35+ TTC#1 Thread 6

[BambiOnIce80]

Spring is in the air and it's time for a 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 we get some spring BFP luck for all of us!! 🍀🐣🍀🐣

So the GP said either go back on the pill or pay privately to see a fertility dr. I'm in pieces. She also said if we were to conceive this month, ovulating on day 7, it wouldn't be ideal. Not that that's even likely as I've been crying for the past two hours, so not exactly in the mood.

I despise this useless carcass of mine. No matter what I do it just doesn't give me a break. How much more shit can it put me through.

Oh @Laney79! 😢 So sorry your doctor wasn't at all helpful last night 😞 Sounds like you're body's out of whack at the moment. I say at the moment because it could easily go back into whack - I had an off-kilter/short cycle in January. I had a bereavement on CD1 and my temp indicated that I ov'd CD9 (I'd have been completely caught by surprise if I hadn't started temping because I don't start OPK's until Cd12 at the earliest!). Sure enough, AF turned up on CD19 that cycle. I freaked out. Thought that was it and I must be perimenopausal 😣 However, Feb and March have been plum normal (so far! 🤞🏻) and, in hindsight, I think my wonky cycle was just the result of all the bereavement stress 🤔 I'm hoping this is just a glitch for you and normal service will resume once this cycle is out the way 🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻 🍀

Thanks @BambiOnIce80 I wish it was just one cycle, but it's not. It's been this way since my last miscarriage six months ago. Cycles of 53,35,28,24,32 days and now likely to be 19 if my opks are right and I ovulate today (and all the other symptoms are there-CM, cervical position, tender boobs). So basically My body is utterly f**ked.

And as I've ovulated early there's no chance of conceiving this month either as we haven't DTD since AF and it's highly unlikely to happen today seeing as I am a complete mess. So bye bye 2019 baby chances.

I'm sorry, I've just really had enough x

I'm so sorry @Laney79 your GP isn't giving you more support. They seem so guarded about fertility support, especially after losses. It's almost like they think the fact you conceived means nothing wrong and the loss was bad luck. True the irregular cycles could righten and I've got my fingers crossed they will but having some tests to rule out potential issues would make you feel you're moving forwards. Please don't give up hope. I know it's hard but you want to be a Mum and you deserve for that to happen. Could it be possible this cycle will be a slow raising ovulation? If so the actual egg release might be at a normalish time. Keep us posted and take care for now. Xx

Hi all, new to this group! :)

I am 35 years' old and have been trying to TTC now for 2 cycles (now 4 days' DPO).

I know it doesn't sound like much but I'm worried because I found out that I have polycystic ovaries (but NOT PCOS, the syndrome, all tests came back clear). My luteal phase also seems very short, I'm using the NaturalCycles app and it's around 7+-2 days!

Anyone had this and still managed to get pregnant relatively easy? I'm worried about my age etc

Hi @SunStruck I too was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries when in my early 30s. I think my ovulation was very sporadic then and my LP was very short too. It made me very worried about ttc. I'm now 39 and I fell pregnant straight away in Dec. Sadly it ended in a missed miscarriage but I did find out at the scan I no longer have the cysts hence falling pregnant so quickly. I then fell again straight after my mc but lost that one too. My point is the cysts can improve with age. It's a really good sign your hormone levels are normal, mine were too. I saw an endocrinologist at the time as she was a little baffled. I still have long cycles and ovulate late but my LP is now long at 17 days.

I would keep temping and push for support from your GP. In the meantime you could try low GI diet and there are lots of supplements too to help balance the hormones. My GP said treat it as though you have the full syndrome as it's likely just a much milder version that doesn't show on blood tests. If you are ttc for a long time clomid usually helps but hopefully you won't be. You could have low progesterone if LP short so push GP to check. Good luck and keep us posted! Xx

@Catconfusion thank you so much for your answer! Really helps and is more reassuring. I've always thought I wouldn't have any problems because I've always had regular periods (albeit heavy) when I was younger and didn't use the pill, and now when I'm tempting and using OP sticks I realize my ovulation day is so late in my cycle (this one Cycle Day 25).

Also healthy weight. Luckily I live abroad and I have good private health insurance, if I needed progesterone or clomid prescribed I could get it easily and quickly.

May I ask how you conceived in the end? Any help of drugs?

@SunStruck it's great you have regular periods. It does however make the cysts a little puzzling. I would definitely get a day 3 and day 21 blood test done sooner rather than later. I'm not saying a hormone imbalance is why I miscarried twice as most losses are chromosomal but I am suspicious of my late ovulation.

I conceived without trying and I was shocked. We forgot to take contraception on honeymoon and didn't think about timing etc. I was taking pre conception vitamins. The second time we did think about timing and I switched to a better pre conception vitamin. So both times we've not used contraception I've conceived. I ovulated late on both those cycles. Many woman conceive through a late ovulation and don't miscarry so please don't necessarily worry it'll happen to you. Also be prepared you could fall quickly as I assumed the cysts meant I couldn't. Good luck! Xx

@Catconfusion amazing, thanks!! I will definitely ask for those blood tests if this is a failed cycle, just to be on the safe side quicker. Appreciate all your advice, and congrats on your both pregnancies... there's hope for me

Thanks @SunStruck Although I'm very grateful for falling pregnant, miscarriage is very traumatic. The first one was a missed miscarriage so I didn't know until I was 10 weeks. I then needed surgery to remove the pregnancy. The second one happened very early on but was still heartbreaking.

We're still hoping for a successful pregnancy but in some respects I wish I had waited to have some tests done first. There's just no way of predicting the outcome of a pregnancy so all you can do is hope it sticks when it happens. I would say you're on the right track with getting diagnostic tests done early just in case! Xx

I’m sorry you’re feeling so down @Laney79 this journey can get so emotional and after everything you have been through I can’t imagine how you must be feeling. GP’s today follow so many guidelines I think they struggles to actually see each patient as an actual person. It can be so disheartening.
Have you thought about looking into some private clinics?

I hope your cycles calm down and regulate for you ASAP 💐

Hello and welcome @SunStruck x

Quick update on my weird ass body at the moment... so haven’t tested with OPK for a few days because I ran out, but I’m still getting a ‘highish’ Reading 🤔. It’s so bloody annoying. 6DPO I think! Could my body be going for a 3rd attempt at ovulation? I have had a few cramps, although no ewcm. I hope not 🙈.

A third go wouldn't be such a bad thing @Carley32 - means you've got another chance 😉

Welcome @SunStruck 👋 Like @Catconfusion said, the cysts can come and go and doesn't mean you have full blown PCOS. I had a similar thing when I was investigated a few years ago - cysts on both ovaries but regular cycles, ovulating at the right time, normal BMI, etc, etc. Had another scan last month and the sonographer said there weren't any cysts present at all 🤷‍♀️ Pretty pleased about that of course, but strange how our bodies can randomly get rid of a problem all by itself... now if it could just see it's way to getting pregnant, that'd be great! 😂

Thinking of you today @VenusStarr.x

@Laney79 I’m sorry that you’re struggling with irregular cycles (and an unhelpful GP). I don’t know if this will help, but my cycles were somewhat irregular and we still managed to conceive. It wasn’t as varied as yours, but ranged from 22-32. I hope yours eventually stabilized, but I absolutely understand why you’re so fed up.

@Carley32 are you going to test this month? I never tried IC OPKs, otherwise I would have used one for science as well!

I’m currently waiting out my third glucose test. In some ways I’m the most relaxed about this one, because if I’m diagnosed with GD I’ll only have it for a few months.

Is anyone planning any fabulous vacations for this summer?

Hi all. I went for my follow up scan this morning. In a completely unexpected turn of events, I appear to be 5 weeks pregnant, with a yolk sac and foetal pole present, too early for a heartbeat. By my dates I should be 9 weeks tomorrow so they are suggesting that this is a new pregnancy and my body just absorbed the old empty sac as I have not bled at all. I'm back at the hospital again in just under 2 weeks.

Feels very surreal and I have also been drinking loads of tea, had a couple of gins and not been taking my folic acid. I can't believe it at all and not getting my hopes up at the moment. Apparently this can happen but it's rare, medical marvel :) am also shit scared but I need to take impeach day as it comes.

Hope you all are well x

@VenusStarr oh that is good news!! Fingers crossed all is well with baby :)

@BambiOnIce80 thanks so much for the reassurance, you never think about these things before TTC, didn't even cross my mind something could be amiss as my family have no issues at all historically! Fingers crossed it really won't make a difference for me with polycystic ovaries to conceive when I don't have the syndrome. Time will tell, but I'm so impatient!

Bloody hell @VenusStarr!! That's the best possible news!! 😍 I'm not into 'woo' in any way shape or form, but your dream about not believing them about the result?!?! 🔮 Huzzah for medical marvels! 🤓 Can you pass one my way, please?! 😄

Fingers-crossed you won't need patience too @SunStruck🤞🏻It really is a bit of a roll of a dice 🎲 🍀

That's excellent logic @Kescilly - if you do have GD then you've not got long to put up with it 👍 Nothing too fabulous booked here 😏 Looking forward to Cotswolds/Wales/Lake District for my birthday week in just over a month (why have a birthday when you can have a week?! 😉) and then Italy towards the end of the year to visit DP's family... The whole lot of them are coming to us for a week in the summer though 😰 I'm bracing myself already!

@VenusStarr how wonderful! I know it’s early days and all, but I’ll be thinking of you. Hoping for more good news in the weeks to come.

@SunStruck I think I missed welcoming you to the thread! I hope things work out and you won’t have to be too patient. :)

@BambiOnIce80 Cotswolds/Lake District/Wales all sound amazing! I’ve been to the first two and want to go back, especially to the Lake District. I’d love to see Wales one day! Do you have anything specific planned? Bit of walking? Too bad you can’t have your birthday week after the relatives invade. You might need a vacation after that!

@BambiOnIce80 Is AF still staying away? I'm a couple of days behind you in terms of when AF is due... have been pretty good this cycle but am now symptom spotting - its been 14 days since the +opk but I had a slow rise that did not happen until 3 days later, so not sure exactly which day was ovulation.

Haha! @BambiOnIce80 starting to this there is something in my dreams now... You're a scientist aren't you? Biologically how would it be possible for me to be pregnant, and then get pregnant before my body has passed that non viable pregnancy? So my positive test was 23 February and I should be 9 weeks. The scan today showed a 5 week pregnancy meaning I conceived around a week after my positive test. I did a digital on Monday 4th March that said 3+ weeks so clearly high hcg, but this is when we likely conceived (if this really is a new pregnancy) scientifically, is that even possible? But the scan 2 weeks ago was pretty clear that the sac was collapsing, a bleed in the sac and no sign of a foetal pole or yolk sac. Argh 🤐 I genuinely don't know how to feel at the moment.

Thank you @Kescilly and @SunStruck ill keep you updated. These last 2 weeks have been torture and now got to do it all over again.

@VenusStarr oh blimey, what a rollercoaster. If it is a new pregnancy that puts you around the same as me. Does it line up with DTD dates around that time (I guess that would be the first thing to eliminate)? I think I have heard of women having twins of different gestational age although it's rare.

@VenusStarr it's called superfetation apparently 🤯

www.health.com/pregnancy/get-pregnant-while-pregnant-superfetation

Congratulations @Weathergirl1 :) thanks for the link. We definitely dtd 2/3 March as we were away in Belgium. I'm thinking if it is a new pregnancy then that's the only time we could have realistically dtd. What's your edd? My original pregnancy was 2 November but no idea what this one is.

I'm slightly concerned that this is my original pregnancy and they just missed it before. They had a new scanning machine and it was a different sonographer. Although they'd reviewed my notes and last scan, as did the nurse and all were convinced it's a new pregnancy.

@VenusStarr 28th November going on Natural Cycles (would be early December from LMP). At the moment I'm just trying to get from one day to the next - next target is Drs appt in Tuesday.

I'm going to try and take each day as it comes too @Weathergirl1 fingers crossed for us both x