Current cycle status and vitamin regimen

So, since I am not charting, OPKing, or doing really anything to track my cycle most of this is a guesstimate. I would say the only thing I am really doing is marking when my period arrives on my phone's calendar and when it is projected. Since I tend toward 30 day cycles, I am estimating to get my period this cycle on 11/25/11--Thanksgiving, AGAIN. I only hope that it is much less painful than last Thanksgivings. Still, I am about 4 days away from my expected period--still no spotting, but I could still get it as close as 2 days before.

I really am trying not to obsess about my cycles, but when my BBs hurt so much, and I know that I've ovulated....I can't help but wait and wonder. I only keep track of when to expect my period so I can know if it is late. I try not to obsess about whether or not I am...I tend to despair that I will never get pregnant naturally.  I did have some spotting about a week ago for 2-3 days..not much...could have been O-spotting. Time will tell. 

I'm also out of supplements. I need to get my Royal Jelly, B-Complex and Folic Acid replaced. I've been out for awhile. Other than that I'm going back on my Melaleuca Vitality 4 vitamins since when I added that to my regimen last time I had such a long luteal phase. So I really believe in those. 

Hopefully I'll be able to get some soon. 

My "magic" supplement list

Well, it's taken near 2 years, but I am hoping I have *finally* found the magic mix of supplements that has balanced my cycle and (God-willing) will assist in bringing me a sticky BFP! I thought I'd share this with you!

Now, I would just like to caution that because some of these supplements have worked for me does not mean that they will necessarily be the best choice for you. I try to talk to my doctor or at least my pharmacist before trying a new vitamin to see if there are any negative interactions with my Rx meds.

So, to summarize, my main issues that are inhibiting my fertility are:

1. Lack of good fertile quality CM, or enough of it;
2. Spotting before AF and/or short LP--my max on avg is 11 days and less than 12 gets to be a problem
3. ???? Overall hormonal balance

The problem is that a lot of my stuff is unknown since I supposedly had taken care of the prolactinemia. So, I'm going to list the vitamins/supplements I take, the dosage and the reason(s) I take them. Also, any warnings or known interactions.

• Royal Jelly
• 1 tablespoon full (usually just a regular spoon, dip in gel and eat what sticks to it!) If you decide to take a capsule, try to hit 1000mg daily
• Increase EWCM, overall hormonal balance--improve egg health and quality
• Some WARNINGS==If you are at all allergic to bee stings or honey, think very carefully before trying this amazing supplement. Please check with your doctor. If you are unsure, or want to try it anyway, start with a small dose and wait 48 hours to see how you react.
• Also, IF you take Clomid or another Rx med to induce O, double check with your doctor or pharmacist about whether Royal Jelly will counteract it. Although most doctors have no idea what it is, so just do your research. I would HATE for well-earned money to go towards fertility treatments that may be negated by this supplement.
• B6 and B Complex
• 200 mg B6; 50 mg Super B Complex
• To lengthen my LP and hopefully increase progesterone in the luteal phase and diminish spotting before my period.
• I take these together because most B vitamins go right through you if not all taken together. So to increase my absorption of B6 and Folic Acid, I am taking the B Complex with both.
• Folic Acid (B9)
• 4 mg Most recommend no more than 400-800 mcg during TTC. Because one of my Rx meds may deplete folate levels, I'm encouraged to take 4 mg, about 1000X the recommended daily amount. But B vitamins are water soluble, so whatever my body doesn't take in get expelled in my urine *this makes for some really BRIGHT Pee.
• This is mostly to decrease spinal defects in the embryo once it implants. Although there is research that is starting to find an increase in fertility with an increase in Folic Acid
• Prenatal--Multivitamin
• Follow package instructions
• I have been taking a vitamin pack lately that has daily doses of 4 different pills in foil wrapped packets for morning in night. It has:
• 1 Multi Vitamin in AM/PM
• 2 Calcium in AM/PM
• 1 Antioxidant blend in AM/PM
• 1 Probiotic in PM
• I was slightly worried about the Antioxidant one due to negative ramifications of Retin-A use, but I checked a few of the components out and lately have seen a lot of reading that says anti-oxidants help support fertility in important ways!
• I'm about to use the last of that pack, so I will be going to the Prenatal I had before 
• Trimedisyn  According to www.prenatalvitaminreviews.org this is one of the best Prenatals you can buy! So, yes, a bit pricey, but it would really be the best for your baby.

Whew, that's a lot! But I finally divided my two pillboxes into morning Rx meds and vitamins and evening Rx Meds and Vitamins. I was using one for Rx and one for Vitamins before, and this is SO much simpler!!!!!

To BFP or not to BFP?

Well, let's just say AF is playing games with me again. I try to ignore the possible pregnancy symptoms (yeah right). I was able to hold off testing until 9DPO. I had a super duper chart, my last 8-9 temps were all within a tenth of 98.6!

Then of course, I start to spot, slowly. And a very different kind of spotting. Dark red or brown, not light pink or bright red like usual. The last few days it seemed to only get heavier when I exercised. Then it would be almost absent.

Today my temperature took a nose-dive. I knew it would only be a matter of time. And I keep getting BFNs (though one or two evaps!!)

Well, today I had a rough day. Sprained my ankle, lost my cell phone....but I bounced back. After it now seems my spotting has receded after increasing. WTF?!

Maybe, just maybe, praying that this is a HUGE implantation dip and not the beginning of AF? Pretty please?

FF I loathe you sometimes...

So I wake up this morning and entered a new temp (98.4 at 7:15AM) and today FF decided to change my date AGAIN. I think it is because of the watery CM after O. I have no doubt based on temps that my O was either CD13 or CD14 (now FF moved it back to CD13). Still really early for me, and although I was having fertile CM after O (and around when I normally do) my temps would have to go up to around 99 to shift O to now.

Plus I've been having SUPER PMS since my "O" date of either CD13/14. It is interesting that my TCOYF still thinks I O'd on CD14. I did test it and if I take out the Watery CM on FF CD22 and CD23 it shifts back to CD13. Whatever, either way, my chance of pregnancy is around 10%...sounds like a lot, but most of that is generous. Plus, my BD before O was "protected" with spermicide. Not the most reliable protection but definitely brings chances down.

It just messes up my Countdown to Pregnancy - My Two Week Wait Symptoms because for some reason you can't change the O date unless you delete the cycle. And then I'd have to manually enter all of the signs and symptoms again. Too much work for 8 days or 9 days! Plus if my O date changed again I'd have to do it again! I might have to email them about this issue.

Ah, well, we'll see what the cycle brings. I'm happy to say with the B6 and Progesterone cream that my spotting is soooo light. Not as heavy as last time at all and almost seems non-existent. So, although it started around 6-7DPO it's not bothersome enough to worry me. Definite improvement from last cycle.

11DPO....Spotting alert and iffy temps!

So far, I've made it through 11DPO....so far. Last night I had restless sleep and I woke up around 3:30AM. I had to pee and somehow just knew that I'd started bleeding....well sorta. I went to the bathroom and it was just spotting. So, I was expecting full-fledged AF in the morning. Got up, still just spotting. All day, just spotting. Also, I couldn't fall asleep right away and by the time I did I got restless sleep. It was cold in my bedroom but I felt hot under the covers.

So, I marked Sleep Deprived on my FF chart b/c I technically went back to bed less than three hours before I took my temp. Normally when this happens, your temp is a little higher than it would have been. However, every time this seems to have happened to me my temp has done the opposite of what was expected (plummeted). However, my temp DID go up and it was so confusing to me that it did what it should have done that for most of the morning I was thinking it had done the wrong thing again (because it is not my norm).

It's now 7:00PM and as of my last check, still just spotting. Steady spotting, but nowhere near enough to be considered a flow. Today I had a really runny/stuffy nose and was sooo tired from not sleeping the night before. And a headache. I hate PMS!

I'm really cramping now, so I think that I'll end getting my period either tonight or tomorrow....It would be nice if it lasts until 12DPO b/c then I would have a somewhat normal LP. But I might still take the B6 I bought for next cycle, just in case.

Oh, and I broke down and bought my DREAM BBT!
It was only 9 dollars total so I don't know why I hesitated. My thermometer is not bad per se, but frustrating. This BBT was designed and/or approved by Toni Weschler (author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility). The best feature for me is that it beeps WHILE it takes the temp. Since I do V-temping, it's under the covers and I hardly hear mine, which is very quiet. I'm hoping it doesn't disturb DH, but I'm thinking b/c of the covers it should only be heard by me. Also, it has a LIGHTED display, so when it's really dark in the morning I could enter my temp right away if I wanted. It also has one temp memory so I can always record it when I get up. I just got an email it shipped today. I'm hoping that it gets here soon enough that I can use it for the next cycle. Cool!

On a side note, I tried to get my passport today, but the *only* thing I didn't have was a valid birth certificate. I was hoping the ancient copy I had would fly, but it didn't, so now I have to get an "official" copy. It has to be the FULL form too, they make a short version but that won't work for passports apparently.

I'll keep you posted with an update tomorrow. I'm fairly certain the witch will show, it's just a matter of time. Thank y'all for the support. I know this AF will be rough and I do want to get my period, but I fear besides being in more than usual physical pain that it will bring back all of the emotions of the miscarriage. But I think it will be closure for me.