The Over 40 Crowd

[DebraP]

Katie, best of luck tomorrow! hope you get some good sleep tonight (you're probably still tucked up in bed right now!).

I googled around and found the oldest frozen embryo was thawed after 13 years. In July a healthy baby girl was born to a 45 year old woman.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Debbie said: "I put my hand over my lower abdomen and said, 'Welcome Home'. They had been in a cold place for so long. Now it was over."

I agree with Randa, frozen is frozen.

Good luck and don't forget to let me know your test date.
hugs
Debra.

[amfy]

Hi All!

Feel I should attempt to join this thread although I cannot bring myself to trawl all 68 pages! I've read the last few to get a bit of a feel of what is happenning and I think I might be on a similar loop to Nuala.

I'm 41 and didn't meet my partner till my late 30's. We both wanted children and knew we had little time to hang about and I got pregnant almost straight away. Our 3 month scan was Dec 23rd and we were so excited about having the scan photo to show everyone at Christmas, but it turned out to be a molar pregnancy. I spent Christams Eve in hospital having a D&C. What a rubbish Christamas that was!

Anyway - molar pregnancy affects about 1 in 3000 pregnanacies and not many people know anything about it, but it's basically when the cells overmultiply. By 3 months, it isn't actually a baby anymore, just a rapidly multiplying collection of cells. After "removal" you then have to undergo weekly tests until they are sure there is no cancer hanging about. During that time you are not allowed to try to get pregnant, nor use any form of hormonal contraception. This went on for 18 months.

As soon as we were clear, we started trying again but nothing happenned. After about 10 months I asked for a fertility referral but my G.P. said you had to have been trying for 18 months. I said "Tell that to the 25 year olds - refer me NOW!!"...and he did!

Still, by the time I've had all the vaious tests, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy - the works, I've reached the age of 41, and have started my IVF drugs (Buserelin 5ml injections) last Thursday 6th October, and will be going for it in early November.

It turns out that my fertility is pretty good for a woman of my age, which would make sense because I have grandparents on both sides who had babies in ther 40's. The other half's sperm are OK but not very mobile apparently (Lazy little......!!!).

Anyway - Good Luck to all of us!!

[Katie12563]

Amfy...Welcome to the thread. I hope you have a great response and
a wonderful egg collection.
I love the way you convinced your doctor to refer you. My GYN said almost the same thing... a year or alittle less and then we will see...how dumb to say that to a 41 year old. As far as I'm concerned...after about 3 to 4 months of trying naturally we over 40's should be referred. GOOD FOR YOU!!!

[Katie12563]

Thanks Debra...I hope I will post good news to you guys tomorrow afternoon. I know that you guys can feel how much I want these babies. Its so funny...I could care less that they aren't from my eggs...my miscarriage changed my attitude about all that. I want them SOOOOOO much. I promise to be a good mommy.
Love to All and Happy Sunday .

[Kat]

Hello all, nice to see some exciting things happening on here, fingers crossed for everyone whatever stage you're at at the moment.

I'm on to my next stage now, took the last bcp on Sat, wating for af (maybe Weds) and then will start hormone patches, then scan for lining thickness around 21st Oct and then....

It' our annual conference Tues/Weds so the week will go quickly, you can bet af will pick her moment to show up, have packed patches in case.

Julie - lovely to hear from you, hope you're doing ok
Shouldn't have mentioned the flights for £15, they now seem to have
rocketed, never mind, it will all be worth it....

lots of love
Kat xx

[JaneR]

Hello ladies,

It seems like ages since I was last on here, as this is my last go I've taken it really easy since my ET. I seemed to be catching up on the sleep I have missed for the last few months. Nothing really to report, boobs a little sore but they have been like that since the HCG shot, some ovary pain on my right side but thats it. Other than being a little tired but thats probably with doing nothing and had some stabbing pain a few days ago but thats gone now. Trying to stay positive each time I become negative I get a pain in my right side. By the way I test on 14th so not long to og now.

Debra how are you doing, hope everything is going well.
Katie best of luck for tomorrow
Sharon good luck for Thursday
Amfy welcome to the group and best of luck
Julie great to hear from you hope all the tests are going well
Randa how are you doing
Hope eveyone else is doing well as well

Anyway better go now and laze around on the settee some more.

Love,

Jane

[Katie12563]

Hey Jane,
Good Luck on the 14th. When I got a postive my boobs were very sore after the HCG shot...which I believe meant I was really ovulating (egg released for sure )and they stayed sore until well after my positive test result. I believe you may indeed be pregnant. I was tired too but like you I thought it was all in my head or I was depressed. I can't wait until the 14th. I have a very good feeling about the signs you are experiencing.

I love your name by the way. I have thrown it around as a possible name for a little girl. So simple so elegant.

[cmg]

Hi all, back from my holidays but it's taken me a while to settle back into the swing of things so apologies for the late running of this post.

Had a lovely time (lots of lovely wine) and am now on a health drive to prepare for FET. Because it's an unmedicated cycle there's nothing else for me to do - I only go to the clinic once for ET, so I feel like I need to be doing something. Had my first acupuncture session on Friday, have some Chinese herbs on order, have sorted out my vitamin & mineral supplements, have the number of a cranial osteopath locally whose patients keep getting pregnant (I don't think he's, er, directly responsible). Also have lots of herbal tea in the cupboard and no wine in the wine rack. Aside from that life goes on as normal. It's been really interesting catching up with everybody - there's so much going on right now. How weird that it all comes at the same time!

Katie - really hope it's all going well for you today
Debra & Jane - good luck on that 2ww, sounds like you're both doing the right things
Randa - well done on your latest set of embies. I hope you get to actually use them sometime soon.
Sharon - I'm on tenterhooks to hear how your embies get on with the thawing process, for your sake and also because I too have just 2 frosties and this is the last go. I really hope they both make it.
Big J - lovely to hear from you again. Not long to go before things start happening again - I hope you get the news you're waiting for. you really deserve a bit of time when things go your way.
Kat - sounds like things are really starting to happen now. Must be so frustrating not being able to your dates or book flights. I find it annoying enough trying to fit work around an as yet unknown FET date. If I had to factor in transport I think I'd go nuts!
Nuala that was an inspiring story from your nurse, bet it made you feel loads better. Hope the stimming is going well.
Amfy welcome to the oldies crowd. You've had a tough time of it, haven't you? I'd never heard of a molar pregnancy but it sounds awful. And at Christmas, too. Good luck with this cycle. We could be sort of November buddies, though my FET will be mid to late Nov, so you maybe past your 2ww (and into your first trimester - let's be positive) by then.
And Caroline, my namesake, whom I hope to emulate, I hope all is going well with your pregnancy - less than 2 months to go. It must be sooooo exciting!

Hope I haven't missed anyone. I've updated my bit on here and added amfy on the bottom

Randa - 4 embies frozen 28th Sept. Natural BDing until Dec
Jane - ET 2 Oct, in 2ww, Oct ? test date
Debra - Test result due 20th Oct
Katie - donor/FET 10th Oct.
Sharon - start stims (HRT) 23rd Sept, FET Thurs 13th Oct
Kat - started bcp 18th Sept. Fresh/donor cycle end Oct
Nuala - fresh cycle, late Oct.
BigJ - fresh/donor cycle in Kiev in November.
Caroline - back from hols, on a 6 week health trip before November FET
Amfy - started downregging Thurs 5th Oct


Caroline

[amfy]

Thanks for the responses.

I keep thinking there are alot of technical terms for me to get used to if I am going to make any sense atall of what is happenning to everyone!
Tonight I've just dropped in to see how Katie got on. Is there any news yet?

Katie - I don't know you atall but you have been in and out of my head all day. Everything is crossed for you.

[meandmine]

Hi ladies,

Lots of posts over the last couple of days - we are a right happening bunch aren't we? So much going on right now.

Amfy - welcome - what a time you have both had and it's been quite a journey for you getting to this stage and very frustrating, I would imagine, having to wait until you got the all clear. Here's hoping this time around all will be good. Fingers crossed.

Katie, any news from this morning - am eager to hear. Hope the defrost was a success. Post when you can.

Jane, gosh, your time is coming around really quickly. I am getting excited and nervous all at the same time. Thinking of you.

Caroline - welcome back from your hols. You sound refreshed and raring to go. Yes, as you said in your last post before you went on your hols, we are only a stone's throw away from each other across the bridge and are travelling the same road this time with our 2 FE's. I think the realisation is starting to set in now with Thursday just around the corner. In a way, it's as crucial as any part of the treatment because if the defrost fails we don't go any further but I remain positive and quite excited too. I said to my DH on Sunday that I am going to enjoy this week - the preparation for the call on Thursday morning and hopefully the transfer on Thursday afternoon. And, as you will have seen from my earlier post, try to relax these next few days. I've been like a woman possessed this last weekend, decorating and mowing the lawn but that's it now. Musn't do any more for a little while at least.

Debra, how're you doing friend? How's the first week going? So relieved to hear you couldn't resist doing some last minute decorating too. What is it with us women? We just can't sit still - although I think it's a panic thing knowing that possibly, at least for two weeks (and a lot longer hopefully) that we will be laid up.

Hi to all you other ladies - take care.

Hugs
Sharon x

[DebraP]

Katie....you've quite a crowd waiting here I so hope ET went well today. Let us know when you can.

Sharon...you've only got 3 sleeps!!!!!! Have you booked time off work post ET?

Kat..hi there, you'll be back in Barcelona before you know it!

Nuala....any news?

Amfy.... yes there's loads of technical stuff. The abbreviations thread has quite a lot on it now but new things appear all the time. Luckily there's nearly always someone who knows about it. You might have realised we're all over the place on this board - Germany, Norway, Wales, England, US...where are you (country is fine)?

Jane...is your 2ww spinning by or dragging? Mine is just pootling along doing its own sweet thing....

Randa....how are you? all ready for ttc (a bit personal I wonder??)

BigJ...let us know how you're doing if you get the chance. Your apt. is next week yes??

hugs
Debra

[amfy]

I'm in Birmingham (England) and getting treated at Aldridge.

[Katie12563]

Hello Debra(Yes, I have a wonderful cheering section...thank you guys, It means the world to me), Amfy(thanks for thinking of me today), Kat, Jane, CMG, Randa, Sharon, BigJ (How are you???? Sorry I've not been on the board lately), Nuala, and Caroline. I hope I didn't leave anyone out .

At 9:30 am both Frosties had survived the thaw...by 11:00 the doctor wanted them to grow alittle longer so I settled in for a 2 hour wait. about 12:15 the doctor came to me with photos of both embies...one was growing very nicely and the doctor told me it was living. The other one had changed but he couldn't be sure of its status(each photo showed 1 picture at thaw and another within the last few minutes). So we transfered one high grade and one low grade embie. The doctor was honest and told me 1997 fet's had a 20% pregnancy rate vs. 2005's 40% . He also said the lower grade embie could very well implant.

The actual transfer according to the doctor went very smoothly. He seemed especially pleased because the "trial" that they did on Thursday did not.

Ladies sorry this is so long but I need to get it out. I'm single and without a husband to share this with... my friends just don't seem to understand or have an interest in all the details.
Pregnancy Test on Oct. 11...Pray for me...I want this so much...
Love To All,
Katie
PS I feel like these babies were waiting for me to claim them...to give them a Mommy. I wish you guys could see the adorable photo of their siblings. If it doesn't work out I feel that it was (still) meant for me to at least try to give them a loving home.
Tell me what you guys think. I already love them.

[DebraP]

Katie...welcome to the (for you) 10-day wait.....10 very short days too I expect Will you work throughout? I've put you on the October list.

ET sounds pretty good, you had both put back, one was storming ahead, the other perhaps less so but you can't do more than keep them warm and hope now. The keeping them warm thing really strikes a chord with me. Zita West is big on this. Our weather is definitely chilly now so I'm always wrapping a fleece around my middle!

Someone wrote and reminded me that her cycle produced 13 eggs but only 2 very low grade embies. One still implanted and she has a 3m old daughter now so there are good, positive stories out there.

Jane, you've been quiet throughout your 2ww. I hope it's going well for you? Should I assume, no answer means you don't want to go on the October test dates? No one has to of course.

Sharon, all ready for Thursday? Will they start the thaw tomorrow or today?

Randa, new job lots of fun still?

Amfy, there are quite a few Midlands girls on the board - Coventry etc. but, you can't be that far from Sharon and Caroline (cmg) on this thread.

Nuala, Kat, BigJ - how's life?

hugs all round...
Debra.

[cmg]

Katie, that's great news. I'm so pleased ET went so well for you. It must add a lot to the experience to be able to see pictures of the frosties siblings. It's not like they're clones but it must make them more real. We can only imagine what a combination of mine and DH's genes would look like, which isn't quite the same, as we're thinking of ourselves as adults.
Anyway, not long to go now - how come you get to test so early? Is it to do with the age of the embies when they went back?

Sharon, I hope you've resisted picking up that paintbrush! Lots of rest and TLC. I've just turned down work (in your neck of the woods, strangely) for early December, even though we need the money, because it would be at the end of, or just after, my 2ww. I hate turning down work but it makes it more real to be thinking about looking after myself properly. Plus, the thought of trying to hold it together and be professional if the dreaded AF showed up would be more than I could handle.

Debra I hope that fleece is doing its job and keep your middle nice and warm. I'll have to remember that in November as it's bound to be cold here by then. Lovely today here, though.

Anyhow, hi to everyone else. Best get on with some work (and perhaps get out of my dressing gown - oh the joys of working from home!)

Caroline