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.

Hi all, just want to say good luck to you all and congratulations to Emmsy1 & hedgepig ,how many weeks are you?
I mc in 2000 and after years of trying mc again in Dec 06 but thankfully gave birth to a bouncing baby boy in Dec 07. I am 40. My DD is 20 years old so all my friends think I am mad for such a big gap, I am asolutley loving being a mum to my DS and actually feel younger , I wish I'd known about mn sooner.

Hi everyone, congrats to Emmsy - great news ! wonderful for you.

Rowingboat no he has not taken the test but we agreed a half measure one of those tests you can do at home, if its not good result we then go to the doctor. We also agreed to try extra hard the next couple of months and make a big effort with the bding at the right times. We do try but are always soo knackered ! also trying to eat well, drink less and all that stuff but very aware that time is running out.. I am not keen on IVF,in part due to the limited success for 40+, as you say its a lot of money and evidence says that no better chance than trying naturally unless there really are major issues. Sounds like they will check the cysts at the next appointment ? its all confusing isnt it. I always come out of any of these things with a list of things i should have asked.

Blessed2, I used the Fertility Monitor from Persona but for the other purpose of preventing pg (had I realised how difficult it was to get pg would not have bothered !!). I now use the the Clearblue OV kit as I am lucky to have on general a 28/29 day cycle so pretty much know when to test. Only use on pack every 2-3 months but no luck yet so guess its not a good advert but I like then because its easy to use.

Nancy66 meant to say that I gave up caffine a month or so ago. PG Tips Caffine free is the way to go if you love tea like me - can hardly tell the difference and they look like the normal tea bags so DH didn't even notice

Nancy66 meant to say that I gave up caffine a month or so ago. PG Tips Caffine free is the way to go if you love tea like me - can hardly tell the difference and they look like the normal tea bags so DH didn't even notice

oops I love PG Decaff so much I posted it twice by mistake !

Thanks for all the congrats girls! I am only 5 weeks. I started having children very late in life, first 2 months before 35, 2nd 36,3rd 38 and 4th 39(its a good job I didn't start any younger or I really would have a football team now!) I have had 3 m/c 1 was back in 2000 and I have had 2 in the last 11 months, so really would love this last one to be really sticky.
Blessed I have only used ebay cheapie OPK's (also temping and checking cervical mucus) so I cant advise on what your asking,if you dont get a response on this thread why dont you try a few of the other conception threads I'm sure there's plenty of girls around that have used them, good luck.

I have been away for a few days with no access to mn. af arrived on Thurs. I should not have been so surprised as this was our first month trying, however I was so hopeful that I would conceive straight away.

I have lurked in the conception threads for ages and sit in awe of those who have constant difficulties with ttc. I know that I felt very sad as I was willing my wee egg on every day and cannot imagine the emotions for those who have been trying for ages. Heres hoping that March is a better month for us all.

Anyway on a cheerier note , we have just bought a super king sized bed so lots of space for baby making, sprinkled with emmsy1's fairy dust.( probally to knackered though)

giggly keep your chin up giggly! That new bed will probably do the trick, (along with a little help from your DH swimmers) also hope my babydust helps you this month

Thanks for responding everyone - it helps! I've decided to use the CB monitor again but I've also just purchased the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility because I'm at the age where I should know more than I do. Plus I'm going to trawl the threads for HSG and get myself better informed.

Congratulations Emmsy! Wow, so this is no. 5!
I would be happy with just another one, although have always wanted to adopt a child because my parents did a lot of fostering when I was a child, so with any luck we might have three in a few years time.
Today should be AF for me, and for some reason I feel really positive this month, not sure why. I think we have worked out that this is the cycle for the tube which still works, so we have a chance. This is based on the early mc three months ago - I'm assuming that was the blockage-free tube. Is there anyway to check this??
Very impressed at you guys giving up caffeine - I'll look into those PG tips ones. They are obviously doubly good.
The thought of giving up my morning coffee (or two) is heartbreaking. How would I stay awake!! I'm not sure I want a baby that much.
Luckily, due to my completely non-existent social life I drink about once a year - don't really like drinking at home, because it makes me fall asleep.
I bought some cheapie OPKs and PG tests from Ebay, which seem to work for detecting ovulation, they certainly do seem to develop a line on day 14 for me. I will check to see which sellers I bought them from.
Think I'll phone the hospital today, to see if they have my 21 day results yet...

Hello, kust checking in. I am off to dox tomorrow to discuss scan results. Since mc in Dec I have had two AFs amd both were extremely painful. Can't move or speak painful . So hoping she has some good news for me. If so I will be mid cycle this weekend when DH gets back from a conference all week.

Hi again everyone. Did my serch and found this HSG experiences being discussed www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1366&threadid=43165 (I don't know how to post links properly - sorry .

Has everyone seen this

Nice to have positive news

Wow! Thanks lilibet. And 'no' you haven't killed the thread - I think I did

I especially liked the following from the BBC link:

I tried to get pregnant for over five years with my first and then fell pregnant at 38 and gave birth at 39. Again for our second child we tried for five years and were waiting for day 1 so that I could start IVF only to find I was pregnant and then gave birth at 44. We didn't even consider the possibility that I would fall pregnant again and so imagine our surprise when at 45 I found I was pregnant again and I gave birth at 46. All three are healthy happy kids and I love being a mum. I don't think it is age that determines how good a mother you will be but attitude!
Wendy, Hampshire

Me next

Hi everyone, thanks for posting that lilibet, great article !

cece - how did you get on is everything ok ?

rowingboat, nothing beats a real cup of tea for me but at least I can pretend to be angelic with a caffine reduced one not that I don't sneak a real one now and again. Sad to say I succumbed to a couple of glasses of wine last night, wish I had as much will power in that area ! must try harder.

DH now said he will do a test and we have been looking at clinics for IVF etc but still hoping we might have success and its just taking time. At least doing something on the tests will make me feel like we are trying.

have a good weekend everyone

do any of you worry about starting the menopause? I had a practically non-existant AF in beginning of Feb, merely half a day if that. Now looks like same thing happening again this Month, had stomach cramps like normal, but just a smear of AF, not even enough for a pad. I plucked up courage and did a HPT and it was -tive, so am flummuxed as to what is going on?.....Any ideas? I feel fine in myself, but wondering if I should book in with Docs (but scared of Medics, so trying not too.)

Hello everyone. China, I do worry about menopause a little. If your AF has changed, it may be as a result of hormone changes. Can you go to your GP and see if you can have the same tests as I did - the day three test for FSH levels would indicate a high level if you were menopausal. I can't think of another way to find out, but it would be better to know one way or the other.
I have read about hormone disorders, such as high prolactin levels or PCOS which can upset menstruation, could it be those?

China try not to fret too much - everyone has the odd dodgy cycle that throws them.

I've been monitoring my cycles for over a year now and I had one month where I very clearly didn't ovulate and I thought 'oh no, this is it. menopause' - luckily I have a doctor in my family and he said I was a daft old bat and that EVERY woman will have the odd anovulatory cycle and he couldn't believe I didn't know that.
you could well just have had a light period and it's as simple as that. No sinsiter reason behind it.

China, I had a few of those type of periods last year, everyhting seems to be getting back to the normal 4 - 5 days now tho'.

What's a HPT test?

How's everyone else?

Hi. I'm fine. Sometimes I wonder if I'm mennpausal when I get extreme hot sweats at night but I think that is more to do with pmt - well I hope so anyway.

Hello,

Hope everyone is well.
I went to docs and she has referred me to gynae consultant about my periods. She told me not ttc as if there is something wrong it might not implant properly and I would then mc...

So fed up at the moment, I had my 41st birthday last week as well. So it will be at least April now before we can ttc and that is if I don't need extra tests/treatment...

Plus picked up my baby's ashes today from the crematorium. They are sat on the kitchen unit at the moment. Not quite sure where to put them before we decide what we will do with them.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I suppose a trip to the docs would be the sensible thing to do, although I dread going doctors for any reason. Oh what is FSH level test???

Oh Cece

The FSH level test is done roughly on Day 3 of your cycle and it is a good indicator of ovarian reserve and whether they are diminishing.
It needs to be taken in conjunction with other tests though - Your oestrogen levels should be measured and your LH levels and later in your cycle (Day 21 of a 28 day cycle) you can have your progesterone levels measured to tell you whether you are ovulating.
It is quite daunting having the tests done and after i had mine it took me two weeks to pluck up the courage to go for the results as i had a bit of a 'don't want to know' attitude.
However if there is a problem it is best to know and it very rarely is the end of the world as problems can often be successfully addressed and remedied.

Cece, I do really feel for you. It's so hard to know what to do with ashes. Are you going to have a ceremony of any kind with them?
Could the strange AF be linked to the miscarriage at all? Perhaps you could mention it to your GP when you visit. I found going to the GP helped me psychologically: I felt I was doing something useful, and I am a bit more 'in the picture' now, not that it has changed anything physically.
Hope you are feeling OK and looking forward.