Welcome to 'Trying To Conceive Over 35'

[Grey Eyes]

Babywhisperer- actually you bd days sound perfect as the odds of getting there the day OF ov is not always so great.

Chantal- thanks for the updates I haven't been able to catchnews this am yet. Our hearts are so sad for those families. Those babies deserved greater than that.

Ali- fx'd for you girl! Hope you are almost done and get to rest at home soon!!

 

[JenSC]

Never Give Up-

Thanks for responding. I got the results from all the initial tests. Doc says everything looks fine... He suggests IVF. We have been married 3 years. I don't know whether I should continue trying or start this process at 38... turning 39 soon.
Any thoughts?

Samsfan We were told the same thing by RE because every minute counts. I think you should try IVF. Did they say if husbands analysis was good? In our case it wasnt so that is why they recommeded IVF asap. You will have a better success rate if you try soon rather than wait another year. I did my ivf's at 40 and 41 but had I known sooner there was a problem we would have done it sooner.

They said my husband was normal. He wants me to come in and discuss when we should start IVF. It's a difficult decision, because I know time is of the essence...however, I wish I could just try naturally. The infertility is unexplained. We have been married 3 years and never used birth control.

I'm very sorry for your miscarriage. I'm praying for you.

It is very hard. I put my career first and wanted to meet the right person and now it seems time is my enemy. I'm very nervous of the effects of IVF. I understand it is not easy on the body and I'm also nervous about the entire idea. I also feel I'm not even close to my ideal weight, but I know every month counts. The doctor gave me the speech.

I can't say I've taken my basal body temp in trying. Just used the charts and pee sticks.

Hi Samsfan, I feel where you are coming from. I sometimes feel like I "wasted" my fertile years with building a career, though I know that is not really true. I met my husband at 31 and now, three years later, we have not gotten pregnant. I just started Clomid. Like the other ladies on here, I wonder why your doctor went straight to IVF. It seems like he would want to try less invasive, cheaper options first, but I don't know. I hope that whatever you choose works out for you!

 

[JenSC]

This 2 week wait is driving me nutty. I don't feel like this is the month, but I am having some unusual symptoms (some per-menstrual like cramping starting shortly after ovulation and an unusual amount of milky discharge- gross, sorry). Those are likely caused by the Clomid, but the uncertainty is both wonderful and insane-making!

 

[alicatt]

Hi Ladies! I'm now home from my ET and I'm on cloud 9! I got 1 5AA blastocyst and 3 4AA blastocysts and a few that are looking good for tomorrow. We transferred the 5AA and one of the 4AAs and froze the other 2 4AAs today. They are going to give the others another night to get more mature and will hopefully freeze a few more tomorrow! The grading is as follows.. the number is how expanded the blastocyst is. A 6AA is actually broken free of its shell, a 5AA is expanded and 4AA means it is a little behind the 5AA. The 2 letters speak to the quality of the blastocyst with AA being the best and CC being the worst. So I basically had the best turnout possible! I'm so very happy! My mom was there to share it all with me which was even better!
I am now PUPO (pregnant until proven otherwise) with twins!

 

[JenSC]

I'm home! I'm also relaxed.. as relaxed as I can be anyway. I wanted to get as much done today so I wouldn't have to worry about it too much next week. I feel like I did that. Oh and guess what? I'm on call tomorrow from 8am Saturday until 8am Sunday! I'm like, how am I going to swing that? Lying flat on the procedure table for 2 hours tomorrow morning? I got someone to cover for me from 8am-2pm tomorrow. That should give me plenty of time to get my procedure done, and get home. I'll put my laptop on a breakfast in bed tray for the remainder of the time. I worry about the valium? I'll be a little groggy! It is the best I can do, and I tried to swap my day with someone else but I couldn't find anyone that could trade. So it is what it is!

Coy - yep the procedure is tomorrow.. 9:30 am until about 11:30. My Mom is going to save the day and take me to/from and help me with a few things around the house since I will be bed ridden. Super Mom! I hope one day to be as awesome as a Mom as she is. She rocks!

So I just finished my Christmas card, it is one of those photo cards you can do. My Mom has been bugging me for years to make one for her, so I finally did it with pictures from out cruise last Christmas and pictures of the dogs/cats. So now she has a photo card to send to all her friends. We'll pick it up on our way home tomorrow. You should have seen how excited she was when I called and told her about it!

So that is what is going on around here.. I will update you on the procedure and what we transferred and what/if anything was left to freeze.

Hugs to you all, happy Friday

Thinking of you today and crossing my fingers for what I know will be a successful procedure!!!

Firsttry - I hope you get this behind you asap. Your positive attitude is amazing. You are quite a strong woman. I know the next try will be successful.

Coy - I'm loving the FB pics of the girls!! They look soooo cute all dressed up. I love the one of them snooping by the tree...classic.

Afm, I just cannot wrap my head around the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. I know it appears as a vendetta against the shooter's Mother, I just cannot imagine what it must have been like for the parents to show up to find out their children were killed and they couldn't be moved until the forensics of the crime scene were finished. I just can't imagine the hurt, sorrow, grief, and the need to find an explanation for why this happened. I pray for the families.

Yesterday was the funeral of my best friend's Dad, he was sick and took a bad fall. He was 84 and had such a full life. My friend is 5mos pregnant after a mmc and displaced after the hurricane destroyed her apt bldg...so much on her plate. What I told her yesterday was told to me by a woman I commute with on the train, she is Chinese. In the Chinese culture, one family member has to pass for one to be born. She found comfort in this especially since she is going finishing up her degree in Chinese medicine. I pray for her and her family as well.

On the ttc front, FF has put ovu on cd14, and we only bd cd 9, 11 and 12...missing the day before and the day of...so not really hopeful. I have a follow up with the RE on Wed so dh's SA and blood should be back by then. I am wondering what she will say and suggest. I am also wondering if I should skip the Clomid/Femara and just go right to IUI. Is it very costly? Are drugs still needed?

Ali...good vibes to you girl.

Jess...we miss your strength and positivity. I hope you are well.

Hi! I can't really advise for or against the IUI at this point, but I thought I would weigh in on Clomid since I just started it a month ago. It costs about $9 a month without insurance and has minor side effects. (I got migraines, which were miserable but I am prone to them anyway). For me, it has been effective in producing ovulation (I was not ovulating before), but if you are ovulating normally, I am not sure about its efficacy. I guess my point is just that there is no big deterrent for me in taking it. Hope this helps!

 

[JenSC]

Yay Ali! I am so pleased for you!

 

[alicatt]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

 

[AngelSerenity]

Wow Ali, they are fabulous pics!!!! Thanks so much for sharing.

I'm so happy for you and praying this is YOUR TIME

xo

 

[JenSC]

There is a series of articles on tampabay.com/neverletgo that were written by the journalist whose baby was premature. It is a very well written, beautiful and touching article (actually a series of three articles).

 

[JenSC]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

 

[alicatt]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

Well knowing that you ovulated is a great first start! You can always try again next month if you need to. Have you thought about femara? It might be a little more expensive per month, but it doesn't have nearly as many side effects as clomid. I'd at least raise the question with the Dr, and see what he says. Migraines are horrible, I think that I had them with the clomid too. At least it is only 5 days of meds! Next month will be here before you know it! Or maybe you did it enough and all is well? What CD are you now?

 

[JenSC]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

Well knowing that you ovulated is a great first start! You can always try again next month if you need to. Have you thought about femara? It might be a little more expensive per month, but it doesn't have nearly as many side effects as clomid. I'd at least raise the question with the Dr, and see what he says. Migraines are horrible, I think that I had them with the clomid too. At least it is only 5 days of meds! Next month will be here before you know it! Or maybe you did it enough and all is well? What CD are you now?

CD22. From what I have read, the CD13 sex is probably sufficient, though I would have been happier with CD14 and 15 sex also.

 

[alicatt]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

Well knowing that you ovulated is a great first start! You can always try again next month if you need to. Have you thought about femara? It might be a little more expensive per month, but it doesn't have nearly as many side effects as clomid. I'd at least raise the question with the Dr, and see what he says. Migraines are horrible, I think that I had them with the clomid too. At least it is only 5 days of meds! Next month will be here before you know it! Or maybe you did it enough and all is well? What CD are you now?

CD22. From what I have read, the CD13 sex is probably sufficient, though I would have been happier with CD14 and 15 sex also.

I think so, it doesn't hurt to get a few more days in, but that should be enough!

BTW- I am going to put those 2 blastocyst picture in the baby album if I'm pregnant. I think that with the age and size of them I probably have a boy and a girl. They say that the boys tend to mature into blastocysts faster so the bigger one is possibly a boy and the smaller one is possibly a girl! Wouldn't that be awesome!

 

[JenSC]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

Well knowing that you ovulated is a great first start! You can always try again next month if you need to. Have you thought about femara? It might be a little more expensive per month, but it doesn't have nearly as many side effects as clomid. I'd at least raise the question with the Dr, and see what he says. Migraines are horrible, I think that I had them with the clomid too. At least it is only 5 days of meds! Next month will be here before you know it! Or maybe you did it enough and all is well? What CD are you now?

CD22. From what I have read, the CD13 sex is probably sufficient, though I would have been happier with CD14 and 15 sex also.

I think so, it doesn't hurt to get a few more days in, but that should be enough!

BTW- I am going to put those 2 blastocyst picture in the baby album if I'm pregnant. I think that with the age and size of them I probably have a boy and a girl. They say that the boys tend to mature into blastocysts faster so the bigger one is possibly a boy and the smaller one is possibly a girl! Wouldn't that be awesome!

Science is so amazing. Not only do you have photos of blastocyts, but you can predict (at least somewhat) the sex of the people they will eventually become! I read recently that if Patrick Kennedy were born today, his odds of survival would be virtually 100%. Yay for science! BTW, I did a little research, and from what I understand, the odds these blastocysts will become people is very high (like 80%). Is that your understanding as well? I hope so.

 

[alicatt]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

Well knowing that you ovulated is a great first start! You can always try again next month if you need to. Have you thought about femara? It might be a little more expensive per month, but it doesn't have nearly as many side effects as clomid. I'd at least raise the question with the Dr, and see what he says. Migraines are horrible, I think that I had them with the clomid too. At least it is only 5 days of meds! Next month will be here before you know it! Or maybe you did it enough and all is well? What CD are you now?

CD22. From what I have read, the CD13 sex is probably sufficient, though I would have been happier with CD14 and 15 sex also.

I think so, it doesn't hurt to get a few more days in, but that should be enough!

BTW- I am going to put those 2 blastocyst picture in the baby album if I'm pregnant. I think that with the age and size of them I probably have a boy and a girl. They say that the boys tend to mature into blastocysts faster so the bigger one is possibly a boy and the smaller one is possibly a girl! Wouldn't that be awesome!

Science is so amazing. Not only do you have photos of blastocyts, but you can predict (at least somewhat) the sex of the people they will eventually become! I read recently that if Patrick Kennedy were born today, his odds of survival would be virtually 100%. Yay for science! BTW, I did a little research, and from what I understand, the odds these blastocysts will become people is very high (like 80%). Is that your understanding as well? I hope so.

Blastocysts are definitely stronger than day 3 embryos, but there is still a lot of risk. Maybe the lining of the uterus is not good enough, or maybe they just don't find a good place to implant. Lots of things can happen, plus don't forget I'm 40! So the age is an issue too. This time all the odds are in my favor, so I'm optimistic but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm very hopeful that I'm one of the lucky ones that has little rug rats in 9 months!

 

[JenSC]

Thanks Jen! I hope that the clomid jump starts your cycle!!!


I thought I would upload a picture of my little babies..

The 5AA one is slightly more mature than the 4AA one. Aren't they beautiful?

Wow! Serious question: you will put these in the baby books, right? Their first photos! I am thrilled for you.

Happily, the Clomid has worked in the sense that I got a nice clear positive on the OPK for the first time ever! My husband and I had sex on CD13, I got the positive on CD14, and my darling husband got the flu and couldn't....hold up his end of the deal. Clomid migraines and nausea and he can't perform! He really tried, and I really tried to be understanding. I fear we were both unsuccessful. We had sex again on CD16. I hope next month is better!

Well knowing that you ovulated is a great first start! You can always try again next month if you need to. Have you thought about femara? It might be a little more expensive per month, but it doesn't have nearly as many side effects as clomid. I'd at least raise the question with the Dr, and see what he says. Migraines are horrible, I think that I had them with the clomid too. At least it is only 5 days of meds! Next month will be here before you know it! Or maybe you did it enough and all is well? What CD are you now?

CD22. From what I have read, the CD13 sex is probably sufficient, though I would have been happier with CD14 and 15 sex also.

I think so, it doesn't hurt to get a few more days in, but that should be enough!

BTW- I am going to put those 2 blastocyst picture in the baby album if I'm pregnant. I think that with the age and size of them I probably have a boy and a girl. They say that the boys tend to mature into blastocysts faster so the bigger one is possibly a boy and the smaller one is possibly a girl! Wouldn't that be awesome!

Science is so amazing. Not only do you have photos of blastocyts, but you can predict (at least somewhat) the sex of the people they will eventually become! I read recently that if Patrick Kennedy were born today, his odds of survival would be virtually 100%. Yay for science! BTW, I did a little research, and from what I understand, the odds these blastocysts will become people is very high (like 80%). Is that your understanding as well? I hope so.

Blastocysts are definitely stronger than day 3 embryos, but there is still a lot of risk. Maybe the lining of the uterus is not good enough, or maybe they just don't find a good place to implant. Lots of things can happen, plus don't forget I'm 40! So the age is an issue too. This time all the odds are in my favor, so I'm optimistic but sometimes it just doesn't work. I'm very hopeful that I'm one of the lucky ones that has little rug rats in 9 months!

The graph I read had categories for Day 3 and Day 5 embryos, as well as for your specific age, and it said 78% implant! I don't know if it was right, but my fingers are crossed for you!

 

[JenSC]

I am debating about whether to take a home pregnancy test tomorrow. I am not sure I want to know. I am having heavier than normal discharge and cramping, plus I seem to be urinating more frequently and my mouth feels....watery, but this could be from Clomid. Did those of you who took Clomid experience these things?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Ali- Yay! I responded in a note on your FB but wanted to say I am soooo happy about your lil' babies! Gorgeous! Wow, so if you get twins, one is more mature than the other, so...wouldn't one implant sooner? Not sure how that works! "PUPO" - I love it!!!

 

[Grey Eyes]

AFM-
Ok ladies- question. I do not know too much about ovulating right after having a baby. I am now about 7 weeks past birth so... I have started opk's. Problem is I am only doing them about once a day, around 2 pm as I have to drink plenty of water to help my milk supply. Anyways, I hold it from around 10 am to 2 pm- that should be long enough right? And if I get the chance I test again around 6 pm. CM is thick today but verrrrrrry stretchy and kinda sticky It has been pretty excessive too (tmi).

All of my opk's thus far have been blank white negatives. I am approximately CD18 now (I think) judging from first day of spotting of my first post labor AF. K. My opk midday on the 12th showed a dark positive rise, about 2/3 the color and shade of the test line. So I thought- it's rising. But the next day it was stark white again It has been either extremely faint strain0-my-eyes-to-see-it kind of line or not there at all. Today it is blank. I finally got the opportunity to check my bbt lol, this morning and it was 97.6. Then I fell asleep and checked again hours later when I woke and it was still 97.6 So I am thinking I did not ovulate yet?

What do you all think? I will put my info in on FF if I can so you can get a better image.

NTNP I guess I would love to get my body back in shape and dh agrees with me before considering another ttc.....Anywho, I am wondering at his thought process as he is, er, having, eh...discussion with me every other night at least lol

 

[Grey Eyes]

P.S. I updated my ov chart...