TTC 35+ Thread 6 Cougar and Silver Fox Club

[M4v3r1ck]

Hey ladies, setting up a new thread! 😃 Hope it works! 🤪

@climbershell welcome and good luck! That all sounds very familiar, we've been properly trying for 10 months and I think it's only in the last couple of months that I've finally been able to chill out and stop with the endless googling and watching YouTube videos on fertility. I think I finally ran out of things to read, because I'd read it all 🙈

@M4v3r1ck good to hear from you and sorry your cycle is messing you about. I think you are right to keep your expectations low for this one, see it as an opportunity to get back into practice with bbt and opks! Fingers crossed your next cycle will be the magic one. Yes I'm expecting my AMH result in the next couple of days, then I think I will have had all the investigations I can do.

@climbershell Hello👋🏻
I can completely relate to the constant googling, it’s always on my mind too! I was awake from 6:15 this morn temping and googling🙄
I’m 36 and trying for our first, this is our 19th cycle.
Good idea to tell your doctor you’ve already been trying for a year, I did the same when I wanted to start my tests.

I didn’t know about whole milk, that’s an interesting one, I doubt I’ll get my OH to switch though as he doesn’t think the problem has anything to do with him (he’s 30 and sperm test was fine). I used to put a small bowl of those types of nuts you mentioned on his desk each day though! I’d forgotten about that one, will start it up again. Honestly, have gone through so many tips and tricks over the last year and a half, some I still do, some discontinued, some news ones (the fluffy socks and pomegranate juice after reading recent posts!) It’s a minefield of information, dos and don’ts. Exhausting but we have to keep trying don’t we!! Will do anything to finally see that elusive BFP! xx

@climbershell welcome. You could look into acupuncture - couple of ladies up thread saying it made them feel quite relaxed. Sounds like you’re doing absolutely everything else that you can!

Gutted. Just heard from the acupuncturist who had agreed to take me on, he's been told by the British Acupuncture Councilthat he can't treat until we are in Tier 3. When on earth is that going to be? 😭 @thislittlebird @Misty84 @KG1145 have you heard anything?

@Misty84 thank you I will, it's too lat for this month now anyway as I'm cd5 so maybe I can get her to book those for next month

@Kitekat81 As far as I know mine is going ahead tomorrow, I think it’s because it comes under medical it’s allowed? But I suppose it depends on what the acupuncturist/clinic has decided to do. Is there another one anywhere near you?

@M4v3r1ck thank you, I do hope you're right! I've never had a peak on my opk so I'm hoping to spot it this month with the digitals if I don't I'll be even more confused lol

@climbershell welcome, it's very very hard to try and relax and not constantly symptom spot and google! We have been ttc for 3 years but more casually like you attempting to seduce in the fw without him realising I knew when that was but it didn't work well for us either! We've been actively trying more recently so he knows when we are scheduled 😂 and also just starting all our tests, though I'm going to be 42 next month and oh will be 40 next week so we may find it more difficult. All I can say is try and find other things to occupy your time so your brain isn't going a million miles per hour but I know that's easier said than done

@MgW1 I haven't tracked opk but if we dont conceive this month I will

@Misty84 pretty sure skim milk is only bad for female fertility as it has male hormones, not sure it's definitely true, but plausible and I needed more fat in my diet anyway.

My bf has a pot of the nuts/seeds I make each day at work, I even put in a few small bits of dark chocolate. He thinks it's just a tasty treat, doesn't know of my ulterior motive 😆 I put some Brazil and walnuts in most of our meals too.

I'm not going to do pomegranate, because I have a berries, protein powder and oat smoothie for my brekkie every day, and berries are full of antioxidants which I believe is the reason pomegranates are supposed to be good. Tho I know all of this probably doesn't matter too much, I know many people with bad diets and no so called fertility foods who have conceived fairly easily.

@Pamparam I thought acupuncture would be closed during lockdown? My sports massage is on hold which is annoying as the only thing that seems to really help with my elbow injury

@Marvellouslymadmum yes, at least we've stepped up the dtd now. I'm 35 but my bf is 41 so his sperm might not be great quality now..

Cd21 had sharp pain and brown cm. AF must be coming early this month.... 🧙‍♀️😥

@climbershell the jury is out according to @Kitekat81 and @Misty84 posts above!!

In good news my bf has fairly low sex drive so we only usually have sex a couple times a week in fertile window and sometimes then not for a couple weeks out of it... Well today marks day 4th day in a row. I think I probably ovulated today or will tomorrow, so day 11,12,13,14 so far 🤞🤞

Does anyone know if it's ok only getting one egg white day and then going pretty dry... I sometimes get 2, but often just 1 before going to no noticeable discharge

@Pamparam sick headaches 😭 your poor mum. She’s right with that description lol

@M4v3r1ck seriously, did not need the upsell. They’ve called and messaged me since and I’ve ignored them, it’s really put me off using them for anything else based on the experience with non-medical staff.

Hi @climbershell!

@Kitekat81 that’s so frustrating, has he just said this after agreeing? How odd. Mine is on leave for a couple of weeks so I’m not booked in until March 11 again. Is there any more near you?

@climbershell my EWCM is fairly sparse usually only one or two days, I’m drinking grapefruit and taking EPO right now leading up to FW to try to help it along.

@climbershell
You probably need to dtd before fertile week as well, as it gets rid of dead sperm x

@MgW1 I did not know that either! I guess that why the SMEP (not read proper book) starts so early with every other day.

Hi @climbershell

@WrongendoftheSTIX
Well i have had a faint positive , maybe tad darker tofay but not out chemical pregnancy territory and i have had a few so not getting hopes up ...but we dtd cd7 and then 12, 14, 16&17 and then i think i ovulated later in the end around cd 21 amd didnt get first faint positive til i was 4 days late. Im 1 week late tomorrow. So just goes to show its not quantity and iv ready doing it every day nearer ovulation increases sperm mortality. Also i ditched vitamins as well. Just on vitabiotics b12 and folic xx

I’m not sure I knew that either. I have thought back on the last year plus a fair bit and wondered if we weren’t dtd enough to at the right times.

@MgW1 I didn’t know that about dead sperm! My poor OH is gonna have to start dtd even earlier during my fertile time!! 🥵😝
Aww absolute best of luck for your faint positive 💕

I saw someone link to some research that seemed to say it depends on the individual count (normal vs sub fertile) but they said men with low count might benefit from doing it twice a day at the key times which is...a lot (this was based on semen samples being better after x number of hours in the same day). But I have heard about the every other day thing, just wasn’t sure how far in advance that might be useful for a refresh 🤔

@climbershell I wouldn't worry too much about your oh sperm related to age as theirs doesn't deteriorate with age like our systems unfortunately do! As far as I'm aware it's only their lifestyle or genes that can affect it.

I'm so confused by all the conflicting information on when to dtd when there male factor as there could well be for us it's just not confirmed yet! But we are dtd every other day for the whole month this cycle, as recommended by my gp- started Thursday. If he is in the mood more often we will just go with that too, it can't hurt I guess!

From watching Rhod Gilbert’s show I learned that age does effect them @Marvellouslymadmum. Despite what we’re all told, it was really interesting. They can still have kids but their sperm quality and count can decline, the campaign he launched around male infertility was attempting to educate around lifestyle but also age, they have a body clock too, it seems . This was something he was talking about a bit because he’s about 50.

A fertility consultant told us every other day to take the pressure off, basically.

Although ngl it’s still a lot of pressure lol

@thislittlebird I watched that too, my other half actually suggested watching it. It's supposedly after 41 their sperm quality decreases. Mine's actually 42 not 41, 43 in a few months. What is EPO? I'm making sure to drink lots of fluids which is supposed to help with mucus quantity

Hello everyone 🙂

@MgW1 we did on day 8 too, though I didn't know about dead sperm. Good luck x

@climbershell
EPO is evening primrose oil. Helps ewcm. Also preseed is good xx

@climbershell yeah it was a really good show. I think like us it probably varies from man to man but my DH is 40 this year, he had a a high count and low motility and vitality. Hoping with his consultant recommended supplements and regular ejaculation leading up to the next SA there will be a bit of improvement. He’ll have to wait a couple of weeks now to have it done.

We started yesterday on day 9 (I’d lost track and had to check) but it doesn’t feel like many attempts between now and likely ovulation day