The Over 40 Crowd

[randa2006]

Hello,
I am hooked on this board! So glad to have this resource as I have learned a lot in just a few days.
I am particularly interested in the women in my age category - for obvious reasons. I am always scanning the pages for notes from the few others who are in their 40s.
Does it make sense to start a thread for us?
Not that we should unplug from everyone else, but I would really be interested to see how many others are dealing with this in my age group and what they are learning and willing to share.
Any takers?

[DebraP]

Count me in.....I'm not sure there are that many others right now. There were some people recently who have gone quiet...talking of whom, Alette -where are you?

I can't say I'm doing any too different from my pre-40 attempts but I very recently relaxed my stance on fish after 20 years so I am taking fishoil supplements now.

Debra
Me 40. DF 28.
Going for try No.6 in March.

[longbaygirl]

Me too.

I'm one of those that have not posted on this board for a while - but I'm keen to join a thread for 40+.

Joy

[Alette]

Here I am!

Yes, I was silent but I am back again!!

Got my period yesterday and tomorrow I have my startscan..!!

good luck everybody!

[randa2006]

So good to know you are all out there! Hey, I'm pretty sure I'm the oldest so, maybe I can give you all hope that you've still got more time. (?) Of course, I may be unsuccessful - but we have to try.

Good news! Found out yesterday that the 5 that fertilized all made it to freezing (I was ahead of myself to say that they were frozen before - we just got the call yesterday that they all made it the # days they had to to be frozen) So, we didn't lose any between fertilization and freeze!!!

Still no answer from my doc on my question about the effects of freezing on older eggs vs. younger. I'll call back today. When I know something, I'll share.

Also, they say I need to take BC for 30 days (starting on my 3rd day of AF) before going another round - they want my body to rest. Is that about the in-between time you all have experienced?

Great to read the other day that Brooke Sheilds went "10 rounds" before success!!! I didn't even know you could go that many w/out harm to the body.

God Bless!

[debbieed]

Hello All,
I'm here too. I guess us 'oldies' have a few more problems than some of the others - at least time wise.
This is my second attempt at IVF and we've sort of decided that we'll only try 3 times. I just don't know how I'll cope if it hasnt worked by then. I've now been injecting for 2 days (already done just over 3 weeks of sniffing) so am on track (hopefully) for EC on week commencing 28th.

Best of luck to all of us.

Debbie

[randa2006]

Hi Debbieed,
Wishing you success on this 2nd try!
We also have agreed to no more than 3, because of my age.
What do you mean by "3 weeks of sniffing"?
And how old are you?

[DebraP]

Randa, around the time that I joined the board there was a woman on here pg after her 10th attempt, her baby arrived safe and sound. Good news that your frosties are all ready and waiting for when you're ready.

Alette - how lovely to hear from you, I was worried in case you'd left. Excellent news that you're ready to go, I didn't know you could have scans so soon after AF - what are they looking for??? I might be missing something but what happens next? have you started downregging already and this is the AF that arrives 1-2 weeks later?

Hi Joy....forgive me if you've posted an update elsewhere but what's happening with you?

I'll start downregging on 26th Feb with a possible EC/ET week of very early April. I'm eating so healthily but am obsessing about chocolate already so DF is bringing me something when he gets back later tonight. My dinner was oven roasted tofu, broccoli, almonds and mushrooms then plain pineapple for dessert....I'm so ready to pig out on something else!!

I'm interested to hear other FSH numbers for women of our age. Mine was 4.5 two years ago but 14 last month. Anyone else know of changes like this?

Debra.

[randa2006]

Hi Debra,
my fsh was 8.2 over a year ago, 15.X? a year ago and 13 in December.
What is down regging? I see that mentioned a lot.

[DebraP]

Randa, sniffing is a method of downregging so the names are interchangeable.

I should say that there are different ways of doing things and what follows is only what I've experienced so might not be exactly the same as for others. Downregging is the procedure that starts IVF; when the natural cycle is slowed right down ready to be artificially started again by a different course of medication. My clinic use an injectable med called Puregon for the stimulation of the new cycle and boosting the follicle development.

hth but yell if this doesn't make sense.
Debra.

[randa2006]

Oh. I think I get it. Would down regging be the BC pills I took for 7 weeks prior to starting the Repronex? I took that for two days then added the stimulation drugs, which meant I had 4 shots a day for about 2 weeks, then EC. Is down regging the BC pills or the other stuff?

[longbaygirl]

Hi ladies,

I'm using donor eggs (DE) this time round. Have had a series of failed IUIs/IVF and just got tired of the heartache. Losing my DD at 37 weeks last year just destroyed me emotionally and made me terrified i would never have another child.

My FSH is good, but trying to get pregnant at 41 it is a bit of a gamble. My clinic told me that at age 30 of every 5 eggs a woman produces 4 out of the 5 will be good/viable and 1 will be bad. At 40 this is reversed, and 4 out of 5 eggs produced will not result in a viable pregnancy...............

Anyway, I could keep on trying with my own eggs, and I might get lucky - I know the considered advice is to do 3 IVFs with your own eggs before going to DE, but I just want to increase the odds a bit in my favour for a change. With DE my chances of pregnancy are dependent upon the age of the donor, not the age of the recipient. So the chances of my getting pregnant are the same as a 25 year old (age of the donor), rather than the chances of a 41 year old - my age.

I've started meds and hope to do the DE transfer in mid-March.

Randa - sorry if I missed it, is this your 2nd IVF?

Not all doctors/clinics suggest a break between treatment. You can try month after month after month if you have the energy and bank balance!

Deb P - My FSH was 4.5 two years ago and is now 5.6.

Hope you get a chocolate treat soon.

Joy

[randa2006]

Hi Joy,
Sounds like you are doing the right thing for you. I can't imagine what it felt like (and still feels like) to have lost a baby at 37 weeks. That's just wrong!!!
You do have a VERY low FSH though. Yours is a whole lot better than mine, so I may be in for some heartache ahead as well.
So you have a child already that is yours? Me too. I think that's why I am okay with the idea of donor eggs if we fail (DH not cool with that... yet).
I feel very blessed to have my daughters (21 and 18). I feel greedy even trying at my age - but my new DH has not had children. I vowed to give it everything I had until age 46, and so I am.
My second EC won't be until early April. I really want to transfer then, but my dh may want to "bank" anything we get from that as well and go for a third. As I've said before, he is trying to maximize our chances of more than one child (seems like we are waaaaay into God's business, but I'm trying to let dh call the shots since he isn't in my position - already had children).
God bless you, Joy, as you go into this next attempt. You are correct about the younger eggs - my docs all say the same thing - it's practically a sure thing with those younger eggs!!! Better start thinking of names!

[longbaygirl]

Hi Randa,

How many eggs are you hoping to bank before going for a transfer? Getting a store is a pretty good strategy - as you say, a way to maximise the chances of a sibling.

When I did IVF with my own eggs I only got 4, and only 2 of those fertilised, so you are doing pretty well.

Did the doc come back to you about freezing the embies?

Joy

[randa2006]

I think my mathmetician DH has a set number in his head (he has been very statistical throughout this whole thing), but we haven't really said XX have to be in the bank. Obviously, I could biologically go off the cliff at any time and then we have to work with what we've got because we can't ever get any more. That's what he's trying to get ahead of as fast as possible.
My thing is that I don't want to be having babies past age 45. (You should know that we've been together 4 years and I was ready to get started 3 years ago. Not him. We just married this December.)
So, I've said I'll do anything that means I don't "deliver" a baby after my 46th birthday. So, we have only 2.5 years to have these children! I keep telling him to do the math. I really need to be transferring this next round - I feel.
Who knows? Only God, that's who. I pray we only go once more. Our whole strategy just seems greedy to me. I can't stop feeling that way. I keep telling my DH "you have children one at a time" and be thankful for whatever God gives you! My DH is a scientist-type though. AND, I think men in general are just more into the analytical part of this than the heart part. I could be wrong, but mine certainly is. I'm rambling. Sorry.