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!! 🍀🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻

Thanks @BambiOnIce It does feel like a relief that we’re in the system and things are moving. The consultant we spoke to was lovely and very down to earth. I think he spent more time talking to DH about football though lol. At the end of our appointment he randomly said ‘Good luck for tonight’ and in my fertility focused head I thought he was on about Ttc as it’s my fertile week which I thought was a bit weird. Then, I realised he was on about football and wishing DH good luck not our ttc efforts 🙈😂

I’ve only read a handful of SK books, but loved ‘It’ and recently read ‘The Stand.’ I need to get round to reading the others. I remember watching the Tv version of ‘It’ as a kid - I’d broken my arm, was allowed to stay up late and my mum had fallen asleep on the sofa. Not looked at a clown the same way since 🤡😳😁 Have you seen the remake? One of my friends is a huge SK fan and has been to his house in Maine.

Thanks @VenusStarr Glad your referrals been sent off and good luck with your appointment. I felt quite nervous before ours, but there was no need to be. Good news about kitchen progress too 👍😊

I had a medical appointment today too. I have officially been referred from gynaecology to infertility now. I forgot to ask where I've been referred to, but think it will be st Mary’s, which is supposed to be a bit crap. The consultant said he could have referred me ages ago by mail instead of me waiting for an appointment. Great! Anyway, one interesting thing he did say, is that an HSG performed with Lipiodol instead of a water based media like we use in the UK, has been shown to improve fertility outcomes for those unexplained cases. The nerds of you might be interested in looking up those studies. He said he'd do that for me on the nhs if I got rejected for ivf or just fancied giving it a go if ivf doesn't work.

I also had my rubella test because I didn't get vaccinated for anything as a child (being a foreigner and not having a good vaccination program), although I remember having Rubella but since one rash looks much like any other, and I never saw any doctors to confirm, I'd rather get that test out of the way now in case I need the vaccine. Think you have to wait a few months for it to kick in.

Any one know how you find out your CCG ivf eligibility criteria? I'm concerned my bad FSH might exclude me.

I'm going to start a pre ivf health plan, and cut out booze too. Might as well give it all my best shot. My bmi has crept up a couple of notches too. Spring is a good time to shift it!

Also think Stephen King is great, he comes across like a really interesting and benevolent guy. I've read some of his books, including IT, with my back against the wall as a teen, and slept with the light on for months after. I get really bad nightmares (still do at least once a week) so I have to be careful what I read/watch! I enjoyed Dr Sleep, which was more humorous than scary, but I still had to go to the loo with all the lights on at night in case the monsters got me! Im so lame...

Hi all - so much to catch up on!

Glad to hear some of you have had positive news with appointments etc. And those of you having heart to hearts with your OHs - good to get that in the open and both be happy to discuss these things. 💐 I guess I'm lucky in that respect that it's my OH who is more bothered about us having a child so I don't have to deal with him feeling pressured.

I've been laid low the past few days with the cold (I thought I was getting over) turning into sinusitis... Been feeling truly awful. On the upside, I've got as far as (I think) 11dpo without really thinking too much about the TWW. As last month I've had a bit of brown discharge again yesterday and today (which I don't normally get) but it didn't turn into a positive then so I can't really get very excited about it!

@BambiOnIce80 I am 8 or 9 DPO I think! but not completely sure about this month. So around 11/12ish days Sat.
I would just say no, but I'm so sure af is on the way that I don't want to miss out. Wales v England this week. I have to be honest, I don't particularly follow it, I just tag along for the booze and the atmosphere lol.
So are you able to pay to freeze your embryo's and then continue the rest on the NHS? sorry if this is a really silly question, I don't quite get how it all works. x

P.S I'm back on the comp so who knows what name I'll have today!

@PixieN it was me that said about fish oil before, I stopped taking it because of the vitamin A levels, which as far as I know don't affect ttc but are a definite no no when pregnant. I wasn't sure how long it stays in the system so stopped just in case.

@beverlymarsh welcome to the thread!

@BambiOnIce80 my DP was the opposite, at first he didn't want to know when it was fertile week but then got scared when I jumped on him (bless him and his Catholic upbringing!), so then I told him in advance so he was ready!

So happy your appointment was positive @PixieN!

Keeping my fingers crossed that af stays away @VenusStarr.

@79andnotout your appointments also sounds positive, it's nice to see that some of us are finally getting some plans put in place. Although I'm still hopeful that you won't need to follow them through x

You're @Carley321 today @Carley32! 😂 🤣

I guess you could do the test anyway - if it's a BFP, then that's pretty straightforward. If it's a BFN, then maybe have a drink but don't go OTT? Do you like gin? There's 0.9 units of alcohol in a standard measure G&T (compared to 1.8 in my house measure 🍸🙄) and the ACU doc said to me that a TTC woman should keep it under 5 in case they get pregnant - that's a good 5 G&T's you could put away without having to worry about foetal alcohol syndrome... As you can see, I haven't thought about this much at all 😬 On the embryo freezing front, it'd need to be done by the NHS or you'd lose your free shot. However, my closest private IVF clinic is one and the same as my NHS clinic, so I could swap to self funding (aka sort of the same as private) and having frozen embryos implanted looks to be cheaper than a full, normal IVF cycle from scratch (and with better success rates, looking at the stats. 9%-13% success rate for normal 'fresh' IVF over 40 YO compared to 13-19% for frozen). I'm very much hoping you won't be getting to the stage where you need to remember any of this! 🤞🏻🍀 Your younger too, so the success rates are closer to 30% in your age bracket.x

Glad the kitchen is getting there @VenusStarr 👍

I have indeed seen the remake @PixieN and was astounded by how much the new Beverly looked like Molly Grinwald - nice 80's touch, I thought! 😊 Very much looking forward to the next installment 🤡

Wow, 💩's getting real @79andnotout!! 🎉🎉🎉 I think if you go on the HFEA website and click on your nearest NHS centre it'll tell you what the CCG is (does for mine, at least).

The name is somehow different on all of my internet devices lol.

well @BambiOnIce80 that is an excellent way of looking at it. I really do love having you at a time like this thank you for yet again some excellent advice. I'm shocked that they say 5 units is fine though.
If af is on the way I just hope it gets here by Friday so at least I'll know!

That's some crazy statistics on the embryo info. It shocks me how the percentage drops so much every year you get older. Being a women is so bloody hard!

Always happy to help @Carley321 😘

Hi ladies thank you for sharing the ivf info you have. I find it all so confusing and scary. I did buy COQ10 and DHEA from Amazon last month and am waiting for AF before start taking them. CD44 today and have ewcm again. No idea what it is but managed to put it all at the back of my mind and get on with life. Stressing over it won't help the situation so in the meantime I am looking at holidays 😀☀️🏖😎

OMG SK's IT had me freaked out for ages. Do you remember the colouring books that had clown faces in them, I used to have my sister rip them out before I would colour in 🤡 🤡 I also used to have nightmares about Freddy Krueger...seriously shit me up as a kid. I couldn't sleep with my wrists exposed for years (sleep-walking scene). 😳😳😳

@BambiOnIce80 - do you recall the reason for not taking them for longer than 2 months? Would be good to know. I was planning on taking them every day @QuantumGirl and have started today (so CD11). Interesting what others have said about the vits who are under consultation...perhaps it's a whole load of BS and the drug companies are grubby rubbing the palms of their hands.

@79andnotout great news about the plan! Sounds like you have a focus. I would love to have the will-power to cut out the alcohol. I'm 4 days dry today 🤪. I'm trying to get to Friday night without a touch passing my lips.

Finally got out for a run outside today, ditched the treadmill in the garage. Felt sooooo good to be running outside. My parents arrive tomorrow for a visit until Sunday. Guess what, it's during my FW...damn it. Super silent sex is on the cards...not sure I can do that 😂😂😂

Similar situation here initially @Pinkywoo 😂 I think it's just because we've been trying for 11 months that DP's gone from wanting to know about FW to not loving the pressure that comes from knowing it's FW (excuse the pun 😜). Meant to say - don't know if this is helpful or not but the home office has finally opened up it's website for EU nationals to apply for settled status/limited right to remain. My DP can't get settled status yet because he's not been here 5 years, but he filled out the online form (which mercifully doesn't cost the £65 they initially said it would!) and he heard back the next day that he'd been granted limited right to remain (so we're good until 2024, before which he'll be eligible to apply for settled status). As I say, not sure if this is helpful for you guys but thought I'd mention it just in case.x

@QuantumGirl, if you're having a full on annovulatory cycle then maybe you're about to ov now? Can't hurt to DTD to cover those bases 🤞🏻 Exciting way to distract yourself - most excellent idea 😎 What are the contenders for your holiday destinations? 🌞

@Amanda81 I've attached in the screenshot from my flo app about the coQ10 💊 I was the same as a kid - absolutely bloody terrified of Freddy Kreuger!! I was addicted to ghost stories though (still am, even though I'm a scientist and don't believe any of it! 🤓) and couldn't get enough of them... or any sleep for weeks on end! 😂 I quite like the buzz feed unsolved series on Amazon video now 👻 I absolutely love the tall, deadpan, cynical guy who rips the piss out of his little terrified friend - has me laughing my ass off! 😄

Hello all!

Yes indeed my username is an SK reference! I am a fan

Yeah you get your area’s IVF criteria from the HFEA site. You can search by region. @79andnotout what was your FSH score? For my area it has to be less than 11 or thereabouts, and I had a high level of 15ish measured just before my referral; they said they couldn’t refer me with that level so I went back a couple of months later and it had dropped to about 6, so god knows what was going on there.

Good work on the run @Amanda81 ! I spent the whole day at work meaning to go to the gym but I was on and off calls all day and didn’t get chance. Must go tomorrow!!

Kitchen progress sounds good @VenusStarr. I love home improvements; takes me soooo long to get round to them though!!

Ok so now I need a mini rant: I am so glad I joined this thread as I don’t really have anyone to talk in IRL and today I was baby bombed big time!!! One of my oldest friends from primary school met this guy in Nov (yes, Nov 2018, so a whole 3 months ago....). Shortly after xmas he went abroad for work, and is still abroad. Well bugger me (scuse my language), got an email this afternoon didn’t I, to say she is pregnant and the 12 week scan is next week. WTAF. Like really - what?! Brain can’t compute. How is that even possible?! I’ve been flogging on for 2 years and nowt. Humph, say I!

God, my posts all turn into essays I’d love to say I’m not quite so waffly in real life but that would be a big old lie

@beverlymarsh mine was 12, that was about six months ago. I'm making no assumptions that I will be eligible by the time my referral comes around. My AMH was 10 though, hopefully they go by that instead as that's not too bad!

have you only had it tested the once? I think it can fluctuate up and down fairly regularly; mine certainly did to drop as far as it did! Yeah, can’t assume anything in this whole game can we?! My next stage is to have an ovarian reserve test at my clinic, which I need to do on days 2-4 (only one of those days!) that should be in about 3 weeks time! Eeeek! I might have really crappy eggs for all I know, will soon find out! All my nhs tests were over a year ago and therefore totally out of date now...

Meant to say - nhs ivf for my area definitely considers FSH levels as a factor but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everywhere does!

Hi ladies I’m looking for a good early prep test ready for sat. Any advice? I will order one of amazon lol. I already have the basic cheapy tests off there but which is the strongest?

Rant away @beverlymarsh! That's a rubbish baby bomb.

I had a really weird, vivid dream this morning. I was looking in the mirror and the reflection was me with a baby bump. Then the baby poked it's head out of my belly button and was wearing a cute woolly hat. I called dh upstairs and said don't freak out but look....!! No idea what happened next!

My favourite SK is the short story is the body 😊

Morning ladies 🌞

@Carley32 I go with these ones:

5 x One Step Ultra Early - 10mIU... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0026RKBSQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnetforum-21

FRER's undeniably have the best sensitivity (about 6IU), but these aren't far behind at 10IU (make sure you use your FMU, of course 😉).

That is one vivid dream @VenusStarr! I'm impressed you weren't freaked out when the head appeared out of your belly button! 😄

Sorry for the baby bomb @beverlymarsh 💐 It's amazing how easy it for some 😏

Good luck with the lap today @CNizzle 🍀❤️

Hope your feeling better now @Kescilly?

So. After DP declaring on Sunday that he was going on sex strike (well, not quite like that, but same result 🙄) he initiated DTD in the wee small hours of this morning - I'm still zipping it about FW next cycle though 🤐 Not going to push my luck!

Thanks for linking the amazon test @BambiOnIce80. You're right I might be ovulating again. Had ewcm this morning and yesterday (and last Friday) but forgot to OPK this morning.

Can you ladies also let me know what is your experiences with cheap OPK vs CB? I'm sick of spending money on CB and throwing plastic in the bin.

I'm going to the US for work in May so thinking of bringing DH with me to NY and go a few days earlier. I also need to visit my parents in Brazil at some point but when my parents are involved it doesn't quite feel like a holiday 🙄😕

Haha @BambiOnIce80, the dream felt really calm and I had a feeling of 'oh there you are'. Feeling in a surprisingly upbeat mood today :) when is your next FW? Maybe your dp taking the pressure off himself has helped him?

I've never used CB opks @QuantumGirl but have used the one step in the past and found them fine. I tended to do them mid-afternoon / early evening. My surge is short I think so sometimes did 2/3 a day. A trip away sounds good, although can relate to the parents bit!

Woke up to a gush of blood! Came from nowhere! Like AF bleed. I'm not in pain or cramps. Still feeling queasy. Yesterday I was so tired but wasn't feel nauseous. I'm not sure what to make of it as it's a completely unknown territory and I'm not connected/tuned to it. Feeling weird. Impartial, emotionally. Hard to describe, ladies. My doc told me to take progesterone right now and evening. And still go for HCG and progesterone blood tests tomorrow and I will. I'm not seeking answers. Tests will give me some answers. And will take it from there. Other than that I'm ok. I'm not consulting Dr Google nor am I taking FRER. What will be will be. I always have a plan B. My IVF drugs are in the fridge. Time will tell.