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TTC story - Part 1

I hoped/expected to get pregnant rather quickly as I had with my son (conceived our second cycle trying with only really estimating my fertile period). So I was optimistic but also a little anxious (as that is my normal state) and aware that it does take longer for many couples.

We had to put off trying for a month or two b/c I had back pain and was referred for an MRI (it was fine) so I was more than ready to start TTC in late May 2016 and excited to potentially have an Aquarius baby and have a slightly-over-2 year age gap between my son and his hoped-for sibling.

I swear I saw a faint second line that first cycle, I even called my best friend at 8am to tell her what I thought I saw. My husband, however, didn't see it but I dismissed it because he couldn't see the line at 9DPO when I was pregnant with my son although I could. So, I'm not sure if I had a chemical that first cycle or if I just had serious line eye (I think the latter) but I never saw a definite line and my period came on time to my dismay.

The next cycle was another BFN so, disappointed, I ordered a pack of cheap OPKs to make sure that we were timing intercourse correctly around when I was ovulating. I was having regular periods, usually ~30 days, and assumed I ovulated around day 15. The OPKs showed a dark/darker second line around day 15-17 so I was confident that we were timing it right.

The months rolled on and I was still not pregnant. I was going through pregnancy tests, testing as early as 5-7 DPO some months and I would be emotionally and mentally exhausted by the time I would get another BFN on DPO 13 and then my period immediately after. I had completely stopped nursing my son by this time (we were not nursing much when I started TTC) and I was adding supplements and teas and whatever other tricks I could find while searching online. I have taken PNV, omega-3 supplement, zinc, co-enzyme Q10, maca root, pregnancy prep supplement, she-oak drops, he shou wu, ashwagandha, fertility teas, etc etc. I even researched and brought home crystals. My husband was also taking supplements, men's daily, zinc, vitamin E and co-enzyme Q10. We were trying to be healthier in general, less drinking, more exercise, etc. I even stopped drinking coffee for a month or two. We moved into a smaller, cozier home in September and I hoped that the atmosphere would be better for conception.

I joined this site in November and started spending more and more time in the TTC community, looking at early pregnancy tests and comparing them to my own, reading other's stories and just generally looking for any answers to why I wasn't getting pregnant or similar experiences to my own. I started going to an acupuncturist every 1-2 weeks and she said that I was blood deficient and that I needed to strengthen my kidneys and spleen. She said that she believed that this is why I hadn't been able to conceive yet. She also was giving me herbal teas that I was drinking 3 times/day in addition to the other supplements I was already taking. Also in November I bought a basal body thermometer and started to chart my temperatures as I had read that it was possible to have positive OPKs each month but not actually ovulate and that the shift in temperature is a more accurate indicator of ovulation. So, late November I started charting and was pleased to see that my charts show a thermal shift consistent with ovulation that also coincide with the positive OPKs.

So everything seemed fine but still BFN in December and January. I decided to go visit a gynecologist in late January as I needed a annual visit anyways and thought I could mention that I had been TTC for 9 months. She was willing to start investigating right away but I said that I wanted to wait until I had been trying for a year before intervening. She suggested that we go ahead and get some blood work done now and hopefully she won't need to see me again because I'll be pregnant before I reach 12 months TTC. (TBC)

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