Trying to conceive over 40

[October1979]

Here is a new thread for us girls

@Mum2baby07 it's meant to break down estrogen and lead to more ewcm. I noticed I had a lot less than I used to this cycle so I thought maybe I should try it. Same with evening primrose

Im good @sabtom just entering the 2WW. I didn't ovulate to cd20/21 when usually cd15/16. I forgot to use my Ava last night. So unsure if I ovulated yesterday or today. However every time I've had a chemical it seems to be a bit later. I'm not too concerned. Not too hopeful this month as not been as proactive in the bding. But still in with a chance. How are you doing? Thanks for telling me your amh is low. I was wondering if only women 40 plus with good amh had successful pregnancies and because mine is low only bad eggs. I know I'm by heart that's not true but my head is searching for answers as 4 chemicals and a MMC in 15 months xx

@October1979 my AMH came back as 3.8 so that's considered very low, so the fact I got a BFP with that number is shocking! I'm just trying to keep myself busy so these first few weeks will fly by. The wait for the first scan is painful 😤 keeping my fingers crossed for you in your TWW

Good morning, ladies. AF is due tomorrow so I thought I'd test a day early given that's it's Father's Day here. Unfortunately another BFN 😔 so it looks as though I'll be calling the GP to see about fertility tests. I had thought maybe this month would be our month as I've felt a bit different - I had pain in my side at 7dpo, and have been very emotional and have had headaches over the last couple of days (I was like this with my previous pregnancy). Guess it's not to be this time.

@Mickymackyboobaaboo sorry to hear that. Hope you can do something nice to look after yourself today x

@Catconfusion thanks for the advice. I’m going to lay off the agnus castus for a few weeks and see where I am. If I’m no better it won’t hurt to try them again. I’m taking maca powder rather than tablets and only one teaspoon a day so don’t think that’s taking much effect and I would either need to increase or, as you say, stop and see how I get on.

I’m just anxious about my egg quality as I know I’m still fertile after the mc but my suspect egg quality wasn’t enough to sustain proper growth last time :( I keep clinging onto the mantra ‘just one good egg!’

I eat a pretty healthy diet anyway (although fell off the wagon this weekend!) and have kept up with eating more fish and veg, less meat and avoiding low fat dairy (except in my decaf tea - can’t stomach full fat milk in there - yuck!) since falling pregnant last time so I’m with you. I think the more goodness I can put in me the better and just hoping that helps too.

@Mattieandmummy thanks for that. I think I’m going to lay off it for a few weeks and see if my cycle can sync back on its own…. It’s so hard to know if I’m helping or hindering with supplements! Does anyone else stress about this??

Just joining the thread if that's ok x First time TTC age 41. Been tracking periods for last 3 month since stopping pill. Cycle length for the last 3 months has been 25 ish days, am now 37 days & no sign of AF & lots of BFN's.

Had my Covid jab whilst I was on last period so wondering if that has had an effect on my cycle? 🤷‍♀️Dug out my OPK's thinking that I need to up my game to try to find out ovulation day as I'm questioning if I even ovulated a couple of weeks ago like I thought I had ( didn't use OPK to verify )
Surprisingly my OPK tests done in the last couple of days has showed my LH surge rising so I've been back to square 1 DTD ready for this ovulation that I thought occurred a couple of weeks ago ?!

I too am concerned about egg quality, I've spent a fair bit of time researching pre conception vitamins & I decided to go with these... OVUM. They are meant to help with regulating ovulation & as I hadn't ovulated like I thought I did a couple of weeks ago I decided to give them a try.
2 days in taking the OVUM I get my positive OPKs .... May just be a coincidence but who knows? Im going to stick with them as I like the science behind them & the way they are marketed.

www.startwithovum.com/aboutus

@pinkypink24 I’m similar dpo14 and have had a negative test today after what I thought was a very faint line yesterday. Waiting for af.
Also had the Covid jab however it was a few days before the start of the last period.

@pinkypink24 hi and welcome, your body could still be getting back no it's Norma routine after coming off the pill as it does sometimes take a while. It could also be the jab, I had mine right when ov should've been due last month and I'm now cd45 I was tracking with opk and bbt amd my body attempted ovulation 3 times before it finally happened on the 4 which was now 11-12 days ago. This is not the first time it's happened to me though so I'm not sure it's definitely down to the jab. I would never trust the apps on ovulation, the only way to be sure you have ovulated is by tracking your bbt otherwise like me you could get a peak opk but still not ovulate, bbt will confirm it for you

@pinkypink24 I was gonna say pretty much exactly the same as @Marvellouslymadmum 😂 I definitely had a reaction to jab. Been tracking periods off-pill for ten years (not for ttc just for life planning!) and ovulation for 6 months. Every cycle I get opk peak on day 11, so assume ov on CD 12/13 and cycle . Month I had jab (on CD 13) I had AF on CD 24 and ov following month on CD 15. It definitely interfered as 24 days only happened once before in a decade. Only ‘messed up’ one cycle.

Thanks for ovum tip - will look into those :-) x

@Portlandia How did your GP appointment go? Are you okay? x

@Honey2 How are you feeling? x

@sabtom And all good with you? Love how invested I feel when any of you get BFPs! x

Hey @Geriatric1234,
Thanks for asking, I've got a pelvic examination booked for Friday. My bleeding ended after 6 days, really light for the last 4 days. I've got a friend with pcos who has lots of irregular bleeding so I wonder if it's that for me.
Hope you're doing well x

I'm good thank you @Geriatric1234 😊 just trying to keep myself busy because the wait for scans over these next few weeks are gunna be excruciating. Having mild cramping/pulling sensations but not as severe as if AF is coming. I'm constantly looking at the toilet bowl every time I pee, 😂 it's stressing me out! Other than that no other symptoms really, but according to my app, I'm only 4+3 so still very early days.

Hi all, I hope everyone had a good weekend!

@sabtom so pleased all is well so far, I know what you mean about the wait for the scan… I’ve said before in a way early days of being preg is more stressful than TTC as there is nothing you can do but wait and keep busy, somehow!

@Geriatric1234 hi, hope you are well! Thanks for checking in… I went to my apt at EPU last Friday and they confirm via scan that my miscarriage was complete so at least I don’t need any further intervention. The sonographer also confirmed womb and ovaries look normal - which is reassuring. Interestingly when I asked if my ovaries looked like she should she said yes, well for your. And then stopped herself before she said ‘age’ 🙈 I then saw the midwife (same one as last time) and actually she was quite helpful. Still very blunt and businesslike but she has referred me to the recurrent miscarriage clinic, I should get a call within 2 weeks to arrange next steps. So that’s positive. Interestingly for those asking about aspirin @October1979 was that you?…. The midwife said for sure they would likely suggest taking it next time, not just because I had history of sticky blood but also become it “doesn’t do any harm” and “we recommend it in a lot of situations now”.

I had my second jab last Thursday and Im also wondering if it is delaying ovulation… difficult to tell after a MC though. I also had a crazy high temp the day after the jab. Gotta be done though 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Honey2 good to hear from you. I'm glad you had a better experience with the midwife this time, and things are in motion to look into your miscarriages. I hope the two weeks goes fast for you xx

@Marvellouslymadmum I guess I thought that OPK confirmed ovulation... So thanks for the heads up regarding BBT. can you please advise which thermometer / app you use to track? Are there certain fertility thermometers that have to be used for this?

I feel that I've got so much to learn in such a short space of time 😩 I'm so pleased I've joined these threads on here as I've picked up so much info & so many tips.

@Honey2 that's ready good that they're referring you to recurrent mc, I think it's something that should be done for people much sooner

@pinkypink24 honestly there's so much to learn but it can all be learned really quickly from the knowledgeable ladies on the threads. You just need a bbt thermometer which means it's to two points past the decimal point, I have a Femometer one which cost about £10 and I use about 6 different apps lol but the Femometer one is good for bbt, I prefer Premom for taking pics of the cheap opk but I usually use the clearblue digital advance opk as they measure two hormones so they're more accurate amd I have the clearblue app for that, and find fertility friend is pretty good too, they're all free for the basic version so I'd say download a few and see which you prefer

What ICs do people use? I need to order a new batch (cd 4 again :( and maybe try a photo app thingy? Any recs?
Also need to get some more pregnacare... should I get extra folic acid too? It has 400 ug in it but I keep reading people taking 5mg I think!?

@Lastyearttc I would suggest do NOT get the one step tests - in my experience they don’t work well. If you are looking for opks I use Femometer. There is also an app to go with the Femometer opks.

As for folic acid I take pregnacare and also 1 400ug folic acid tablet as well. So 800ug in total. Do you take Ubiquinol? It’s expensive but seems to be well researched and recommended for improving egg quality…

@Lastyearttc I take extra folic acid, and I use Femometer cheap strips £9.99 on Amazon for 40 opk and 10 hcg and I use Femometer app but prefer Premom app for taking pics of them usually do both to make sure lol

@lastyearttc I agree with @Honey2 about the one step OPKs. I never saw a strong line in all the time I was using them despite the fact I clearly ovulate every month according to BBT and regular periods (I was using them morning, noon and night and never managed to catch the peak).

I take 5mg folic acid prescribed because of a medical condition and have also been taking ubiquinol for the last 4 months - recently increased the dose to 300mg. As others have said, it's not cheap but hopefully worth it.

Super random here guys, but I was just reading this thread and if you go through the comments (ignoring the very occasional troll) there are an INSANE number of older mothers describing when they had their children. Most over 40. Just a nice little bit of mid-week motivation for you all! Xx

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4277638-I-have-to-decide-by-the-end-of-summer?login=complete

@Portlandia Oh good - I’m glad they are taking it seriously and dealing with it. Do you feel fine though? Do you have any other pcos symptoms?

@Honey2 That’s so great they’re referring you! Please update as I’d love all the insider info! I’m so lazy about POAS so no idea if I’m even having chemicals! Should we be taking aspirin in the TWW ya think? And I’d be happy with ANYTHING looking good ‘for my age’ these days - face/bum/ovaries….;-D

@sabtom When i was pg my mum said she had that feeling through the whole first trimester, so I think it’s just the little bean nuzzling in! But yes - we all aim for the BFP which is obviously swiftly followed by THE FEAR. But I am crossing everything (except legs) for ya! Xx

Hey @Geriatric1234 I've felt fine since the bleeding tailed off thanks, my period hasn't arrived so I wonder if the bleed was a mega early period.
The only other symptom I have that could be due to pcos is thinning hair on the crown of my head which started around age 30. I've had mega painful periods and lots of pms all my life apart from when I've been on the pill, one of my sisters who has the same symptoms got diagnosed with endometriosis when she was trying to conceive so that might be something I have too.

@Honey2 and @Mickymackyboobaaboo thanks for the to regarding one step…. So I might be ovulating even though I don’t get a strong line? That’s interesting as today I’ve had mild tingling in my breast and been weeing loads which is usually a sign I get as both pms but also mid cycle around when I ovulate so maybe I am after all?

Think I’ll invest in better OPKs and get myself a bbt too although is it right you have to take temp straight away as you wake before you even talk? I don’t think I’d have the discipline for that or has someone been winding me up lol?