40+ and pregnant? Come and join the fun!

[cloudjumper]

I am 43 and currently pg with DC2, due early January. I thought it would be nice to have a thread for the pregnant ladies of 'older vintage', similar to the 40+ ttc thread, for advice, support and the occasional moan.

moon I thought your post was thoughtful and kind and you took quite a bit of time to write it for ellie

ellie I hope all will be okay for you, we will be keeping our fingers crossed.

Sorry guys I had this meltdown yesterday after seeing that clot. perhaps it was my previous 5 mcs that was flashing right there in front of my eyes!

**Moon! Like other posters, I couldnt agree more your message was very kind and balanced. Taking time to write all that isn't easy esp. when u are down with Norovirus. What i meant when i said yes it wasnt massively reassuring is that like citymole said, i was looking for ladies here who could say 'i've had it and turned out to be ok'...sort of thing..anyway, how r u doing with ur infection? Argh it can take couple of weeks to recover from that...pls do keep urself well hydrated and if u have a kid, lots of handwashing in between. Cheers Moon :)

*Citymole, Notsoold, *Brook berry thanks for keeping me in your prayers. Citymole, even my local consultant said she is keeping her fingers crossed as there's nothing much they can do! I' ve reduced the dose of aspirin temporarily and upped the cyclogest to 400 mg twice daily. Is this too high a dose given that my progegsterone level after only two doses of progesterone pessaries was 80! I know lots many women get stuck on it without doing any levels, so perhaps it should be ok. I hope it doesnt make me more constipated and worsen my piles as the last thing i wanna do at this stage is to strain in potty!

Anyway feeling lot settled this morning. Pls do continue to keep me in ur prayers. Love xxxxx

Ah well I guess we are all a bit sensitive at the moment!

Just spoken to the FMU and I have to wait until Thursday for the amnio - it's the waiting that is the killer isn't it really? I feel in such a limbo, and feel very strongly either way at different times and depending what I've just been reading. I think there must come a time to stop reading and just go and have some quiet time with your thoughts/self and see what your heart says.

I will speak to ARC today, and by chance I have my midwife appt this afternoon, so I'm wondering whether even to go to that, or if I've now been been referred to the FMU and out of their care. But maybe she could offer some advice or suggest counselling services, as I feel very adrift atm.

Worst is work - I am off today because of the virus thing (feeling lots better already, actually), but then what? I can't just have to days off because I'm an emotional wreck, I should at least go in tues and weds, but really nothing had seemed less important than with right now!

Anyway, that's me... hope you are all doing well, sending love xx

Moon not been on here for a few days, and just caught up with your news and wanted to say good luck with your decision, it must be impossible. (sorry if good luck sounds a bit weird - I know what I mean but can't think of the words right now).

Personally, I'd say stuff work. Get signed off by your doctor and take all the time you need. This isn't something you can just "pull yourself together" about and get on with it, you need time to think and time to process your thoughts. for you and DH x

Ellie, glad you are feeling brighter today! keep up that fighting spirit, and remember that every day that passes is POSITIVE. I won't fib to you and say that I will pray for you. I'm afraid I'm not much of a praying type- if there is a god, (s)he'd piss her/himself laughing if (s)he looked down and saw me praying, so I won't impose that upon you! however, I will think of you and your baby with much love and all good and healing thoughts, if that's ok with you :)

moon, argh, you poor lamb. You actually CAN have days off because you're an emotional wreck, you know! do they know you're pg yet? Can you say that the hateful noro has left you more under the weather than usual because of your pregnancy and you are being told to rest? It will buy you a little time until you get this week out of the way.

Thursday does feel like an awful wait, however- if your mind is changing lots, then maybe its no bad thing to have another couple of days to let your thoughts flutter around like leaves in the air before settling down into a pattern? You will come to YOUR conclusion in YOUR time darling, when YOU are ready xxx

moon Oh, that's rubbish that you will have to add another couple of days of agonising wait! I would have thought that your hospital would fit you in as soon as possible, surely they know how awful this is and that you want answers as soon as possible?!
I would still go to your MW appointment, she might be able to pull some strings and get you in sooner, you never know. And she might also be able to provide some advice.
Tbh, I wouldn't go to work, unless you think that it might help you to get some distraction... But I know how difficult it is to concentrate on anything when you are in this situation! I tried to do that last time, and I really don't think that I was very productive, but it did distract me a little bit... Maybe see how you feel and play it by ear. Sending a hand-hold xxx

Ellie How is it going today?! I wouldn't worry about the 400mg progesterone dose, that is regularly prescribed for women who have experienced recurring miscarriage. Unfortunately, all one can do at this early stage is wait and hope for the best Even a scan won't be much use, as everything is so up in the air at this stage.
My bleeding varied from brown spotting to bright red - I've had this with many of my miscarriages, but also in this so far successful pregnancy. Don't give up hope, hang in there xxx

I am so grateful to my GP for sorting me out with all the anti-constipation medication, I had completely forgotten what it is like to be able to 'go' every day! I could kick myself for not going sooner and letting it get so bad - don't suffer in silence, ladies, there is help -glycerine suppositories are the best thing since sliced bread

cloudjumper, please talk to me about glycerine suppositories!!! I had a horrific weekend with bloating and pain, and in the end yesterday I ended up taking a combo of lactulose, fybogel and movicol. it did the trick eventually but, of course, I now don't know which of the three actually worked. Was it the combo? or was it really just the fybogel helped along by others others? ARGH.

ellieafter 3 mcs I was prescribed 400mg progesterone (pessaries) twice a day. I went on them as soon as I found out I was pregnant and continued until just after 12 weeks. I'm now over 17 weeks - the furthest I have ever got before. It's impossible to tell if they've made the difference but I would certainly recommend them

moon sorry you have to wait until Thursday. It's the waiting in limbo-land that can drive us mad. But like you said, maybe you've done your reading and you need time to have your heart settle, however long that takes.

cloud and citymole glad you feel better! (mental note - glycerine suppositories)

Haha! Citymole no u dont have do prayers for me then ;) its more than ok for u to think of me and my bubba and sending me healing thoughts..thanks hun, really appreciate it xxx

Cloudjumper, i'm now on 800 mg progesterone and i was wondering if that's ok given I already had very high level after only 2x 400 mg pessaries.

So glad u're enjoying ur daily ....???? Would u mind sharing what all ur Gp has advised u? I know there are lotsa choices 2nd trimester onwards but limited in 1st trimester..were u advised anything in first trimester that worked for u? I'm on fibogel orange. Gosh it has a list of preservatives but since i'm now on steroids, it looks least of my worries :)

Moon, when i lost my 4th pregnancy at 22 weeks, i had to be off work for 6 weeks (quite a bit of it was unpaid even though i was sick with retained placenta for total of 3 months) but i thought i couldnt function otherwise. I think u need to listen to ur needs and then worry abt work. I dont think any employer should hesitate giving u these days off knowing what u r going through..wish thursday was here for u..its a long wait..but we are all there with u in this long wait...xxx

Hope everyone is having a good day today - also making a mental note of glycerine suppositories
Don't get to post on here much, but do like catching up and reading how everyone is getting on. Fingers crossed for everyone.

city I tried lactulose and fybogel, both with very little success. The GP I saw last week actually said that lactulose is not a very good laxative at all! Which I agree with (didn't do anything for me, other than give me horrendous wind), but that is all they give you when pg!
I am now on laxido (2 sachets/day), senna tablets (2 tablets/day) and glycerine suppositories (2/day). And it is working [sile].
The suppositories make me go within 5-10 minutes after inserting, so I think I might even have to decrease the dose. The GP said to stay on all those until things have normalised again, and then go back to fybogel. And, importantly, keep up the diet of prunes, figs, apricots, kiwis, lots of water and exercise whenever possible.

Hi guys. Could I please join /rejoin?! I think I posted ages ago briefly. I've just turned 40 and am 23 wks with ds2. I'm so sorry for those of you that are having a rough time. Pregnancy problems seen so damn common. Why are we designed so bloody badly! That's without even starting on the birth thing! We had s pretty traumatic birth with ds1 and am pretty worried about this time but have a great doc. We're done after this one. Hoping and praying everything's ok for all of us. Ellie my best friend bled in her pregnant with my Godson. He was / is fine. But I don't know how long for. How many weeks are you? And I totally agree lactulose is the biggest waste of time. Took it after last birth but did nothing. Fybogel worked after about 3/4 days. Lovely beiig with you all x

Ugh have to chime in on the poo subject, as suffering horrendously lately - my usual ibs caused constipation is worsened by pregnancy, then the progesterone (off that now though) then the high dose iron. It's like its fossilised!!!

Agree that lactulose is useless and also gives me awful wind, but so does prunes, figs etc - I believe they all have sorbitol, which is what usually causes the laxative effect.

It's been so awful that even with the virus thing, I was still constipated!!! Today (3 days later) I went early and it was sort of normal consistency - this is diarrhoea for me...

Sorry, it's gross, but you guys started it...
I'm very excited about the thought of glycerine pessaries and will ask my midwife today...

You are all right re work of course, thank you! I am going to stop worrying about it. If some of it had to be unpaid, well find a way to cope. I guess I was thinking more about saving the sick leave for if we decide not to go ahead.

Hm feeling quite detached again atm, time to phone arc, so I can string a sentence together...

Xx

Gm lovely ladies! Was the poo subject so repelling? No more messages after that?!!

Brook, just noted ur msg for me. Thanks. making it to 17 weeks for the first time must be amazing feeling. Congrats. So anomaly scan round the corner? Yes i'm planning to continue on 400 mg BD progesterone pessaries for now. What other meds are/were you on this pregnancy?

Are any of you on steroids?? I was reluctant and damn scared with 25 mg prescribed to me but had to start it when fear set in with the spotting..:(

Hope u all hv a lovely day xxx

I had my 12 week scan today. All is good, NT measurement low but obviously it'll depend on the bloods too. After spending the last 8 weeks with nothing apart from tiredness, I was very surprised to see an actual baby in there!

And people go on about the nub theory - I can't even SEE a nub!

What a cutie! Milestone 1 - check! Congrats.
Anyone got any tips for dealing with a cough and cold when preg?! Apart from honey lemon and ginger!

Congratulations Nicky. I see so many nub theory threads - I don't even know what it means!!
Just so I'm not left out of the poo chat, my constipation has much improved without any intervention. Sadly, the piles are here to stay though - so lovely!
No advice on cough & cold Lucky except soft tissues & Vaseline for a red nose .
I'm off work today with dd who has a cough & a temperature. A day watching frozen & eating biscuits. Can't complain.

Oo I can totally see a nub! Sonographer at the good old FMC told me about them - I'd never heard of it before either! Want to know what my money's on Nicky?!

Congratulations Nicky333. Gorgeous baby!

Hey ladies can u send me the link/name for fb group so i can join in too? Thanks x

Hello. Hope everyone is doing ok today?

Sorry to hear about all those with poo issues! I have the opposite issue and I am hoping it stays that way!

Moon I can't believe you have to wait until Thursday! Hope you are keeping strong and not feeling sick anymore.

Nicky lovely scan I had never heard of the nub theory until I joined MN. Apparently ours is looking like a girl but I am afraid I am rubbish at guessing what others are!

Lucky let's hear it. And you can point out the nub on my picture too

Well unless I'm totally off id say it's the little white line on the left just above where the legs go up. I may be TOTALLY way off but I don't think I am:......! But I could be . If I am right then my money would definitely be on a girl! Are you finding out through Harmony / 20 wk? If so let us know! X

Oooh, we'd love a girl! Mainly because my sister is due to have her second girl any day now and we'd be able to have lots of hand-me-downs! I'm happy to dress a boy in pink too though, so either way

We'll be finding out at the 20 week scan, yes.

Congrats Nicky on your 12 week scan!
I don't get the whole nub thing either, I have no idea what I'm looking for, and my pics from 12wk scan weren't great so doubt anyone would be able to see anything.

Moon hope you're OK.