Fantastic 40+ thread - part 6

[Curlylox]

Over here everyone

Latestarter -I'm glad you could see the sack in your ultrasound, at your stage, that's a good sign. Wow! about the possibility of two.Very exciting.

bean - I have a prolapse and have had three pregnancies with it, so I don't think it interfered with conception.

Well done deige on the weight loss. I've been steadily losing on the Paleo, though on Friday I got on the scales, and after a particularly good week with the exercise and eating, I had put on a kilo!Argh!I was not impressed. Then I popped back on yesterday morning and had actually lost it and a bit more - in a day- how bizarre! As long I keep losing rather that putting on,I'll be happy. I worry about the encroaching menopause, and how difficult it is to lose weight once there, so I feel I need to sort it out now.I don't want to be an obese elderly person, as it looks like that would complicate and make life hard.

Marytheresa- I can't believe you are half way through. I'm sure your worry is perfectly natural. I do recall having many,many anxious moments with my DS's pregnancy. We had a tests at 12 weeks that scared us terribly - suggesting a high chance of trisomy 13/18. Then we went in for an amnio, but whilst having an ultrasound could see that the baby looked fine, so didn't do the amnio. However, I still worried until he was born. I wish I had worried less and enjoyed the pregnancy more, but I was 41 at the time and felt hyper aware of the odds against us. Instead I should have looked at the odds for us, IYKWIM.

I don't think I could resist finding out the sex of the baby. I just love finding out, then doing a spot of shopping especially for the little one.

I do hope I get one more chance to do so.

P.S. Very unhappy to find a big fat bill in the post, for $400, for the testing they did on the baby after my miscarriage. These are the tests they did last July - and lost the results of, then had to do them again...And I have to pay that much. I'm really peeved, but I guess I'll have to pay.

Hi Ladies

Thanks for all your great replies. Latestarter2009, thanks for putting my moan about the people on fb etc in perspective. Your are so right, they do have a right to be happy, and to be spared the worry etc, as I wouldn't wish the worry on anyone. I never thought about that way before.

Italian - I go to a Catholic church, your right about smoking a pub. I remember my parents having parties in the house, and there would be a film of smoke in the room once everyone went home. How things have changed....for the better of course

hopefulgum - I really hope you do too!

Love to all you great ladies.

marytheresa I loved your stories about the church... But so sorry to hear about your friend. Your concerns are understandable. Pregnancy is obviously a natural process, but in the end, every baby truly is a miracle.

latestarter wow, what a surprise! And yes, I have lived in the UK for the past 12 years.

diege missed the cafe again, but roast chicken sounded delicious - we went out with friends to play quasar (laser tag) which was surprisingly fun. And we ladies only needed one more game to beat the guys...

Hello to our lovely lurking lady, italian and all the other peeps here.

News from me - we have heard about the date of our first consultant appointment. It's on our anniversary, so hoping this is an auspicious day. I get my day 1-3 blood test results tomorrow, so hope they say good things.

Miaalexandrasmummy qasar sounds fun and good to hear the ladies did so well. I think it's a very good sign the consultant appointment is on the same day as your anniversary. I do hope that it goes well.
diege so sorry I missed the snug. Was away at the weekend near the South Downs and had no signal for most of the time (unless I stood at the back of the garden with my phone held in the air...) Well done on that weight loss.
bean how are you doing? I don't know much about prolapses but hopefuls answer sounds good. As for baths, I'm more of a shower girl. I'm sure it can't make a huge difference? That said, possibly worth avoiding at crucial times in the month (I'm not advocating not washing just no hot hour long baths!)
marytheresa love the church sanitory towel story!
latestarter lovely to hear about the scan. Sounds like it's all going to plan. Possibly 2 sacs?? Wow - bet you weren't expecting that! Keeping my fingers crossed that things keep going smoothly.
hopeful am the same. I'd have to find out the sex too! I'm too nosey to wait. So sorry to hear of that bill coming through the door. $400 is such a lot of money. Did they lose the results? If so, surely they should pay?

I'm fine had a lovely weekend away, just me and DD (hubby working....) AF due next weekend. 99% sure I'm not going to see a BFP. Have already asked DH to ask for leave for our next most crucial time. Will keep my fingers crossed it gets agreed.
Another friend had her second child at the end of last week, felt a lump come to my throat when I saw the picture of her new DD. She's beautiful. I just so wish I could get that BFP. Very happy for her, but that yearning doesn't seem to be going away. Hopefully next month will be my month. Lots of love to all XX

Ah Knicky - the yearning is a killer especially when your friends are having babies. Poor you. When do you get your test results? I hope you get an ironic BFP this month anyway. We are gearing up to ov week here. And DP's birthday. Would be nice if it all fell into place... xxx

Evening my lovelies!

Really interesting to read about your experiences of acupuncture Tina and Blackcats.
Tina ? keeping my fingers crossed for your IUI #2.
Wow Latestarter! Two sacs?.!! Keep us posted!
Bean see your bath dilemma has been answered thoroughly. Somewhat aside from this, I have heard that womb-warming (often part of Chinese medicine) should definitely be avoid post OV though. Sounds from what Gum says you?ll be fine TTC with prolapse. I remember reading on here about a cup that you use after sex to keep sperm in the right place (though sounds like you don?t need it). Can?t remember who it was nor the name of the thing. Diege, Hippy, Gum - ring any bells with you?
Congrats Mary for making it to week 20 and great to hear all is ok. Hope you feel you can relax now and enjoy your pregnancy. Loving your Barbie/sanitary towel stories.

Re booze, agree with others that you should avoid while TTC and defo in first Trimester. I am amazed that The Lister say you?re fine drinking while doing IVF. I think that was bad advice and I really regret taking it.

Hi Italian - sending up some more prayers for you.
Diege advance apologies for Friday night bistro as DH and I will actually be out for the evening.
Gum that bill is pretty mean after the shoddy way they dealt with those investigations.
MiasMummy quasar sounds great fun. I fancy a go at that. Good news that you have your initial consultation now. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you that you won?t need it. How were the bloods?
Knicky your weekend away sounds lovely. Keeping my fingers crossed for you that you get a surprise BFP.

Visiting folks for a day or two and found beautiful sunshine too gorgeous to resist, so skived off domestic duties and went for a walk this avo. Lots of lads out in shorts and teen girlies in their best pastels, smothered in Impulse and struggling on the shingle in strappy sandals!! Hippy did you see me waving at you across the water from Lepe beach?

Love and hugs to all lurkers and everyone else. FF xx

Miaalexandersmummy that is great news, yes, I think that may be a nice sign. All the best

HUGS to everyone.

I had massive breakthrough bleeding like a big period, sorry tmi, and I have been feeling very emotional! And knackered, but the end is in sight and it will be this month. Just hoping now that at least one of the frosty snowflakes has made it through.

Hugs to all. And chocolate boobs as we say on the assisted conception thread.

fireflies at the girls smelling of impulse on the shingle beach, think it would have been me once, no doubt following round a bloke called Gary who smelt of kouros wearing a pair of levi 501s. Sounds like things haven't moved on that much! (though I dare say listening to Aha and Bananarama isn't cool anymore....if it ever was.....)
Italian, it's no wonder you're emotional. Am willing you on to have a successful transfer this month. Many positive vibes are winging your way.
bean test results fine so far. Progesterone done last Friday. Off to GP next week for results and next steps (if there are any). Hope your DP has a lovely birthday.

Italian - sorry to hear about that bleeding. I do hope your frosties are ready to be babies! Let us know how the transfer goes.

Latestarter, will you be having another ultrasound soon?

Yes, fireflies it really did feel shitty when I got that bill after they'd buggered up the testing.(For those who don't know the story - I had an ERPC after my second miscarriage and asked for testing, to see if we could find out why it happened. Apparently the hospital didn't deal with the remains correctly, so the lab couldn't test for abnormalities. Then they said, we could try some other way, which they did, but although they could tell me it wasn't trisomy 13,18 or downs, they couldn't test for anything else, so it could have been something or nothing. Very frustrating, as they also told me they couldn't test the remains after my first miscarriage, 6 months earlier, because the hospital hadn't dealt with the remains properly, but 6 months later we found they had done the testing and had sent it the hospital instead of my doctor. It was a horrible merry-go-round. In the end I learnt that our baby had trisomy 13 -with the 1st miscarriage, but 2nd miscarriage results were inconclusive)

I had no idea they'd charge that much. I don't think I'll pay it right away, I'll wait until I get the "final notice". Normally, medicare covers test costs, but I think for this one it is all out of pocket,and I doubt that my private insurance will help, but I'll contact our insurer to find out. Things are still quite tight in the Gum household, so I don't need a bill like that right now.

I think it might be fertile time soon, at the end of this week, but my enthusiasm is waning. Just really tired of ttc.And also worried about finances, and how on earth I could afford to have maternity leave again - as we only get 12 weeks pay.

I don't think it'll stop me from having SWI though...

Italian hope you're ok? The breakthrough bleed sounds grim. You haven't had the embies transferred yet, have you? Sending up more prayers for you. xx

Gum have you considered querying the bill with them, either on the grounds that you weren't informed of the charges properly prior to them carrying out the investigations, or on the basis that they weren't carried out satisfactorily, and bearing in mind the distress and severe inconvenience it caused you, they need to either drop the bill completely, or drastically reduce it? W(*&%$s! It's always worth a go. I just got some money knocked off a bill when I phoned up and said they were having a laugh at how much interest they'd added on to it. They agreed and dropped 2/3rds of it. ;-)

Blimey. Only 12 weeks mat pay? That's making the UK seem positively generous these days. I was surprised to hear my Dutch friends only get 16 weeks. I'd always thought it was more when I lived there. We all need to move to Estonia. My friend who lives there has been on maternity leave for 2 years with pay, and as she's just had more in that time (twins), her paid leave gets extended.....Wow!!

Please don't rub it in that you're getting any action in the bedroom. Now DH is back at work his mind is entirely on his job. I guess I might have to rule any nooky out until the autumn now. Where's the, err, twiddling thumbs emoticon??!!

Glad I went for that lovely walk along the beach yesterday. Is dismal today. No chasing Gary across the shingle today!!

Hugs and waves to all the lovely 40 somethings. xx

Fireflies - no nooky til the autumn?! Crikey moses. I would like to move to Estonia for a number of reasons, but now have one more!

Italian - thinking of you; sounds upsetting. Keep up the good work and stay as positive as possible. xxx

Hopeful - I am with you on 'waning' enthusiasm. But I'm trying to turn it into 'more interested in other stuff and less obsessed with TTC'. (Not really working, but the attempt should be merited! ) I have decided not to buy any more supplements and the next round of acupuncture I buy will be the last. It's down to DP now, hoping that his wrigglers get more wriggly and that this summer is warm and sexy and conducive to lots of BFPs for everyone.

Knicky - how dare you suggest that Bananarama aren't cool any more?! Taking it that your fsh is good etc? Kind of annoying then that this baby2 isn't here yet, but good because it will be soon? I hope that statement summarises how you feel.

DS has discovered he can escape through the dog flap. Oh the fun begins!

Errrr...two years maternity leave WITH pay??? Definitely mentioning this to DH when I get home. I LOVE the sound of that. It's worth forgiving Estonia for any songs they have given us through Eurovision (though to be fair the UK entry isn't much better usually...and with Engelbert Humperdink as our hot UK favourite this year, have a feeling it's not going to get better any time soon....)

bean the original line up of Bananarama was always cool....not so sure about when they got that new lady in though. Your DS can escape through the dog flap?! Love it. Yet another thing to keep an eye on for you then! My FSH all looks fine apparently - so only a matter of time hopefully (though still need DH to get his SA soon).

FF I know Lepe Beach well. Thought I saw you waving love to all you glamorous ladies X

Knicky - that's good re' your test results, surely? My FSH was slightly elevated at 9.5 but I don't think that's too bad really. I was just pleased I had 11 follicles brewing in the ovaries! Did you get your AMH tested?

I wonder if your SA will reveal much? I think you should draw hope from the fact that you have had two BFPs though I don't doubt the M/C was v upsetting. We have had nada on the BFP front and that's after at least 14-odd cycles TTC. Q worrying though now the poor SA has made a bit of sense of it. I daren't ask DP to test again because bad news would be too demoralising, and good news means he might pick up his bad habits again

They do very nice slipper-socks in Estonia. And lovely countryside apparently...

Hello all. Having a bit of a 'moment' here. Got my day 1-3 blood test results back, and my GP ran through them on the phone and said that they were all normal. However, on reviewing them on paper today, I see that my FSH is 13.7, which I have now discovered is definitely at the wrong end of the 'normal' scale, although prolactin and LH are good. It seems that my body is working pretty hard to pop out those little eggs... eek! Is there anything I can do to help things along?

Hi Mia - if you're GP thinks that's 'normal' then perhaps don't worry? I think at our age we're not going to have low FSH. Apparently the figure can change month by month too. I guess all the usual rules apply - keep healthy, eat a fab diet, do some exercise, try to stay relaxed. Otherwise you could try DHEA discussed here and acupuncture is supposed to be good for getting FSH under control though yours doesn't sound like it's running away.

I've had a few of those moments over the last year or so; have realised that it's normal to have them but it's important to stay positive where possible and remember numbers are just numbers and loads of people get pg with high FSH/low AMH.

thanks bean. You are right, I can't expect everything to be 100% perfect at this age - otherwise I would be pg already... I can only do what I can do, as you said, to make things as fertile-friendly as possible. And as my DH pointed out, we only need one egg and one sperm to get on friendly terms! (wow, he makes it all sound so easy.)

Huge hugs to you all.

Hi all - I posted earlier this month about whether to get tests done and what I should ask for, and got some very helpful advice.

The GP has put me in for Day 21 tests - actually on Day 20 due to when the weekend falls; when I pointed out that I had a 25 day cycle, she said that didn't matter as they still needed to be Day 21. Is that right? It doesn't sound right . . .

I asked about the early-in-cycle tests and she didn't know what those were.

She seems happy to sign me up for anything, but I think I'll have to be quite specific about what I want.

I've started Bvits - do I take them for the whole cycle? Also agnus castus - but stopped that on day 9; again, is that right?

Thanks again!

She also said that she'd had 2 women older than me who had conceived naturally this year alone, so maybe there is a tiny bit of hope left!

Twirly - I'm surprised that your doctor isn't considering that you need that test 7 days post ovulation, rather than on day 20 of a 25 day cycle. Sounds like she doesn't know about fertility tests, the earlier tests can give information about your fertility.

So how many days post ovulation will you be on day 20? If it is a lot more than 7 days, then your progesterone will be at a lower amount (unless you are pregnant), which might then give you results that say you aren't ovulating, or are in need of progesterone.

Perhaps your doctor ought to consult someone who knows about the tests. My doctor is also happy to do what I request but has admitted she doesn't all that much about fertility as she is a GP, and will contact a fertility specialist to find out how much progesterone to take when I fall pregnant.

Agnus castus can be taken all cycle i think, in fact I've heard it can be good for keeping progesterone levels high. However, I'm not sure, and someone else might have a better idea.

Mia, I don't think your FSH is too high. Mine is 12, and my doctor said that is expected at my age, but a fertility doctor would say I'm running out of time - but no surprises there, and I'm not worried about it.

I'm still feeling ambivalent about ttc. I think I've almost reached saturation point and I just keep worrying about how hard it will be.

Of course if I got a bfp I'd be over the moon with happiness, I'd just have to convince everyone else in the family that it's a good idea!LOL.

hopefulgum I'm on day 11 just now and haven't ovulated - I think the agnus castus gave me a good clearing out as I was still bleeding on day 8 which is very unusual and it was old blood, so maybe this cycle will be different anyway and she'll end up testing me on the right day by default!

I thought you shouldn't take agnus castus past ovulation as it can cause mc if you do conceive? I stopped because I thought I'd be ovulating early as usual, but I do feel that it got rid of some old stuff.

twirly I've been taking agnus castus for the past few days and was also confused about internet posts where people said you shouldnt take it post ovulation. I think people should be very careful in taking any notice of what is said anecdotally on threads re herbs and supplements and indeed on almost anything. I know in areas i feel confident about- food poisoning especially , women have said blatantly wrong things on MN threads and been very authoritative in the way they have said it .
I'm still confused about agnus castus but it is in fertility blend- a preconception supplement and you take that throughout your cycle, though the doseage isn't given so it may be a very low amount. That's authoritative enough for me, i'm sure they've done their research and they are not selling a product which rather than help conception will lead to a miscarriage. If i get a BFP this month i'll stop taking it immediately unless in the meantime i read anything that conflicts with that. There is some info here and earlier today i found a link to lots of research papers none of which gave me cause for concern, sadly i've lost the link. anyway some general info here, i can't vouch for the accuracy of it though!
www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?nm=Reference+Library&type=AWHN_Supplements&mod=Supplements&tier=2&id=B876FF3FB5FE45E7AC1B9AB8D2E94726

Hope everyone is well. My body seems (touch wood) to be behaving properly now. If i see another sustained temp rise tomorrow it means i most likely ovulated on Monday- hurray! Also we had lots of sex around that time. So trying not to get hopes too much up as its still so early since ERPC ( 6 weeks tomorrow) but you never know!

i don't mean that to sound rude. These threads are great places to share information and best of all to give support but you can never know for certain that what the other person is saying is correct. Plus supplements and herbs really are quite dicey things to self medicate with (some herbs anyway) so what i'm saying is read what people say but check it out later, do additional research.