Fab Forty-Plus! Where are the BFPs...

[JBrd]

To keep this thread going, proving support to all of those of a 'riper vintage' wishing for a baby...

I have received so much help, advice and support here, so although I technically have graduated, I thought I'd get the next thread going to keep the momentum.

Hi ladies, I am sorry to gate crash your thread I've been directed over here by Annie to read all about Linda genius method of conception!

Linda I am very keen to try your method as my DH does suffer from performance issues at my fertile period. I hope that you do not mind but i have lots of questions that I hope you can help me with.

1. Would you recommend the reusable or disposable soft cups?
2. Which Robitussin is best? The dry cough or chesty cough one? I'm utterly clueless!

Many thanks

Hi London, I'm happy to answer any questions if I can. I used the disposable softcups, I got OH to deposit his sperm into it and come wake me up, then I put a little conceive plus around the rim and inside of it and spread the sperm around also then popped it in, if you are not too tired try and have an orgasm after it's in to pull the sperm up and you can leave the cup in for up to 12 hours The chesty cough bottle is best, i used it from cd 5 until ovulation, it tastes disgusting but worked for me only took 2 cycles to conceive but I never did all this in the first cycle we just plane old dtd then upped the game, anything to try and stop it taking as long as the last time.

Sorry I went on a bit there but it's best to tell it all incase it was the whole combination that worked

Thank you so much Linda.

I'm going to buy it all online now :)

You are welcome London. Good luck to you x

grizzer, I have understood from pred thread here on MN that prednisolone tablets come in 5mg tablets usually, but they get the 25 mg ones from their docs. I assume your DD has to take 30mg, and if you could get the stronger dose version it should be one 5mg plus 25mg tablet, so easier to deal with maybe? Talk to your GP about finding other pills maybe?

Irish, good to hear baby is doung so well and is a charmer! Bet your DH and DD are both so proud of her now when She is finally here! Smiling and interacting already is very good sign I believe for the future as well!

Hi everyone, that's for the tips on mission meds! DD is doing really well after the first day of refusal. I crushed them in to a smoothie which she refused after the first few sips but after a bit of persuasion & a talk about not wanting to get sick again she drank it. Took her shopping tonight & she chose a bottle of squash & some chocolate brownies to help disguise the taste - no wonder steroids make you put on weight!! A friend suggested I take her for a smarties mc flurry so she gets the idea of having lumps in something, you then try yogurt with fruit bits, then cut up sweets in to small bits & get her to swallow them. All this leads up to her swallowing them whole which I think is probably quicker & easier.
Good idea to go for 1 stronger one Jass but I have 5 weeks worth & don't like to waste them but when we go back for our next appointment & new prescription I'll definitely ask. I guess they are bigger though? Maybe they give lots of small ones because that's a bit easier....

I'm spending the evening writing reports. Sports day tomorrow so I won't get anything done then.
No other symptoms for me but no AF feelings yet either. Not due til sunday though so plenty of time for the cramps to start.

Hmmm just had some 'lumpy' discharge (sorry!) that's a sign AF is on the way I think.....

Grizzer, that sounds really tough on you and your DD, poor lamb! Maybe also tell her that you will do something celebratory at the end of the course of tablets?
Well I caved this morning and tested. Not surprisingly, a BFN. And now AF is late which it never is, so she is having a good laugh at me. Wish she would hurry up though, I'm getting friction burn checking! (Sorry, that's real, really way too much over-sharing isn't it? ) I keep reminding myself that actually I didn't particularly want to get pregnant this cycle, as Feb next year would be bad timing - if I can teach to the end of the term, that would make everything so much easier. So I'd like to put in an order for a BFP month after next, please! It also gives me a chance to lose a bit of weight (not particularly overweight, but according to the Fetal Medicine Centre a lower weight helps against recurrence of early-onset preeclampsia), make sure my diet is really healthy, and do some exercise again after the back has settled down.
The PE thing is worrying me, actually. I started a thread about recurrence in second pregnancy and got lots of reassuring responses, either from people who had straightforward pregnancies, or from people who got it again, but mildly and later. They all said that the anxiety was worse than anything, despite being monitored a LOT. I can just see me going in for bp checks though and it being through the roof due to stress
Well, that's crossing the bridge before I come to it! But I have certainly already got some good advice here - plan on trying the Robitussin and softcups, thank you Linda.
Now I must do some work. Sorry for the me me me post. I will read the thread properly soon!

AF for me. Boo hoo. I will not imagine symptoms next month I will not imagine symptoms next month. Not much anyway....

Arghhhh Grizzer that sucks. I'll keep everything crossed for you this cycle x

AF here, too. OK with that, I must say. I am not dealing with symptom spotting anymore, I am proud to say! Tested 10-12dpo, neg all and that was all the thinking about it I did. But I still remember to dtd on ov days,that is good thing!

It is very quiet on the thread.
Sorry about AF Grizzer and Jass (though nice that it isn't bothering you)

How about you Grinch, did Af show?

I am just dropping in to mark my place.

Though I wasn't too bothered about timing this cycle, it seems to have worked out fine. I got a + opk yesterday,and O pain, and had DTD 2 days before and then last night. Got another + opk today, so may have to get it on again today, but if not, I won't be bothered as I think timing is fine and probably Oed yesterday or today (the + opk today would be the tail of the surge I guess?). Anyway, I'm not pushing it, what will be...

You still out there Diege?

Green, how's the treatment going?

Calibee, where are you lovey? It's been ages...

Nope, Gum, nothing. Am now on the longest cycle of my life. Definitely ovulated, and have pmt symptoms, but nada, including another bfn. I guess I'm being perimenopausal

Grizzer and Jass, sorry to hear the AF has come to stay. Good luck, Gum!

Hello ladies. I am still keeping an eye on you all .

Went for a scan and my ovaries are quiet and my lining thin (2.5m) so we are onto to stage 2 of injecting and taking oestrogen to build up my lining. Still feeling a bit knackered but I am getting some CM back so I reckon I might even be up for DTD in a day or two

Back for another scan on Friday to see if it's working. Our donor is going in on the same day to have her scan to see what her ovaries are doing. Egg collection could be as early as next Wednesday .

Keep up the good work on the SWi front!

Hi everyone, meds are going well for dd. She's getting used to them & taking them well. The chocolate brownie she has to take the taste away is going down well too!!
Already there is a reduction of protein in her urine & the blood is not visible anymore so I'm hoping she won't need the meds for long.
My reports are almost finished so I hope I will feel more relaxed this month & that will help my cycle.
How are things with dh Gum? Any change with his parents? Sounds like you feel quite chilled about things this month?
How long has your cycle been Grinch? Even if you were perimenopausal it wouldn't make it really long would it? I thought it just meant periods become a bit shorter or lighter but not non existent! Have you ever has anything like this before?

So exciting Green. It's really happening!!

Hi all, just popping back for a quick question... have any of you tried taking soy isoflavones?

Evening Ladies

Nope, haven't tried that one, willit. I did notice a load of it in Holland and Barrett this avo though in the Wimmins's section. Have you googled it? Is it the latest must have fertility supp? I thought Soy messed with your hormones in a bad way.

Glad your DD is getting there, Gizzer

Wow Green! looking forwad to the next update.

Someone up-thread was asking about cough medicine. Make sure it's got Gualfeisin in it. Makes CM slippery. Anything else will dry your CM up. I might go old skool and give grapefruit juice a go instead as I am going to be taking so many foul tasting supps. I have just invested in mega-dosage Evening Primrose Oil which also helps CM.

Great idea about the cup. I invested in one a couple of months ago but haven't been able to bring myself to use it. Going to give it a try very soon now!! Thanks v much for that genius idea!!

DH has been annoying me by downing caffeine, cider and having lengthy sauna trips post ovulation once he's sure he's done his bit! I'd been telling him I thought the caffeine etc could cause accumulative probs. Anyway found an article on how long they take to mature and, now he's seen in black and white that they are 72 days in the making he's knocking off the bad stuff completely.

I am so exhausted. AF put in very unwelcome appearance this morning. Leaves me feeling like I've been run over by a bus these days. Ugh. Still, armed myself with my list of supplements and have just about completed the set. 'Only' cost the best part of £100, but that is cheap compared to fertility treatments. Have got a weekly pill dosing box thingie and completely filled it this evening. Have 20+ to take a day. Hoping to see some success in a month or two. I think I must have started them in the July previously and got the BFP in the Sept.

When I was stocking up on ov sticks the other day DS was amusing himself in the aisles quietly. What I didn't realise was that he'd entirely filled my basket with multi-coloured lubes and assorted condoms!! Seriously, right up to the brim!! I quietly took out the things I really wanted, distracted him from the basket of lubes and condoms and moved on very quickly....

Hi to everyone else. Sweet dreams. FF

Lol, Fireflies, you'd hardly be stocking up on condoms!

I often think how glad I am that I haven't been trying to prevent pregnancy during my 40's, what a drag it would be. I wish that I could get pregnant with a healthy babe tho'

Sorry that AF caught up with you. Have you tried acupuncture? Not so much for fertility, but for your period making you feel so knocked out? I bet there would be some Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis that would help.

I had acupuncture last night and she was asking me loads of questions about my period, mainly about colour, quantity, clotting etc. Apparently it is a very good diagnostic tool, and can tell them a lot about where imbalances lie. She took my pulses (yep - there's more than one apparently ) and said they are quite flat, which isn't great, but she'd expect worse actually because of my busy lifestyle.

Without saying so much, she is of the opinion that my lifestyle isn't conducive to getting and staying pregnant. She thinks I have too much stress, am too busy and don't have enough time to nurture myself.

I suppose she's partly right. I do have a very busy life. But my health is pretty good, I still ovulate regularly, I take time to exercise and get a good night's sleep most night. But I can't give up work and spend long days relaxing, walking on the beach, making green smoothies, doing fertility yoga, meditating daily and visualising etc, etc.

Does stress really make a difference? I don't know. Are there examples of women getting pregnant after removing stress from their lives? I am pretty sure there are, but I know women get pregnant all the time in highly stressful situations.

Anyway, the acupuncture was fabulous. I was able to have a lovely relax for 30 minutes, and I came away feeling really good. It also seems to have sorted out the sciatica I had, though I won't speak too soon on that one, it could very well be back later today.

I have considered taking time every day to meditate. But I don't know where I'd find the time. Do you think the 30 seconds in bed before I nod off could be considered meditation???

Gum perhaps he's trying to tell me that he'd rather be an only child??!!

OMG, who can spend their days like that?? The only people who can live like that if they have families are the seriously rich who can afford to employ nannies, cleaners etc etc. Sadly I have to rub shoulders with some of them from time to time and hear them complaining how difficult it is with two kids, when the nanny has one of them most of the time.... And then there's the private yoga therapist who visits them at home twice a week...

If you do some research on stress and TTC then the findings are mixed. Some studies show stress can interfere with ovulation, other studies say it makes no difference. I guess it's best to try and reduce stress if you can to be on the safe side. The studies all deem alcohol as an inhibiting factor though.

I've read some very convincing things about meditation - that it frees you up energy wise so that you can deal with more, so is an investment of your time. It hasn't convinced me to give it a try though yet.

You're probably right, some acupuncture would help. We've had an unusually busy time these past few weeks so that's probably why it hit me so hard. Normally I try and lay off anything too strenuous in the days leading up to AF.

Am rattling now, am so full of supplements!! . Just wondering how much Q10 and Royal Jelly I can have a day. . They seem to be key for egg quality. Must dig out my shiniest dancing shoes soon too.

Fertile thoughts to all. FF

FF would you mind sharing the supplements that you take?

Thanks.

Fireflies, have you heard of the supplement ppq. I have added that to my list of supplements, but I've also stopped taking a lot of them.

These days (when I am not to busy and remember) I take:
Co q 10 800mg
pqq
Vit d
Folic acid (though I have heard folate is better)
Multi-V
Fish oil

I would like to hear what you are taking. I stopped taking the royal Jelly. Don't know why really. I guess I just got sick of taking a handful of tablets and still no baby. I stopped the DHEA too as the jury's out on that one, and it can dry up cervical mucus, which I already have trouble with.

Someone asked about Soy isoflavones? It is a "natural" clomid I've heard. I've not taken soy isoflavones, but I have done red clover Isoflavones, day 3-6 (I think) to produce a stronger ovulation. I honestly don't know if it made any difference. I don't think I was taking it last time I got pregnant (albeit a chemical). I think if you are ovulating then soy can mess it up, so I am not sure that I'd go down that road if you are already ovulating.

Fireflies, I agree about the meditation, I just need to make a little window of time and learn how to switch off.

London have a read of the OP here: www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=226042.0

Gum this is the same as before.

I have tried four times to post my list but it will only preview and jams when I try to publish. Oh well. It's as well to read the full post and put together your own list really as there are supps that should be taken together, supps that need to be taken on their own, and ones to take before ovulation and ones to take after ovulation.

Have looked at PQQ but am a bit dubious. Same for DHEA. Maybe will try in a few months.

DS sleeping so I am going for a nap. Was extremely naughty and stayed up till 1am drinking, so a big slap on wrist for that.

Green that all sounds really exciting, and it must be great to feel that something is happening!

Grizzer glad to hear that your DD is taking the medication well, bless her.

Fireflies I love the image of your DS industriously filling the basket. BG has a habit of taking a flying leap unerringly into DH's privates, and we wonder if that's his way of telling us to let him remain an only!

AFM, AF has STILL not put in an appearance. Never ever had this before. All PMS symptoms (which are worse in the morning), but nothing doing. Tested again, definitely not pregnant. All I can think is that one starts skipping periods at some point, yes? and Mother Nature has decided it would be a good laugh to make my first one the first month we start ttc. Now of course I worry that we have entirely missed the boat, and/or that I am going to have PMS for ever and ever...