The Over 40 Crowd

[BevT]

Hi Anna, my test date is 20th June. Apparently my doctor likes to give long test dates but I suspect I will have to give in to the dreaded pee sticks before then. The 20th is when he wants my first hcg bloods done, so I will obey, but as I said...... watch this space. I really don't think I can hang on for 17 days post transfer. Some girls have got a BFP after 10 or 11 days post transfer.

DH take time off work!!! No way. He did however manage to come with me in the end, fate must have been on our side, as the timing slotted in really neatly with half term. He just had to be back by last night for a parents' evening at school. The timing couldn't have been better really. I am glad he was with me at such an important time in our lives, and I feel he was glad too as it enabled him to be more of a part of things.

Really pleased that AF is behaving and you can now get going. Have IM given you any details of your donor yet? Have you any thoughts on how many embies you will have put back? I can't remember if IM have a stricter policy than Isida re the numbers, but I am sure they will allow 3 at least. My thoughts were that if there is a 40 - 50% chance of success with donor eggs, then hopefully I will get at least one stick or maybe two, which would be a bonus. Out of all the people I have spoken to that have received donor eggs, not one of them has had a 100% success rate with all their embies sticking. I just hope that I am not the exception to the rule!!

I don't think I am particularly qualified to give out adivce yet, maybe once I have achieved a successful pregnancy. The only thing I would say to anyone is not to give up until you have exhausted every single avenue, even if it means using another girl's tiny ingredient to add to your mix, to enable you to nurture and grow a baby (or two) of your own.

Good luck with the patches Anna, will be looking to see how your scan goes. Take care.x

Hi Sunseeker, and welcome. Sorry I don't have time to respond to your questions at the moment (spent too long talkingt to Anna), but will come back later.

Hi to everyone else on this thread,

More later,
Bevxxx

[032323]

Hi All

I had my first follie check scan today and had 5 follies of varying small sizes 2s 3s and 4s?!?! As much as I would have liked a few more I just hope that what i do end up with is of good quality and works!!

Just got back from the theatre - went to see Saturday Night Fever with DH - it was fantastic!!

[gailbunny]

Sorry not been around lately, still mulling over whether or not to try one more cycle with my eggs or whether to go straight to donor. FSH levels are 11.4 whatever that means.

So much to catch up on!!!

Anna good luck with IM everthing seems to have moved so fast.

Bev - wow 4 embies nestling in!!! Fingers crossed for a Big BFP!

Congratulations Lisa on your BFP hope those numbers keep growing well.

Good luck to our ladies testing soon hope this is a bumper month!

Hi to everone else too many to mention all names, everthing seems so manic in our lives at the moment to keep on top.

Will drop in again soon, our thread seems to be quite exciting at the moment.

Regards
Gail

[AuntyPebbles]

Hi guys hope you dont mind me crashing the thread i just wanted to say something to gail,
11.4 is very high fsh my clinic has a cut off of 10 now im not being negative what i wanted to tell you is when i first had my FSH done it came back at 7.9 but the other test that goes with it cant remember what thats called was 70 my DR said that the 7.9 was wrong and with the other level of 70 my 7.9 would rise to at least a 9 maybe 10 i was gutted at 37 to say i had no egg reserve....so i went back on my primrose oil its great for PMS but a side effect was my next test levels are.... 6 and 50 ??? go figure i got some new eggs from no where im not sure it will work for everyone but may be worth a try.....

i cant remember where i read about the new study that said we have stem cells in our ovarys that can be encouraged to form eggs....

hugs best wishes Debz

[suzieq]

hey randa2006 I think that I have you beet. Im am 45 and trying again.Have tried 4 ivf attempt and all failed. I had 2 frozen and didnt remember we had them so I am waitng on my period and then I will start my meds again. I am doing things a little different this time. Things have changed in the past few years.

[randa2006]

Hello IVF Friends,

I'm so glad Debra was able to get my news to you - I hate to keep people wondering. Thanks for all your support these past 18 months. I need to take a break for a while, but you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

God Bless!
Randa

[Jeni Babes]

Hi all

Just a quick update...I have been bleeding since Monday light stuff and was told to take bed rest...tiday is a FULL ON flow...so i am sorry to say i have a BFN...it's all simiar to last cycle, but strangly although i am sad i am SO SURE my time will come. I will try again in 4months time.
Maybe only get 2 eggs again but hey! it's better than none.

Going off for some retail therapy now...good luck to those on 2ww and starting tmt.

love jen
xxxxx

[Jeni Babes]

Hi Amfy

Just a personal GOOD LUCK for testing today

love jen
xxxxx

[amfy]

Thanks for your thoughts Jen. Sorry to hear your news. Although you are trying to keep your chin up I know how much this hurts.

I was quite flat yesterday and very convinced things weren't going to plan so i gave in to the HPT and it was negative. I know they don't always give accurate results due to the drugs, but the errors tend to be false positives not negatives from what I can gather. Also, with a FET in a natural cycle, I'm not on many drugs. I also have to say that despite what they say about HPTs, I don't see much evidence round here of contradictory results.

Anyway - i'm going to do the official test tomorrow instead of today now for 2 reasons:
(1) To give my body an extra day to come up with a different result.
(2) Try as i might i can't shake my superstitions about today's date.

My one hope is that I tested too early for the HPT to pick up a positive result. Given my ovulation date and my usually short cycle I think my period was due on Sunday, but today is actually day 28. So maybe a proper test on day 29 will send me some beter news, but I somehow doubt it.

[teachertam]

Hello all:

Jen: I'm so sorry to hear your news. Were you on the short protocol or long protocol? My doctor thinks that us older women have better simulation results on the short protocol.

Amfy: Don't give up. My friend tested too soon and got a false negative. She waited a few days and then got her BFP.

Hello to SuzieQ. I'm going to attempt a frozen cycle too. We have 4 eggs in the freezer. I'm hoping that they all survive the thaw, all fertilize and maybe 3 make it to transfer. My doctor said that we will probably have 1 or 2 for transfer.

Anna: Any signs of AF?

Bev: How are you doing? Hope those embies are settling in.

Randa: It is good to hear from you.

Gail: Good to hear that you are considering another cycle.

Lisa: How is the baby doing? How are you?

Lisa(2): When do you go for your scan? Is there a possibility of twins?

I went to the local hospital to have my HSG X-ray yesterday. The radiologist could not get the catherer into my cervix. He did not have the proper tools to dilate my cervix . I was down, since that would mean that we would have to wait another cycle. I called my doctor's office and they were able to get me an appt. today with a larger hospital. So its back for another test today. Has anyone else had this test? It is where they put dye into your tubes and flush them out. They are looking for blockages and problems with the uterine lining. Supposedly, it increases pregnancy rates within 1-2 cycles after the test.

Take care all.
Tammy

[Sonix]

Hi ladies,

Jen: Really sorry to read your news. Good that you're going out and starting to look ahead already. Look after yourself.

Amfy: Don't give up hope and keep your spirits up. I remember reading many times that negatives can be wrong. I really do hope you get the positive result tomorrow.

Tammy, poor you. What an unpleasant experience. You were lucky to get the other appoinment but how awful having to go through that twice. Yes, I've read too that it should increase chances.

Thanks for adding me to the list, Anna. I've still one week to go and am trying to take one day at a time. I found out today that I won't get the results until the 13th so that's one more day of dreaming for me. I'll be driving to the clinic (1 hour away) early on Monday 12th for the blood test. Do they really need a whole day to get the results of the test???

The day after ET DH drove us to Italy for a 4-day break. At first I was a bit paranoid about too much action but am sure I managed to relax a lot more than I would have done at home. I felt fine for the first days but since the weekend my ovaries have been complaining and I have some facial spots which I used to always get about a week before AF showed up. Hmmm. Trying to ignore this and put it down to side effects of the meds I'm on.

Anyway, my 40th birthday on Sunday was certainly a big distraction. I knew the party was going to mean me running around much more than I really dared to and as expected I really struggled with those guilty feelings. But I did manage to drink only one glass of wine all evening. DH is optimistic and won't hear any "what ifs" so that's keeping me going too.

Hang on in there, Bev. Keeping fingers crossed for you too.

Lots of luck to all those starting treatment!

Love Son xxx

[AMck]

hi ladies, happy Tuesday. What fab weather we are having. Came home from work at 4 o'clock today and spent a happy hour sitting in the garden...bliss

Randa, good to see you post. Take care x x

Jen, b****y h**l....so sorry to see your news. Good to see you feeling so positive. You are right. Your time WILL come. Take care x x

Amfy, hang in there. Thinking of you. I have everything crossed. I know what you mean about this thread. There seems to be a gremlin in the system. Can't go to last page as it says no posts exist. Must admit my heart skipped a beat as I thought I wouldn't be able to chat to you guys! It seems to work Ok if you go to the last but one page. Don't know why though!

Hi and welcome to sunseeker. Both Bev and I are undergoing tmt with donor eggs. She is on her 2ww and I am about 2 weeks behind. If you want more info let me know I can pm you all the details of my experience if you think it would help. Good luck with yout tmt whatever you decide.

Bev, thanks for your message. 20th June seems an awful long way away doesn't it. Hope it flies(flys?) by for you. IM haven't given me any info on my donor, but they did say that they only do at the last minute to ensure it's the donor we actually use. Glad that dh was able to go with you and share the experience. How are you feeling? Strange to imagine 4 little embies snuggling in. Give that belly a rub! Everything crossed x x

Caz, good news about your follies. Sending you some follie dust to help them grow. When is your next scan?

Gail, hi, good to see you back. It is hard to make decisions about all things IVF. Yes things have moved quickly for me. i'm trying not to get my hopes up too much. AF arrived on time, can' t quite believe it but here we are! Going for a scan on 12th june to check my lining....watch this space! Good luck with whatever path you choose.

Tammy, what a day you've had. I had a HSG last year. Can't say it was the most pleasant experience I've ever had but it did put my mind at rest that all was OK in there. The nurse let me look at the screen as the dye went in..a strange experience! Felt a bit ropey afterwards but soon bounced back. It also sometimes flushes out any blockages and can increase chances of falling pregnant naturally. Good luck, hope you are Ok.

Hi suzieq and welcome. Good luck with this next cycle.

Son, happy birthday and fingers crossed for you on your 2ww. May the days fly by to a BFP!

New 40+ Mommies:
Alette (own eggs). Son Nov 05
Jude - twins (DE) 05
Joy - twins (DE) 05
CarolineP - Daughter Nov 05
Squew - twins 05
Debbieed - own eggs. Daughter May 06

Ladies in waiting:
BigJ (Jules) - BFP 9/12/05 - EDD 15/08/06 praying hard
DPerry (Donna). DE. BFP July 05
Darby (DE) - BFP
Nuala - natural BFP EDD 8th Dec, 1st scan 31st May
Lisa (2) BFP 2nd June , levels looking good

On 2ww:
Amfy- one little embie snuggling in - test date 6th June
Jen - BFN hugs
Son - one little embie snuggling in test results 13th June
Bev test date 20th June

Preparing:
Anna - DE cycle in Barcelona, donor found, using oestrogen patches, scan 12th June
Caz - scan 5th June 5 follies EC/ET week beg 12th June
Gail - considering DE tmt abroad
Tammy- post IVF apptmt soon, adoption papers organised
Mitzy - considering DE tmt abroad
Sara- starting cycle in late June

Good friends not currently seeking tmt:
Kat - holidays booked to Mallorca and France
Debra - Finished with tmt. Off to Sicily in June. Want a new job by Dec.
Randa - taking time out after BFN hugs x

hi Kat, hope you are Ok. Are you on holiday yet?

I'm busy sticking patches on my bum!!
Bye for now
take care
Anna x

[Sonix]

Lucky you having such good weather in the UK. The world is upside down. It's freezing here - like r e a l l y freezing cold with lots of snow in the Alps. Never had the heating on in June before but have to keep my embie warm...

Son

[amfy]

Have done the proper test this morning and its still negative. Never felt good about this cycle all along really.

We won't be doing this again. We said from the start that we would only have one run at it and nothing about the process has changed our minds really. I now feel like I have spent a very long time thinking about nothing but getting pregnant and to be honest I am fed up of being this unhappy. I've got to find a way of moving on and having a life without it. We are blessed in many other ways and worse things happen to people than wanting kids and not having them.

I'll never be "mum" to my stepson, but in years to come, with a positive attitude, I can be his kid's "Nana". I'll look forward to that - they say being a grandparent is much more fun than being a parent anyway!

Most of all I think that me and DP just need to get back to concentrating on each other. I'm looking forward to having sex than is based on our love and desire for each other rather than cycles and charts.

Thats it - life goes on!

Good luck everyone!

[BevT]

Good morning everyone, the sun is shining again her in the UK!

Sonix, you keep warm girl. You and DH seem to be keeping the PMA up! Happy belated 40th birthday. Good luck with the rest of your 2 ww, fingers crossed for you for the 13th.

Hi Anna, thanks for moving me up on the list to the 2 week waiters! It's great to be there finally, having seen so many others come and go I always felt a bit envious and wondered if I would ever even get that far! I have to say though that this morning I feel a bit "twingey" in my tummy. I never get really obvious AF symptoms, but sometimes get a very slight dull ache, which is hard to know if I am imagining it or not. Don't know how I will get all the way to the 20th without going bonkers. What is your anticipated travelling dates? So excited for you now.x

Tammy, so glad you are going to go for your FET. Fingers crossed that your eggs make it past the thaw and go on to being healthy embies. I can sympathise with your experience re the catheter. My doctor had the same problem at ET as he couldn't get past some scar tissue. Very uncomfortable, and a bit painful also. Good that you were able to get another shot at it so you didn't have to wait yet another month. Fingers crossed for you.

Amfy, good luck with the test today, hope that your early negative was just that, too early! Fingers crossed for you too.

Jen, I am so sorry about your news.x Glad that you still have some PMA left. Did you buy anything nice at the stores?

Randa, good to hear from you. Hope to see you back when you have built up your strength again. Thinking of you.x

Hi Suzieq, what a nice surprise to remember that you had 2 in the bank. Bit like opening up your wallet and finding a large cheque that you have forgotten to cash. Good luck with your cycle.

Hi Debz, nice that you "crashed in". You are welcome any time.

Hi Gail, good to hear from you again. Good luck with the "mulling over". It's such a huge thing, to finally give up on your own eggs. I totally understand the dilemma you face. I really didn't want to give up on my own eggs, but my clinic made the decision for me and said no more tries with my own. Broke my heart at the time, but at least we do now have the option to go for DE tmt. Something that our predecessors of a even a decade ago did not have the option of. Take care and look foward to seeing you back soon.

Caz, 5 follies is good! Here's hoping that they grow, grow, grow.

Hi again Sunseeker, re-reading your post, I have not heard of such high percentages for success rates, certainly for donor eggs. Some clinics quote up to 60%, but most I have seen say 30 - 50%. Even then, I would wonder if they have played with the statistics. Certainly you will have a better success rate with DE tmt than with your own eggs if you are over 40. I know you say that you are in Mallorca, but as I understand it there are no waiting lists for donors in Barcelona and I think also in Marbella. My clinic in the UK gave me a 1% chance of success with my own eggs (I was 43 at the time) but I insisted on two cycles, both of which I responded very poorly to. So now we have gone to donor egg tmt in Kiev. I am just on my 2 ww!!!

Anna is currently awaiting her DE tmt with IM in Barcelona. Would that be a better option for you? Not sure how easy the travelling would be for you but maybe it's worth a look.

Well all, I had better go and get showered now. All this "taking it easy" is encouraging me to be very very lazy. My DH says I need to get fit, especially if I end up carrying twins - but I just dare not do too much at the moment. Once I get my BFP (there that's positivity for you eh?) I will try and build up my walking and swimming exercise.

More later,
Bev xxx