35+ TTC#1 Thread 5

[BambiOnIce80]

New Year, new thread! 🍾🥂

Basically: a wonderful bunch of ladies supporting each other through the TTC journey when trying for a first baby after 35.

Here's hoping 2019 brings some BFP luck to us all!! 🍀🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻

@Carley32 , thank you. Hoping the witch stays away. Will keep you posted!

@pattyhoo congrats! Not sure what you do next?! Do a happy dance! Woo xxx

@PixieN glad that's happening quickly for you. It's strange how everywhere is different on how referrals work.

@BambiOnIce80 I had a counselling session last week and got my last one end of Feb, she didn't have anything sooner. Feel like it's just scratching the surface of things though so am considering private but need to wait for things to settle down money wise. The kitchen is dragging on, we've spent more than usual on food as we're eating out more. Hopefully by the end of next week we'll be on the home stretch. I think counselling would be worth a try.

Thank you @Carley32 hope you're OK too :)

Congratulations @pattyhoo! 🎉 How exciting ❤️

Have been awake since dh's alarm went off at 5.30 😴 Can feel a cold coming and got a busy week at work. Not really tracking anything anymore but think I'm in my tww now.

Hope everyone has a good day 😊

@pattyhoo congratulations! 🎉💕 @CNizzle’s happy dance suggestion sounds good

@VenusStarr I know. I always think it’s odd how different it can be depending on the area you live. I’m sure they’ll be hold ups or problems at some stage, but just just glad we’re in the system for now.

Annoyingly Af arrived yesterday, along with cramping 🙁

Not feeling too virtuous with the exercise. It always seems to increase my appetite, so think I end up piling all the calories i’ve burnt (and more!) back on 🙈

Hopefully you won't have hold ups with your referral. I'm tempted to call just to see if they have us in the system. It's only been 3 weeks since dh did his SA though so might be pushing it. Sorry af arrived @PixieN. I haven't exercised for a while but should. Struggling with motivation. I'm not doing brilliantly with trying to lose eight either but once the kitchen is finished I'm hopeful I can get back on it.

So started spotting last night. And AF is here with light flo today. And I'm devastated and feeling quite tearful and moody. Upsetting because I think I'd really built my hopes up more so this cycle. It's only our 3rd cycle so really early days. Has taken all of our friends who are similar age longer than this. Tho I find it hard to not compare myself to others, it just makes me feel worse. Also people who I've told that we are trying for a baby, when they ask any baby news yet? It makes me feel a little pressure I suppose I want it so badly and I'm a bit impatient. On the plus side lots of sex in February . I'm trying to be optimistic. Feeling very down today. 😭

@Carley32 I’m not sure about a twisted cervix, but I was told that I have a tilted uterus. They can tilt various ways but mine is such that the nurse couldn’t access my cervix to do a smear. It didn’t seem to hinder TTC though, and everything that I’ve read says it shouldn’t.

@Guaccamole I’m sorry that you’re having a rough day, it can be so crushing each time. Whether it’s your 3rd cycle or 30th.

I didn’t tell anyone when we started trying because I didn’t want that added pressure. If people ask, can you say something vague about taking a break from TTC? I don’t like to lie, but it could give you a break from all the questions. We have all these expectations and put enough pressure on ourselves without having it from others as well.

Done another test this morning and it's even more positive than the last one - eek! Seems like I wasn't ill - I've just been pregnant 😂

Not fully sunk in yet - will probably get another test just to check these two are not faulty. I think the giving up alcohol and caffeine and eating more veg did something in January!

Thank you for all the lovely messages ❤️ I was in total shock yesterday and couldn't process the results. Xxx

Sorry AF turned up @PixieN and @Guaccamole 💐💐💐 I must admit I deliberately didn't tell any IRL friends we were TTC unless they were having issues too... I've seen how under the microscope other friends were when they'd said they were TTC and I just couldn't face that pressure myself 😔 Be kind to yourself ❤️ I know it's very little consolation, but cycle 3 is still pretty early days and I'm sure you'll get your BFP soon 🍀

I hope you're doing well @Kescilly? Have you had your babymoon in Bath yet?x

CD11 here and my temp is up in the 36.60's, so I think I just have to accept that I ovulated either CD9 or 10 and its going to be another short cycle 😔 I'll wait and see if I'm right at the beginning of next week and if I am then I'm going to make an appointment to get my prolactin re-done. I'm almost hoping it'll be sky-high to explain this weirdness, because if it isn't that then I have no idea what's going on! 😣

Yes thanks @BambiOnIce80. Getting over my cold, thank goodness! The house is a disaster and I'm already starting to feel huge, but other than that everything is fine. We leave for Bath on Thursday, can't wait!

@BambiOnIce80 have your cycles suddenly gotten short? I thought you were always quite regular. For what it's worth, my cycles were irregular and some of them quite short, and it apparently wasn't all doom and gloom. Frustrating though! How was your weekend?

@pattyhoo congrats! How are you feeling?

Oooh, exciting stuff @Kescilly! 🤩 Please do report back 🙂 We're off to the Cotswolds and Wales for my birthday, so I'm toying with a day trip to Bath too.x

Yep, my last cycle was 19 days out of the blue from the usual 28/29 😣 Think it's possible that the bereavement might have pushed my (already toppy) prolactin level through the roof, so I'll get it checked if I'm right and AF turns up in the middle of next week (😓). Although (TMI alert! ⚠️😳), I've just noticed EWCM when I've nipped to the loo, so I might be on the run up to ov despite my temp rise this morning?! 🤷‍♀️ I did have a crap night's sleep (DP snoring again 😴😡), but I can't believe that'd ram my temp up that high?? Lots of booze- yes, totally possible; but a dodgy night's sleep? Wouldn't have thought so... 🤔

@Kescilly I've just done third test, to be sure, and it's very positive, I think I'm just in absolute shock. I don't know what to do with myself as I'm still feeling unwell and can't go to work. Excited and very nervous 😂

Massive Congratulations @pattyhoo ❤️🧁💐

@Carley32 I remember when @BambiOnIce80 told us about her first acupuncture session and was told to rely on her body signs rather than Opk. I think there is no better sign of imminent ovulation than ewcm. However as you had a flashing smile for so many days I wonder if it means your LH surge or phase is long 🤔(not a bad thing)

My period is 7 days late today and I'm still in the dark of what's going on. I did a FRER on Saturday and got a line so faint that I think it's all in my head. Also as it was the first time I used a FRER I noticed the window filled with wee and only after I took the test I realised the window is supposed to be AWAY from the body. I promise you ladies, I'm not always this stupid 🙈.

I don't know what to do next. If I am does it mean my HCG levels are very low Dr @BambiOnIce80 and it is at risk? If I see a doctor, will they ask for a blood test now or will they ask me to go back in a few days time and test at home again? What do I do? 🤯

First off @QuantumGirl - breathe! 😂 Second off, I'm not a doc but a scientist (I'm sure you know that, but just so we're clear for the newbies 🤓) and I use different RDT tests in my job lots and lots- you're right that flooding the window isn't great. That said, it doesn't mean your faint line isn't genuine. This sounds tentatively exciting (🤩), so let's go for the most straightforward option possible to get clarity on your result from Saturday... repeat the test! 🤓 Have you got another one handy or can you get one ready for your FMU tomorrow? Given the flooding the window possibility, maybe pee in a container or something and dip it? Means you can also hold onto that FMU if you get a nice strong line and fancy trying it out on a digital 😉

Just checking in...

Congratulations @pattyhoo !
@QuantumGirl is it worth taking another FRER? I have heard of some women not getting a positive test for a few weeks after their missed period.

@79andnotout good luck for the exams this week! 🍀

@BambiOnIce80 FX for a normal cycle! I've not had many weird temperatures, but then I don't drink much even when I do drink. Disturbed sleep is supposed to affect it though. I had nasty cold viruses right over ovulation both November and December and Natural Cycles wouldn't confirm ovulation until I got to the end of the month.

Oh no @Guaccamole ! Can't imagine what it's like to have pressure from others 💐 .

@Carley32 No idea about the CB opks but it doesn't sound like they're helping. Is it worth sticking to ICs?

Happy birthday for yesterday @Amanda81 ! Not sure about colds affecting temperatures - I've not really skipped temperatures when I've been ill as I've not seen much difference between those and normal (I'm on cycle 36 of tracking now) but saying that, I had a rise yesterday morning and then another one this morning which puts me right up into post ovulation territory (and the app is again wanting to confirm ovulation at the end of the month... 😞)

I think we're into TWW now but had a bit of a weird experience with the opks this month. I've always tested in the afternoon as the instructions for ICs say don't test first thing, and found that I was getting the positives if I tested around 6pm. This last month I got a nearly positive on the Friday night and a completely negative on the Saturday. So this month I decided it might be best to test through the day. I started to get a clear line on Friday and tested first thing Saturday morning - it wasn't quite positive but was by lunchtime. We'd already DTD first thing so left it on Saturday night as I'm aware that too much can be bad too! Sunday morning I got the same and assumed it would be stronger again at lunchtime (I usually get two days of positives) but was back at a clear negative by then. Temperature had jumped up on Sunday morning though suggesting it had already happened (I wasn't feeling ill on Sunday until later on - maybe the jump today is illness?). I'm now hoping we haven't missed peak timing... Arghh!

@BambiOnIce80 scientists are much better than doctors 🤓😉🤩. I love a technical explanation which doctors rarely provide as they assume you won't understand 🙄😒.

Thank you for your reply. Re-test it is. I will stock up tomorrow and test on Weds morning with a cup so there is no more room for flooding. Other than a missed period I have no other symptom. All very boring atm 😒😒😒

If it makes you feel any better @Weathergirl1, look at the state of mine! I only drank on Saturday lunchtime (I was entirely sober when I went to bed 😇) and haven't drunk at all at any other time in this cycle - still looks like I've ov'd on CD9 😥 Yours certainly is looking like CD12, and a 24 day cycle is fine for TTC purposes 👍 It's apparently anything less than a 21 day cycle that you have to worry about... Like mine looks like it's going to be again 😩

7 days late and a faint line is far from boring @QuantumGirl!! 😂😂😂 Keeping everything crossed for this repeat 🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻🍀

Oh no @BambiOnIce80 ! Fx

I agree, @QuantumGirl scientists are better than doctors! 😉

Quick question, if you need to use FMU for a pregnancy test, does it 'go off' if you leave it in a cup & have to wait to pick up a test later in the day? I've wondered that for a while - other than the yuck factor of a cup of wee hanging around for a few hours 🤣

Thanks @BambiOnIce80 really appreciate the cheerleading 😍. It's just that the glass half empty in me is saying don't get too excited as I have had weird long cycles in the past and thought I had an anovulatory one last month. Just being careful and managing the potential disappointment but thank you for the optimism, it's nice to hear 😘☺️

@Weathergirl1 if I remember well from Saturday's instructions I think the cup is a 5 min wait ⏰

Totally hear you on the managing expectations front @QuantumGirl - I shall keep my cheerleading muted until you update us on Wednesday 🤐 (then I reserve the right to lose my 💩 completely if you get a BFP!! 🎉😍🎉🤞🏻🍀).

Oddly enough @Weathergirl1, I know the answer to that one 🤓 Basically, if you leave wee hanging about at room temperature or warmer for a few hours, then bacteria will start to thrive that will produce various chemicals/proteins/enzymes that can mess up your test. However, you can do a test hours to days later if you keep your wee sample refrigerated/between 2-6°C... I'll leave you with that thought! 😂🤣