NFP question! (includes TMI)

Calypso1977

so, H and i usually subscribe to the "when in doubt, dont" as we make our way through each cycle using NFP as we are TTA, although we have been talking more lately about maybe having a baby (im still not sure!!).

well, this month, we had a day of doubt.  and we foolishly went ahead and had sex anyway.

my cycle usually lasts anywhere from 24 to 26 days, and my period is usually preceded by 2 or 3 days of spotting.  this month, I got my period on day 28, and i only had 1 day of spotting, and it wasnt immediately before my period (had sex on day 15, spotted on day 26, nothing on day 27, and then period on day 28).

do you think that the day of spotting was implantation bleeding?  the timing was right, based on what ive read.  given that i have some concerns about the length of my luteal phase, and therefore my ability to have an egg successfully implant, i'm wondering if i successfully had my egg fertilized, the egg tried to implant, and it was unable to, and my resulting period is a phantom pregnancy.

while relieved im not pregnant (i know, i'm a bad catholic) i am worried that i was and that this is a bad sign for when the time comes that i do want to be pregnant.

 

Riss91

Hmmm....what day did you ovulate?

SoHappyToBeMrsC

I understand your concerns about your Luteal phase. What did your temps look like?

mica178

It could be, but it's impossible to know now.  

If you were trying to conceive, wouldn't it be better to have sex a couple days earlier than day 15?  Day 15  is probably a "doubt day," but that doesn't mean that you were necessarily pregnant.  And I wouldn't chalk up one cycle to be an indication of your overall fertility.

Calypso1977

i double checked my chart.  we had sex on day 17, nto day 15.

i believe i ovulated on day 14.   i usually have one elevated temp, then it drops for a day, then it goes up and stays up until my period.  i am assuming i ovulate on teh day that i have the temperature drop, and in this particular cycle the drop was preceded by 2 days of eggwhite.  in theory, the egg should have been gone by day 17 when we had sex, but normally i would have waited one more day just to be sure.

normally, i wouldnt think twice.  but it was odd that coincindentally my cycle was slightly longer than usual AND i didnt get the typical spotting other than the one day.  very odd.

sometimes too much knowledge is a bad thing i guess.  lol

agapecarrie

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_nfp-question-includes-tmi?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:edce709b-0086-4d87-a733-c4e4ece4e964Post:75bc0a46-cd1e-4415-a511-008b5fd32465">Re: NFP question! (includes TMI)</a>:
[QUOTE]i double checked my chart.  we had sex on day 17, nto day 15. i believe i ovulated on day 14.   i usually have one elevated temp, then it drops for a day, then it goes up and stays up until my period.  i am assuming i ovulate on teh day that i have the temperature drop, and in this particular cycle the drop was preceded by 2 days of eggwhite.  in theory, the egg should have been gone by day 17 when we had sex, but normally i would have waited one more day just to be sure. normally, i wouldnt think twice.  but it was odd that coincindentally my cycle was slightly longer than usual AND i didnt get the typical spotting other than the one day.  very odd. sometimes too much knowledge is a bad thing i guess.  lol
Posted by Calypso1977[/QUOTE]

I don't get the method. With creighton, if you have clear mucous, it is peak type, and you must wait till the end of the 4th day after peak type mucous.

remember, mucous, is the main and primary indicator of fertility.

mica178

I think you're over-thinking this one, Calypso.    From the timing of things, the risk of fertilization was low.  Again, I don't know how short your luteal phase is, so I don't know how easy it'll be for you to actually maintain a pregnancy, but I don't know that one irregular cycle means that an egg was fertilized or that you'll have any more difficulty than the next woman getting pregnant.

Riss91

I think that you probably ovulated on Day 14 (unless you had EWCM after day 14) and you probably should have waited an extra day based on your temp shift, but I don't think the other signs necessarily indicate a failed pregnancy. But if your luteal phase is short, I'd probably start speaking to your doctor about it now.

Calypso1977

i'm on the cusp.  my LP isnt less than 10 days, but sometimes its been as short as 11 or 12 days.

mica178

isn't a luteal phase of 10-16 normal?  they say less than 10 might be difficult for successful implantation, but 10-11 should be okay.

agapecarrie

Where does the luteal phase technically start? Is it the day after peak/ovulation?

Calypso1977

i start counting the LP with the day after ovulation which for me is usually the first day of spiked temps that stay elevated.

TCOYF said that anything less than 10 days is an issue, but even ones 10 to 12 days long *could* be an issue.

mica178

Not that you're trying yet, but I think vitamin B6 can help your luteal phase length.  And, of course, there's progesterone, but I don't know if you want to try anything hormonal.

agapecarrie

There is a natural progesterone called prometrium, which basically helps the body produce more of its own.

It can be given in pill form to be taken after ovulation (Which is what I did when I had showed symptoms and was tested for low progesterone at the right time of the cycle).  It can also be given in shots, which is usually given when someone is trying to conceive, or has conceived and needs the progesterone to carry to term.

Here is what the creighton book says about short post peak phase (peak day is considered the day or close to the day that ovulation occurs)

"The post-peak phase is considered short if it is 8 days or less in duration. If the post-peak phase is short, it means the amount of progesterone being produced following ovulation is not adequate. ....misscarriages increase significantly.... treatments can be implemented prior to actually trying to achieve a pregnancy which can prevent these miscarriages from occurring."

Calypso1977

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_nfp-question-includes-tmi?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:edce709b-0086-4d87-a733-c4e4ece4e964Post:72cbf344-4aa0-40a9-af33-de18729aff65">Re: NFP question! (includes TMI)</a>:
[QUOTE]Not that you're trying yet, but I think vitamin B6 can help your luteal phase length.  And, of course, there's progesterone, but I don't know if you want to try anything hormonal.
Posted by mica178[/QUOTE]

B6?  Really?  i'm totally gonna start taking some of that!  thanks for the tip.

bel138

*Obligatory consult your doctor and don't believe people on the internet comment*

In the Creighton method, 100mg daily of sustained release B6 is recommended for inadequate CM and 500mg for "infertility." I don't know what specific cause of "infertility" they recommend it for, though. I found it at GNC.

mcassidy88

Bel...aren't you a med student? So that should be better advice that most

Just wanted to chime in and say that I don't think being relieved you aren't pregnant makes you a "bad Catholic"

Calypso1977

Just wanted to chime in and say that I don't think being relieved you aren't pregnant makes you a "bad Catholic"

yeah, i know....its the catholic guilt....you know, "be fruitful and multiply"....