Fabulous Fecund Over Forties TTC: fertile,prolific,fruitful and productive. Hand over the bfp's and hand them over now!!

[hopefulgum]

Starting the new thread for you wonderful ladies before I fly off into the sunset.

May this thread bring us the happy news we've all been waiting for.

It is good to hear you conceived your DS at 41, hopefulgum. I guess I have to expect it to take a bit longer now that I am older & I won't lose all hope yet. I was determined not to let this stress me out at the start, now just 2 months in & it is doing just that! I will be keeping my fingers crossed that you get that bfp very soon. Sounds like you are having a lovely holiday - I am very!

Isabeller, what a horrible scare

AndMorien, good you are feeling better now. I am sure your grandmother will be watching over you for the coming months....

I think I will make a try to get a ultrasound tomorrow morning to see what is going on. I am still bleeding, from the first show it is now 10 days. Unless I get a negative test tomorrow morning I will go and see what us going on. If test is neg,will go to doctors when I get to my holidays

Thank you for saying that, jass - even though it made me cry (it doesn't take much at the moment!)

Hello ladies. We are still having a wonderful relaxed holiday. I cannot believe it is our last day in Lombok, tomorrow we take a fast boat to Bali, then head into Ubud for four nights.

I have been very content to spend most of the days here lingering by the pool, especially as DS just wants to swim all day. He is knackered by the end of the day and sleeps heavily, not at all like at home.

DH has been more adventurous, exploring, but I honestly just needed to recharge my batteries after a tough term at work.

I am pretty sure the will be no bfp for me this time. I haven't taken my temperature ( which has been nice) but my boobs feel less and less tender which is a clear indicator to me. Although I am fine with it, I would have loved to have a "souvenir " from my holiday ( though it would have been made back home). I am guessing AF will turn up on Wednesday. I can't complain, my DS is my little miracle, the boy that might never have been, had we not had a vasectomy reversal and a determination to have a baby. I look at him and can't believe how lucky I am to have him in my life, he's really so gorgeous.

The local people here absolutely love the little blonde boy. Everyone fusses over him and talks to him, he's never had attention like this before. The Indonesians really value children, it is so nice to see. There's never a frown bringing children into bars or restaurants, they serve their dinner first and try to accommodate your needs quickly.

jass I hope you can get some answers soon, it is awful not knowing what is going on. I do hope all is well and that there is a little bean hanging on.

Can I share some good news? It looks like DP was right... I have a BFP !!

Edamame Congratulations! It's terrifying, isn't it, though, I know what you mean! Good luck for a sticky bean and a boring, text-book pregnancy

isabeller what a scare, hope you and your DH have recovered from the shock! There is always something, isn't there!

gum - sooo jealous .

jass Good luck with the doctors today, hope you get some clarity.

Not much from my end - still pg, 4+5 today, and tim eis going sllooooowwwwwlllyyy... I've come to hate this state so much.
Went to the GP this morning to get my consultant referral sorted, to register with the midwives and pick up the forms... It's all so deja-vu. Asked the GP if there is anything I can take/do to avoid mc, but no... But she promised to chase up the referral and make it urgent, I might even be able to speak with the consultant on the phone to then start the heparin injections straight away (I still have the syringes at home, got a 3 month supply last time that I then never used).

Can someone fast-forward me to early September, please?!

Edamame, that's great news!!!!!
I was just getting upset reading an article about declining fertility with age, but it seems this thread is really prolific!!!
Despite trying hard this months I feel some signals AF will be there around thursday and friday.. it's 6 months now and I'm getting nuts.. I'm tempted to test early, I'd rather have a chemical pregnancy than another unsuccesfull cycle.. It would show me I still can get pregnant..
On which CD does it make sense to test?
Anyway Thursday is my dd second birthday and I will try to focus on the party..
Morien I'm glad you're feeling better and really sorry for your grandma..
Isabeller I hope pregnancy will be smoother and uneventful from now on..
Wishing a good time to everybody else!

Congratulations Edamame!

Edamame, congratulations and have a boring pregnancy!
Jbrd, if I were you and I had the slightest reason to believe clotting was the issue last times, I would start using these heparin injections right now. I have been prescribed them to use from bfp, but in my case it did no help to sustain pregnancy, so I do not have to do it anymore. But I did for about 4 rounds and was advised to do it since bfp.
Hopeful, I have to say hat my 4 yo blond boy gets also far more appreciation from me because of the whole ttc trouble. I guess I am spoiling him and I am also terrified when he has the slightest health problem. Just can not tolerate him being miserable in any way. It must no tube good for him, finally, but I can to help it.

I did not get an ultrasound today. Doctor was fully booked, advised me to go to hospital to try my luck, but I did not have the 4-5 hour time to sit there. Am still getting this dark dark blackish red discharge a mc involves, and am more and more convinced I have leftovers from my blighted ovum. No signs of fever or anything, called a friend doctor in country of origin, She guessed I can wait until I get me on Friday. Then ultrasound ASAP and we will see what next. Curiously, I am not worried, or sad, nothing really. Just living my life and not really bothered.

Congratulations endamame, so great that it happened quickly for you. I hope it is easy sailing for you from here on.

jbrd, I feel for you, those early weeks do seem to move at a snail's pace and it is tortuous. Just remember, "for today I am pregnant".

Unfortunately for me, today, I am not pregnant. It looks like the start of AF today, it's about 13/14 dpo, so right on time. No point in being sad about it, but can't help feeling disappointed. I really do think I am past it, and there is no longer any point in planning a future that includes a new baby. It is better to move on knowing I have given it one hell of a good try but wasn't successful, and if a golden egg manages to get through and fertilize, then I will have a very happy surprise.

I will never try to prevent pregnancy, but I think my days of ttc are well and truly numbered.

Anyway, at least now I can take some travel calm tablets before we get on a boat today. We are leaving Lombok and going back to Bali for four nights. It has been lovely and I am feeling very relaxed. I might even have a few cocktails, as I have had very little alcohol in the last week, at least I can drink now without feeling worried or guilty.

Hang in here mozzamummy, six months may feel like forever, but it really isn't , just keep at it and you will get your bfp - you are nowhere near as ancient as me

Hopeful. I think the big consolation is that at least you are not on contraception, so even if not checking for OV and actively ttc, you would still be having hope! Gradually I guess hope decreases and acceptance increases, at least I feel this way. I am trying to think grandchildren instead and reminding myself that the chance of having a baby I can feel close to increase with my big children getting into their 20ies. It helps a lot, to be honest.

Hello! Gum I think that's a very good point jass makes about you not being on contraception. At least there means there is a chance, and with your proven fertility record if that golden egg is there for anyone it will be you xx
jass sorry to hear you're having to wait for the ultrasound till Friday. Are you still bleeding? You must be feeling very stressed .
edamame many congratulations!!
jbrd hoping you can hang in there and think positive thoughts - the wait must be excruciating. Are you having an early scan? xx
All ok here - 26 weeks. Had mw appointment today, all well, baby head down (not that that means much at this stage) and strong heartbeat. Only issue are my swollen fingers and hands. Wedding and engagement rings well and truly stuck so unless something happens pretty soon and the swelling goes down I'll need to go to a&e and have them cut off....Must try the iced water again...
Love to all xxx

Hi Diege ! Glad to hear all is going well with the little one. It must be uncomfortable having your fingers swell so early on though. I know I had to wear my rings on a chain around my neck towards the end of each pregnancy but I'm sure it was later. Cutting them off seems drastic, but better than cutting off your circulation if you leave them on I suppose!
When do you start mat leave? Are you able to take more time off over the summer now term has finished or do you still have a lot of work to do? Look after yourself!
edamame congratulations!
gum sorry this wasn't your month. Your holiday sounds wonderful, a real experience of a lifetime!
isabeller how are you feeling now,glad everthing turned out ok after your scare.
Jass hope you get some answers soon.
JBrd do you have a date for an early scan?
Mozza have a lovely day celebrating your DD's birthday tomorrow, they are moments to treasure!
CaliBee hope you're ok,it must be tough being apart from your DH. x
Love to all

Hi and thanks for all the good wishes. I'm starting to have some better days and a little bump pushing my spare tyre upwards - easy to disguise but obvious to me. Also desperate to go bra shopping!

It may be the hormones but I am feeling calmer and happier, beginning to really believe that everything will be ok. We have started to tell people and the egg donation no longer seems the biggest part of the story. We are being open about it and have had some very good reactions, especially from my family. When I told them about the unexpected miracle of an egg donor from the same country as my one non-UK grandparent relatives have said 'meant to be' and been incredibly keen.

Positive thoughts to all xx

Hello! That's great news isabeller that you are feeling more confident - it does sound like everything's going well
irish how are things with you? No end of term as such for me unfortunately as our students carry on for the whole year (they have the year broken up with placements). However it is much more relaxed on campus and I can certainly sneak in a few more working from home days
The ring situation is now dire - am trying my upmost to prise them off, but if anything the process makes my finger even more sore. I'll give it another week and then admit defeat.
Love to all - off to do a rain dance now, this heat is killing me!

Thanks diege I have been googling but can't find the method but I'm sure I remember a way to remove a ring using a plastic bag or perhaps clingfilm.

I imagine you must chill the finger under a cold tap at least and get the plastic between the ring and the finger then perhaps use oil or washing up liquid between the plastic and the ring. I think it works because you are using the plastic to pull the ring off and at the same time compressing the finger just above the ring with the plastic.

I imagine a bag would be better than clingfilm and maybe not too hard to wrap just tightly enough to get it under the ring in the first place.

Sorry I can't remember properly but perhaps someone else will. Also thanks for the heads up - my ring is getting tight but is still removable, perhaps I should get into the habit of taking it off at night while I still can.

Diege You might want to try and get someone (professional) to give you a hand massage, to get the swelling down enough to remove the rings. Also, drinking lots of special teas to counteract water retention (can't remember which ones, think nettle is one that does that) could help... I had to stop wearing jewellery towards the end of my pg, but I managed to get all the rings off before it got really bad.

jass How are you getting on, did you manage to see a doctor and/or get a scan?

Hi everyone, hope you are all OK!

Time is going too slowly for me, it's excruciating. 5+2 today, and all I want is to fast forward to 16 weeks or so (12 would do, too). I have no symptoms whatsoever (apart from suffering from caffeine withdrawal).

Not sure if I will want an early scan - unless I start bleeding or anything, of course. But I know from heartbreaking experience that an early scan is no guarantee that it will all be OK... So I don't know if it would reassure me very much.
Having said that, ask me again in 2-3 weeks, and I might say something completely different!

Good Morning ladies.

First morning back at home and feeling so happy to be here. That makes it sound like I didn't enjoy my holiday, which isn't the case, just happy to be in my lovely house, with a new appreciation for all I have.

I guess, also, some parts of the holiday were wearing a bit thin, mainly that almost everyone in our holiday party, bar my DD and me, got sick at some point. It is very common to get "Bali belly" as there are so many new bugs that we haven't encountered before, new foods, it is a third world country etc, but I got very tired of having to be hyper vigilant with the hand sanitiser etc. Anyway, on the last night we went to this amazing, gorgeous restaurant perched up above a river, that served stunning food, and my Dd (16) spent most of the evening with her head over the toilet bowl at the restaurant! Poor thing, it just came on suddenly. Thank goodness she'd stopped vomiting by morning as we had an early plane to catch.

So I have a new appreciation for the level of hygiene,and the lack of nasty tummy bugs back here in Australia. And I reckon I just had the best night's sleep in ages.

I have woken with a renewed vigour for ttc would you believe!? I know I had come to some kind of acceptance whilst I was away, but for some reason, back here I suddenly feel that I shouldn't give up the dream after all.

I know this desire/acceptance etc is a bit of a roundabout (you must get sick of me harping on about it), but I am just sharing my feelings (which I can't do anywhere else).

Not that a renewed vigour means very much, I won't actually be getting any medical assistance or anything, but I feel a new lease of energy rather than an exhaustion, IYKWIM?

Maybe it is just a habit, it felt very odd looking at my chart at FF with no temps for the last two weeks, and I think I may pull out the thermometer tomorrow morning.

I am still realistic about my chances, they are so slim at my age, and I am approaching my 47th birthday, but I still believe there may be a nice golden egg int here, and I might as well give it a good shot.

Jbrd, I completely understand how you feel. I had early scans and was told the hearbeat was perfect and the chances of miscarrying were only 5%. I was told this both times that I miscarried, so I don't know that I'd find a scan all that helpful. I often think if I get pregnant again I won't want a scan until 12 weeks, but on the other hand, I will be so stressed I will probably want to see what's going on inside. It's a dilemma, I know. You have my sympathy. ((hugs))

Deige, your tight rings sound awful. You poor thing. I know how much the heat can make a difference. I have very loose rings, but in Bali they were tight the entire time, now home, they are loose again. I had to remove mine quite early in pregnancy, they got tight too fast. I do hope you can find a solution that doesn't involve cutting them off. Is there a mountain nearby that you could visit where the weather is much cooler? Perhaps just for a couple of days? In a nice hotel, with room service...

Morning! Gum I know that 'happy to be home' holiday feeling all to well, and if you have been surrounded by sickness it must be a massive relief not to be surrounded by the constant threat of it! At least you didn't get it. I understand too your renewed enthusiasm for ttc-ing - no worries about being away when pregnant etc - I will be keeping everything crossed for that golden egg! I think I've mentioned a friend of a friend who fell pregnant accidently with triplets at 47? (48 when born), and who already had 6 (grown up) children? Massive shock for her but does show it can be done.
Thanks jbrd and isabeller for the getting-rings-off tips. The plastic bag one does sound as if it would work, though at this point in time I can't even turn them let alone get anything underneath. However, weather has cooled here today so may have another go with the iced water tonight.

'too well - sorry, pet hate!!!

Hello, it's good to find this thread. I wonder if you can advise. I've scanned the thread and although I see that some of your ages, I'd be interested to know if you are trying while knowing you have a fairly healthy hormonal profile? As in, your FSH is low and your AMH is not low!

I am 43, have an FSH around 30, and an AMH that suggests negligible fertility. I have a 3 year old. I have resigned myself to the fact that I won't have any more children but obviously, as you all know, acceptance is not a black and white thing when it comes to babies and I have days, like today, where I don't want to accept it.

Was just looking for any similar backgrounds? But maybe wrong thread...

Thanks and good luck to you all

Hello catchafox, I think there is a range of hormonal profiles on this thread. I don't know what my FSH is at the moment, and don't want to know. I had it measured more than a year ago and it was 12. I expect it would be higher now. My AMH was very low. But my progesterone is okay.

So I suppose I don't have a great hormonal profile, but many women do get pregnant with crappy hormonal results and many women with great results don't get pregnant.

Have you heard of the book by Julia Indochiva, Inconceivable? She had an FSH of 42 at age 42, but did have a child. It is a very good read.

I think this thread would be a great support to you if you are ttc. We all have hurdles to mount on our quest for a baby, and as you have probably read from scanning the thread some of us are particularly challenged (me - being so damned old ).

I have starting taking my temperature again today. It was very low. I was hoping for a miraculously high temperature and a miraculous bfp, despite having seen AF (it does happen, right??), because I felt a bit nauseous last night. It is more likely a result of the holiday excesses or some nasty little Balinese germ...Feel fine now. A girl can hope...

I have to go in to work today. Feels like an assault having to actually work, and then do grocery shopping and cook meals etc. I wish I could have brought home a lovely Balinese lady to cook and clean and babysit for me. They were so amazing and graceful and sweet.

Oh well, back to the real world.

Just a quick catchup.....and a biiiig hello to all those that know me.

Congrats to all those bfp's and my sympathies to our pregnant ladies in this heat.

Well my month without clomid did in fact result in ovulation on cd20....how ridiculous am I getting my hopes up in the 2ww knowing full well that no sex means no baby . Its only 4 weeks until DH is home now and another week after that until we move. I'm kind of looking forward to it but also dreading leaving all my friends and family behind and not having my own income. It seems weird that I havent seen DH for over a month now.
Poo to the army and poo to ttc.

catchafox I'm 43 aswell. My fsh was 20 and my amh was negligible in last years tests, but I did get pregnant in December on my first month of clomid. Fingers crossed for you x

Hi Calibee

Hi, thanks for the replies. I've never considered using Clomid. Do you have to see a consultant to have it prescribed or is it something a doctor can do? In what circumstances do you use it - and are their horrible side effects? I think I remember there is increased chances of multiples which doesn't bode well!