Welcome to 'Trying To Conceive Over 35'

[kristiec35]

I really want to give my husband a baby

 

[ByAnyMeans]

Hi Grey Eyes,

I wasn't planning on getting the monitor, it's over $250 here (not sure how expensive it is elsewhere). Money is tight from last years IUIs and IVFs and we're still catching up financially. I wouldn't mind spending the money if it actually works better than the pee strips.

So I will go with the ones you used last time and will stop buying the generic Guardian store brand.

Thank you for suggesting Fertility Friend - I just started on that site, it looks really good.

I will post my chart info, and I'm glad you're interested to see it! Plus DH and I also created an Excel spreadsheet to contrast my dates with the various online ovulation calculators, maybe overkill a bit but may help someone.


Thanks so much!

Alex

ByAnyMeans-

Hi! Are you planning on just buying the ClearBlue strips or will you invest in a clearblue monitor as well? I have heard good and bad about the monitor so couldn't say...But this last cycle with my bfp I used ClearBlue Easy Digitals and I have to say--they are awesome!

The ones with the two lines (where you have to interpret intensity) are nice because they tell you when your level starts to creep up, whereas the CBE digital tells you the exact day of your surge! I loved them.

I tried the First Response also but didn't care for them as the first time you get a positive the reader shuts off and is programmed never to come back on

Anyway, have you signed up for fertility friend? They have an awesome site and a free sign-up with limited acess but a good chart reader anyway. Plus, then you can add your FF ticker so we can all read your chart We are terrible chart addicts and poas addict on this thread!

Also- feel free to post pics of your strip results if you need help interpreting. We are all addicted to that too Got my fx'd for you!

 

[Philomena]

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!

Hi Grey Eyes, Marathon Girl and ladies.... SO ...
I have to say that I was wondering myself what was going on with me. I was moody last weekend and then it just stopped and I was back to myself. DH was intensely happy to have ME back.... but I wasn't getting sore breasts and I wasn't tired more than usual.... I thought maybe it wasn't going to happen this cycle.... I have been having crazy vivid dreams.... last night was the Zombie Apocalypse.... this morning laying in bed, realizing my period is due on Thursday, I sudden thought.... my bbs are usually killing me at this time in my cycle.... why aren't they tender and sore? could this change mean I AM preggers?
I've been POAS since DPO 8 to no avail and today is DPO 10....
and I got a faint positive!! I compared it to yesterdays and there is definitely a faint positive!
So I pulled DD (15) into my room so she could look and she saw it, too!! I am cautiously optimistic! will watch it over the next few days so I can see that it darkens!
DH and I are planning on going to a Sci-Fi convention on Friday and I thought it would be so much fun to get his favourite actor to write something on his signed photo like "Welcome to Fatherhood..." or "To the Soon to Be Papa.... "
The trick will be to somehow let them know ahead of time so my DH doesn't suspect I'm in on it!
I will definitely keep you ladies up to date on my POAS adventures!
We started doing some renos in our main floor bath yesterday... just going to finish up the painting before our friends come to help us change out the taps!!

 

[Grey Eyes]

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!

Hi Grey Eyes, Marathon Girl and ladies.... SO ...
I have to say that I was wondering myself what was going on with me. I was moody last weekend and then it just stopped and I was back to myself. DH was intensely happy to have ME back.... but I wasn't getting sore breasts and I wasn't tired more than usual.... I thought maybe it wasn't going to happen this cycle.... I have been having crazy vivid dreams.... last night was the Zombie Apocalypse.... this morning laying in bed, realizing my period is due on Thursday, I sudden thought.... my bbs are usually killing me at this time in my cycle.... why aren't they tender and sore? could this change mean I AM preggers?
I've been POAS since DPO 8 to no avail and today is DPO 10....
and I got a faint positive!! I compared it to yesterdays and there is definitely a faint positive!
So I pulled DD (15) into my room so she could look and she saw it, too!! I am cautiously optimistic! will watch it over the next few days so I can see that it darkens!
DH and I are planning on going to a Sci-Fi convention on Friday and I thought it would be so much fun to get his favourite actor to write something on his signed photo like "Welcome to Fatherhood..." or "To the Soon to Be Papa.... "
The trick will be to somehow let them know ahead of time so my DH doesn't suspect I'm in on it!
I will definitely keep you ladies up to date on my POAS adventures!
We started doing some renos in our main floor bath yesterday... just going to finish up the painting before our friends come to help us change out the taps!!

Omy gosh I am excited !! Pictures! Pictures!Pictures!lol...We need pics of your strips to stare at!!! A faint positive is still very positive, congrats!! What did your doc say to do at this point? Will he have you on any progesterone supps at this point in case the corpus luteum fails prematurely (as happens ocassionally) or are you good to go? I bet you are excited to tell your dh- I think your ideas are awesome! How bout a flat out sign pic that says "she's pregnant!" lol- Have fun!!

 

[GeorgiaBelle]

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.

Philomena,

Honestly, the RE I'm see now is one of the top Reproductive Endocrinologists in Georgia and probably the United States. Ironically that is part of my problem. He is such a good doctor and in such demand that he has patients driving to Augusta from several states away. He has stretched himself very thin. Our RE is a good Christian man, but he has too many demands on his attention and can't always remember what he has talked to us about in the past.

I know exactly what you mean about the blood work for my progesterone levels. When he first ordered the blood test for checking my progesterone level in December, he did question me about where I was in my cycle.

Our RE seems to be of the belief that as long as you have a regular period each month, then you must be ovulating. I think that is why he isn't too concerned.

December was also when he mentioned my having an ultrasound, but, in the meantime, he has completely forgotten about the ultrasound. I'm going to either e-mail him about it soon or wait until my next appointment in June and get him to schedule one for me while I'm still with him at the office.

I appreciate you trying to help me with some good advice.

 

[GeorgiaBelle]

Philomena,

Congratulations! We're so happy for you!

Praying for you!

 

[GeorgiaBelle]

After my lengthy post from the other day, I wanted to let you now that I did finally start on Friday, April 20th. So far, the bleeding hasn't been as heavy as last month's period, but it has been on the heavy side and red. Maybe my cycle was resetting itself to 28 or 29 days?

I'm still taking
1. Fertility Blend For Women (Three A Day – Twice In The Morning/Once In The Evening)

2. Spring Valley Cinnamon Plus Chromium 500mg
(Twice A Day - Once In The Morning/Once In The Evening)

3. Spring Valley Super B-Complex (Once A Day - Once In The Morning)

4. Spring Valley All Natural Regular Strength Fish Oil 1000mg
(Three A Day – Twice In The Morning/Once In The Evening)

5. GNC Women’s Ultra Mega Time Released Caplets Dietary Supplement
(Twice A Day – Once In The Morning/Once In The Evening).

Thank you for all the support and advice!

 

[GeorgiaBelle]

Goooood afternoon ladies! Welcome Georgia! Great to have you on board As for the temping at the same time every morning- the only way I could even get near that was to set a smalla larm to wake me up about 2 hours before I should get up...then I'd temp and go back to sleep. I know they say you have to have like four hours of rest to get an accurate rseult but I think that's bunk- if you are deep alseep within half hour to an hour I think that's all that matters. I'm no expert but it helped me a ton! I only temped for one month, but found a lot of information and support fromt his thread!

Marathongirl- hope you are feeling good today--when do you get your dh and ds home?

Phil- what dpo are you going to test or have you set a day yet? I am excited for you!!

AFM- had to fix my fence yesterday and silly dog kept escaping to the neighbors house Took me all day, but glad to have it done. Now just have to work my my 2 dd's room today and Lord knows what else will pop up!

Grey Eyes,

Thank you! I was reading about your experience with using Clear Blue digital OPK kits. I have had a 20 count one in my Amazon.com shopping cart for a while now. I really want to try it, but money is really tight right now, so I'm trying to save up a little extra for it. I can't wait to get it though and try it.

Hope you are feeling well. Congratulations on your precious miracle!

 

[Philomena]

Hi Grey Eyes, Marathon Girl and ladies.... SO ...
I have to say that I was wondering myself what was going on with me. I was moody last weekend and then it just stopped and I was back to myself. DH was intensely happy to have ME back.... but I wasn't getting sore breasts and I wasn't tired more than usual.... I thought maybe it wasn't going to happen this cycle.... I have been having crazy vivid dreams.... last night was the Zombie Apocalypse.... this morning laying in bed, realizing my period is due on Thursday, I sudden thought.... my bbs are usually killing me at this time in my cycle.... why aren't they tender and sore? could this change mean I AM preggers?
I've been POAS since DPO 8 to no avail and today is DPO 10....
and I got a faint positive!! I compared it to yesterdays and there is definitely a faint positive!
So I pulled DD (15) into my room so she could look and she saw it, too!! I am cautiously optimistic! will watch it over the next few days so I can see that it darkens!
DH and I are planning on going to a Sci-Fi convention on Friday and I thought it would be so much fun to get his favourite actor to write something on his signed photo like "Welcome to Fatherhood..." or "To the Soon to Be Papa.... "
The trick will be to somehow let them know ahead of time so my DH doesn't suspect I'm in on it!
I will definitely keep you ladies up to date on my POAS adventures!
We started doing some renos in our main floor bath yesterday... just going to finish up the painting before our friends come to help us change out the taps!![/QUOTE]

Omy gosh I am excited !! Pictures! Pictures!Pictures!lol...We need pics of your strips to stare at!!! A faint positive is still very positive, congrats!! What did your doc say to do at this point? Will he have you on any progesterone supps at this point in case the corpus luteum fails prematurely (as happens ocassionally) or are you good to go? I bet you are excited to tell your dh- I think your ideas are awesome! How bout a flat out sign pic that says "she's pregnant!" lol- Have fun!! [/QUOTE]

Actually, I DID try to take some pics, but my camera phone and my regular camera couldn't zoom close enough. Still working on it.
I've been floating on air all day today!
And I keep going back to where I've hidden the stick to look at it.... so I know it's real.
GreyEyes, I don't think they have plans to put me on anything more than the prenatal vitamins I'm on already because everything else seemed to be fine. I don't have any history of problems with staying pregnant... though I am feeling "cautiously" optimistic. I think once the positive is a strong one, I will start to believe it more!!

 

[Grey Eyes]

-

 

[marathongirl]

Wow Philomena!!! Congrats!! Fx'd for a sticky bean!!
Do you mind if I ask what you did this month differently? I know you had an IUI right? We're you on Clomid or just did it naturally? I'm just asking because if nothing happens for me this cycle I'm going to see my FS on May 16 and will need to decide what to do?? Do you mind "reminding" me what you did this cycle??
Grey eyes- how are you today???

 

[Grey Eyes]

-

 

[Philomena]

Wow Philomena!!! Congrats!! Fx'd for a sticky bean!!
Do you mind if I ask what you did this month differently? I know you had an IUI right? We're you on Clomid or just did it naturally? I'm just asking because if nothing happens for me this cycle I'm going to see my FS on May 16 and will need to decide what to do?? Do you mind "reminding" me what you did this cycle??
Grey eyes- how are you today???

Hi Marathongirl!
Ok, so what we did this month... I did take clomid... I was on 100mg from CD3 through 7.... it made me crazy.... I was so uncomfortable in my skin and way, way hormonal... My DH was a trouper and just kept saying... it's just the drugs talking, not you.... Good thing because I didn't even like who I was.... *sigh*.... then the other thing I did was go overboard on the OPK's because as soon as we got a surge (pos opk) I had a standing appt for the next day for the IUI. I didn't want to miss the surge if we were going to spend the money trying IUI. Because we have 'unexplained unfertility' and no history of me having trouble holding onto a bean they aren't planning on doing anything else. Some women have injectibles and whatnot, but for this time round that's it... we were told to BD the night of the IUI and the next one too to increase our chances. My biggest worry was that I would miss the surge... but with 5 OPK's going at various times of the day, I caught it for sure... then it was just waiting to see... the doc said the statistical chance of IUI working is only about 5% but that number includes every single woman with every single kind of infertility who's tried it... so DH and I figured our chances had to be greater since he has Rockstar swimmers and all my hormones and plumbing seem to be in order... it is possible that there is some sort of negative interaction between my cm and dh swimmers.... and IUI would avoid any of that....
dinner's ready... gotta go... will check in with you ladies later tonight!!
phil.

 

[Philomena]

Good morning Ladies! I fell asleep last night after dinner.... I made ribs with roasted beets and green salad... it was so yummy!
I guess the other thing I did, though I've been doing it the last few attempts, is to cut out the caffeinated products once I surged just in case.... it was hard for me this month, for some reason I really missed my morning coffee... one time when I was craving it so badly, I broke down and had a de-caf coffee from starbucks...
I couldn't resist POAS again this morning and got another faint positive. I was hoping it would be a little darker today, but it looks about the same faint as yesterday. I guess it takes a day or two for it to double, right?
Some good news.... DH has to work until 4 on Friday and the convention opens at 3.... and Gil Gerrard is going to be there at 3.... So I'm going to go super early and be there for the afternoon which should be a very, very quiet time for them and have a little chat with the original Buck Rogers.... maybe get him to sign the photo with a congratulations message while I'm there and then put it off to the side... and when we come through he could be like... "oh, I have something for you...." *grin*
And the best part is that my DH won't have a clue I set it up beforehand!! Buck Rogers, Star Trek and Star Wars are all sort of special for us... so to have Buck Rogers himself tell my dh that we are expecting is epic!!
How is everybody today?

 

[Grey Eyes]

-

 

[marathongirl]

Thanks for filling me in Philomena. I was just wondering because I see my FS on May 16 which gives me this cycle and then if nothing I was thinking maybe IUI. The weird thing is that dh and I have had 3 BFP's in the last 10 months of ttc but the last one was in Dec. and it has been nothing for 4 cycles now??? I guess we will see what happens. I definitely feel like I have less EWCM these days and was thinking of trying robitussin?What do you think Grey eyes??
AFM- af is winding down and I'm feeling ok. Dh and I will be away during my fertile window this cycle so.....

 

[Philomena]

Marathongirl,
I hope you guys are going away somewhere lovely and romantic?? *grin*

 

[Grey Eyes]

[-

 

[Philomena]

Ok, ladies, I should have a photo to upload for you tomorrow. I took one tonight and you can see the positive, but then my battery ran out of power! so charging it tonight, then uploading it tomorrow!!
I am so excited for Friday to come.... I hope I can keep the secret until then!!
phil.

 

[Grey Eyes]

Phil- Okay it's Tomorrow now! We're waitin' for pics.......

Lol, can you tell I am excited for you?