Community post

@pcb - thanks for the advice, have been trying to not stress, just a little odd, because I am normally on a 28 day cycle (sometimes as low as 22/23), had 1 month of 32 days two months ago, then a 22 day cycle last month, now Im on DPO 16/CD34, and starting to wonder what is going on here? BFN again this morning....

(TMI ALERT) Yesterday afternoon I had some brownish/creamy discharge (definitely no pink), happened maybe 4 times throughout the afternoon/early evening. DH and I BD'd on Sunday night, read that if I am pregnant spotting might be from BD? So I'm not really 'concerned' about it either way, but still no signs of AF, and my bbs are HUGE today, and idk if I'm imagining it but I swear theres a slightly darker ring around the outside of my arieolas.

Been bloated/tight pants for almost a week now, and just have this general feeling of something being different.

Thinking about calling my doc and setting up an appt for bloodwork....how many more days do you think I should wait for the appt? Don't want to jump the gun.....but I'm definitely late.

liz, that's so weird. Did you change anything this month - medications, etc? I had a really abnormally long cycle (for me) last year (42 days when the longest to that point had been 35 - 5 straight days of BFNs and I literally almost had a nervous breakdown), and that's when I finally got the referral to see the OBGYN.

pbc - yeah, my insurance covers all labs/ xrays/ etc - just no actual procedures relating to fertility. So they've covered ALL my bloodwork, the HSG scan (minus my deductible portion which ended up being about $300 on a $1600 bill, I think), and doctor's visits (including the ultrasound I had to check follicles last Monday). It's crazy how much different places are for IUI; I thought $350 sounded high; I don't know what we'd do if it was $1000 a pop!

Silly to me, but whatever. My SIL's company actually covers ALL fertility treatments....but offers no maternity leave. It's weird!!! At least I'll have that - when/ if the time comes.

Link to New Years Mommas Board:

http://www.countdowntopregnancy.com/forum/post.php?postid=23665

Come on over lol it's been kinda boring on that board because the majority are still over here on the December board :)

So i'm cycle day 5 today. Yesterday and today AF has turned into brown spotting which is a little bit unusual. Like I can go a few hours and nothing! but if I pee some comes out lol sorry tmi. My cervix has been high medium soft and closed the last 2 days.... good sign maybe that I may ovulate early again? Really hoping so! Then I won't miss my window for a January baby! EDD would be close to So's birthday (Jan 8th) if we succeed this cycle!

@Cristi & Ttc-Congratulations on your BFP's! Many wishes and blessings. :) That is SOO exciting!

Ok, ladies, I am sorry but I need to vent!
I finally received my progesterone results. My level was at a 0.8! My last cycle was higher at 6.5. I am so confused. Now, I still feel as though the whole "We test based on a 28 day cycle" deal compared to my 33 day cycle probably didn't produce accurate results. My CD3 blood work came back showing my ovaries were working so that is THE ONLY thing I can think of. I read that progesterone levels should be checked 4-5 days after ovulation. I was tested two days after ovulation, CD22. I've had so many symptoms of ovulation this cycle and I have been feeling so off. I am not sure if it's due to possibly being pregnant or the clomid. I know the clomid can give similar symptoms. I've been cramping like crazy, headaches, lots of cm within the last few days, gasy, breaking out, and I am plain exhausted. I did test yesterday at 9dpo. I got a BFN! :( I am going to wait a few more days and test again. If I don't get my BFP the Dr plans to increase my dosage of clomid to 150mg. Now I am wondering if a progesterone level of 0.8 is low, would I need progesterone prescribed? If I indeed didn't ovulate this month that is.

I am keeping faith and staying positive. I know I will have my little blessing when the time is right but it can be so emotionally draining. I am tired of hearing people tell me to be patient. I've been patient for 7 years now.

I hope everyone is doing well. I love this board. Everyone is so encouraging and it's refreshing!! Baby dust to all of you!!

UGH! Ok - looks like I'm out this month. Just went to the bathroom and passed two red clots the size of a dime (sorry TMI)

@ Nsking - Nothing at all different this month....

Guess maybe 2013 just isn't my year so far!

I remember planning for maternity leave when I first started trying b/c I thought I would be pregnant right away. I plan on using all my time off and then trying to work from home. Hopefully this will happen with my current job b/c its so flexible!

Sweet - I only have about 10 more days then I will be over there. Of course I hope not to be over there but just want to prepare. Yeah I noticed my cervix was unusually high after AF this cycle and then I ovulated early. So weird.

Princess - I got this chart from webmd about progesterone levels during the cycle

Progesterone levels during the menstrual cycle
Days 1-14: Less than 1 nanogram per milliliter (ng/mL) or 0.5-2.3 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L)

Days 15-28: 2-25 ng/mL or 6.4-79.5 nmol/L

Progesterone levels during pregnancy
1st trimester: 10-44 ng/mL or 32.6-140 nmol/L
2nd trimester: 19.5-82.5 ng/mL or 62-262 nmol/L
3rd trimester: 65-290 ng/mL or 206.7-728 nmol/L

Normal
The normal values listed here-called a reference range-are just a guide. These ranges vary from lab to lab, and your lab may have a different range for whatâ??s normal. Your lab report should contain the range your lab uses. Also, your doctor will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors. This means that a value that falls outside the normal values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab.

NOW - this chart doesnt say what the levels should be after ovulation, but I am guessing they are assuming this if for a woman with a regular 28 day cycle.

I also found this information elsewhere: A level over 5 ng/ml of progesterone actually means that ovulation has occurred, but doctors, to be on a safer side, consider a level over 10 on a natural cycle as a sign of ovulation. And they consider a level over 15 on a medicated cycle as a symptom of ovulation. - I don't know how accurate this is in terms of a natural cycle. On my CD21 progesterone test my 5.3 was good enough for the doc to show I ovulated, but honestly I think just barely ovulated based on other information I am reading.

For those that need a little boosting of progesterone, I'm starting to think I may need this is as well:

These methods have been shown effective for increasing progesterone levels:

*750 mg vitamin C per day (increased progesterone 77% and improved fertility)
*600 mg vitamin E (increased progesterone in 67% of patients)
*6 g L-arginine (increased progesterone in 71% of patients)
*Increasing beta carotene (boosts progesterone levels in dogs and goats)
*Increasing vitamin B6
*Supplementing with Vitex Agnus Castus (increases progesterone and fertility)
*120 mg Black Cohosh on days 1 to 12 (increases progesterone and fertility)
*Supplementing with selenium
*Weight loss
*Avoiding overeating
*Improving insulin sensitivity (metformin increases progesterone levels 246%)
*Replacing saturated fat in the diet with unsaturated fat
*80mg progesterone cream (shown to be as effective as 200 mg oral progesterone prescription)
*Eating a high protein, low carbohydrate diet
*Lowering TSH levels in subclinical hypothyroidism

@PBC, thanks! That info is extremely helpful.

pbc- I hope you don't have to join the new years board, hoping you get your December baby! Well if you do get your December baby it would still be nice to check in once in awhile with us over on the new years board :) Lots of babydust to you! And yea I think last month my cervix was high also after AF and i'm pretty sure I did o early then... so fingers crossed to ovulating early this cycle too!

Hey Ladies ... guess what yesterday!!! After my miscarriage in December, I didn't get back on here because it consumes you, and I just didn't feel like seeing all the posts honestly :D But now we are back in the game and hoping to have a healthy baby in Dec.!!!