40+ ttc: bring on the bfp's!

[ababsurdum]

Continuation of the long-running 40+ ttc thread.

Link to the previous thread.

Sounding positive Rugby, good luck!

Happy - that's a really interesting article, may mean that the ache I had the day of my positive opk could have actually been ovulation. Meaning I am now 6dpo. Almost halfway through the 2ww, that went quick.

Hows everyone else getting on?

Hi everyone

I posted on this thread once or twice ages ago (probably under a different name!) and have lurked generally since. Am 42, 2 kids, no viable pregnancy in 7 years but 2 MMCs and 2 failed rounds of IVF. That’s a cheery introduction!
Just popped in to say I think that’s right about OPKs. My experience in the last couple of years is that by the time they turn positive I’ve already ovulated or will do so very shortly (confirmed by temp rise and ovulation pains).

I’m finding EWCM (and generally lustiness) to be a far better indicator of impending ovulation than anything else.

One question you may be able to help with: I’ve noticed in my last couple of cycles that I have really sore breasts at and for a week following ovulation and I wonder if I have a bit much oestrogen. I’ve lost weight, am careful not to eat refined sugar etc but does anyone know how to encourage my body to produce more progesterone (other than by taking the IVF leftovers from my stash) and maybe a bit less oestrogen? In terms of supplements, I take Berocca (for the B vits, folic acid, Vit C) , ubiquinol, fish oil, and have just started serrapeptase (in case my innards have scars - I have just 1 tube) and probiotics. Any suggestions?

Hi Polly, I have that too, and I also seem to get (tmi) loads of creamy cm around 6dpo, so, having been extra concerned about wacky hormone levels recently, I have researched this. Apparently if your LP is normal (around 14 days) then the hormone levels are probably ok

Hi. Interesting stuff about opks. When it’s such a lucrative business to sell them to people like us(!) there ought to be more info on them.

I had a faint line today at 10 dpo so it’s nice but hardly a ‘bfp’. Not getting my hopes up yet. But thought I’d share some (at least potentially) good news. I’ll keep you posted and let you know if turns into anything certain.

Ooh good luck, hope that comes through Rugby!

Thx for this article Hedgehog, really helpful and interesting to know it fits with your experience too Polly. I got a clear blue fertility monitor recently and this month got peak after I thought I ovulated based on cm etc.. Maybe that's why.

Sorry I'm not sure re raising progesterone Polly but hopefully someone else will chip in who does.

That’s hopeful Rugby, fingers crossed it turns into definite good news.
Thanks for the info Cleozeta. Reassuring to know I’m not the only one with this weirdness. Problem is, whenever I google anything Dr Google tells me it is a sign of impending peri menopause and I just want to stick my fingers in my ears and say “la la la la”.
CD3 and I am feeling surprisingly lusty (sorry if that’s oversharing, but this is quite unusual. Either my hormones are genuinely out of whack or all those supplements I’ve been swallowing are having a rather good side effect! Have never taken probiotics before, so maybe it is those!!)

Oooh Rugby fingers tightly crossed....
Hi Polly- I’m 41 and have the exact same sore breasts after ovulation. For me it starts a few days after and lasts until about 24 hours prior to AF. I’ve wondered about the oestrogen thing too and have endlessly googled things like ‘estrogen dominance’ etc. I have cut out pretty much most rubbish from my diet and upped my intake of all things organic, fruits, veg, seeds, nuts, wild fish, organic grass fed meat etc etc. I’ve also read that Vitamin C is good for boosting progesterone so I’ve now added a 500mg tablet to my (growing) arsenal of supplements. Oh and fibre is supposed to be good as it keeps you erm ‘regular’ which apparently helps to usher the excess oestrogen out of your system. I’ve still got the sore boobs tho so I’d be interested in anything anyone else has to add!
Oh and I’ve also wondered about the oestrogen being linked to lustiness (as u so delicately put it!) too as I’m like an 18 year old boy on heat these days lol.

A line is a line Rugby! Sounds promising. Let us know how it goes!

Polly - Dr Google is always telling me things I don't want to hear too, so I keep asking till I get a better answer ;-)

Well done littlemimosa for changing your diet, I'm afraid I have done none of that. I still eat what I like & drink what I like (including alcohol) as my theory is that my chances are so low that it would be a waste of time and I'd be super grumpy if I could not have the things I like! Still taking all the suppliments though, as refusing to completely give up hope.

Hi everyone
I'm new - been lurking a bit recently but I'm properly ttc now I guess, so thought I should raise my head above the parapet. I am just 42, have 1 dc who is 5. Split up with his dad before I found out I was pregnant (I think there are old threads about that saga on here somewhere!), got together with a very old friend a year ago and he really wants a baby, so here we are. I'd like another too, but I'd have been happy with just DS had we not got together. Feels quite early to be ttc, but I've known him for 10 years and being 42, we don't have much time, if any.
Anyway - not really done much at all yet, though did have the standard NHS blood tests and all normal there. Periods every 28-29 days, though only for a day or two, though I've always had light periods. Same as polly and littlemimosa, I get really sore boobs from ovulation to my period. I've been taking maca and think it's helped a bit - I also read it was due to an oestrogen imbalance. I'll get ubiqinol and I take B complex and fish oils and vit d3. Possibly should start charting... maybe get him to take a supplement. Have you all cut out coffee, booze and sugar too? Guess it's worth doing that if I am going to really have a go. And acupuncture?
I like reading the good news stories on here. Gives me hope! I reckon if it hasn't happened by next summer, I might go down the donor eggs route. Stats are much better then presumably...

Ah yes cleozeta, just read what you said re diet and booze - I was kind of thinking that too!

Welcome PollyIndia!
Interesting that we all seem to be getting the sore boobs after ov thing. Could it really be that we all have an oestrogen imbalance? Or maybe thats normal and we just never noticed it before? Or maybe even age related? Would that kind of imbalance cause problems with inplantation? I did read that an imbalance would cause luteal phase problems, which I don't currentlty seem to have (don't want to speak too soon!) So that would seem to suggest all ok, but then I know I do have wacky hormones currently, due to perimenopause.
Currently at 9dpo, going to hold out testing until after the weekend as i don't hold great hopes this month and I know testing early will only lead to disapointment.

Rugby - how is your line? Getting darker I hope?

I definitely didn't have it before. I remember when it started - it was a few months before me and my boyfriend officially got together (so last year), and we'd had sex and I properly thought I was pregnant because of the boobs. I wasn't, and now big painful boobs are just a standard feature of my monthly cycle. My periods are so light these days, it's hard to imagine implantation could happen easily. My periods are still completely regular though and no other signs of peri-menopause. I don't know!
Wishing you luck cleozeta and rugby!

The first time I had it (rather than just left boob ache in the few days before my period) was when I did IVF. The combo I think of high oestrogen and trigger shot made my boobs hot and sore, in a way I’d only previously experienced in my first pregnancy. Not very happy when it eased off and I got BFNs.

And then nothing until the last couple of months, when I learned that boobs CAN lie. Years ago they were a failsafe indicator of pregnancy, but not any more.

I think it’s age related. Bugger.

Welcome PollyIndia..

So, I've just been doing some 'research' on the sore boobs thing, and it does seem it can just come on at anytime (even if you haven't always had it) due to age. Great. Apparently it's down to oestrogen dominance/high oestrogen which is a problem in itself but it then causes low progesterone as it sort of elbows it out. Worsening PMS is a sign of it apparently ie the sore boobs, irritability, headaches and so on. Sounds like me!
I've done loads to try to reduce it, with my diet and lifestyle etc and I have to say the irritability and headaches are so much better but the damn boobs are still sore post-ov. Hmmmm.

Cleo - apparently yes low progesterone can cause luteal phase defect (which like you I don't have problems with).

I have to say that I do think all this is age-related but if you look around other threads it seems like there are loads of younger women with very similar issues, and worse.

So ladies, to boost progesterone here's what i read - maintain healthy weight as fat stores up oestrogen, reduce stress as stress uses up your progesterone, stay 'regular' by eating loads of fibre as it ushers the excess oestrogen out of your system, quit or reduce caffeine and booze, do some exercise (i'm v guilty of this one) and eat foods high in Vit C, Magnesium, B6, Vit E and Zinc. oh and try to avoid drinking out of plastic bottles and heating food in a microwave in plastic. Supposedly plastic contains fake oestrogens which mess up your hormones. phew.

Ah littlemimosa, this is 100% me too.
Thanks, that is really helpful. I'm pretty good at most things on the list, but could move away from plastics more effectively, and cut out caffeine and booze. But essentially, you are right polly, it's age :(
I think I'm a few days post ovulation, but I'm trying not to test unless I'm late, so it's a waiting game. I used pre-seed this month. Read good reviews on amazon so worth a shot!

Some really interesting posts here for me to catch up on but BOO :( I've had sore boobs since OV this month and thought it must be because I am pg! I'm 8dpo and so far testing negative

Hello. Well still lines on the pg tests and still no af so I suppose I am actually pg - for now! I’m 42 so I hope that is a positive story for the thread. I used ‘fertility check’ (like pre-seed) . It may have helped? Who knows.
I’m not getting my hopes up too much though as I’m also aware that mcs can be more common at this age...

Good luck Polly and Happy in your tww. Everything crossed for you.

Congrats Rugby! Hope it sticks

So annoyimg about the progesterone/oestrogen thing. And unfortunatley from what I've read, this imbalance can cause pregnancy type symptoms. How mean is that for us 40+ people ttc?!

Congrats Rugby - hope it sticks too.
Do you guys get your other halves to take supplements? I was looking at wellman fertility and L-Carnitine.
Then I already take D3, Maca and fish oils, and B-complex with folate and magnesium. I was going to add Ubiquinol to that. My best mate has been trying for 5 years, spent £60k on IVF, 30 odd rounds. After the last round, she said that was it. Guess what, next cycle she got pregnant naturally. She is due in a few weeks. Gives me goosebumps every time I think about it. Anyway she said ubiquinol, 300 mgs a day, is a must if you are over 40. She knows quite a bit about it after all that!
Wondering if I should switch my B-complex to a proper conception multi vit...

Rugby - i really hope this is a sticky one for you....this gives me hope too!
How long have you been ttc?

Wow Polly amazing story about your mate. That's unbelievable. Congrats to her. I take ubiquinol too - no idea if it's having any effect on my eggs or not..also take EPO (up to ovulation only), a Fertility multi vit/mineral, extra Vitamin C and probiotics.
And to answer your question, I'm trying to 'encourage' my DH to take Vit C and Zinc. He's up for it but i have to literally put it in his hand to take it. Men.

Yeah I've been thinking about ubiquinol. Just so bloomin expensive! Will get some for next cycle though. Not suggested anything for other half as he's pretty fit and healthy, it's me thats the problem! He's 43 but works out a lot, cycles & runs etc, so not sure he reallt needs any suppliments. Although saying that, I guess it wouldn't hurt.

I currently take soy, royal jelly, epo and seven seas conception. Will add ubiquinol to the list next cycle!

Amazing to hear about your friend's story pollyIndia, I hear that kind of thing does happen. I think there is definitely something to be said about the psychololical aspect of things. Ttc can be so stressful it can create a spiral in itself

Congratulations Rugby- I know what you mean about not getting too excited because of mc stats but I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!! Always gives me a boost of positivity too when I see a BFP on 40+ thread.

It's certainly expensive Cleo! I've found it less expensive on amazon than say Holland & Barrett. I've currently got the Swanson brand.

Interesting that your friend Polly says 300mg. I've recently upped mine from 100 to 200. Might see how that goes first. I'm flippin' rattling.
I also forgot to say i take D3 too (but it's a mouth spray) and use a magnesium spray. I have to say though, I never get ill! Even with two small bug-carriers in the house. I've never been healthier!! Small blessings huh.

just remembered another gem i read the other day (do you think i read too much fertility stuff??) - apparently drinking a couple of cups of green tea a day helps to rejuvenate eggs due to its high antioxidant content.
Add that to the list lol.

I’ve got a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks, presumably DP needs one too?