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!! 🍀🐣🍀🐣

@Amanda81 tentative congratulations!
AFM, 4 eggs fertilised out of 9. And hopefully they all develop to blast, day 5. Embryo transfer on Wednesday the flying back home in the evening. Just praying and needing all the luck in the world!

Hey ladies. So, a little about me and my TTC journey, which is a relatively short one.

My cycle is one that is relatively regular. I wouldn't say it is like clockwork necessarily. But, it's usually somewhere between 29-32 days; I don't really miss any periods. I also seem to be ovulating at the right time, not too early or too late. I say "seem to" because while I have gotten positive OPKs, temping has been inconclusive. (See my other thread My Temping is a Mess for details) So, timing-wise, everything seems to be in order.

On the other hand, some negatives: my EWCM is not particularly evident or in abundance. Sometimes, my CM is noticeably watery or slick, but as far as the sticky stuff, it seems to only show up maybe once a month on my underwear. So, I am not entirely sure that my CM is conducive to any sort of fertility. I am just not familiar enough with my own body to know whether my cervix is high or low or soft or hard or anything like that.

I am not on any sort of treatment, nor have I tried Preseed or anything like that. So far, I have just tried the old-fashioned way. DTD during fertile time and hoping it works. I do wonder about endometriosis or fibroids or some other unknown issue. My cycle seems to be pretty much on point with the timing. The flow seems to also be pretty normal. My next annual is at the end of May, so I figure I will just keep trying till then, and then bring it up at the appointment.

How are you doing @pitterpatterbaby ?

@Amanda81 ooh congrats! Keeping everything crossed for a sticky healthy bean for you.

@WrexhamBuxom welcome. How long have you been TTC? Sounds like your body is doing what it should. As for mucus-it can be really hard to figure it out especially (excuse the tmi) if you've been DTD lots! I've thought before I had the stretchy stuff and it turned out not to be, it was , how shall I put it..."leftovers"

@BambiOnIce80 ma has more bloods tomorrow-they ruled out PE but the gp is concerned as her d-dimer level was very high and the hospital trip didn't find a cause. I normally don't like people messing with my feet either (pedicure-ugh! No!) but I first had reflexology just under a year ago. A friend suggested it during my first missed miscarriage to see if it might help get things moving. I've found it to be very relaxing and helpful, my reflexologist specialises in fertility and has had multiple losses so it doubles up as counselling too!

On that front I went for my regular counselling on Thursday before things kicked off with mom...not sure it's a good sign when you make your counsellor cry!!

Thanks for the experience on the fainter second line ladies.

Yes i have texted @Laney79 bfn.
Oh dear counselling sounded tough. I hope you gained something from it at least?

Hi @BambiOnIce80 The chat went with so much indicision
Lol, mostly me. DPs answer to everything is ‘just go for it’. But the conclusion was il ring Monday and if I can get seen before my docs appointment then we will go for it. Mainly because I’d like to still move forward with the nhs if there are issues. So would like to chat to both and see how it all works.
Good luck for this fw after your break last month 🤞.

Wow (tentive) Congratulations @Amanda81 that’s amazing news. 💕

Hello to all the new ladies joining the thread.

Oooh, fingers-crossed for you all on Wednesday then @Russkispy, @Catconfusion and @beebear22 🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻🍀 And 20 mile race @beebear22?! Pretty sure I'd need resuscitating after that! 😄

How are you getting on @VenusStarr? Are preggy symptoms kicking in yet?x

@Laney79, not surprised your mum's GP isn't happy with a raised d-dimer 😕 Did the hospital docs rule out PE with a scan? That said, I know some hospitals use an age specific reference range for people over 60 that is different to the lab reference range (where I work being a case in point 🙄), so could the result be normal for her age? Hope she gets some answers and feels better soon either way 🤞🏻 I'm toying with trying acupuncture again (but with a different acupuncturist to the first one who annoyed the hell out of me!) 🤔 I have hyperhydrosis, so reflexology would just be a disaster for all involved! 💧😣

@Carley32, I'm all about the indecision! 😂 Sounds like you've got a tentative plan though 👍 Having a private consultation doesn't exclude you from NHS treatment (it's just private IVF that would), so it won't do any harm to speak to them.x

Welcome @WrexhamBuxom 👋 I could have written your post about CM myself! Barely any EWCM, but weird 'slick' feeling around ov and on the lead up to AF. I started taking soy isoflavones last month on CD3-7 and I had epic quantities of EWCM that cycle (freaked me out there was so much! 😳). Taking them again this cycle, so will soon see if it's reproducible or just a fluke 🤓

@BambiOnIce80 yeah-she had another blood test done (troponin I think but they never told us results of that) as gp hasn't requested that, an ecg, chest X-ray and ct angiogram which was clear. She has a history of thrombosis/dvt/phlebitis and suffers with asthma/copd so lots of contributory factors. She's had a nasty cold, which knocked her about, then the phlebitis flared so antibiotics for that, but Thursday came about because she had a "ball in her back" causing pain and chest was tight. So I think GP was rightly concerned. No idea what the d-dimer result was in figs but GP wants a repeat test doing tomorrow as he's not happy they didn't find a reason for it.

I couldn't do acupuncture -terrified of needles (and a general medical phobia which makes TTC journey even harder). You are way braver than me!!

@Carley32 always find counselling useful. Just an opportunity to offload without fear of upsetting someone I love. She got upset when I was talking about how much I hated my body and the fact that it's not given me a break since this time last year. You start to get a tiny bit of hope and faith back then it slaps you right back back down. It's hard not to hate when that happens.

Your poor mum @Laney79! The phlebitis could be the cause of the raised d-dimer - chronic inflammation can make it falsely raised and therefore can't be used as a predictor for thrombosis.

I found the acupuncture oddly relaxing 📍 😄 Felt laying there for an hour a bit too long though, so I'm interested to visit a retired NHS fertility nurse who does 30 minute sessions that the nurse at my GP's told me about... Might even email her now!

I found counselling a god send when I was getting divorced - don't think I'd be where I am now without it. They were never in tears, but they did make my day when they said my ex had "mental issues", which they quickly checked their self and said "I mean, emotional issues"... Too late love, you've already validated me! 😂🤣😂🤣

@BambiOnIce80 thank you so much. I had a dip in temperature today but only 7 dpo so you never know might just be implantation dip as nowhere near AF time. I just want to know now as symptom spotting is driving me crazy! I fell straight away with the pregnancy I had a mmc with. I forgot how frustrating tww is. I TTC with my ex years ago for 3 years (I had polycystic ovaries then which has resolved with time) So I'm no stranger to the perils of tww.

I think everyone on this thread is amazing to keep going and try new things to get bfp, especially after lots of bfp. Don't ever give up hope! X

3 are still growing and 1 is out of the game, just been told. Still praying 🙏🏻 3 will make to blast 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Lovely news @Amanda81 congratulations 🎉 💕

Good luck @Russkispy 🤞

Sorry to hear about your mum @Laney79 Glad they’re doing repeat tests. I haven’t been offered any meds for my thyroid - will have to wait for the results of my recent blood test and see what the consultant says. Fingers crossed they’re better than last time.

Welcome to the newbies 😊

Af arrived for me today which is annoying but expected. Feeling annoyed with the whole ttc business to be honest. My lovely friend has just had a failed round of Ivf and feel awful for her. It was their one NHS shot 😢

Congratulations @Amanda81

Fingers crossed for you @Russkispy 🍀

Hi @BambiOnIce80, starting to get a few symptoms now. Woken up feeling quite rough and sick. Coffee and strong smells turn my stomach, just want bland food at the moment.

Hope you're well x

@Laney79 i just realised I forgot to mention your static smiley. What cd was it after? Hope you managed to make the most of it 😉.
Sorry you feel that way, but glad you have found something that helps you manage.

@russkispy 🤞🤞 xx

Thank you @BambiOnIce80.

I am also terrified of needles and hospitals and all of that. So with you on that @Laney79.

Hope everyone is well and staying positive. CD 14 here.

Sorry about af @PixieN and Sorry to hear about your friend. What a heartbreaking journey ttc can sometimes be 😢. It’s so hard to try to continuously stay positive. Hope you are ok.

3 embryos are still growing just been told! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

@Carley32 static smiley was just before bed on CD17 (confirmed with an IC) so likely ov'd on Thursday evening at some point. Managed to DTD before work on thurs morning so with that and Sunday I hope we gave ourselves a chance! I'm 4dpo and desperately trying not to fall into the tww craziness.

My phobia is pretty bad, although I've coped with so much more than I thought possible after the two losses last year. I hadn't been inside a gp surgery for over 10 years before meeting my oh (used to do my own BP and fax it to the surgery for my pill rpt) - full on panic attacks just walking in the waiting room the lot! I won a holiday to India and came very close to not going as I had to have jabs (as it was I properly freaked out but managed it-first jabs since I was 15!). My oh has been amazing and has helped me learn to cope with going to the GP (alongside my old GP who was incredible and very supportive-now retired). It's one of the reasons why it took so long to even think about a family. I took months to research and decide if I thought it was a process I thought I could handle (with the right coping strategies put in place) - I have two A4 files of info! I decided that with support it would be extremely challenging but I could handle it for the joy we'd get at the end.

Then a year ago this coming Saturday my world fell apart. I should've been 9 weeks, went for a private scan so my first scan wasn't in a hospital setting, and found my bean was only measuring 5-6 weeks. Had my first ever internal that day (never had a smear, just can't handle it) and since then have had about 6 internal scans, a number of blood tests, even had to have pessaries inserted by a nurse  it's been a long very challenging year, and I'm surprised I've managed it-but I'm stronger than I thought possible.

@Catconfusion I totally agree on the TWW -it messes with your head!

@PixieN sorry about AF-fingers crossed your thyroid tests show better levels

@Russkispy grow embies grow! 🤞

Morning ladies 🌞

How's your temp looking this morning @Catconfusion? 🌡️

Sorry you're feeling rough @VenusStarr (thinking it's a good symptom though!) 💐 I'm fine thanks 🙂 CD11 here, so just nosing into FW. DP crossed the picket line on Friday night, so hoping we may be able to DTD a couple of times this week (especially as his last rubbishy continental shift is today! 🎉🎊🎉🎊). I've booked a new acupuncturist for a few weeks time too (at a specialist 'natural fertility clinic' this time), so I at least feel like I'm taking positive steps (even if it doesn't make any difference! 😏).

Hope you're feeling better after your hospital run @Pinkywoo?x

Sorry AF has rocked up @PixieN 😔 I can't imagine what your friend is going through... are they able to self-fund a round or are they going to draw a line in the sand? I keep chewing over where that line in the sand is going to be for us (and it changes nearly every time!🙄).

You must be well and truly in FW then @Carley32! 😉 Are you bothering with the OPK's this time?

Come on trio of embryos @Russkispy! 🤞🏻🍀🤞🏻🍀 Potentially daft question- if all 3 make it are you considering transferring more than one of them? If we go self-funded we're mulling over whether we'd transfer 2 to increase our chances and take the risk of twins... 🤔

Sounds like you've covered your bases this cycle @Laney79 👍🤞🏻🍀

@Laney79 Yes it really messes with you. I've come to realise just how many early pregnancy symptoms are similar to AF symptoms now I've been pregnant. Even temping trends can look like pregnancy and not be. I'm just trying to keep busy until I can reliably test on Wednesday. Haven't had a period since MMC but ovulated and had a pretty normal temp pattern so who knows.

I think you've done extremely well to deal with your phobia. It's so unfortunate you've then had to go through all this as well. Simply not fair! When I tell people about my mmc they say I'm brave but I don't feel it because I had no alternative than to get on with it. Then I hear stories like yours and can see how brave it is to go through something as invasive as a mmc, let alone with medical phobias. There is an alternative: to give up or have a full on breakdown. You're incredibly brave because you've picked yourself up and I hope you get your bfp soon as it's well deserved. Good luck! X

@BambiOnIce80 Temp is back up (thanks for asking) which I'm relieved about though it makes sense as period shouldn't come until a week on Wednesday due to my long luteal phase. Of course I'm hoping it's up because I'm pregnant. I will test on Wednesday. How are you today? X

@BambiOnIce80 , doc will only transfer one. That's what they recommend to the ones over 40. She also talked about various risks and/with potential twins. We will transfer only 1. The other 2 look good to freeze. 1 of them is very strong and more likely to be transferred. Wednesday is the day!

I've been following your thread for a while @Russkispy The best of luck to you! X

That is such a lot to go through @Laney79 it’s amazing how many fears you’ve overcome. So sorry you’ve had such a shitty time 💐. But this cycle is sounding positive and it sounds like your in with a chance so 🤞.

Well @BambiOnIce80 you would think I’m into fertile week..... but this is me were talking about lol. So not quite there yet (well I don’t think).

I’ve tested once or twice but nothing consistent, I actually took an OPK this evening because Iv had a few mini cramps today. But the result is less of a line than the random ones I’ve had just before and after af, so doesn’t look to promising for a more normal length cycle this month.

Great news on DP getting back into action, And all the positive plans. You certainly have some positive vibes going on with the IS’s this month 🤞🤞

Wishing you lots of luck @russkispy 🤞💐

Thanks @Carley32 and @Catconfusion it's been awful, but I'm still here and now absolutely desperate to be a mom.

I just wish it was a bit simpler for us all.

One random and totally tmi question-re: cervical mucus -does anyone else get loads, and I mean loads, of lotiony/creamy cm post ovulation? Past couple of days I've had lots appearing when I wipe (I'm 4dpo)

@Russkispy keeping everything crossed!

My Three little troopers are still growing, they are on Morula stage already. And 1 is ready to board mama’s train tomorrow! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Still early days and hopefully all is well with other 2 to freeze! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻