Continuing conceptions and follicling ahead of Feisty, Fabulous Forty somethings

[rowingboat]

Hello world!

haystack did you do anything to make your cycles longer or has it just happened naturally?

I don't really know what my cycles are. After the coil was removed they were short but not THAT short. I think they were about 24 days. Anyway, I did Ov quite early this month so, as I say, I am not too worried about the luteal phase, I agree with rowing that 11 days should be ok.

I do wonder though if an embryo would be just thinking, "Erm, I might implant now!" and then the flippin' progesterone drops and the lining goes and the embryo thinks, "Oh bugger it - too late!"

Anyway, I got pregnant in december with these type of cycles and I am fairly confident that I can do so again.

I am feeling a bit down today, cos I would have been 20 weeks pregnant today and would probably have a scan to look forward to etc. Is it so gutting that instead I am right back at the start (day 2 of my cycle).

Ahh well, onward and upward. Egg white's will be here soon .

rowing how does agnus castus extend the cycle?? I thought I might try the old progesterone cream this month (once ov has taken place), my consultant said it would do no harm but he couldn't say it would do any good. I thought it might have a placebo effect on me (I DO know that with a placebo the patient isn't really supposed to know they're using a placebo!!!)

Have bowed out of the MC thread for a while. Just couldn't cope with the worry when people had a second or third. I really need to just be positive and focus on getting preg again.

Hopefully I explained myself ok. How awful if I got preg, had another MC and they said "Sod off - you can't come back!" Joke Joke - I don't really think that would happen .

I have just discovered that there is a whole other section on here under body and soul - it's all about relationships. Wow - there is just loads of stuff about people breaking up, sex, infidelity, wanting to have sex with other people (yes, I know that is infidelity too.) I shall never be bored again!!!

Hi girls. I feel a bit like a fraud posting here seeings I still have no signs of returning fertility. I must be one of the few women who don't ovulate until they wean their LO's. He's 19 months FGS and he eats tonnes of real food and drinks from a cup.

However I still can't just cut him off!I'm cutting down, but then it seems he tries to make up for it by having it all night long. I'm getting pretty tired so I may have to sort out the sleep issues.I just ordered a book(can't even remember what it is called) hoping it'll arrive soon, have all the answers and we'll be sleeping through the night in a weeks time!

Hippy I think your staying away from the mc thread is a wise move.I can see that it would just make a person anxious.I used prog cream when I was ttc Charlie. I think it does make a difference. Many women swear by it, and it seems to me that generally, doctors don't like to say, or don't believe, that natural stuff works. I'm a big fan of "natural" and believe it can't harm, so give it a go. I think the cream does work, because I've used it when I haven't been cycling(whilst BFing) and I had many preg like symptoms, and I have heard it can do that.So just be aware of that - it really gave me false hope at the time.

Italian I can't wait to hear your news when you get back.It must be getting close to testing time.

I have to run, my LO is calling...

Morning all.

Kiwi good luck for tomorrow.

Hippy, hope that agnus castus works. Have you had acupuncture too? I can't remember who does and who doesn't. That relationships board is a corker isn't it?

Fingers crossed for you Italian

Had my Nuchal scan yesterday at 11+2. There was baby waving and kicking away. Good measurements - NT was 1.4 and nasal bone there. Downs risk at 1:600 as opposed to 1:58 for my advanced age (am 41 and 2 days old now). Trisomy 18 down to 1:396 and Trsomy 13 1:4749. So, no plans for CVS or amnio right now. It takes two to three weeks for the blood results to come back from France though so we'll see after that what the further adjusted risks are.

Waves and to everyone.

Greg TERRIFIC news - so pleased for you. Inspiring to read. It will happen for ME, it WILL happen for me, repeat to fade....

Hi to all - Italian, tick tock tick tock

Oh and hippy, forgot to answer your original question... I haven't started to TTC again, definitely will abstain this cycle and have, then wait for, my day 21 test results. Have another acupuncture appointment on Thurs - have reflected on what she said last week about charting, which I'm not convinced about in my particular situation and need further selling on this. The quote about "good mucus means good egg" I think I must have made up (or conjoined 2 sentences), because you are absolutely right, it doesn't make sense. I will ask her again though and report back...
We have a LOT going on at the mo, settling DS into nursery, and trying to get house on market, so actually not TTC at the mo is probably a good thing. BUT I will only wait one more cycle after this one.... because TIME MARCHES ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love to all - off to wash cat spray off things; think potential buyers might just object... Note to self, 5 cats is WAY too many...

GGGRRRRRR! Just deleted a massive post!!
How annoying! Don't you just love that!!

OK start again...

Hippy you were asking about agnus castus, I'll do me best (DVDyke for Italian )

As far as I recall it doesn't actually produce any hormones, but instead regulates the hormone production centre in the brain (pituitary gland). It causes the body to elevate LH (for egg release) which is helpful for anyone not ovulating, so not you Hippy. It also slightly lowers FSH production (meh!) and balances oestrogen and progesterone in favour of progesterone - which might be good for you.
I don't know if it would make much difference if your cycle is kind of 'hard-wired' at the length it is though.
Gum it also lowers prolactin levels by promoting dopamine.
Prolactin can be raised by stress or breast-feeding!

Anecdotally, I was taking a lot of agnus castus when I conceived DS. I do have a blocked tube and damaged tube, which seems to be causing our problems, but I do sometimes wonder if there is any hormone stuff going on. It's definitely not DP: poster boy for sperm production.
I do notice a kind of depressed, lethargic feeling after AF when oestrogen is rising and always feel much better after ovulation.
I wonder if sometimes I don't produce enough LH because of all the cysts I seem to have, but then again they are supposedly, very common.
I do find that if I take ag castus throughout my cycle it lengthens it by between 2 and 3 days, but I always have quite high progesterone on day 21 tests so agnus castus actually mucks up my cycle from that point of view.
Muses, so probably am ovulating otherwise my progesterone wouldn't be high would it?!?!?!?
So I'm taking agnus castus for the first two weeks anyway, just to fight the depressed feeling.

Does that help.
Must go DS is plaguing me.

Thanks rowing for typing all that, not just once, but twice - bless ya me old darlin' (see it's bloody contagious this Dick Van Dyke stuff!)

I might try the prog cream or agnus stuff. Not sure. Deep down i know I got preg not long ago and I'm pretty convinved now that the MC was 'just one of those things' and not related to anything hormonal so part of me says - just do 'it' at the right time and you'll get there again.

Will have a little muse to myself.

Loved the sound effects - "It also slightly lowers FSH production (meh!)" very funny.

I am confused though cos I thought FSH production was good???

One really does have to become a gynae consultant just to understand all this. How do thick people ever get pregnant????

I spoke to a friend the other day who has 3 children and she had not a clue what a luteal phase was - come to think of it, I conceived twice without knowing all this stuff - arrgghhhh!

Hippy hugs for all.

Everyone on the MC has left me lovely messages saying how they understand that I need to distance myself but they'll miss me etc. Ahh it makes me want to just add a quick message but I'll look like a total loon to say a big farewell then pop back 1 day later.

Have just spent £20 on a jar of Serenity Progesterone cream. Wow - what a big step!

I will just use a small amount after my temp goes up and see if my cycle extends this month.

I am aware that it is possibly just a placebo but my consultant (the nice one) said it could do no harm, so I'm gonna go for it.

If my Luteal Phase is just a bit longer I will feel like i gave any possible embyro a decent chance to bed-in (sounds so cosy).

Thanks to all for their advise, I think it was you gum who tipped me over the egde not literally.

ILGH Great news about the scan - really pleased for you.

Hippy opens front door and shouts, "TFLS how are you doing???" Where is that flippin' woman?

ILGH delighted for you about your scan results - that's great! It is rather jolly having you, Kiwi and TFLS on here inspiring us all with your prenancies. Kiwi sorry you have been feeling "beige" (brilliant description!) and hope it passes soon.

jollster thank you for the encouraging story about your friend with the 2 pregnancies with donor eggs. Incredibly, DP is coming round to the idea of investigating donor eggs. He wants to know if you have any choice in the eggs you get - i.e. do you get any information about the donor? Do any of you know?

I've just bought some Serenity cream as my progesterone levels are low-ish. Know idea what I'm expecting but will let you know what happens.

It has been a big day today - DP has been offered a great new job and DD's father has announced that he's moving to Hong-Kong!!

frostie we can test the cream together!

I think you do get to decide which doner to go with. The best person to ask would be Italian when she gets back from her hols (and hopefully announces her BFP!!)

I would imagine it's much like when you choose a sperm doner - not that I've ever done that either - but you probably get just a few details. I think they try to match you physically as well.

Hello everyone

I'm 40 and I'm certainly "something" can I join?

We're TTC after one MC last year and DD (2.2 yo). Expecting to be testing in early May....

...if I can wait that long...

Looking forward to getting to know everyone.

p.s.: regular Mumsnetter with new name

Hurrah! There was a heartbeat - so there is definitely a baby. What a relief.

Big hugs to all.

Kiwi yay!!!

Hi to wemakebeautifulbabies. Who are you "really"?

Wow, congrats to Kiwi.
Feels great to have just come on here and someone has such good news.
Very encouraging.

Hi back ILoveGregoryHouse am a huge fan too. Are you watching the new series?

Hi all,
welcome WMBB good luck for May. Hopefully, you won't need to stay here too long and will graduate with honours (whatever that means in baby terms )

Kiwi hooray, that's great news. I'm feeling very inspired by your success, it shows that us feisty, fabulous ones can do it with our own eggs.
Can we have details about what happened at the scan please?
Have you told monster boss yet? Have you considered speaking to HR before monster boss, just to get them on-side?

Hippy, I'm sure the MC thread fully understands that there is a time to move on. I'm sure they have lots of successful graduates as well (getting a bit carried away with the university analogies here).
Hope the cream helps put your mind at ease.

Frost that is positive news about your DP's change of heart on donor eggs. I hope you don't need them, but it is a very big step in the right direction if you do.
How is your DD about her daddy moving?

My news is that I phoned the hossy to report AF and I have told them I want to wait for next AF before starting treatment, so fingers crossed cycle reverts to normal.
I'm still taking ag.castus until at least ovulationg. Will also order some pee-sticks, just to check everything is in the right 'place' IYSWIM.
The nurse said I could still go in for this cycle, but nah!
Sorry no opportunities for DVDyke phrases.

Sounds sensible rowing, so important for your head to be in the right place.

Kiwi, I would tell HR first and get your facts/rights clear in your mind before telling loony tunes.

WMBB, yes, have another to watch tonight. Am downloading from itunes as am in the middle east and don't want to wait for the satellite tv provider to get round to buying it. It's only a matter of a couple of months but we love Greg that much in this house.

Hi everyone

It's just so busy on here it's difficult to keep up with what everyone is up to.
Hi to WMBB and to Kiwi, really fantastic news.
AFM after alot of arguing and talking (more of one than the other) we have finally decided to look into a redo of the reversal. We have made initial inquiries with a clinic in Devon but the surgeon is on holiday at the mo so am waiting for them to come back to me.
Well back on that roller coaster again.
Hope everyone else is OK

Lisa
x

hello do you mind if I join this thread? I'm 40 in May and recently had a mc. Like you Hippy I am finding the mc thread a bit traumatic at the moment, not just the people who miscarry a second time, but also I think I need to try to forget about my mc a bit.

Anyway I'm posting from Switzerland now - booked a skiing holiday in the hope that sod's law would apply and I would get pg and not be able to ski. No such luck!

should be swi while here, but not much hope of that while sharing a room with a very loud snoring ds2 and barely able to move due to muscles that haven't been worked this hard well ever

Hello to Pollyanna esconced in a ski lodge .

I wish I could send DH off to snowboard again, the freezing cold is supposed to be good for his lil swimmers... unless I've got it the wrong way round ... of course I'd have him flown back again for the SWIing

Dare I poke my head back in?

Sorry been away so long. Been very busy at work (my normal posting time!) and knackered in the evenings.

Need a proper catch up on this thread - but glad Kiwi is doing well (only scanned back very briefly but saw your got a heartbeat - great news).

I'm 17 weeks today according to the dating scan. Was weird but I found myself the day after the scan saying to myself "I'm pregnant". Hadn't let myself believe before then!

Only slight concern is they've found out I'm rhesus negative and carrying antibodies (presumably from my miscarriage last year). The rhesus neg bit is no problem but I've read (damn google) some stuff about potential problems if you already have antibodies so planning to drop into the GPs next week just to check. Midwife was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard and just said "oh you're O neg and there's some bit about C+K+ gunk". I think it was the "gunk" bit that I found particularly reassuring.

Also had the bloods back from my nucal. I knew the measurement was good on the day but thought I'd get a less good overall result because of my age. So was very pleasantly surprised to get a letter saying I was low risk at 1:100,000. So us old birds can get good readings after all!

Sorry for the me, me bit. Will have a proper catch up on all your news and welcome to everyone new. It's just if I didn't post soon, it would be an all night reading session to catch up!

Hope everyone is doing well.

ooh I didn't know that about the cold wmbb - won't tell dh though he will find the pressure to much to bear!
(and now just need to manage to stay awake past 9 o clock to take advantage of that!).

I wonder if I could join as well please? I'm 40 in May too and have been lurking for the last few weeks (in a non-stalkerish way of course . We're (tentatively) ttc-ing no.5 (have 3 dds and a ds already). Have just had the 'ok' from the ov stick, so (like Pollyanna) will need to try and stay awake tonight..

Welcome to wemakebeautifulbabies, Pollyanna and Diege. Everyone is very lovely on here (but the thread moves so fast I can't keep up!).

TFLS I'm sorry about your rhesus negative/antibodies thing. I know nothing about all that but sounds like something the docs can deal with easily. I am SO impressed with your nuchal score. That's amazing!! Great news. You are a positive inspiration. (2x biscuit = inspiration).

luckywebby - good luck with the reversal. Fingers crossed!

rowing Great news about AF. Hope the Ag Castus does the trick and that you're all set to go next month. It does all seem to be coming together for you. You've been very patient - not to mention kind and caring to everyone else - I think you so deserve it to go well. My DD is still up in Edinburgh with my parents (I'm really looking forward to picking her up on Saturday!) and so doesn't know about her Daddy moving. I guess he'll tell her when he sees her in a week's time. I'm not sure she'll fully grasp the situation as she's only just getting the hang of "tomorrow" and "yesterday" as a concept. I think she'll be fine as she's with me most of the time anyway. Her Daddy has, in the past, been ghastly to me but I still can't help feeling sorry for him as he'll miss so much of her growing up.

Congrats to Kiwi - isn't it a beautiful experience!

Hippy I look forward to comparing notes on the cream. It's been 3 days so far and I don't think there's any discernable change so far except I am getting a bit of a podgy tummy. Or is that because I've been out every night this week eating and drinking?

ILGH Yep, we LGH too! My DP downloads new episodes as soon as they come out and there's a general air of excitement and anticipation as we settle down to watch it.

Oops! Another late night. Have a good weekend everyone.

x

'scuse me for gatecrashing but just noticed hippys post about the progesterone cream. My accupuncturist recommended it after a second mc. I used it for a month after my mc and fell pg, am currently 6 weeks and all is well, this feels better than the other two pgs that ended in mc. It also helped to clear my skin up dramatically so am full of praise for it. Anyway I'll scuttle back off to my hole now I've imparted my opinion on you all! Good luck x

"This is just making me more broody (if that were possible) Babies - the movie"

So funny, the baby having a bath... and the goat poking its head in... lol