testing first thing tomorrow (8 DPO). 

[buko]

Another higher temp this morning!  8 DPO and it's 98.1, so the third day in a row of a posssssssible triphasic pattern.  Looks like this now:

I tested today (and last night, just to show my husband how the test works) and I've gotten BFN, but I figured as much at 7/8 DPO.

Still praying and knocking wood!

My consolation prize is if I get AF, it comes on Monday or later, so I have a LF of at least 10 days again-- that would be great, since I just went off BC in November and had that 6 day LF in December.

[buko]

Another higher temp this morning!  8 DPO and it's 98.1, so the third day in a row of a posssssssible triphasic pattern.  Looks like this now:

I tested today (and last night, just to show my husband how the test works) and I've gotten BFN, but I figured as much at 7/8 DPO.

Still praying and knocking wood!

My consolation prize is if I get AF, it comes on Monday or later, so I have a LF of at least 10 days again-- that would be great, since I just went off BC in November and had that 6 day LF in December.

[buko]

Another higher temp this morning! 8 DPO and it's 98.1, so the third day in a row of a posssssssible triphasic pattern. Looks like this now:

I tested today (and last night, just to show my husband how the test works) and I've gotten BFN, but I figured as much at 7/8 DPO.

Still praying and knocking wood!

My consolation prize is if I get AF, it comes on Monday or later, so I have a LF of at least 10 days again-- that would be great, since I just went off BC in November and had that 6 day LF in December.

[Jaimee]

You might still be regulating off the BC, but you might also have the elusive implantation spotting going on with your triphasic chart!  FX!!

[librarygirl]

Best of luck, Buko! hope you get a BFP really soon (like, maybe tomorrow?)!!!

Chart looks good.

I've wondered on the genetic thing, too. and I'm quite hopeful that that plays well for us as well. I'm one of four and my mama got knocked up just looking at my dad. STB DH only has one sibling but I think that was a choice (actually, I think the sibling might have been an oops, not TTC). All of our parents have decently large families and no fertility issues anywhere, as far as I know. I wonder if big families are genetic (no fertility issues) or a product of family culture? Example: I want 3 or 4 kids and have no problem with families bigger than that (in fact, I might go bigger if I wasn't 32 and just TTC #1 starting in May), and  I'm pretty sure it's because I have a big family so that's just normal to me. Why wouldn't you want 3 or 4 kids?

Okay, hope to see a good update from you soon.

[lilacvioletiris]

Looking good so far buko.  I wonder what today will bring for you!

[buko]

Thank you, folks!  BFN this morning (9 DPO) , but another high temp and no spotting, so it's still looking decent.

It's weird the way FF is putting open circles around my most consistent testing times (like recently).  The closed circles actually mostly represent crazy times like 6:30 am, whereas, since O, I've only taken my temp between 8:05 and 9:00-- and yet those are all open circles.  *shrug*

Librarygirl, it's so hard to say, but interesting to think about.  Between DH and myself, our parents are one of 4, 5, 5 and 8 siblings each.  We don't want a bunch of kids, but I figure that's a decent sign, among others.

Hoping for a BFP soon, or at least continued delay of AF for a few more days!

[aHikaru]

looks hopeful 

[Jaimee]

It uses open circles if you are more than 30 minutes off from your default time.  Double check what you have entered as your default.  Also, if you marked "sleep deprived" as a symptom then it will put an open circle as well. 

If your chart is triphasic from pregnancy then that implies that implantation occurred around 6dpo (not terribly likely in itself), but if it did, that would mean that enough hCG should have built up by now to give you a BFP.  So it would be my guess that this is not a triphasic pregnancy chart.  HOWEVER, that does not decrease your chances of being pregnant.  Your chart still looks great.  I would test again at 11dpo.

[buko]

Sounds good, Jaimee!

I know what you mean about the open circles, but my default is still 9:00 am (I checked a while ago), most of my waking times recently have been within 30 minutes of 9:00 am, I never entered sleep deprived, and the closed dots are actually on days where I entered my waking time around 6-6:30 am.  Glitch, I guess.

[Jaimee]

Huh, weird, you're right, it must be a glitch!