Nervous, excited

[Hex]

This month we will do our first attempt. I'm kind of a bundle of nerves and trying to chill out and let it be lol. I've been eating lots of rice and crackers and minimal meat and I believe the LE diet has succeeded in doing something hormonal because a thick hair I've had on my neck since puberty is gone and I had had a couple of dark hairs that grew under my belly button that I got during my first pregnancy that have also mysteriously vanished. Hope that's a good sign!

[nuthinbutpink]

Good luck!!

[atomic sagebrush]

Good luck! I also had the magical disappearing hair - one on my chin that I had since I was 18 that went away and never has come back since.

[maidentomother]

Woot, go get your girl!

[Hex]

Thanks ladies!
I thought maybe it was something hormonal that made the hair go away? I'm not sure if the higher carb, lower protein diet is supposed to lower testosterone? Maybe because protein is needed to synthesize testosterone, I believe, but I've been making a conscious effort over the past year or so to just feminize myself a bit too. Do my nails more, have girlier habits like wearing more makeup, stopped weightlifting and stopped being competitive and argumentative as I used to be.
I was into "power poses" too for a while - which is a way to boost testosterone levels and give a more "in charge" vibe - which is good for pumping yourself up when you have a job interview or a presentation or something, like putting your arms up in the "V for victory" pose or taking up as much space as possible. But anyway I stopped doing power poses, but I also stopped needing them.
Anyway, now I'm just waiting to ovulate....
First cycle off BCPs
I've been a little crampy lately like AF wants to come back but it's only Cycle Day 9. We DTD on cycle day 7 but nowhere near the fertile window. I think we will put in one attempt between cycle days 14 and 17 (my app says I'm scheduled to ovulate on cycle day 17).

[maidentomother]

Going off BCPs often causes hair loss.

[honeybee37]

Good luck! I am getting really nervous / excited too. Our first attempt will be around the 6th of February. I am trying to be realistic that it's unlikely to work first time, but really hoping that it does! Good luck to you, Hex.
I haven't had disappearing hair, but my CM has all but dried up, and my cycle has shortened.

[atomic sagebrush]

It may be hormonal - lower T levels. Yes, the higher carb, lower protein diet will lower T levels for most people (exception is people with PCOS or insulin resistance we have to do things a bit different for them as their bodies make testosterone from carbs) It shrinks your muscle mass to eat like that, and then that in turn (less muscle mass) makes less testosterone. Estrogen is made more as you shrink your amount of muscle, and since testosterone and estrogen are made of the same stuff, more E = less T as well. Estrogen is also feminizing overall

I would not rely on apps coming off BCP. They are completely unhelpful. Either DTD every 4 days OR get some OPK's and do one attempt at first positive.

[Hex]

Thanks, atomic. I've been debating whether or not to get opks since I've been sorta happy-stressed lately I don't want to do anything that would exacerbate it but at the same time my hubby and I really don't ever plan when to DTD it's always spur of the moment so going from positive opk to convincing him to DTD at a potentially inopportune time just seems inconvenient. Could I take the opks and do one attempt as the lines get darker? I'm wondering if I'm entering my fertile period now because (tmi) I have quite a bit more vaginal fluid than usual. This morning I had to wipe twice after I peed LOL! So I might grab some opks tonight and figure out what's going on. I probably haven't ovulated in 4 years or so!
Also I'm pretty excited that my appetite has been going back to normal. BCPs gave me a huge appetite, 30 extra lbs, and no self control around food. Now I've been off them for a couple of weeks and I'm noticing a big difference where just because I'm hungry doesn't mean I have to eat, so I have stopped snacking altogether and have started going longer between meals and even eating smaller portions - completely by accident. So although I haven't been trying to lose weight and have refused to weigh myself for months because of past bouts of disordered eating and crash diets, I do believe, just through cause and effect, that I will inadvertently be dropping at least a lb or 2 just from the drop in appetite.
Eta I just want to clarify that I am not trying to drop weight and my appetite is in no way linked to swaying. It's the difference between hunger vs appetite where you can feel hungry but yet not have an appetite. It's "I'm hungry but i just don't FEEL like eating." Sorta like having to pee but not feeling like getting out of bed to go because you're comfortable LOL. I think it's entirely linked to going off BCPs. Just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea that it's ok to just deny yourself food when you're hungry for the sake of swaying or weight loss. That is a bad road to go down.

[MrsECullen]

Good luck!