Ovulating early after 7 day abstain - stick with 1 attempt?!

[Northernsparkle]

Hi ladies, I’m just in a bit of a panic right now. I have been on LE diet for 5 months and planned our attempt for this cycle this week expecting to ovulate Thursday or Friday. I’m using clear blue advanced digital opk which was a blank circle this morning but then solid smiley this evening which threw me completely! Thats 3 days earlier than the past 3 cycles I have been monitoring. Did another cheap opk too which was also positive! My plan was an attempt tonight then Thursday for e4d but Thursday will now be too late by the looks of it.

What’s worrying me is dh has been ill this past week and has had a 7 day course of prednisone so we haven’t bd since last Monday. He said he felt up to it tonight so we had an attempt. But that’s a week’s abstain and he’s 47 (I’m 38).
I would be really grateful for any insight or advice as whether we should stick with that attempt or have another tomorrow to make sure there are fresh swimmers? I know poor sperm sways pink but just wondering if it will even be possible to conceive with that long a gap?
Also not sure what effect the steroids will have on sperm quality. Probably should have waited another cycle but I hate changing a plan especially when I’ve stuck to everything so well barring the odd cheat!
Thanks so much!


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[atomic sagebrush]

Agh I'm so sorry I only just now saw this!

I would have absolutely urged you to have the attempt you had (without worrying about sperm health) so I'm glad you did that.

The problem is, just one release actually doesn't get rid of all the bum sperm anyway. So you'd end up with a second attempt (potentially swaying blue) and it wouldn't be a nice fresh batch anyway. So you'd end up taking the risk of having the second attempt without even knowing if a) you even needed to because the first attempt may have been enough anyway and b) whether you were helping yourself get pregnant or possibly undermining your sway.

So, long story short, whatever you did was the right thing, but since you were only on your first real attempt I'd have had you stick with just the one. But I don't know that for a fact as being the right thing (just beyond my ability to know that) and so whatever you guys did was the right thing to do. :)

[Northernsparkle]

Thanks Atomic and no problem, I should have thought to ask about the abstain issue a few days ago once I knew dh had to take the steroids. He has colitis which flares up occasionally and he’s always out of action for a while which I’m completely sympathetic about just not when it coincides with baby making plans lol.
Anyway my gut instinct was to keep with just last night’s attempt so he was relieved this evening when I told him to have an early night, alone!
I figured if we are lucky enough to conceive this month then I’ll feel even happier about my sway and if not then at least next cycle dh should be better and we can go back to e4d?
I was planning to bd Thursday anyway to get back to e4d which will be 3 days after +opk does that sound sensible?


Thank you as always and so relieved your reply backed up what my gut told me [emoji4]

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes exactly - sounds sensible to me! :) good luck and pink dust!

[Northernsparkle]

Yes exactly - sounds sensible to me! :) good luck and pink dust!

Just wanted to update to say I got a very feint BFP from about 11dpo which never got much darker and my period arrived on time so presuming it was a chemical. It has spurred me on for another month of one attempt though. DH is on another week of steroids which will finish a couple of days before when I’m expecting to get a positive OPK (although I know that can catch me by surprise now!) but I’m trying to not worry and just holding on to the fact that bad sperm might sway pink!
At 38 is there anything other than adding in the 6 eggs per week that I could do to improve my egg quality? I’m worried that’s the reason for the CP this month although probably over thinking a bit. This will be month 4 now of one attempt.
Thanks a million for your advice :-)


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[atomic sagebrush]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that. Yes chemicals are really super common - we could have you switch to the alt diet and/or add in ubiquinol coq10 200 mg a day. These may help with egg quality a bit, although I suspect this was just bad luck and nothing we could have done to prevent it.

[Northernsparkle]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that. Yes chemicals are really super common - we could have you switch to the alt diet and/or add in ubiquinol coq10 200 mg a day. These may help with egg quality a bit, although I suspect this was just bad luck and nothing we could have done to prevent it.

Thanks atomic, I will try the ubiquinol as I guess it can’t hurt. Please can I ask your advice on one more thing? AF showed up on Thursday until yesterday which is normal for me since being on LE.
This morning I still had sore breasts and a bit nauseous as I was all last week so took the last frer I had at home to make sure it was now negative but the faint line is still there. I’m presuming this is residual hcg from the chemical but do you know if this will stop me ovulating whilst it is still lingering or should I just forget about it and carry on this cycle as normal?
I’m hoping the latter but never experienced it before and am wary of just random googling!
Thank you [emoji4]x


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[atomic sagebrush]

How faint is faint? Was this FMU?

While I know it's hard to believe, you can have a full on "period" and be pregnant the entire time. This actually happened to me personally so it's not some hazy friend-of-a-friend story, I had a 5 day heavier than normal period and walked away with an 8 lb baby at the end. In my case I had been pregnant with twins and one did not stick, but it can also be from placenta previa, SCH (not really SCH at this point as there's no placenta, but that sort of bleeding) a little bit of lining sloughing off, or even from your cervix.

You won't ovulate with HCG in your system but it's entirely possible to go from a fair amount of HCG to none to ovulating very quickly. I'ts not very common, but it has happened a few times to people on here. But the thing is, at this stage of gestation, a pregnancy should not really hang on like that. There's really nothing there to stay stuck and keep making HCG. So tentatively I think you need to operate under the assumption that you may still be pregnant and act accordingly for now because it may be that this bean is actually still hanging on. FXFXFX!

[Northernsparkle]

How faint is faint? Was this FMU?

While I know it's hard to believe, you can have a full on "period" and be pregnant the entire time. This actually happened to me personally so it's not some hazy friend-of-a-friend story, I had a 5 day heavier than normal period and walked away with an 8 lb baby at the end. In my case I had been pregnant with twins and one did not stick, but it can also be from placenta previa, SCH (not really SCH at this point as there's no placenta, but that sort of bleeding) a little bit of lining sloughing off, or even from your cervix.

You won't ovulate with HCG in your system but it's entirely possible to go from a fair amount of HCG to none to ovulating very quickly. I'ts not very common, but it has happened a few times to people on here. But the thing is, at this stage of gestation, a pregnancy should not really hang on like that. There's really nothing there to stay stuck and keep making HCG. So tentatively I think you need to operate under the assumption that you may still be pregnant and act accordingly for now because it may be that this bean is actually still hanging on. FXFXFX!

Oh wow it didn’t even cross my mind that I could possibly still be pregnant but it does seem strange that it hasn’t faded away, just not got darker. I mean it’s fainter than faint but I’ll try and upload a picture just in case you can see it! Not FMU, it was about 11am after a couple of coffees when I remembered I had one test left.
It certainly would be amazing if it’s still clinging on! Thanks for your insight and absolutely everything crossed [emoji3]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180603/937af32be5fa0bbc476d7062a26e46c6.jpg


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[atomic sagebrush]

Ah, yes, that's really quite faint isn't it? But with diluted urine, it can happen so I'd still operate under the assumption you are pregnant, no drinking and such, but I'd not have my hopes very high unless you get a darker one within the next few days. Otherwise operate under the assumption that this will be a normal cycle - in other words, hope for the best, prepare for the "worst" (which is simply that you'll O again soon and try to catch that egg!)

[Northernsparkle]

Ah, yes, that's really quite faint isn't it? But with diluted urine, it can happen so I'd still operate under the assumption you are pregnant, no drinking and such, but I'd not have my hopes very high unless you get a darker one within the next few days. Otherwise operate under the assumption that this will be a normal cycle - in other words, hope for the best, prepare for the "worst" (which is simply that you'll O again soon and try to catch that egg!)

Thanks I’ll sit tight for a week or so then pee on both types of stick and hopefully get a positive of one type or the other so it’s all good [emoji4]


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[Northernsparkle]

Hi Atomic, sorry to keep adding to this thread but I’m so confused! I’m still getting the squinters that I had from about 11dpo last cycle right through af and I’m now on CD8 of this cycle. I know I’m not pregnant as the lines are staying super faint so decided to start my opks early this month mainly to pass the days away whilst waiting for my next attempt!
Yesterday was the blank circle as expected but today was a flashing smiley! Im presuming I won’t ovulate until the pregnancy tests are completely BFN but confused as to why my estrogen would be rising. I usually only get 2 days max of high fertility before I get the solid smiley. If that happens then ovulation would be even earlier than last month and around CD11. Is it possible to ovulate and conceive successfully with a tiny amount of hcg left over from a chemical? DH was due to be away for the weekend as I thought I would be way off ovulating but now I’m panicking that it might actually happen and I need him home lol.
I had clomid for month 1 and 2 of ttc but couldn’t get any more so the CP was the month following clomid and I was kind of wondering if there would be any swaying power left over this month too which is why I’m so desperate for this month to work but I realise I’m probably clutching at straws!
Sorry for the rambling post and any light you could shed would be much appreciated [emoji4]



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[atomic sagebrush]

No not at all that's what I'm here for.

Do you think the pregnancy tests could be faulty? That has happened rarely where a batch of tests will have a really major indent/ghost line and then peopel are really confused by them.

I know it's an irritating answer but the only thing to really do is wait and see. What I'd have you guys do is attempt right before he leaves, then attempt when he gets back. That will cover you in case you do ovulate.

There can potentially be some sway power left over from the Clomid so I'd def. be in with attempts! FXFXFX!

[Northernsparkle]

I thought maybe they were indents but these latest ones are from a different shop and one was a clear blue. You are right though only time will tell! I guess what I’m concerned about deep down is that maybe when I had my period that not everything came out and there’s something that’s keeping the hcg lingering that will stop things getting back to normal.
Will have attempt Friday and Monday and try and fill the weekend with something more constructive than over analysing tests, maybe even some house work whilst the messiest boy of all is away lol!
Thanks for your support and I’m glad you agree about the clomid. I’m very hopeful this month, a spring baby would be lovely [emoji3]


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[atomic sagebrush]

That may be true or it may be that your body has just taken its time clearing out the HCG. I have seen people go from fairly high HCG levels (they were doing blood tests) to ovulation in a few days' time so it is possible for you to drop suddenly and O in pretty short order in this scenario, so don't hesitate to try!

[Northernsparkle]

That may be true or it may be that your body has just taken its time clearing out the HCG. I have seen people go from fairly high HCG levels (they were doing blood tests) to ovulation in a few days' time so it is possible for you to drop suddenly and O in pretty short order in this scenario, so don't hesitate to try!

Hi Atomic, well you were so right!! We had an attempt this morning as dh decided not to go last night then got my positive opk this afternoon :-)
So that’s one attempt as last time was Tuesday, cycle following a CP, hopefully some residual effect from the clomid, dh on prednisone and 5 months on LE diet! I will be over the moon if we get a BFP this month and can officially post my sway!
Thanks again for your support and knowledge through my panicking this month :-)


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[atomic sagebrush]

That's great! Good luck!