like clockwork

She's here. As predicted I did start my period. Sigh... anyway, since I'm often referring to my BBT I thought I'd share this months cycle by posting a screenshot from my app. You can chart on paper, but the app is convenient for me. I could do it by memory too since its all about the trend, but I always like look back and reflect as strange as that sounds. You can see the baseline and elevation through out. I think its pretty standard besides my luteal phase looking a little short. I went back and it seems 10 days is a pattern. It really should be closer to 14. I may reach out to my gyno and see what she thinks. The app has really learned me well and is predicting my cycle spot on.  By the way, as always, if this is THE month we'll have a Christmas baby on our hands with a tentative December 26 due date.

trending down

Well as I explained yesterday, the BBT trend is an important clue to predict if your are pregnant or not. This morning it dropped further and is back down to follicar phase levels. That's not a good indicator for pregnancy. You BBT levels should remain elevated. There can always be a fluke, but with the negative pregnancy tests still, and the cramping I had yesterday, I'm expecting my period any time now. Some cramping can even happen in early pregnancy, but this puzzle is quickly coming together. I'll probably have the last piece no later than tomorrow, my period. Its making me sad so that's all for now.

wonder

It doesn't matter how long you've been trying, the temptation to test even when you know its too soon is always there. I'm even the kind of person that loves surprises and will ask not to even talk about my gift so I can open it on the holiday.  I think with a supply of cheaper tests from the internet, the temptation is even greater! While I know it was too soon, I told myself I would only test every other day. So Saturday and Monday I was fine, Sunday I held off. But this morning I was weak. I think it was because my BBT has gone down the past couple days. Over the weekend it spiked to 98.3 which us really high for me. Monday it went to 97.9 and today 97.7, which is much more in the ballpark of my typical luteal phase numbers. So its not that they're bad, but sometimes its the trend rather than the numbers themselves that's more telling. Basically it scared me. Many times my BBT tells me I'm not pregnant and that my period is coming before my period does. But I definitely still have an elevated BBT so nothing to freak out about yet, it just prompted me to test today instead of waiting till tomorrow. Well I tested and stared at it good at long at different angles... I couldn't see anything which shouldn't surprise me.  Before leaving for work I peaked at it again- now this is 2 hours later, the test is considered invalid. You're supposed to read it within a certain time limit that I can't remember but is definitely less than two hours. But now when I'm looking at it, I'm seeing this faded, very faint, blurry line. Now everyone trying for long enough knows that with pregnancy tests, a line is a line and that means positive! However, my test is no longer valid, its been too long, so who knows what that means, basically nothing. I found a test from either Monday or Saturday and compared.  The old one did not have this faint line, it was still blank as can be.

I admit, this got me excited but I'm staying realistic here. I could've test again, or even broken out some of the brand name tests! But I restrained myself. Chances are I'd get a similar result that I also wouldn't be sure how to interpret. I'll just keep the wonder for another day and see what happens tomorrow.

symptoms

This should really just be a continuation of my last post. (I almost called this one 'waiting' too!) Can you tell what's on my mind? Hah! By the end of the week or this weekend I should either get my period or a positive pregnancy test- one: heartbreaking, the other: amazing.  Its crazy how one moment can have such an impact. 

During the infamous 'two week wait' everything is a pregnancy symptom.  Thought I'd list some of the symptoms I've had.

Headaches

Gas

Bloating

Runny nose

Fatigue

Increased urination

Heartburn

The thing about all of these "symptoms" is that not only can they be imagined or occur without pregnancy,  they can also be real symptoms of PMS.  That's because in the luteal phase, the increase of hormones are what often cause PMS symptoms and its not until those hormones increase above and beyond that that they may (or may not) become noticeably differentiated from early pregnancy symptoms.  By the time implantation occurs, and the hormones begin to rapidly increase to this state, it is already around the time of when you would have missed your period anyway. 

Of course some women swear they knew right away, any they very possibly did.  But every one of these symptoms that I've had at least could be anything from my imagination to legitimate pregnancy symptoms. We'll see if I get one of the biggest symptoms of all, a missed period.  Or the other one, a positive pregnancy test.  I'll admit I've taken one (or two...) already that came up negative. It does hurt my heart a little, but I'm well aware that it is too soon and I still have hope.  I'll let you know in the next 5 days, give or take a couple.  :-P

waiting

Just wanted to post a quick update. Its that time when you just have to wait. You know you ovulated and tried your best so now all you can do is countdown the days until you can test... or get your period. I'm very hopeful every month; with the "this is THE month feeling" but also telling myself not to get my hopes up just in case so I'm not disappointed.

Evey month would be a great month but here's the reasons why this one would be cool- among the obvious.
1.Could tell my husband on his Bday
2.Could tell my husband's mom when we see her (although only would be like 9.5 weeks so not ideal)
3. Could tell my mom (or both moms) on Mother's Day
4. Could tell Dad(s) on Father's day (if I can keep it secret through 16 weeks...)

I'm well aware it may sound crazy. But instead of being that little girl imaging every detail of her wedding I was thinking about starting a family. And as I've explained before, this is what helps me get through each month-so sue me :P I'll keep you updated of course.

One last thing. I havent had headaches for awhile now so I'm thinking it was me just sick or something and not the herbs. Ok.. that's all!

tmi

All the methods I've mentioned about predicting ovulation are by no means sure fire promised pin points. They are all merely tools to use as signals which help you gain a better understanding of your own body and then interpret as you start to understand what each of them mean for you. You can use just one of them, all if them or what ever combination works best for you. Too many and you're suddenly labeled as obsessed or at least over doing it, but personally I have a knack for analyzing data so its really the geek in me that makes me use all these methods. That's my excuse at least. Now ovulation kits are pretty easy to grasp and the learning curve to charting bbt isn't too steep, but I think one of the harder indicators to get a strong grasp on is cervical mucus.

I'll now refer to it as CM to feel less creepy lol. I think I found it difficult to understand because I had never given it this much attention before of course, so starting to pick up on the slight changes was hard. The idea is the CM changes throughout the cycle and its characteristics can be a sign that your fertile or near ovulation. The nomenclature I've become familiar with is dry, sticky , creamy, watery, egg white- that's in order from least to most fertile. It sounds super weird and gross but the point is that the changing hormones in your cycle modify the CM from acidic non fertile to a nurturing fertile material for sperm and back after ovulation. ( That's a very simple way of describing it at least.) So as these changes occur, they are noticeable by the changing quantity, color, and consistency. It can be subtle though, hence the learning curve, at least for me.

I think I've finally started to get the hang of it now though so its nice to have an additional tool in my belt. If your looking to add another tool, that is free by the way, do some searching and you'll find plenty more info on it that will be far more descriptive than I've been. Hopefully there wasn't too much TMI and I didn't come off too creepy. :)

acupuncture

Well its been a couple weeks of acupuncture now. I went to my second session yesterday. The first time I wasn't sure what to expect, this time I brought my music and could completely relax.  He chooses which points when I tell him where I am in my cycle as well as hearing how I've been feeling. This second time I had different points then the last time, but they range from my fingers or arms, to my belly, to me legs and ankles and feet. I don't have a fear of needles so I wasn't too concerned but it doesn't hurt at all really. The needles are finer and not hollow like the needles used when you get a shot. After 5 minutes of chatting when I arrive it just takes a minute for him to put the needles in all the places, and then you just lie there and close your eyes for 30 minutes. Not a bad lunch break if you ask me. The music helps because the first time I was borderline board and toward the end started to get a little anxious because I needed to get back to work and without a clock I didn't know how much time was left or what time it was.  Anyway, much better this time.  

He told me that after you can feel very relaxed and tired after acupuncture so I wasn't sure how I would do at work if i was in some kind of daze.  However, both times I've felt very upbeat and energized.  Could be optimism and excitement, could be the acupuncture at work, could be a combination and/or anything in between.  Regardless, I've felt very good.  Its definitely costly, but I've saved some money by paying for it up front, and besides the optimism, it calms me to feel like I have the smallest bit of control.  To feel like I'm taking action to get closer to my goal.  That really helps my mental state.

As I suspected, they also have me on Chinese Herbs.  Even though they were trying to push the herb itself to boil like a tea (which I don't typically drink), I opted for the powered form.  Not only is it more tolerable to consume, but its an additional $20 a week instead of $40.  Over the course of 10 or so weeks that will make a huge difference.  It tastes fine; I mix it in 1 part juice, 3 parts water and the worse part is that it doesn't dissolve well so I have to mix it up real well so it doesn't feel like I have sand in my drink.  But really not bad.  I've inquired what herbs they are and did some research and they include ingredients such as cinnamon and liquorish and more traditional sounding herbs.  Seem like there's a standard set of herbs they choose from so I feel comfortable. I've been doing this for a week (and 1 day now) and soon after my first session I've felt a bit under the weather with a sore throat.  I also was getting terrible headaches (especially one night last week that it kept me up for a bit).  At first I thought it was the soy I was taking that was giving me the headaches.  Then I thought it was whatever sickness I had going on.  Now I'm starting to wonder if the herbs are making me feel mildly like I have a hangover.  At work my head is achy and I feel tired and its hard to concentrate.  I mean, it could even be allergies cause sometimes it feels kind of like sinus pressure.  Clearly I'm still looking for the patterns trying to figure out what it is.

My next appointment is right around the day I expect to be ovulating more or less so I'm excited how the timing is working out.  We'll see how it goes! :)