TMI warning - CM

[cheekyfrog]

Hello, all you wise women. After having a very dry run since AF visited, this afternoon I got some clear thick jelly substance. Is this classified as "sticky" in FF lingo, or "egg white CM"? I have accompanying AF-like abdominal mini-cramping. I'm excited that I'll be able to change my charting entry from "dry"... but to what? This is day 17 of cycle 2 for me, since coming off OCP, so all a bit new to checking CM.
Thank you!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Hi Kerry. I just can't stay away, can I!

Is the CM gooey and plentiful? If so, it would sound like EWCM - especially if you can stretch it between your fingers (for some reason I never was tempted to do that).

Hope you get the hang of the CM very soon and best of luck with your charting!

[*Jessica*]

Sounds just like EWCM and the cramps could be O cramps. Good luck with the charting!

[Kar]

Kerry
the being able to stretch it out between your fingers so it is like egg white is the key to good CM. If you find that you are not producing enough - one natural thing that has worked for me is to drink 2-3 cups of green tea each day for the first two weeks of the cycle. Things get much juicier IYKWIM. LOL

[Sal]

jelly = EWCM!

[goldilocks]

Definitely sounds like EWCM to me...and with the AF-like cramps, I'd say you're definitely ovulating!

So get busy and BD, BD, BD!!!

I hope you catch the eggie this month

Love
Goldilocks
-xxxooo-

[Bron81]

I have a quick question. What do you mean by stretch it out between your fingers? If you do experience this is it usually a few days before O'ing? Or the day of O'ing?

[Kar]

I know it sounds a bit gross but I usually check my CM in the shower in the morning. I put two fingers in and try to touch my cervix. (The closer I get to O the harder it is to reach - if I can't reach it I know the position is high). Then I just pull my fingers out and either pull them apart or touch my thumb to my fingers. When I have EWCM it easily stretches between either my fingers or my thumb and finger in a long clear thread. It can stretch for 2cm or sometimes longer before it breaks. When I'm not producing EWCM it won't do that. Some months are drier than others and women are all different. I can't do this checking thing without putting fingers inside, and I know some women don't feel comfy doing that. In the shower though I can wash my hands really thoroughly first and then after so everything feels nice and clean. Sorry if that is all TMI.

Edited to add: and I usually get EWCM for 2-3 days before and then on the day. By the day after it's usually all gone again.

PS Green tea really helped me get the EWCM happening for me.

[cheekyfrog]

Thanks everyone! Yes, at first I thought it would have to be "sticky" as that's what's supposed to follow the dry bit after AF according to the article on CM and charting that I read, but it's definitely stretchy (how weird is playing with CM???). So, I think it must be EWCM. Sadly, DP is away in Canberra again otherwise I'd be pushing for BD, BD, BD. At least, I feel like I'm starting to know my cycle a bit better and there's always next month! I hope!!
Thanks for the green tea tip, too, Kar. I knew it was full of anti-oxidants, but never would have imagined its other properties!
Hope to cross over to the TTC 1-6 months very soon.

[Dhea]

I know it sounds a bit gross but I usually check my CM in the shower in the morning. I put two fingers in and try to touch my cervix. (The closer I get to O the harder it is to reach - if I can't reach it I know the position is high). Then I just pull my fingers out and either pull them apart or touch my thumb to my fingers. When I have EWCM it easily stretches between either my fingers or my thumb and finger in a long clear thread. It can stretch for 2cm or sometimes longer before it breaks. When I'm not producing EWCM it won't do that. Some months are drier than others and women are all different. I can't do this checking thing without putting fingers inside, and I know some women don't feel comfy doing that. In the shower though I can wash my hands really thoroughly first and then after so everything feels nice and clean. Sorry if that is all TMI.

Edited to add: and I usually get EWCM for 2-3 days before and then on the day. By the day after it's usually all gone again.

PS Green tea really helped me get the EWCM happening for me.

I thought green tea contains caffeine and it hinders conception?

[cheekyfrog]

I've bought some green tea (hey, there's even flavoured green tea!) on the strength of your advice, Kar and I had my first cup last night. It can only help. Just looking at the anti-oxidant levels of green tea made me feel better.
Well, my temperature bounced up from where it's been hovering at 36.40 to 36.71 and my FF chart now has a dotted red cross line giving me an ovulation day. How exciting! Now if only I can add some more BD-ing data entries... Obviously, I need to start arguing more cogently for a TTC-ing start date. Apart from repeating "But, I'm 38!!!" since that's not having enough effect!

[Mumintaz]

Green Tea is very effective for producing EWCM, or to put it more correctly, increasing the amounts of EWCM. No, it doesnt hinder fertility.

What you MUST be aware of though is that Green Tea can deplete folate levels so if you drink it, you should take EXTRA folate. And by that I mean over and above what you *should* normally be taking whilst ttc anyway! There have been studies about this in the USA and it has been proven that in some women, up to 25% of the folate can be leeched. Unfortunately, unless you're in a position to know whether or not you are one of these women, there is no way of knowing if you are being affected or not.

The average recommended dose of 400mcg is NOT enough for *most* women. It is a generic amount based upon the *perfect* diet and in this day and age due to lifestyle and chemical involvement with our food, very few people have a *perfect* diet no matter how well they watch what they eat.

[Kar]

Kerry
Good luck. I found that just a few cycles of green tea got my EWCM working properly and then I didn't need it anymore. So see how you go and up your folate - at 38 it's a good idea anyway.

Dhea - it is all very confusing on the issue of caffeine. My fertility specialist said it makes no difference but I went and read elsewhere just in case and did give up coffee but not tea before conceiving. There is evidence that people drinking a lot of coffee can have delayed conception but the studies are now quite old.

[Inanna]

You are so right Mumintaz.
In the US and many european countries the recommended dose of folate in a prenatal vitamin is 800mcgs. Here it is 400mcgs. Coffee and tea also deplete folate and as you rightly say many women do not eat enough folate rich foods in their daily diets.

Due to my repeated losses I am on 5mgs of folate (5000mcgs). I saw a thread in here some time ago about women being concerned at having an overdose of folate. High levels of folate are known to decrease the risk of chromosomal disorders as well as neuraltube defects a recent study has shown. Folate can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency so it should be taken together. Most good quality folate supplements however do include B12 for this reason. Folate is water soluable so is your body excretes what it doen't use.

[Jac]

Deb,
How are you sweetie? With regards to folate, does that mean that we could all take larger amounts without concern that it's too much? I have the regular dose (I guess 400mg) - could I just double it??

[Inanna]

Hey good to"see" you Jacqui! I often wonder how you are going. I don't see you much around the ridges. Are you still on clomid? How is it going?

As for folate. I baulk a bit and get a bit nervous at advising *what* people should do. As I said in many European countries and in the US Folate supplementation in prenatal vitamins is up around 800mcgs. Elevit has 800mcgs from memory??? I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. One of the problems with taking a high dosage of folate is that it can mask a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Therefore B12 should be taken together with folate. Folate and B12 is known to affect DNA (in a positive way) experiments have been done on dna prior to supplementation and then after 12 weeks of supplementation. After the 12 weeks a marked improvement in dna is shown.
This in part is why it is linked to decrease of chromosomal defects. It was once thought that dna couldn't be repaired - once it was buggered it was buggered.... However it is clear now that that is not the case. Dna can be repaired. It is important for your husband/partner to also take folate for these reasons.

So, in answer to your question in a typically guarded way I would say - "if it were me I would certainly at least double your folate supplementation". Ensuring of course that you eat folate rich foods in your diet also. Real food sources are always the best way - however we live in a society where pollution, stress and depleted nutrient content in the soil that grows our foods make it important to supplement (I believe). Try and buy organically grown fruit and vege and organic meat if possible. This cuts down on pesticide and artificial fertiliser residue - both things known to affect our bodies adversly and also known to run down our nutrient stores. The water soluable vitamins are always the first to run down and the B vitamins are water soluable.

Women that have birthed a baby with a neural tube defect are put on 5mgs of folic acid prior to conceiveing and during their next pregnancy. Women like me who have recurrent losses are also advised on the higher dose but because of a disorder that causes a difficulty with absorbing and metabolising folate that has been linked to recurrent loss (I tested negative to this but again it's precautionary and covering all bases)

Jacqui you also mentioned you were on 400mgs (milligrams) I am thinking that perhaps you meant 400mcgs (micrograms) which is the standard as advised by guidelines in Australia.

I hope this helps Jacqui - I am glad to hear from you.
Hugs

[Jac]

Hehehe - Deb - yes, I meant mcgs not mgs, silly me. Okay, I think I will increase my dose if it won't hurt me.
Yes, I am still on clomid unfortunately. It didn't work at 50mg (no ovulation as detected by day 21 & 28 progesterone test) so I am now on 100mg and am that it works (no +opk yet though on CD 16 ). If not, I can increase the dose once more only before I have to look into other alternatives.......

I often wonder Deb, how a lady who must be as busy as you with your big family, has the time (and motivation) to continuously provide such insightful, informative resposese to everyone! You're a gem.

PS. Kerry - sorry to hijack your thread!

[cheekyfrog]

No problems, Jacqui - you're asking the questions I would have asked anyway I've started doubling my folate and will seek out some B12 tomorrow. Still avoiding multivitamins though because of my high iron level issues and I don't need to be taking iron supplement or vitamin C. Thanks again, everyone!