TTC 35+ Thread 4 Cougar and Silver Fox Club

@FridaKFangirl I’m the same too - according to the LH strips / CB monitor I usually ovulate day 10, 11 or 12, but sometimes It has been as early as day 9. So I get the flashing smiley quite a few days before that and I have had to start testing LH earlier and earlier otherwise the CB monitor misses it completely or I go straight to static smiley and don’t get flashing. Luteal phase seems consistent at 15 days as my cycles correspond with ovulation to be either 25, 26 or 27 days in length. So everything seems consistent if nothing else!
This month was a weird one for me with a double ovulation peak at CD10 and CD14. LH strips MUCH darker on CD14, which is later than I’ve ever ovulated according to the LH records since
I started recording over a year ago. I’m now on CD27 so I’m assuming the first peak wasn’t a true ovulation and the latter was the true ovulation - thus I’m expecting AF to show up in the next few days. My temp hasn’t dropped yet. I haven’t tested as for some reason I feel sure I’m not pregnant as this was such a weird cycle! I think we mistimed it for ovulation on CD14 as we DTD on CD7, 8, 9, 10, & then twice on CD13 (because I panicked over 2nd peak and told my DP we urgently needed to recommence!). So think this was mostly too early and we will have largely missed the second surge.
I asked my doctor if the “early” ovulation or shorter cycles were an issue and she said no. Don’t know if others have any more info on this?

@JustOneMore39 thanks for the advice. Limiting coffee...the horror! Is raspberry tea supposed to help with fertility? Let’s go golden ovaries indeed!

@FridaKFangirl im exactly the same. Only been off the pill since beginning June. Flashing smiley day 6 and 8 for me to xx

I’m getting slightly worried that my cycles are getting shorter... CD7 today started testing yesterday and already got a flashing smiley, it was on day 8 last month...

I noticed that @selina37 mentioned getting unexpected smileys when dehydrated though and I did go out last night and had one too many (oops!)

I wonder if this could have affected the result?

I’m only 3/4 cycles off the pill though so could just be sorting itself out I suppose.

Does anyone have any experience of shortening cycles but with a steady 15 day luteal phase?

Congratulations @JustOneMore39!

Thank you for sharing your tips @JustOneMore39 and congratulations!!

Many thanks ladies. Still early days but I'm feeling hopeful. I thought I would share what I did this month....if you are interested.

We followed the Sperm Meets Egg Plan - a few have talked about it before, and i can certainly recommend. It isn't just about timing of sex, it has lots of useful resources

I also put hubby on wellman fertility supplement.

And i took the supplement in the pic below. It is REALLY expensive. I ended up finding it on offer for about £30. But still.

But what I noticed, is that prior to this supplement, I was getting my LH surge on CD19 and for the month I didn't have much EWCM. But on this my EWCM increased loads and my LH surge was on CD16 which I think is a better amount of time.

I also listened to a lot in Ingefleur - the fertility homeopath on YouTube for what I could do naturally to try and make sure my oestrogen and progesterone levels were happy with each other.

I limited coffee to 2x per day. Drank more raspberry tea. I still drank alcohol, but this again was limited to a couple of drinks a couple of times a week.

I also focused on keeping a gratitude journal to try and affirm to myself that a 2nd baby would be amazing. But I tried to map a life where I had no more children, and what that would mean. It made the BDing far more enjoyable.

Hopefully we see some more BFPs over the weekend.

Let's go golden ovaries.

I think I get more excited about a bfp on this thread than any other I’m following. Love all the super fertile golden ovaries. Gives me lots of hope!!!

Huge congratulations @JustOneMore39

@JustOneMore39 woooohooo congratulations! Thank you for the positivity! 💜

@JustOneMore39 what lovely news!!!! Congratulations xx

Im 7dpo but I know its not happened this month.
This os my 4th cycle after coming off the pill so im hoping im starting to get to grips with my cycle. I will start using my cb opks earlier the next cycle.
I've decided I will still use opks but im feeling more relaxed. Ill give it a year. If it happens then great . If it doesn't i have 3 fantastic teenagers 😬
Xx

@JustOneMore39 congratulations lovely news xxx

Congratulations @JustOneMore39! We have a thread over on pregnancy board “old ovaries new lines” incase any of the BFP want to join us

@JustOneMore39 awesome news!! So excited for you

Hi Ladies,

It's been a while since I've been on. I hope you are all doing OK. Popping on to say I have my BFP!! So to those ladies near/at/over 40. Dont give up! Our ovaries are golden xx

Thank you for the welcome!

I'm just off to do another test to see of it changes!

Hello hello

Timing-wise, we currently sort-of follow the SMEP schedule.

Post-AF, we aim to do it every other day. If I get a positive OPK, we do it three nights in a row, then back to every other day. Then stop when AF appears again.

Random stuff I've learned:

• For a few months I had very little EWCM, then realised it coincided with taking antihistamines for hayfever! Not sure if that's medically correct, but I no longer take them in my suspected fertile window.

• In my weirdly long cycle, I had an initial LH surge, which I recorded - but it coincided with a really stressful couple of days, which I think delayed ovulation and thus my period. It really worried me. But I think I'd actually had a second surge and ovulated about 10 days later, as I had random EWCM at that time! Hence my period being 10 days late.

Hi @CurlyNo2 and welcome. Yes I have come across getting low then going from low to peak. I think it has to start from a base level to measure your estrogen in order to detect the rise hense why you should start testing on a certain day. Any way sounds like you are doing the right thing by dtd and you'll probably get your peak in a day or 2 if your on a 28 cycle. I would also test in the afternoon now around 2pm if your not already doing that. Good luck!

@SnowWhite1985 - It's good that you're taking steps to move forward. I'm the same - it was horrible getting so stressed out by a weird cycle, but it made me get some appointments and tests booked, after dithering for a while.

I think we'll 'twin track' NHS and private and see how we get on with each. To be fair to the NHS, I had my 'day 3' test at short notice today (actually 'day 2', but I think anytime between days 2 and 4 is okay).

But I also want to know about AMH, what shows up on scans, etc. It'll either rule out more potential problems (which will reassure me), OR identify a problem (which we can then tackle).

@Keepeas - Yes, sounds very similar! Do you mind me asking your age? I've panicked a bit because I'll be 39 in autumn. Ideally I'd like to have a second child before 40 and not have too big a gap between them (my daughter will be 3 in autumn). But I'm worried in case it simply isn't possible at all, let alone having preferences :/

@Highlandmama - Thank you. Glad your procedure went okay and is now over! But the timing issue is so stressful :/

Hello @CurlyNo2 welcome!
Yeah they need to build up a memory over a few days so may well show a circle even if a true reading would be flashing. I've made this mistake. I'm pretty sure I've got smileys when I'm super dehydrated too.
So I've stopped using them, now that Ive gauged my average ovulation day, otherwise I feel like I'm chucking money away!
If you can spot your ewcm you're half way there anyway!
Good luck in your TTC journey 🙂

Hi all
Please could join this thread.

I'm 36 and trying for baby number 2. I have a son who is 4.

I'mcurrently on CD12 buy i think I may have missed the correct day to start testing with CB advanced digital ovulation test. For the past 3 days I have had a low results but I have a ton of egg-white CM. I have been dtd as if I were in my fertile window but confused as to whether I missed the correct day to start testing so getting an incorrect reading on CB. I didnt test on CD 8-9. My cycle is normally 28 days.

#confused!

Playing catchup after an interesting few Days. Sorry for the BFNs. And kudos to those looking to be more healthy! Lockdown has been so tough!

@FridaKFangirl “lady jar” in the bathroom made me smile! Worried my new “lady jar” looks too similar to the toothbrush cup! Maybe razor blade holder would be the way forward.

Welcome @CC81 we are also trying for #2 and this is cycle 3.

So first month of ovulation tests underway And husband on board for lots of trying this week, i had a “surprise” rescheduled copolscopy yesterday which should have happened in March. I am thankful for the cervical screening programme, but however much I try and rationalise it, these appointments fill me with dread. Anyone else feel the same? Anyway. They were lovely and it’s all over with now and no need to stop trying or anything overly sinister going on. Had a wee biopsy so no TTC for a few days but no LH surge yet either so might still be ok for this month... sigh. Best laid plans...