Cycle Update | Where We're At Currently

This cycle was a strange one - I am wholeheartedly expecting some weird along the way with this TTC journey but, I think I've had so much weird this cycle that I'm ready for some normality.

So initially I started my period on September 8th, CD1 temperature was 36.5 which is pretty normal. I normally stop tempting while on my period as I temp vaginally and I wasn't ready for having to purchase yet another thermometer, pretty sure Chris wouldn't love that idea also given I've purchased three within the last eight weeks.

I have been doing ovulation test stripes, just the internet cheapies as I can't bring myself to splurge on a Clearblue Fertility Monitor yet, I suppose I don't want to consider this could be us in for a long haul, hence the price per use is not worth it for us at the moment. So the internet cheapies are fine, I found that if I use them in the morning or early afternoon they just don't work. The best time for me personally is around 6:30 once I'm in from work and have got myself settled down (and generally need to wee).

I'd expect to find nothing to a faint line with the line getting darker normally mid-cycle, after all that's what's suppose to happen but not for me. On CD11, a week after finishing my period, I found my ovaries were sore, just like mittelschmerz and it was so bad I had to get a hot water bottle, mostly left side but still hurt like hell all the same. I did an ovulation test strip and voila..... positive OPK. I honestly never thought it was possible to get a positive that early but low and behold it is.

After that positive, we figured it could be a good thing after all ovulating earlier gave us a longer luteal phase. However, I started getting really sore ovaries again on one side on CD18 (1 week after my positive OPK) and guess what... another positive OPK! Again both positives coincided with mittelschmerz pains and the feelings of ovulation.

Thinking it was weird that I'd ovulate twice in one month we were due to our 21-day hormone blood test, we could only get an appointment on day 19 which happened to be the day after ovulation.

My blood results were:

Prolactin - 367 (normal range 102-496)
Progesterone - 3.3 (normal range 0.6-4.7)
FSH - 8.4 (normal range 3.5-12.5)
LH - 44.5 (normal range 2.4-12.6)

I spoke to the doctor about the increased LH and his answer was 'oh it will be because you're period is due' I said this was nonsense as I'm usually a 34-36 day cycle so I wasn't due then. I went to see a second doctor and he said 'Two positives, oh your LH is high - that's good' when I questioned this opinion based on it being too high, he said high is high and that I must have ovulated.

*Slaps Forehead*

These are medical doctors guys, and they think that high LH is normal. The higher the better but, what about ovarian failure? LH is high in those instances. I mean I know I ovulated as I felt the pain and the rest of my blood suggest I did so I'm not too worried but I do wonder 'why' and 'how' this happened.

So if we don't get our BFP this month I plan to change things up a bit next month. Chris and I BD daily (sometimes more than once) and we're in a really good place sexually, I don't want to decrease that but, I don't want to be stressing as much next cycle as I have been - I don't think the stress helps me at all and it's not fair on Chris. He gets his hopes up as much as I do and I think taking the focus away from ''trying to conceive'' may help.

Here's what I won't be doing:

* Not taking ovulation tests. Clearly, I can tell when I'm ovulating and the line colours varying stresses me out.
* No testing or weeing on sticks before my period due date.
* No agnus castus this month.
* Stressing at silly little things.

Here's what I will be doing:

* Chris has changed to baggy boxers for in the house to take the pressure of his goods ha-ha.
* Finding the positivity in things weekly.
* I plan to take EPO before ovulation.
* I plan to only test on my period due date.
* I plan to drink more water.
* I plan on taking zinc.
* I will be doing castor oil packs.
* Eating healthier and portion control (less sugar).
* Exercising on the exercise bike. I hoped for daily but the reality is I'll need to work up to that. At least 1 hour a week and increasing each week by 30 minutes. I walk a lot so my exercise is more than just the bike.

I'm currently 11DPO and, I did have some red blood when I wiped this morning. However, there's been zilch ever since. It's definitely strange for me, I suppose we'll just have to see how it works out.