42.3 and trying for #4

[maxxiandniko]

Sending a quick message - spotting today and it's one week early! Not happy at all. First I have nothing with me but it's not like I can't get something. Second (probably should have been first) I'm almost 43 and this type of thing is not a one off but rather perimenopause. Thirdly I won't be back home for a week and I right know how that will work with my cycle. I'll have to wait till the next possibly which is fine but figures. Anyway. Trying not to freak out too much.

 

[Sunshine14]

Hey ladies how are you all? Hope you are all well.

Maxxi sorry to hear you have been spotting and are worried about perimenopause - try to enjoy your holiday and relax and not worry about this whole ttc lark - it will do you good to have a break from it all x

Charlie I don't know much about DHEA. I did think about taking it right at the start when I started all the vitamins but got a bit nervous about how it can throw ur hormones out. Would be v interested to hear what they say in your appointment though hun x

2plus that is fab news about your flow hun! I know you have been concerned about that for a good while now so that is great - hopefully your body is now back in sync and you can get your BFP x

Mgirl & Clair hope you are both good and Clair the tenderness has gone now x

Afm had my scan today to check everything was clear. I had a lovely senior nurse who did the scan and was chatting away to her and asked her a ton of questions! She gave me all clear yipee! & said I have a follicle forming already on right side (I always thought I was annovulatory after cp's & mc's) so interesting. I took the opportunity to ask her about conceiving after mc and she said the reason you have to wait for first AF after mc is not for the dates but to make sure your lining is thick enough for implantation and body had a chance to recover. She said sperm lives for 7 days and I said I thought it was less time and she said no latest evidence is 7 days!!! Then I asked her whether any truth to idea that you are more fertile after a mc and she said no evidence but she herself has seen loads of women get pegnant straight after a mc -- really interesting day! It's my honey and I's 11 year anniversary tomorrow so now I've been given all clear am thinking will just see go with the flow and see what happens and see if can get any luck with fertility after mc!!

 

[marathongirl]

Sunshine- glad you got the all clear!!! I've always just gone ahead with trying or at least not

 

[marathongirl]

Whoops not preventing after my mc's. The way I look at it is if your body isn't ready then you won't get preggo?! Simple right? I know nothing is that simple but if I were you I would go with the flow too!!
Speaking of flow. I'm cd7 today and still bleeding bright red? My flow has been very wonky since my mc 2 months ago. First af was almost non- existent and now this? I'd rather have more than none but I'm ready for it to be over and get busy!!!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

 

[2plus1more]

Sunshine, yay for getting the all clear glad that you able to move forward so quickly. And so cool that you were able to see the developing follicle!

Marathon, you and I are at about the same in our cycle. Good luck! I'm currently CD 7. I had my appointment yesterday and I'm happy to finally get some answers. I'll go for some blood draws on the 21st day of my cycle. She asked quite a few questions (I had to laugh because one of their new standard questions to ask is if I think I'm at risk to fall...nope, not afraid I'll be falling...just want to fall pregnant..haha). She is also referring me to a fertility office. I just have to wait for them to call me back. Not sure if they'll wait for my results or not. Anyways, I came home and discussed everything with DH.

 

[charlie15]

Maxi, it may not be peri menopause it could just be a bad cycke with low progesterone. Even if it were Hun, you can be peri menopause for a decade and have babies still. Big hugs hope you're feeling better now xx

Sunshine, yey for those follicles!

Marathon girl, sorry your AF is not totally normal post mc, hope the bleeding settles down soon.

AFM I am cd 14 so been trying to get on with things, hard sometimes especially with a 21 month old! I got my bloods back the bummer was that not all were done, so no estradiol or LH! Need to chat with my doc to get them all done again as they need to all be done together. However my FSH was 9, which for someone approaching 42 isn't bad. Thankfully it's low enough for the clinic of my choice to do IVF. I can't get my 21 day bloods done as will be on holiday, so will probably do them all again next month. Appt is on the 18, so I will only have these, but better than nothing and they will do my AMH there.

ClaireCath how are things? Have you decided on more IUI or IVF?

Fandabby how are you and the beautiful Mystique getting on?

 

[2plus1more]

I've been researching RE labs and that's a great FSH Charlie! That sucks about having to redraw the labs. I'd be annoyed about that. But yay for great results!

 

[Sunshine14]

Hi Ladies hope you are all well and enjoying weekend. Mgirl hope the bleeding has eased up now and you are able to get started bd. Like you say better to have too much flow than too little -- hopefully the long af is a sign that your lining is good and healthy after mc! 2plus that is great you are getting things assessed and getting referred to a fertility office - fingers xd you won't need it and it will end up being a case of just your body getting back to normal after the coil. Great to have the referral anyway though. Charlie sounds like you are all set hun with that FSH level - a pain they didn't do everything and you have to get them re-done! So are you now thinking IVF is your next route? How are you feeling about that? Have you gone private as well? When I saw the doctor to try to schedule my previous 6 week scan I asked her what support there is on NHS and she was very vague - said something about she can do bloods but for tests like FSH, AMH I think you have to pay also? She also seemed to be saying they don't give much help when you are over 40 and have children already. Would be interested to hear your view of the NHS and what you can get done Charlie xx

Afm I think after mmc I'm now cycling with Charlie. CD17 today according to first day of bleeding but I'm think I will be Oing today / tomorrow as getting strong OPK's now. We are back DTD since Friday & I've made a decision not to wallow & stress abut recurrent cp/mc but to enjoy the life and children I have now so I don't look back and regret being hung up on ttc! What will be will be ....... babydust to you all xxxxxx

 

[charlie15]

Sunshine that sounds like a wonderful attitude and one that I am trying to have myself too.

Yes it was a pain that they didn't do all the labs, will hopefully speak to GP tomorrow. As for NHS it really is a postcode lottery. Actually here I would be entitle to IVF up to 45 and even with my dd. They have literally just changed it last May and my GP was on the committee that pushed for the change. I need to have been TTC for 6 months not including my mc. We are on month 3 but I could push it and say 4! Even if need be I will go ahead privately and go on the waiting list for the NHS when I am eligible. The main reason that I am happy to go private is the clinic I have an appt at has a 25% success rate in live births with women 40-42 for IVF ( but your FSH has to be less than 10). The hospital where I would go for NHS IVF has a success rate if 13% which is the national average. For me if I am going to put my body through that I want it to have the best chance of success and this place is double the national average, in part because of the FSH requirement but also as it's very intensive IVF where they monitor you daily and tweek your meds to get the optimal result. They do something that works anyway. We shall see, I just don't want to leave it too long and I want to give it my best shot so I am left with no regrets. If we don't have baby No 2, at least I know we tried to our upmost, I can live with that. But even though we are in month 3 now, if we went ahead with IVF, by that time we would have been trying for 6 months so I figure just get the ball rolling and hope we fall naturally.

 

[marathongirl]

Sunshine that is exactly the attitude I have as well! I really believe if its meant to be it will happen. I don't tell anyone that we are "trying" to have another baby. I don't need the negative attitudes about my age etc. I figure if we get preggo again and it turns out that we get a baby out of it people will always be positive. Who doesn't love babies?!
Charlie- that's great that you are so on top of things. I agree it's better to get on with whatever you decide sooner than later. Also great that you have a place nearby with such a good success rate!!!

 

[ClaireCath]

Hi ladies, whew! A lot to catch up on. I am just on break at work and not much time but I didn't want to read and run. On dhea, I think it is banned here in Canada but will research it more....my 're didn't say anything about being more fertile after lap, but I have read a lot on it and seems that is the general consensus. Hopefully I'll have some luck. CD 10 now so will be busy this week. Cycling near u marathon and 2plusone I believe? Sounds like we are all follow ing your lead sunshine and keeping a positive attitude about this. She family knows now that we are ttc and are on board thankfully. Strangers opinions on my ,age on the other hand, I couldnt care less about! Mgirl, hope your bleeding let up. I had a really heavy one after lap but she was right on time so happy lap didn't screw up my cycle. Feeling the little preov twinges in my side's already. Charlie def go with 25% successful rate clinic. Absolutely. Always be your own advocate. And I agree, if it doesn't happen for me I also want to know I did all I could. Appt w 're us September 18, see where we go from there as far as IUI or ivf hope I am knocked up beforehand. Lol. Bye for now girls. Xx

 

[5drops]

Wow this board is encouraging. I turn 40 in a couple of months and hubby and I have been trying. So far nothing. I have 3 kids (youngest soon to turn 2) and it was hard to get pregnant with 2. You ladies seem so nice and like you really understand.

How do you use the opk sticks? I had to buy them before my last pregnancy---was on clomid. But I didn't know how to use.

 

[Doxie]

Wow this board is encouraging. I turn 40 in a couple of months and hubby and I have been trying. So far nothing. I have 3 kids (youngest soon to turn 2) and it was hard to get pregnant with 2. You ladies seem so nice and like you really understand.

How do you use the opk sticks? I had to buy them before my last pregnancy---was on clomid. But I didn't know how to use.

I can give you my OPK story.

Last cycle was a weird 18 days, so I decided I would start OPK testing on CD4 or 5....can't remember but you can see my chart by following the link in my signature. I bought the cheapie Target 20 count sticks and bought Clearblue Advanced Digital OPK with 10 count sticks.

I did the target ones until I got to the recommended start date for Clearblue. That way, I burned through the cheapies. The instructions will tell you if you collect urine in a cup or urinate on the test stick...or you can choose your method.

The cheapie sticks measure the LH in your urine and that is at a concentration which is observable 24/36 hours prior to ovulation. The Clearblue Advanced will measure estrogen AND LH. Estrogen rises a couple of days before LH, so you get more advanced notice, all things considered.

I used cheapies as backup and for testing more than once a day. Sometimes you want to know what happens at the 12 hour interval..so that's what I've done. The two brands I used wanted morning urine...but when I did the pm test, I just did it after not having consumed much liquid for a couple hours. Need concentration.

I'm currently riding on Peak Fertility with lots of EWCM....so praying this is our cycle!!! Best of luck to you!

 

[maxxiandniko]

Charlie - you're FSH is good! Mine is around 9 but my estrogen sucks so my 9 isn't really a 9 . I've also been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and have started Synthroid. My AMH isn't back but that was normal last time for my age. My ultrasound and follicle count was normal. Anyway I don't know if a cycle is a go but have an appt to f/u with the RE on the 15th. Really have no idea what will happen next.

 

[Sunshine14]

Hey ladies hope ur all having a lovely weekend xx Charlie sounds like u have everything planned hun & that clinic with 25% success rate sounds like the way to go but like u say at least u do have the NHS option if all else fails xx my friend went throgh IVF and although yhe whole injecting stimulating ovaries, etc made her quite emotional she found the whole process of getting the eggs quite straightforward. Obviously it is a serious rollercoaster and I wish u all the best hun if u have to go down that route -- fingers xd for u though u fall naturally before u have to go there! How is everybody else doing? Maxxi r u a bit more positive about things now hun? 2plus, mgirl, Clair hope u are all good xxx

Afm - I thought I was cycling with Charlie & was going to O last weekend but on THursday had tons of EWCM & so I think O is going to be any day now - got an almost + OPK last night (it was negative earlier in the week) so I think it will happen soon but really have no idea after mmc! I think I'm about CD 23 now but obviosuly everything gets screwed up after mc. Anyway baby dust to all u lovely ladies xx

 

[Sunshine14]

Wow this board is encouraging. I turn 40 in a couple of months and hubby and I have been trying. So far nothing. I have 3 kids (youngest soon to turn 2) and it was hard to get pregnant with 2. You ladies seem so nice and like you really understand.

How do you use the opk sticks? I had to buy them before my last pregnancy---was on clomid. But I didn't know how to use.

Hey 5drops : ) this is a lovely group of ladies & we do try to keep each other + through the ups & downs & disappointments each cycle. Re the OPK's I only started using them a few months ago (so by no means an expert) but bought a load of cheap ones off of amazon (they came with a load of PG tests) & if u have a regular cycle u just start using them when u think u might be starting to O (going on EWCM) - over the years I have kind of worked out I O quite early around cd10 - 12 so I start using them around CD8 & they go from white to as dark as the control line when u r due to O. Just helps to time DTD - I tend to try to DTD every 2 days from about CD6 onwards & I think that has helped me get my 3 CP's & mmc this year. Hope that helps u

 

[maxxiandniko]

I wouldn't say hopeful sunshine! But I really don't know. Last year they agreed to do one cycle of ivf based on the fact that my antral follicle count was normal, my AMH was normal for my age only not normal normal and that ivf had worked for me before. This time my antral follicle count is still normal but they don't have an accurate FSH because the estrogen was so high. They could redraw on the next Cycle day 3. But my AMH isn't back yet and I don't know what that number will mean to them if it's lower then what's normal for my age. I have to meet with the RE on the 15th. And then of course there's insurance. Not sure what they'll say. But unless the AMH is really bad we always knew that the fsh sucked so maybe nothing will change. Except that I have to get my thyroid out of control.

 

[2plus1more]

Good luck with your appointment ClaireCath! Are you leaning towards another IUI or IVF, if I can ask? And yes, hopefully you won't need it! From everything your doctor has said, everything looks good! What CD are you on now? I think I'm CD 19.

Maaxi, I think you mentioned you have an appointment coming up soon regarding IVF. Hope you are all set to go. I've heard how nerve wracking it can all be so I'm wishing good thoughts for you.

Sunshine, do you know if you ovulated this cycle? I know you said you don't usually after a chemical/mmc.

AFM, I got my labs back, but I knew all along they were day 21 labs. Not sure why she ordered FSH. My TSH was normal as was the FSH, but now I have to have the E2 and FSH done again to compare. Also, my progesterone was 12. Seems a little low for implantation, but not sure?! Anyone know? I still haven't talked to midwife, but hopefully soon. Also, I decided to try acupuncture. My first appointment is Oct 2nd. Anyone ever try it? I thought, why not! Hoping it helps with the stress too!

 

[marathongirl]

2plus1- I go for acupuncture every 2 weeks. I know it helps and I went the whole time I was preggo with my last squish.
Welcome to the newer ladies
AFM- weird cycle. My 2nd since mc. Was quite heavy and lasted 7 days which is weird for me. Then I thought I was getting close to o around day 12 but started spotting and then full flow for 2 days cd-15 and 16??? What the heck? This has never happened. I hope it's a one off and not the dreaded M. Any thoughts?

 

[2plus1more]

Yay for acupuncture Marathon. I'm really looking forward to it. Not sure about your cycle, but since it's only your second since your miscarriage, I'd say your hormones are still working themselves out. Especially if you were regular before. Seven days doesn't sound too long to me and I'm thinking the mid cycle bleeding it due to miscarriage. Can't remember, do you use opks?

Welcome 5drops and Doxie! Great group of women here to cheer us on.