35+ TTC#1 Thread 4

[BambiOnIce80]

We're very close to maxing-out our previous thread, so time to start afresh 🙂

To borrow the intro from @Blondcat (our old threads founder):

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

Good luck all!! 🍀🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻

Day 5 of light brown spotting here. Getting a bit fed up now. DH and I had a half an hour discussion about whether to test or not and I have freaked myself out by reading about ectopic pregnancy. All in a days work 🤦🏻‍♀️

How’s everyone doing? I was congratulating myself on not having been drawn into Black Friday and then the postman knocked on the door with a packet addressed to me, it seems I had unwittingly ordered a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick while tipsily scrolling the internet on Friday 🍷

Sorry to hear that @LeonieKate , so disappointing.

@MrsRRC - that's strange. I can't remember if you temp. Is your progesterone still high? I'd give in and test but I always do. Waste of tests. Which lipstick did you get? I'm a sucker for Charlotte tilbury. Although I'm on a green/money saving mission these days and have bloody loads of fancy lipsticks that I never wear as we hardly ever go out anymore and also my lips seem to be blurring into my face/moustache these days so it reminds me I'm getting old every time I try to paint on a nice bright lip!

We managed 3/5 shags and all signs indicate ovulation today. Should prob do tomorrow too just in case but a colleague is staying with us and getting OH to dtd this morning was awkward enough with him sleeping upstairs.

I'm full of lurgee now too. All healthy eating and exercise has gone out the window. I'm hoping this is my one cold of the winter. Last year I was ill for a solid two months.

@MrsRRC you can't be blamed for your drunk subconscious ordering lipsticks. Your brain played a Derren Brown style trick on you. I might order myself a lipstick to cheer myself up.

@79andnotout urgh sorry to hear about your lurgy - hope it buggers off soon. Also the awkward shagging, ha, this ttc is sooo romantic. My DH and I are going to be spending the next few months in very close quarters with my MiL, so I forsee some similar quiet awkward shags in my future.

Thanks for nice messages everyone, I'm OK. In a weird way I feel happy to have had a few really excited days, I don't regret how joyous I felt. I'm not normally this pollyanna-ish, not sure what's going on!

glad you're feeling positive about it all @LeonieKate. Pollyanna has a good approach, generally, I find, even if sometimes she inspires violence in me!

@79andnotout and @LeonieKate which one will you get? 😀

Actual guffawing at the ‘tache comment. Pixilated Me bought Love Liberty, I also have Amazing Grace and Bitch Perfect for summer – I am a sucker for berry shades and a true red and will wear them anywhere and everywhere because lipstick is my thing too 😊 I hold a lipstick aloft and declare it ‘The One’, in my head there is a fanfare, angels sing and then I get it home and find at least five others that are virtually identical! I am also in love with the Charlotte Tilbury highlight and contour palette, it’s gorgeous and not orange or ashy at all.

I don’t temp because I am up so early in the week and appreciate my lie ins at the weekend. I am not sure what I would be looking for other than the spotting, but I have a few spots on my face which is very unusual for me, I do occasionally get the odd hormonal spot on my chin, and I have one now which is delightful, but I have started to get a few small pimples on my cheeks and nose (hoping a strong lip will detract from it!) and a bit of very light, barely noticeable, sort of cramping, but that’s it, no sore boobs anymore, although I did last week and leading up to the weekend they are more sensitive but not unbearable and a bit of bloating but nothing major.

Day 5 of ClearBlue ovulation tests flashing smiley face at me, I'm starting to feel like it's more of a taunt! Hoping this isn't odd and that tomorrow it goes static. I had funny cramps yesterday and convinced myself I must be ovulating but cheap opk said no yesterday.

This whole ttc thing is not what I expected at all. Considering not doing temping or sticks next month (if nothing happens this month) and see if just old fashioned dtd when we're in the mood works 

@MrsRRC is there a pillow talk lipstick? One was advertised to me on instagram a while back but I couldn't find it on the CT website 

@pattyhoo yes there is. It’s probably out of stock after Black Friday. I ordered one from John Lewis for my sil. They have them on lookfantastic too.

@MrsRRC Good luck. 🤞 this is your month. I’m loving the drunken sales shop 😂.

@79andnotout I’m with you... It’s been a week already with the lurgy. Feeling rather crappy and just praying that it will be over soon and that will be that (I have a tenancy to become unwell right in time for the Xmas period 😡.
Good going on the shagging....... 🤞 all the awkwardness was worth it 😂.

Well I felt quite lucky today. Had 1 or 2 ovulation symptoms so thought my cycle may have shifted and was actually becoming shorter..... did a cab test and no such luck 🙄.

Cb* ..... I seriously need to turn this predictive txt off!

@MrsRRC lovely I shall go looking again! I really think it might be the perfect everyday lipstick.

Can I have your opinions please? What do you think this cheapy opk is? Definite ovulation or just nearly there? 

Hey everyone, loving the black friday lippy purchases! Im an eyeliner girl myself.

Had my next consultation at ACS today. I was told at the hycosy that my tubes were patent, but he says the left one was difficult to visualise, so i probably need a laparoscopy. If the lap is clear though ive got unexplained fertility so wont be eligible to he put on ivf lists until ttc 2 years. And im only in the notes as 1 year. That takes me to 3 months before im 40, which is tricky with elligibility for 3 cycles. Urgh its a minefield.
Ive to go back after AF to get another US to check the polyp. (Might need that removed too when I'm under for the laparoscopy). Although he said he'd also look for possible endometriosis in the pelvis that might cause my painful periods.
My head's a mess after this appointment today. Didnt expect him to recommend an operation under GA.

@pattyhoo id say nearly there, not quite peak yet.

I'm surprised they have a trying for 2 years policy @CNizzle. Would you consider going private for ivf? It does sound like a minefield and completely different depending where you live. It seems quite overwhelming, hope you're OK

I've booked in for an ultrasound - could have had this Friday but I couldn't make the time they offered. Got it on the same day as I'm having the swabs and smear - not looking forward to that! Am impressed the surgery seem on it. Going for my cd21 (but actually cd19) bloods next week. Think I ovulated today, but am not tracking other than checking cm. I tend to get quite a lot of discomfort around ovulation too.

How's everyone getting on?

I’m still waiting on my body realising I’m not on the pill anymore. Almost 6 weeks and not so much as a withdrawal bleed.

I’d prefer getting it all done on same day, get it all out of the way in one massive go!

@CNizzle they’re really putting you through the ringer! I hope you get some answers from all the procedures. You’ve been trying so long, it doesn’t seem fair to make you wait even longer.

I don’t understand why the NHS makes you wait so long when there are age limits on IVF (and we know that age affects fertility).

Good luck @CNizzle and hope you get your AF sorted soon @Trying81 !

@CNizzle I suppose it’s progress, like others have said, it makes no sense - a two year wait!

Fingers crossed for AF @Trying81 🤞🏻

All good here, got an album launch party tonight so dug out a fancy lipstick 🤣 It’s not as glamorous as it sounds, my husband and I will be by far the least edgy and cool people there.

No spotting today, yet. So that’s a relief!

@Pattyhoo it looks like a nearly there, I tried the strips for a while and never got a really strong result, now I just pee on them when I am bored.

@CNizzle so you would need to wait another year? That's must be so frustrating, but don't worry about the GA and operation, I had this to remove cysts and it was fine. I was under for 4 and a half hours (cysts were much worse than they expected) but still went home the same day as I'm a stubborn bastard!

I've just ordered a load of cheap opks from eBay but have never used them before, how long after AF finishes should I start peeing on them?

Cheers all

Weird after years of hating my periods to look forward to one arriving!

@Pinkywoo yeah. Another full year. Stupidly I told my gp when we properly started ttc, not, the year before, when I stopped my pill and were not trying, but not avoiding. Note to anyone who's not been to their GP yet
Anyway, the lap/polyp removal might solve it & I get pregnant naturally, or i get an infertility diagnosis and things move forward. Amazing what a sleep can do for mental clarity. Doc did also make the point that the hycosy can increase fertility over the next few months. AF is on the horizon, i feel it coming today right on cue.
OH has agreed to "go at it hammer & tongs" this month 🤣🤣

@CNizzle oh god that all sounds like such a head f**k. Glad some sleep has made you feel a bit clearer but jeez, that's a lot to deal with. Hope you're taking care of yourself, and the hammer and tongs approach sounds like a good one (and weirdly now is sounding a bit 'position of the fortnight' to me, not sure what that says about me).

@MrsRRC ooh have fun at the album launch - I always think it's best to be the least edgy and cool ones, it's way more fun. Enjoy a lipstick outing!

@Trying81 I'm sure it took my body a while to realise I wasn't on the coil anymore. All the waiting around is so infuriating!

I'm struggling a bit with not just feeling really flat and unmotivated since my m/c disappointment. Which isn't ideal because I'm freelance, and if I don't get motivated I don't work. I just feel drained, and like I would like someone to tell me what to do for a bit, which must sound a bit nuts.

Afternoon Ladies 👋 My conference is over and I can now access this thread without worrying that colleagues are reading it over my shoulder! Lots to catch up on!

Nothing wrong with a tipsy black Friday purchase @MrsRRC💄 Mine turned out to be a job lot of burt bees lip balms for a fiver 😊 Glad to hear your spotting has stopped 🤞🏻 What CD are you now?

Sorry for the lurg @79andnotout 💐 Is it TWW time for you now?

I'm not surprised you're feeling flat after what you've just been through @LeonieKate 💐 Have you got any 'turn brain off and just do' kind of tasks in your job?

I find the OPK's can be quite a draining experience @pattyhoo. I think the pic you put up looks like you're about to surge though, so I'd get DingTD if I were you 😉 I've gone back to them this cycle because I've been away from home and it's the start of fertile week... Wanted to know if we'd missed our FW or not (looks like not 👍). That said, DP is on nights this week, so DTD logistics are going to be tricky 🤔 We've managed 2 preliminary shag's so far though, so I'm mildly optimistic that we'll manage a new record this cycle! 😂

Crikey @CNizzle, that was a lot of info to get hit with in one appointment! 😥 Glad sleeping on it has helped though. Fingers-crossed the scan will have upped fertility chances for you this month 🤞🏻🍀

@VenusStarr it's in the NICE guidance that all centres don't offer IVF until 2 years of TTC has passed, so sadly it's the national standard. Looks like all your tests are really starting to move 🍀

@Trying81, that sounds like a very frustrating 6 weeks! 😔 @Carley321 can probably give you her experience on that one. The pill really does do a number on some of us 💐

@Pinkywoo, it depends on the OPK's you're getting so you're best to read the instructions that come with it. The clear blue ones are entirely different to the one step ones, for example. The one steps advise testing between 10am and 8pm, starting about 2 days before what would be the halfway point for your cycle, if that helps. The annoying thing about them is that you really need to hold back on drinking much for a few hours before you do them to try a concentrate your wee and I constantly neck water and green tea throughout the day so withholding isn't easy for me 😕

Hi All, am in the TWW.
Those of you temping, when do you ease off on DTD? When you see a sustained temperature shift?

Thanks @BambiOnIce80. I've just looked up my local ccg policy. It says if they identify the issues treatment should be offered without delay but if no reason found / unexplained then no success within a further year treatment will be offered then. It's can all feel quite bleak.

Glad you haven't missed your fw :)

Hope you're OK @LeonieKate

Hoping af arrives for you soon @Trying81 apologies if I've missed it but have you tested? Strange to not get your usual withdrawal bleed - how do our bodies know?!

I don't temp @terriwrist found it too stressful but I think once ovulation is confirmed you'll be fine just to going back to when you want to dtd rather than feeling like you have to

I was supposed to start counselling today but they cancelled on my way to the appointment. I'd geared myself up for it as well. That's through work. Have contacted the service via my GP and that's a 4 month wait. Still need to be assessed for it so more likely 5-6 months before that will come through. I think I'm in my tww now, had quite a lot of discomfort with ovulation this month. I find it really hard to switch off when my body is constantly reminding me, if it's not with pain around ovulation it's cervical mucus or sore boobs and bloating when I'm due on. I'm off to meet my sister tonight for some nice food and some comedy, be good to take my mind off things

Hope everyone is having a good day