TTC 35+ Thread 7

[sickofthisyear]

New thread- apologies for the unimaginative title!

@thislittlebird first off, glad it was a false alarm, re: your monitor 😅

And yes it’s so confusing with all of the conflicting studies out there but I tend to go by the more recent studies such as the ones you mentioned about same day ejaculation and even providing a sample for SA not beyond 3 days of abstinence in order to avoid DNA and mitochondrial damage. Also as much as total sperm count in relation to seminal volume matters, the quality (motility and morphology) of the sperm is equally as important.

At our age, I think if ttc has been going on for longer 6 months, it’s best to seek private fertility assistance if your GP is unable to push for faster referral. I think there are amazing life saving compassionate doctors out there and they are angels but at the same time there are many doctors who do their job with no heart and soul and no concern for their patients’ worries and anxieties.

@climbershell your LP sounds like it should be fine still. But I couldn’t get on with those green sticks, they never gave me strong lines.

@Twelvestars yes, and I think they advise different things for low vs normal count etc. We would be happy with less volume this time if the quality was markedly improved.

Have a GP referral now, waiting for May because I think I might be put on clomid. Have had a couple of (decent) appointments private too but didn’t like how the place handled my last requests slash enquiries. Once the nhs one is done and I know whether I need drugs to help ovulate or not then we’ll likely be going the private route. Unfortunately they all seem to want to push you towards IVF when there’s other options to explore first.

I’m here all day with my battery fails 😅

@Katiekattty how do you side pains tally with your OPKs? Do you get pains and then ovulate? Or do you think your pains happen at the same time as the egg bring released? Does your peak OPK tally with the pains? Xxx

@selina37 I usually get ovulation pains a day or two before ovulation.

Some advice from the experienced ladies here.

So I got my smiley face yesterday and today back to static. I am now feeling pain in my right ovary where we saw the follicle on ultrasound. So I’m guessing I’m ovulating. We dtd yesterday and today morning. Should we dtd tonight or tomorrow morning? Also how long after ovulation pain presents will the egg be released?

@thislittlebird I’ve gone through a couple of private consultants before I found a consultant that I really feel confident and comfortable with. I agree about the IVF thing but that’s why it’s important to search for a consultant that is conscientious and not money driven. So your GP might put you on clomid? Have you looked into other milder options? Mind you, I’m a newbie to all this but I’ve read about letrozole as being a milder option and with less side effects. Goodluck! 🤞🏻 you get your BFP before your referral.

Sorry just realized @selina37 and @Katiekattty discussing ovulation pain and egg release. My question above is because my ovulation pain seems to last a few hours but I’m not sure if when the pain ceases is actually the point at which the egg is released.

Not the GP @Twelvestars but the gynaecologist might when we have the appoint in may. I think GPs aren’t supposed to give it out now. I say clomid, it might be letrozole, but it will be one of the ones to help me ovulate slash boost progesterone because my progesterone is definitely in the ‘this person might need help ovulating’ zone. I’m going to get monitored either way, I have a fair number of follicles and don’t want complications. So whether I pay for private monitoring or nhs do it, I will make sure it happens.

I’m going to look into the mild IVF options too (and maybe go to one of the Create webinar sessions they do on the topic). I know mild IVF is for people with low reserve often but as someone with quite a few follicles I’m at some risk of OHSS in future, so the mild options appeal to me.

Sadly BFP before referral us unlikely because we can’t try this month . Going to book a hycosy though for next month to make the most of the time.

I’ve done a bit of reading on when you ovulate vs when you get pain and ovulation migraines (in my case) and the long and short of it is no one seems to know what’s most likely to happen first (pain vs o). I think I have had it before, during and after ovulation.

If the gynaecologist doesn’t give me it I’ll be shocked. People in here seem to get it just for “unexplained” infertility whereas mine is so far explained by my low progesterone/potential lack of ovulation.

Anyway, going to try to get that hycosy done before I see them so they can’t stick me on a 4 month waiting list for one. And yeah, definitely shopping around for the right clinic seems like a good idea.

@Twelvestars and @Katiekattty thank you. I've read that the pain correlates with the LH rise, so on average 24 hours before the egg is released. It does seem to make sense that the ovary stretches (that crampy pain) before actually releasing the egg) but why does the pain just suddenly stop? I would have thought the egg pops out at that point!

Still nothing on opk cd16 🤦‍♀️😐🤷‍♀️ will dtd later anyway. prob couple hours, before OH wakes up and can tick that off

If don't get any readings not sure how long we have to keep dtd for. Maybe cd22 to be safe?

@climbershell nothing as in the test strip is completely blank? Is it trustworthy? 🤔 def dtd anyway 😁

If I don't get a surge I might give clear blue advanced digital a go next cycle, but cheapest I've seen is £26 for 20 and some say the thing you insert the stick into only works properly for 1 cycle... In any event the refill sticks are more expensive than rebuying the whole thing at £30!

I'm hoping I'm just ovulating late, tho I could have early... Started cd8. No noticeable cm this cycle, I don't always get it but do usually, and usually cd12/13, tho occasionally cd14/15

Hi all. I’ve been wanting to post for a while but really don’t know what to say, I feel like I’m a real novice at all of this and you ladies really know your stuff! I don’t understand most of the terminology, literally have zero clue about temperature charts or sperm analysis!! But I am finding real comfort in reading about your stories.

I have now had blood tests done and everything has come back as normal, my doctor has said that I wouldn’t qualify for any fertility treatments as I have a 10yr old son already (who was conceived in month 1 last time!) I guess I’m just going to let nature take it’s path and if it happens it happens. We’ve been trying for just under a year now, to me that feels ages but from reading some stories it’s nowhere near as long as some, I just don’t know where to go from here, with no prospect of help I guess I’m on my own to see what happens.

Anyway just wanted to say hi, I’m quietly still here feeling lots of positivity from all of your stories ☺️

@Farfaraway1 not nothing, but the faintest faintest lines still.

@jessWi welcome 🙂 don't worry it only took me a couple of days to get my head around all the abbreviations. Are you with the same partner who is the father of your son? If so unless his lifestyle has changed greatly probably no need in SA (semen analysis)

Hi there!
I just thought I would say hi as I have been following this thread closely for a few months. I have just turned 38, and this is our 4th month of trying for our first. Really excited by it all still (was a chronic singleton for years before I met my husband...wedding last year in covid times) so grateful to be (finally!) at this stage, and hoping it all works out. Keeping a positive mindset as much as I can as really want children. I am now 4 dpo and have fingers crossed for this one!! Hope all ends well for us all. Xx

@climbershell thank you. Yes still with the same partner (we were young at the time!) he’s got a little rounder over the years but still in pretty good nick! We are actually getting married next year, should have been this September but good old COVID put that back, so we have a lot of good things going on, we both are keen to try and have a baby before the wedding now but can’t really see that happening as would need to be pregnant within the next 2 months 😳

Well we just attempted to dtd. He wanted a quickie, fair enough I wasn't in the mood either & don't care about climax, just sperm so conceive plus lubed up lol. Handful of positions, both in pain with hips/back, terrible all around and he couldn't cum! Argh. Only dtd every other day too, v frustrating.

I had a teeny bit of brown spotting on one wipe yesterday, tho strangely about 4 v v v v tiny bright red spots. Tiny bit brown spotting today. My body is being very strange this cycle!

@JessWi maybe it's just a case of age so it'll take longer this time around & nothing to worry about

Hi @JessWi I'm quite new also and still don't understand half the conversations 🤦🏽‍♀️ so I tend to try and follow where I can.. you will find you pick up bits as you go along! Xx

@Lexber dtd - do the deed (sex), cd15 cycle day 15, 6dpo 6 days post ovulation, sa sperm analysis, opk ovulation predictor kit. Ewcm egg whites cervical mucus, bd baby dance (sex) . They're the main ones

Thanks @climbershell I'd figured those ones 😊 it's more when chat goes to tests and things like that I get confused xx

On the plus not my bleeding seemed to ease last night and I dtd for the first time post coil removal!!! Not expecting anything as no clue where I am in cycles but I was just pleased to actually get some 🤣🤣
Hoping it holds off now and then I can start testing to see how my cycle sits 🤞🏼

Was quite scary to think it's the first time EVER I have had unprotected sex without birth control... ever!! Lol shit just got real... xx

This thread has been moving apace! I've been quietly reading it all as I haven't had much to offer this month.
@climbershell the green cheapie OPKs never work for me. I used Clearblue got peak and completely blank cheapie OPKs 🤷‍♀️

This month I got peak on cycle day 10 & 11 (v early for me) followed by a clear temp dip on CD12 but FF has set ovulation at CD 13. I am counting it as 12 as that matches my temps and the Ov sticks. Temp rose today looks promising but we did DTD on ov day so wait and see...

We didn't manage on Ov day due to surprise early peak and tbh 3 days in a row was enough 😳

Welcome newbies! Don’t worry about the abbreviations etc @JessWi I am in a similar situation. Trying for almost a year now but with short cycles I am now on cycle 14 (as of today- full flow has arrived 🧙‍♀️). I have two children also from previous marriage and we have no plans to do tests or ivf - just hoping for the best really that it happens before the end of this year or I think we will be moving on with our lives without a baby.

@selina37 are you cd1 also?

@JessWi hi, you should still be able to get a referral to fertility from your gp. My gp did the same to me, took day 21 bloods said everything's fine you're ovulating off you pop, no referral etc as you have children. I didn't take no for an answer as yes I have children from a previous relationship but none with my partner and I'm almost 42, so rang and spoke to a different gp explained that yes I ovulated this month from the tests she took but i know that's not always the case plus with my age I need to make sure everything's working properly, I knew I wouldn't be eligible for ivf but thought there were more checks that can be done and she completely understood and agreed and referred me to fertility and oh for an sa we are just waiting for the appointments now

Hi @lemonade83 welcome, hopefully you'll get your bfp soon

Anyone not understand any abbreviations please feel free to ask 😊

@WrongendoftheSTIX it usually chooses peak based on temp more than opk and as it's 24-48 hours after peak that you ov could've been cd12 or 13

As for me - cd7 here low on opk then later on a big blob of ewcm so all confused here!