Having Sex Every Other Day and Blood Tests
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- Опубліковано 21 жов 2024
- Welcome back to another episode of #TheHormoneDiaries! Join me this time as we try to work out how long my cycle actually is, find out how often we should actually be having sex, and navigate NHS testing to start figuring out if anything's going on. (Plus: sperm training montages 😂) CW: blood in the first few seconds of the video. Skip ahead 10 seconds to avoid!
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#HannahWitton
It took me 14 months to conceive. I’m 24 and relatively healthy. Let’s normalise not getting pregnant straight away because it’s so stressful thinking there’s something wrong with you 😩 xx
Yes!
Absolutely- it took us three years first time round. I really struggled to accept this was slightly out of my control. Being a fairly driven/goal oriented person it was frustrating that there weren’t logical steps to take to make it happen. Hang in there xx
Going on 5 years myself, it’s such a spiral. half the time the stress of not conceiving then affects conception!
Yeah. It always annoys me when I hear people say ”we decided to have baby”. No you didn’t. You decided to try for one. Putting it that way makes it sound as if you’re doing the things, you’re guaranteed to become pregnant. I wish it was that easy! I really do.
Hear hear.its like trying to roll a 6 every month....
It is truly amazing how absolutely random getting pregnant is. It's a wonder we survive as a species.
Very true my daughter came on having sex once in 3 month. My son was conceived on the brief window my wife was on amoxicillin for week that nulled her birth control.
Right??
I got pregnant on day 17 with a regular cycle of 28 days. Don't ask me why. I just don't understand it. However, I am so happy with it💞
@@violine3446 that's no surprise at all - it's the fertile window ;) congrats!
Studies actually show that fertility is declining worldwide, probably because of various types of pollution (microplastics in water and food and the like) and exposure to endocrine disruptors, and it's expected than half of male/female couples will need fertility treatment by 2050. So yeah it was probably much easier getting pregnant in the past, hence our survival, but now it's getting harder and harder
As a medical student, all the blood tests you listed were so familiar to me but your responses reminded me that these things aren't normal knowledge for the majority of the population! An important thing for me to reflect on when I'm talking to patients
As a person who has studied this kind of stuff, same!
Same!!!!
yes!! I'm not a medical student but I'm chronically ill and I'm so used to having blood tests so I understood what she was having. But I see it all the time, doctors talking their ''language'' haha and forgetting about their patient who doesn't know anything! So important to ''translate'' so everyone can understand each other! :)
Biomedical scientist here, pp ask me all the time to explain their blood works to them.
I don't mind, but it annoys me because I feel like the GP should be explaining this to their patients!
Pharmacy student and totally agree! Even when Hannah wasn’t sure of the pronunciation of lipids it made me realise that even language we consider casual is not common amongst the general public.
Even as someone who never intends to get pregnant I love this series
Just think of it as a “What not to do when you’re not expecting” sorta series 😂
Agreed! I had my tubes removed in December because I do not want biological children at all. But this series is extremely educational and I’m grateful that it’s being shared.
Samee
Same :D
same here! hehe
Hey Hannah! I was assaulted 5 years ago and I've learnt more about my body and acceptance in the last two months of watching your videos than in the last 5 years. Thank you. You've made me feel like I own my body again and now whenever anyone asks for advice about certain subjects, I just find one of your video links and send it to them! Thank you for being amazing and good luck with the rest of your journey :)))
I'm so sorry to hear that but I'm so glad these videos have helped 💛💛
I am so sorry that happened to you
Congratulations for getting to this point! I don’t know you but I am so proud of you
Sending love and hugs. I’m proud of you 🥺💕
Ditto! So glad you're able to find a community that helps you love you.
I love that Dan is also in these videos, it's so lovely seeing you two interact and really getting a feeling of what you're going through TOGETHER. So thank you Dan for being open to share too!
It's funny how we can try so hard to not fall pregnant for so long, then when we decide to have a baby it just doesn't work
Have been TTC for about as long as you, and somehow it is such a breath of fresh air to watch these diaries amidst all these pregnancy announcements...
Same as me and I totally agree, so many pregnant women on my feed right now. It’s hard
Hi ladies, I echo what you’re saying about the hundreds of pregnancy announcements everywhere. I’m not ready yet, but it’s hard when all my friends are getting pregnant and feeling like the odd one out - I imagine the feeling is similar ish when you’re trying. It’s hard out there at the moment. Sending you both loads of positive vibes and will have my fingers crossed for you xx
Me, as an American watching this and mentally calculating how much all those blood tests, exams, and doctor's visits would be...... terrifying
That's exactly what I was thinking. Even the fact that I'd have to pay a copay to talk to my doctor on the phone. Not to mention the hours i'd have to spend on the phone with my insurance company to figure out what tests and exams were covered.
Totally agree with you in the cosr front but I do have to say that if you have the ability to pay and/or have good insurance, the same process will be much much faster in the US. There is pros and cons to everything. I think NHS is amazing but it is also very slow and inefficient 😕
I live in the Netherlands, here it is obligatory for everyone to have insurance, you pay about 100 a month (lowest cheapest insurance) and then if you need to have anything medically done, you pay out of your personal own risk wallet which is 365, everything above, your insurance covers. Every year the 365 euros will renew
How is it in the usa?
@@jamiemichelle7956 in America insurance has a monthly cost called a premium. Some people’s employers pay a percentage and then the individual pays the rest and some people pay for the entire amount. Each insurance has a different cost. My employer we have 3 tiers the lowest is 100/ pay check but it has a 15,000 deductible that needs to be paid before insurance kicks in. The second tier is 180.00/ pay check but it has a 6500 deductible that has to be paid before insurance pays. The 3rd tier is 300./ pay check but it has a 1000.00 deductible that you pay before insurance pays. Then it is further broken down from there. Each tier has a a 50% 70% and 90% patient responsibility after the deductible is met. Insurance differs for each employer and each person. Not all doctors accept the insurance not all insurance pay the same amount. I am currently on a payment plan of 20,000 to a hospital because I was underinsured and my insurance did not cover the procedure.
hi! I work in an NHS biochemistry lab, the thyroid function tests will test for thyroid hormones TSH and FT4, which are important in general hormone control, with a lot to do with sex hormone regulation. the specific sex hormone profiles (estradiol, progesterone and AMH) are expensive (especially AMH) so they normally wait until you've been trying for a bit longer before they test for them :) hope this helps x
so the 2nd set of bloods I got done were or weren't this specific sex hormone profile?! why is it all so confusing!
disclaimer- I'm not a biomedical scientist, so not an expert, so I just know the vague reasoning and purpose of the tests
the second set of blood tests sound like they are sex hormone profiles, it will definitely depend on the doctor you get as to what action they take 😅
they want to aim for baseline hormone profiles and then 21 day progesterone levels (for the average 28 day cycle).
all the other tests are more for checking your general well-being
science is v confusing, and lab tests are even more confusing for patients. we're kind of an unseen/unknown part of the service so I definitely get your frustration
@@hannahwitton estradiol is basically the estrogen produced by the ovaries and you did get tested for progesterone as well. AMH (Anti-Müller-Hormone) is an indicator for your ovaries working, but checking out the ovaries with an ultrasound first is easier (there you will also see if there are any follicles in different sizes ;follicles=riping egg cells, which is why the first half of your cycle is called the folicular phase :) so it is easier and cheaper to do the ultrasound. Hope this was helpful :)
As someone with thyroid disease - theese hormones are appearantly VERY important if and when one wants to get pregnant. My doctor says I might struggle to get pregnant at all (should be fine if my medication is correct) and also the levels of fT4 needs to be good when pregnant since some of it is transferred to baby and help some parts of development.
My sister was trying to get pregnant and tried everything ... and even asked my sisters to donate an egg. She had her thyroid checked and she had a mild case of thyroid cancer. Once it was corrected she got pregnant immediately... no problem at all !! You are so right about the thyroid.
I'm pretty sure I'm outside your target demographic (I'm a straight, single dude, not trying to knock up anyone), but I somehow find this series very compelling, and I wish you & Dan the best of Luck! Hopefully at some point in my life, I'll remember these videos, as I hope to conceive with a wife of my own someday!
Thank you for this. It’s so refreshing to hear someone talking about trying to conceive and not just a pregnancy announcement video saying ‘we decided to have a baby and got pregnant the first time we had sex!’
As much as it sucks to not get pregnant right away, it’s nice to know there are other people with similar experiences.
Agreed!
It took my parents three years to conceive me, but my younger sister was almost instantaneous. Hope it goes well!
Just wanted to chime in and say that using fertility awareness methods never relies solely on basal body temperature to open the fertile window. Using cervical checks or cervical fluid is what we use to open the fertile window and then temperature is used to confirm ovulation after is has already happened. What Hannah is describing is the rhythm method, which is NOT fertility awareness. -someone who has successfully avoided pregnancy for 4 years using fertility awareness.
Right on! So disappointing to see Hannah blanket all FAM under the shittiest "method" out there. It compelled me to write an essay in the comments, I hope she sees it.
nice! and yeah I learned more about FAM since filming these clips which will be in a future video! I didn't realise that the rhythm method was it's own thing, I thought they were all different words for the same thing! but trying to show the process of someone approaching this experience for the first time and there's always going to be a learning curve!
@@hannahwitton Just to add on, there are several different fertility awareness based methods (which makes it even more confusing!). The Creighton Model and Billings Ovulation method rely heavily on cervical mucus/fluid. I've used the Marquette Method to avoid pregnancy for over 2 years now. It relies heavily on testing daily hormones (estrogen and LH) through urine samples so I know when I'm ovulating even if it's days off from the previous cycle. Of course it's not for everyone, but I'm in the medical field and love the data it gives me! I love that you're documenting your process as it evolves!
YES! Please don't confuse rhythm method (relying on your past cycles) and fertility awareness method :)
@@hannahwitton thank you so much for replying Hannah! Excited to hear you chat about it next video ♥️
I completely get feeling glad when you find out there's something off with your body. I remember crying once when a test came back saying that I was all healthy because it meant that I didn't have any answers to why I was having some much period pain. I think it's a really normal reaction to wanting to know what's up with your body when it is working like it "should".
I cried when I found out I didn't have epilepsy and do many people were like 'Its a good thing!' but I was just upset to still not have answers
My girlfriend and I are trying, I've had thyroid issues from a young age and knew I'd have a lower sperm count. We're currently at the same point, my gf has had all of her blood tests and me my sperm tests. Just waiting for results. She had coil out last July, we understand what such a process this is. Good luck!
I have huge fear of pregnancy and getting pregnant, but somehow I can watch your content and be totally un-phased. The matter of fact way you put things really helps, as I'm sure it does for people wanting to be pregnant.
rhod gilbert is so firmly in my mind as a comedian/panelist that "rhod gilbert male infertility documentary" shook up my system
Watching this made me hate being in the USA. I've been trying for 5 years, only one pregnancy/miscarriage in year 3, I'm now 32, and I can't get my hormones tested unless I go through a fertility clinic so it won't be covered by my insurance. AND I'm plus size so the clinics won't work with me anyway. Hannah, I am so glad that you were able to get those tests done and I'm sorry that you felt frustrated during that process. I hope the pelvic exam went well and that you have good news soon.
Have you thought about the modern fertility at home testing kit? I’m not actively trying, also not preventing, but I am 35 and no clue if it even could happen for me, so I’ve been thinking about doing that kit. I think it’s like $150? Cheaper than going to a fertility doctor for sure.
that is awful! how horrible! good luck to you!
@@courtneybright9411 I actually have bought it, but I couldn't get enough blood on the sample paper. I need to ask if they can send me a new collection sheet but I was too mad at the situation to do it right away. I thought it was more straight forward but I guess I wasn't prepared that day. If you feel comfortable with it I'd recommend getting your blood drawn in a lab for the test, which is one of the options when you buy.
I wish you the best of health :-)
I can relate so much to the happy feeling of finding out a "negative" test result (not with fertility but with adenomyosis), hearing that everything is normal over and over and over again is so frustrating!
really enjoying this series! a very real-life version of how this whole thing works! im sure its a semi-stressful time for you, so well done for keeping positive and being honest about the hiccups along the way! what will be, will be!
Not being told whether or not a blood test requires fasting is so frustrating! Thank you for being so open and sharing this with us.
I think it is easy for a health care provider to assume that since the test name says fasting (eg. fasting glucose, or fasting lipids as here) that the patient would understand to fast. Good reminder to never assume no matter how self explanatory things are to you as a health professional as your patients are often far less familiar with these things and probably have been given lot of other information. :)
When I had shingles the doc was getting me all sorts of tests to rule other things out, and for one he told me specifically, "they are going to ask you if you've fasted. Say yes." so basically, lie about it. I still don't fully understand what all that was about.
@@jengreen6183 I live in the US, so maybe it's different, but I have never once been told the name of my blood test. I don't get paperwork beforehand either, like she mentioned in the video.
@@ladyicondraco Does your doctor send the paperwork to the lab? I've always been handed a packet with all the orders in it that I have to take to the lab with me, and I do a lot of blood work in a year.
@@auditoryeden Yes. It has
As always been handled by the hospital/clinic.
You and I are on the same page here - Having at least a clue of why infertility is occurring feels so much better than having it be completely unexplained. So far all of our tests have come back "normal" and it's so frustrating. Also, I too was delayed a full cycle in getting my blood work done, since the day they want them done fell on a weekend. Crossing my fingers that doesn't happen again. CANNOT WAIT for your next installment of this; trying to keep a happy sex life while trying to conceive is such a mindf&%#.
This is a such an important series! We are taught soo much about how not to get pregnant but no one tells you how! I’m very lucky after 3 months off the pill I have got pregnant! Also first 12 weeks of pregnancy is an awful waiting game! Hope you finally get your answers! 💕
I have PCOS and it made getting pregnant ridiculously hard. My husband and I went through fertility treatments (crazy expensive) and it resulted in a couple of miscarriages. Depression set in and money was low. I finally went to a different OB/GYN who prescribed a drug called "Clomid" (in America) & I was pregnant the next month! I'm really rooting for you guys good luck!
Dan looks so unenthused about all this 😆. IMOE, while alcohol is generally to be avvoided while ttc, my kids were each concieved while in a "fuck it all phase" including ridiculous partying so 🤷♀️
When I came off the pill, it took a whole year for my body to get back and get a proper rhythm. It was obvious to me when I started feeling normal again
There's a book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility that would help give you an idea of if/when ovulation occurs in your cycle. After hormonal birth control you might have periods without ovulation happening. Its a non invasive way to check if you have all your fertile signs and understand your cycle. Sending you both well wishes 🤗
I highly recommend looking into natural family planning method ( sympto-thermal) !! I’m currently in training to become a natural family planning consultant in Germany. Especially if you have long cycles it can help to determine your fertile window. And (at least for me) it is really interesting to learn about my body
...
This book is wonderful! I recommend it to anyone I know who is either trying to conceive or just wants a better understanding of their cycle.
Came here to recommend this too!! It explains cycles in such a helpful way for beginners, I would love to see Hannah read it to help her understand better!
That's what I was thinking! It took a while for her body to regulate after coming off the pill. She may not even be ovulating regularly yet since removing her coil.
Tracking cervical mucus is one of the best methods I've found for tracking ovulation, especially when seeing how the CM changes alongside other signs
Dear Hannah, I think you are unbelievable strong. I am following your chanel for some time now but this video seemed as the most honest and real so far and just want to say thank you for speaking about all this and about your personal story publicly! Fingers crossed! 🌼
I don’t plan to have children but this was very interesting to me anyway. I didn’t know any of this, sex ed in school basically said everyone has a 28 day cycle and you’re very likely to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex on any day which obviously isn’t the case for everyone! I’ve never seen anyone talk about trying to conceive before the IVF stage so really appreciate the educational content. Hope it happens soon for you guys! 🧡
Definitely read a book like Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I was like you and it opened my eyes to so much! Unfortunately Hannan is a good resource for hormonal BC but not so much for natural methods like knowing and tracking your cycle. I find it to be a real gap in her channel's resources.
How fun, dan is cooking eggs whilst Hannah wants to know when hers are ovulating xD.
As someone with a low sex drive from medical things the thought of sex every other day is mind blowing 🤯
same 😓 not knowing the reason why... i need to get my hormons checked but it is ongoing thing for long time...
@@rose191991 your birth control can have a BIG influence on your sex drive. Hopefully you can figure it out!
omg same. I'm a once every 2 weeks gal and the idea of every two days is exhausting!
@@MustBeM loool same🙈 happy that i am not alone...
and no am not taking birth control... stopped like 4 years ago... but yeah it messed up my hormones... but it is long time from that time... 🤷🏻
Big same, I take medication that significantly lowers my sex drive, so I can't even cope with the thought of doing the deed every other day! 🤯 Every once in a while, like every 6 months maybe, but EVERY 2 DAYS? Hell no!
Best of luck, Hannah💛
Also, 666k subscribers, nice😈
I watched Rob Gilbert's BBC documentary on male fertility. Male sperm count doesn't get factored in as much in the whole conceiving thingy. It's 50/50 stats
I officially turned on notifications for your channel because of the Hormone Diaries. My partner and I just made the decision to start trying to conceive and it’s so validating to watch someone deal with similar feelings. I’ve binged so many of your videos! It feels like getting pregnant consumes so much of my brain so thank you so much for this content ❤️ Lots of love from Canada 🇨🇦
Any update?
i just need to say how much I love your open way of talking about sex. so many people, especially UA-camrs, shy away from this, which I understand, but it is refreshing to watch your videos :)
Hannah, I can’t fully understand what you’re going through but I just got diagnosed with PCOS the other day after years of having problems and not being listened to, like you said it’s a relief to know! Sending lots of love your way ❤️
“Can I deal with the hope?” Can relate to this so much! After 3 years we’ve just started infertility investigations and the whole thing is deeply rough. Let’s definitely normalise conception not being straightforward!
So pleased to see Dan being involved in the process at all levels
Girl my husband and I are trying to get pregnant too and it’s so hard. This series is making me feel so much better about my empty womb. Hoping we all get pregnant soon!
Thank you so much for these videos! Honestly these are so useful even for people who aren't trying to conceive. Like the whole 8 chances rather than 12 🤯
I get what you mean about comfort in "knowing". Today I was diagnosed with celiac disease after a long time of living with stomach problems. I didn't feel scared but rather relieved that I have some element of control now. Sending love yours & Dan's way on your journey!
As someone who struggled with fertility for YEARS, I am very engaged in your journey. Best of luck to you guys!! All the magic baby dust 🧚♀️ 🪄✨
My husband and I were unable to get tests straight away on the NHS so I paid £150 to go private for my husband and I to have tests (sperm analysis, and scan and bloods for myself) and we're so glad we did. It gave us a really good understanding of what was going on and then I was able to take the information to the NHS who were then able to refer me a lot sooner than if I'd waited. I just thought I would share this information with anyone who is having any issues getting referrals with the NHS xxx
I’m very surprised Hannah isn’t more of an expert on all these things.. she’s just so knowledgeable and organized about everything else she shows us
Sex ed isn’t fertility education though..and it’s one thing to know how it all usually works, but add her unique variables of crohns and uneven cycles, you’d need to be a specialist doctor to make sense of it all. Our biology’s really got a mind of it’s own😅
Got my negative pregnancy test today after ttc month 3. I really get what you mean with pms symptoms being so similar to early pregnancy symptoms. My breasts hurt, I get a metallic taste in my mouth that makes me nauseous, extreme fatigue and splitting headaches. So every time I get excited and think this could be could be a good sign and then remember that it’s just normal for me and then get disappointed. Emotional rollercoaster- especially when you can’t sleep and are super emotional in those last couple of cycle days anyway. I’m following along with you guys and I wish you all the best and hope you get your little miracle soon.
Also love how you talk about the impact of children on relationships- I think a lot of people feel like a baby will complete their family instead of taking time to reflect on what their relationship will need to keep that family happy. There’s a great ted talk on that subject you could check out if you feel like it :) love that you are taking all your draw backs with the blood work with so much good humour! Hang in there and keep that mind set. The Btt measuring is great for finding out your ovulation day but I really really hate doing it every morning 😭 also the on call doctor who took you through all the testing sounds very good. Glad he took the time to help you like that. My friend has 3 “fertility awareness babies” 🙈 whoops. And yes- the brain is weird. Symptom spotting is so annoying. Sorry that you got let down :/ tad confused why you’d have to go to a hospital for a pelvic exam? Do you not have a regular gynaecologist that sees you every six months and knows you and your medical history well?
as an afab trans-ish person, I often am uncomfortable when people talk about reproductive health, but you do it in a way that feels inclusive and accessible and doesn't trigger dysphoria for me. I can't even put my finger on why that is exactly. but if it wasn't for these videos, I probably would avoid thinking about this whole topic a lot more!
That's funny, I'm a trans woman and I too feel very dysphoric in conversations about reproductive health, because a lot of the time, people talk about that stuff in very broad terms. They make pronouncements about "women", or just about all pregnancies, and to me, often, it just makes me feel so shit, because I'm going through transition and it's like I'm running straight at a wall of exclusion. But Hannah talks about her personal experience. She doesn't make these sweeping statements about all of womanhood, or about any of the stuff that's "normal" or not. She's just talking about what she's going through, and she uses very clinical terms. I think that's why I still can watch these hormone diaries. I mean I can totally relate with the frustration of mishaps when scheduling blood tests, dealing with doctors, and how long that takes... :)
@@robertofontiglia4148 yeah Hannah is very conscious about using inclusive language I feel. so naming the specific body parts, instead of 'female reproductive system' for example
Thank you for sharing! Not in the process or expecting to be in the process of trying to get pregnant and this feels so relevant anyway. We should all have more knowledge about different bodies and how geting pregnant or not works.
those numbers cannot downweigh the fun parenting is. It is hard on the relationship but it is so fun too. It is an emotional rollercoaster and it is absolutely worth it.
And while romantic love might be on the back burner for a little while, watching your partner parent can make you love them in whole new ways.
I really really recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility and getting to grips with the sympto thermal method, best of luck 🤞
I just found out I have PCOS and even though that can be a bit worrying I'm actually super happy to have the knowledge now
I feel like the best thing about something like this is now you have a label to go off of to find information. It's so nice to get a diagnosis even if it's life changing but at least you understand and have something to build off of.
@@althyastar definitely! I also feel like if any issues come up when or if I decide to conceive or look at different birth controls I at least can see how this might effect me!
watching this before it gets age restricted part 2
it's demonetised but hopefully shouldn't be age restricted!
@@hannahwitton it sucks so much that these videos get demonetized, because this content is so so important !!
@@hannahwitton I still have ads? I didn’t realise UA-cam could put ads on demonetised videos. I’m sorry that this really useful video is demonetised, I hope it reaches the people who need it most
@@hannahwitton it’s so sad that your videos get demonetised when you’re talking about educational information for people pursuing fertility/contraceptive options
I definetly would not call it milking the content - I mean this video was already fairly long with almost 30mins. Wishing you the best of luck on your journey to pregnancy! :)
14:57 - when he bends over the steam from the pot makes it look like his butt is smoking lol
On a more serious note - great video! I love your content, and best of luck to you two with your journey in attempting to become parents!
Hehehe I thought that too!! 😂
Love how real and honest this video series feels! Simultaneously informative and really interesting. Wishing you guys all the best in this journey, glad to be along for the ride 😊
"Milking as much content as possible"? Yes, for Dan also! 😄
You're a very motivated couple. Don't let these trouble discourage you. You're doing good.
The 2-week wait is SO GNARLY!!! Thanks for sharing this emotional journey with us and wishing you all the baby-bean-magic!!
My husband and I made the decision not to have children, but along the way to that decision we found out that I have PCOS, don’t ovulate and medical intervention would be needed if we wanted to try to conceive. The NHS were ready to support those next steps if that’s what we chose; we’re so lucky to have the NHS!
Despite our choices, I’m enjoying this series and how much you and Dan are sharing of your journey.
Dude, I feel you. I was getting very consistent 30 day cycles for 4 cycles, then all of a sudden my body decided to add a week. I had an entire week of both willing my period to come and also willing it to not come and give me a positive test. Its just so frustrating because i see plenty of people who weren't even trying get pregnant. And I'm sitting here hoping that those little cramps i had were implantation cramps and not "hey your period is coming" cramps.
I have PCOS and some of these terms and blood tests are very familiar to me lol! Hormones can be so funky and hard to track sometimes especially when they’re irregular
I'm glad Hannah is out here making the content and sharing the knowledge we all should have been taught in high school.
In terms of the sperm test, it’s a case of your GP booking a time a slot in with your local hospital that has the facilities to count the sperm and look at morphology in their labs. Basically, the sample needs to be examined within an hour of it being produced and needs to be kept at body temperature, so it’s normally done at your local women’s hospital who have a dedicated team of Biomedical Scientists who are able to do the tests straight away :) I know this because I’m a biomedical scientist for the NHS and my lab used to do said tests too
The latest episode of the podcast"birth stories by Heidi" has a fertility journey- the whole podcast is wonderful, but this episode was very special! It's on spotify and I recommend!
Hannah, Thankyou so much for sharing your and Dan’s journey so far!
As a midwife this is part of the journey I normally don’t get to see. It has given me a new found appreciate for what some couples really go through to get pregnant.
Sending you both love and well wishes!xx
1. Sending love! 2. I think you might be misinterpreting your boobs hearting! If they always start hearting two weeks before your period arrives, it probably means that you just ovulated!!! (High progesterone=sore boobs!). So it doesn't indicate if it worked or didn't (your body probably doesn't even know yet at this point!!). 3. Good luck!!! ❤️
Watching this while waiting for my own blood test results on suspected pcos, this came at the perfectime! haha
I love how open you are about your process! It is so helpful and informative for those of us who hope to get pregnant one day, or even as general information for anyone... Hope your pelvic test goes well, I look forward to following your journey!
Just a note, thank you so much for the CW: Blood at 12:41 - I really dont like seeing blood in that conext, or the little marks needles leave in the skin. So many people show that kind of thing without warning (I used to too, before it started affecting me) and it was so nice to see a warning. Thank you!
I’m not sure if someone else mentioned this in the comments and you might already know this yourself, but low progesterone can be a reason for extra long cycles. My sister was told all was fine after a blood test from the doctor, but when she went to a herbologist with the blood results she was told she had super low progesterone, which is the pregnancy hormone. Wishing you all the best with this journey. I could be trying in about a year, so great to hear your experience now xx
Thank you so much for doing this video! After seeing so many of the people I know and follow talk about how easy it was or how fast they managed to get pregnant it’s such a reassurance to see another couple going through a similar situation. We’ve been trying for nearly two years now, still crossing those fingers and toes.
the mix up with the blood tests would have made me so upset! Fingers crossed for you and Dan :)
Your Hemoglobin A1C is a test that diabetics get every 3-4 months to get a sense of how well their sugars have been managed over that time period... If you get an A1C of less 5 or below, you are non-diabetic. 5-6 is pre-diabetic. 6+ is diabetic. The lower the better! Good luck with your blood test!
Hey Hannah, I'm enjoying this series so much ❤️ I just wanted to suggest you try to eliminate any kind of foods or product that you consume that is contained in plastic (also, plastic plates, plastic cutlery etc) because BPA is a culprit in infertility (both in women and men) There are loads of articles and research on this topic, I hope you will read this comment and you'll look into it 🤗
Thank you for documenting this journey and also being so conscious of others in your discussions. Unfortunately there are SO many other UA-camrs pumping out (excuse the pun) "Mammy" content without any kind of regard for others and their journeys. So much content recently has made me feel invalid as a woman because I'm not a mother, so thank you for sharing this journey and not making some of us feel as though it should be the easiest thing in the world and that you're not really even a person until it happens.
This! Couldn’t agree more. It’s isolating and people don’t often discuss their fertility journeys, it’s nice to see when someone does. It is normal for it to take time, but I’ve been made to feel that I should get pregnant immediately and I’m less of a woman because I haven’t.
The excitement level on Dan’s face at the “we can have lots of sex” comment was priceless.
who else is absolutely never going to try to get pregnant but are just watching this bc yt recommended
Fertility awareness methods have very specific rules when it comes to determing if it's a fertile or infertile day. The rules in the follicular phase are very individual for every woman because it relates to her previous cycles and her mucus.
Omg yes pls do the temp test video!!! And I’m so excited for the other one you mentioned, its all so interesting and no one teaches you about it!
Hey Hannah! I just conceived after well over a year of trying, and the cycle I conceived I was convinced I was out as my boobs started hurting a week before my period was due as per usual - but then my period didn't come! Basically you can get sore boobs whether you're pregnant or not because of progesterone - your body won't register you're pregnant until the embryo implants 9-12 days after conception so the super early symptoms are no indication either way! Wishing you the very best of luck my lovely xx
Sending you lots of love Hannah!
Watching your story makes me feel super emotional, I am also on a TTC journey except via IVF (I have PCOS, endometriosis and adenomyosis and I’m doing this solo), I understand and feel your pain of having blood tests that show nothing, having frustrating GP and specialist visits, feeling like every month is a setback and there’s no answers or certainty. What I have learned so far is utilising alternative medicine is useful, not a fix per se but useful and can help especially with deciphering western medicine in reference to your body’s unique needs, positive mantras are useful too but sometimes feel hard so I don’t use them everyday but they do help lift me out of bad days (my favourite is my body has carried me this far and we will keep going and I trust my body can do this), TTC groups are both a godsend and a source of pain but they are full of people going through the same journey and there is so much advice so in that sense they’re great but I know when I need to take breaks from them. The journey will feel at times like it’s pointless and endless and that nothing is working right, I 100% feel like this some days, try to find hope and hold on to it, you are not alone! Sending you baby dust!
Thank you for sharing your journey! ❤️ We’ve been trying for a baby since last summer. I tracked my cycle and used OPKs and they idicated that I ovulate late sometimes and sometimes not at all. So I went in for a vaginal ultrasound and the doctor told me that I have pcos. I know it’s common but never thought I had it because I don’t have any of the classic symptoms. I have regular 28-30 day cycles, I don’t struggle with my weight and I don’t have any male pattern hair growth/loss. So it surprised me. I then had bloodwork done on day 3 of my cycle. The results were normal. I was prescribed letrozole to make my body ovulate and we are really hoping my body will respond well to the medication. I’m so glad that I tracked my cycle and used those OPKs, I wouldn’t have any idea that something is wrong based if I hadn’t done that. For once in life I didn’t procrastinate and I’m so glad I didn’t. Becoming a mom has been my dream in life since I was 12. I’m turning 31 this year. I really hope we and everyone else struggling will get that positive and our little ones soon 🙏🏻💕 Children are such a blessing! So many people that don’t want babies get pregnant even when they use protection and, yet, so many of us who want nothing more in this life have a hard time. I wish it was the other way around.
I’ve heard so many cases of people getting so stressed about trying to get pregnant that only when they kinda accepted that maybe it wasn’t to be after all i.e. became far less stressed over it that they finally got pregnant
Yes! Hannah please tae your time and dont stress yourselfes.
Haha, I was the opposite - had a massive crying month, then went to the doctor and had them write a referral for a fertility clinic, and then found out that night I was pregnant!
These are some of my favourite videos of yours. I love how honest they are and it's fascinating to watch as someone who's never tried conceive. It's so important that we talk about these things and normalise them 💖
Haven't watched anything on UA-cam for a while so I was really happy to come back and find out there is a season 2 of the hormone diaries :D
Just want to point out my first pregnancy symptoms were basically my pms symptoms plus fatigue 😅
Will you react to the jake and Amy trying to conceive scenes in Brooklyn 99? I know you like the show and I think it’d be super interesting :)
Seconding this!!
Omg please haha!
Yes! I would love a reaction video to all the different (and sometimes unrealistic) depictions of trying for a baby in tv shows
hannah on a mission. girl, I did the nuva ring for 2-3 yrs and it took ages (another 2 years) for me to go back to a place where I could say with certainty when I was ovulating/fertile, just based on what my vag fluid is like. don't be discouraged, sounds like your body is just still adjusting. and yeah, youre totally right, ovulation/periods in general can be super sensitive to your stress level, general health, and other women you spend time with. it's just how the cookie crumbles for us, but tracking your circle to the best of your abilities and getting blood work done is a great start.
Fuck. All of us trying to get pregnant have become that image of Charlie with the red strings.
ALSO a whole month is the perfect amount of time to get your hopes up and forget the lesson of the month before. Overanalyze all the things. I just accepted that I’m gunna be bummed once a month and I just let myself be bummed. Be gentle with yourself. (TTC two years btw)
Hey, I can help with a bit from my own TTC journey (trying to carry to term, tbh). You mentioned B12 was low. My doctor told me that vitamin B12 and D are important for conceiving. She wanted me to keep my B12 between 300 and 400 pg/mL. She also advised me, when I'm taking B12 or folic acid, always to take the methylated form - around 60% of people have genetic mutations, which prevent the proper absorption of vitamins B. The tests are expensive, and generally prescribed to people with more than 3 miscarriages, at least here (Bulgaria), but taking meta-versions of the two vitamins is easy and safe precaution for that. Also, I know that TSH in norm is really important to be able to conceive, but I don't know the referent values.
P.s. I know it's frustrating, and sometimes unproductive, but at least here, you can get 3 doctor's opinions, and no 2 match on the same question. I spent so many hours educating myself online on what's relevant and what's not, so don't bash yourself for reading - in the end you are the one with skin in the game.
Yep! I’m pregnant now and it took 9 months which I know isn’t the longest time...but interestingly I had some bloods done (in what turned out to be the month we conceived) and had very low Vit D and B12. I can’t help but wonder if it would have happened quicker had I got that resolved at the start of the journey.
I am in general trying really hard NOT to conceive yet i really enjoy the series ❤️
I love this series, thank you so much for sharing this with us! It can't be easy but because of you I think lots of other women won't feel like they're going through this alone.
Hannah I had all of this going on too before we started trying to conceive. I went for 3 seperate blood tests after my cycles failed to regulate after coming off the pill. I had a cycle which was over 100 days, and then subsequent cycles were always around 50 days long. My hormones were tested, and I had an ultrasound to check for PCOS all of which came back normal. During this time we decided to start TTC as we didn't know how long it could take. I was just told to keep trying and that they weren't concerned because we are young. That's easy for the doctor to say when she's not the one trying and hoping for a baby! We eventually did conceive, which I am so grateful for, but my first ultrasound showed a very large cyst on my ovary which concerned me at first (I now know this is common). It is so wonderful to be pregnant, but I am still so riddled with anxiety because we never got answers as to what was going wrong in the first place! I fully intend on continuing to investigate once baby is born, because I refuse to be fobbed off just because I managed to conceive. 50+ day cycles still aren't normal and shouldnt be ignored. I wish you both all the luck in the world ❤️
If your using the Fertility Awareness Method you would be tracking your temperature, cervical position and cervical fluid everyday.
You would know when you ovulate and when your fertile window is. FAM isn't just counting to day 15 and assuming you ovulated.
Best of luck to the both of you! It's so random and different for every person, every couple, etc. There's honestly no telling how it's going to go, and it's the most frustrating thing when you're in the middle of it, but it taking a little longer does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. And even if something is 'wrong', like it taking your body longer than average to recover from going of birth control, a stressful period, some hormonal imbalances, etc., in most cases all your body needs is a little time. The scary thing about being in the middle of it all though, is not knowing if it just takes some time, or if something really is seriously wrong that would require medical intervention, or the ultimate fear that you might never conceive at all (I definitely went there after almost a year of trying).
❤️ it is such a hard journey - I do hope you guys get your positive very soon! It can be so stressful and saaaad when period comes around. We had been trying for about 3 years the first time round (healthy, in our mid-twenties), doing everything 'right' and nothing happened. Then I had a summer of debauchery, partying day and night, no sports whatsoever, smoking, eating crap and drinking like wine was going out of fashion. BAM preggers. (We did the sex every 1-2 days in that period though). Now the second time around we got pregnant by accident (basically the one and only time we had sex this year 🙈). Fertility is a weird thing sometimes.
Not how fertility awareness method works but it’s nice to keep up with this process 💕
my mother always tells me that if I ever want to get pregnant I should regularly take long, relaxing, hot foot baths in the evenings. and my husband should drink homemade freshly squeezed orange juice. a tip from my German mother blessed with four children.
I started watching your UA-cam channel because I got colorecal cancer surgery and now I have a iliostomy and now awaiting it to be taken back in for a Hysterectomy charge the iliostomy over to a permanent colostomy I have loved watching your videos and think you are so open and fantastic thank you you've make cry and belly laugh too ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Love that you’re doing these videos, they have been a light in my own journey of trying to conceive over the last 7 months. I have a doctors appt on may 10th to see about getting hormone levels checked myself! Sticky baby dust to you and Dan!
Thank you for taking us on this journey with us all Hannah and Dan. I think you can probably see from the comments quite how much it means to everyone to see this journey, with all it's up and downs, because it helps people understand that it isn't always a quick process. I think you are both educating and entertaining us, and I am really enjoy watching your videos and learning so much, which as a woman I had no idea about! Thank you :D
Loved this! Your hormone diaries are always fab. I like seeing you and Dan in videos because it's a real benchmark for a simple, standard, normal human relationship and honestly the media has a dearth of those so this is a breath of fresh air :)