Suggestions for best OPK / conception help for an over 40 please

[TTC40PLUS]

Hi all,

Just after the best OPKs to use please, as well as any tips for conception after 40?

I am fortunate to have 2DC from previous relationship and have been with my partner now for two years. We would really like to have a baby together however despite trying for several months we just don't seem to have had much luck - I may well be premature in my hopes but I'm not getting any younger!

Tips and tricks most welcome - and if you've got thoughts on which ovulation kit to use that would be really helpful!

Thank you!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/3674069-My-TTC-Tool-Kit

Hey there! I'm 38 and trying for my 3rd child. This is a post I made about what im using and doing to try to increase my chances of a BFP. Im not sure if any of it will help you, but feel free to take a look for some inspiration.

Ive been worrying about my age this time round - well, not my age, rather, but my fertility status. My youngest is almost 8, and Ive been on the pill for the past 7 years, so I want to do everything I can to aid my fertility (im throwing everything at it! haha).

Anyhoo, wishing you a BFP soon. here to chat anytime. xxx

Thank you so much @coconuttymummy - I shall take a look and come back with any questions!

@TTC40PLUS Brilliant! I’m here to buddy up on our journeys, if you could use some support and friendship. It’s an emotional rollercoaster TTC, but with the added urgency and concern about being more mature can really increase the anxiety. Well, with me, at least, anyhow! So I’m always open to new pals! Xxx

Hi both, I'm 38 and have been trying for my third for almost a year now too.

Starting to get a bit panicky about it all! 😬

@LatteLover12 Hi there, lovely! We’re the same age. I’m stressing myself out over it too! Feeling like I’m racing against the clock. But I have confidence we will all get our BFPs. Xxxxxx

Hey there @LatteLover12! Welcome to the party!

@coconuttymummy - you've got a pretty extensive list there! I've also heard that I need to drink grape fruit juice around time of ovulation? Is this a thing? I would like to lose some weight too as I know this isn't helping the "conditions" in which to conceive at 40+, so I'll probably go keto for a couple of months to bring weight down to optimum level for me. Bring on the return to school and a reduction in numbers of ice creams!!

Hey there ladies,
I'm 39, have 3 kids already and got a BFP on my 2nd cycle!really found ovulation tests help was pretty shocked it happened so fast!6 weeks in so fingers crossed all goes well!
I had recently lost 2 stone doing the
16/8 plan and I think that has helped too.

@TTC40PLUS The Grapefruit Juice is part old-wives tale but does actually have a bit of science behind it, so ive been drinking it the last couple of days (around when I 'should' ovulate). I figure it tastes nice and alkalizes the body, so why not?

I'm in the same boat as you with my weight too. I got down to a healthy weight prior to the Summer Hols, on Keto, but ive gained it ALL back (and some) . Yep.. those icecreams, meals out and "what the heck, its the holidays"s have done a real number on my waistline! Carbs are never my friend - I overeat them compulsively - so Keto really helps dull the cravings and improve appetite control. Its just those first few days getting back into Ketosis that are hard... definitely a mission to undertake when the kids are back at school! haha xxxxx

Hi @Loola08 - congratulations!! What's the 16/8??

@coconuttymummy - I've previously lost quite a bit doing keto and I've given myself from 1st Sept - 1st Nov to make a difference - fancy doing a weigh-in / food diary "thing"? It annoys me: I just have to LOOK at food and I pile on the pounds - my other half can eat what he likes and STILL doesn't put anything on. !!

Ooooh and @Loola08 - which OPKs did you use? Doing some research before taking the plunge!

I also use an app (called Glow) but it doesn't seem to synchronise ovulation according to MY cycle, it just seems to tell me when it thinks I'm going to ovulate (despite my "luteal phase" - whatever that means - being quite short...).

I just need a magic wand.

@TTC40PLUS - You're on! Weigh-In/Food Diary thingy sounds great. A bit of friendly support always helps, I think. xxxxx

@TTC40PLUS
To answer your original question, ive been using the cheap, bulk-buy OneStep Ovulation Strips from Amazon. £8 ish for 50, so you can test several times a day if you like.

I really fancied the Clearblue dual hormone digital, despite being over £30 for only 25 tests. Unfortunately the base unit wouldn't display any results, so I missed OPKing for 2 days because it was faulty.

I ended up going straight back to the cheap Amazon One Step strips as soon as my prime order arrived.
Id like to try the Clearblue again, but its too expensive to be unreliable.

Apparently the Amazon One Step are the same tests supplied to the NHS.

Thank you @coconuttymummy - ordered! X

@TTC40PLUS And with regards to your app, I 've never heard of Glow, but I have always used (and can recommend) Ovia and Fertility Friend. xxx

(Some like the Premom app, but I didn't get on well with it). x

@TTC40PLUS I used really cheap ones
but they did the job!
16/8 is 8 hour window to eat and 16 hours fasting, so my window was
10am until 6pm. You can eat three meals as you normally would and you can drink water tea and coffee at any time just no food outside the window.
When your body goes into fasting mode you burn calories.
I tried slim fast and other diets but this one worked for me as you don't
to calorie count or eat certain foods.it was easy once I got used to it

@TTC40PLUS oh and I also used the Ovia app it's great

@TTC40PLUS Brilliant! Amazon are usually nice and quick with their delivery, too.
What CD are you on now? Xxx

Thanks @Loola08 - that sounds like a diet I could stick to!! I take ages to come to in the morning so I've always skipped breakfast - 10am sounds like an ideal time to start the day food-wise.

@coconuttymummy - currently CD11, can be between 22 and 28 days so trying to guess when I ovulate is tricky. I've never really done the EWCM thing.... don't really get it. How I've had 2DC I do not know. Extraordinarily lucky I think. And much younger....

@TTC40PLUS Just a quick tip.. when you get the Ov sticks start testing right away. I like to test with my 2nd wee in the morning and then again at lunchtime and late evening. You don’t have to test 3x a day, but it can help you catch your surge.
Also, leave the tests for a good 10 minutes before reading them, as many of us find they take longer than the recommended 5 minutes to show the full result. Xxxx

Thanks for the tip @coconuttymummy - apparently they'll arrive today so I'm hopeful that I'll catch it this month, so I have an idea what to do and around when next month! Although I'm guessing - actually as I don't know when I ovulate it might be worth checking over quite a few days (a fortnight?) next month, right? This is complicated!!!!

@TTC40PLUS That's the beauty of the cheapo tests - you can test as often as you like, for as long as you like. Id start testing as soon as you get them and continue until you get a positive. xxxx

Never thought I'd be doing this - now I understand the term "line eyes please"!!!

🤣🤣🤣

Haha! Glad they arrived and you've got going straight away.

For an OPK to be positive it needs to be as dark, or darker, than the control line.
However, it looks like you might get a OPK+ in a day or 2, as long as it keeps getting darker.

Great start! xxx