Dear Sarah
I am so glad that you have come back to us, and I feel very angry that somebody could be so cruel as to tell you what they did. I guess they were only trying to help, but there are ways and means. So,
to insensitivity, I say!
There is no doubt at all that the odds are stacked against us, the older we get. My partner and I are now into our 5th year of TTC, with one mc. We were advised by my FS to go for IVF/ICSI as we are running out of time-although all tests could find nothing dramatically wrong with us (save a consistently 'borderline' motility with SA).
You can see my history from my ticker-we are now headed into our 2nd ICSI.
It might be interesting to find out your amh-an indicator of ovarian reserve, how many eggs are left, basically (FS at IVF clinics want to know it, so that they can decide on the amount of drugs to give you to stimulate eggs. In the UK, the p/mol measurement is used-you can find the table on the web). However, saying that, women with very low amh (less than 0.5, and even 0.1) DO get pregnant naturally, but this seems to be an exception rather than the rule. The validity of amh results can be questioned, with some FS not putting any store into it.
The greatest challenge for us is egg quality-older eggs develop a thicker lining and are more difficult for sperm to break through (hence assisted hatching in ICSI procedures). Also, they are more prone to chromosomal abnormalities, leading to early miscarriages. We may also not ovulate each month, as our store of eggs becomes depleted.
This is all doom and gloom, but there are supplements that can be taken to help. The main supplement is a naturally occuring steroid which depletes naturally when we are in our 20s-DHEA. It's basically an anti-ageing steroid. You have to buy this over the net, and the micronised version is preferable. This can be bought through Amazon. You need to take 75 mg per day, and possible side effects are acne (which I have), greasier hair (which I have!) and some have recorded they feel more aggressive around and about ovulation. Attractive! It takes at least 3 months to work, with optimal results being seen from 6 months onwards.
Another supplement that FS recommend is Omega 3, and I was told about Paradox, a combination of omega oils, which can also be bought on Amazon. I take 3 a day. In addition, COQ10 is meant to be good (although recent research suggests that this is controversial). You also need A LOT (up to 600mg) and it is very expensive. I've been taking Royal Jelly too (3 x 500mg) and Bee Propolis (500mg). These can be bought at Holland & Barrett, if you're in the UK. Get their loyalty card!
If you google egg quality then you will find lots of websites with advice. Common themes are healthy and high protein diets, lots of water, to cut down on alcohol and drugs, and caffeine too.
There is a belief that more blood to the uterus can improve egg quality, and this is what acupuncture can do for you; it also helps you relax, although, again, it is expensive. Also, reflexology can be helpful in encouraging a sluggish ovulation.
Timing of intercourse is obviously crucial. Some specialists suggest charting your cycles and noting the differences in cycle length. If you have a cycle of 26 days, deduct 20, and you will get 6. The belief is that you may need to start
on CD 6 until ovulation and immediately afterwards. If your cycle can be as long as 35 days, deduct 20 and you will get 15-this is the time that you need to start. I know of somebody who popped back on here months ago, and said that she and her husband had given up, and had happened to have sex only on CD7 in this particular month (and she'd always thought that she ovulated on CD13-15), and they got pregnant!
I guess what I would say to you overall is that, if you had all the time in the world, you could experiment with all of these things. I was told by my NHS FS that it would take about 2 years for somebody of my age to conceive (on average)-I was 39 then. Alas, we don't have time on our hands, and this is why I would say that if you have the means, go for ICSI or IVF.
I hope this helps. Whatever you decide to do, good luck and we will be here to support you!
catched the egg!!!!!! 
