CD18 7DPO, dip-see-doodle

I'm back to my old tricks again--damn you, fertili.ty friend and your chart comparison thingie. My temp dropped this morning, still above the coverline, but .4 degrees from the normal post ovulation temps. So I scoured FF's chart gallery, looking for a chart like mine that got a BFP. Some did, some did not. Then I googled the piss out of implantation dip and got positive and negative info. Why am I doing this you ask? Oh yeah, because I am nutso. And also because I have (no lie) 8 loads of laundry to get done tonight. Why tonight? Because three of those are yoga towels (I do laundry for my yoga studio as a trade), I have no clean undies, and DH needs white t-shirts for work tomorrow. Yes, last weekend's birthday extravaganza left me slacking on the clothes. In addition, I should be cleaning up the house a bit since we have a showing tomorrow at noon! So much to do, and yet FF keeps pulling me closer.

Enough of the craziness here. I already told you all I'm getting knocked up this month (hahaha). Why am I even stressing about any of this?

In happier news, DH and I were invited to a Mardi Gras ball. We've known about this for months and months, but of course silly-me-slacker-hopeful-to-get-preggers didn't buy a dress until earlier this week, and thank goodness I found something. Actually, I found TWO dresses at a consignment store for a grand total of $113. I couldn't decide between the maroon flowy floor length one with strappy straps OR the kick-ass contemporary strapless black floor length ballgown. I think I am leaning towards the strapless black one. The ball is February 6, which (if you are all following along here) would be 15 DPO. So since I will be pregnant for the ball (hahaha I can't stop with the craziness), I'll probably be the only sober one at the party (which, ahem, I am totally alright about).

Come'on little egglet--I know you got fertilized--you just need to implant right about now.

CD 15, you mean it's not a good sign?

So, turns out that ovulation pain is not a good sign of fertility according to TCM. Hmmm...how can eastern and western medicine be at odds with this? Dr. A told me that ovulation pain suggests stagnation. Oh, BTW, stagnation has become my middle name I suppose. My acupuncture appointment today was calming at best. I was not given any herbs for this second part of my cycle, so we'll see. I was truly hoping for the secret potion that would make this all be one BFP soon, but I guess not even TCM can promise that.

I am still feeling very positive. My dietary changes really have made me feel better. I am less tired even though I am so busy with the new semester. In addition, my list of ingredients is even more manageable now that I learned to use amarynth instead of white rice to make sushi. Trust me, I do miss a big ol' fat cheeseburger, though.

And fries. And meatloaf. And chips. And booze!!!

CD 11, TMI post

Friday was CD 11 for me, and low and behold, my 35th birthday. Here's how my day went:

6:00: woke up, POS for fertility monitor---says I am peaking!!! wooh hoo because we have been BD every day since CD 7, so lots of boys swimming around.

9:00-1:00: Teaching

1:30~ Come home, go up to the bedroom to pack and WOOOOSH, a whole lotta CM came pouring our, really watery, and a bit of spotting. I checked it out, called DH upstairs, and we did the deed. The woosh of liquid really felt like a sign.

4:00~ drive out of town to a little place up north to spend the night. In the car, I am feeling massive O pains. I notice that there is a good amount of pink blood in my CM. This reminds me of pre-lap/hysteroscopy mid-cycle bleeding~~the kind my OB told me was a good sign but others said was probably due to the polyps. I am feeling anxious and antsy.

6:00~~ Still some O pains, but I am too excited to care since we are headed out on the town for a little birthday dinner. I stop taking the herbs per TCM protocol. Dr. A said I should halt the use of the current herbs once I feel/know I have O'd. Also, I stop doing the acupressure, too.

The rest of the evening was pure fun and enjoyment. I love staying in hotels if only for the pool! Happy 35th. Maybe some magic happened that day.

Yesterday I temped a bit late and it was around 98.0, and today I was at 98.1, a clear sign that I ovulated. Hoooraaay!

Mid-cycle bleeding has pretty much ceased, too.

Egg, meet sperm. Sperm, meet egg. Now, fertilize. I'd make a great Mom.

ICLW week, hello y'all

Welcome to the blog; I am getting pregnant this month. hahaha

Really. I am trying.


Been TTC for a few years,and have just recently begun traditional chinese medicine (TCM) as the first step in my fertility treatments post lap/hysteroscopy, although clo.mid is next on the table if we decide. I'm a one tube-working kinda gal. That's my diagnosis.

I turn 35 this Saturday, so I won't be around that day, but I promise to double up on my commenting as soon as I am back in town. Cheers!

Acupucture and acupressure

Last night was my third appointment with my TCM doctor, and she showed me a couple of places to administer acupressure. Find the webbed part of your hand between your thumb and forefinger, then move up slightly to the meaty part. There. Now, apply pressure either in pulses or one long hold for one minute, switching hands, and doing this twice daily. This should be uncomfortable a bit. She said this point, along with one above the anklebone but not on the leg bone, has been shown to cause the uterus to contract a bit, enhancing blood flow and almost acting like a suction for implantation. I am to do this every time we BD and twice daily until I see/know that I have ovulated. This acupressure point is contraindicated in pregnancy, though.

CD 8 and my temps are still low, OPK monitor is at "high."

Hope you all are well. I am trying to stay upbeat and energetic, although I expect to be crazy again now that the spring semester is underway. A new cycle has begun on that front, too. New students, new material, and a new attitude. I love the beginning of a semester. There's always so much promise, impending let-downs, and surprises. I hope my own personal cycle shows me some surprises this month, too.

CD6, this one is gonna be the big one

hahaha here's to positive thinking.

So today is CD6 and already my OPK monitor is saying that I am at a high level. Hmmm... that's pretty early. Also, I am trekking along here with the TCM, monitoring my food intake, feeling so very hungry and not satisfied most of the time. And cold. And I have had headaches since my first acupuncture appointment. I don't know what the heck is going on with me. I attributed the headaches first to quitting coffee, PMS, and then maybe the weather changes here, but every day? My head hurt so much on Thursday that I left school at 1:00 and went to get a massage. My shoulders were really crunchy and he said that I had a lot of tension.

Yesterday, while watching the afternoon football game and shredding mucho paperwork, I was shivering, chattering my teeth and all, and it wasn't even cold outside or in my home. I also had a nasty whole head headache, so I took a hot hot bath and soaked for almost 45 minutes. I felt a ton better after that.

Am I detoxing? Is my body freeing its Qi? What the heck is going on with me? Maybe some of this is in my head, but after the bath and after still feeling hungry, I ordered a pizza and pigged out. I have an appointment with TCM Monday evening, and I plan to ask a ton of questions. Today (so far), I am headache-less, so that I good news. \

Here's the deal: I am getting pregnant this month. There, I said it. Out loud. Yes, everyone. This is the month. Now, back to munching on some quinoa.

Woot!

CD 2, Trip to the acupuncturist

Today is CD 2 and my 2nd appointment with the acupuncturist/TCM doctor. The appointment lasted an hour, with the actual needles lasting only 20 minutes or so. She spoke with me at some length about how my cycle is today, the TMI stuff, etc. Ultimately I left with herbs that I have to take 3 times per day, and my next appointment is this Monday.

There really isn't much to report. My general feelings are that this is a process, and I have to invest some time to see some results, whatever they might be. She was impressed with my attempt to knock out the foods list and begin eating as prescribed. I have to admit that this cycle is looking a bit like it did before the surgery. My cramps are not as bad, but the flow is almost as it was before the surgery. I know, fun stuff to read, eh? I was extra cranky this PMS cycle, and I feel as though I have had a headache since last Thursday.

Bleh.

black fun.gus, CD 1

Sorry my title is so weird, but I am feeling a bit weird today. Today is officially CD1, but the cramps are annoying and the flow is, uh, not the usual flow I'd associate with CD1. Getting to know my body, huh?

On a positive note, DH has been extremely helpful to me in getting my new diet in order to accommodate my TCM orders. He is a chef, and I can only boil water and make about 5-7 real dishes, so attacking the list of things that are good for me to eat (millet, quinoa, peach kernel, black fungus, etc) was a tad overwhelming for me but was music to his ears. We shopped together and he helped me with the "menu" of my new ingredients. We even hunted around at the local asian market to find some cooling teas with mulberry, along with other odd items. I feel as though I can make some real changes to my diet now that actually make sense and that will taste good. Hurray!

I go in for my second acupuncture appointment tomorrow afternoon. I'll post more then. I won't lie, though. Although I am extremely confident in taking the TCM route, a little piece of me thought about calling Dr. S and telling her it's day 1 and to begin my first clo.mid cycle. Shhh... don't tell anyone I thought that!!!

new diagnosis: liver QI stagnation

Late last week, I received a call from a TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) practitioner, a phone call I had been expecting for quite some time. She had an opening for me finally, so we set up the appointment for today. I had her website bookmarked on my computer for, oh, over two years, and finally called her a while back. It was clear that she would call when something opened up, and sure enough she finally did!

After a long conversation about medical history, my PMS symptoms, my western diagnosis, she made her concerns known: why does Dr. S want to begin ovarian stimulation when I ovulate? Why so aggressive?

That questions had been bugging me, too, and the most recent decision DH and I had was to wait one month, blah blah blah, but the truth is that I am a bit freaked about this method because in all accounts, I ovulate regularly--why stimulate? Am I taking this route so that I get knocked up fast? What happens if I produce multiples, and when I say multiples, I mean Jon and Kate style? How will we work through that change? Obviously, DH and I have some talking to do. I know that Dr. S told me that the chance of multiples is a risk I have to stare down...maybe I need more time with that. Not that two is risky, but three? four? five? huh? I am spinning! Am I the only one freaked about that? Am I just selfish?

Anyway, today, my TCM diagnosis is Liver QI stagnation, which essentially means that the symptoms I have (fibroids, clots in my period, frustration, irritability, holding things in emotionally, uterine polyps) are signs that my Qi is not flowing smoothly. I began acupuncture today and will continue this method, along with some dietary changes (no more chilis? wah!) for the time being.

I remember feeling this block a while back during a restorative yoga class.

I have a weekly appointment set, and as soon as my cycle comes on and I see what my period looks like, she'll offer some herbs to me, too.