Over 40 ttc - winter baby dust for me!

Hi all

I'd like to join your group.
I've posted on mn a few times with some replies.

I'm 41 with a 3 year old.

Started ttc in April 2017 with no success. In June 2018 I had a laparoscopy to remove a 7cm cyst on my ovary.
In August 2018 I discovered I was pregnant, no issues apart from recurring uti however in October at 12 weeks scan there was no heartbeat and I'd had a Mmc.

I went through the surgery a few days later and bled for about 3/4 days afterwards.

However it took almost 9 weeks for my period to return (I was terrified I was going to start the menopause). My body was retaining hcg levels until this time. I bought ovulation tests to check my body was doing what it should be and I was delighted to see I was due to ovulate over Christmas Day/Boxing Day. We dtd a few times over the week and I started getting sore nipples at the weekend and feeling nauseous.

My period is due Thursday or Friday (26 day cycle normal) so I did 2 different tests last night.

A dip test showed a faint positive however a CB was totally negative.

Hi All

@mellongoose, hope you're ok

@booseymom @cleozeta, @littlemimosa @orchid222 @chatbash72 @shineyblackdog and all new members hope everyone is doing as well as can be, as difficult, repetitive and unpredictable as these cycles can be I am just so glad we can chat on here, it does make it easier, for me especially, I've learned so much from you all about vitamins, acupuncture, egg quality that no GP has ever spoken with me about.

AFM cycle day 1 was yesterday and this morning I will take my first injection for IVF (CD2) ... Just wondering would you count CD1 as full flow of blood or is spotting lightly still considered CD1?

DH was going to administer injection before he left for work and I am just not sure if the clinic will get back to me on time ...

Yes they seem to be just in luteal phase (or certainly much worse in luteal phase) for me. I have read you talking about the yummy teas :)

Gizmojo- I’ve had some hot flashes on and off this last year. I only get them between AF and ovulation and those months i tend to get a delayed ovulation. I feel for you. It’s miserable. I’m pretty sure that mine are related to low oestrogen levels which should rise in that follicular phase but some months my body struggles. I’ve been having acupuncture which has worked wonders so far as well as the Chinese herbs (aka the yummy teas on here) as well as eating a bit more as I’m quite skinny which is typical of women low in oesteogen. It sounds like your sweats are more in the luteal phase I think?

Agree on that one Cleo.

Chat - massive hug from me❤️Af day is the hardest by far. We keep on going don’t we. All hope is definitely not lost.

Mellon - hope you’re as well as can be expected.

Orchid - you’ve gone so quiet. Hope you’re doing well? Come back, we miss you.

Mellongoose....that is heart breaking. I'm so, so sorry. Life can be so unfair.

Floof - how interesting! Maybe it'll be lucky for me too then
I think sometimes our bodies just do their own things. They don't like rules or norms!

Chat - oh no! Sorry to hear af landed. Next cycle.....

Gizmojo - I suspect if you go to gp about nightsweats they will very quickly brush it off as perimenopause symptoms (they are very quick to do that for us over 40's) on the plus side though an FSH test would potentially confirm or deny that diagnosis so they may well sugest it if they are interested in finding out. You may need to suggest it if they are very dismissive though. As for the antibiotics, it's possible it's had an effect. I guess the only way to know fir sure is to see what happens next cycle...

Boosey - dtd anyway just to be on ghe safe side!

Mimosa - I have had so many oddities over the last few years, really anything is possible!! Ewcm fitted with the opk pattern. 2 or 3 days before +opk then dried up by the time it went positive, as normal. But then ovary cramping coincided with temp rise 3 days later. Weird!

@littlemimosa yup af arrived with vengeance.. so I'm going to also pig out on the leftover Christmas cheese.. but not tonight..

Cleo the month I got my BFP the opk surge was positive on the Tues morning but Ava detected ovulation /temps rose on the Friday so yes it can be that long if Ava was right, but I wasn't measuring ewcm.

Cleo - how does the ewcm fit into your ovulation picture? I’ve never heard of ovulation 3-4 days after peak opk but honestly anything is possible I say. Especially at our ripe old age.

@KahFen... you wrote..I have some cheese left and I am bloody well going to eat a whole brie when my af arrives. Nom nom!! ...that made me lol! 😁
As for me I have dtd twice so far this cycle and feel ovulation could be right now as boobs suddenly gone hard and v.sore. we haven't dtd yesterday.. that's the problem. I gave a sore throat and feel rubbish atm but am going to have to dtd unless already ovulated. I think i must have as the mucus has calmed down now and has turned creamer...sorry tmi!

I was ill with a fever etc at the start of this cycle and on antibiotics but that wouldn’t affect things would it?

@cleozeta No I’ve not had any tests yet. I’m going to make an appointment with GP about the night sweats but I don’t know if I’ll need to go private as suspect they won’t be interested in checking anything fertility-related because of my age (44). I don’t take anything at the moment other than pre-conception pregnacare, I’ve no idea where to start tbh!! Sounds good that you’ve got a good strong temp rise, hope the 2ww isn’t too stressful for you!

Gizmojo have you had any hormone tests yet, day 3 fsh or day 21 progesterone? Might be worth checking those out, see where you are at?
My af has arrived early for the last 2 cycles as well. My usualy LP is 11 days byt the last two have been more like 9. I'm hoping it was realated to the DHEA I was taking and will go back to normal now I've stopped. Will have to wait and see. Have you taken anything new this last cycle?

Kahfen - good luck to you this cycle. I hope AF does not make an appearance today! Keeping busy is the best tactic.

Kj1010 - after my mc I ov'd about 2-3 weeks later. Quite soon after spotting finished, then 1st af came 11 days after that.

Chat - did AF come in the end?

Mimosa - yes I think progesterone dominance is rare! It's probably the better option to be honest, as if you do get a bfp, you'll have a nice load of progesterone to keep it going! Will be interesting to see what a full cycle of DHEA can do for you.

Minime - still early days - fingers crossed for you! I would totally buy more opk's, I know if I left it things would go weird and I'd drive myself nuts with no opks! Plus opk's are kind of fun....

As for me - have definitely ovulated now, am about 2 dpo and my temp rise is quite strong. Could be the vitex doing it's job. Plus I usually get sore boobs between ov and af but I had sore boobs just before ov this time and now they are not. Weird. Plus the oddity of ovulating 4 days after my 1st +opk, 3 days after my peak. Thats a long time right? Also missed the boat as we only dtd 3 days before ov and night of ov. Kind of writing this cycle off for bfp but interested to see what vitex does for my lp.
If I get another 9 day LP I'll cry. Maybe even wail.

@KahFen Since I’ve been temping again my LP looks to normally be about 11-12 days, which is what it was last time I got pregnant. As for other signs, as I say I’ve been having some night sweats - some pretty bad - mostly during LP and my bbt doesn’t seem to get as high as it used to but my coverline is also lower generally, poss because I’ve lost a lot of weight in the interim? Anyway you’re right, we’re not robots! I hope your interview goes/went well! X

CD23 and potentially 7-9 dpo. Frer says no this morning (i know, still early days...ashamed to say its not the first Ive taken) so not hopeful this cycle, despite the aching back and kinda tender boobs, though these symptoms seem the norm now. Im officially out if opks and IC tests, so question is do I get onto Amazon and squander more money on them or go cold turkey and break the addiction, throw caution to the wind and let nature do what nature will do 🤔

Cleo - I think sex on day of ovulation is always a good idea but deep down I’ve always felt that the few days before is best. They do say though that you have 12-24 hours after it’s has been released so fingers crossed. Yes a long LP does fit in with low oestrogen doesn’t it. Never heard of progesterone dominance tho.... typical of me to possibly have it!

Rose - I’ve only been taking DHEA for two weeks so it’s early days but now you mention it my pmt was very minimal this last cycle. Hope it is a side effect! Interesting.

Chat - keeping everything crossed for you still. It’s never over TIL the fat lady sings. Good luck tomorrow with your mother hun!

Kah - fingers crossed AF stays away and good luck for the interview.

Mellon - hope you’re ok. Thinking of you x

I have been away over Christmas and just checked in with you all. So utterly sorry for your news @mellongoose. That is beyond difficult as an ending for such a happy story. I wish so much that you hadn't had to go through this. Sending all my spare strength and hugs for your loss which must feel unendurable right now. I hope you have some of the kindest and most sympathetic people imaginable with you.

@littlemimosa and @gizmojo sory to hear your af has arrived. I hope you keep warm and well fed with lots of Christmas leftovers if there are any. I have some cheese left and I am bloody well going to eat a whole brie when my af arrives. Nom NOM! Due today but not here yet - I am feeling that it will come any minute as am feeling pretty crappy with all the usual aches and pains plus an extra cold and bad sore throat for good measure.

@Chatbash sounds like you have a bad day lined up tomorrow. I hope you get some time to yourself and I hope your af holds off until you have space to cope.

@gizmojo I had one of those really short LPs a while back but things went back to normal and am now regular again. I stressed out massively about it though. It was really worrying. But I think that things are only really worth worrying about if they get into a pattern and the worrying thing repeats itself a lot. I keep having to remind myself I am not a robot and that every month will be different. That helps a bit. Have you had other really short LPs? Any other signs that things are not good?

@Rose68 I am on dhea and have also noticed less PMT than I used to have. Would be interesting to know if it helps with that! Quite expensive it is that little pill ... wonder if I will eventually save the money back on spending less on tissues and chocolate!

@Alibaba2 I am on 26 day cycle and have all of those post ov symptoms sometimes. I think progesterone is responsible for the heat thing but not sure about the creamy cm and weird dreams. Progesterone is responsible for all the things that make me think I could have done it this month and be pregnant!

I am having to prepare for new job interview tomorrow so that will give me something else to think about whilst at the end of the 2ww. The bit I really don't like. It still makes me so nervous in the last few days that I end up feeling a bit sick and then get over excited thinking it might be morning sickness lol! Anyway tomorrow I will be busy.

Much love to all and a belated Happy New Year. May this one be a good one for all of us xxxxx

Thanks guys. I’m just so upset as it was only 8dpo, my LP has never been that short before, just can’t understand it.

Good luck @Realitysucks with the up coming procedures and poor dh.
@hmmm123 just keep dtd so you have swimmers in the tubes..
@littlemimosa big hugs at af arrival, we could be cycle twins... ov at the full moon and normally a 28/29 day gal, but app says I was due on yesterday so of course hopes really up till today as slight spotting and now cramps but it's bang on the new moon.. was soooo sure this was my month too as during my ov period my pheromones were making dh bonkers.. 😞😞
Could really do without my parents coming for lunch tomorrow.... 🤞🤞🤞 she just keeps quite and doesn't go out of her way to upset me... 😞
@Gizmojo big hugs for af arrival too
@Kj1010 sounds like ov twinges.. which is good
@onemorego2019 keep testing
@Cleozeta get busy..
hope I haven't missed anyone out..
sending massive hugs @mellongoose I think I can safely say you have been in all our thoughts and we are here for you.. lots of love.. 💕💕💕

@Gizmojo Sorry to hear that x

Sorry to hear your sad news Mellongoose.

Hmmmm, I also have a 24-26 day cycle and sometimes ov on cd9. Have you had any post-ov symptoms like creamy cm, weird dreams, feeling hotter?

Rose, I haven’t taken DHEA but when I take epo and b6, I don’t get PMT (or only very mild). I guess they all balance the hormones.

For those of you taking dhea... have you noticed any improvement with pmt? I get very irritable the week before AF, which I don’t seem to be getting so much recently.

I am thinking of you too @Mellongoose, I haven’t stopped thinking about you. xxx

@Kj1010 yes that could be ovulation pain, I had ov pain on both sides about 2 weeks after my erpc. Some months it starts off on both sides, but then gets much stronger on one side.