Things To pass on, From one TTCer To Another

Was thinking about this all week.
I've been trying to conceive for a while.
I've done it naturally, with a few chemical pregnancies.
I've done it with the help of a reproduce endocrinologist, with a chemical pregnancy, and a missed miscarriage.
Just praying that I get a sticky bean the next time.
While I wait for my next cycle to start, I've decided to share some of my experiences.
I've tried just about everything so I guess it is good for me to pass what I have learned through my experiences

I am not a doctor or a paid professional, just a chick passing on my own experiences.

Today let me dump some of the info I acquired during my natural attempts.
Just throwing things out there that I have had some experience with.
Just my personal experience.

Charting and temping
I became a master at this.
I used a paper chart to do this along with the charting software at FertilityFriend.com.

It really works and if you take your temperature correctly, you can really pin-point you ovulation day and unfortunately know when AF is coming by your temperature patterns.

Use a Basal thermometer, keep a paper chart or notepad by your bedside, and try to take your temps the same time everyday before you get out of bed.

Not every woman ovulates on the 14th day of your cycle.
If you know your average cycle length, you can almost estimate when your fertile times are approaching.
I learned that other things can effect ovulation days too, like illness and stress.
These factors can delay ovulation at times.

OPKs can really help with this also.

I would use them about cycle day 9 until I got a positive.

I actually did not use them everyday if the first one was very faint. It got to the point where I would skip a day based on the darkness of the test.

This can help you save money on when purchasing the tests.

This store brand OPKs are very good, much better for me than the Internet strips.
I hardly ever bought the name brands.

Cervical mucus and you body can tell you a lot.
Think of it this way, a seed needs moisture to germinate or fertile ground is moist.
When you CM is like egg white, this can be your sign to get busy.
I also tend to have erotic dreams or feel sexy when I'm approaching ovulation.
Sometimes your husband will become more frisky.
Well, my guy is always frisky bit when I ovulate he's a monster.

To keep things a little fun I would put stickers on my chart for each BD(babydancing) session.
My husband got such a kick getting several stickers in a row.

Supplements

So people swear but different supplements, I think I might have tried them all.
Remember to check with you doctors before jumping on the supplement bandwagon.
Certain meds and conditions may have adverse effects.


Vitex- if you have normal cycles it can make you a bit irregular. Some women claim it to be natural clomid. It can take about 3 months to take effect. For me it too only 4 weeks.
I did feel a difference and it did intensify the feelings I got around Ovulation, much stronger ovulation cramps. My only other side effect was, that it may give you breakouts.
Don't take this if you are doing an A.R.T. cycle. I did get pregnant naturally while using this but had a chem.

Evening Primrose Oil or EPO- It's supposed to help with your cervical mucus around Ovulation.  Some say that you should only take it up to your ovulation time. For me it made me feel very amorous. So I guess it helped in that department.

Fish Oil or DHA- I really don't know what it's supposed to help but I took and still take this on a regular basis. It is sometimes included with prenatal packs. It can also help with inflammation. (I have an old wrist injury. It just makes me feel better.

Vitamin E- this helps with you blood flow. It's good for you heart too, can't go wrong with this. good blood flow and circulation is a plus for your uterus.

81mg aspirin-remember again, check with you doctor.
A baby aspirin a day can be beneficial.
It thins the blood and allows good blood flow to the uterus.
My RE also adds this to my protocols for A.R.T. cycles.
There has to be something to this.

B complex- Not sure what it does but it helped with my moods. TTC can be an emotional rollers coaster.

Prenatals- Good whether you are TTC or not, in my book. I found that the prenatal vitamin formulas contained many of the same vitamins that are in the more expensive super women's formulas.
Just let me put it this way, knock on wood, I haven't had a bad cold or bug in the last 5 years since I started taking them regularly.

CoQ10- Check with you doctors because this can interact with some prescriptions.
I was late getting on the CoQ10 bandwagon but I swear it really helped my eggs quality on the cycle I used it.
I believe it can help really if you are a TTC after 35.
It may benefit your fertility.
The cycle I used the COQ10, I took 200mgs a day.
I ended up with 18 eggs retrieved, 14 mature and fertilized, I never had numbers like this in prior IVF cycle.
My new RE suggest that my husband take 200mg a day and his sperm count did increase also.
It can be expensive, so I try to buy it online at Swansons or Sam's club.

DHEA- Some doctors frown upon this and it isn't always available over the counter.
Some doctors actually prescribe it during A.R.T. cycles.
I started taking it during my last IVF cycles. I ordered it online at Swansons after reading about a woman over 40 who took it during her IVF cycles to reverse her premature ovarian aging. She had very good results. Many take it 25mg 3x a day for the three months leading up to TTC.
I took it leading up to my last IVF cycle and successful retrieval.
I think it worked but the verdict is still out in the medical community.

Vitamin D!!!-Get tested! After my last m/c I went to the family doctor. She used to practice women's health in her old country and brought up the topic of vitamin D. Women with vitamin D deficiencies can have trouble conceiving or with m/cs. It is also important in the body's absorption of calcium. I was tested a showed to be greatly deficient in this vitamin. You can read more here or google it for yourself.
http://natural-fertility-info.com/fertility-vitamin-d.html
I know take 10,000mgs a day per my doctors instructions and try to safely get sunlight during the day.


I know this is getting a bit long so I make another post soon.
Hope to follow this with what I've learned about A.R.T. cycles

Please feel free to comment if you would like to share some of your own experiences with Charting and Supplements.