Ongoing and continuing conceptions and follicling ahead of Feisty, Fabulous Forty somethings

[randomimposter]

Just to start us off.

May this be a happy and lucky thread for all of us.

my LP is never that long, and my cycle is never 35 days which makes me think that I do keep getting pg in the sense that the egg/sperm are doing their thing (I had cramps etc this time and last time at the right time), but implantation is failing every time. I don't really know what to do.

Does anyone know about baby aspirin? is this dangerous if you don't have a diagnosed clotting disorder?

Anyway, I am seriously contemplating taking a month off, no temping or anythin . Not sure if I can do it or really forget about when ov is occurring and just go with the flow, but am quite tempted. (and am due to be driving to Italy for about a million hours with the dcs on the appropriate days anyway so won't be able to swi or even swoi then).

Have a good holiday diege fingers crossed you come back 5 weeks gone!

Hope everyone else is ok and gearing up nicely to swi...

Have we lost lots of people recently?

hi everyone,

I am still lurking but am sitting in no mans land at the moment with my head in the sand.

6 wks today but sooo convinced that's it's all going wrong again, nothing to make me think like that but I have this constant panicked feeling, my cons rang me today and said she would try and get me an early scan but I'm just not convinced it's ok. I can't really get into it tbh until I know for sure. If it doesn't make it this time , I'll give up I think.

Don't have many symptoms really, no sickness, not even nausea really, very very tired and probably weeing more than usual, but am normally starving by now. I'm sure the lack of symptoms are making me paranoid.

Sorry If i'm being insensitive, I know some of you are struggling to even get pregnant, and here I am maoning and being negative but I can't really tell anyone in rl. I don't even come on here to chat any more, I just feel as if I'm in a bit of a hole.

Hope everyone else is feeling better than me. Sorry not to name check. x

Hi all,

Deige, I have been trying to decipher my FF chart, to see which part of my cycle was longer when I took agnus castus. It made my head hurt and I can't find enough info to say conclusively, but I think I did ovulate on day 14 pretty much all of the time. I would guess that it was the luteal phase because it helps promote progesterone over oestrogen, which should mean that it would take longer for the oestrogen to rise at the end of the cycle and trigger menses.
Don't envy you the packing, it's so stressful wondering if you have everything, and about what you will/may/won't need. Most of the time you can get whatever it is wherever you are going.
Where are you going? Are you flying or driving?

Beattie, have you had any tests done, just to make sure your hormones are doing what they are supposed to? I agree with taking a month off for a holiday, it can be a bit stressful, all the timing and measuring.
Italy sounds lovely, where are you going?

Gum I'm glad to hear your back is feeling better. How lovely to get a good night's sleep as well, just what you needed.

I'm actually feeling a little bit queasy today, but I don't want to take it as a symptom because I can't cope if it isn't IYSWIM. Probably just ate something dodgy last night. No sign of AF so far, so hoping she keeps away. I think this is 9 days post transfer so just have the weekend and Monday and then I can test. Don't even have any hpts, so better do an ebay for them today just to make sure they come by Tuesday morning.

Oh forgot to say, took DS for his pre-school booster today and he was fine going in. I had told him why we were going and he seemed perfectly calm.
As soon as the nurse stuck the needle in his arm he completely freaked-out and started trying to escape. We have ended-up postponing the jab to give us a bit more time to prepare/bribe him.
We then went home and were playing with a rugby ball, when my shoe flew off and hit him hard on the nose. Cue much pouring of blood and dented nose, he was shrieking as I carried him to the bathroom.
Fortunately he calmed down a lot quicker than after the jab, but I feel awful for him. He is currently sitting with no clothes on (blood) playing a game.
Not going to give him a bath in case his nose starts again.
Poor old boy!

Rowing does taking red clover help with estrogen, and in turn help with thin endometrial (sp?) lining?

I'm asking because I have noticed that my period is much lighter and shorter than it used to be, which makes me think that my lining isn't thick enough for a baby to implant? I have just been reading about it and wondered if the red clover would help? I suppose it can't do any harm can it? I've also heard lady's mantle tea will help, so I'm off to the health shop tomorrow to see if I can get some, as well as b-complex and bromelain.

This AF was just so much lighter and that has me worrying about menopause.

Sorry, ladies, this post is all about me, but I should actually be going outside with my toddler, he's chaffing at the bit...

Sorry about your poor Ds, Rowing, is he feeling better?

hi Gum, sorry you're worried about menopause. i don't know much about light periods etc - have your cycles got shorter too? this happened to me which I think is a fairly common thing to happen at this /age(and diege iirc).

I am also worrying about failure to implant and wonder what can be taken to aid this?

would agnus castus help with this? oh I'm so confused. (but of course I'm takikng this month off )

Just a quickie from me as dd2 waiting to get on .
Cycle length is an odd one isn't it? I realise how little I actually know about the whole business. My cycle has indeed shortened, but the actual af has lengthened from 4 days to 6/7 - not sure if this is because first part of cycle has lengthened? .
Beattie I think agnus thoeretically helpes lengthen 2nd half of cycle?
Gum I wouldn't worry after having just one 'light' af - I have heard lady's mantle has good effects?
Rowing any more nausea today? I can't believe you've not tested - what powers of restraint!
Right, I am being hauled off..

Hi all,

Gum thank you, he's fine now. He just had a bad day, but last night we had a chat about the injection and he has come around to it a bit more.
The red clover does increase oestrogen, that is the one that sheep eat and it delays ovulation though, so it could make your follicular phase longer. I took one capsule a day, but got worried when I read it can actually thin the endometrium.
I had a cup of lady's mantle tea a day, mixed with red raspberry and nettle. They are all supposed to tone the uterus and the lady's mantle is supposed to thicken the endometrium.
I also took bromelain, but I read it can make the cm too acidic and not sperm-friendly. It didn't matter for me because I was having a FET, but if you are TTC au naturelle it might not be ideal. It is used to break down protein in experiments, but I don't know if that would aid conception.
As far as I can tell it helps the blood supply to the uterus and fluffs the endometrium, by thinning the blood. However, so does a low dose of baby aspirin and/or fish oil, so you could always do those instead.
EPO improves CM and (I read somewhere) the endometrium, but I don't really get on with it: makes me feel depressed.
If you took bromelain after ovulation it is supposed to help with implantation, but there really is very little to support that claim. At least if you took it then you wouldn't have to worry about the impact on your cm.
Has anyone ever used an OPK as a pg test on here?

Hi rowing, OPK as pg test, yes, I did... Though rainbow had said you can also get LH surge before AF due, so I followed it up with an expensive CB to be sure.
To add my bit on supplements, I read a lot about taking extra folic acid to prevent chromosome defects, it helps prevent problems with cell division from the point of conception (more common at our age and most likely cause of our MCs). I took double dose, though have read recommendations to take up to ten times... Also took fish oils and multivits with high doses of B vits.
As for short cycles, mine were down to 24/25 days... AF up to a week and Ov I think day 13? So Luteal phase 12 days max... And I'm pg... So really trying to say don't worry about short cycles and be cautious about baby aspirin unless you know you have sticky blood... No harm in trying extra folic acid, and iron deficiency isn't helpful (I think suppresses ovulation) so make sure you're not borderline anaemic... Hippy, I took extra iron post MCs which really helped me feel better, spatone and nice big glasses of red wine! (was getting quite exhausted and sure I was a bit deficient)

Hope that helps. Beattie, the holiday and leaving opks at home worked for me... Though couldn't help noticing all usual signs... Good luck!

Wow excellent advice there Rowing from Alba - second what Alba says about opks. I think there is indeed a slight surge before af that can be picked up a day or 2 before af appears (you can also get a bit of EWM)So might be confusing. Can I be nosey and ask if you're thinking of testing then? I am very impressed Rowing with your supplement knowledge. I think that I will continue with the agnus (unless this cycle turns out to be shorter )and am also intrigued about taking extra folic acid. I'm currently taking Marilyn Glenville's fertility plus supplement which has the folic in it, but lots of other high dose stuff too (so don't really want to take double dose). Do you think I could add in a bog standard folic acid capsule on top? Are there any side effects or problems with taking extra folic acid? (I do seem to remember something in the media a while back about very high long term use (ie, for 10-15 years plus extra doses) having a link with breast cancer? .
Have given up packing. Everytime something goes in it gets taken out by one of the 4 . Cue them 'practicing' for hols in swimming cossies at 7 this morning in the garden..Oh and we're going to Whitby (I think someone asked?)for 2 weeks. We rent a cottage every year that's just on the beach so great for the Dcs. Dh and dd2, dd3 and ds will be in the car and me and dd1 are training/bus-ing it. We car share a 5 seater car and usually take public transport everywhere or go on our bikes. Works well, but holidays can be a pain! Having said that, I think I'm getting off quite lightly on the train

Lia so sorry you're finding it tough. For what it's worth I was also petrified at 6 weeks. Almost too scared to call to book early scan. I know you know every pregnancy is different, but just wanted to remind you that symptoms can be really misleading. Listening to relaxation hypnotherapy at 6 weeks just about kept me sane and thinking positive.

Big squeeze, I know how much time stands still. Am thinking positive thoughts for you, and for Jollster, who's a bit quiet, and Double if I were you I'd want that scan right now too. Are you near Brighton? It may be a bit far, but I got a reassurance scan at kent medical imaging, near Maidstone, for £50. best price I found by far, so maybe worth the drive, and they're very kind and sympathetic.

Thinking of you all

Diege crossed posts. I took Zita supps that contain the standard 400 micrograms and an additional cheap boots 400 microgram folic acid too. Women with family history of neural tube defects are routinely prescribed 5mg, so I figured less than 1mg for sure would be ok and could help. Read on another thread someone over 40 prescribed 5mg whilst TTC post miscarriages...

Have a lovely holiday!

Diege, I went to Cornwall with dd1 and 2 last year on the train. Definitely beat going by car with the others!

Unfortunately we've now got a bigger car, so that's not an option, and to make it really exciting, we're driving to Italy this year

Thanks for the advice Alba - how much folic acid should I take?

it will be very difficult to give up temping I thinnk - i am slightly addicted to temping!

oops, sorry Alba, my message had been sitting in the box for a while before I pressed the button.

Thanks Alba, I'm sure I'll come back fully rested . Will be nice to see Whitby again though, such a lovely place I think.
Bad luck on the drive Beattie,I don't envy you that!
Will take some extra folic acid for next cycle I think - just not feeling lucky for this one!

Hi all, still lurking but just coming back in to say hi to all

Lateatwork welcome

Frosticle good to hear from you again. I guess if you go for this minimal drugs option and it works, fab, if not maybe you could go for a more drugs option later. I know DP was not keen on your being pumped full of drugs, is that because of a previous bad reaction, a prejudice to drugs or just general care of lovely you?

Rowing are you going to name your embies? Just out of interest, how many did you have, if you got two that survived, I think that is good. Really all the very best, arrow prayers for you and all of us! Your poor little boy, sounds very dramatic, needle, shoe, blood! I am lucky my dd is actually OK with needles, we did a trial for drugs when she was little which involved having bloods taken and I wonder if that made her OK with them!

Hippy It is just my opinion but no, you should not keep track of how pregnant you would have been. When I had my miscarriage, about the time Noah was emerging from the ark!, I has a friend who was at almost the exact same stage as me. She had a boy already same age as my DD and gave birth to her number 2 about the same time I would have had mine, amazingly likewise another friend also had a child and had her number two almost at the same time. I rarely think about when my little one would have been born or the fact that they would have been four this autumn and I never feel anything negative when I see these two friends' kids (admittedly I only see the kids about once or twice a year, the mums slightly more often). Another friend is currently expecting a baby at almost exactly the same time as my pregnancy would have been if one or both of my embies had stuck! I know a failed IVF is not like a miscarriage (although the mild depression/misery I felt afterwards was more intense than what I felt when I actually had my miscarriage). Anyway, I can't tell you what to think or how to feel but I do think it is more helpful not to think of others? pregnancies or children in relation to our own mcs or failed treatment. If you can, in your own mind, just release those pregnancies/embies/babies. It will not stop you feeling sad about it but it may help. Yes, I read to the end, glad you enjoyed your posh hotel, hope you got some mileage out of your nice new dress and shoes!

Diege how was the Next directory?

Beattie Hi, hope all is well. Not sure if know exactly what your story is.

liahgen66 all the very best. lia I am sorry things do not appear to be going well but I realy hope they will, arrow prayers for it all to be OK. I know that sounds flippant, I don?t mean it like that at all.

linda I have emailed you and hope all is well.

alba (congratulations on a boy ? got any names in mind yet!).

Apologies for anyone I have missed!

Gum when you say you watched One born every minute is that UK TV or an Aussie version? Just looked up ?The Secret? on Amazon, got a rather pants review!

Did anyone watch the Fairyjobmother last week? Quite moving and she did a fab job. Just funny as woman had a waitressing job and presented the lady customer with her cake saying "One banana-offie!"

Can't believe we (the viewing public) are being asked to vote about the BT ad, of course we all want her to be pregnant, if only real life were as easy as that!

Just saw the new iphone advert with the deaf people signing, beautiful! STOP watching telly, Italian!

OK, my news, switch off now if bored! I was half way through watching my weird family about two gay dads when the opportunity for DH and I to chat came up! He said he felt old and did not relish going back to being a father to a baby! But he asked me what I wanted to do. At first my heart sank as I realised he was actually asking me what I wanted. I had been so ready to have to fight my corner for what I wanted that someone asking me was a shock! I really was 50/50 about whether to go for more fertility treatment with donor eggs or go for adoption - but I also felt that if we wanted to have more treatment then now was the time. There was no point trying to adopt and having fertility treatment as a backup when I was even older and DH was even more tired! So I said I wanted one more go at treatment with donated eggs and DH agreed!

LOOK away now if bored already! DH was not keen to go abroad, just his own feelings about being secure, knowing the place etc. And although it does mean more of a wait I am happy that we can have more treatment at a place I know! The wait is ten months; it may even be as long as twelve! I am pretty sure though that that time does include the actual treatment time and I am now over a week into the wait so best case scenario by this time next year I could be at least three weeks pregnant or even three months pregnat! Worst case scenario is lots of money down the pan and no further on. But I just felt I wanted another go. I was not ready for adoption or fostering yet. Adoption is a BRILLIANT thing and I hope one day DH and I get to adopt or to foster. I just felt I had to give this treatment one last go ? and it really is one more go. I know I am old, I feel old, I am 45 but I may be only half way through my life and that is a long time to regret not taking this chance. For others in my position adoption might be 100% right but for me I just needed this. What was so fab is that DH is willing to do this for me, he loves me that much and I am so happy. I also know I need to take some of the strain off DH, he does a lot around the house and helps me a lot and so I need to make sure he does not feel too tired out by life. My other goals are to finally get fit and slim and also to get my head around the fact this may fail. I think chances are better than 50/50 that it will succeed but it did not last time so I do need to do some serious mind-boggling to accept that this may be it and my beautiful DD may be it for me!

Love and chocolate boobs to all

Italian, that is such great news! I'm excited for you.

Thanks,everyone,for the info about natural remedies. I've started taking one red clover capsule a day.they also have calcium and magnesium in them.I took the same stuff (in the first half of my cycle) when we were ttc Charlie and I wonder if it helped?It obviously didn't hinder. But I am a couple of years older, so who knows? I've been taking a double dose of folic acid for a while, and numerous other things that are supposed to help.
My temperature was up again this a.m. It is rather odd, especially with the short,light AF, I just hope things sort themselves out, so I can have my body at its optimum for a baby.

The "One Born every minute", is the UK show.It has only just started over here. I'd love them to make an Aussie version. I love that it is so honest.

Well, must dash - it's time to go to the grower's market for loads of lovely organic produce.Then I might pop into my favorite cafe for a green tea (I know, I know, I live dangerously!!!)

Hey all! Quick post to recommend louise hay to Italian.

And to say af has arrived so bring on the left hand side ovulation this month!!!

Hi all,
Italian I will email you tonight, glad you got the book OK.

Hairy, there you are! Hooray for Auntie Flo, the old bag! How are you feeling?

Gum odd about the temp. I could never remember to do it first thing, tried, but I would be eating cereal by the time I thought about it.
Hope the red clover helps. Did I say after I abandoned red clover I took wild yam instead, and it did wonders for the libido. Regular sex if recommended for a FET or IVF, to make things normal.

I have now ordered the hpts so they should arrive on Monday. I am having quite a few waves of nausea and was feeling a bit dizzy today, so fingers crossed. Still no sign of AF, which by now would have arrived by any calculation.
We didn't name the embies this time, but I was thinking about a name last night if this has worked, you know a kind of 'working title' for a baby.

rowing many fingers crossed for you!

italian glad you have come to a decision! (you have "met" me - I have changed my name due to stalking issues).

liah sorry you are so worried. I hope everything is ok for you. I guess that it is impossible to relax during a pregnancy at all once you have gone through a mc

gum my af has virtually ended already too which is strange given I had 35 days of a cycle before it. My temp has gone back up to above last month's coverline too. (it was a particularly low coverline). My temp is higher the more/better sleep I get. I am going to try some of your remedies I think as I am now worrying about endometrium thickness too! (but of course I'm not trying this month!). am thinking of going to a reflexologist too as my aim is to reduce stress atm.

rowing does wild yam work for dh too?

Hi all,
Beattie I'm not sure about wild yam working for men as well? There are stacks of supplements at H&B for men looking for a bit of a 'boost'.
Not having a good day today, no nausea, feel energetic and a bit down. All of my symtoms have gone and I'm thinking it has stopped before it had even begun.
I will get a test tomorrow, but won't be able to test until later in the day or Tuesday AM.
Not holding my breath though.

rowing I am beside myself with nerves for you. Please please do the test with FMU on tues and then let us know. [fingers crossed icon]

italian nice to have you back. Just couldn't stay away bless 'ya. Hope the next few months fly by for you.

rainbow How are you these days. Haven't heard from you. Are you ok?

jolly Doubleshot lia - all ok??

I have horrid pains today (day 7) It's all a bit weird. Period has finished, egg whites started today. But this pain is here as well. it's the same pain I had just before I lost the last pregnancy . It's like a period pain that goes in a vertical line from your fanny up to your belly button and back again. Anyone know what the flip I'm talking about or do I sound mad???

ps. Yes I have started SWI anyway. Egg whites are egg whites and we can't let a little pain stop proceedings can we

I am so glad I'm not preg today otherwise this pain would be scaring the sh*t out of me.

italian I do understand what your saying about not adding up how far along I would have been. However, I am not sure I can follow your advise. beattie has probably been thinking all the same things as me today eg. It's now August .

I just can't help thinking about it.

I'm popping into work on Tuesday to say a final goodbye cos everyone is finishing that day. I will see the two ladies who are due this month - how much do you want to bet that i get caught up in a discussion about their bumps?????