Over 40 ttc - summer baby dust for me!

On a more positive note I had a peak result on OPK this morning after only 1 day of high result - that seems odd I normally get 4 or maybe 5 days of high results before peak - anyone else had this? @Cleo did you say yours went straight from low to peak this month?

Hi Apple

I’ve also just had.failed IVF cycle. My advice would be to go for it if you can, but keep your expectations realistic. The excitement and hope is so much more than in a natural cycle, and you put your body through so much, then the fall is that much further when it fails that you really should be prepared for it. My next cycle will hopefull6 start at the end of September and I must say my hopes are now very low but I still feel like I need to give it everything possible or live with regret for the rest of my life. I don’t think AMH is the be all and end all - mine is 10.4 and still only got 6 eggs from 8 follicles - I was just unlucky that only 8 antral follicles came up that month when I normally get around 12. I was given 15 to 20% chance of success, when we had two 5 day blasts transferred that went up to 37% but still nothing - I was told over 40s are very unlikely to have success on the first try and to ‘keep plugging away at it’.

Hi Apple,

I've just had a (failed) round of IVF, and may go again later this year. From my perspective, if you have the money, then I think it is worth a try. I had another round back in 2016 and have my DS from that successful try. I would also think you would get more eggs for an AMH of 4.5, mine was only 2.5 this time around and I was on a low stim protocol and I still had 2 good eggs. I am sure my AMH was 4 in 2016 and I got 8 eggs back then (on a high dose of stims). It is a stressful process for sure, but if you are lucky enough to have a DC because of it then it is worth every injection bruise! If you want to know anything else, please ask. I didn't have IVF here in the UK but the processes are quite similar, I believe.

Hi Apple, afraid I have not done IVF yet either so can't advise, but I have been considering it too as a possibility, but also with the same concerns as you.
Sorry to hear of all your losses, that must be tough. Are you ttc #1?

Chat, I've heard ovulation spotting is quite common, although I never experienced it until I was 40. Better get dtd then!
Thats a promising article about over 40's births. There is still hope for us yet.

Critter - yeah I think my cold may have affected my temps. Had a better rise this morning, although that may have been helped along by a drink last night (medicinal of course), but I find myself scrutinising every individual temp and stressing about it. It's pointless, so this will be last month of that. Sticking with just opk's and cbfm now, they tell me all I need to know.
Good news about your high reading, the IVF must have just delayed thing a bit, you must be releived! And great stuff about the filling to. Be gone!

But the rate is still lower than that in the 1940's... no interference from nasty know all drs.. and no Pre natel vits xx

I know it's only an article in the DM but 16.1 births in every 1000 are to women in their40's that age group is the only age group that figures have increased since 2016 and highest numbers since 1949!!!

Welcome @Apple04 I've not tried ivf so not sure I can help but sure the ladies will help..
@shinyblackdog list update 😘
@CritterTamer glad hormones are getting there act together and good new about the filling

Still had some mild spotting but have googled it when go back to our accommodation.. can be associated with ovulation.. well not back till tomorrow so hopefully can dtd in Eve.. but not much ewcm oh well see how the next few days pan out..

Hi ladies. I'm more of a lurker here, though sometimes post. I need a bit of advice. We are thinking of trying IVF but cant decide if it genuinely is a good idea or whether this is just desperation. From reading these posts a few of you have tried it. Quick recap of my history....Started ttc nearly 3 years ago at age 39.5. Conceived 4 times in 3, 6, 3 and 8 cycles. Lost them all. Two of the losses were confirmed as trisomies. The other two were early miscarriages so no testing was performed.

I've had tests for rmc done and found to have very mild hypothyroidism so now on thyroxine. I've also had nk cell testing done so may take steroids in hopefully our next pregnancy. We are now on cycle 9 ttc since the last miscarriage. I'm really worried that we are not getting pregnant as quickly as before (am now 42 so probably age) but even if I do I have no faith in it working out. So we are considering ivf just to hurry up the conception process. But if I'm honest and thinking about this logically I'm not convinced ivf is the way to go. Luckily we are in a position where can afford it but are still very reluctant to spend £5k on it with such low chances. I've been on these forums for two years now and from all the posts I've read in the vast majority of women over 40 trying ivf it does not work. My amh is low (4.5 pmol/l 6 months ago) but average for my age so we are only likely to get 2/3 eggs at most anyway. The fertility clinic have quoted a 10% chance. It is also a horribly stressful process to go through. I'm really unsure about it. What do you all think?! Would appreciate some advice, particularly from those who have tried it.

Oh and I also got that broken mercury filling out today and replaced by a safe one. Surprising how much better I feel for not having to worry about it anymore 😊

@Cleozeta - I’m sure I read somewhere that temping will be affected if you have a cold or flu so it could just be that. I think temping adds a lot of stress to the process without adding anything helpful - at least using OPKs will help you to time DTD properly, but by the time you see a temp change it’s too late to do anything different so I’ve so far avoided adding that to the already bonkers regime!
Speaking of OPKs I finally got a high reading this morning 6 days later than normal so finally feeling better and have stopped panicking that the IVF drugs have sent me into menopause 😊

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

Previous cycles, cbfm has always shown 1st peak day on ovulation day which is the same day as a big temp dip which is normally followed by a rise the next day. Basically all that happened except for the rise. Confusing.

Orchid I felt exactly as you did when af came last cycle. I had my hopes pinned on the raised fertility after miscarriage thing so the fall was so much harder. I hace my reality hat back on this time and will try to take things as they come (I say, whist stressing about sodding temps)
The cycles that I've had a clear temp rise have been really reassuring but its just prone to blips and I can't hack the stress of that!

You are right chat, I think I'll have to give up on tge temping. I found it useful for a while, but most of the time it's just an extra stress that I don't need. I've got a cold at the moment so that may be throwing temps out a bit anyway.

I hope you manage to find out what is going on with your spotting. Maybe just a weird blip? I'm a master of those!

And @Cleozeta I knocked temps on the head in jan as they were stressing me out too much, my friend suggested it and I was so worried what would happen if I didn't.. but actually nothing happened and took a bit of extra stress away.. xx

@Cleozeta not stringy yet and very slight today too.. am bloody hoping this isn't the start of all over the place afs as been regular like clockwork until now... tummy a bit twingy was worried that although af was heavy and neg test that I missed something.. see how I go over next few days.. 😬😬

Hi cleo, is concentrate on the good things like the strong opk and a definite dip. Temps might rise tomorrow so I'd keep dtd....

Nothing to report here, day 6 and AF now stopped, waiting for fertile week.

I'm stressing about my temps again. I hate temping, I never sleep properly, always waking at 5 or so to temp, then they often don't show what I expect to see. So bloody stressful! So this cycle, on Monday I had peak on cbfm, a super strong positive opk and a good temp dip (I always get a big dip on ov day) then next day temp was still dipped, was expecting a rise today but the rise was crap, and still below pre ov temps. Did this mean I didn't ovulate?? If I didn't temp I'd be happily obliviously thinking it had all gone smoothly this cycle.

Chat - let's hope for some swimmers that do the trick either before or on Thursday.

In calculating dates forward last night, am giving it 4 months of this daft ttc#3 plan as couldnt face the starting school thing aged 50

Leezo good luck for your next test, I've tested too early so many times and it really means nothing as it would likely not show yet. What dpo are you?
I think an unsuccessful pregnancy would feel the same as non at the beginning.

Chat - if it gets stringy or stretchy too then its ov as I've had what looks like the start of af turn into that before and it was ov. Not necessarily anything wrong either, spotting can happen randomly with ov sometimes. At least you have some swimmers there just in case!

Mimosa, did you get any dtd in before he went and when is he back? Are you doing opks?

Thank you Leezo, I didn't manage to face work today esp with the pain still going on. Told boss who was very understanding (I'd rather them know than say the wrong things!) and after talking with the doc I had a proper cry which I think did me good. I'm ready for next month!