Wow such a long cycle

It's been months since I last updated the blog. Well that's because of my annoying cycles. Don't know what happened. Though I would like to blame the turmeric + milk but at least that seemed to fix my toothache.

I had 3 positive OPKS every 30 days.  I think that my body was trying to ovulate a few times but failed the first 2 times. But I was really happy went finally my temperature stayed to rise.

What have happened in the long cycle

- Ultrasound in Nov. Cysts have resolved

- Positive OPKs but temperature didn't rise except the last one.

- Spotting in the middle

While waiting to get positive ovulation the third time this cycle, I tried to stay positive. When I prayed I was really honest and left everything to God, trust in His mercy and love and that He does listen to my prayers. I also prayed for God to guide us to do 'things' that can allow or should I say give reasons for pregnancy to be able to happen.

Supplement: I stopped Blackmores Conceive Well when it was finished. Gave my body a break from folic acid and b complex because I saw a note that we shouldn't take B6 for a long term. I also take aspirin about 75mg then later 50mg a day about 3 weeks before ovulation. Just thought that I had to start as soon as possible. Vitex 2x in the morning (Blackmores) but later just one (Nature's own brand)

Also, been doing cupping on liver area in that month.

Castor oil massage.

Then we were surprised with positive pregnancy on 8 days past ovulation! or maybe 10.

Summary of August-September cycle

AF arrived today. With a bit of pain. Bearable. I don't have to take any paracetamol until later in the evening. It wasn't that bad, just wanted to prevent me from taking the painkiller too late like usual.

So my cycle was long 43 days. Possible O'd on CD 27 or 24 (Fertility Friend).

Creamy cm like I 've never seen before. Was abit stressful towards the end of the cycle with BFN's and no AF.

Looking forward for next cycle

 

One month has past, or should I say more than one month since AF visited. Last AF, my Luteal Phase was 13 days.

This cycle, I'm not very confident. DH wasn't well, and I didn't have any clear EWCM.

But I used Forelife OPK's and could detect when ovulation was suppose to take place. Even that, I'm still not sure when I really ovulated as I'm currently 14DPO and getting BFN (Big Fat Negative). I probably ovulated on day 24.  A bit late this time. But I'm happy from this end,  as it's the first time I get 3 positive OPK's in a row or more!

Few things changed this month, first I was fasting. Change of diet and lifestyle in Ramadhan may also contribute to lengthen my cycle.

Second, I switched to Nature's Own Men and Women Kit. I think it messed up with my cycle as it contains some herb that's probably crossing out vitex. But I stopped taking it. DH only managed to take few tablets as his stomach appear to get very sensitive with zinc (or zinc sulfate). Will go back to Blackmores Conceive Well.

Third, I was taking Prednisolone last cycle, this time I'm not.

Fourth, I add Royal Jelly to my supplement for egg quality.

Fifth, I didn't take Acidophilus that probably helped to balance the acidity of CM in the previous cycle.

Symptoms I have like cramps was very similar to last time around the same time, but the cramps felt more like AF when it due today. And this time, I'm experiencing something different than last cycle. I have been having really thick yellow creamy and sometimes gummy cm.

My mood was ok, but I was more anxious waiting for ovulation and learning about my own cm, and DH's sperms. I didn't chart when I started AF which helps to reduce the stress.

I'm not having my hopes up, but will be more than happy if we conceive this month.  Hopefully we succeed to conceive in Ramadhan when we feel most spiritual.

Anyway, still waiting for AF to come so we can start over. This time with Pre-seed!

So I might have ovulated that day...

I started charting my basal body temperature (BBT) sort of seriously a day before we start trying to conceive (TTC). After a few cycles, and as I learn more about ovulation, I find that I ovulated about 12 days before my period (AF) except for one short cycle; 1o days.

I write down my BBT in my diary, fertilityfriend.com and fertilityties.com.

My first 'normal' cycle this year started on 17 July. I had about 6 days of watery and the typical egg white cervical mucus (EWCM) from day 15. I was so happy, I can't remember the last day I had this, probably many months or even years ago.

Fertility friend suggest that I ovulated on day 20. If I don't get pregnant, I estimate that AF will visit me 12 or 14 days later. That is very close to my once regular cycles. I hope my cycle can be shorten a little bit, so I don't have to wait long  :P

Result of Ultrasound

My left ovary is alright, not enlarged.

My right ovary is enlarged and has a cyst with septation sized at 3cm x 2.6cm x 2.3cm, slightly bigger than my normal size left ovary! I'm not very clear what septation really means. But GP wasn't very concern as if it's normal but he gave me another referral to do another ultrasound in November.

Everything else was normal and no other abnormality is seen. The report also says I was at Secretory Phase (Luteal Phase) means I already ovulated.

The report

My 'cysted' right ovary

My normal left ovary which I thought was polycystic :)

First Pelvic Ultrasound

I saw my General Practitioner (GP) and he gave me a  referral to do a pelvic ultrasound. I made the appointment to do it on Tuesday, but 1 or 2 days before that I started seeing fertile mucus (watery) so I postponed it to Thursday. On Wednesday night, EWCM showed up. I wanted to postpone it again, but called them first, they said it doesn't matter what day of the cycle I'm on.

So today, we went there at 10am. Appointment was at 10.30am.  I emptied my bladder at 8.30am. I was supposed to drink 6 cups of water but I drank only about 5 cups.

I was checked by a male tech, something I didn't expect but was ready to expect it if that makes sense. We did the abdominal and internal scan. The internal scan was optional but it gives clearer pictures. I was embarrassed but I really want to see what my problems are. He said I have cysts on my right ovary. Left ovary looks alright.  I only saw a glimpse of my right ovary because the monitor was on my right side. It looks polycystics. Further report will be from my GP. 

I knew it. I rarely have any cramp during ovulation or menses on my right side. It's like it's not doing anything? First I thought my left side has some problems, but after I knew that some women get cramp in that area during ovulation, I thought my left ovary is doing its job. So it's my right ovary that has cysts.

Anyhoo, we'll see my GP soon and hear what he'll say.

It's been 5 days I get watery EWCM. Good sign. We didn't BD much because DH is not well. Finger cross that I get BFP at the end of the month. 

Start with Bismillahirahmanirahim

We decided to start trying to conceive in January 2009. On my birthday. Finally after 2 years and  a half of marriage. Even though I didn't think of getting pregnant straight away, I was a little upset as my cycle goes crazy the first few months.

When we first started, I was already taking a few herbal supplements and medications, for example Himalaya Neem tablets (really put my hormones into chaos), Manjakani herbs (don't know how it affects me, however I think it's more suitable after giving birth), and later 4life advance transfer factor (suppose to be good for immune system, but it added on to my already crazy cycles)

I had huge cystic acne  breakouts that was really really bad and painful that I started to get really depressed and tried to avoid from going out.

Now, let's get back to my TTC journey. I read lots of things about conceiving that I started getting obsessed with charting. I became more tensed as I couldn't find my pattern early when we started, turned out I didn't ovulate. My cycle length after January were 61 days (March), 60 days( May), 39 days (June), 18 day (July). As I was actively charting, I did gave up on few days, but on these days, I missed the most important details that I was looking for which was the temperature dip during ovulation. I learned that I shouldn't give up and take it easy.

I became happier when I started seeing pattern of ovulation and menstruation that happened days later. My cycle started to regulate when I started taking Vitex about 2 weeks before menses in June. But I couldn't find the Egg White Cervical Mucus (EWCM) clearly. I only get it 1 day. I used to get it for days. Not until July cycle. I got Watery- EWCM for about 5 days. Better than nothing :)

On 10th July I start taking Blackmores Conceive Well prenatal supplements.