40+ and TTC? Join the club...

[cloudjumper]

To continue the support for everyone 40 and over who is or wants ttc. Lots of hand-holding and understanding, we're all together in the uphill struggle.

Inshock Congratulations! Thank you for sharing, this is very encouraging.

reni Yeah, the FF dtd scoring... I always find myself getting annoyed when I just get 'good' (which is really ridiculous, but then again, I have long given up on retaining any sensibility/dignity with all this). Isn't it satisfactory when you get the red lines and cross on your chart?!

What's a nutri bullet?!

I am another one who struggles with weight - but it's not ttc-related, I have been like this all my life! My main problem is portion control and my super-sweet tooth - if I like something, I don't want to stop eating it!
Plus, I am prone to comfort-eating when things get tough, so after all my miscarriages, my weight has slowly, but steadily crept up and up. Dealing with AF arriving is particularly tough (this is when you'll see me eating peanut butter straight from the jar ).
I'm currently trying to get back into my 'happy' range... It's going ok, but so slowly! Managed to lose 5kg since the beginning of January, but I need to lose at least another 5, so that I can fit into my ski gear come March! We eat healthily and spend a fortune on good quality ingredients.

grizzer I love Goji berries! Look for bright red kernels, you can't miss them

seewot Implantation dip?!

I'm still fighting this stupid cold - I think this is what must have been messing with my temps last week, causing them to stay high, as they now have dropped massively since the cold has come out properly. Grrr

Ahh that's good news Reni. I'm also using FF and no ovulation detected for me. I'm on cd16 now and based on when we have dtd in the past and achieved a pregnancy I think I tend to ov earlier rather than later. So I'm assuming this month it's not happening for me.

How long is your cycle, Fromwest? Are you going to continue temping this month in case it does happen late this cycle? Mine is only 24 days.

My cycle is the standard 28 days. I will continue temping. I want to see what happens, and then compare with what happens next month.

Day 22 and I'm pretty sure my temps are starting to drop. Was lower this morning, but we did have a very disturbed night with ds. I ended up sleeping in 3 different beds over the course of the night!! Does anyone know if disturbed sleep makes your temp higher or lower?? I never quite know which way it works!!

Hi ladies. Just dropping in to say hello.

Jass, I hope this little bean stays put for you.

Congratulations inshock - wonderful news.

And, sorry to hear that AF got so many of us this time (she knocked down my door on Friday too, but is done and dusted now).

I am not thinking much about ttc anymore, hence not being on the thread much. I like to read and see how things are going for you all, but for me, I am pretty sure my fertility has run its course,and I am okay with it all.It wasn't the happy ending I had envisaged, but I seem to be happy with my lot anyway, so it is alright.

The talk about weight gain/loss is interesting. I am a chronic dieter and it hasn't helped much. In fact, it has probably been the reason I've gained 10 kilos and lost them only to find them again over the last 25 years. One of the best weight losses I experienced was after having my second baby - he was a big baby and a guzzler and he sucked the fat off me through breastfeeding! But it was all gained back with the next pregnancy. I had always hoped it would happen with the other babies, but it didn't! In my adult life I have tried Weight watchers, easyslim, low carb, low calorie, Iquitsugar, Michelle Bridges, 5:2 and Paleo. As I am gluten intolerant, I have stuck with a mostly Paleo diet, but not restrictive - I still eat gluten-free cake, porridge and quinoa, so I am not completely grain free and dairy free as a strict Paleo diet would encourage. I am now resigned to the fact that I am middle aged and the best thing I can do for my body is eat well - as Jass said - fish,vege,fruit and nuts, and to exercise.

I have amped up the exercise, and it has made a huge difference. For many years I listened to the weight loss wisdom, "80%food, 20% exercise", believing that exercise won't make much difference. However at the end of last year I decided to exercise more and it has made a huge difference. I got into my "skinny" pants (not skinny for anyone else - just for me) yesterday. I am doing about 3 hours a week of yoga and core strength exercise and 2 - 3 hours cardio. I have just decided to make it a priority and am making it fit with my busy schedule, and it is amazing how addictive it has become.

I think it has helped me get to a better place in my head too - more able to cope in general, and accepting of the fact that I won't have another baby in my forties (which, alas, is rapidly slipping away )

Wishing you all loads of luck this cycle !

Day 21 here, and not expecting AF for another week at least, but have been crampy this evening. Is there any good explanation for that?

Commiserations for everyone nobbled by AF lately. Hope you're ok Jass. Congrats Inshock! Great to hear of successes.

Hello everyone, old friends and those I don't know. Just dropping in to share an encouraging story - a friend I hadn't seen for a while just told me she's 6 months pregnant...at the age of 47! Everything's fine, and she looks fabulous. Naturally conceived after 18 months of trying.

As for me, my amazing little girl will be a year old in a few days (I was 41 when she was born, for those who don't know me). She is very entertaining - she pulls herself around on the furniture, shouting random words in French and English and laughing. She puts everything else into perspective.

Jass - fingers crossed for this time.

Good luck to those with BFPs and hoping for them!

OK I bought some OPKs. Not the posh ones as it's been an expensive month and we are crawling towards the end of it, just the standard ones.

I have 7. And a 26-28 day cycle. My period started Monday (thank goodness - was very grumpy) and calculators tell me I could be fertile Friday next week to around the following Wednesday. When do I start using them?

morien Hello! Lovely to hear from you! Looks as if all is well with you and your little one, so nice of you to come and share.

twunk If you count the first day of AF as CD1 and if you have a regular cycle, they usually recommend to start using the OPKs daily at CD10 or 11, to make sure that you don't miss anything. In my experience, that 2nd line can come and go again very quickly! And also, my test line is almost never as dark or even darker as the control line, so I usually count the OPK as +ve if there is a visible 2nd line, regardless of how dark it is. Good luck!

Morien, Gum, really good to hear from you!
You Morien have easily time for another one now your little girl is 1 and you still only 42! Natural conceptions indeed happen relatively easily until 45, I believe.

Gum, exercise makes huge difference. I fit into clothes none of my non-exercising friends at this body mass index can fit into. Everyone is quite astonished how much I weigh compared to how I mesure. And all thismuscle burns food, if I occasionally binge - still happens, unfortunately.

I had a couple of really good stronger lines folowed by a plateau today. But no decline, no spotting, and the lines are at least 48 hours ahead of my last "most quick riser". Amazing how much statistics I have on my computer, all the series of hpt test pics etc., so I can compare. Must be around 1000hcg, and only at 4weeks, 3-4 days. That is quick, but I am right now coming to the days I have lost it several times, so this plateau test is scaring me. But I know two equal looking tests can easily compare to hcg levels twice different, so not too hopeless yet, I should say.

Thanks Cloud I'm going to start testing next Thursday then. Makes sense! Do I need to keep going even if I think I have ovulated? Actually I think there are usually other clues. I just want to tune into them iyswim.

I think Twunk you need not to continue once the line has started to get weaker again. i count the last day of strong line as positive and expect to ov next day. Stronger line (also not stronger than control, just close ) lasts two days fo rme.

Third day in a row a tets line which is doing nothing. It is a really strong line, so maybe the Asda test does not go any stronger? It looks equal to the control, but a bit different hue of red than control. I did an Ov test yesterday and today, too, I have used them before so they give me a better quantitative assessment. Around 1000, maybe a bit more,....But I seem to remember that the 2000-3000 lines with my last mc did not look that much fatter anymore, so it may be I am just at the end of the series. Will do the digi at 5 weeks Monday to see whether I can get 3+ by then. Meanwhile, as I an still afraid there we will be the classic dip, too, I need to keep peeing on these stupid tests. After 9 days it is more an obligation.....Sorry for a rant:-))

Jass, once you have done the digi on Monday, you must step away from the tests. Easier said then done of course . (Everything crossed for the remaining 7 weeks of the 12 week wait...)

jass I have everything crossed for you. I know what a stress it is.

Haven't been on the thread for a while again, lots of illness in the house, including DS having one of his tummy bug specials (he has a prem gut that just can't cope yet with all the illnesses around, especially given his intolerances) that turns him into marmoset child. I am getting cabin fever. Fortunately today he is back with the childminder so I can get a few things done. I should be in a reading Week, which I thought meant I could get caught up on work, but no... Lots of late nights while I try and get things done while DH is home. This can't be good for ttc either.

I will read and respond better shortly. Just waving to all at the moment.

Reni, I have to test. If the tests clearly nosedive, I need to stop medicines. And they are strong, I do not want to be on them longer than there is hope. So, if two days in a row the test line weakens I am to stop prednisolone (or start weaning of it). As soon as I get 3+ I have to go to ultrasound etc., so that I do not take pred with potential bad side effects too long. It would be much easier if I did not have to follow so closely what is going on. I do not enjoy this testing business at all. Esp. as we are skiing next week.

Sorry Jass, I had not understood that, I tend to over-test, but of course I am not on any medication.

CD9 for me so the first day of weeing in pots and dipping sticks. Joy.

Jass - it sounds like your monitoring of HPTs is going well? Can I ask how much prednisolone you are taking? You say its strong, but I hope you're not worrying about pred too much?
After my MC in Aug '14 I had some NK cells testing. On the blood tests one doctor recommended prednisolone from ov at 25 mg daily. Then I had the endometrial biopsy and another doctor (Prof Brosens) said I didn't need it. It was all a bit confusing, but for now I am going to try without. However, I will definitely try pred if we don't succeed soon. After all, I have a relative who took pred (for an unrelated health condition) for her whole pregnancy, and has a v healthy child now. Plus a mum I know from baby groups took 70 mg daily (again for an unrelated health condition) and has just had her lovely 2nd DC. Overall I think its generally well tried and tested isn't it?

jass finger tightly crossed for you. I don't know about asda but there was a time in my last pg when they would not go any darker.... my mc was much later than the time I was testing... xx
Even though we haven't been so great we dtd as much as possible and now it is waiting. I know we should be dtd but I am again with another cold and feel lousy.
My cbfm kept saying fertile for so long ( it is ok?) That by the time it said high fertile dh was done but we dtd on ovulation day as well as some days before. Not since even though it should high fertility for 2 days.
I am dpo6 from first high fertile day.....
Maybe I should try another opk? The ic didn't do for me as I never got a line ( and still got pg with ds2....

Still catching up ...

Morien - so lovely to hear about your bilingual little DD, and thanks for sharing such an encouraging story of your 47-year-old naturally pg friend!

Shirleybossey - did you have any luck in sourcing DHEA? I'd be interested to know if you do manage to get it on prescription (whether or not privately via a consultant)? There's a document I think has been linked on this thread before, from the Lister IVF clinic, about recommended treatment for 'poor responders' (nice title!) link here.

In the bit about DHEA they say "... As it is not drug licensed in the UK for this indication, and in essence is a supplement it cannot be prescribed directly by us but we can advise you on where best to source it." So I'd assumed (maybe wrongly) that no one would prescribe it, but perhaps lots of IVF clinics could give you credible advice on where to buy it.

FWIW, this is an 'ultra micronised' one that I've used www.dhea-uk.com/home.php. But if you Google, you can come up with lots of options like www.pricespower.com/dhea.htm, or Biovea. Would be interested to know what you decide to do?

Jass good luck!

Just tested and no line, so AF will probably turn up for tomorrow - out for this month. Ah well... there's always next....

morien hi there !!! I remember you....

A Happy Valentine to you all, I hope you were made to feel special today.

6dpo is so boring, it isn't a time to make a baby, neither is it yet filled with giddy excitement about testing etc. Great time to be a pregnochondriac and spot meaningless symptoms I never had when actually pregnant (only just stops herself from informing the world in great detail about her gastro-intestinal health).

Just popping in to say a quick hi and mark my place. Now on cd8 so really needing to get jiggy with it.... so little energy... so many other things to do!! Waves to all. Xx