Will the real Aunt Flo please stand up?

I hate when AF comes early. She came Friday, and other than the bleeding, I've felt pretty great. Until today. After we came home from bowling, I had to help DH with the broken mower, and I just started getting really cranky. I went to wash my hands at the sink, and as I was leaning against the sink, it felt like when a cat sprints across the room to one end and back, like twice. (only vertical) Or like something swimming loops.  Then, I started getting a sensation like a root had been pulled, and now semi-bad to bad cramps. 

Here are some of the AF/IPS symptoms that just flared up in the last hour or two since that happened:

My first cycle on Bee Fertile

So, yesterday, AF showed, making my nephew's 1st birthday CD1. *sigh* Anyhow, time to analyze my first cycle on Bee Fertile!  So, overall, I would say that my PMS symptoms after O were more stable and increased intensity.

Previous cycles, a symptom like, tender breasts would be very tender one day, less tender the next, and then increase in intensity.

What does it mean when your cycle is messed up?

That is what I ask myself. Yes, cycle's change. You can have a consistent pattern six cycles in a row, and just when you seem to have identified the pattern, it changes. If ONLY for that one cycle. Just to show you that you can't ever be definite when it comes to your body.  I don't know how many times I've seen posts on forums or pregnancy sites claiming that "royal jelly messed up my cycle!" Replace the underlined word with the newest supplement to be touted as the infertility cure. I've seen it said about Soy Isoflavones, Vitex (chasteberry), and any number of other blends or new supplements.

Here is the cold hard truth. These supplements are supposed to make your cycle change. Yeah. I said it.

When something changes that is good, we sigh in relief or jump for joy and think, "Yes! It worked" or something to that effect. When something changes that is not what we were hoping for or expecting, it messed it up or didn't work.  After 3 years of attempting to conceive successfully, I will admit that many (ok, most) of the times that my cycle took a drastic turn, I was moaning and complaining with the rest of my TTC pals. But later, because hindsight is 20/20, I saw how perhaps these changes, although not the immediate miracle I was longing for, these changes are what just might push me towards that happy ending in the form of a healthier cycle.

The first time I tried Royal Jelly, I loathed the increase in PMS symptoms AFTER AF, that made me insanely paranoid that I had actually become pregnant but was having early bleeding. Which when you think about it, isn't a great sign anyway. BUT, one thing I did notice about my flow, was it turned from dark and clotty, to thin, bright red. Almost really EWCM with blood. And from what I've read, a bright red, non-clotty flow is a healthy one. So, although it was inaugurated by some killer cramps, the likes of which I had not seen since my teen years, I took this as a sign I was headed in the right direction.

So to sum up the good things that happened when my cycle "messed up":

1. Healthier, cleaner flow
2. Symptoms more similar to adolescence, which let's face it, are generally more fertile than your 30's . 
3. Lengthening of LP to just around 11-12 consistently. Also, spotting before AF is now negligible, and sometimes absent.

So, I recognized a temp pattern in my early pre-O temps. Around 5-7 days after a "false O" that occurs about the 2nd week of my cycle (CD's 7-12), I get my true O. I have to say what was most frustrating to me was my CBEFM! After 2 lows, I just kept getting Highs. And 3 days after FF gave me cross hairs, still only High! I will say though, that looking at the sticks, they've read closer to lows that I've had in the past. The closest to a Peak was about 3 days before FF said I O'd, where both lines were present, but quite faint. 

Yet, here is my chart today. 

9 days later I get my O. 2 days past the longest stretch between my "false O" and true O. Plus no High on my CBEFM. But as you can see, my clear Fall-back rise pattern, which has only failed me a few times. So I'm sold. Goodbye CBEFM, I might give you ONE more shot next cycle. But did the Bee Fertile "mess up" this cycle? Not really. Because in order to fix something, sometimes you have rebuild it piece by piece. Lay the foundation, shift a few things here, add some things there, and eventually, your building is functioning more effectively. But it takes time, and sometimes it won't work right away. 

Besides, if you read the literature on Bee Fertile, it is not claiming a quick fix. It lets you know that it becomes most effective after 3 cycles. If you get knocked up in cycle 1 or 2, you're just lucky!  I hope I get that luck!

Disclaimer: Although the Bee Fertile supplements were provided to me at no charge, all opinions are my own. Trust me, I 'll give you the good, bad and in-between with an un-varnished eye!

Fertility charting pattern prediction Pt 2

So, if you read my post about an Interesting Chart Pattern I discovered, here's a followup to it! Yesterday, I posted about noticing a "false O" after AF that usually proceeded O by about 5-7 days. So, with my "false O" being on Sunday (2/26) CD7, I looked ahead about 6-7 days and see that I should O around this weekend, Sat Mar 3 or Sun Mar 4. It would be a kind of early one for me, although I have O'd on CD13 before.

So, I predicted that today would be my first High on my Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor (CBEFM). And so it was!

Here is a pic of my chart today, with the green marks I added predicting possible O dates and readings on my CBEFM.



Also, I noticed yesterday my nips started hurting, which has progressed to a faint bruised feeling on the sides of my BBs--all classic signs of approaching O.

I have to say that with the Bee Fertile supplements, I feel a stabilization of my cycle symptoms. They follow the same familiar pattern, but are more stable and consistent. Previously with Vitex, my moods have become despondent and alternatively happy.  With Royal Jelly I get some stabilization, but eventually the severity of the PMS symptoms during my period took its toll.

Since my period ended and I've started the Bee Fertile regimen, I've noticed a very stable mood, if a little weepy and nostalgic at times, but never so overpowering that I felt swept away. I also feel I have improved energy. But this is the "calm before the storm" so to speak. This is the one time in my cycle I feel "normal" As O approaches, the symptoms and my analysis of them increase and my mood becomes more erratic. I'm praying that this will bring a welcome change that also leads to increased fertility!

So, I'm not really doing Sperm Meets Egg plan faithfully. But with this new prediction, I'm hoping to use it to plan and hit the 3days before O and O. Since today was High, I gotta get busy!

Disclaimer: Although the Bee Fertile supplements were provided to me at no charge, all opinions are my own. Trust me, I 'll give you the good, bad and in-between with an un-varnished eye!

Oops! Some things I missed.

So, I was looking at the spoon provided by Bee Fertile again, and I realized that the small line around the bowl of the spoon, about a 1/4 in from the top was to mark the 1/2 tsp mark, and the full spoon marked the full 1 tsp or 5 ml. I think I mistook 5 ml as equal to 1/2 tsp. So it is an excellent tool if you want to measure 1/2 tsp OR a full tsp. I'll post a similar correction in my Began Bee Fertile post later, but my computer is being borrowed and Blogger doesn't seem to work well on iPhone for editing.

 In other related news, I've noticed some changes to this part of the cycle. I had forgotten that for me, taking Royal jelly can really stabilize my mood, at least in the 1 week between AF ending and the beginning of my LP. Having a mood disorder, I'm so used to having my moods fluctuate greatly, and often with no rhyme or reason. With the Royal Jelly, I find that my mood changes are slower to change and less extreme. Although I have noticed an overpowering sense of nostalgia; any show I watch or song I hear makes me wistful and remember with great strength of emotion and a time when I felt like that in the past. Today it has progressed to a sort of weepiness, although when I am not overcome this way I feel at peace. I don't know if it is all the Royal Jelly contributing; I know Vitex has affected my moods in the past and there are other herbs in the Bee Fertile I haven't tried before.

 Also, very strange and vivid dream last night. I had bought a strange, but bulky, electronic HPT with a screen that showed the result in a pink plus sign. I decided to try it out, and I walked away before it was finished, convinced it would be negative. When I got back, ai found a pretty pink plus sign between 2 bars like this: |+| Then of course I had to verify the BFP since it was outside of the time limit, and I got a positive on the cheapie and a FRER. I knew it was a dream when I saw the dye strobing up the HPT in waves. There was more, but not relevant to most of the dream. Today I am very tired. Also, I have had heartburn since the beginning of this AF. I thought it was a period symptom, but as it is continuing each night, I wonder if it is the Cayenne or another ingredient in Bee Fertile. Time will tell.

 Disclaimer: These supplements were provided to me at no cost, but all opinions are my own.  Believe me, I will give you the good, bad and in-between with an unvarnished eye.

Royal Jelly Smoothie!

So, Friday I skipped my Royal Jelly dose, partly because I was in a hurry, and because I'm having an issue with the taste. I finally tried it in a smoothie, and yum! I have one of those "mini-blenders" that I can put just enough for one. So I throw in a few of may favorite fruits, a few cubes of ice, a spoon of peanut butter and almond milk. Yum! Of course, if you're smart and have frozen fruit, you can skip the ice! I think I'll love taking my RJ this way!

Otherwise, I've been having a huge rise in hormonal symptoms during my period. Breast tenderness, cramping, bloating, fatigue, etc....but as soon as my period stopped, I started feeling so much better! Perhaps this is just my body regulating on the Bee Fertile supplements and RJ, but I hope it stays stable. I've been riding the TTC rollercoaster so long, and I'd just like it to have a few less rises and dips.

Right now, CD5/6, period is gone and gearing up to ovulate. Will also use my CBEFM and maybe give the Sperm Meets Egg plan another shot!


Disclaimer: These supplements were provided to me at no cost, but all opinions are my own. Believe me, I will give you the good, bad, and in-between with an unvarnished eye.

Stupid craving! And other ways I convince myself I'm pregnant on my period.

Cravings. They get us every time. Many women have the traditional chocolate or potato chip craving (or chocolate covered potato chips, nom nom nom). For me, it is usually fried food. Often I will crave crab rangoon, my fave guilty pleasure at Chinese restaurants. This was mostly when I lived near a Chinese restaurant that I would pass every day on my way to work. Sometimes it's anything fried, and sometimes only the thing I crave will satisfy. Lately, I've been so off sweets when I'm not on my LP/AF, that it is only in my TWW or on my period that I actually enjoy chocolate or really sweet stuff.

The point of this, is that for some reason this LP, my body decided to give me a yen for ice cream sandwiches. Just the plain vanilla, ice cream sandwich. My mouth just started watering at the thought. And because this, and other symptoms have carried over OR increased into my period, I keep getting that niggling thought that says--"Maybe you're pregnant! Your flow is so light, it could be a really heavy IB. Remember your friend had that happen!" So let's look at the "I'm pregnant" vs. "I'm on my period" arguments.

For formatting sake, we'll start with:

Reasons I believe I am pregnant:

1. Continued, specific cravings for ONE sweet thing, while detesting all other sweets.
2. Loss of appetite/get full fast--I just don't want much. 
3. Fatigue/exhaustion
4. Flow is still on the lighter side. AF was later than I thought, and it takes a whole day to fill my menstrual cup.
5. Some heartburn at night (although I have IBS, this is a more uncommon symptom for me), as well as  small moments of nausea. Fleeting really.
6. Moments of boob pain and especially sharp pain in glands in the back of my arms.
7. Still have a frequent urge to pee.

Reasons why I'm on my period:

1. Craving something in particular is a VERY common period symptom for me.
2. Appetite change I am experiencing is very likely the result of the RJ and Bee Fertile Supplements
1. RJ often gives me loss of appetite, especially at first
2. Vitex/Chasteberry can  exacerbate my depression, often first seen through appetite changes, such as loss of appetite.
3. Fatigue--where to start?
1. Recently ill, unable to get adequate rest this weekend, went to bed late past 3 nights. 
2. Vitex--often causes fatigue as part of worsening potential depressive symptoms
4. Flow is still heavy enough to be my period. I've had recent cycles with varying flow. Also, not even a hint of  a positive on my pregnancy tests 2 days into my period (yes, you read it right, after)
5. I ate a LOT of junk food this weekend and some spicy. Heartburn has been quite light too. IBS is all funky, so, could be just that. Plus I have some weird painful pit in my stomach--I hope I don't have an ulcer. 
6. The logical explanation is that after my initial dip in progesterone, the remaining amount filtering out as my estrogen rises is continuing the occasional boob soreness and gland pain. Also, the RJ might be causing this, as I remember having early boob soreness lasting well into my period.
7. For 12 months now, my symptoms seem to intensify and/or change well into my period. I should know this is my pattern now.

Despite all of the 7 excellent and sensible reasons I have listed supporting that this is JUST another AF, I still have an urge to test. Because my last BFN was using afternoon urine. I guess we'll see what I do tomorrow!


Disclaimer: These supplements were provided to me at no cost, but all opinions are my own. Believe me, I will give you the good, bad, and in-between with an unvarnished eye.

Began my Bee Fertile

So, sad of course that it was CD 1 yesterday. But the grieving has been sped along by starting my Bee Fertile regimen! The way it works is you take the supplement pills that are a special blend of herbs and vitamins that research indicates increases fertility in women. Along with those you also take royal jelly/bee pollen/raw honey gel. It suggest all 4 pills in the morning or 2 in AM and 2 in PM. Since I'm already on an AM/PM regimen with my other meds, I decided to split the 4 into 2 and 2.

This Royal Jelly mix is different than others I have had. When I first started taking RJ, I read a lot of sites that said NOT to refrigerate, and others that say DO refrigerate. I decided to go with what the jar says. It said refrigerate, so I have. The suggestion is 1 tsp in the morning or a 1/2 tsp in the afternoon. The label is also extremely cautionary against getting water (or saliva I assume) into the RJ as this could breed bacteria that negate it's fertility powers. They provide a nice solid plastic spoon that is labeled for 1/2 tsp.* This is fine if you are going to take AM/PM, but this stuff I would rather just take all at once. So if I can't "double-dip" this means their spoon is worthless to me, unless I want to take the time to wash it, or spoon twice onto some other container. So, I just use a regular spoon that I know fits 1 tsp.

BeeFertile Vitamin Supplement

So, anyone who has followed/read my blog is aware that I tried Royal Jelly supplements for awhile. (See an early post here, or use the search box to the right). I ran out of my gel form recently and did not have enough of my capsules for an entire cycle, so I have been off of royal jelly for an entire cycle.

I have been wanting to integrate it back in, when I could afford to spend some extra money on vitamins. But also, I was a bit tired of the extreme PMS symptoms during the TWW or my period. I see these as overall positive signs of increased fertility, but it is still very frustrating when each time my PMS symptoms increase after my period starts. The intensity of symptoms has been less since I stopped the RJ, but also my EWCM and other things have varied quite a bit.

The exciting news is that I am getting a chance to try the Bee Fertile Women's Kit! I will be reviewing the effects and/or results of the regimen here at my blog, so stay tuned!

If you haven't heard of Bee Fertile, it is a supplement regimen that has a bottle of Royal Jelly mixture (with Raw honey, I assume, to stabilize it) as well as a 3 month supply of a special supplement mix of vitamins and supplements that have supporting research or anecdotes to promote either female or male fertility. If you go to the Ingredients page, you can see each supplement included; if you click the name of a supplement, it gives information on how the supplement improves fertility in men and women (or both), as well the research that supports the benefits of that supplement.

So, give the Bee Fertile website a tour to see what I'm talking about. I can't wait to try it out!

Disclaimer: These supplements were provided to me at no cost, but all opinions are my own.  Believe me, I will give you the good, bad and in-between with an unvarnished eye.