TTC for the Over 40s

[birthdaycake]

The first thread I've ever started.

Me age 41 and TTC since mmc in June. Anyone else out there.

welcome gem2mum, i am also 42 and ttc 2nd child. so good to hear of more women in 40s having babies no probs!

i am 2nd cycle now. 1-2 more cycles and my gynae said i should go on clomid to help things along.

how is clomid treating you? any side effects?

how long isyour cycle normally?

Hi Heron, well I cant say that I noticed any side affects at all though dp insists that I was bad tempered (nothing to do with him of course!). Definitely had very severe ov pains on day 15. Cycle was always 28 days pre mc but for last 6 months has been 21-34 so wonder if clomid will change that. Anyway, weve given bd a good shot so now at day 20 I want to give it a rest although dp thinks we should still try for every other day (hmm). Not keen, I'm fed up with it now! Maybe its worth getting your doctor to refer you now since it took me about 3 months from my G.Ps first referral for me to get seen by the consultant and then get all the tests done... Just a thought.

Hi gem2mum. There's a clomid thread going on somewhere but ages of the posters varies. I read it and it's quite good. I never thought that I would be even considering Clomid but since they cancelled my selective HSG I have to consider all my options except ivf as we can't afford it.

Hello to everyone - it seems a lot more 'mature' ladies are finding this thread - so - WELCOME ALL

Hello again! I'm gonna get pregnant today - is that WIERD or what! Wierd but lovely, let's hope they stick [mantra - it's gonna work, gonna work, gonna work!!!]. I spoke to the clinic and they've persuaded me against day 5 transfer this time tho I will ask for next time if this bash is unsuccessful. Thanks rowingboat for being so encouraging about me going on about the IVF process as it's a bit different from your usual IFKWIM but I just like to be as normal as poss and IVF threads do get truely desparate to a worrying degree. I did chlomid quite a few years back, it's the first drug of choice for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (which I have). At that time it was ususal to prescribe it for up to 6 months but I think they go up io 12 months now. In fact I did conceive the month after stopping it but miscarred. It sent me completely loopy (to the point of being quite scary!). Still, it does work for a lot of people and is certainly a better choice to IVF financially and per. Invasiveness. Also, my sister in law has had two children, one at age 40 the next at aged 43 (who is now 22 months) it does happen! I've been reading up about FSH levels. It looks like a day 3 FSH blood test can give quite a lot of information about ovarian reserve...perhaps it would be helpful for people to do in order to help work out their chances?

Hi Blessed2, thanks, I've found the clomid thread now so guess I'll be on both! My consultant said ivf would not be available to me on nhs cos of being 44 so its clomid or nothing for me. Whats HSG? Bambilocket, so exciting. How long do you have to wait to find out if they have taken?

Wow! There certainly is quite a lot going on isn't there! Stick babies!!
Fingers crossed for you Bambi! Now don't drink anything with caffeine in it will you - I'm sure I read something about coffee drinking during IVF was a bit sus - must do a google for that.
I think I'm on day 18 or something - lost the plot and have stupid sinus thing, which is making me dizzy (falling over). I wonder if I'm allergic to all that lovely blossom on the trees. Hmm!

hi all, really great to see this thread getting more busy!

tracking my cycle with clearblue monitor and it is my peak day today. did the deed this morning before DS woke up! this is only our 2nd cycle ttc so i am not getting my hopes up too much

good luck to all esp bambi!

Good luck bambi You can name one of them after me if you want

Just popping in to wish Bambi good luck and to show my admiration of heron managing to "do the deed" in the morning . We always have at least one dc in our bed come the morning plus dh leaves the house at 0650 so it's night time or nothing for us (often nothing it has to be said!!). Am on CD7 also using clearblue monitor - 1st cycle using it so getting all excited about poss. highs and peaks lol

Hi ladies, well, for now, I'm pregnant. Two 10 cell grade 3 (4 being the highest) embryo's were transferred today. I can test in 13 days time.....here starts the 2ww...hmmmm....oh well - no pain no gain or so the consultant said today when they took me down late for the transfer (you have to drink LOADS of water before they start prodding you about ... dignity not included !

hi roque, yes, it was quite a feat doing it this morning. i had one eye on the door just in case we get a little visitor! that would be a nightmare to be caught

clearblue monitor is really great - you're on dy7 so i guess the monitor asked for a stick on dy6? on my first cycle, i got a high from dy9 until dy14 and then peak on dy15 and 16.

this is my 2nd cycle and the monitor did not ask for a stick until dy9, and i only got one high day (dy14) and then today dy15 is peak.

apparently the monitor gets to know your level of hormones. pity the sticks are so expensive

Hey bambi! Fingers, and everything else but legs, crossed for your blatocysts. Here's to much dividing.

Woohoo! Hang in there babies!

Bambi, well done and fingers crossed for you and your babies. Did the doc say whether you can go about your normal routine or should you have bed rest?

Sending more good luck your way bambi!! Heron, yes the CB monitor has started me testing from dy6 - interesting to hear your experience. So far i am really liking it - I do like my gadgets!! - and it is much simpler to read i think than the stciks i used with ds2 - i used to spend ages trying to work out if the line was faint/dark/whatever. here's hoping it works for both of us soon!!!

Hi everyone.

Below is some information I was given when I was looking for CB reset instructions. Make of it what you will ..........

''Another thing to keep in mind is that when the monitor peaks you can stop using the sticks for that cycle, even if it asks for more. You would just be wasting them, the monitor will always have two peak readings in a row.

And also too, I thought for a while that when the monitor read a peak reading that that ment you where OV but that just means that your surge is coming, so don't give up the BD after 2 nights. I made this mistake and ended up having to us the monitor for, I think it was, 5 or 6 months before someone else told me different. Keep the BDing going for 4 or 5 days.

I OV on the 3rd day after my peak reading and the last month I used it, after I was informed otherwise, we kept BD and Walla our first baby is due May 30, 2007.

Everyone is a little different.

I only had one cycle with two peak readings in a row.

The other two cycles had one and then went down to high.

So don't be alarmed if you don't get two peak readings in a row.

The other thing to mention is that you set it the day after you get AF. Unless you get AF before your testing time. So if you're on CD6 now, you can set it to CD5 and still be on track so you can use it this month. You can only test within a 3 hour window(I think). If that time is already passed I would go ahead and set it, then during testing days pee in a cup with FMU and dip the test stick at regular time. Does that make sense? Your pee won't lose anything during that few hours so it'll still work.

Just a few things, helpful hints, to keep in mind!''

the comments are from two different users so don't get confused. I suppose the best bit of advice is not to give up after you've had a peak reading

thanks Blessed2 for the info on clearblue. today is my 2nd peak day, managed to BD yesterday morning and this morning! all the while keeping an ear and eye on DS who was out in the living room...DH is feeling super pleased with himself for having "delivered the goods"

he thinks that he can rest for a few days now, but what you said makes sense. i will try jump him tomorrow night and that should cover us right?

we are just so tired! it is a terrible thing to say isn't it?

Yes, echo heron's thanks for the CB info blessed - v. interesting. Heron, I completely know where you're coming from with the tiredness thing - not awful at all, inevitable i think!! I am hoping I get a high dy over the weekend as we have a bit more time then at least. Speak soon, xxx

for you all planning to BD over the weekend, good luck to us all! hoping for success!

thanks Heron! Have put dh on alert, although he rather pitifully said "But not tonight though" looking a bit worried - he is exhausted from a full week of commuting poor thing. Good job it is not a crucial day!

Roquefort The pressure mounts.... Poor old boys getting chucked around by us.
What day is this? I must check!
Is anyone using fertility friend for charting?

Not tried FF yet - sticking with CBFM! It gave me a high today - yippee!! I was a horrible grumpy old bag all day yesterday - had to work/study all day - so am now motivated to be more pleasant today. Poor old dh always cops it when I'm feeling stressed and it's not fair on him at all... anyway, off out now!

hi roque, it is always such a good feeling to get a high isn't it? i love a peak even more, i love how the monitor shows an egg! makes me feel very motivated to BD! it is now dy19 for me so we are pretty much done this cycle. just hoping for a BFP on 25th of this month !

we managed to BD 5 times in one week! DH is exhausted!

Hi Blessed, thought my story might give you hope; both my tubes were blocked and I was told that I wouldn't be able to conceive naturally unless I had an op to unblock them.

Had the op and consultant told me that though they managed to unblock them, they thought that ivf would still be my best option as apparently there was a lot of damage. We decided not to go for ivf, then out of the blue got preg naturally (was totally gobsmacked) and now have a gorgeous dd