Community post

I tested this morning..it said not pregnant :( but I haven't had my period so I guess I will wait & try again. This will be my 2nd try with Clomid. I did ovulated this month. Don't understand. Would I know if it's a tubal? I have had alot of pregnancy symptoms. And my bbt has been up for 16 days after ovulation.Confused~

Bjwengerd, I would say wait until day 18, then test again b/c this is what the book tcoyf (Taking Charge of Your Fertility) says to do if you're doing urine tests. Of course, day 14 blood test is usually what's done by my REs. My nurse in past told me if it's a tubal I would have a lot of pain one one side & for me it would be in the area where I usually feel myself ovulating. She said the pain would be unmistakable. I don't know whether or not a tubal would give you a "pregnant" test, but I think it would. Maybe ask a question about this in the question section so those with a history of a tubal can help.

I heard that when u r on clomid and u test for ovulation it give u a pos but that's only bcuz ur on clomid I wonder if that's true cuz I did a test when I was on it n was + so I'm not sure if it was true

Edited post: For those of us with an interest in biology:

What is it about old eggs compared to old sperm that causes fertility problems? My theory was that it is the old mitochondria (all the mitochondria come from the mother). My RE said it's the "spindle apparatus & centromeres & the way the chromosomes divide". I've already looked up the spelling on what he said, now during my tww I'm looking further into my own theory b/c I've found some interesting info.

My point/theory solution to the mitochondria problem in older ladies: perhaps taking PQQ @ 10mg/day
-assuming all other factors are treated (for me that would be anemia, PCOS/blood glucose regulation w/myoinositol/vitamin D, etc, eating lots of veggies/berries/fruits/nuts/seeds & low carb diet, exercise, destress, etc)-

we could grow new mitochondria, further improving egg quality.

I welcome any input, theories, suggestions!
I'll share what I find with those interested so my journal doesn't get over-run by my rants on this or supplements (as I have done in the past, lol!), but suspect that the information may be too much for those uninterested. We can message one another or I can start a forum for discussion if there is enough interest. That way we can pool our findings.

Message me eat2nourish. I'm interested

Isn't the fundamental issue that women are born with all their eggs and whatever genetic mechanisms (e.g., mitochondria) that includes?

How do you change or add something to an egg that's already been created? I've at least considered they were fairly whole and complete, from birth.

I've believed that they essentially deteriorated and became less reliable over time. They were still "complete," but unreliable due to inevitable environmental stresses inherent over time (yes, even in an ovary).

So can egg quality really be improved, or are we born with everything we'll have?

(Do I sound like Carrie Bradshaw?)

UPDATE: I just read on: communitybabycenter dot com/post/a27312059/april_17-23?cpg=9 that Fitz said "They have shown PQQ can actually improve mitochondria in every cell". She said she read about it in Vitamin Magazine. Granted the post was in 2011 & this is 2nd-hand info, but sounds promising.

Angelgirdel & Busterdogs, I'll message you, as I know a lot of ladies may be soooo tired of my rants about supplements, lol!

For one study in rats, go to PubMed & search "Pyrroloquinoline quinone improves growth and reproductive performance in mice fed chemically defined diets" to get an abstract.

I don't know or have proof that PQQ works for growing/improving mitochondria in older women, but studies have been done to show Co Q 10 improves egg quality, so I figured why can't another/other supplements do the same? And, if you actually grow new mitochondria, does that include growing new ones in the eggs? Only time & lots more research will have an answer.

Also, it is my understanding that cells take up/use some nutrients to stay alive and grow. I figure, well some of these nutrients could be PQQ, CoQ10, myoinositol & B6, all of which appears to improve functioning of mitochondria & or egg/embryo quality. All I have is several anecdotes (and research studies) I've found on the BabyCenter dot com site & elsewhere. Since nothing is working for me (so far =)), I'm going to give it a shot, even though most of these trials have been on rat eggs!

Btw, I'm Carrie Bradshaw illiterate! I had to look her up...now sorry to say I haven't watched Sex & the City so I don't know...lol. xx

I went to see my OBGYN today and he is running an AMH. I should have the results next week. I'm nervous and so want them to come back ok. He said our next step would be Clomid. Can anyone give me experiences with either of these?

I don't have any experience with clomid, but my AMH was 6.7 last year before starting fertility treatments. A couple of months ago it was 2.something. The level now is considered normal. The one last year was considered high for someone my age & the RE used that level, irregular cycles, my horrible genetics on the embies, my A1C of 6% & a few other things recently to diagnose me with mild PCOS. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you b/c there are LOTS of women with low AMH levels on that community baby center site with success stories. I'll send you a link. And...lots of women with PCOS go on to have successful pregnancies. Praying for you.

I'm hoping some of you with more knowledge than I have can help me with a question.

I'm using a Maybe Baby and have just had two days of full ferning, meaning I'm right at my most fertile.

However, my CM is thick and creamy. Isn't that kind of CM hostile to sperm? Doesn't it make it hard for the sperm to travel?

Once when I was doing cycle tracking at the clinic I also had thick white creamy CM when they said I was ovulating. The nurse - who was really unhelpful throughout the process - just said they don't rely on CM anymore as a way of predicting ovulation.

That's all good and well, but doesn't it remain that the white creamy CM makes it difficult for the sperm to go where it needs to go?

I've made an appointment to see the fertility Dr tomorrow to ask her about this. I'm going to bite the bullet and book a round of IVF if I'm not pregnant by the end of the year.