The Over 40 Crowd

[erjumper]

Joy,
As for the DE's being a sure thing....careful to get TOO optimistic. It's a long way to fall. After 4 INV's and 3 miscarriages with my "old" eggs. We went to you healthy donor eggs, transferring 2 day 6 blasts thjat were even already hatched. I miscarried them as well after being told we had a 70 to 80% chance of twins. I was so sure this was the time and it was absolutely devastating. We are out of money so no more fresh cycles or DE's for us. Have 3 of our "old" embies frozen but they are not given good odds. You never know though. Sorry to be the pessimist, i'm getting my cynical on a daily basis.
Lisa

[teachertam]

Happy Sunday:

Anna: Glad to hear that you had a nice holiday in Ireland. I hope to visit Ireland one day.

Bev: Spain sounds lovely! I would have a hard time deciding which contract to sign also. Can that clinic freeze eggs? My clinic in the states will not freeze embryos. My doctor is morally opposed to freezing embryos. He will freeze any leftover eggs and then you can thaw them and fertilize them as you need them. I believe the egg freezing a is relatively new process.

I sure hope that I have more eggs this time around. Last time I only had 6 mature follicles with 3 eggs being retrieved. I'm hoping that I can collect 6 eggs this time, to increase my odds. I kept going back and forth on whether to proceed with IVF #2. The main reason being that I am so into this Chinese adoption now, and I really want to do it. I made DH promise that if I get pregnant, he will still let me adopt from China. We will just delay the adoption a little. He has a 13 year old son, so one child is enough for him. I do not have any children and would love to have two, if at all possible.

The temperature this morning is 10 degrees F (- 12 degrees C). My dogs do not want to go outside. They are so spoiled!

Lisa: How is the paperwork going? I feel like I finally have a good handle on the process. It is overwhelming at times. The engineer in me has to analyze everything, so I made an Excel spreadsheet with all of my tasks. It looked manageable once on a spreadsheet.

Debra: Don't give up. Remember that early pregnancy signs are the same as AF signs. My good friend, Tracy, thought for sure that she was going to get AF and quit taking the progesterone supp. One week later, she tested and found out she was pregnant. She is due May 22nd.

I want to go on holiday!! I keep trying to get DH to go to Hawaii with me, but he wants to take a family vacation to Colorado this summer to see the mountains. I don't know that I could take 2 days in the car both ways.

Well, I'd better get back to household chores. DH and I are going to shampoo carpets today, since we have our homestudy visit next Saturday.

Regards,
Tammy

[BevT]

The temperature this morning is 10 degrees F (- 12 degrees C). My dogs do not want to go outside. They are so spoiled!

Tammy, OMG - I wouldn't want to go outside either! Do your dogs have little coats like horse rugs? A friend of mine in the UK has them for her labradors (they sleep outside in an outbuilding so she "rugs them up" in the winter). I cannot imagine how cold - 12 C is. We generally only go down to about - 3 or - 4 where we are and that's only occasionally in the depths of winter.

LOL Bev xxx

[Jo1962]

I am Jo, 43 (44 in May!), and just completed by first IVF cycle at the Woking Nuffield (UK) who have been absolutely fantastic throughout. I now have one week to wait until preg test, and daren't even hope... but keep on hoping and hoping. Yesterday was having some sharp lower abdominal pains and wondering (hoping) if this was implantation... Yet know, realistically, that chances are slim for me...

I can't believe I'm this age and still not a mum. But I only met my lovely man when I was 40, after wasting my time on men who either I didn't want to be father to my kids, or who themselves didn't want to be father to my kids... and wanting my kids to have two loving parents.

So, when I met Stefan, we started trying immediately. It took me nearly two and a half years to conceive, and when I discovered I was pregnant (almost exactly one year ago), I thought all my dreams had come true. Unfortunately, the first scan revealed a *missed miscarriage* which, a week later, became a real miscarriage... Heartbreak. after a much needed recovery holiday, our GP referred us to the local private IVF clinic, but it took another seven months to even get to see the specialist... and I hear that the waiting list there is now up to nine months. madness!

My FSH levels were 14 and so just inside their limit (15). Because of this I went on the flare protocol. My poor old ovaries managed to produce four eggs and - miraculous to me - three of them fertilised and went on to divide. I had three four-cell embryos transferred back into me last Monday.

Seems so strange now: no injections, no scans, just.... waiting...

Have taken the time off work, am going on long walks, clearing out cupboards, selling some of my shoe collection on ebay (yay - raised enough money to buy ... some new boots!!) and painting my first picture.

I just wanted to say *hi* and to send big postive vibes and all my best wishes to all you older (don't feel old at all) hopefuls out there. Good luck to everyone...

I'll be posting again in a week to let you know my results!

[032323]

Hi Jo

I too am 43 years old (44 in April!) So youare not alone.

I have just completed my 4th cycle - had 2 good 4 cell embryos transfered and unfortunately failed.

3 previous only 1 went on to transfer 1 embryo and failed. So last attempt was only second transfer.

Anyway the good news is I am not put off and will be trying again asap!!


GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH FOR A BFP! (BIG FAT PREGNANCY!! KEEP US INFORMED!


CAZx


ME 43 DH 39

1st ICSI - No transfer
2nd ICSI - 1 et but failed
3rd ICSI - No transfer
4th ICSI - 2 et but failed Feb 2006
5th ICSI - TBC

[DebraP]

Hi and welcome Jo. There was a time not so long ago this thread only had a handful of people. It's wonderful there are so many of us on here now. If you hit 'previous' you should find a long list of people/dates/stage of tmt/prep, if you add yourself to it, we'll be able to keep tabs on who's doing what.

Interesting how many of us are March/April born. Painful though to clock up another year....

Tammy. We live in similar climates. I'm in mid-Norway so whilst it's not esp. cold (minus 2-3 today) we've HEAPS of snow and ice. It will stay this way until end April too. People here don't 'rug up' their dogs amazingly enough. Keep mentioning Hawaii please....I can dream!
I'd agree with your re. the pre-AF thing but with my last +ve, I had cramps, this time I've no cramps but a definite AF's on her way feeling. I'm desperate to hpt early tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow. DF finishes work at midnight so I supposed testing at 00.10 counts as Tuesday.....

Debra

[teachertam]

Hello All:

Jo: Welcome to the group. Our fingers are crossed for you!! I too got married for the first time at 40 and have been trying to get pregnant since then. We are planning IVF#2 when AF comes. I am supposed to get AF next week, but I'm spotting now, so who knows.

Bev: I have 2 labradors, but they don't sleep outside. They are only outside during the day. We have a sunroom that they can get into, via a doggy door to get out of the elements. It is not heated, but at least 10-20 degrees warmer. They are my babies!

Have a nice day,
Tammy

[Jo1962]

Thanks for lovely words, ladies. Adding myself to the list! (PS - what's AF?)

New 40+ Mommies:
Alette (own eggs). Son Nov 05
Jude - twins (DE) 05
Joy - twins (DE) 05
CarolineP - Daughter Nov 05
Squew - twins 05

Ladies in waiting
Debbieed - own eggs, BFP August 05. EDD - April 06?
BigJ (Jules) - BFP 9/12/05 - EDD 15/08/06 praying hard
DPerry (Donna). DE. BFP July 05

2ww:
Sandra - Test 15th Feb test again 17th Feb BFN
Randa - Test 17th Feb BFN
Caz - Test 19th Feb BFN
Debra - Test 21st Feb
Jo - Test 27th Feb

On meds/about to start:
Anna - Waiting for AF to start short protocol
Diane - start meds 28th Feb.
Kat - Going to Spain 2nd March for testicular biopsy for new DE tmt
Lara - Scan 14th Feb
Tammy- SIS 9th Feb, IVF 2 March
Zippy -?

Preparing:
Amfy - FET March/April
Bev- waiting for egg donor, considering abroad - appt 16th Feb at IM
Gail - planning March IVF
Jane- visit to Spain 24th Jan to decide next step
Jen - Taking time out then, next IVF in May...
Michelle - blood test Tues 14th Feb for 2nd cycle
Robyn - 2nd IVF cycle in March

Recent cyclers:
Lisa - BFP Feb but sadly lost at 5 weeks after DE
Caroline - natural FET cancelled Feb, failed thaw.
_________________[/quote]

[DebraP]

Jo, AF = Aunt Flo (your period).

There's a long but useful thread on all the abbreviations at the top of the General Forum....good luck!

Debra.

[Jo1962]

Hey Caz

Whereabouts in Devon are you? My husband is from Cornwall and we are often passing through on the way to visit family.

Such a shame on your neg test, hon, but fantastic you are keeping on trying. It is hard to know how long to go on, or where to find the courage - or the money. You are a strong and determined lady.

At first I said I'd NEVER do IVF. Then I said I'd only do it once. Now I'm saying, if this one is negative, we'll try just one more time... But I think one more time really will be it... And our house is still only half done...

Do you have any children previously? Have you considered or are considering GIFT or adoption? Such tough and emotional times...

Jo x

[032323]

Hi Jo

I am from Plymouth - I see we both have toyboys!!

Yes - I do already have children. An 18 year old girl and a 3.5 year old girl!!
I was sterilised after the birth of my 3.5 year old. A big mistake! But then, I was 40 and didn't think I would want any more children. I split with her father not long after her birth. I met my now husband when she was 1 year old and was married in August of last year! He has no children of his own and we long to have one together!
We will carry on trying as long as I am producing eggs. Expensive I know!! But hopefully it will be worth it in the end!

GOOD LUCK AGAIN!!

CAZx

[DebraP]

I couldn't wait any longer to test......




Debra.

[032323]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

CAZX

[Jo1962]

WOOOOO HOOOOOOO! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I AM TOUCHING YOU (VIRTUALLY!) FOR LUCK!!!!

[Kat]

Hi all - I'm back!

Just reading through all the messages trying to catch up and just seen Debra's latest - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! We needed some good news - well done !!!! after all the recent negatives a nice big fat positive is just what we all need - I want to give you a big hug!

To those of you who have had negatives - hope you're feeling OK, it's never easy.

Singapore was lovely, very hot (35 degrees) & sunny, sweaty, manic, busy, shopped 'til we dropped (oh, the shoes!) - brilliant fun. I have very brown arms from cycling one day (yes, in that heat - must be mad) and a burnt nose - tres attractive. DH is still away but the cat was pleased to see me come home.

Bev - glad to see Barcelona went well - I just feel really comfortable with both the city and the clinic, and the people there are lovely, as you found out. I couldn't deal with the lump sum thing so we just paid for the one treatment and will then pay for the next when it comes along. It's a gamble either way & not an easy choice.

Welcome to Jo - I am on the waiting list at the Woking Nuffield for donor eggs under Dr Riddle - is that who you see there?

Hi to everyone else too, speak later
Lots of love
Kat xx