Ignoring the LIES, DAMNED LIES, and STATISTICS: Fiesty & Fabulous 40+ers TTC

[xserialshopper]

Open to all 40+ers TTC.

We're friendly - not cliquey (sp?) and would love to know you{smile]

I will be keeping away from any kind of sticks! I am not even contemplating it tbh. Just seeing what AF due date brings. Keep you informed!

you poor thing twig....but at least you seem to be conceiving ok at the moment, so lets hope for both of us that there is some truth in an mc increasing fertility

i'm in two minds about early poas, i'd rather not peak too early, but i have a feeling that i wont be able to help myself as it's still a bit of a novelty

perhaps i'd better follow fifitot and wait for AF due date first

have a great weekend

Hi everyone, been just lurking for a few days as I have been feeling useless, dried up and generally pointless. Am determined to regain usual state of happy (bonkers?) optimism... sorry so many are having a horrible time.

Technical question... I have been charting for the last four months (in celsius, sorry don't know the farenheit numbers) and when I do chart overlay on fertilityfriend I have come to realise that my temps are ALWAYS (ie at all parts of the cycle) at least 0.5 degrees C lower than everybody elses. So a "normal" temp for others seems to be about 37 but I am 36.0 to 36.5 at the most. Does this matter? Is THIS why I am not pg? Or is it ok just if the SHAPE of the temp cycle is right?

I think it's just the shape. As long as you see a shift it's OK. If you do an analysis on FF it usually points out something that doesn't seem to be right.

I know how you feel though about feeling useless. I too have been there last few days but plodding on regardless, temping, charting, bding blah blah....ad finitum.

Grownup - sorry you're feeling down. Am pretty in touch with that emotion today. Have to wait another month before trying again and detox not going well. Generally peed off. Hope we're both feeling more in "the zone" soon.

sorry fifi - hope we all better soon!!

hi there chums, thanks for all helpful advice, I was amazed by how much everyone knows! Or should it be that I am amazed I have been so dumb!

Twig, so sorry to hear of your news. Hope you are feeling a tiny bit better today? Wishing you good news soon. X

Juicy, yes, have been taking folic acid and going to try pre-seed next cycle. Currently CD17 and going to have some nice time not BDing which is a rare treat, as we are in last ditch effort mode!!! Everything is crossed now! Needle phobic so acupuncture is not an option, no matter how desperate, a friend swears by reflexology though so may give it a whirl.

Thanks to all name lovers, it took 6 months before I committed! If my child is actually born, he/she will have to be 'baby' until he/she toddling.

Fifi, thanks for ref to dot com site, have joined, but doubt I will have time for anything else now, looking at all the features, and getting really into it! Fingers crossed for you, and symptom relief. At least it's not a hangover!

Rowing, thanks for this advice, will investigate further back.

London, yes have appt 04/02, bloods and sperm done, dreading bad news. Thanks for your advice.

grownup if your BBT pre ovulation is below 36.3 (and particularly if it is routinely below 36C), and you often feel cold and lethargic and have dry skin, you might very well have low thyroid levels. If your bbt is below 36C at times, go to your GP and ask to have your thyroid levels tested. Hypothyroid is a lot more common among women than men and can cause a wide range of vague symptoms. If you are but not enough to be treated, there are other things you can do, including a list of supplements I can recommend.

I am borderline and have been for years, but the GPs will not treat me. I have got pregnant twice in the last 6 years (so far so good with this one, at 12 weeks)and both times was after I took up running again. Apparently exercise has a very beneficial effect on the thyroid; it's hard though when you feel lethargic and crap, but you have to really force yourself day after day until the thyroid starts to pick up again.

Thanks duchesse - that is really helpful. In fact I was picked up for marginally low thyroid about 2 yrs ago (following a mc). But was not offered any treatment and not told it was a "problem" or even told what symptoms or problems I might have from it. I am ALWAYS cold and have cold hands and feet, and often tired. The last month I have taken up exercise, so I am glad that seems to be the right thing to do.
Would be very keen to know what supplements etc might help with this problem. Thanks!

Bingo! I really do think it has affected my fertility (2 pregnancies in 5.5 years is not a particularly good stat)

I used a 1000mg multi B suppplement, 1000mg high dose fish oil (I used the fish oil rather than cod liver in case of falling pregnant), cranberry extract capsules (vits C and E), and something else I can't remember at the moment. Will go to look it up. I also took Lorna VanDerhaghe (sp?) thryoid supplement. Ultimately though what seems to work for me (both times anyway) is at least an hour of heavy duty exercise three times a week (running in my case). I usually walk 4.5 miles several times a week, but that doesn't seem to work as well as really getting hot and sweaty and out of breath.

It may be worth asking for a referral to an endocrinologist. Explain that you are trying to get pregnant, and that you understand that ideally your TSH should be below 2 to minimise potential impairment to any baby (told to me by the endocrinologist I saw two years ago). I failed to get medicated but am pregnant anyway and due to see an obstetric endocrinologist on Tuesday, so I'll find out as much as I can and report back.

That's brilliant duchesse. Will look up the thyroid supp and go to Holland and Barratt for the rest asap!
Anyway, went to the gym BEFORE BREAKFAST today - Sunday!!!! So can't more keen than that, I think

For the pill poppers among us Fish Oil Caps are on special at H&B at the mo!!

Hi Ladies
Just popping on quickly to say hi, am very behind so won't try and catch up with everyone now.

Gosh this can be a miserable time of year can't it! At least it's Feb now, which means March isn't far away... hope everyone's had a better day today anyway.

On CD 5 here - I reckon my progesterone levels were at a bit of an all-time low last cycle as my temps were pretty flat all through the luteal phase, then had a few days of spotting before AF finally kicked in.

But - the Serenity cream arrived yesterday, so let's hope that makes a difference. Can't start using it for a couple of weeks though.

Grownup - my temps seem low as well - typically between 36.0 and 36.4 pre ov, then averaging around 36.5 to 36.6 in luteal phase. I think I've only had one reading of 37.0, and that was when I had a raging hangover Are you using a 'proper' basal body temp thermometer? Only because the 'normal' ones tend to give lower readings - on me, anyway.

Ah that's interesting. My temps are pretty much the same as yours. I'm only using a normal digital thermometer from that well know medical specialist Sainsburys . Clearly I'm not yet into this enough!!

grownup - it might be worth getting a basal bt thermometer, they do seem to give more consistent results. I found with my previous ones (DD's ear thermometer and a 'normal' boots thermometer) that they could give wildly varying results even within a minute or two.

The bbt works like a normal oral thermometer, just takes slightly longer, I think it kind of 'samples' your temps over about 30-45 secs. I got mine from here:
babymad.com

Oh dear have just noticed all the other ttc paraphernalia on that site, I'd better step away from it quick!!

morning everyone....oops i mean afernoon...too busy gazing out the window at the snow

how is everyone today..hopefully warm and safe and cosy and able to enjoy the beautiful snow

i'm dpo4 now and my god what a long mind-consuming process...i have the upmost respect for those who stay positive and keep at it!

Hi All,
New to the forum! I'm 42 and ever hopeful, ttc for three months so far. Hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions here as I am really not sure what to do next. My GP clearly thinks I am mad but did a day 21 progesterone (which was a Saturday so it was done on day 23) which was 26. Is 26 really bad news ? Have regular 28 day cycle and get a positive result on ovulation predictor kit on day 13 (which I know doesn't really mean much) and wondered if temperature monitoring would be more helpful ? Finally does diet really make a difference ? Thanks in anticipation - you all seem so well informed, I'm too scared to ask my GP this stuff !
Thanks, Bea.

I know what you mean about gps. No the most helpful about fertility issues for the over 35s tbh.

Others will post tons of advice but I would suggest temp monitoring, gives a real sense of your cycles and shows if you actually ovulated or not which is what OPKs don't show.

Good luck. 3 months ttc is still very early. Took me about 4 when I got pg with my LO at 42. (not so much sucess this time unfortunately

Just realised that I think AF is on her way, got aching thighs and it's a usual sign. Bl**dy hell. I don't know if I've got the resiliance for this and if I can face another month of ttc, one more month nearer my 46th birthday. I really am too old, my body is telling me that. Soooooooooooooo fed up and frustrated. 2 friends have just had babies, happy for them, but it's killing me.

I only have myself to blame though. Oh well perhaps I'll feel more positive in the morning.

So sorry that you are feeling glum, fifitot. I hope you are wrong about AF coming, when are you due?

It is SO hard when friends announce they are preg or have new babies, isn't it, poor you. I hope you do feel a bit better in the morning, if not come here and let us know. (let us know either way) xx

Thanks Fifitot, and sorry you are feeling down. Hoping for good news for you x

hello everyone,

Just checking in really, don't have anything to report, am on 2ww and have cold. Although on the upside, I am snowed in, so can't go to work today!

Fifitot, sorry you're feeling down, it is hard going sometimes isn't it. As latestarter says, it's totally mindconsuming (I really like that phrase, it's spot on).

Will try and post more often, but don't have the expertise of you lot, so can't always be as helpful!

morning everyone....sorry you feel so crap fifitot..hope you're wrong about AF...try not to beat yourself up.....

glad you like the lingo vonsudenfed and it's nice to hear how people are doing regardless of expertise or not......i have pretty much zero!

i'm new at this and the lack of red wine is just about killing me

Finally AF has arrived! CD 37! Grr!
Sorry have been hiding because it was all getting a bit too much.
Immediately booked the day three blood test for Thursday, so will know how my FSH levels are after that.
The only thing now is to find out if the cyst is shrinking.
Do you think a cyst would cause this kind of delay? I'm still thinking I also had an MC.

sorry rowing...how frustrating

when i had a scan last week, they said there was a cyst, but that this is normal and can happen every cycle.....are you usually regular?