Fab Forty-Plus! Where are the BFPs...

Hi everyone, very quiet on here last few days. Hope you're all ok. I'm about 5dpo, obviously I'm not thinking about it at all.....
I'm back to work on Monday after the lovely long summer holiday. Already the feeling of dread has started but once I'm actually there it'll be fine. DD starting school too. Tried on her uniform yesterday - so cute! I can't believe my baby is starting school! Definitely time for another......

Hi thanks for support and advice, still in numb mode here, took your advice and going to see if i can get a private scan next week as think that could be 5,6,7 weeks, was going to try gp but that would probably take longer and as someone said bloods etc, a scan would be more confirmative wouldn,t it, still told no one, no bleeding, thought i felt sick but that may be nerves and stress!! Hope everyone else doing well

Morning ladies - bit of advice really - I have been worrying myself silly because I did a frer again yesterday as a). I am paranoid! And b). My boobies seem to be up and down with the soreness which is unnerving me. Bit of a wreck really. Anyway the line seemed to take longer to show and looked fainter until about half an hour after when it looked more or less the same as the other four tests I have lined up!

A clear blue non digital ( with the cross symbol) . Was practically invisible which freaked me!

I took the plunge and did another digital this am and it was ok! So that relieved me a bit but I am worrying this could be a chemical.

When would you do another digital test if you were me? Sorry to sound neurotic but I can't help worrying. I thought the first response lines would be darker by now : /

KIWI - I'm with GUM on her advice to you - it does sound like congratulations are in order : ). I can sympathise totally with the worrying though!! Every pregnancy is indeed different GUM. - think that should be my mantra for the next week or so - as I am continually comparing symptoms such as sore breast etc.

Welcome Luca! Hello everyone else x

Hi jass, how are you feeling?

No news from me. I am in a happy place - always am in that reprieve time between AF and Ovulation. When my head is not scrambled thinking about timing sex, or symptom spotting or waiting for AF.

I hope all is well for everyone else. xx

welcome Luca, and congrats to Mattsmama and kiwi. if you think you are 5-6!weeks and CB digi said 3+, everything is looking promising. It says from ov, so to get proper pg week count you need to add two, so it is in fact saying you are 5w or more. Some blood is common, 20 % of pg women spot ar even bleed slightly. If you want quick answers I guess you need to organise yourself a privte scan, they can date your pregnancy pretty accurately from week 7.

Congratulations Kiwi, definitely sounds all good to me. A bit of spotting or even blood is very common. Don't be put off by lack of sickness, as Gum says, every pregnancy is different but there is also plenty of time for it to start!
Welcome Luca, you've joined in a good week with 2 pregnancies already. Hope you are lucky soon. I'm only about 2dpo but will also not symptom spot.... I never have symptoms when I'm pregnant anyway so don't know why I think I do.
Had a lovely night out last night with old friends who I haven't seen for ages. Dh has taken dd away for a couple of days so I am still in bed - bliss. Enjoy your rainy bank holiday for those of you who have one x

Thank you Gumblossom! and congrats to Kiwi!!!

Hi Kiwi. The clearblue don't go higher than 3+, which means if you are 5, 6, 7 weeks, it will say 3+. The 3+ is after ovulation, so it means 5 weeks or more pregnant.

So I think Congratulations are in order! This is wonderful. Your brown discharge is old blood, probably due to implantation, and the fact that you aren't vomiting means nothing: every pregnancy is different.

If you're concerned, go and see your Dr for beta blood tests to see if the HCG is doubling over 48 hours. That's one way to determine if the pregnancy will progress.

Welcome Luka71, I hope you are able to get pregnant quickly and remain sane. Some of us have been doing this for a long time, and we seem to be relatively sane

Hiladies I am in need of advice,I posted a week ago so here is update,I dont even know how late my period is but around 5 weeks or 6, anyway decided I wouldn,t test during week as ds first week at school and didnt want to have this on my mind, then thursday just past, i had brown discharge so thought mc,, so wasnt going to test,now 3 days later no discharge since,sore boobs, so usedclearblue test and itsays 3 weeks +, so confused should I wait see if ther is moredischarge/bleeding or could I bepregnant, why would it just say 3+ it should be more, best bit at my age I cant read the clearblue small print,lol, is that as far as it estimates? I dont want to get myhopes up with the discharge last week, should I wait another week let nature decide or book to see gp, havent told anyone not sure what to do, taking folic acid in case but not vomiting and with my succesful preg I was as sick as a dog with mc had nothing, so confused this is all out of the blue

Hi Lovely ladies,
Would luv to join you board. I am 43 (eckkkk!!!) had a mc in Sept and a TFMR (T18) in April so hopefully 3 rd time lucky!

Im 4dpo today, I chart using FF which I have found very interesting as I don´t always ovulate on the same dates.
We have been TTC for 2 months and this month apart from charting I am refusing to symptom spot for my own sanity ;).

Here´s to a BFP for this cycle ladies. FC for us all!!

Cloud Grizzer and Gum - thank you.

I have high NKC and high thyroid antibodies and was under DR S and then I decided I would keep taking all the usual vit D, omega, folic acid etc but take the pred if and when I got a positive test. I was on the hydroxy too but I stopped that as I didnt have it in my last pregnancy which thankfully was successful and also i didnt feel right on it and something just was not feeling right with me personally about taking it - if that makes sense?! I've been trying since January this year with one or two month off in between as DH works away but also my mum has been ill so various reasons really.

AF due tomorrow and I took the first frer on Friday morning so it's still early days yet and as usual I am analysing every bloody twitch and prodding boobies constantly which seem to hurt more sometimes and then not much at all which is worrying me!!! I took a clearblue digi this am and it showed the pregnant 1-2 weeks which pleased me!!! I am still very worried though - its hard not to be - all us ladies know exactly what can happen. We have all been through it sadly so I am trying to remain optimistic but realistically so.

Hope you feel better today GUM and the party goes well.

Grizzer - I like the sound of the ovulation acupuncture - anything that makes you feel peaceful and positive can only be a good thing!

Congratulations mattsmama, that's fantastic news!

That's great news mattsmama, congratulations. How long have you been trying?
I've just been for 'ovulation acupuncture.' Not entirely sure what it all means but I love my peaceful hour & the positive feeling it gives me.
Trying & failing to persuade dh to give the cycling a rest for a while but he is in denial that it makes any difference. Much as I hate to say it a few weeks of rain is what I need as that might go some way to dissuade him from going out!
Hope you're feeling better Gum.

Mattsmama, that is wonderful and exciting news. Did you suspect you might be pregnant? have you had symptoms? Remind me what you have been doing, how long you,ve been ttc? Anyway, a big congratulations. I hope all goes very smoothly for you. Please keep us updated.

Thanks, I think DS is gorgeous too. I can't help feel a pang of melancholy when I look at his baby pictures. He was a really beautiful little thing. I soo wish I could do it all again.

Feeling a bit sorry for myself, have taken to my bed with a hot water bottle after awful bloating and tummy cramps, which I don't often get with AF but am today. It is frustrating because DS wants me to do stuff with him, and it is his birthday, and I can't do much. Bloody DH has had to go out to his parents, so hasn't spent any time with DS bar a half hour this morning. I know his ailing parents can't help it but they have become so dependent on DH, it is really taking up a lot of time.

At least I have managed to make DS's cakes for his party tomorrow. A small affair with another two families(rather than a bunch of six year olds), but still plenty for me to organise. Feeling a bit annoyed that DH couldn't be around to help out more today, sigh...

GUM. Your little boy is gorgeous! x

Hello Ladies - you may remember I was on this thread a few months ago - I had to take time out for various reasons but have hovered occasionally! I am also in the Prednisolone thread.

I did a frer yesterday morning and there was a line albeit very faint but its there!! Period not due till Monday so very early days and of course I am extremely nervous but can't help being excited too! I've done a second test this am and the line is darker. i just wanted to share my news before I burst and also to give hope to you all. I really was wondering if it would happen - so many months of hope dashed by af arriving is soul destroying so I can hardly believe it really - just dare not get my hopes too high yet but I have to tell someone!!

He is super cute, Gum, looks like a proper cheeky chappy!! Enjoy your special family day xx

Hi Grizzer, I know what you'll be up to today/tonight!

My darling boy is 6 today. I cannot believe how fast this time has flown (though, on the other hand, the ttc time seems to have dragged, weird

I feel so,so blessed to have had this time with my adorable, funny, affectionate, entertaining, loving boy.

I will try to attach a couple of pics.

2 lovely strong lines for me today.

kiwi, sorry to hear it wasn't the outcome you were hoping for. However it sounds like you are at a place of acceptance, which is good. I hope all goes well for you.

I am hoping to find myself in that place one day soon.

But not yet.

Grizzer, I too sneak them away so DH doesn't see. In my case he'd probably have performance anxiety and we can do without that. I am also a control-freak, so doing the opk's and keeping a record (so to speak) helps me feel I have a modicum of control. Besides, I really enjoy seeing two lines

I am feeling better, thanks, Jass, but AF still hasn't turned up. Not that it is unusual. I do usually have a bit of an indication with a bit of brown discharge, but so far, nothing. I am 14 dpo by FF, but I think I am 13 dpo, so not late at this stage. With a super low temp this morning, AF should show today or tomorrow. I would have much rather'd a BFP on my DS's 6th birthday (tomorrow). But I do have him and he was like winning the lottery

I had an enjoyable drink with some friends last night. They are all women in their early 50's and all in a very different place in their life to me. One of my friends never had kids, and is having a year off work. She is doing loads of travelling with her DH, has a B&B and has just bought a new place to let as a holiday home. The other ladies have children, but they are all grown and moved away. They are planning travels and other fun things.I guess there will come a time where I am at that stage of my life. And if I hadn't decided to take the plunge and have my DS at age 41, I'd be much closer to that stage. But I have no regrets and I think I would have had regrets had I not had DS.

Which leads me to being here, at the end of another cycle, still ttc at the old age of 47, inching closer to 48. It may not seem a sensible path to many (in fact I'll bet I'd be called "crazy" by many people) but at least I will not regret not trying.

Sorry kiwi that it was not to be. if you are not interested to continue ttc then it is probably for the best not to test indeed. Otherwise, for information, if tou really were at least 5w, you should still have a line, even if faint. If you planned to continue, would be good to know whether your cycle is playong tricks or it was indeed an early mc.

Gum, i hope you are crawling out of the hole with the help of this nice chat with your friend tou had planned!

grizzer, the strongest opk signals imminent ovulation within 24-48 hours. if you do them only daily, you may well miss the surge, i.e. not get the strong positive opk, but if next day the line is weaker, the surge has been there, a bit before or after your strongest test. catching the surge is not so much necessary, because it anyway means ov will be in next day or two, go by the darkest you get. i always keep mine as well until i clearly see s weakening line, then I know ov is there. we only dtd every other day, so starting to cover when line appears, and continue until it starts to get weaker. has worked many times.....

Hi sorry for not posting sooner, jass thankyou for your comments and hope you are doing ok, glad you are withfriends. Well my update is I didnt test this week even though it was about 5 or6 weeks and I really felt pregnant,I was waiting until this weekend because my ds startedschool this week and I didnt want thatforever linked with this if you knowwhat I mean,anyway I started having some bleeding today and feel like it will turn into a period, so no point testing, if ihave a normal bleed iit shoul be ok shouldnt it no need to do anything.So next stepvisit to doc for contraception, if this had happened would have been delighted but at 45, i have to accept i need tomove on, i amblessed with one ds, can exain in years to come siblings were wanted butnot possible, wishing you all success or at leasrt peace of mind to move on, not easy but i know i have to.
Timing is bad with all young mums with babies but life doesnt always go how you plan it, many thanks for all support i have had here when needed.

Ha ha, glad you're on my side Gum. I only keep them until I can sneak them all in to the bin without dh seeing. He goes through 3 phases around ovulation time:

1. 'let's just chill & not use sticks,' to which my reply is always 'of course dear, what a good idea that is, let's leave our 24 hr window each month to complete chance.' NOT!!
2. 'feeling a bit tired tonight. Let's only do it if you have your 2 lines.'
3. 'you've got 2 lines? It's too much pressure to do it on demand!' Whatever the mood may be, I keep my ovulation secret......

Grizzer I reckon there might be 2 explanations for the appearance of that line on your OPK - 1) it's positive - with my OPKs, a second line means positive, it never gets as strong as the test line. or 2) Evaporation line. Personally, I would not trust a stick that's been lying around for a couple of days, who knows what chemical reaction drying urine is capable of...

And I have to admit that I am a bit at keeping peed-on sticks in your drawers The thought had never occurred to me, and I am proper ttc-mad!

gum Sorry to hear that you are feeling down about it all - but I think you are doing the right thing, trying to distract yourself. Life does go on, in spite of everything, and as hard as it is, ttc should not dominate every single aspect of everyday life. We still need to have fun and enjoy it!

Having said that, I'm CD8 now and dreading the run up to ov - I am so fed up of swi!

Grizzer, I don't think it is because you left it longer than 10 minutes. It is possible the surge is yet to come, the body sometimes gives it more than one go, or, that you didn't quite catch the surge sometime between when you took the opk on Monday, and today's.

I am no expert. But there were times when I did opk's in the morning which were positive and I know we are not supposed to do them in the morning. But if I hadn't I most likely would have missed the surge by testing in the afternoon/evening. I confirmed it was the surge through charting. That's why I continue to chart - it really helps me know when I have ovulated, combined with using opk's.

Do you have any other signs of ovulation? I get the O pain most months, which also helps me know when it happened.

BTW, I always do the opk's, stick them in my underwear drawer and check on them in 5-10 minutes - like you I keep a little collection until I know I've ovulated. I am glad I am not the only one who does it

No spotting for me yet. Now I am doing the "irrational talk" to myself: 'Maybe I won't get AF. Usually I have spotted by now. Maybe I am pregnant but it is a late implanter". "Boobs not as sore, but it is the morning, and they always hurt more in the evenings", "As for the low temperature, it isn't really the death Nell. I mean, it is still above coverline"...

OMG! I have TTC madness!

You would think, wouldn't you, after 5 years of ttc, I would have a modicom of good sense to know when it is doomed. Hope springs eternal! Which is probably just as well.

Thank goodness I have this thread to unburden myself on - trouble is, I am afraid I might be burdening my online friends instead

Ignore me!