Hi all!
Like all the ladies on this wonderful site, I wanted to contribute my story because so many of your stories helped me through the 18 excruciating months of TTC. And let me tell you ladies, I feel like I did everything wrong this month and it still worked out!! So there is always hope :)
A little background: short of IUI and IVF my DH and I have tried almost everything! What seemed to work in our favor this month was:
- stayed away from Tylenol PM (last three months no sleeping aids. Ladies this one I think really helped, because since I stopped taking Tylenol I've had 2 CP's and now my confirmed BFP, all consecutively since I stopped)
- pre seed (just enough to lubricate, nothing more),
- vitex (one daily, for the last 6 months. This month I took 2 the day before predicted ovulation day, as I wanted to catch ovulation before I was out of town)
- on prenatal vitamins (last 4 months)
- drank copious amounts of water (kept hydrated, used MIO electrolytes mixed with lemon juice in water).
My cycles are usually 26 days long, with a 5 day menses and shorter luteal phases of 12 days. I usually ovulate around CD 12-14.
So now onto the good stuff!! Here my symptoms by DPO:
CD 9: fertile window opened BD'd
CD 11: started getting EWCM BD'd
CD 12: OPK test strip darker than control line
CD 13: EWCM major cramps on left: possible O day BD'd
1 DPO: great mood, a little tired and queasy (normal for me after O) Bbs starting to get tender (a little early, usually starts a week before AF)
2 DPO: some more cramping on the left (also possible O day, I had to catch an international flight on CD 14 so O may have been delayed) bbs still tender. Mood is happy and content.
3 DPO: a little jet lagged so drank a strong coffee and felt super twitchy and shaky all day.
4 DPO: tired, but probably still lagged. Bbs tender
5 DPO: heartburn and headache. Trouble sleeping (again probably the lag). Minor cramps. Full feeling in uterus, increased clear CM like EWCM (really strange for me, this usually only happens during O) sorry TMI: there was a lot and I literally felt it coming out!
6 DPO: More EWCM, so weird! Heartburn, headache. Minor cramps.
7 DPO: cramping on the right mainly and a little on the left. Constipated.
8 DPO: minor cramps, caved and tested waaaaay to early of course BFN.
9 DPO: no symptoms, tested again and BFN (or is there the faintest line???? could just be line eyes)
10 DPO: tired and moody. Wanted to kill my DH for no reason. Trouble sleeping.
11 DPO: really bloated and tired. Bbs are still tender!!
12 DPO: feel good mood is elevated and feeling very positive about everything!!
13 DPO: AF due, some minor cramps on the right and then the left. Veeeeeery faint BFP on Walmart cheapie.
14 DPO: officially one day late. Bloated and heartburn. Feeling good mood wise.
15 DPO: no symptoms, in a great mood.
16 DPO: had a faint BFP in the morning, then bad cramping like first CP, some spotting (brown, and very light) in the evening. Thought I was out like the previous 2 months, then tested in the evening and got a BFP a nice visible line, darker than in the morning! Mood was all over the place!
17 DPO: Got up before the alarm. Minor cramps, a little spotting, metallic taste in mouth. BFP line not fading, very good sign!!
18 DPO: woke up super early again. Cramping on the right, still spotting. Test getting darker :)
19 DPO: up early again, feel super energized. Spotting getting lighter, minor cramping in the morning getting worse towards evening. Very sensitive in the evening, still BFP line is not fading. Bloated. BFP on Clearblue digital!! (that didn't happen with CP) :D
20 DPO: spotting almost gone, only visible with BM (sorry for TMI), now spotting is mostly white mixed with a little brown. Bbs still tender, BFP line getting darker :)
21 DPO: lower backache today (on and off the past few days, but today a little more pronounced) heartburn, BFP like still dark. Spotting a little in the morning, then nothing.
22 DPO: woke up with painfully tender bbs! Felt like someone hit them! Still spotting a little throughout the day, some minor cramps and started to feel nauseous when I went shopping this morning. Tired towards the afternoon, but could also be due to waking up so early in the mornings.
Right now I'm at 22 DPO. I've been to my GP and she confirmed with a blood test that I'm pregnant :D I have my first OBGYN appointment on Thursday to check that all my levels are where they need to be, as I am 35 and its considered a "higher risk" pregnancy from that age. I'll update as soon as I know more.
Thank you all you wonderful ladies for sharing, and I hope this helps someone too! Apologies if its a bit long, but I thought the more details the better, that's what I was always happy to read when I was trying to conceive.
Much love and baby dust to you all!!!! XXX