Having Sex Every Other Day and Blood Tests

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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ISEE: instituteforsexuality.com/
Rhod Gilbert male infertility documentary: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
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[@charlotterobinson9158]

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

[@littleleafy]

Yes!

[@katpom7250]

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

[@Wheezywatches]

Going on 5 years myself, it’s such a spiral. half the time the stress of not conceiving then affects conception!

[@sandranorum6125]

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.

[@emu9520]

Hear hear.its like trying to roll a 6 every month....

[@cherry97girl]

Even as someone who never intends to get pregnant I love this series

[@mattwood1562]

Just think of it as a “What not to do when you’re not expecting” sorta series 😂

[@EyeHeartThePanda]

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.

[@colaty8P]

Samee

[@Bexyboo88]

Same :D

[@rose191991]

same here! hehe

[@cporet]

It is truly amazing how absolutely random getting pregnant is. It's a wonder we survive as a species.

[@dustinwiggin9470]

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.

[@jordiflower]

Right??

[@violine3446]

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💞

[@yiao5601]

@@violine3446 that's no surprise at all - it's the fertile window ;) congrats!

[@lucie8765]

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

[@shesnotlistening]

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

[@anitadeluca5197]

As a person who has studied this kind of stuff, same!

[@Claudia15123]

Same!!!!

[@alexa-wq1sj]

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! :)

[@Amelia-vk4jt]

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!

[@SimplyErinful]

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.

[@pixxie__]

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

[@georgialouise8356]

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 :)))

[@hannahwitton]

I'm so sorry to hear that but I'm so glad these videos have helped 💛💛

[@alistairrae9807]

I am so sorry that happened to you

[@marthamorrison4649]

Congratulations for getting to this point! I don’t know you but I am so proud of you

[@mrs0m2512]

Sending love and hugs. I’m proud of you 🥺💕

[@roftherealm3418]

Ditto! So glad you're able to find a community that helps you love you.

[@katiewalter1813]

Me, as an American watching this and mentally calculating how much all those blood tests, exams, and doctor's visits would be...... terrifying

[@blueyedgirl4vr]

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.

[@Heydrayheyhey]

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 😕

[@jamiemichelle7956]

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

[@jamiemichelle7956]

How is it in the usa?

[@riaavelar8491]

@@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.

[@sagaurora]

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!

[@emolify]

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

[@hannahwitton]

so the 2nd set of bloods I got done were or weren't this specific sex hormone profile?! why is it all so confusing!

[@emolify]

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

[@an3n6r44]

@@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 :)

[@johannahallin1896]

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.

[@Raymond-rr5iv]

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.

[@GirlGoneLondon]

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...

[@HollyIsabellasMakeUp]

Same as me and I totally agree, so many pregnant women on my feed right now. It’s hard

[@MaddieImogen91]

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

[@nataliecolombo4914]

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.

[@cauthoncrazy]

Agreed!

[@911nmg]

It took my parents three years to conceive me, but my younger sister was almost instantaneous. Hope it goes well!

[@pseducode]

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!

[@scotthumphries6972]

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!

[@CassGoldsmith]

As someone with a low sex drive from medical things the thought of sex every other day is mind blowing 🤯

[@rose191991]

same 😓 not knowing the reason why... i need to get my hormons checked but it is ongoing thing for long time...

[@sofie4172]

@@rose191991 your birth control can have a BIG influence on your sex drive. Hopefully you can figure it out!

[@MustBeM]

omg same. I'm a once every 2 weeks gal and the idea of every two days is exhausting!

[@rose191991]

@@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... 🤷🏻

[@D0MiN0ChAn]

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!

[@imaginationlord]

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.

[@meganshootsfilm]

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.

[@milikoshki]

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.

[@hannahwitton]

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!

[@mikaylaknaebel2729]

​@@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!

[@healingtiger557]

YES! Please don't confuse rhythm method (relying on your past cycles) and fertility awareness method :)

[@meganshootsfilm]

@@hannahwitton thank you so much for replying Hannah! Excited to hear you chat about it next video ♥️

[@praalgraf]

rhod gilbert is so firmly in my mind as a comedian/panelist that "rhod gilbert male infertility documentary" shook up my system

[@cats4love]

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".

[@Harri_James]

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

[@gerileemakes]

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.

[@courtneybright9411]

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.

[@blackbetty476]

that is awful! how horrible! good luck to you!

[@gerileemakes]

@@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.

[@esthergerlitz2359]

I wish you the best of health :-)

[@DannyBokma]

How fun, dan is cooking eggs whilst Hannah wants to know when hers are ovulating xD.

[@Larissa_KD]

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!

[@katlinehan4072]

who else is absolutely never going to try to get pregnant but are just watching this bc yt recommended

[@Cwtchaholic]

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

[@megpez993]

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!

[@SP11616]

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&%#.

[@ladyicondraco]

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.

[@jengreen6183]

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. :)

[@althyastar]

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.

[@ladyicondraco]

@@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.

[@auditoryeden]

@@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.

[@ladyicondraco]

@@auditoryeden Yes. It has As always been handled by the hospital/clinic.

[@lucie4728]

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! 🌼

[@sbrox101]

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 😊

[@donnallycaia]

The 2-week wait is SO GNARLY!!! Thanks for sharing this emotional journey with us and wishing you all the baby-bean-magic!!

[@jodie4251]

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 💖

[@MotorCityPhoenix313]

I'm glad Hannah is out here making the content and sharing the knowledge we all should have been taught in high school.

[@edennums]

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!

[@cassidybrewer]

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 🧚‍♀️ 🪄✨

[@amymulvenna4690]

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! 💕

[@YF16]

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 🤯

[@cheesemog]

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 ❤️

[@shaunamccabe3163]

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 🤗

[@josephinemartin2807]

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 ...

[@ashleyepps2590]

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.

[@ededdeddy17]

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!

[@jennaenright1194]

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.

[@caseyseaton1424]

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!

[@silhouette3562]

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 :)

[@jaynechristopher14]

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.

[@alyssacampbell147]

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 🇨🇦

[@mattb5881]

Any update?

[@SophieRatz]

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

[@WhereDidIndiGo]

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!

[@zoefoster1050]

Thank you so much for sharing, Hannah. You'll be helping so many people! Sending love to you both x

[@kimtassen4938]

This was a great video! Thank you for sharing such a private journey on the internet, I've learnt a lot from this part of the hormone diaries and not many people would be willing to share this kind of content. Rooting for you two,

[@optimusprimesavannah]

watching this before it gets age restricted part 2

[@hannahwitton]

it's demonetised but hopefully shouldn't be age restricted!

[@-Crissi_]

@@hannahwitton it sucks so much that these videos get demonetized, because this content is so so important !!

[@amzluma4548]

@@hannahwitton I still have ads? I didn’t realise KZbin 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

[@exhaustedeloise]

@@hannahwitton it’s so sad that your videos get demonetised when you’re talking about educational information for people pursuing fertility/contraceptive options

[@hez_am_i2448]

So pleased to see Dan being involved in the process at all levels

[@rendellx]

I absolutely love this series. I really enjoyed it the first time round but I think this time it's even better. Thank you Hannah for taking us along on such a personal journey. x

[@sofiaivarsson3482]

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.

[@deahalis7933]

i just need to say how much I love your open way of talking about sex. so many people, especially KZbinrs, shy away from this, which I understand, but it is refreshing to watch your videos :)

[@MoucheronRose]

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!

[@kassandraromo4932]

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!

[@MsBraidBreaker]

Dear Hannah, thank you for sharing all of this with us! Things that are not on my mind at all but will for sure stay with me for the future. Lots of love

[@justmeatrandomzz]

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.

[@amaega]

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

[@calcifer1234]

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

[@ericabellew8809]

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!

[@keithleon6538]

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

[@Julia-gn6yl]

thank you for being so vulnerable with us Hannah

[@tanjaschatz5928]

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.

[@Beaverthing]

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.

[@emstronners]

I think Im going to show this video to friends/family when they ask me how TTC for year has been going... thank you so much for this content Hannah, it is so reassuring to see someone go through similar experiences!

[@slovenageorgieva2792]

Me with crazy ovulation symptoms and not planning to get pregnant any time soon, I love this series and your decision to embark on this journey and learn more about your body. Sending love! ❤️

[@irenea819]

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!

[@phanterleo]

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?

[@sarahrichards917]

“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!

[@bethanytejani9890]

I really really recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility and getting to grips with the sympto thermal method, best of luck 🤞

[@annaw9687]

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! 🧡

[@jennaenright1194]

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.

[@catward3267]

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 🤷‍♀️

[@MarthaBlaire]

Thank you so much for making this series. I am going through a very similar situation and It is helpful to hear that others are in the same boat

[@starstruck480290]

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

[@aliscrow7357]

Hannah posted! The best birthday gift!!!

[@nicolecollins9896]

This was just what I needed to watch, so informative. I have a few health issues which will cause problems when trying to conceive and my husband wants to try this year. Thank you for taking us on your journey x

[@fivebyfivewhat]

Watching you go through this journey as someone about 6 months ahead of you is the strangest thing. I do appreciate your openness!! I haven’t gone in for testing yet... now starting to wonder if I should rethink that.

[@pollyv4991]

Gosh this is so interesting Hannah! Thank you for being so transparent 💗

[@TheJemMarie]

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!

[@BloodyWiccaG]

Haven't watched anything on KZbin 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 😅

[@meganpace3554]

Random but related to the video. Thank you for recording while talking to your doctor about tests. It gave me a lot of insight into questions I should be asking my doctor in general

[@kateyellow3]

Loving this series. Thank you so much for sharing such a vulnerable time x

[@chloeprender]

Ah I feel all of this so much, I also have IBD and we were TTC for 7 months (so not massively long) but we also suffered an early miscarriage in December 2020. You get so sucked into all the testing and data and tracking. Sending a hug & thank you for this video series, it’s so helpful for those TTC 👍🏻

[@julia.carino]

Sending lots of good vibes your way, Hannah!!💛💛💛

[@Jack-sy8mr]

Best of luck, Hannah💛 Also, 666k subscribers, nice😈

[@Stoppitaptap]

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!

[@lonetreejim]

🇨🇦 Hannah, you are an excellent story teller. Enjoyed the video very much. Good luck going forward. 💚

[@TheBookfrog]

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! :)

[@allisonpayne7955]

Hi Hannah! I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and was also told that my blood work and hormones were “normal”. I have heard than many GP’s don’t actually know all the exact details of hormone levels and how they relate to irregular cycles. I am looking into a naturopath who specializes in PCOS and hormonal imbalances because I’ve heard that they will have you do more specific blood testing and examination of what else might be causing irregular cycles and make a catered plan for you to get your hormones on track! It might be worth looking into! ☺️

[@boehoe888]

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).

[@claudiaaprile9888]

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 🤗

[@interlace84]

Thank you for sharing your experiences, struggles and thought processes surrounding them in your own way. Many people can relate and gain something from it. SIncerely, thanks!

[@pile333]

"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.

[@RincondeMai]

Sending you lots of love Hannah!

[@neleonie]

just wanted to say that i think you are so brave for sharing this process with us

[@charlottepeet1615]

the mix up with the blood tests would have made me so upset! Fingers crossed for you and Dan :)

[@marymartin6719]

As someone who’s also trying to conceive, I completely can relate to the frustration and confusion that is the female body! These videos are super educational and I make my husband watch them too ❤️

[@Hillary429]

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

[@msmiami212]

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😅

[@Camillarinify]

I am at the exact same point right now. It's sooo refreshing to see that the struggle is normal, even for young women. Thanks for sharing, it's keeping my hopes up!

[@clyde502]

Keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you Hannah 🤞 xx

[@gemmaamclean]

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

[@alicewilson30]

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

[@althyastar]

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.

[@alicewilson30]

@@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!

[@jazminhudson-stanfield4536]

I'm 16 years old and have issues with my menstrual cycle. I plucked up the courage and talked about this to my doctor and got referred. I have had so many ups and downs so far from my doctor telling me I have PCOS to then being told that I don't. It is an exhausting journey that I have only just started but you know when there is a problem. We just have that instinct. The NHS is great but during the times where you feel the most vulnerable, it takes twice as long to get answers. My journey started to find out what was wrong with my menstrual cycle as it is no existent nearly 1 year ago and so far I have had the wrong advice, lack of understanding, the correct tests, or any tests being ordered. At least when you know you then can decide what to do. Having children is something that I thought about a little but not until I was told that it would be unlikely to happen naturally (meaning that I would need IVF when the time was right!!). When you are told that it is going to be more difficult or virtually impossible (like what I was told) you want it so much more. It will happen in one form or another one day. The most important thing is that you started the cogs. You have the strength.

[@libbyisweird]

Love the video but can I just say thank you so much for the TW!!! Hope you get some luck soon, can't wait for mini Hannah to happen!!