The geriatric gang 👵🏻🤰

[Stillwinston]

Just a lighthearted thread for those of us now considered to be geriatric by the NHS 😂 looking to meet other women TTC who may also be feeling past their prime!

A little bit about me - I'm 36 and TTC dc no.2. Been trying for over 2 years now and depressingly started AF today so am yet again starting CD1. Hubby doesn't quite understand how upsetting this is each month so it'd be great to chat with ladies who get how I'm feeling ❤️

@LynzeeT Hi and welcome. Feel free to share your journey

@MK85 Oooh I know, it's so hard xx I keep looking at baby grows and prams recently, although there is a fine line between torturing myself and forcing the simulation (my DH calls it that, like we're in the matrix) to accept that I will keep throwing everything I've got at this monster that is TTC. We see other people's newborns (like the one across the road from), and say to ourselves that it WILL be us next and we WILL have our babies. We can do this!

Morning all! I'm out this month, there's been no need to test as bastard AF came 6 days early! I fear I'm out of the running altogether as last cycle was 4 days early and this cycle 6! I've been like clockwork my whole life so this is odd and I'm starting to worry it is the onset of the dreaded Menopause 😭 (does this happen does anyone know?) Im absolutely gutted and seriously considering how much more I can go through this. As always I'll plaster a smile on and crack on like all is normal and well. So grateful to be able to share my experience on here. Best of luck to everyone else, rooting for you all! xx

Oh no @Infinitebows, so sorry to hear this 😩 it's so bloody hard to try and keep positive every month, I completely understand why you're feeling exhausted by it - could you maybe have a chat with the GP to see if you can get some tests done to check your hormone levels to see if it is Perimenopause?

Sending love - if you decide to keep going then we'll be here to support 💖

@SarahShorty I like your mindset - we WILL get pregnant, no matter how hard it is at times 💪🏻 this thread has been so supportive, hopefully we'll have some positive news on here soon 🤞

Morning all. @Rainbowwishing @CaffeineAndCrochet @Stillwinston @MK85 and anyone else I might have missed.

Definitely out this month. I knew I would be but allowed myself to get my hopes up. Feel even more disappointed than usual.

@Infinitebows sorry about AF, it's so gutting every month isnt it. I dunno about menopause but my cycles have been short the last 2 months as well, 8-9 day luteal phase, waiting to see if this month is any better, i've been taking vitamin c tablets and b vitamins both are meant to help, the vit c has only been about 6 weeks now so fingers crossed for this cycle!

@LynzeeT sorry about AF 😥every month I say i'm not going to be sad about it but you just can't help it... hugs

@Stillwinston thank you for your lovely words, made me cry (not hard at the minute!)
@suz2285 sorry yours are shorter too, i feel like it's just something else to get my head around when we're struggling anyway. It means now that what I thought was normal for me is now all out and needs tracking to the absolute nth degree.
Can't wait to see a BFP on here soon to give us all that bit of hope. Xx

Hi @Infinitebows I'm so sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment and that your period came early. I don't know if this is helpful, but I had a random short cycle in 2022 and it completely panicked me. I was told that unexpected short cycles could be anovulatory cycles - they are nothing to worry about and happen to everyone from time to time, unless you have three or more in a year.
I feel your pain and have all my fingers crossed that your next cycle is the lucky one xx

@LynzeeT sending big virtual hugs to you too, so sorry to hear that AF has shown up 😭 hope you're ok ❤️

I’m also new here, also TTC #1 t 42, and also two days late!

I have a 25-day cycle and we only DTD once on CD18 as DH was ill but I had ECWM on CD17 so am holding out a shred of hope as long as AF stays away. Debating when to realistically test - can’t find any useful info for people with this cycle and timing.

Only started trying recently (to cut a long story short) and not using OPKs yet but will next month. Bit worried my cycle length is not helpful.

Wishing baby dust to all!

Just adding to the im out for this month too...
AF showed up two days early...I'm usually 24 days on average

I'm also 44 , TTC number 2...
I have read that cycles get shorter after 40...and shorter heading towards menopause...
So I'm conceding that I'm out of time...
My chances of conceiving at 45 are slim...

@seashoreone slim, yes. Impossible, no. 💪

@Stillwinston I feel pretty normal still. Scan was good. Thirty follicles are responding so they think I'll get 15-20 eggs. They're pushing for a freeze all cycle though as I'm at risk of OHSS. Stupid polycystic ovaries 😫 And in the mean time I'm just getting older and older.

@TheBirdintheCave the did the same with me, only it's because of my AMH. With that number of eggs predicted, you should have a good number of frosties to use later on.

@SarahShorty I think if I hadn't already been waiting an eternity (and wasn't so old) then I don't think I'd mind as much but every month counts right now. And we'll lose an attempt in June because we're going on holiday 😫 We can't even risk trying naturally then as, if it works, we'll have wasted £5k and it will have all been for nothing.

@Jellyfish1956 thank you 😊 it's so difficult because I hate googling things because I don't want to come across the bad/negative stuff but have no one to ask as if I start asking close family members about things like this they may twig (then they'll never leave me alone) sounds awful really. I've just been a lovely long walk in the peaks with the pooch and feel a little better. One more go for me then I'm certain it will be time for me to draw a line under this super difficult situation escapade that has been TTC. I'm grabbing those good luck wishes a running with it! Good luck everyone that's still in this month and sorry to all that are out... on we push 💪🏼💚 xx

@LynzeeT @seashoreone I'm sorry to hear about the arrival of AF. It sucks, but the beginning of a new cycle, and new hope!

It's my first cycle using OPKs, and I'm confused. Using the Boots strips. There's been a light pink line present from Friday up until Sunday, but it has to be as dark as the control line right?

We DTD Sunday anyway, as I felt my libido increase (surefire sign of imminent ovulation in the past). We were away for one day, and I didn't bring tests. Back now and tested and there's barely a pink line. Had EWCM last night. Have I missed the surge? Does that mean there could be an egg right now? We're planning on getting busy as soon as DD is asleep (early night for her if there's an egg waiting 😂).

Sorry, a lot of questions, but no idea how LH works.

DP away from Thursday for three weeks so trying to DTD every other day until he goes.

@Maizie83 It sounds like you just missed your peak, although there may be an egg there waiting now, and if there is, DTD tonight if you can.

LH is released in the early hours of the morning, so it'll be present in your urine in the evening as it'll have metabolised and will have filtered out by then. And yes, the test line must be darker than the control line. If it's the same darkness as the control line, that means peak is well on the way. When I first used OPKs, I tested in the morning and missed my peak, d'oh!

@SarahShorty thank you! This is extremely useful advice.

And @Infinitebows i’m sorry to hear of the arrival of AF for you too. Sorry, often reading these while trying to parent a three year old at the same time and often miss messages

@Maizie83 you could have missed your peak on opk but you can release the egg anywhere upto 3 days after the LH surge. Once released it's viable for upto 24hrs so I think you should still have time

@Maizie83 I think if you DTD on Sunday and are planning to today you should be okay. With egg/sperm survival time there's still a high chance of success even if you didn't actually catch your peak on the little sticks. Good luck xx

@Infinitebows I've got everything crossed for you for next month! How long have you been trying for? Would you consider any fertility treatments before you draw a line under it?

@seashoreone sorry to hear you're out this month. I know plenty of women who had children in their mid-to-late 40s so it's definitely not impossible, just much trickier. You got this though 💪🏻

@MK85 sounds really promising, that should give you plenty of frosties! I totally get the worry and frustration as the months tick by but the fact you might have some embryos on ice should hopefully relieve the pressure a bit 🤞🏻

@Infinitebows I'm going to keep everything crossed for you this next cycle ❤️

@Maizie83 sounds like you need to get jiggy tonight 😜😂