TTC 35+ Thread 7

I peed on another stick and got a proper line now! I'm feeling so relieved! I'll be able to breath a proper sigh of relief once we're past the 8 week mark though I think.

In my mad panic yesterday i ordered 32...yes 32! 🙈 other pregnancy tests. A pack of 30 cheap ones that were only £3 including delivery and two digital ones. All reason and logic goes out the window when ttc!

Yay to ovulation peaks! Fingers crossed for you all! 🤞🍀

P.s. Can I stick around even though not actively ttc, you guys have helped keep me sane and I think my partner appreciates I haven't been bombarding him with it all 😂

@Marvellouslymadmum that’s alright hun - I’ll let you know how I get on with my cheapies! Wish me luck! 😁

@Farfaraway1 oh that's a nightmare! I'm all out of suggestions then I'm afraid 😕

@Marvellouslymadmum it is a bloody shame! We don’t have Amazon or EBay in NZ, we can order from those sites but it all comes from UK or US (or China) and if it’s coming by boat our shipping ports are chocka apparently (thanks COVID) so supplies are taking ages to get in 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🤦🏻‍♀️ X

@M4v3r1ck ooh that's great for the code I was about to go there too!

As far as I can tell with th cb you can get anything from one to ten days high before your peak

@Farfaraway1 ahh that's a shame! Yes I definitely got a good deal, less than half price. A lot of people buy their cheap ones from Amazon or eBay if that helps

@climbershell just realised we are cycle buddies! I’m cycle 8 and first time using the sticks too! Good luck to us both 😄😘 cracking up about you peeing all over yourself 🤣

Thanks @climbershell I’ll see how I get on with the ovulation tests. Tbh I’m a bit sick of the medical side of it all. I’ve had bloods already (not specifically looking at ovulation though), scans, and a smear, everything is normal so doing the ovulation tests is my own little way of seeing how things are tracking - if at all.. When I get pregnant I have 48hrly blood tests for 2 weeks to monitor for ectopic (past history), so over them! But that’s good advice, thanks, and will be a logical next step if we get a bit further down the path with no BFP.. ☺️ X

@Marvellouslymadmum thanks hun 😘 still kind of pricey for me though, that’s about $50 where I am (NZ) and seem to constantly be on a budget so won’t be able to get that under the radar 😂 that’s a good deal you got though. They’re on sale here for $50 for only a 10 pack!!
@M4v3r1ck I’m looking at a brand called ‘Freedom’ not heard of them before but it’s the best I can get in my price range without waiting for ages for an overseas order to arrive.. will see how I get on! Just hoping to see a second line of any kind to be honest 😂

@farfaraway1 if you want to know you are ovulating speak to your doctor and they'll book you in for a blood test, to be done 7 days before the start of your cycle.

I'm on cycle 8 and first cycle doing opk. I use one step, they are ridiculously cheap. Last night I actually peed all over my hand tho!! 😅 cd12 for me today, still v v light line yesterday but I'm still going to keep to my sex scheduled of dtd 12-15, basing off likely ov cd14-15. Can always extend dtd or alter next cycle if opk suggest this to be sensible - after all once peak ov prob only 24ish hours away and need to be dtd 2 days before ov & the day itself really

Happy hump day ladies! 😈

My gosh I can't keep up, but I saw something that may be of interest and had to tell you! MSE has blagged a discount at Holland & Barret! I know a few of you get supplements from there! App the code is MSE25OFF and it's valid until Sun! 😃😃😃

I got a proper OPK peak this morning!!! 😍 On CB! Although it arrived after only two high fertility days - is this normal? I'm CD14!

@Farfaraway1 I've always been so bad with OPKs! You need to have pretty 'strong' urine for the cheap ones! I drink so much water, so it's a mare! Never did twice a day testing! I'm just using CB and I like it cos it's the morning pee you use! I also tried a cheap one this morning and there was a decent line (not peak), but CB said peak?! 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Fredsmama that must have been so tough! Sending you all the love! I'm so glad Tommy's were a help! 😘

@KG1145 yay to darker lines! Frustrating re: progesterone though! That's amazing re: the Tommy's midwife too! 😍

@Farfaraway1 I bought mine from eBay all sealed in their package with a three month shelf life but I'll use them all in that time anyway! They were £24 for 25 tests

@Magnum99 yes, we both have children from previous relationships but none together so won't be eligible for ivf but have had blood tests with the gp and now my oh has been referred for an sa and I've been referred to fertility where I should get an amh and afc and may be offered clomid or something similar if needed.

@Katiekattty How is your test now? You may be approaching the predicted ovulation day, so test twice a day to avoid missing your surge.

I’m pretty sure they’ll do the regular fertility tests for you after 6 months @Magnum99 and possibly a referral for non-IVF help too. Some people here have had them.

Just wondering - does anyone know whether the NHS will give you any tests / help TTC if you've already got children? Or what help might be available?
I know we wouldn't be eligible for IVF, that's fine, I understand and respect that. But would there be anything else that might help?

After progesterone has been mentioned I've googled the symptoms and I do have most of them - I'm overweight (I shouldn't be as overweight as I am as I honestly don't have a terrible diet), I have a low sex drive, suffer with anxiety. My cycles aren't very irregular though. Thyroid is fine before anyone asks, it's been tested a thousand times.

I'm off for my scan this morning, fingers crossed there's no cysts or fibroids 🤞🏻

Just realised I typed grievance instead of grief up there lol, sounds like a different type of counselling.

Sorry to hear your story @Fredsmama, I’m just scrolling back up. Good to hear Tommy’s were supprotive.

Yeah it’s not long to wait @Marvellouslymadmum

@sickofthisyear I know I’ve read taking it with magnesium is good because it gets the oestrogen working properly too, but I get the worry and that’s why I tried only in the LP so far. I only took 50mg daily and my boobs were sore in like a wave /////\ when the dose was taken and then when wearing off.

The masks are handy like that.

@Farfaraway1 similar to mmm, I totally failed to get on with the internet cheapies so I’m using the pricier clear blue ones and I’m not super knowledgeable. I think a few people here use easy@home.

Speaking of ovulation sticks, I got a LOW reading again today (cd8). So something has clearly calibrated somewhat, either my body or the machine. Will be interested to see how it goes in terms of day of ovulation etc this month.

@Fredsmama *excuse my shocking typo- obvs meant to say going not goofing 😳 fingers typing too fast for my morning brain!

@Twelvestars how much b6 is in your vitamin? I take 50mg and I think would need to be that high a dose to make an impact.

@sickofthisyear I take the b6 all cycle as i don’t think it works for pms otherwise I feel I have to have it in my system. Maybe try lower dose every day instead of higher dose?

@Fredsmama I can’t even imagine goofing through what you have, so heartbreaking but so strong to be here and ttc again ❤️

Re CBT, I would definitely agree it is a great therapy and beneficial for anxiety as well as a number of other difficulties. I have both tried it myself following my mmc and also used the strategies on others (for work purposes). I know friends who have also benefited greatly from it. Worth a try for anyone having struggles with anxiety, mh or emotional well being.

Thanks @Marvellouslymadmum ! Will give that a go.. I’d love to go down the digital route but unfortunately they’re super expensive where I live so going to try with some cheapies (which even those are expensive here!) and see how they go.. ☺️

@thislittlebird I think you can call up then get a call back, that's what I used to do if I needed to speak to my some paediatrician, but if you're seeing her in three weeks theres probably no need.

Hi @Farfaraway1 I'm not the best to give advice as I didn't have much luck with them for a long time I've ended going for the clearblue digital advanced now as they're so much easier to read but yes I'd say if it's the strips test once a day to start off with, if you think you ov around day 14 with a 28 day cycle start about day 10 then when it gets higher you can test twice a day until you get your peak

Hi ladies I’m 37, on cycle 8 of ttc and this month I’m going to try ovulation sticks! I’m pretty excited 😂 I haven’t tried them before but now I’d really like the reassurance of knowing that I am ovulating (or not!!) and that I’m hopefully not broken.. what advice have you got for a newbie ovulation tester? Test once a day around ovulation and see what results I get? Or should I be testing twice a day, morning and night?

@sickofthisyear
I’ve only taken b6 after ovulation so far, until cycle day 1. Purely because I didn’t want to mess anything up cycle wise and I’m looking forward to hearing reports from everyone on it all cycle.

I had wondered if you worked in medical ~something~. I will speak to her again but she most definitely knew I was ttc because it came up a couple of times and I asked her about the steroids particularly because I was about to get an injection.

The anxiety med doesn’t worry me so much until I’m pregnant really, and the odds of that seem slim. My main concern with that is I have no idea how these things work so I’m going to raise coming off on switching etc when I see her.

@Twelvestars I’ve had CBT when I was doing my degree as an adult, it was ok. Not sure I learned anything I could not have taught myself about anxiety management from a book if I’m being very honest but I have some handy worksheets to help me talk myself down on occasion as a result of it. I also did some grievance counselling back in the day, which was different again and I guess more helpful because I got to offload and talk.

I’m not sure if you can just call with private really @Marvellouslymadmum. I guess you can’t do that with consultants on the NHS either, really, but you might get a call back. I’m not too worried, I’m seeing her in three weeks.