Trying to conceive over 40

[October1979]

Here is a new thread for us girls

I think an FSH test can give you an idea of egg quality as the higher the number the harder your body is working to make eggs but our fertility consultant did say it is a weak indicator but in combination with AMH can give a steer as to where you are on the scale.

@Mattieandmummy from what I've been told and research fsh is just another indicator of ovarian reserve it's just less reliable, here's an article on it, explaining it all

www.yalemedicine.org/news/fertility-test

Hi all, just catching up after the in-laws were here for the weekend!

@Honey2 I would definitely try and get a few things checked to rule out the obvious - AMH/Thyroid/vit D/Progesterone - just as most are easily treated. Are you feeling okay after all that sh*t last week? xx

@Portlandia SO with you - it took an MC last year for my periods to be treated. Acupuncture sorted me out a lot, but now I know so much more about what's going on! xx

@October1979 Mine was 6.3 but - I'm like a broken record here - it's absolutely irrelevant unless you're doing IVF. As long as it isn't zero and you know you're ovulating (I think you temp so you know, right?) then it changes no odds at all. It only matters for IVF stimulation purposes. My sister got pregnant second month TTC at 39 with AMH 3.2 after chemotherapy. Don't let it worry you. xx

@sabtom Yeah - that's bollocks - AMH gives an indication of quantity not quality. And that's a decent AMH for over 40. xx

Hi @Mickymackyboobaaboo I'm 42 and TTC 1! Though I change my mind every time I'm pre-menstrual ;-D xx

Hi @dutchessmom welcome! Have you had any tests done? They're pretty straightforward and can give you a good indication of your chances. xx

Welcome back @Geriatric1234 and yeah that's what thought? I had my AMH taken 2 months before I turned 40 and it was 11, and now I'm 41 & a half and it's 3.8 which was a bit of a shock drop, but hey ho, let's see how IVF goes. If it doesn't work just gunna have to try and and accept it and get on with my life. Hopefully look into adoption but I don't hold out hope for that too, being both in our early 40's and have busy jobs we won't be looked upon favourably.

@Marvellouslymadmum hmmmm.... I don't know - that's just what we were told and to be fair they did say FSH levels were a weak indicator

@Marvellouslymadmum AF is due on Monday so I will definitely be contacting the GP if no BFP next week.

@Geriatric1234 I know that feeling!

@sabtom you might be surprised on the adoption front, it's probably unlikely that you would be matched with a baby but friends adopted a three and five year siblings and they were early 40's so might be worth at least looking into. We are also looking into it because I'm not sure how much more trauma I can face and all of the agencies make a thing on their websites about being over 40 not being a problem. I think one of you would have to take a year's adoption leave but guess you'd be having some time off with a baby anyway.....

@Mattieandmummy I think some people have different opinions on it all but that's definitely what I've heard

@Mickymackyboobaaboo yes nothing wrong with getting the ball rolling

@sabtom yes, the drop is quite dramatic but is purely because of age, and not an indicator of fertility (if that makes sense!). I just mean that you know for a fact it can’t go up, so even a few months will affect the result, so 18 months will feel massive. 😬 I think it’s positive though, as whilst it’s low, it’s not terrible. You’ll be fine :-)

@Marvellouslymadmum how are you and the DH doing now you’ve ovulated? Busy weekend of DTD?! (I still read the posts even when I can’t comment!). Xx

@Geriatric1234 having a well deserved rest lol we managed to keep up a minimum of every other day all the way until peak no 4 then dtd both peak days, I've got to put some of it down to the maca though, it's doing his libido the world of good 😂 where are you cycle wise now?

@Marvellouslymadmum haha your post made me laugh - keep up the good work!! I hope this is your month 😆

@Geriatric1234 thanks I’ve emailed the GP so hopefully I’ll get a phone appointment soon. I am also going to keep my appointment at the early preg unit on Friday just so I can ask the Midwife there if there is anything that can be tested immediately by gp without referral. I think we have decided to keep going for a month or 2 - I’m just not ready to give up yet.

Actually after some advice/ knowledge - I stopped bleeding today and so thought I’d pee on hcg to see if it was negative yet - it is so that’s good. I also peed on a opk just to see and I got quite a strong line - not peak but the sort of line I’d normally get 1 or 2 days before ov. So I’m wondering - could I be about to ov? Or alternatively I have read that LH levels are elevated in preg - so is it a hang over from the miscarriage?? Even though I’ve had a negative preg test now??

Hello - just wondering if anyone else uses an Ava? I’m second month in and after it predicted ovulation after 17 days last month, it’s adjusted it to 20 days this month. I think based on the timing of my temp starting to rise last cycle. Is that quite a long time to ovulation? I’m assuming that if I have a temp rise that does mean I ovulated, but I’m not totally sure if that’s the case….

@sabtom I don't think being 40 is considered negative in the adoption world. From my experience when I was previously looking into adoption, the social workers informed me that most adopters are actually in their 50's so anyone in 30s and 40s is considered young

@99pctpractice I use Ava 🙋🏻‍♀️ been using it for about 5 months now, and it's been pretty accurate so far.

@Littlemiss40andfabulous Hopefully our age won't be a problem and I guess we'll have to do Rock Paper Scissors to who takes the year off work 😂

@Mattieandmummy completely expect that we probably won't get a baby, I'm ok with that. However, I would love to adopt siblings, probably would prefer having more than one adopted child anyway.

@Marvellouslymadmum Lol!! Blimey!!! You are my dtd hero!! That’s an awesome achievement!! Especially in this heat…! 🤣 Really crossing everything that this is the month for you!

I’m cd 8 and awake because of taking CB opk with FMU. So not taking month off ttc because obvs my hormones have calmed the eff down post-af 🤣

@Honey2 I’m so pleased you’re giving it another shot or two. Just feels like your so close. Xx

Thanks for sharing all your info on amh everyone. Just trying to get my head round why so many chemical pregnancies. You've all been very helpful. It's hard when you don't have definitive answers x

@Honey2 glad I can make you laugh, not sure about the Lh I've also heard that you can get a positive when pregnant but don't know when it goes sorry I can't be more help! I have heard some others say they've ovulated straight after mc though

@99pctpractice I don't use an Ava I'm afraid but as long as your temp goes up and stays up that should be ovulation. Some people do ovulate later than others, and your follicular phase can vary a lot each month as long as your luteal phase after ovulation is around the same length each month

@Geriatric1234 thanks lol I doubt it'll give us a good result but at least I know we've done everything we can. Hormones have a lot to answer for don't they!

Hi ladies! So just wanted share what's happening in my cycle at the moment and maybe get some opinions. So today is CD27 for me, my OPKs had me peaking on CD10, which was a little unusual as I normally don't get the peak until CD13/14. However this month I did give Soy Isoflavens a go so maybe that messed up my ovulation dates. Anyway, my Ava bracelet confirmed my Ovulation day to be CD13. I normally have a 12/13 day LP so the past 6 months my cycles have been between 26-28 days. According to the Ava bracelet AF should've arrived yesterday but if I go by the longest cycle length I have, AF should arrive tomorrow but that would make me 15dpo by Ava or 17dpo by the peak OPK. I usually get that full bloated feel the day before and sometimes spotting, but I've had non of that yet. Honestly I feel scared to take a test incase it's a BFN, however I should take one tomorrow as I have my appointment with the nurse at the IVF clinic and I should be ordering my meds. I don't wanna be ordering expensive meds and it turns out I might not even need to go through IVF 🤞🏻. Anyway just wanted to get this off my chest cause I have no one I can talk to this about lol

@sabtom maaate - take a test! You already have a plan if it’s BFN so nothing lost. Exciting! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

@Marvellouslymadmum They really do!! I can actually track my attitude (and appetite!!) through the month 🤣

@sabtom test!!!!! Sending baby vibes!!

@sabtom thinking of you this morning as you take the test xxx

@sabtom good luck with the test xx