40+ ttc: 2018 full of bfp's!

[Orchid222]

Ladies, the old thread has now closed so I created a new one but can't post the link, hopefully you'll find it and we can continue.

I think they are excellent results karigan!

Hello.
Can I join in and share/get advice.
I have a 3.5 yr old daughter and I’m 43, 44 in August.
I got pregnant at 38 (quickly after 3 attempts - with a miscarriage) and again at 39 (2 attempts) live birth - my daughter, then another miscarriage at 41 after 4 months trying. Been TTC for 2 years since 41.5.

Nothing. Went to see Zita West for a fertility guidance appt, she basically said FSH wasn’t reliable and changes monthly at my age so pointless.

Suggested progesterone test to see if I was ovulating. Did this privately and it was low, but did suggest ovulation ( I did send 21 day sample but now think this was probably too late as generally seem to get most symptoms around day 10/11/12)

So now I’m taking DHEA 75mg daily, multi vit, folic, and weekly acupuncture and daily TCM - the herbs are only going to be in place for 3 months as that’s all I can afford.

Last month has increased EWCM and strong ov symptoms but this month I know I can’t have ovulated as absolutely no symptoms of ov - not a dickie bird.

Thinking to start EPO to increase CM... x

Also last month’s cycle went from 27 days 23! 🙄

Sometimes I think I might be trying too much or too little ...

Oh well that’s me.

Great to feel part of this community (even if I feel more clueless than ever these days!!)

Welcome keepingthefaith
That's interesting to hear that FHS is pointless, I can work with that after getting 18.4 at my last test! Although starting to wonder if cd5 may have been too late, making it higher. Should have done it on cd2 or 3
Also interested to hear about the DHEA, what is that? I'm taking pretty much every suppliment invented but must have missed that one!
What cd are you on now? May just ov late this month? Have you had anovulatory cycles before?

Karigan your results look great! How is your fsh so low???!

Hi Faith, that’s interesting about DHEA. Every time I look into that, it seems like an American thing that you can’t get here.

Karigan, did you get all your bloods done on 7dpo or did you go on different days?

All 7dpo. Not sure why he did the lh and fsh then but maybe he just thought he may as well whilst he was at it for progesterone 🤷‍♀️

Yes my friend had hers tested randomly in the cycle - they can still tell how close you are to menopause apparently. It peaks at ovulation and is lowest a few days before AF.

Hi can I join. I have been ttc since June. We got pregnant in September unfortunately I miscarriaged at 8 weeks. Nothing since. I'm beginning to think my son will be an only child. I'm 41 by the way.

Of course Marty, welcome.

Sorry for your MC. It’s early days though so no reason not to conceive.

Hi ladies. To recap on the Zita FSH comment, she mentioned that owing to my age, and some recent research that indicated it wasn’t always that accurate she felt it wouldn’t be worth exploring it. She suggested - lots of sex, good diet and some of her (folic and inorsital) vitamins. She said TCM if I could afford it would be good, she also said acupuncture was worth a try. But she also said that maybe I ought to think about getting some peace for me around the fact that this might not happen.

I appreciated that, but I’m not ready to give the towel in yet. The DHEA was suggested to me by a friend who has been doing the IVF circuit for years, she says it’s well known for helping improving egg quality - I bought it from the USA online (I will send anyone the info if you want it)

This is the first time ever I have not noticed any ov symptoms, since I’ve been monitoring them, of course now I’m obsessed I am really aware of everything. It’s worrying as this my last ov felt so strong, and I hoped the TCM was working... but maybe things just paused for this month.

I’m cycle day 19, and normally I would be getting pre-menstral symptoms do tell me AF was on the way next week but nothing doing, not a bean.. all very odd...

Oh and sex didn’t really happen much as me and the other half aren’t in the best space, so to be honest thinking about it, if I was going to have a month off (if ovulating) this was possibly the best one - but just hope things are back on next month ... 🙏🏻

Hi Faith, sometimes if I have early ov, I don’t notice symptoms as much. Do you do opks?

Hi / can I ask what TCM is please? Thank you

Lucie TCM is traditional Chinese medicine

Welcome KeepingTheFaith and Marty.
Marty I know MC is hard but the positive is that you know you can get pregnant. Many if us here have been trying for over a year with no pregnancies at all.

Ali-have you had your HyCoSy done yet? How do you know you can't get it on NHS? Your gp might not even know whether you can or not but if he refers you to a fertility clinic they will do it at least that's been the case with me.

I'm very anxiously waiting for AF to arrive so I can schedule my HyCoSy. My cycles are normally 30 days and I'm on cd32 now but since I got a positive ppl in cd21 rather than the usual 17 I'm expecting AF to be about 4 days later as well.

I asked my GP - there is a fertility unit here at the local hospital but it’s all chargeable after 40.

Hope AF doesn’t arrive for you Orchid!

Oh that's a shame Ali. I don't understand why they'd charge in one place and not another. I'm from a country that has a system similar to NHS but everyone's treated equally no matter where they live.
Thanks but I'm sure AF is on its way just running late. I have no symptoms whatsoever and did a cheapie yesterday for fun and it was negative so as much as I'd like to be pregnant I don't think I am.

It's a postcode lottery unfortunately, some areas still do fertility on NHS, some don't. I'm in an area that no longer does fertiility on NHS, not even for young people, it's really sad

Cleo, that's really bad...so young people who are unable to have children naturally and might struggle financially to afford help are just supposed to give up on their dreams of having children? Very sad.

Anyone else feel like they’re waiting for a miracle?

Oh AliBaba! You read my mind! I went for acupuncture tonight and I’m just about to down the herbal powders all the time thinking - what are the chances? Really?
They say a PMA is vital but there are days when I feel so hopeless that I just can’t muster one. My diet has been so bad these last few weeks - I know it’s important to put attention to it, and I’m not. I’m also struggling with my LO (who is 3) asking me all the time if I have or am going to have a baby in my tummy. Makes me want to cry ...
A miracle would be good right now!
Oh and just to say I don’t use OPKs Ali as I tried for 3 months and never got a positive - figured they just don’t work for me... 🙄 x

Come on ladies, pick yourselves up! I was feeling very down about it all this morning but just told myself I need to keep going.
I really need to find that article about a woman who gave birth at 41, 43 and 47- there were lots if encouraging messages under that I think reading these might help us all right now. Her motto was I believe I can conceive and she just wouldn't let herself think she wouldn't and kept going so we need to do the same.
KeepingTheFaith- I just drank my Chinese herbs. The ladies at my place tell me if quite a few women in their 40's who have conceived with their help so it's definitely worth trying. Would you consider doing any fertility treatments? IUI, IVF?
I'm still waiting for stupid AF. One month I would actually like her to come asap she's late, witch!

KeepingTheFaith- have you had any tests and checks done? Blood tests, HyCoSy to check your tubes aren't blocked etc?

I’ve been trying the PMA for nearly 2 years now - not a sniff of a BFP. I really thought it would happen within about 6 months.

Faith, my daughter asks me too!

Anyone read The Fertile Female? That’s good for PMA. My hormones were great after reading that.