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]

Hi LS, I am usually 28 days, so this was almost ten days over. I have had small cysts before, which were picked up on scans, but they disappeared within a month. Have you been given another scan date to see whether the cyst goes?
The only reason this cyst was discovered was that I had a bleed a few days after AF finished. The bleed was very heavy and lasted five days, so I was given a pg test and sent for a scan.
The cyst is quite large (over 4cm) so I have been referred to a gynae, but we all know how long the NHS takes to organise appointments, so no idea how long it will take.
The last scan was around mid cycle, so I would like to have another scan soon, to make sure the cyst is going down, but I'm not sure if my GP will do it or tell me to wait until I see the gynae.
Oh well at least AF is here.

thanks for your thoughts ladies. Still feeling peed off but ate a large bar of galaxy and it helped! Af not here yet but certain she's on her way. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

a large galaxy is bound to help....that and a large glass of wine...i have promised myself several for every AF appearance

rowing they didnt mention another scan for my cyst, he only even mentioned the cyst as an afterthought...though he did say it was small.

i am also on a 28 day cycle, so will be interesting to see if it is longer this month, i hope not...i really feel for those who have super long cycles.

OMG I am so confused ! This stuff is way beyond me.
Could anyone suggest somewhere I can read up on the basics such as progesterone and FSH tests, and how to chart properly. I desperately need to know if my prog levels mean I am a non starter !
I'm really scared I have been getting stuff wrong. I thought you conceive after you ovulate but now I think you have to try before too. You ladies have inspired me to get to grips with this.
I'm getting so miserable about this, its not the sort of stuff I find it easy to talk about. Any suggestions gratefully received.
Good luck all,
B x

Just thought I would post my anxiety about tomorrow's Gynae appt. blood/sperm test results. Have been much more informed by all chat on this thread, but agree beamel, all the ins and outs (skuse pun) are a bit daunting.

Fifi, I noted at beginning of thread that you are same age as me, feeling your pain on AF, mine due soon. Hope the choc has cheered you up? Been trying 12 months now, how 'bout you?

Have resolved to buy suitable thermometer to keep tabs on my cycle. This seems the next concrete step to do something, rather than wishing something would happen, and reading all the stats selectively to convince myself it will.

Feel progesterone kick in today, extremely tired and slightly constipated. Hoping this is a good sign.

I didn't know if you used OV predictors and they were positive, you didn't neccessarily OV. Now worried...

Beamel, There are some links on this thread to a couple of sites, but give these a go:

www.marilynglenville.com/infertility.htm

www.fertilityfriend.com/

You will also find some dedicated threads regarding charting.

BTW, on 2WW, but not really as one bd'd once.

Am trying to be good re alcohol. Not hard at the mo, as feel like I'm coming down with something and am knackered. DS also not sleeping well.

Have bought myself new pushchair and delivery of royal jelly to make me feel better

Sorry some of you are in limbo, waiting to know stuff. Hope you get answers soon.

nanbred- this is only my 5th or 6th month which is nothing really, it's just that at my age it feels like time is ebbing away so haven't got the luxury of sticking with it for longer and also knowing fertility treatment is out of the question too.

There is someone who was on here before who is 46 and got pregnant so I guess there is hope!

Juicy - if you feel crap and knackered maybe it's a sign! Excuse me though - am a mad symptom spotter!

Thanks for your optimism fifi - twould truly be a miracle.

Thanks Juicylucytoo - will try those now.

Fifitot - I know how you feel, this is only my fourth month ttc but there isn't the luxury of time, or fertility treatment as backup ! I feel under such pressure to get it right and there is so much to learn.

nanbread - hope your gynae appt goes well. I am waiting for mine to come through.

Plus I have just realised I am actually 43 now (birthday a couple of weeks ago). Managed to block that out nicely.

Never realised how the waiting would start to drive me crazy !

Starting my 'no alcohol' drive today. Dreading it !

Fifi - hope you enjoyed the chocolate. It is nice to feel you have a legitimate reason to eat it (hormones) without feeling guilty.
Beamel, did you manage to get on to Fertility Friend? You should be emailed a quick intro into monitoring your fertility, it sounds very complicated, but the main things are your body temp (goes up and down through your cycle), your Cervical Fluid/Mucous (bit icky) but it gets thin like egg white when you are most fertile (sperm friendly) you can also use tests like pee on sticks to check when ovulation is coming.
That's the main stuff. The Fertility friend website allows you to chart each day so that you can see which day you are on.
There are other things you can check, but I think those are the main things.
LS - I doubt a tiny cyst will affect your cycle length, there was no difference to mine when I had small cysts. I think this was a lot bigger than those ones. I feel suspicious about the real cause of the bleeding, it could have been an MC.

grownup My obstetrician has now put me on thyroxine, as much for my benefit as anything she said. She thought my levels as they are at the moment (TSH 4.39, T4 14.4) were adequate to support the baby, but not to supply any additional needs. So she's put me on a 50 microgram dose daily until I see the endocrinologist in 8 weeks' time.

Apart from, since this is the 40+ thread, I thought I'd report back my nuchal fold scan results- my age related risk of Downs at 41 is 1:84. This baby has a nuchal fold measurement of 1.2mm, which lowers the risk to 1:518. Not too bad for superannuated eggs...

Good odds duchesse. Are you staying with them and avoiding further tests then? I think I would with those results.

BTW - not building hopes up too much but af not here yet.

Yup- that's low enough for me. No point risking miscarriage over...

maybe the AF symptons were something else fifi.......what day are you on?...fingers xxxd

Rowingboat, I did log onto Fertility Friend - its really helpful. The actual charting seems quite complicated but they explain it very well. I am working my way through the charting course.
Thanks for that tip Juicylucytoo !
My BBT themometer arrived this morning. Tomorrow is CD5 but thought I would start tomorrow anyway, if only for the practice !
Got some ovulation sticks too. Didn't realise you can get them on the internet much cheaper than the fancy ones in Boots.

12 dpo. LP usually 10-12 days, max has ever been is 13. (Actually think it doesn't vary but that my temping is so erratic it puts the chart out iyswim.)

Time will tell! Trying not ot think about it!

beamel - you can still start on day 5, as it is unlikely you would ov before this date in any event so your chart will still show if and when you ov. BTW - the OV sticks are cheap on the internet but the digital ones with the smily face are easier to use in my experience.

Fifi that's hopeful! fingers crossed, don't know how you are managing not to test? I tested today with First Response, too early but thought would give it a go! Negative, hardly surprising!

Yesterday, arrived 10 mins late for Gynae appt. (trying to park)! Marked us down as not having turned up, but another lady signed us in. Sat like lemons for 1 hour, watching people who came in after us go in first. Eventually went to desk to ask what was going on. Told we would go in next, went in, but not the same Gynae. Ours had been there earlier in the morning but had gone home with a headache. New guy didn't know about us. Could tell us tubes are clear, no endo, FSH 9.1 and TSH 3ish, sperm morphology was ok, but slightly lower than average, concentration and volume ok. didn't get the number for morphology, too phased to take it all in. Chap said FSH showed borderline menopause. Basically looked blankly at us after this. Previous gynae told us we could have clomid on NHS, anyone else heard of this, is it safe to have it unmonitored?

nanbred - another really postive experience of the NHS in relation to fertility then!!!!!!! You wish they would be a bit more positive or at least engaged! Did he tell you what next steps there would be if any?

Well done for going though. I am not bothering, they thought I was mad when I went for blood tests when I was 41 so not trying now I'm 45!

Did a test, a Lloyds Pharmacy one - BFN. Temp dropped slightly this morning but still above coverline and I had a bad night so not that accurate I think. Tomorrow will be the longest cycle I have had in recent memory with the longest LP if I don't get my period.

So no clue as to what is going on. Maybe I am entering the menopause!

Nanbred, that is so rubbish. Not very helpful and no bedside manner. I think FSH can fluctuate, and under 10 is supposedly within the normal range.
I wish these people would keep their big mouths shut. It doesn't really help to create problems where there are none.
Good news about the tubes and endo. Did the consultant suggest any way to improve the sperm quality? If not I have seen loads on the topic and I think Clomid can be given to men for this reason.
If you are going to be taking Clomid there is a low risk of OHSS, which is pretty serious so being monitored would be ideal. Also, it would help to see if it were actually working.
Can you tell I am p*ed off at the NHS at the moment!
Fingers crossed Fifi, I think a slight temp drop is normal if you are pg. Do a Google, but don't upset yourself with the menopause thing.

If I've taken a test though and it is neg it is unlikely to be wrong though. Last time I was pg, a test at 11dpo gave me a faint pos.

Hello ladies I pop on now and again just to give you all some hope and encoureagementI had ds at 41 and later decided to try for another it took sixteen months but i GOT PREGNANT AT 46 my baby is now 4mths old and doing fab the pregnancy and birth all went well despite all the horror stories from the medics, stick to your guns ladies good luck to you all.

my favourite NHS experience was when the GP told me I wasn't pregnant according to the two urine tests he did......subsequently I had my own menopause moment as I had tested positive on three HPTs.......the guy stared blankly at me and offered nothing....I insisted on a blood test and unsuprisingly I was pregnant. How is it that the NHS has less accurate pregnancy tests than what you can buy in boots?

hang in there fifi, rosebury gives us all hope - congrats on your recent bambini

good luck those still waiting....any symptons? I'm dpo7 and nothing of any interest happening........I need a new strategy next month....how do sane, smart and dare I say mature women become so obsessed about one aspect of their lives!

Fifi, never give up til the red lady shows! I feel increasingly bewildered as to what to do next. There were no helpful next steps other than to phone the sec of the gynae we should have seen. I am reluctant to let him sling clomid at me without careful consideration. I have heard it can be counterproductive. I think I will ask for a CD21 blood test, and for a copy of the lab reports. I know he just won't be ready for anyone purporting to know anything and will doubtless suggest that 'I shouldn't worry' or 'don't need to know', but I will, and I do! I feel conscious of time too, I haven't felt the pressure getting to me too much until yesterday when inexplicably I started crying in the middle of a meeting. I was so alarmed at myself! It was really wierd because I didn't feel it coming, and was speaking normally one minute, and then acting like Bette Davis on a bad day! OMG!

Rowing, thanks for advice, will look into bumping sperm quality issues when receive the exact figs. Not that I don't trust the guy we spoke to, but I don't, latestarter's perfect example of how to show healthy skepticism in the face of 'expert opinion'.

Rosebury, how lovely to bring us some hope and gun-sticking glue. Well done you! x