35+ TTC#1 Thread 3

[Blondcat]

We seem to have filled up our last thread so here is a new one.

A wonderful bunch of ladies supporting each other through the ttc journey when trying for a first baby after 35.

Goodluck to all ladies we can do it

I bough the Clearblue Advanced Fertility Monitor and am on day 8 with my first high reading after two days of lows. It may be that the machine is calibrating for this first month but I’m not taking any chances, OH has been put on notice 😂

In other news, it’s Kanellbulledagen so I’m on a mission to find Swedish Cinnamon Buns, for extra energy of course!

How is everyone today?

@thenewbiestep I didn’t use my mooncup as I figured they’d all fall into it when standing up. I did however lie in bed with my legs in the air for 15 mins haha. So elegant!

@kescilly early scans are worth it if you are fretting in any way. Had mine yesterday & pleased to say all is well (so far)! It’s made it longer than the MMC did anyway, so that’s great. I feel SO relieved.

Hope everyone else is hanging in there. And that there’s another BFP on the thread soon!

I’m sorry, @wheresthehope. Good that you’re in contact with the doctor and they are running tests. How’s the lightheadedness?

@MrsRRC I used the monitor and had a high around CD 8 or 9 a couple times. Do you know when you’ve been ovulating in previous cycles?

@Melamine that must be a relief. I’m scared to have a scan and scared not to have one! I feel like I see so many posts from people who miscarry that it seems a miracle anyone stays pregnant. How far along are you now?

Hi @Kescilly

I was using Flo to track my periods when I came off the pill about 6 months ago and it estimated me at day 16 of a 30 day cycle, I personally think that I probably ovulate around day 12 or 13 just judging by how I feel. I’ve not tracked cm or used kits before so it’s all new for me. 😁

What did you think of the monitor?

@MrsRRC I'm glad we got it. I was on the fence before we started TTC, because of the expense. But I knew I didn't want to do the cheap strips. Before we started TTC my cycles were regular but as soon as we started they went all over the place. Without OPKs of some kind, I would have had no way to know when I was ovulating. The apps never got it right for me. I think they are probably making a lot of people miss ovulation, to be honest.

I think it's really clear and easy to use, but it's stupid how they try to get you to use so many tests. I did the full amount for the first cycle, then after that I only tested until I got my first peak. Once you get the first peak, it automatically gives you another peak and a high.

I ovulated early last cycle and might have missed it if I wasn't using the monitor.

I ovulated really late - 4 days late - on the cycle we conceived. I’d have completely missed it without ov testing.

@Kescilly I’m
8 weeks 1 from LMP but 7 weeks 4 based on conception date, and this was confirmed at scan which was spot on the adjusted dates. I think that MCs seem much more common because people tend to post on forums when they’re having problems, rather than when all is going swimmingly. And MMCs are even more rare but again they seem like they happen so much more often going by forums 🙄 but misery does love company!

Crikey ladies! I hope no one's got any of these? 😥

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45749573

@Kescilly and @Melamine thank you that’s really useful and I too baulked at the cost but if I were having as much sex and having to buy Skyn Condoms instead in the equivalent quantities I think it would probably even out pretty quickly 😂

@BambiOnIce80 I just saw that too! How awful😬

@wheresthehope I’m sorry Hun. It’s good that they are running some tests. I hope you are taking it easy 💗.

@kescilly so is the CB fertility monitor just 1 test that you re-use?

I most definitely need something too. Because I’m not sure about these cheapy OPKs and with AF practically non existent anyway I’d never be able to tell!

Could anyone advise when the right time to go to my gp is? 1 AF since May but also stopped taking the pill in May!

@Bambi 😮 hopefully no one has used that brand?

@MrsRRC & @Carley32 I know, right?! I think I'd be cataplectic with grief if I got my first BFP after 4 years of TTC only to find out it was false 😨 I pray that hasn't happened to anyone (I'm in no way religious, but you know what I mean!).

On the subject of the monitor, I think it's a great idea for people whose ovulation dates move about and can be tricky to pin down. Mine happen with amazingly dull regularity (alternates between CD15 and CD16) so it wouldn't be worth the investment, in my case.

@Carley32, I know it's frustrating that AF hasn't gotten into a regular pattern yet but from what I hear it's pretty normal when you come off the pill. A friend of mine came off hers in March and only got her first 'proper AF' 3 weeks ago. She'd been to the GP a couple of days before for bloods to just make sure nothing was amiss and then BAM - AF rocked up!

Evening all! I used cheapo ovulation tests for 6 months and never got a positive. Went to my GP and got a blood test, which showed Ov. Bingo! A week later I got my BFP (which was sadly not meant to be). I then got the CB monitor on EBay (new, in box). It took a couple of months of calibration, but I do think it picks up more, and less likely to be misinterpreted than simple lines on a stick. However, since being encouraged by Gyne, and my Accupuncture lady, I am more aware of Ewcm. And I think the monitor catches it a day late. After the egg-shaped Horse has bolted!!! X

@MrsRRC I was nervous about the cost too. But I really thought we’d have a problem conceiving and I didn’t want to waste time being unsure of when ovulated. Or later throwing ££££ at infertility and thinking about how the monitor would have been a drop in the ocean in comparison.

@Carley32 so you have the monitor, and then you buy these boxes of test sticks. Mostly ovulation, but the monitor can detect pregnancy too so they add a few of those in each box.

When you start, the monitor will ask you to test first on something like CD6 of your cycle. Then it will keep asking for more tests until you get your highs and peaks.

The thing I don’t like is that it asks for batches of ten at a time. So if you get your peak on your 11th day of testing, it’s going to ask you to test another nine days for no reason. I ignored it when this happened.

As you go through your cycles, it will start asking you to test on different days. So it might start with CD6, but your next cycle you might not start testing until CD8.

I’m not sure what I would have done if I had really long cycles. The sticks are expensive and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend so much money on them. In that sense, the cheap strips can be better for anyone who has to test a lot.

Overall I’m glad we got it. I think we got our BFP on our fourth cycle. We dtd on CD10 (my first high that cycle) and I ovulated on CD12.

I think anything that helps you predict more fertile days is great. Knowing when you’ve ovulated is nice and all, but since most of your fertile window is before ovulation, if you’re irregular you need to have some way of predicting it.

@Bambi yea I’m hoping it’s just my body getting back into the swing of things 🤞. But maybe I should book an appointment to give ‘sods law’ a try! Either way I’d hopefully get some peace of mind.

@kescilly thanks for the info. Answered every question 😁.

Thank you for all the info girls. So it sounds like I should stick with the cheapies until (if) my body sorts itself out and maybe book a docs appointment in the meantime, there’ll be a 2 week wait so hopefully something will happen before I get to actually attend.

I can’t quite believe how much of a waiting game it all is.
Anyone testing soon?

Hey everyone, interesting about the monitor, i used cb digital for a few months, alongside the cheapo ones, one month i got peak solid smiley on cb, but didnt get a positive cheapo til 3 days later, and a corresponding rise in bbt. So think ill stick to the cheapo ones, but im a bit of a geek, so the more data the better!!
9dpo here. Currently in the docs with a horrid uti. Went to the pharmacist initially for antibiotics, and they wouldnt touch me cos i couldnt say i definitely wasnt pregnant. (Even though I know there's a pregnancy-safe antibiotic on their list).

So feeling crap, managed to squeeze enough out to give a sample. (TMI)
Otherwise ive been pretty symptom-free. Had a tiny amount of spotting this morning, but that could be the uti.
Urgh
Hope everyone else is having a pleasant Friday.

@cnizzle sorry you have a uti that was me last month and it sucks. Gp was great and gave me suitable antibiotics in case I was pregnant. Hope you feel better soon. Currently 10dpo here and trying not to symptom spot.

Good luck @blondcat!

@CNizzle hope you feel better soon 💗.

I don’t know about you ladies but this ttc lark is getting on my last nerve, especially on the weekend, all I want is a glass of wine or 3 😭😭. It’s just a constant guessing game!

I bet you are all ready for the weekend!

UTIs are the worst, hope you feel better soon @CNizzle.

Urgh indeed to the UTI @CNizzle! Not a good start to the weekend 😔 Hope you're over it soon 💐

@Carley32 I will be indulging in a cheeky G&T this evening - I'm CD14, should be starting the '3 days in a row' bit of SMEP, but DP has been struck down with man-flu 😕 I think we're game over this cycle... which means there can be gin 🍸😉

@Bambi well done for stinking with it till now but what a gutter with the man flu..... but every cloud and all that 🍸 (there really does need to be a gin emoji). I’m so Jelous right now 🙈.

I’m 8 dpo and I am almost positive that the 1 time we actually did was probably to late anyway, but better to be safe I suppose lol.

I hope those Gins are going down well!

Sticking*

I think i’m going to have to give up on the idea of SMEP this month too. Feel like i’m coming down with a cold and like i’m on the verge of a UTI too so I feel your pain @CNizzle Not a full blown one (used to have them quite frequently) but frequent visits to the loo & have a horrible heavy feeling in my bladder 😢 I think i’m just feeling a bit run down overall tbh. Wish I could have some gin, but probably not the best idea lol. Thank god it’s the weekend!

Hi ladies, just checking in to say hi. Feeling much more relaxed after working from home for a week with pups and a week in France (during my FW 😉). I did very little apart from eating and drinking, diet is out of the window 😵. I didn't take any OPKs with me in the end so had to wing it. Now, I'm very confused as I think these mobile apps sometimes tell us lots of 🤬. I got ewcm on Monday, strong left pelvic pain on Thursday and apps telling me ovulation day was yesterday and today which I don't believe. Out of curiosity what is your experience on the ewcm and positive opk timing?

Seems to be a lot of bugs going around! OH has man flu too. We are on holiday and it's fertile week though so he's not been let off. First attempt didn't go well and I had a strop but after a chat we worked out a better approach and this morning went better, and I got a positive opk straight after (I use internet cheapies, I find they work really well for me, photo attached of last three days). Will hopefully get another go out of him tomorrow. Enjoying the holiday, lots of food and wine, but diet is definitely starting next week. My face feels fat! Will try and be healthy up till Christmas.

Sorry for all the UTIs too. Frustrating.

I have no ewcm but do get a mild bit of some mucus around ovulation, so I'm assuming theres enough inside. I don't recall ever having much even when young. I always dream of sex around ovulation though, does anyone else? Last night I had sex in a shop with some person I didn't recognise who was wearing a big black strap on. Bizarre!