Trying to conceive over 40 part 2

[October1979]

Here is a new thread for us girls

Hi @DOB78 - I've been trying for 7 months now. Had a chemical pregnancy in November and my cycle has changed every month since 😭

And yes, I'm gonna do the same with pregnancy tests. I'm going to wrap them up like we're playing 'Pass the parcel' and put them in the bin at work so I'm not tempted to take them out!

@TTC@40 so sorry to hear that. Our bodies do some crazy things sometimes dont they.......
Thats a good idea too the neighbours will think I've lost my marbles if they see me bin diving every morning

Been trying since last may- tried clear blue monitor and just had a positive. Over the moon!

@Fredstheteds - congratulations! 🎉🎉

AF today
Feeling down.

Going to keep trying - this time temping and ovulation tests.

My cycles are average 26 days.
Should I test temp from end of AF?
Then ovulation when there's a rise.

Conceived DD1 with no temping. But I was 39 then , turned 40 just when DD was born...

I would test throughout cycle – just in case you spy ovulation happening earlier than you thought. And temping beyond confirmed ovulation is useful because at the end of your usual luteal phase you can see your temp drop as a precursor to AF, usually 1-2 days before. Which tells you you’re out without having to POAS. Plus you can confirm length of luteal phase and just generally get the full picture by temping every day.

(Caveat: I temped with DD but am not bothering this time around, feel confident enough in OPK + EWCM + brief 3-day randiness to pinpoint ovulation each month, and luteal phase is always bang on.

@stuntbubbles sorry for being a Tim nice but dim, but what do the abbreviations mean?

@oxfordinwinter85 Haha, oh GOD I have been sucked into the madness truly and now speak fluent TTC (trying to conceive).

AF you obviously know
POAS = pee on a stick i.e. take a pregnancy test, though I don’t know anyone who wees on them vs dips them in a cup
OPK = can’t remember what this stands for but it’s the stick you wee on before ovulation to test for LH (another abbreviation, a hormone), the surge you get before ovulation
EWCM = egg white cervical mucous, the vaginal goop you’re looking out for just before ovulation. Though whenever I read CM, which means cervical mucous, I just read “cunt mole” after a friend who has some spectacularly inventive swears. Also egg whites just makes me thinking of conception sex as “making meringues”

I refuse and will never use BD = baby dance, aka sex

But basically to chart your cycle, you don’t just look for temperatures, you also keep an eye on cervical mucus (you don’t have to go rummaging, just check your knickers to see if they look like someone sneezed) and you pee on OPKs, and those three things combined give you the full picture.

Well, after over a year of trying and two failed rounds of ivf, I had my first bfp this morning...! i think today should be the day/day before I get my period, but it is super faint so I am already paranoid that it's a cp. it's a first response test : does anyone know if it would usually be a strong line at this time or can it be faint and still viable? I am too scared to get excited until I feel more confident that it's a real thing....I was meant to be having an apt about my next round of ivf this week, so might see if it can be turned into a scan next week instead or is it ridiculous to get a scan at 5 weeks?

This was my first month using the ovulation poas tests so not sure if that made a difference because it meant we had a couple of days of focused action instead of our general approach of carpet bombing at least every other day...! Otherwise , it's also about 3 months into using coq10 and 1 month into taking collagen peptides (which have done amazing things for my skin and nails as well, so I am totally going to carry on taking them even when we stop trying if this pregnancy doesn't work out...!)

@stuntbubbles actually it's not AF! It's a bit of spotting...then nothing! Nothing today either. AF due two days.

What causes this? ☹️🧐

OPKs = Ovulation Predictor Kits.

@99pctpractice - I'm really hoping the best for you! I can totally understand what you're going through! It could be that your period is due a bit later hence the lightness of the First Response? Please keep us updated❤️❤️

Don't want to get unnecessary hopes up but could it be implantation bleeding? Xx @oxfordinwinter85

Hi all I've had no electricity, water, heating or phone signal since Friday morning (still all off now too) but out so trying to catch up!

@stuntbubbles my oh doesn't get very much either and it doesn't go far if that makes sense 😂🙈 but his sa all came back ok

@oxfordinwinter85 yes temp from af then start ov tests before the rise, the rise will confirm ovulation has happened so really start testing from cd6-8 depending on when you usually ovulate

@99pctpractice congratulations! Yes you can have a feint line now and it be fine, I think you have to wait until 6 weeks for a scan as they can't see anything before then

Congratulations, @99pctpractice! Only time will tell on the viability but every line has to start somewhere – no one goes from nought to strong lines straight away. Fingers crossed for you.

@Marvellouslymadmum No internet, no TV, need to keep warm under the covers – how many storm-conception babies do you think we’ll see in 9 months…

I just sobbed to DP and confessed just how many pregnancy tests are hidden in the bin “as if you didn’t know!!” He said he really didn’t as he doesn’t fish things out of bins. Feel cheerier: he’s extremely optimistic about our chances which balances out all my googling “1ml sperm?!” and fearmongering.

@99pctpractice, that's great news but I can understand your reservations. I'm sure everything will be fine. The earliest they'll scan is 6 weeks as there's nothing to see before then. Everything crossed for you.

@Marevllouslymadmum Oh dear that doesn't sound good at all!! Glad its all sorted out now.

@oxfordinwinter Sorry AF has arrived its always disappointing 😞.

@stuntbubbles I also refuse to Baby Dance but do like the sound of making meringues!! Your updates make me laugh 😃 especially when iys been a rough day. You sound like have a bit of nightmare month I hope it has a good end result.

I think I'm out 10dpo and BFN this morning. We can't try next month either fertility clinic want us to use condoms from CD1 till apt which is after peak week 🥺

It's AF...just confirmed ☹️
Right on the day despite that bit of spotting two days ago.

So temping?

Thermometer in the mouth ok?

Congratulations 🎉 @99pctpractice fingers crossed for you
@Marvellouslymadmum that sounds tough fingers crossed everything is back to normal for you soon.
@oxfordinwinter85 it could be implantation causing the spotting, AF coming or a sign of low progesterone. Hoping it's implantation for you.

I'm 6dpo today and have sensitive boobs which I'm delighted about. I hope it's a sign of my body getting back to normal. I've not had any boob sensitivity since MMC in August. Good luck for this month everyone xxx

Thank you!! My ivf clinic has said that they can do blood tests to check for levels of hcg so I'll get a couple of tests for that and then will have the 6 week scan if the hcg tests are going in the right direction. I think I'm a bit in shock after having a couple of pretty disastrous rounds of ivf without a sniff of a bfp, so all fingers crossed this sticks...

@Marvellouslymadmum hope you get your power back soon!! Sounds like the storm was more dramatic where you are than here In London!! We just had a few branches down!!!

@October1979 my only symptom is sore boobs! Fingers crossed it's a good sign for both of us!!

At 6dpo I think it's unlikely I've implanted yet. Sore boobs probably down to progesterone rising. But I have everything crossed all the same xx

@marvellouslymadmum, sorry didnt read your post properly. Hope it's all gets sorted soon.

@stuntbubbles I know! I was thinking there will be storm babies called Eunice in 9 months 😂 I'm in the tww though so not for us (as if it would just happen now 🙄)

@DOB78 sorry you can't ttc next month that sucks and all sorted today at last!

@oxfordinwinter85 yes bbt thermometer in the mouth same time every morning before you get out of bed

@October1979 thank you everything has finally been restored today! Teenagers were driving me mad so I'm very pleased - now the task of chucking out all the food 🤢
Great that the boob sensitivity is back for you!

@99pctpractice all back now thank fully and yes we had massive trees down everywhere including our back garden! All roads in and out of battle where I live we're blocked Friday

@Marvellouslymadmum Ah glad to hear that. I know its rubbish but missing 1 month might help in the long run so I guess it's worth it

@DOB78 I’m sure there is a sensible scientific reason re. the condoms but I bet it’s still bizarre in the grand scheme of TTC to now introduce… contraception.

@oxfordinwinter85 Yes, BBT thermometer at the same time every day, before you do anything: alarm goes off, hand goes for thermometer, in mouth til it beeps and you stay still – no gulp of water, stretch, talk, getting up for a sneaky wee first. You get used to it!

BFN at 12dpo and a migraine, my classic “day before a monster period” symptom. It’s time to let go of my clutching-at-straws googling and face up to it not being my month, bah. But DP and I both have annual leave in my fertile week, with the kid still in nursery so we can paint the house, what better time to also bone daily.