2023 TTC 35+ Part 5

[VixFromThe6ix]

Hi lovelies,

New thread!!

Please tag whoever you can so everyone knows we are here.

@BucksOxonMum I would do another because it shouldn't be blank. And before I started IUI, my LH would be reading very low four a few days then I would get a high reading or a peak in a day's time. Mine didn't gradually darken.

@VixFromThe6ix Thats interesting to know, thanks lovely. I’ll do another in a little while. Fingers crossed something is on it. I can very easily go into panic mode! 🤣

@BucksOxonMum haha can totally relate. I overanalyze everything and usually think of worse case scenarios. With stories most of us had TTC it's sometimes hard to remain positive and calm, imo. I try to start positive every new cycle but by TWW I am in my head already lol

@VixFromThe6ix I can totally relate! I would love to be chilled about it all, but that’s just not me. A born worrier and panicker! This is only my first month back at ttc and it’s already taking its toll. When I had my last baby I so obsessed with it all I made myself ill. I’m having some reflexology next week to help with things and chill me out.

@BucksOxonMum reflexology sounds good 😊 hope it helps you! They do say stress could prevent our bodies from getting pregnant or staying pregnant. It's just so hard not to... I try to mentally disconnect when I'm around my toddler or with work or by watching some k-drama. But if I'm left alone with my thoughts that's when it starts lol

Like today when I tested the line didn't look any different than lines from last two days so now of course I'm in my head that something is wrong or that it's trigger shot effects. Ugh.

@H0pefull so sorry to hear this. How’re you feeling today? ❤️

Hi ladies, catching up a small bit here. I needed to just sit in my grief a little bit after our poor old doggie was put to sleep yesterday afternoon. It’s very hard to believe that he’s gone after nearly 15 years…

@H0pefull i think replied to you already, but you’re not dramatic, we’ve all been there and it’s just shit and exhausting and stressful… hope you have a nice weekend now and can do something to relax a little and forget about TTC, even for a few hours…

i have seen some discussions around apps here - I use natural cycles which I find good. I did have it with a normal thermometer at the start, but I found it really hard to do the bbt every morning at the same time and not forget and get up and go to the loo or something before taking the temperature. So I splurged on an Oura ring (which I know is a lot of cash) and that saved my sanity with the temping. It does cost money but it’s been worth it for me.

so we were at the fertility clinic today and I’m kind of in two minds. They have checked my uterus and ovaries with an ultrasound, which all looked fine. Little eggies are ripening on CD5. So yay for that.

but I asked them about the hair loss medication that my husband is on, which in the U.K. people say to discontinue 6 months before beginning TTC, and the dr was like oh I dunno let me ask a more senior doctor.

And when we were in there a year ago for the egg freezing she was like “oh try for a bit first with him on the medication and if it doesn’t workout come back to us in a year” and now I’m wondering should we change clinics, because right now I’m too scared to wear perfume or paint my nails or touch receipts or eat things cooked in non stick pans or drink from plastic water bottles or exercise normally - but it’s ok if my husband continues to take a drug that is known to have an effect on sperm because a year ago his spermiogram looked fine??

also I asked about fresh vs frozen transfers and the clinic say they generally do fresh. But I had read that frozen are better because your body isn’t as messed up from all the stimulation hormones - but I guess that’s just me watching YouTube doctors, so maybe that’s not right. But I live in Germany and I know things are not known to be cutting edge here in the fertility world.

rant over, sorry.

So I’ve just done another two opks. Not a thing on either, and both the red isn’t clearing on the stick. Do I have a rotten batch maybe??

Always best to ovulation test with first wee of day & dont drink before test

Also good to test at end of day - as some peoples shows 4 half a day - then thats it

Anyone with a chance of pcos can have multiple surges

@worldwidetravel2017 Thank you - I had read online not to test with fmu. Such conflicting information out there isn’t there. I’ll give it a go in the morning.

Your urine is stronger in am - ive done mine at 4 / 5am b4 if woke in night

I started ttc with expensive cb ovulation tests
But the cheap sticks coralated
And ive stuck with cheap sticks twice a day since

Stress / anxiety can effect our cycles etc too

If in doubt about ovulation - can always ask 4 a transvaginal scan - they check ovaries & if you time scan right - they sometimes report corpus luteum

@worldwidetravel2017 that’s not quite right, @BucksOxonMum is correct and FMU is not recommended for many OPKs. The IC strip tests recommend between 11am and 8pm. Others may say FMU, check the instructions as it will depend on whether they are looking for LH or both Oestrogen and LH.

Many of mine said in instructions first wee of day

Each to their own though

@El1988 I'm so sorry to hear about your dog, hope you're ok. We had to have one of our house rabbits put to sleep earlier this year, just a few weeks after my mmc so was just extra awful. So hard not having your pets around.

Hard to catch up with everything on here, a couple of you said you were close to your due dates, it's a hard milestone especially not being pregnant. Be kind to yourselves. We've planted a rose bush in memory of ours.

Still no sign of an impending AF at the moment so of nothing by Sunday I'll test again, should be due around Mon/Tues. Been grumpy today but think that's from tiredness rather than PMT. I've been in bed before 10 every day this week, just feel exhausted

So I’ve just done another opk. Negative again. Did a cervix check and it’s high … so that’s probably why the opk is neg.

BUT as my cycles are now at 25 days, at cd9 surely something should be happening?! 😓

@BucksOxonMum I hear you re stress!! Have you tried meditating? I got the Headspace app this year and they have lots of great courses on there including one for TTC. It's not for everyone but I've certainly really found it helps. I also do yoga a few times a week which again, isn't for everyone, but I have found it super helpful. I never thought I would be the type to get into it but the mindfulness and breath work stuff has been amazing. For context, I have never done sport in my life and I am overweight (although I've lost nearly a stone this year doing it though that's not the reason I started in the first place, just a nice added bonus). I've also started journaling which I find a really useful way of getting my thoughts and feelings out on paper.

@MrsBP15 Hi, I do meditate yes - I’m a reflexologist, so my job is very calm and I also do yoga and controlled breathing. I’m a worry guys about everything really.

That's amazing that you’ve lost a stone, well done! I could do with losing a few lbs myself x

@BucksOxonMum I am also a worrier so I totally understand! Regarding the OPKs, some of them (for example Easy@Home) should be tested between 10am and 8pm whilst others such as the clearblue should be the first morning urine (FMU). Your tests should have specific instructions. I think the Easy@Home ones are the best as you can input them onto the premom app (which is free with a "premium" paid option) and you can gradually see the numbers going up as you get closer to ovulation. I started off with clearblue OPKs but they were prohibitively expensive. At CD9 you wouldn't necessarily see a surge with a 25 day cycle. I have 26 day cycles and my LH surge was usually around CD12 or CD13.

@H0pefull really hoping for the best for you. Your time will come.
Love and baby dust to all.

@Angelsrose Thank you for that, I’m just so worried that I’m not going to ovulate given my age now :(

@BucksOxonMum I think you will ovulate. I know it's difficult but try to be positive.

I know someone that had a baby at 45
Dya mind us asking how old you are

Hi, @El1988 sorry to jump on lol does his hair loss tablets contain finasteride? My partner has been taking it since january ( i got pregnant in january and had a mmc in april) ...done alot of reading on it and none of it is good. Can cause birth defects if the woman comes in contact with it between wks 8&12... can make the male infertile whilst on it.....we still havent got pregnant since april but his stopped taking it now. Its not prescribed on the nhs here.... there alot online about. Nhs does say sperm may rtn to normal at some point though....just thought i would let you know what ive read up on it x

@Supertrooper101 yep finistaride. We asked the clinic about it 6 months ago and they were like like oh his spermiogram is fine, don’t worry. But now I’m like if I’m literally walking on eggshells in life to try to get pregnant, surely he can come off this drug that messes with his hormones??

i feel like no one is taking me seriously here and I’m getting really frustrated. Like if we have to go to for ivf then I don’t want to spend all this money we don’t really have on ivf when his sperm has been messed up by finastiride…

@El1988 if he had his sperm test before he started taking it, then those results are useless.. am not sure if your search engine would bring up the same info as myne does, but i can honesty say that in my search results its pretty scary. Even if the woman touches the tablet whist pregnant it absorbs through her skin and can harm the baby. But chances of getting pregnant are slim to none. Av got him on wellmans and omega 3s lol its not just the ttc side i was annoyed at, but it can cause fatty liver and prostate cancer too. I know google does alot of scaremonging, but normally all the info contradicts itsself, but with this medicine...theres nothing good with ttc at all. My partners got a sperm analysis form from the drs so going to get that checked. Least i can let you know if it has impacted the sperm x

(I meant its only on prescription on nhs)