Welcome to 'Trying To Conceive Over 35'

[GeorgiaBelle]

Marathongirl,

Thank you replying to my post.

I've always wanted to try to do everything I can to better my chances of conceiving, so recently I did buy a basal thermometer. I printed two different charts and put them in a special notebook. I was ready to start charting.

My husband and I were reading all the information we could find about the correct way to take my temperature and the right way to record it on my charts. We read that the temperature should be taken at the same time each morning or at least very close to it. That's where we ran into a problem.

Our schedules vary so much and will vary even more once my DH starts his new job. There won't be a good opportunity to catch my temperatures at or near the same time each morning.

I appreciate the advice you gave me though.

 

[GeorgiaBelle]

Philomena,

Thank you for replying to my post! :wave:

Back in November and December of last year, I started to wonder about my progesterone levels, too. I talked to my RE about it around the time of my December appointment, and he had me get my blood work done on December 27th. (I started on January 2nd. I did faintly spot on New Year's Day.) My progesterone level was 0.46.

When I saw him again on March 16th, he ordered my progesterone level done again. (I started on March 18th.) My level was 3.46.

The results always say that -
Normal menstruating females:
Mid-Follicular Phase 0.31-1.52
Mid-Luteal Phase 5.16-18.56
Pregnant females:
First Trimester 4.73-50.74
Second Trimester 19.41-45.3
Postmenopausal females** <0.08-0.78
**not on hormone therapy.

I don't know how to read these two results. They both say In Range.

My RE did ask when I started my last period when he ordered the first test but didn't for the second test. He never said one word about either result.

It seems strange though that my first test (December) was done about 6 days before I started and it was 0.46, and the second test (March) was done two days before I started and it was 3.46. This doesn't seem right.

 

[GeorgiaBelle]

Ladies,

I do have the results from my last full blood work done by my RE. This blood work was done on December 16, 2011.

My out of range results were the following:

HDL - 36 Low (Ref. Range >46)
LDL, Calculated - 142.2 High (Ref. Range <130.00)
Chol/HDL Ratio - 5.4 High (Ref. Range <5.0)
Creatinine - 0.4 Low (Ref. Range 0.6-1.5)
BUN/CREAT Ratio - 32.5 High (Ref. Range 5.4-32.0)
Testosterone, Free - 12.4 High (Ref. Range 1.3-9.2)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin - 17.8 Low (Ref. Range 30.0-135.0)
Neutrophil-Absolute Ct - 6.8 High (Ref. Range 2.2-4.8).

Thank you, Ladies!

 

[Philomena]

Hi GeorgiaBelle!
You definitely have a lot of information to sift through. It doesnt sound as though your doc is communicating with you about what exactly your bloodwork results mean. Its important to talk to him because different labs interpret the results differently. My doc specifically said my level meant I *was* ovulating for certain. And Im not sure why hes doing your bloodwork all over your cycle without rhyme or reason. For hormones usually the doctor will ask for CD2 or CD3 bloodwork so they can see what your baseline is for things like FSH. CD19 test for me was to check progesterone. Perhaps it would be a different day for you, my cycles are at 26 days right now so I dont know if that effects the CD19 tests.
I find that online when it comes to values and what they mean, I always seem to find answers that are all over, or presented in a different format than what my lab has given me. I would recommend sitting down with your doc and getting clear answers about what your results mean and double check that all your bases have actually been covered. And when he sends you for a test, write down what it is hes looking for or what the test will tell you. I find if I write it all down, I am less antsy about what we are doing and why.
hope this helps a little!
phil.

 

[Grey Eyes]

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[marathongirl]

Hello ladies- hope everyone is having a great day. The sun is shining here so that is really nice.
Phil- when will you test??? Hoping you don't have another round of the meds!!!

Grey eyes- I have lots of projects at my house when you're finished at your house!!Lol!
You sound like you keep really busy!
AFM- dh and Ds are back and they lost by one goal in the semi final game. The team that beat them won the tourney so they played amazing, it's just that they were a bit sad to lose. They are 8 year old boys of course they were sad.
11dpo today feeling good. Temp a bit down from yesterday but still up. I'll wait and see what happens by Friday???

 

[Philomena]

I'm feeling way too impatient not to test early.... I know it will be early and the chances of a positive before next week thursday are low if I AM preggers.... but I will start on Sunday testing each morning until 3 or 4 days past when AF is due....
here's hoping!!!

 

[Grey Eyes]

=

 

[marathongirl]

Marathongirl- what's your temp today? Hope you are feeling good

Phil- :babydust:

Georgia- got my fx'd for you! I know it all seems daunting (our crazy woman bodies ) but I am positive for you!

AFM- today I just gotta decide what to do with myself. I have cooked for everyone, done the dishes, I have done laundry, took the dog out...now I am procrastinating my college assignment (again ). I put on my favorite pair of jeans today and baaaarrely got them buttoned lol...will have to semi-retire them soon.

Feeling good today. Temp was down a bit again so we will see what happens? I don't feel like af is coming but if my temp goes down tomorrow below 98 I know af is on her way. Trying to stay positive. That's the thing about your temp it doesn't lie! I don't understand all if the early testing because if your temp goes down you can't be preggers I just don't like wasting all that money of I don't have to??
I can't believe you are still wearing your jeans??? I guess I could still squeeze mine on before the mc and I was just past 12 weeks. I'm not even pregnant and feel lIke I can barely wear my jeans right now

 

[Grey Eyes]

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[marathongirl]

Grey eyes- too funny!!! I never bought any maternity clothes either with my first 2!! I was kind of looking forward to buying a few things with the last one. I sure hope it happens fast. I am starting to get a bit disillusioned. I haven't had even a hint of a BFP for at least 4 cycles. I haven't totally given up this cycle we will see what the temp is tomorrow??

 

[Grey Eyes]

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[marathongirl]

Marathongirl- don't get disillusioned! It will happen, that's how our bodies have been designed... Have you had your dh get an SA before? I know mine was worried because of his diabetes, but no problems there thank goodness! I think you are just having implantation trouble, which leads me to believe it is a progesterone issue. My doc told me the corpus luteum often dies prematurely (especially in women over 35) leaving the embryo with no sustenance. I am thinking that's what might have happened with my mc in November Would you be willing to try progesterone supps? What does your doc think about it? Btw- your temps look good so far this cycle, how was it today???

AFM- hating my grocery store right now. It's the only store in town that sells grocery so they feel obligated to crank their prices as high as possible. I compared- a steak at Walmart can cost 2.89 a pound and these guys here locally are charging 8.99 a pound! It's criminal. It's either pay that or spend 80 dollars in fuel traveling the 160 miles to WalMart. Nuts! Oh well, lol, always something, huh! I am feeling good though, happy the sickness is all but gone so far! I still avoid major "yik" items (like salad dressing ) but other than that it's been good. I switched the buttons out on another pair of pants today so they should fit me for another week or so

WEll sad today Af showed up last night even though my temp was 98.1 in the am?? That's why I don't test early . I'm a bit frustrated with my body but trying to keep it together. Had a big hot chocolate this morning to make myself feel better

 

[Grey Eyes]

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[ByAnyMeans]

Thank you marathongirl, I was silly for not monitoring my temps before but bought a basal thermometer and have been measuring diligently all week, and am charting my levels.

I'm also going to splurge, if it can be considered that, for ClearBlue rather than the Guardian brand of OPK this time.

Have a wonderful weekend ladies!

Hi Ladies!
Grey Eyes, it's so exciting to see your scans!! I hope to be joining you in a couple of weeks!!
ByAnyMeans, all I can tell you is that for months I wasn't sure I was ovulating because I would use one OPK and sometimes when I was using the ones with the lines it would look like the surge was coming (line kept getting darker and darker) and then not reach the same as or darker than the test line, but get fainter or disappear altogether. Sometimes I would use a monitor and it never indicated I had ovulated at all. I was getting disheartened.

This time around, maybe because we wanted to be certain, or why go through the expense of IUI without giving it your all... perhaps my mentality was in for a penny in for a pound...

I bought 4 digital opk's and 1 with the lines. I had 3 digi 1st Responses, 1 digi Clearblue, and 1 regular clearblue.

On the day I surged, I got smiley faces from the Clearblue digi (I did some extra strips at different times to confirm!) and the regular one had a very, very clearly darker line. Of the 1st Response OPK's only one ever changed to yes, with the other two never giving me anything but a -No ....... SO IMHO it is good to have backup confirmation, because if I had only gone with one OPK and it was defective, I might have thought, yet again, that I didn't surge.....

I know 5 seems over the top, but I readily admit I was a little crazy this month.... my DH admitted to me after I showed him all the results, that he did think I was nuts for getting 5 different opks but that he absolutely sees the value in it given our results. It was an expensive opk month for us, but if I get my BFP then it will all be worth it.

I believe that although the OPKs say they are 99% accurate, that we need to remember that is in a lab setting and for whatever reason, they may not be as accurate in public use....

The other thing to keep in mind, is that my DH and I have been diagnosed with 'unexplained infertility' which means that we've done all the tests... he's fine, I'm fine, my tubes are open, I'm ovulating and my uterus looks good... So with the doc saying I'm ovulating for sure, it was easier to swallow the cost of the extra opks because I just didn't want to miss the surge at all!
Good Luck!

Marathon Girl, I was drinking a little coffee until the day before I surged.... now I'm off it until I get some confirmation..... just in case..... how many days until you can test this cycle?
I'm on CD15 and 1DPO now
phil.

I'm glad it all worked for you this month Phil Fx'd for a sticky bean. You didn't take any Clomid or anything right just natural IUI?

Byanymeans- I would strongly suggest you temp and record so you know for sure if you O or not. I only ever use the regular opk with the 2 lines and have maybe missed my surge once in 7 months? I never worry too much because dh and I always bd lots in the window and I have my temps to tell me that I o'd. It is not a guarantee that just because you have a lh surge that you will ov. Also your o might be delayed if you were taking drugs like Clomid with your IVF cycle. It might just take a bit for your body to get back

AFM- 6dpo today and just waiting it out.Feeling positive and happy

 

[Grey Eyes]

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[marathongirl]

Good afternoon ladies!!
How is everyone today?
Feeling a little bit better today but so frustrated that things are taking so long. I know dh is quite surprised which just means he doesn't understand the whole process. I don't really want to explain it all because it takes away from it all. I'm happy that he is always willing to bd when I need him to!!
Just watching my son play hockey. Yes it is beautiful and sunny out and I am inside an arena??? Being with my kids is the only thing that is keeping me sane through this whole process.
Byanymeans- good job on the temping!! I have to say I only do it now to see that I am actually o'ing and to track my lp length. I have had several months of really great looking charts and nothing???

 

[Grey Eyes]

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[marathongirl]

Marathongirl-

Strange that your AF would start then the next day your temp drop! The only thing I can think is it was a fluke temp on Thursday? IKWYM when you talk about having your kids around-- somedays they drive me nuts (lol) and other days they are what keeps me sane Have you talked to your dh about any alternative methods? I haven't heard from Phil (PHIL_ WHERE ARE YOU??) but am anxious to see how her IUI went. Have you considered or tried anything like that?

AFM- it is sunny and nice here today too- the girls and I went for a nice walk and they got to throw stones over the bridge into the water and make wishes and got to pet very slobbery ponies on the way home Silly girls.

Hope you all don't mind me hanging out on this thread! I'd feel strange not visiting with you all each day!

We love having you! I would miss talking to you too.
Dh has had a SA and he apparently has Olympic swimmers!! So.....IDK?? I have a return apt with FS on May 16 so this will be my last cycle. We will see what happens??
Where are you Phil???

 

[kristiec35]

Helllo all glad to be on board