The follicular phase (the period of time before you ovulate) has got to be the worst part of the TTC process. I know most people would say the Two Week Wait is torturous. And I don't disagree with that. There's the stress of wondering. The larger stress of not drinking. The symptom spotting and the inevitable (if you are me) white pregnancy tests. But I would take all that over the follicular phase. Because at least then you are doing something as opposed to this nothingness of waiting.
All of this to say, my monitoring blood work came back yesterday and Dr. D tells me my eggs are "doing nothing" (lazy bastards). So I wait - impatiently. Even though it is CD11, and most people ovulate around day 14, I am still "early in my cycle" (another gem from Dr. D). Unfortunately for me, I usually ovulate around day 21. And despite knowing this for an absolute fact, every month I am convinced this is the month I will ovulate earlier.
So what's a girl to do with an extra week of the follicular phase? Well here are my tried and true ways to pass this intolerable time:
1. Take OPKs. Even when it is way too soon to logically need them. Based on my track record, I clearly think I can spur things along based on the number of OPKs I take. Surely that is why I pee on several a day.
2. Check your chart. When not peeing on sticks, I pass the time looking at my chart. This is much less fun since dips and spikes mean nothing in this phase, but you can probably still trick yourself into analyzing the nothingness. Fertility Friend helps with this by having chart overlays and comparisons you can do if you spring for the VIP membership.
3. Plot out your sex life. Do it every day? Every other day? A combination of the two? Surely there is a perfect configuration that I have just not stumbled upon yet, and I work like a M.I.T engineer trying to figure it out.
Sigh, they should make ovulation advent calendars. I might not mind the wait so much if I got a piece of chocolate every day.
Ha! Ovulation advent calendars! I would totally buy them. I agree, the follicular phase is awful. As for #3, do you take it a step further and wonder if you should be having sex at a different time of day? Like maybe you're missing the window by only having nighttime sex? Not that I've worried about that or anything.
ReplyDeleteHaha, Yes! Absolutely. That one is actually spurred on by my grandmother of all people. According to her, Dr. O-Z says that the best time for conception is 7am. So now I am convinced D and I should be doing it in the mornings as well (and no, she does not know we are trying. She just happens to overshare like that. Same reason I know that sex is apparently better when you get older too!).
DeleteAgreed, the waiting during the follicular phase is not pretty. The thing that saves me during this time? Red wine. My 2 biggest freakouts each cycle (yes, I've been at this long enough to notice trends) are right before I ovulate and then again right before I test. Those, are the worst times for me. But, no waiting is fun and unfortunately, it's *all* about the waiting for us.
ReplyDeletehttp://submerged.blogspot.com/
Red wine is definitely a very good friend of mine during this time (plus, I always justify it thinking this just *might* be the last time I can have it for 9 months, so it makes sense to bulk up). I definitely find this waiting game to be the hardest. I think because at least the luteal phase is consistent in length so I know after 12 days SOMETHING will happen.
DeleteLots of luck to you!
I feel like time almost stands still during these IUI cycles. I mean it seems like forever between appointments to check my follies progress, forever once I trigger to get to the IUI part, and of course the two week wait seems like the longest two weeks ever. Meanwhile I have to taper off some of the things I love most: wine and coffee - in hopes that my 2% chance of conceiving might actually work.
ReplyDeleteThat is like the double whammy right? Not only are you waiting, but you must deprive yourself of your favorite things. I have to admit, I am a lot less stringent now than I originally was. I remember my first TWW, I did not let a single sip of liquor or coffee touch my lips. Now, if I have a little I don't freak out. Of course, on the flip side I've given up wheat since my acupuncturist said it might help, so maybe I have not gotten much better after all!
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