Welcome to 'Trying To Conceive Over 35'

[divee]

hi ladies iam so sad today. just got home from my OB visit, based on the ultrasound I did not ovulate but the OPK said positive. I am really confuse. Now we are advise to consider IVF although we are considering it already since last year, but still we are hoping and praying for normal conception.
I feel like crying when the thought of IVF entered my mind. I've been reading from other forums that it is painful, plus the expensive cost of it. I know the doctor said we still have 2 more cycle. THis cycle and the next month. I am still keeping my fingers crossed that we will make it but i can't deny the fact that sometimes a part of me is so afraid already.
(

 

[jm1355]

So I was debating about testing in the morning...but I had someit's spotting this afternoon...probably not a good sign...I have a normal 27-28 day cycle and today is day 25....a couple of days early but probably means AF is on her way...

 

[alin3boys]

do u normally spot before af hun

 

[Grey Eyes]

Jess- no worries, could be AF but could also be implantation bleed. Do you usually spot before? You are pretty darn regular though aren't you?

Divee- no worries! You'll get your bfp yet! Here's the deal with the positive opk...the opk measures the Leutinizing Hormone (LH) in your system. It is the LH that usually triggers the egg to pop out, e.g., ovulation. But sometimes our eggs are super stubborn and just won't pop out! Have you considere a trigger like Ali does ocassionally to help ov along? Also, has your doc measured fsh? I know there are tests you can do at home (the poas kind) like the first day of bleed on AF that will tell you stuff about ovulation, etc... Actual info on eggs, etc. I never heard IVF is painful? Try not to worry!!

 

[Grey Eyes]

Ali- mmmm watermelon...so what else is in this awesome cocktail??

My garage is kicking my butt I finished up this afternoon, will start again tomorrow. Having to get tough and throw a lot of stuff away! Tell myself the dumb ol' ripped up Tigger toy is just junk! lol!

 

[twotogo]

AFM-

It is strangely funny today tho…as I have been cleaningout the garage I noticed my junk pile wasn’t getting any bigger- despite the fact that I have been throwing away tons of stuff. So as I pay closer attention I notice my 7 year old slyly packing things back So we had a sit down and talking to She now understands that if she can’t throw the junk away then it’s gonna just ALL get thrown away Am I too tough on my kids? lol, silly girls.

Btw, danger zone for me, I am now addicted to Starburts candy Rare that I eat candy but I love these things! I allow myself only 1-2 a day but they’re awesomely bad for you LOL


Ali & Jess--where are you?

I have this problem with my husband. The kids and I will try to clean things out, and he actually offers to buy the kids' stuff from them so we don't get rid of them. I have learned that very dark trash bags and a trip to a dumpster while my hubby is at work is the best way to go. He might get mad, but then he can't do anything about it.

 

[gncope]

hi ladies iam so sad today. just got home from my OB visit, based on the ultrasound I did not ovulate but the OPK said positive. I am really confuse. Now we are advise to consider IVF although we are considering it already since last year, but still we are hoping and praying for normal conception.
I feel like crying when the thought of IVF entered my mind. I've been reading from other forums that it is painful, plus the expensive cost of it. I know the doctor said we still have 2 more cycle. THis cycle and the next month. I am still keeping my fingers crossed that we will make it but i can't deny the fact that sometimes a part of me is so afraid already.
(

Hi there. I don't ovulate on my own either. I am presently doing ivf but I didn't need to do ivf to get prego with my DS. He is 6 now but what worked for me then was femara (similar to clomid) which made me ovulate and then I would do the trigger shot injection. I had some other issues and I also have pcos but after surgery to correct issues, I got pregnant the third month on this plan so don't give up or get too discouraged. They just need to find the plan that works for you.
This time we are doing ivf mainly because we are getting older, my husband now has some sperm morphology issues, and well, we are blessed to have full fertility coverage through his work. Right now due to some health issues are embryos are frozen and I am trying to get better so we can do our FET.
As far as ivf goes...does it hurt? What can you expect? Obviously every case is different. I happened to have some unforeseen issues if you read previous posts...but to be honest....the shots suck! I hate needles! My DH gives them to me. At first, they really werent too bad...for the most part, I handled it well. I did have side effects and after 3 weeks of it, I dreaded the thought of another needle...I think it was a combination of things...mostly the emotional part. Once you commit you are in it for the long haul, and it is far from fun. The day I walked in for my egg retrieval, I swore that I would never go through this again. Like I said I had some complications, this is not a difficult thing. The ER itself was fine. I was out and woke up and went home shortly after. Most people do the transfer a few says later and it is a fairly simple procedure. Then there is the tww that many people say is the hardest part. It takes a toll. I had dr appts everyday for 2 weeks. Ultrasounds and bloodwork. Even with everything that happened to me I don't know if I could say ivf hurt (although it hurt me). It is kinda scary but I had an amazing RE that comforted me when I was ready to give up. Your ovaries will hurt. Your hormones will be crazy. We do all this and realize that we are much stronger than we think we are. Our bodies work in marvelous ways and the advancement of medicine today is a miracle. The fact that our bodies create a tiny little human is amazing. I would do it all again. I am grateful for places like this that have other people in similar situations to help me through it. Hang in there. There may be many options for you before ivf, iui for example. Try not to get discouraged.

 

[TerriLou]

hehe, Coy, I'm laughing at your daughter, its funny because its actually me that does the hoarding. Hubby keeps wanting to sort my office out, but I keep putting him off. I have a lot of stuff in there, but can't bear to be rid of it.

I'm still pretty miserable at the moment. Ian came back about 2.30 yesterday and then we went to see him Mum until late. When we got home, we were both really tired, so went straight to bed, so we haven't even really spoken to eachother much. I'm going out this evening, so we won't have much time to talk then either. Oh well, we're going away again at the weekend, so we'll have loads of time to talk then.

 

[alicatt]

WOW! So much has happened in the 24 hours I was gone! Both here and in my life.. LOL.

Ladies!

Divee - so sorry about not ovulating. There are different drugs that can mimic the LH surge and cause you to get a false positive on the OPK. About 7 days after ovulation, you can have a Progesterone (p4) test done to see what your levels are. If they are above 5 then you likely ovulated, but they prefer to see that number above 15. Sounds like you need to go in and chat with your FS/RE and get them to discuss this months results, and create a plan for next month. Possibly, increase/change the dosages you are on currently and go from ther.

Jess - I noticed that you think your period has come? I am not so sure, as your temps have not dropped. I'm really sorry if it has, but I'd keep watching your temps, as they need to drop back to where they were before ovulation, and that normally happens just before you get your period. I still have my FX'd for you!

gncope - I hope you are recovering nicely! Probably a good thing that you take your time with doing the FET, you want to be ready to be able to carry the baby once you put it in there, and you have been through the ringer the past few weeks! I mean, the frosties are on ice right? They will be just fine for a month or 2!!

twotogo - how are you doing? Where are you in your cycle?

Coy - gotta love your little ones, they sound so cute! I don't think you were too harsh on her, she needs to understand that we can't keep EVERYTHING, and that sometimes we need to pitch, or donate things we aren't using anymore. If you donate your things, you can tell her that someone else needs these things that we are no longer using, and that they will be very happy to receive them!

Tracey - I know you have been down in the dumps this weekend, especially with your DH away. Maybe you 2 should have "date" night on Tuesday and do something special? Maybe cook your favourite meal or go to your favourite restaurant? Kick it up and have a glass of wine

AFM - we ended up having some friends over for cocktails last night, and had a blast. The recipe called for vodka and watermelon juice. Well it was a little bland, as watermelon has a mild taste. We happened to have some ginger beer on hand, and added a splash of that, and man was it good! We also added it to champagne as you would orange or peach juice. That was good too! So after that, I had dinner with the family, and then went across the street to see my cousins. Ended up dragging Cindy (cousin) back with me and we hung out until after midnight with her and some other friends on the deck. I finally said.. I have to work tomorrow (at 1am) and they left and I went to bed. Well as I was just settling down to go to bed, my brother comes running into my bedroom.. whispering.. the bear is here, the bear is here! So of course we have to go check it out, and wake my Mom up to see it. He is lying on the side porch with his head in the watermelon! He's scooping out the rest of the pink part of the watermelon and having a nice snack! After that he went down to the bear bin and tossed it, and it is now upended and lying on its side. These things weigh upwards of 500lbs! I have no idea how we are going to set it back down!! I'm feeling a little hung over today, bad Ali Between the watermelon concoction and the shanty's I probably had 6 drinks yesterday. OOPS!

As for my cycle I'm on CD10, and trying to decide what day I will go down to see my FS, either tomorrow when it is super busy, or Wednesday when it won't be as busy. I would like to go Wednesday, but I'm worried about follicle growth, and I'm not sure I have enough gonal f to make it until Wednesday. I really should figure that out soon, as I will need to call Donna (FS) and let her know.

 

[jm1355]

So we have a couple of newbies!

divee... My name is Jess...keep your head up and your hopes high! It will happen...staying positive is imperative in this process...and all of us are here to help keep you that way!

Sunflower...you're so cute thinking 35 is too old! I'm 40 (soon to be 41) and I don't feel too old at all!! And neither should you!

Coy, Alin, and Ali...I'm pretty sure that AF has made her wicked appearance. I normally do NOT spot before AF. She arrived four days early...I'm not sure why though. Oh well...At least I have my first temp chart!!

How is everyone else doing?

AFM...I am not sure why my temps have not dropped yet. Any ideas from any experts out there???

 

[alicatt]

So we have a couple of newbies!

divee... My name is Jess...keep your head up and your hopes high! It will happen...staying positive is imperative in this process...and all of us are here to help keep you that way!

Sunflower...you're so cute thinking 35 is too old! I'm 40 (soon to be 41) and I don't feel too old at all!! And neither should you!

Coy, Alin, and Ali...I'm pretty sure that AF has made her wicked appearance. I normally do NOT spot before AF. She arrived four days early...I'm not sure why though. Oh well...At least I have my first temp chart!!

How is everyone else doing?

AFM...I am not sure why my temps have not dropped yet. Any ideas from any experts out there???

AWW.. Jess.. Here is what I have read about temps and our cycles. We start off with cooler temps because estrogen is a cooling hormone. When we ovulate, progesterone starts to release from the corpus luteum (the follicle after the egg has been released). As this rises, our temp rises. So if your temp is still high you are still producing progesterone. Usually periods do not come until progesterone levels have dropped. I am not aware of people getting their periods until this has dropped. I guess it is possible for your temp to drop tomorrow. So wait and see what happens with it tomorrow! So how many days were you past O before your period showed up?

 

[jm1355]

AWW.. Jess.. Here is what I have read about temps and our cycles. We start off with cooler temps because estrogen is a cooling hormone. When we ovulate, progesterone starts to release from the corpus luteum (the follicle after the egg has been released). As this rises, our temp rises. So if your temp is still high you are still producing progesterone. Usually periods do not come until progesterone levels have dropped. I am not aware of people getting their periods until this has dropped. I guess it is possible for your temp to drop tomorrow. So wait and see what happens with it tomorrow! So how many days were you past O before your period showed up?

So, it is my belief that it showed up yesterday...which was 13DPO...hmmm...maybe those really low temps at the beginning of my last cycle were due to something else. I guess we will have to see what tomorrow's temps reveal...
Also, I didn't sleep real well over the weekend. Maybe that has something to do with my higher temps. But I slept well last night... ...oh well...

 

[twotogo]

Hi Ladies

Jess I don't think you should count the spotting as AF - especially if your temps haven't dropped yet. It could be implantation spotting, or early pregnancy spotting. Don't count yourself out just yet.

Ali I'm doing well. I'm on cycle day 10. If my last cycle was any indication, I don't O until cd 22 so I'm just

Coy Glad to know I'm not the only chart stalker here

AFM I am really hoping I don't O until cd 22. My hubby just left to pick our kids up from my MIL's two states away. He won't be back until Friday, so if I O before then, we are sunk for this month. However, I realized a couple of days ago that we will have a house full of 9 kids and 3 adults during the time that I will probably O. I told DH yesterday that it looks like we will need to find an alternate location for BDing. He just kind of chuckled. What he doesn't realize is the only alternate location we have available is his office. Looks like he and I may need to schedule a pastors *meeting* in his office next week. Hope he doesn't object to that.
With DH being gone, I will probably have a busy week. I am just hoping no one in the community dies while he is gone. (Right now we are the only pastors in the community as the other church is currently without one) I don't like doing funerals - my husband does those well... I do much better at weddings.
For now, I must get going. I need to go pull weeds in my veggie garden and water before it gets too hot. Supposed to get up to 105 today, so I'd best get after it. Then I need to run errands and get in some time in the office. Hope you all have a great day !

 

[alicatt]

AWW.. Jess.. Here is what I have read about temps and our cycles. We start off with cooler temps because estrogen is a cooling hormone. When we ovulate, progesterone starts to release from the corpus luteum (the follicle after the egg has been released). As this rises, our temp rises. So if your temp is still high you are still producing progesterone. Usually periods do not come until progesterone levels have dropped. I am not aware of people getting their periods until this has dropped. I guess it is possible for your temp to drop tomorrow. So wait and see what happens with it tomorrow! So how many days were you past O before your period showed up?

So, it is my belief that it showed up yesterday...which was 13DPO...hmmm...maybe those really low temps at the beginning of my last cycle were due to something else. I guess we will have to see what tomorrow's temps reveal...
Also, I didn't sleep real well over the weekend. Maybe that has something to do with my higher temps. But I slept well last night... ...oh well...

Yep, just need to see what tomorrow brings. I wouldn't count yourself out until you see that temp drop.

 

[alicatt]

Hi Ladies

Jess I don't think you should count the spotting as AF - especially if your temps haven't dropped yet. It could be implantation spotting, or early pregnancy spotting. Don't count yourself out just yet.

Ali I'm doing well. I'm on cycle day 10. If my last cycle was any indication, I don't O until cd 22 so I'm just

Coy Glad to know I'm not the only chart stalker here

AFM I am really hoping I don't O until cd 22. My hubby just left to pick our kids up from my MIL's two states away. He won't be back until Friday, so if I O before then, we are sunk for this month. However, I realized a couple of days ago that we will have a house full of 9 kids and 3 adults during the time that I will probably O. I told DH yesterday that it looks like we will need to find an alternate location for BDing. He just kind of chuckled. What he doesn't realize is the only alternate location we have available is his office. Looks like he and I may need to schedule a pastors *meeting* in his office next week. Hope he doesn't object to that.
With DH being gone, I will probably have a busy week. I am just hoping no one in the community dies while he is gone. (Right now we are the only pastors in the community as the other church is currently without one) I don't like doing funerals - my husband does those well... I do much better at weddings.
For now, I must get going. I need to go pull weeds in my veggie garden and water before it gets too hot. Supposed to get up to 105 today, so I'd best get after it. Then I need to run errands and get in some time in the office. Hope you all have a great day !

TEEHEE.. well that sounds like an interesting place to BD! Just think of the story you can tell your child when he/she arrives (if they were conceived there). I'm on CD 10 too! I ovulate around the CD 16-17, so I have one more week, or well the weekend most likely. I'll know more on Wednesday.

 

[alicatt]

Where is everyone?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Where is everyone?

LOL! I am always around, stalking... I have been avoidiung the garage today, I am skipping outside work completely! Except for blowing up the girls play pool. Other than that it is ice cream ad school work Can I just say, it is toooo damned hot? I can't believe I ever complained about the cold cold winter!

I agree with you all, I think Jess should wait and see what her temps are. Could be IB...still got my fx'd!

For you too Ali!

 

[alicatt]

Where is everyone?

LOL! I am always around, stalking... I have been avoidiung the garage today, I am skipping outside work completely! Except for blowing up the girls play pool. Other than that it is ice cream ad school work Can I just say, it is toooo damned hot? I can't believe I ever complained about the cold cold winter!

I agree with you all, I think Jess should wait and see what her temps are. Could be IB...still got my fx'd!

For you too Ali!

It has finally cooled off here, but Saturday was horrible! I hope it cools off soon for you too! Heading to bed I'm exhausted after last night and all the partying

 

[Grey Eyes]

Night Ali, hope you have an awesome sleep! A good party night helps eas stress once in a while Oh, re: Tuesday or Wednesday issue...I know it wil lbe busy on Tuesday but if you are having concerns about your Gonal-F then it is probably best to go in...I know Wednesday seems more ideal but then I worry about your fllies too, how would one day affect them negatively? If not and you have enough Gonal-F then wait til wednesday when it is less busy

AFM- what a crappy evening It has been hot all day here, miserably so. I decided to skip the garage as I have been feeling so exhausted. Dh has so many issues of his own I don't feel like telling him every time I have an ache or pain but man! Sometimes I think he has it in his head that I am invincable... In all truth lately the heat has been draining me and I just grit my teeth and push through whatever needs to be done and I end up paying for it later. I woke up this morning with so much back/muscular pain it was hard to roll out of bed. And I do mean roll out of bed. Sitting up and swinging over is a thing of the past LOL! I think it is all catching up to me. Dh suffers so much because f his nueropathy and I understand that and try to alleviate what I can as far as daily stresses, but I think I have managed to take just about all of it on myself I handle the shopping, budgeting, schooling for the girls and myself, all the bill paying, I have been working my butt of to prep for this baby and that includes re-arranging the entire household including the garage and all the closets in 90-100 degree heat. I do all the laundry, naturally, and the dishwashing, cooking, all the mom stuff, handle all the snacks and entertainment stuff for the girls, try to keep our one vehicle in running order (I am learning to be a mechanic and managed a tune-up all by myself ). Then finally, the girls were out playing while it was cool this evening and dh told them to come in as it was almost bedtime...well naturally they just started crying and arguing and ended up dh shouting at me instead and blaming it all on me then storming of to bed himself--leaving me with the crying girls, walking the dog, doing the dishes, cleaning up after dinner, plus a hundred otherr little evening finish-up-bits...all while I was trying to bang out my already late assignment. So I had myself a hard cry in the bathroom...all the while my two children tried to break the door down because they "needed Mom for stuff" which just made me feel worse at the moment. Anyway, everyone is asleep and I am nearly finished with my assignment but I feel even crappier now. And I know this late-night finish-up is going to either cause me to sleep late and miss my cool morning walk or get up early and be exhausted

Sorry to rant ladies, I am just pooped form everything right now and can't stop tearing up with the stress of it all at the moment . I know my little problems don't compare to some but they sure feel mountainous at themoment Thank you all for letting me RANT!

 

[FirstTry]

Thank you all for letting me RANT!

Coy: it sounds like you have a lot going on. sorry you had a tough day. I hope you get a decent sleep and tomorrow is a better day