Page 11 | Fantastic Forty Plus, part 9, this time is our time,bring on the bfp's!

hopefulgum · 2013-01-01T23:20:41+00:00

We've filled out thread - I do hope you all find your way here. I can't add a message on the old thread to let you know it is here...[smile] This new thread, will no doubt have its own set of bfp's and babies. I am excited to see what it brings.

calendargal · 14/02/2013 13:57

Wow, notsoold! Congratulations!

notsoold · 14/02/2013 13:09

Well I poas on a B&m and BFP!!! Faint but there!!
Because I never trust my eyes regarding pregnancy test I went and got a superdrug test . Lighter then control but there within the 3 minutes....another BFP

TinaO99 · 14/02/2013 10:53

gum mmm your dinner tonight sounds lovely! Hope it puts your dh in the mood!

Interresting you mentioning aspirin, my hospital consultant told me to start taking 75mg per day when I went for my 12 week scan, apparently it's recommended for ladies over 40 having twins as it helps support the placenta, I've also read it helps to prevent pre eclampsia too so can only be a good thing!

Isabeller one day to go!!! Sounds very sensible in your case having two frozen, I was hoping for a back up but my remaining embryo deteriorated unfortunately so I'm glad I used the two I had, it was a case of all or nothing for me I'm afraid, I never thought two would stick to be fair so I must have a very welcoming womb lol - the consultant doing the transfer was convinced one was a boy as it stuck in the tube and they had to re-insert it, just shows he was totally wrong though! Can't wait to hear your news tomorrow

hope everyone else has a fab valentines xxx

Original poster

hopefulgum · 14/02/2013 09:49

Hi girls and happy valentines DH and I don't do much for Valentines, he feels it is too comercialised,and I don't have the time or energy to do anything special. He might get lucky later on though

I am cooking a delicious roast pork complete with roast apples, so that might give him a loving glow, or put us to sleep in front of the telly by 9 pm!

I remembered that I'd posted something earlier in the thread about about taking aspirin, I got it from another thread I was on:
"Ive also had several miscarriages but I'm currently 24 wks. Like you my tests all came back inconclusive but apparently most multiple miscarriage cases are inconclusive only a small percentage are down to an identifable factor. As soon as I found out I was pg I self referred myself to the early pregnancy unit where I was scanned and told to take 75mg of aspirin daily. I didnt know the science but I did know that aspirin in small doses can definitely help. My parents have a friend who's a haematologist who kindly explained that after each miscarriage microscopic clots are left in the mothers bloodstream - causing no health issues for the mother but they can affect the flow of blood to the early foetus - potentially leading to miscarriage. Apparently every mc increases the amount of micro clots and therefore increases the risk of another mc! The drug of choice to treat this is aspirin and they usually start off prescribing 75mg to be taken daily, they prescribe clexane if they are more serious clotting issues. IMO I think you would be wise to take a low dose aspirin daily but you need your dr to agree, as for progesterone I asked about this and my consultant said that there was little evidence that progesterone supplements would have helped me"

I am going to continue to take aspirin in the tww.

I have to go and bath my DS. He's a bit smelly. DH picked him up from kindy and said he'd wet his pants - he didn't use the school toilet all day He must have been busting! I'll talk to his teacher about it next week.

Can't wait to hear your news,Isabeller.

OP posts:

JBrd · 14/02/2013 09:30

Cali Yes, I'm back to OPKs and temping, but so far nada. I thought I had watery or even ewcm a few weeks ago, but it has come to nothing. It's only been 4-5 weeks since the ERPC, so I think I'm just too impatient.

gum Yes, I think my immune system is really low at the moment. I'm taking extra vitamins to boost it, but the problem is that DS just happily passes everything on to me. He's got a cold as well at the moment (but he is coping much better than I am!).
I have to admit that I'm a bit scared of Agnus Castus - you hear a lot of conflicting stories about it! But I'll read up on it, thanks for the suggestion. As I said, I think I just need to be more patient.

CaliBee · 14/02/2013 07:29

Morning ladies.
Thanks for the holiday suggestions....I had another good search last night and came up with some ok-ish ones. As it is DP's suggestion and his money however I cant book it and dont know when he will next be home to show him. I have a sneaky feeling this break may come to nothing.

fingers crossed double Isabeller...

jbrd sorry to hear you're not feeling well. It seems your body has taken a bashing and your immune system is very low. Hopefully spring is just around the corner and will banish the bugs. Do you do opk's or temp atall?? I have heard of so many messed up cycles after mc. I actually got a positive opk and ewcm on Monday which was cd21 (since mc) for me, but will see if af turns up on time. That 54 day cycle must have been torturous gum. It seems so strange hearing you saying how hot it is over there. We have had another couple of days of snow and icy rain over here. I long to feel the sun on my face. Have to say though, that working in such hot temps must be nasty.

Happy Valentines Day to all...I hope DP's and DH's make you all feel very very special x

Original poster

hopefulgum · 13/02/2013 23:05

What I meant to say was, I am still feeling exhausted, so there's no DTD action here. God I hope it cools down soon,cos I am approaching ovulation and still want to give it a go.I fall asleep on the couch every night at about 9, and then I don't much feel like waking up to get on with bonking! Hopefully the extra estrogen I am taking in the red clover isoflavones will get my libido ticking over,despite the nasty weather...

OP posts:

Original poster

hopefulgum · 13/02/2013 23:02

Oh Jbrd, sorry to hear you are feeling unwell. It sounds like you may have a sinus infection - should you get it checked in case you need antibiotics? My mum has suffered from sinus issues for years, I know how painful it can be. I do get sore sinuses sometimes, but have only ever had one infection, which made me feel really awful (aches all over,flu like symptoms).

Have you thought about taking Agnus Castus (also known as Vitex) to get things happening with your cycle? I am no expert, and it didn't work for me, but it has worked for some. After my second miscarriage I had a 54 day cycle.Nothing got things moving. The waiting was bloody awful.

I think it is a really good idea to have some testing for blood clotting issues. It may be that you will need aspirin and warfarin or something like that. It certainly can't hurt to know either way. I hate that you have to have 2 or 3 miscarriages before it is considered important to test for problems. In Oz the medical system is very different. My doctor ordered every test I requested after my first miscarriage (I read a book about miscarriage, did a tonne of research and asked for almost every test I could find) she also felt it was important due to my age.

We found out that I was a bit low on Vitamin D, and that I had a high ANA which means the possibility of an autoimmune disease sometime. Don't know what, or when, but finding that out has caused me to change my lifestyle, particularly my diet in order to keep inflammation down, which has been a really positive outcome for me.

Isabeller, I am getting very excited for you

As for me, I am still feeling exhausted from work and the bloody heat. It was very hot at work yesterday, I hate that feeling when the sweat is collecting under your bra,undies and underarms. It is YUCK! We don't have air-con in some of our classrooms, it was awful. Then I had trouble sleeping as it was hot (and we don't have air-con in our house, because we are close to the beach and usually have a lovely sea breeze - not last night). Then I was woken at three am by DH's phone, I think it must have been an alarm.I must talk to him about that!!

Today is forecast to be a bit less hot, but will still be warm and humid. You know I'd swap a bit of this hot for your freezingReally, I would, just a little bit to take the edge off the heat

OP posts:

JBrd · 13/02/2013 20:16

Hello everyone! Hope you are all well on this cold and windy evening! I'm sitting here with a hot water bottle under my feet, I'm freezing!

Isabeller crossing everything for you, that must be the longest 2ww ever! How are you managing to distract yourself?!?

greenlizard It really seems that ttc is just a logistics exercise in every respect, regardless which route you go down. I hope you can get your appointment sorted.

CaliBee Have you decided where to go on holiday? I think it's good to plan something like that, it gives you something to look forward to and a chance to get away from everything. Doesn't really matter where you go - and I'm not saying that because I'm 'only' going to Centre Parks in a couple of weeks !

Morien I've also made an appointment with my GP to discuss some of my questions about ttc and if there is any chance to get some tests done. I want to ask about aspirin, and also if I could get checked for any blood clotting issues. I had a DVT/pulmonary embolism last year, and they never did any follow-up work. I've done some reading around and am now wondering if I qualify for thrombophelia testing... I know they don't tend to do anything before you've had 2-3 miscarriages, but if there is any way that I can contribute to not having to go through that again, I'll do it.

Well, my plan go start excercising again this week didn't work out - I now have another horrific cold, after literally just getting over the last one. And this time my sinuses are killing me! You know, when your teeth hurt so much that you can't walk down stairs, chew or -heaven forbid- bend down. I have to take painkillers to be able to cope, and have now ordered one of those nasal irrigation systems because I'm desperate for some relief. It has completely floored me, and I shattered.

And I'm starting to get a bit impatient about af still being awol... Really want to get back to being healthy and to having cycles. Can't even enjoy reckless dtd at the moment because I'm too full of cold

Isabeller · 13/02/2013 17:07

It is so encouraging hearing your experience Tina. In my particular circumstances the risk of twins did not seem wise so we had the strongest looking embryo transferred and two good and one poor embryo frozen so I hope at least one frozen cycle will be possible.

I felt really torn at the last moment because the fourth embryo wasn't one which would usually be frozen and I know it might not survive thawing but it was the way I could feel I was giving it a chance. I could have had it put back alongside the good one but I'm glad I didn't do that in the end.

TinaO99 · 13/02/2013 15:43

I didn't get to know if my sharer was lucky isabeller although I must admit I didn't ask, I just thought they would tell me if they were able to? I did say that I was happy for them to tell her I was pregnant however as I was extremely grateful for her generosity - do you mind my asking how many embryos you had transferred? Sorry if you've already said!

Isabeller · 13/02/2013 12:11

Thanks Tina, I am same as you, recipient only. I really hope everything is going well for our egg sharer but I think I'll only get to know if we both end up pregnant or maybe only if we both give birth.

I haven't tested early (yet) and plan to wait until Friday although it sounds as if tomorrow would be the recommended OTD for some clinics.

We're going to Charmouth (brrrr) Morien, a friend of DP has a lovely (but not centrally heated) cottage at mates rates. It's long drive but I will stop when I need to and probably go to sleep when I get there!

TinaO99 · 13/02/2013 11:35

sorry for the late response isabellar you're near testing date now anyway but if you had a trigger shot that can give you a false reading on tests but i believe it wears off after a week anyway, I didn't have the trigger as I was just the recipient - good luck for your test, I'm really excited for you :-)

Morien · 13/02/2013 08:20

Thanks for the link to the article, greenlizard - it didn't half cheer me up!

Morien · 13/02/2013 08:12

Morning all!

isabeller I've got everything crossed for you! Where are you off to on holiday?

Poor sparkly, I can only imagine how hard it must be for you at the moment. All the best for your scan on Friday. (And remnant, how are you?)

lizard your poor pils! Hope they recover fully soon.

irish hope you enjoy your trip to Ypres. I'd been in Belgium for several years before I went there and I was sorry not to have done it sooner. Even without a family connection I found it extremely moving. Those endless lists of names...

BFN here this morning so I guess the slight cramping is AF coming after all, despite all my imagininings. I hope AF comes today then I can just get on with my next cycle - with my longish cycles (35) I feel like I waste so much time. I was quite hopeful about this one; I know it's silly but it felt good right from the start, and having let go of all the stressing over ttc to such an extent that for a while I didn't even know what CD I was on made me so much more relaxed. I've had the most enjoyable month I'd had for ages, and I'm sure DP has felt it too - so I need to find some way of balancing the need to be relaxed and happy with the need for a BFP. That said, though I'd really like to continue as we are (ttc = have lots of sex, but we do that anyway, so in fact ttc = life as usual, but without contraception), I think it's time to be more pro-active. I plan to go and have a chat with my lovely gyne in the next couple of weeks. When I first discussed all this with DP in May last year, which was when we agreed to stop contraception, I said I wasn't interested in going any further than that - just let nature take its course. And it worked in the first month! But I find I've moved on from that now. How far I'd go now to have a baby, I've no idea - but a whole lot further than back in May.

greenlizard · 13/02/2013 08:05

sparkly and notsoold I didn't realise what a minefield looking at fertility clinics would be and how difficult it would be to get an appointment! We had a look at a few in London but to be honest as I live in the West of London (part time) and work even further out, getting to Oxford seems easier and less hassle that trying to get into central London. Also Oxford Fertility Unit has higher than national average success rates but shockingly for our age the success rate is much less than 10%. I was discussing appointment options with the practice manager who told me that if there wasn't any specific health reason for our fertility issues apart from our age, IVF generally offers no higher rates of success than conceiving naturally. Not sure why that would be the case if it involves introducing sperm and egg together in a petri dish then popping them back in a puffy uterus, but I was simultaneously cheered and depressed by that fact. Anyway, we have a list of the very few free appointments in March and now need to try and get a time when DP is around during the day to attend so we can discuss all that with the consultant.

Will be sharing any pearls of wisdom about TTC in forties when I go. Anyway was trying to google "success of IVF in your forties" and came across this article as thought for the day.......

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2009628/IVF-great-lie-fertility-40s-.html

greenlizard · 13/02/2013 07:51

You go Isabeller - I am seriously impressed by your early morning activity! I suspect the next two days are going to be going a bit slowly - everything crossed for you. Glad you have a break coming up - having some time away sounds just the ticket.

calibee I woke up thinking about your holidays! You might also want to have a look at Sharm El-Sheikh in Eygpt? The weather is fantastic there at the minute (late 20's) and if you like swimming and snorkelling the reefs are amazing - I learned to dive there many years ago. My sister went there recently and got an amazing package. Thanks for the tip about Boots conception, will defintely get some when I am next in - they are half the price of Pregnacare! I did a bit of reading and have ordered some Q10 and DHEA from Amazon (I will be rattling when I walk!) because even if it doesn't help plump up my ageing eggs - I will, apparently, be able to lift way more reps in the gym!!!

Isabeller · 13/02/2013 07:13

Hi notsoold I'm probably a tiny bit focussed on the 2ww literally alternating each day about whether it has worked or not. Only two more days to go, lots of twinges but no sign of AF. There is absolutely no symptom that either has or hasn't happened which isn't 100% explainable by effects of medication etc.

I've got a bit of work to do today but most fun thing is packing to go on holiday for a few days. It will be freezing but there will be proper plumbing, unlike home which is still two thirds building site, and no care responsibilities, I am so looking forward to it.

Really interested in drug price stuff Calibee, do take your point about R&D sparkly, just read about diclofenac being very risky... stream of consciousness about pharmaceuticals...

My very fitness focussed friend is keen for me to join her gym and I visited yesterday but despite the fact you can do a month at a time I'm really not sure it's for me and it's not cheap so I'd have to make some serious economies. I was doing quite well with C25K until floored by treatment side effects. I've only managed a couple of sessions and some long walks in the last three weeks.

I'm going to try rebooting it now by using it to regulate half an hour on a cross trainer. Really now. Putting trainers on now.

sparklysapphire · 12/02/2013 23:49

Irish, I took Boots conception too for about 6 months, due to it being much cheaper than Pregnacare. Last time I took the Sanatogen one, but they seem to have re-named it mum-to-be, and I just couldn't face that. Also why do all pregnancy/conception supplements have to be pink? I'm sure it's not necessary. Your Belgian break sounds like an interesting trip, I hope it'll be enjoyable too.

Calibee, that's an amazing price difference between the branded & generic drugs. I know the drug companies have to re-coup their R & D costs and drug development isn't cheap, but £530 - was that really necessary? Sorry I forgot DPs army leave is so rigid, I'm still getting used to the idea of having to go in school holidays but at least there's a bit of flexibility there. I hope you find somewhere warm and cheap - what's Greece like now, that should be fairly cheap perhaps?

Notsoold, I'm impressed by your DS's independence, off to London at 13 on his own. Still no AF then? I hope you get some sort of result soon! Thank you for your kind words (and calibee), I am indeed heartbroken by all this. I've cried a lot today. No further progress since DH came home and then slunk off to bed an hour ago without a goodnight kiss. That really hurts as we've always been physically affectionate.

I've got my 12 week scan on Friday, so things have moved along much more quickly than I expected, but so far a big tick to the NHS.

notsoold · 12/02/2013 23:11

Calibee that is incredible....such difference in price....
I take Sanatogen and am quite happy with it( I mean about side effects)...

Irish our ds is very independent regarding travelling and going places. My brother will pick him at the right bus stop but still....I agree and is a shock as dd ( almost 19) even now is not as adventurous in that way ( she is in others believe me).
Ds is taller than all the men in my side of family ( I am 5'4).Dh is 6 footer so I don't know...ds has always been been tall since birth....following that high fish protein??? Did you guys had it here??? This idea in the 60s??? My mother followed it and so did I ( my dd is 5' 1 so maybe did not work there)
Let's hope my ov was latter than I thought....

Good night girls....tomorrow I shall try to buy a frer just in case ( because I need to hope)

Irishmammybread · 12/02/2013 22:11

notsoold wow,how tall is your DS going to be when he finishes growing! He sounds very independent travelling to London on the train on his own , very grown up. I can't imagine my 13 year old DD being able to manage that yet.
I wonder what's happening with your cycle. Are you sure when you ovulated? Maybe there's still a chance of a BFP over the next few days.
CaliBee thanks for the tip about the Boots conception tablets!

CaliBee · 12/02/2013 21:31

Hi to irish and notsoold*
I used to take pregnacare but did a bit of research and found that Boots own conception support tabs do everything they need to and at half the price too.
Part of my job at work is to scource generic medicines and compare them like for like to branded drugs. Recently a branded antipsychotic lost its monopoly on the market and other companies were able to manufacture the same drug under the generic name.....I was gobsmacked to find that the original manufacturer of the drug had been charging £530 for a box of 28 and I am now able to buy it for £4.57 for 56.

notsoold · 12/02/2013 21:20

My youngest is 13 and a handsome 5'9 lad!!!! I know... Proud mother and all that...
Today I as 3/4 days late and my sensitive ic showed another bfn...no symptoms sooo my af is late..very late!!!
Irish pregnacare conception is a nono to me as I get nauseous and always think I am pregnant....

Isabeller you must be on the second week of the tww???

Hello everybody!!!

Irishmammybread · 12/02/2013 21:07

Evening all!
Gum it's understandable you would feel sad around the time of Louis's birthday, and you have so much going on in your life at the moment. It's good you have the support of your DH, sometimes there are no words and a hug just says it all. x
CaliBee we tend to go to France or Ireland in the car for a lot of our holidays,neither would be sunny or warm this time of year! It's a really good idea to go away with your OH and have some time alone together. I have a friend who had a mmc, then shortly afterwards lost a baby at 23 weeks. She was off work for a few months,went back and wasn't coping so she and her DH decided to get away from everything for a while,went away for a fortnight to the sun...and came back pregnant, 9 months later had her DS.
Sparkly we use clubcard vouchers a lot too, on ferries to Ireland, some hotel stays and in a few days we're travelling via Eurotunnel courtesy of tesco!
We're going to stay in Belgium in Ypres for a few days. My mil's grandfather was killed at the Somme in WW1 and she's always wanted to visit the grave and the area so we're taking her for a short break.
I'm glad you've seen the midwife, I hope your DH starts to come round and you're getting support from others.
Greenlizard hope your pils are recovering, sounds like a nasty accident if they had to cut short their holiday.
Supplement wise I take Pregnacare Conception and aspirin (after ovulation thanks to gum's advice!). I might think about DHEA and Coq10 too.
How old is your youngest DS notsoold ? I think you have a lovely way with words "questions inside and empty arms outside" is a good way of putting it!
Hope the 2ww is flying by Isabeller !
hi to everyone else

CaliBee · 12/02/2013 18:29

lizard basically they are both "supposed" to help improve ovarian reserve. There is lots if you google it. But take a quick look at www.manchesterfertility.com/patients/page/poor-ovarian-reserve-dhea/
and
www.advancedfertility.com/blog/coenzyme-q10-and-fertility/
I figured anything is worth a try at this stage
Sorry to hear about pil's..hope they recover very quickly.
I will be serching the bargain holiday sites this week so will add Turkey to the search...thankyou.
sparkly you must be going through hell...and you have the patience of a saint. Spain doesnt look too warm at that time...if I'm on a plane I want it hot hot hot loool. Unfortunatelt we cant be atall flexible with dates dur to DP's army leave....its set dates, no questions.
Big hugs to you notsoold....sounds like you have lots on your mind x