Anyone over 45 TTc ?buddies needed <3

[Delphine11]

I hope you're feeling better, BBbliss. I also sympathise with you having to get up at 4am!

AFM, my AF for the last few months has been irregular, so my new FS has started me on BCPs to get some regularity to it. We're thinking of IVF (scary!) and so a stupid, irregular AF is a nuisance - hence the BCP.

BUT - I keep worrying about the BCP itself because I haven't taken it since my 20s. I don't know anyone my age who's still on it, and it makes me nervous. Reading through all the threads here on Baby and Bump, I see that some women are taking baby aspirin. Why is that?

Today, there was an article about IVF drugs, including the use of BCPs and oestrogen, and it said that they made your blood 'stickier' and that could cause clots. So would aspirin help with that, by thinning the blood? Or are the people taking aspirin doing it for another reason?

Sorry if that question is completely stupid! I'd like to know as if aspirin could help, then I might consider taking it.

 

[ClaireCath]

Delphine~~My RE has me take baby aspirin and yes it is supposed to thin the blood just enough to improve the lining. ie. helps to reduce clotting. And being on the pill for a bit in between cycles can help regulate. I was on it for 20 years before i started TTC...sometimes I wonder if that screwed me up or my eggs are just crappy. BBbliss~~yep we are the same age alright. My bday is looming in December...I have never had a whiff of a bfp. Not that i would want a cp but I understand when you say at least then you know you CAN get preg without ivf. We've already had 2 failed iui attempts and will try a third before deciding if ivf is feasible for us.

 

[Delphine11]

Thank you very much for replying, ClaireCath.

Can I ask what dose of baby aspirin you take?

Did you take it every day or just on specific days?

My consultant didn't mention it, but I worry about blood clots and had noticed lots of ladies taking it. Do you only take it when you're doing an actual cycle or when on the birth control to regulate you too?

As for CPs, I had a very brief one last year but since then nothing : ( I don't think it's just crappy eggs, I do think hormones go a bit wild as you get older so that can mess up the body too. I think it's a combination of factors that make it harder to conceive the older we get.

 

[BBbliss]

Claire, to make a long story short the reason I said that is bc I've been ttc for a year and in that time found out my tubes were blocked and we had major sperm issues. I got one tube working after procedure, sperm is ok now after 6months + on supplements, but we still just did an IVF and I had a CP in May I'd do anything not to do another IVF, that's why... Btw, my clinic had me on baby aspirin during the IVF and I never stopped.

I think it's more the eggs then anything, my BEst friend had her last baby at 37 and went into menopause immediately after so she still got pregnant on one of her very last eggs but she was 37, lucky her, she had no idea she was going into early menopause, she only found out because her hormones were going crazy. By 42 she had no more periods.

 

[ClaireCath]

Hi Delphine~~I just take St. Josephs brand baby aspirin. It doesn't matter the bran though as long as it's 81 mg. One a day all the time. My RE said it was fine to continue taking all the time so I do. has it done anything for me? Who knows? But it can't hurt! Bliss~~ I agree with you on the egg quality at our age, as well as the hormones starting to change like Delphine said. The most frustrating thing I find is that there is really no way of knowing what quality is like unless they are retrieved during ivf. I haven't gone down that road yet. Most days I just put my faith in what is meant to be will be, I do my best to eat well and carry on with my supplements, time bd'ing and pray a lot!! Your friend was definitely lucky, I also have a friend who had a happy "accident" #3 at age 40. At this point it's hard for me to imagine getting pregnant accidentally! Maybe I was naive, I thought it would happen easily....but I am not giving up quite yet!! Are you going to do another ivf hun or just try on your own for now?

 

[Delphine11]

Thank you for that baby aspirin info, ClaireCath : ) Very helpful.

As far as egg quality goes, I take Ubiquinol (the more expensive form of CoQ10). I can't see what it's doing to my eggs, but I do feel it's increased my energy and made me feel healthier. It was also one of the things my consultant recommended. I'd also add that being healthy must help, and taking enough exercise to make sure blood flows to your ovaries and uterus.

I hope all the ladies here have had a good weekend. Onwards and upwards. Keep going and keep strong everyone XXX

 

[SaintlySue]

Delphine, my RE did not have me take baby aspirin until after the embryos were implanted and then of course after our natural conception showed a positive hpt until 8wks pg.

 

[Delphine11]

Thank you for replying, SaintlySue. So you took it during the first weeks of pregnancy too?

Sorry for sounding a bit stupid and asking so many questions, but aspirin is obviously used for more than I realised! Why is it taken in early pregnancy then?

I'd only read about it to reduce the risk of DVTs in the woman while she's on oestrogen, and to stop the womb lining being 'clotty' and so potentially help implantation.

I actually bought some baby aspirin today but haven't started taking it yet.

 

[SaintlySue]

My RE said that after 40 there is a higher incident of clot formation causing miscarriages. They were more worried about taking the aspirin daily than the progesterone.

 

[Delphine11]

Wow - thank you, SaintlySue. I had no idea about that at all (the increased risk over 40). I'm definitely going to check that out and ask questions of my doctors.

Thank you for answering so quickly

 

[BBbliss]

I just ran out of mine and I'm going to get more TOMORROW! Lol

Well, AF came and went so fast I couldn't believe, it was really upsetting, I thinking acu was really helping with my lining, I haven't gone in a couple of months and its an obvious difference. I do know I don't have an estrogen problem, that would be an easy fix. I just read prolonged use of progestin can cause thinning of the lining, I had two more as back to back and I never had a period with it, so it's almost 10 years of it.

I was thinking I wanted to try on my own but I don't think it will be possible, DF and I were talking and I think we are going for another IVF, I've done so many things to help my body and still had a AF that lasted less then two days

The last thing I wanted to do was another IVF but I see no alternative...

 

[Delphine11]

Just a for you, BBbliss. I'm sorry you're still having lining problems.

Whatever you decide to do will be the right decision for you. TTC is like finding your way through a maze - lots of retracing our steps, thinking again, and revising our plans.

It's like people who climb to the top of a really high mountain. You ask them how they managed it, and they say that they just put one foot in front of the other.

That dogged determination to plough on is something I'm sure we can all identify with. "Head down and keep going" is what I tell myself.

Keep strong

 

[BBbliss]

Thank you Del, I needed that

I think I'm being too hard on my body too, I was just reminded that I just had a CP and this is only my second AF and my body is still adjusting. I'm not giving up yet

 

[SaintlySue]

Please do speak with your doc about taking baby asa. A lot of OBs will have women who have recurrent miscarriages take baby asa, some women will take it for most of their pregnancy. I would see it on OB charts and after seeing it in different patients with different OBs I finally asked and for some it is the first thing they try if there is no obvious problem to indicate why they are having miscarriages. On some occasions I even saw women who tested negative for clotting disorders be put on baby asa and heparin when they had several recurring miscarriages. But I have not worked as an RN since I married DH so I do not know if this is still the standard and my RE is pretty old.

 

[ClaireCath]

Just a for you, BBbliss. I'm sorry you're still having lining problems.

Whatever you decide to do will be the right decision for you. TTC is like finding your way through a maze - lots of retracing our steps, thinking again, and revising our plans.

It's like people who climb to the top of a really high mountain. You ask them how they managed it, and they say that they just put one foot in front of the other.

That dogged determination to plough on is something I'm sure we can all identify with. "Head down and keep going" is what I tell myself.

Keep strong

Great advice Del...Can't wait to get to the top of the mountain!! But I will keep putting one foot in front of the other too! Patience Grasshoppa...

 

[Delphine11]

Please do speak with your doc about taking baby asa. A lot of OBs will have women who have recurrent miscarriages take baby asa, some women will take it for most of their pregnancy. I would see it on OB charts and after seeing it in different patients with different OBs I finally asked and for some it is the first thing they try if there is no obvious problem to indicate why they are having miscarriages. On some occasions I even saw women who tested negative for clotting disorders be put on baby asa and heparin when they had several recurring miscarriages. But I have not worked as an RN since I married DH so I do not know if this is still the standard and my RE is pretty old.

Thank you, SaintlySue and everyone else : )

I bought some baby aspirin on Friday. It's actually 75mg because it was that or a normal dose one, but I reckon that'll be ok.

I've had spotting on the BCP, which I wasn't expecting as I'd never had it when I'd taken it in my 20s, but I'm hoping it's easing up a bit now. Still kind of annoying though - trivial but tiresome.

I've started meditating for a few minutes a day. I know all the books say you're supposed to do it first thing in the morning but I'm finding that very hard so I just do a couple of minutes then, and a longer session after work.

ClaireCath - "grasshopper"! : D I love it - I remember that!

BBbliss - absolutely right. Spoil yourself and love your body. It must be a strong body to have coped with all those meds you've taken recently. Let it rest and recover. I know sometimes I get frustrated at my body too. I've been known to address my ovaries very sternly! But our bodies are wonderful things and they're on our side. We just have to nourish them and treat them with gentleness so that they can do their best.

 

[ClaireCath]

Meditation is really great for me, I find it helpful to destress. I prefer the guided ones. I found a really great one on youtube. It's 20 minutes long....called Walking Tall Ireland Fertility Meditation. His voice alone lulls me, sometimes I fall asleep which is ok because they say the unconscious mind will listen for you. More great advice from you about nourishing and treating our bodies gently. They are meant and programmed to do this!

 

[SaintlySue]

I did not want to tell you ladies until I made it to the 10wk mark but we did not make it 8wks was as far as we went. We were prepping to do another round of fertility treatments and I was pg and we never did the fertility treatments. Everything seemed fine until out of nowhere I felt faint, weak and started having crushing abdominal pain. I wish I could have shared happier news and given more hope to the older crowd since I think I am the oldest one in this group. My OB is not discouraged but encourage so that is what I am taking from it. It was not too long ago DH had an SA with 0% morphology so he is sad but feels confident it will happen.

 

[Delphine11]

I did not want to tell you ladies until I made it to the 10wk mark but we did not make it 8wks was as far as we went. We were prepping to do another round of fertility treatments and I was pg and we never did the fertility treatments. Everything seemed fine until out of nowhere I felt faint, weak and started having crushing abdominal pain. I wish I could have shared happier news and given more hope to the older crowd since I think I am the oldest one in this group. My OB is not discouraged but encourage so that is what I am taking from it. It was not too long ago DH had an SA with 0% morphology so he is sad but feels confident it will happen.

I'm so sorry, SaintlySue : ( I hope you're managing ok - both emotionally and physically. There are never enough words but I sympathise hugely. It must have been awful for it to come out of the blue like that too. Life can be cruel.

The fact that your OB isn't discouraged is great news. I'd also add that even getting pregnant in the second half of your 40s is a fantastic thing. I was reading some stats online and I was shocked to find out that some women of our age can't even get pregnant at all. And with the previous SA problems too it makes it even more of an achievement. Im a similar age to you, I think, and I had a CP last year but nothing since.

Look after yourself and keep that confidence. It's happened so it can happen again.

Thinking of you

 

[BBbliss]

Sue, I'm so sad you just had this happen to you.. I really hope you are ok. It's so crushing to see it go away like that, but I'm with your dr. I feel it's encouraging that you got this far. If you look at an statistics chart it says woman 45+ has zero% chance and we all its not true or we wouldn't be here still trying.

I'm sad for the unhappy ending but this is still possible for you and your body just proved it still works and its trying and it's on your side.