TTC 40 plus!! Lets share the ups and downs!

[Spoomie]

Twinny, she may move it back again later in the cycle; she did that to me last cycle, gave me an O day, then changed it about 4 days later and then changed it again at about 11 or 12dpo. Regardless, af followed a few days later so I surmised that she didn't know what the hell she was on about!

 

[Kaelia67]

Thanks Miss C, I was actually looking at starting accupuncture a few nights ago, seems like a good idea, my af's are the spawn of hell..I dread them coming so heavy and painful, fingers crossed the Accupuncture will help I shall have a mooch around for the CoQ10 stuff, anything that helps egg quality is a plus, so thanks for that x

This spotting seems to be a result of coming off cerazette, I never had periods while on it, I didn't ov though. I used to have some light brown spotting every month.
Temps have taken a dip again today so still waiting on the hag to show. My OH was interested in my temp this morning and he looked crushed when I told him. Bless him. I hope the hag isn't going to take her time as I just want to get on with next month instead of hanging around in limbo hoping for a temp rise and hoping a miracle has happened.

I have just found out that my eldest daughter (23) is going to make me a grandmother for the first time. She is 7 and a bit weeks gone, thrilled to bits!! It's strange to think that me and my OH are ttc while I'm going to be a grandma in the future Still stranger things have happened eh? We are hugely excited for them both, poor love looks so ill. She's as white as a sheet and has the worst ever morning sickness. We have told nobody we are trying this time around as last time we were under so much pressure by family and friends always asking lol

Thanks also Miss C and Mistyy for the Pre-seed advice, will remember to use a small amount!
Right sod it, I'm going to have a coffee if the hag is on her way (Indulgence time)
Have a great day everyone

 

[beetle]

thanks for the advice as to how much longer I have to wait for the hag. I don't think I could get more GROWLY if I tried. My poor OH is literally tiptoing around me - everything irritates me - this morning it was the noise of him eating his cereal! Way too loud! Miss C I had a natural in the end (day of mum's thanksgiving service to make it even worse! luckily I had just got home in time). Thanks for the warning about being uber emotional too!

What I love about this thread is that there is comedy in the face of such challenges for us. Reb S, I love the squirting and Misty I was in fits as I read about you trying to be subtle with pre-seed! We have all been there!

Hey ho ... the waiting continues!
Good luck everyone with their BDing and TWW!

 

[gaf70]

Hello ladies - I am new to the site!

A bit of background had a boy back in 2007 when I was 37, he wasn't planned but by the same token hadn't taken any precautions in years and didn't really give having a baby much thought. DS son turned 3 and then thought hang on need to seriously think about having another baby as I was approaching 40. We have always been a bit half hearted about baby productionbut cranked up the gears and nothing happened so I went to GP who did hormone checks which came back fine DP had sperm test again fine and I was then going to be referred to St Thomas's in London for further investigation when I became pregnant in June 2010. Sadly at 12 week scan I found out that I had a blighted ovum and had to have ERPC . Periods took months to settle down and I was having periods approx every 3 weeks. Again went to GP back in May to have hormone levels checked again and was told once more that levels are within normal range, I am ovulating and just keep trying.

We moved out of London in June to Norfolk and thought once more about sibling for DS. I conceived last year using a method I read about - BD as soon as period ends and then at day 10 of cycle BD every other day for 10 days and that seemed to work last year and this was the process we have been trying since the move but adjusting for a 3 week cycle. However my last period on 17 October took 5 1/2 weeks to appear which got me slightly concerned hence visit to doctor this morning.

Firstly I was surprised that the transfer of notes from surgery consist of a couple of lines, no previous test results or details of ERPC etc - fail to see how that can be normal in this day and age of electronic data but that is a different gripe.

Basically GP this morning said keep trying, not interested in checking hormone levels as they were checked a while ago. Said that referrels stop at 37 here and I already have a child so perhaps ought to be happy with what I have. is it totally unreasonable to want some sort of investigation initiated as I am 41, does anyone else seem to have daft cycles like I do?

If you have read this far - thanks!

 

[cheflori]

I hope you will let me join you! I have been reading all your posts (well, most, because there is a ton!) I am TTC with my new husband (me and DH both 45 - I also have 2 girls from a previous marriage 11 and 13). We have been actively trying since Oct 2010. In April of 2009 I found myself unexpectedly pregnant. We were surprised but very happy. Unfortunately we lost that baby at 11 weeks. We both have been taking Maca for 2 weeks and have really noticed a difference. We are also both taking chinese herbs and I take as many superfoods as I can cram into a smoothie. Right now I am 4 or 5 DPO and waiting. ..........

 

[Desperado167]

I hope you will let me join you! I have been reading all your posts (well, most, because there is a ton!) I am TTC with my new husband (me and DH both 45 - I also have 2 girls from a previous marriage 11 and 13). We have been actively trying since Oct 2010. In April of 2009 I found myself unexpectedly pregnant. We were surprised but very happy. Unfortunately we lost that baby at 11 weeks. We both have been taking Maca for 2 weeks and have really noticed a difference. We are also both taking chinese herbs and I take as many superfoods as I can cram into a smoothie. Right now I am 4 or 5 DPO and waiting. ..........

Hi huni and welcome ,the Maca and herbs are great Wishing u lots of luck and baby dust ,

 

[Butterfly67]

gaf70 and cheflori and welcome!

gaf I am in Suffolk but don't know if they do the same - they did tests for me but this was the first time and I had no previous children so I don't know if they differentiate there. I have heard that GPs may not do more tests until the others are 3 years old sorry can't be of much help

lori I've also been taking maca for a few months now and just find that it helps my mood generally - don't know if it is helping my eggs like it should!

Good luck to you both

 

[Reb S]

Helllo girlies!
Hello to the new folk and if you want to gripe about grumpy GP's and anything else, this is the place. Good advice all around about the maca and Q10, although I do seem to have tried almost everything now!
Beetle, growl away! My dog is growling at all the fireworks as I was reading your post and it made me giggle. Come and rant here all you like x
Kaelia - wow! Grandma! That's amazing! How will your daughter feel when you get your BFP? Your kids can grow up together!
Spoomster - I guess you're gearing up for the BDing; join the club! I guess I must be O'ing about now and with all the squirting going on here, maybe H2B's spermies might just make it this month!
I found out my test results today from the Lister (finally!) raised NK cells? Anyone know anything about it? I'll go on the assisted conception thread and find out what it means x

 

[gaf70]

I found out my test results today from the Lister (finally!) raised NK cells? Anyone know anything about it? I'll go on the assisted conception thread and find out what it means x[/QUOTE]

Hi

Thanks for making me feel welcome all of you

RE NK cells - this is something that affected Penny Lancaster and I can remember her being interviewed on this morning about it - sure there is loads of info out there on it as it is one of those issues that is having its profile raised!

Well purchased a 2nd hand CB fertility monitor today and also may make enquiries about an AMH test - presume it may have to be done privately - any ideas how I go about getting one done - do you have to be referred by your doctor or just ring any fertility clinic and see what they say?? Our local hospital is affiliated with the Bourne Clinic in Cambridge which is where the first IVF baby was conceived - maybe fruitful

GAF

 

[greens]

Welcome to the new ladies
I think with tests it is about what is it that you would do with the information, if you would actively seek intervention due to a result that can only but push your Dr and/or pay privately. If you would do nothing and let nature take it's course would a test cause anxiety.

 

[Spoomie]

Reb

I had a friend who was diagnosed with NK cells and she took medication to combat it. If I remember rightly, your body sees the sperm or fertilised egg (can't remember which!) as a foreign body and sets about annihilating it. She was the one who had her IVF baby at 44...............x

Edit: interesting article Reb, which seems to contradict my hugely simplified explanation above!

https://www.bmj.com/content/329/7477/1283.full

 

[truly_blessed]

Hi reb

there is definatley someone who here who conceived after treatment for natural killer cells but I can't for the life of me remember who it was. It was a couple of years ago when i first joined and she had just found out about it. I'll have a search around and see if I can find anything.

 

[Desperado167]

Hi reb

there is definatley someone who here who conceived after treatment for natural killer cells but I can't for the life of me remember who it was. It was a couple of years ago when i first joined and she had just found out about it. I'll have a search around and see if I can find anything.

I just messaged Reb ,there is a girl on ATM called mon- n-Jon ,she has been treated with it and is now happily pregnant ,

 

[Reb S]

Reb

I had a friend who was diagnosed with NK cells and she took medication to combat it. If I remember rightly, your body sees the sperm or fertilised egg (can't remember which!) as a foreign body and sets about annihilating it. She was the one who had her IVF baby at 44...............x

Edit: interesting article Reb, which seems to contradict my hugely simplified explanation above!

https://www.bmj.com/content/329/7477/1283.full

Hmm, interesting article. I certainly am in the category of women who are financially exploited when it comes to infertility...and I hate to think of putting YET more drugs into my body (if we IVF that's all that shit, plus steroids) when there's no evidence of whether it could harm a possible embie. Oh bloody hell. Why is nothing ever clear cut? Why couldn't I have just got pregnant 4 years ago! I'd be looking at primary schools by now!!!
RANT RANT RANT!!!
But thanks guys, for the info xxxxx

 

[Miss_C]

Mornin all and hello and to the new ladies so lovely of you to join us. If your GP is that bloody unresponsiove go see another doctor. If anythign else demand to get the cd 3 and cd21 blood tests done. Find out of you are actually ovulating first and then take it from there with regards to fsh levels and amh etc etc. Although cd is a good time to get the fsh done. AMH is an expensive tests and unless you plan to go for IVF etc I wouldn't bother - in all the research I have been doing it is used more and more and more specifically to guage how well you will respond to stims and what stims to use. We know at 40+ we have a low reserve and quality os not great but we also know there are some good ones in there and we just gotta do all we can to step up the quality as much as we can with whatever methods we choose be it maca coq10 chinese herbs etc etc etc

Another interesting this I have discovered ladies is this. You can have a biphasic chart and not Ovulate. The follicle will burst and become the corpus luteum which will pump out a bit of progesterone hence the temp shift upwards but the folicle can burst with no egg actually being present or no viable egg. The corpus luteum clever little thing that it is can detect that around the time the egg hits the uterus and if it detects an egg, fertilised or not, will pump up the production hence the 7 dpo blood test to confirm O. The average progesterone reading at 7dpo is around 90 to confirm ovulation, I had bi phasic charts a couple of times and had progesterone of 6 which just goes to show how important it is to get proper monitoring rather than relying on your charts re O. It is this lack of eggs popping out that causes the LP to become shorter over time and is the precursor to the dreaded M word.

Hope this helps.

Hey Rebs I have read about the NK's and there are 2 types ones that kill of the sperm an other that stop the egg from implanting. I even read there is a link between nk's and wheat intolerance so if someone has coeliac disease they do the nk testing when ttc very early. BUT all that said everything else I have read is that once this is identified it IS treatable, steroids and aspirin and something else sorry can't remember which seems to be the regimen. So good luck honey this may be all you need now to get that little bundle.

 

[Kaelia67]

Reb, hope you get all the info needed for treatment of NK cells, sounds promising that people have had successful pg's after diagnosis. Keeping fx all will be well x
I honestly have no idea how my daughter will feel about us ttc again, she has asked questions as she knows I haven't been taking my pill so I think she suspects, and finding my pregnacare conception tablets probably added to her suspicions lol. I think she will be supportive, she knows how much my OH and I have longed to have our own child. She and her partner have been NTNP for around 6 months, since having her implant removed, we are all over the moon for them both Time to get out my crochet needle and make some blankets

The witch showed after my post this morning, I wanted her to arrive quickly but not that quick!!! I'm a little miffed at the moment as this means I have a luteal phase of 8! Wtf is that all about? I Ov'd on CD 16, and my cycle length was 24 days, giving me a LP of 8...Meh!! I was pretty down about it earlier and OH went out and got me a beautiful bunch of flowers and a bottle of vit B6 hehehe

I remember last time around (4 years ago) someone took a look at my charts and mentioned LPD, plus a few anovulatory cycles. I mentioned it to my gp who blew it off and said you OV so therefore you can conceive as my day 21 bloods said so. He basically said your fertile, go forth and multiply
I'm thinking of going back to see what he has to say this time around... should be fun! lol

How on earth can I lengthen my LP? Would Soy help? I have heard some women take Clomid for LPD but I want a more natural method of regulating it. Any advice ladies?

I think I might have an early night and cuddle into my furbabies
Good luck to the ladies currently in the 2ww, fx for you x

 

[Reb S]

Kaelia - I'd cuddle my furbaby too, except he STINKS! He went in the muddy trickle in the woods this evening in the dark and it's too late to give him a bath! Poo. He keeps growling at the fireworks!

Miss C - fab info, keep it coming! And I agree about AMH - even with IVF it's only useful if it's your first time, otherwise they're more interested in your history regarding stimms. It's blooming expensive and it just makes you feel crap if it's low!

 

[Miss_C]

as well as your prenatals the following has been suggested in many places

1000mg Evening Primrose Oil (just up until ovulation) epo can cause uterine contractions so definitely stop at O
25mg B6
650mg Vitex at O and during the tww

there are other that just suggest a complex of b vitamins as b6 on it's own can't be absorbed properly unless you include b12 etc

There is a massive amount fo information out there just google lpd and make some choices there or talk to a naturopath.

Have you had your FSH levels tested?

 

[Kaelia67]

Thanks Miss C, I haven't had my FSH checked since around 3 years ago, all appeared well then.
I have vit b6 and b12 in my prenatals currently, so will have to calculate how much more I need to take. Prob just the one 10mg b6 should so it as there is already 10mg in the prenatals, I shall have a google search on the laptop when I go to bed and work out what to do, where there's a will, there's a way

Reb, I know the feeling!! My two Shih Tzu aka The Shits.. love to roll in fox poo, totally grosses me out, the stench is awful. It's bath and grooming day for them both tomorrow too. Although we have had no fox poo fun this week. Our other pooch, our Dobermann pup doesn't need bathing too often she's always so clean!
The fireworks are a Pita! Fi hates them and goes ballistic when one goes off. The little's aren't too bothered by them x

Defo off to bed, night all x

 

[Mistyy]

Miss C you're a mine of information! Thank you. With everyone chipping in their bits of knowledge this thread is such a wonderful source of wisdom and support. I just wish i felt i knew a bit more, and could be more use. I only know about charting (and how not to handle pre seed) - i'm very good at hugs though ..... Glad i raised a smile with my pre seed antics. Used it again last night - got it right this time No temp rise yet, but had a pos OPK yesterday. Onwards and upwards.

Hello to fellow newbies too xxx

Last night i ordered a pack of ceQ10 100mg online after reading about it here. i googled it for a bit and the info about improving egg quality really does look good. I couldnt find any negative reports about it at all. It took me a while to come to a google based decision on how much to take per day - does 100mg x 3 daily sound ok?

Kaelia - for months before i fell preg. (at the beginning of this year) i was taking agnus castus, rasberry leaf, redclover and pre-preg vits. Wasnt charting, didnt know about luteal phases. Stopped the herbs when i found i was pregnant, but after i lost the baby i got it all out of the cupboard agin (very sadly) and began taking them again and began charting. After two cycles i got the hump with all the pills and stopped everything except the pre-preg vits. After stopping the herbs my luteal phase lengthened by 2 days. Now this might be coincidence, and i dont know if you're taking any of those herbs, but its a thought if you are. I vaguley remember reading something about agnus castus shortening luteal phases for some women?

Reb, i feel for you - i used to have a great dane and a miniture dashund who both used to love rolling in fox AND duck poo! I now have two rag doll cats, who are stink free (apart from the litter tray). I bought them as tiny kittens a year ago after deciding that after ttc for 11 months nothing was going to happen, and treated myself to some fur-babies - then got my bfp the following cycle ...... So in fact it seems buying kittens is my best tip for ttc. Oh dear. lol.

Greens you struck a cord with me when you said testing is all about what you'll do with the info. Food for thought there.

Miss C - i knew about the not actually producing an egg even though temps go up senario. Its a worry. My charts always look fab - but i know it means nowt really. I think i will go and see my GP and ask what they recomend. I think i'm just terrified of having to sit there through the inevitable "You do realise its your age" lecture. Grrrr.

Love and to all xxx