The Over 40 Crowd

[JaneR]

Hi Ladies,

I thought I would post here first. AF showed up over the weekend and had scan and blood tests yesterday. Scan was fine and my FSH has dropped to 11 so they have said to go ahead. So started DR last night and stims today. Not sure yet how I feel about it, I'm just going to go with it and try not to get too stressed out about things.

Love,

Jane

[DebraP]

Jane, that's great news re. FSH. You must be relieved??

I started stims today as well, we can compare notes are you on Puregon? if so, what dose? I'm on 300iu a day.

What makes you unsure as to how you feel? what might happen? fear of repeating previous experiences?

Not wishing to sound too Forrest Gumpish here but you've got to be positive and learn to enjoy the ride, This is what we've chosen vs. 'letting things be', we HAVE to be positive as we start otherwise it's too easy to expect the worst. It's a difficult enough process as it is without feeling negative before we start. With me???

hugs
Debra.

[JaneR]

Hi Debra,

I'm on 450iu of menopur (not a godd responder).

I am positive about things, I think what I was trying to say was I'm going to go with the flow not look at the negatives. I know we can do this and I know I can get pregnant. Just have to keep the PMA up.

Love,

Jane

[Kat]

Hi

Glad to see you have started stims Debra - not long till EC, hope all goes swimmingly

Jane - how many little things of menopur is that? - I used to have 6 a night in 2 needles when they ran out of the big ones to give me. I remember it fondly (not!).

I had another email from the clinic this morning with more instructions - take bc pill until 8th Oct, have AF around 12th, then start hormone patches, then have scan for endometrium thickness a week later

This means I have a donor!

Looks like ET could be end Oct all being well........

OMG!!!

Kat xx

[DebraP]

Kat, that's fabulous news re. the donor. Things are really happening quickly now aren't they?

Jane, we can boost each other's PMA as required Right now I'm up but who knows over the next 2 weeks before getting to EC? I wish my clinic did an intertim follie scan but they only scan once, on Day 10....I've no patience

Sharon, I'll be sighing over Pride & Prejudice (again) in my 2ww. I just completed my 2005 reading of it, I never get tired of it. I'll be interested to see what the new film of it is like. How are you doing on your meds?

Randa, how is it going with the preparation? feeling almost ready?

Hello everyone else too.....Paula (feeling positive?), Lynne (you are coming back aren't you?), BigJ (if you ever pop your head round the door), Caroline (off-on-holiday) + anyone else I've been ditzy enough to miss.

hugs
Debra.

hugs
Debra.

[CarolineP]

Jane

I was also a bad responder and had to use 6 x 450 of menopur each night on a flare cycle - 2 weeks of drugs, EC, ET and 2ww. It took 4 weeks to complete each fresh cycle.

Best of luck to all you wise women and keep on with the PMA.

CarolineP

[randa2006]

Hi All,

Debra! So happy for you! Things will move very quickly now, won't they? Glad you signed up for the newsletter, I really wanted you to get the current issue, though. So, I hope they will mail it to you soon.

Kat! So glad you have a donor, and now you are off and running! Yay!

Jane! Would LOVE to have your fsh level, girlfriend! I think you have the right attitude going, also! You have every reason to believe you'll be successful.

Caroline! Thanks for popping in and for the support. Your time is just around the corner. Hang on a little longer.

Sharon! You and I are the same in that we are both "treating" ourselves now and then. I was completely off caffeine and sugar, but Oprah did a show that dispelled all the myths about caffeine being so bad for you. So, I'm having an occassional cup too. And the sugar, I realized that if I allow myself a small square of chocolate once a week, I don't feel so deprived. Plus, real cocoa chocolate is good for you too! And as for wine... because of my cholesterol, I still have a half glass of merlot every evening.

OH! And I just read today (you girls probably knew this already) that walnuts increase fertility in both men and women. DUH! How did I miss that one?

Hey BigJ! Where are you?

Hi Paula! How are you?

I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. It would be great to have a little list on this thread that we bring up now and then (maybe) to show where everyone is? Just a thought. Debra would have my vote to create such a gem. (?)

My stimming is going fine. Only one bruise so far. DH is giving me all the shots. BTW, I take 525 iu of the follistim (highest dose allowed), and 75 IU of Repronex and 1 ml of Leuprolide TP (Lupron). I take the Lupron both am and pm, all the rest only pm. Looking at the Repronex, I see it is a combination of FSH and LH in equal amounts. I think I'm on the max for everything. I think it's interesting to compare our protocols and dosages.

Just a few hot flashes, hardly noticeable. I think I felt my cyst pop last night. Quick sharp pain in that area then okay. ???

My 5 day us/blood draw is tomorrow morning. We'll know more then. We do a 5 day and then an 8 day.

Debra, you asked about my new job. It's the coolest! For the first time in my life, I am able to work for fun and not worry about $$$. So I found a job at a natural pharmacy. I work part-time and I feel like I get paid to go to class! I'm learning so much about natural remedies and prevention. One of the Drs. on staff is a naturopath and an acupuncturist! I am planning to see him in Oct (after this round is over) as my new dr. He has experience helping women with fertility. Already he welcomes my questions and gives me any information I want - FREE! Just as he does our customers. Anyway, I'm lovin' my new job, can you tell?

Gotta run!
Baby dust to all 40-something mommies-in-waiting!

[JaneR]

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for all your messages.

Debra we will work together on the PMA. I have a day 8 scan and then as and when after that.
Kat like you it is the 6 units of Menpur, did first injection last night and didn't like it.
Caroline thans for the kind messgae.
Randa so far ahead hope everything goes well today, I'm no longer worrying about my FSH my ovaries will responde how they want to and there's nothing i can do about, the hospitla have said my FSH is only showing now what they have known all along about my ovaries, so why worry but at least it did come down.

Well this time I am doing thing a little differently, injecting stims at night and in my stomache to see if it makes any difference, I know there is no difference between stomache and leg but read someones internet diary who said they had been recommeded to inject in their stomache, so thought i would give it a try and see if it makes any difference.

Does anyone else inject in their stomache?

Hi to everyone else.

Love,

Jane

[DebraP]

Jane, I inject into my abdomen but that's the recommended place for Puregon. I also have scars from my laparoscopy/post-ectopic op. so like to aim the meds just above my ovaries. I should stress I have a spare tyre so there's no danger of hitting anything!

Randa, your job sounds fabulous. I love my job too, which is a blessing. I've started Norwegian night classes and had to write about my dream job. I realised I'm already doing what I love, I just need more daytime students and less who want late afternoon/early evening. You must gurgle with all those meds inside you?

I haven't received a newsletter yet, if I PM you my email could you forward it to me? if a problem, don't worry.

You asked about BigJ, I hope she doesn't mind my saying but she's taking a board break whilst they're both having LOADS of tests done and visiting the Kiev clinic for a look-see. She's hoping for a November cycle.

OK, a rough what-are-we-all-doing list....I'll draw the outline and you can all fill in the details/correct me... I've put us in approx. tmt date order

Randa - started stims...?.., EC + freeze c.28th Sept.
Debra - stims started 20th Sept. EC/ET w/c 3rd Oct.
Jane - stims started 20th Sept. ..........?????
Sharon - started stims...? FET w/c 10th Oct???
Paula - started bcp....? Oct cycle
Kat - started bcp 18th Sept. Fresh/donor cycle end Oct
BigJ - aiming for fresh/donor cycle in November.
Caroline - basking in the sun November FET cycle planned

Have I missed anyone active on the board right now? if so, sorry!

Debra.

[Kat]

Hi, makes it all seem more real seeing my name on your list...
Feeling v tearful today - had very long conversation via email with both my sisters (one in Singapore, one in Sierra Leone) during the course of the day mainly about the pros & cons of telling people about donor tmt & it all got very heavy & wiped me out a bit. Was supposed to be working too - oops. They are both so supportive though & I couldn't wish for anything more from them but of course they don't really understand completely like you all do.
I get the feeling I'll start posting more now, it's all coming back to me how much it has helped before so excuse me in advance if I start rambling on....
Kat xx

[meandmine]

Hi ladies, how are you all doing this evening?

I spoke to the clinic yesterday - I start the HRT tablets on Friday (can't wait to get some oestrogen inside me - neither can DH probably. I've been unbearable these last couple of weeks. I then have a a scan on Friday, 7th October to check thickness of endometrium and then fingers crossed for the defrost!!

Debra, great news re your results. So looks like you'll be just slightly ahead of me but very close nevertheless. There's nothing like a good dose of Pride and Prejudice (the TV Drama of, is it 10 years gone now?), especially during the 2ww. It was on UK Gold the other evening and even though I've got the DVD, I couldn't pull myself away - I absolutely love it.

Jane, better news re FSH levels this time - positive start now to set you on your way. Good luck to you both.

Is anyone giving in to little treats here and there this time. Please say you are - I've had some chocolate today - I'm very naughty this time, aren't I?

Hugs
Sharon x

[meandmine]

Kat,

I think it it is wonderful what you are both doing - treatment is hard enough but you have all the other obstacles to negotiate and you seem very focused on what you are doing. Stay with us - we are all hear to lend a listening ear and to share yours and our experiences. Take care.

Sharon x

[randa2006]

Hi Jane,
Yes, I do all of my injections in my stomach, the area below the navel and about 6 inches across. I tried the back of my upper arms, which was also recommended, but bruised too easily there. Stomach seems mostly painless to me. Always a good inch (or more) to grab there.

Last night my dh forgot about the injections (and we had been fighting earlier in the day to make things worse) and didn't get home in time. I was crying my eyes out the closer it got to 9 p.m. and he wasn't home and I couldn't get him on the phone. I had to call the on-call doctor to get instructions. I was halfway through when my dh called and realized what he had done. I was a wreck, drying my tears in between sticking the needles in my stomach.

On top of that, he has been giving me the wrong dosage of the Follistim. He's been giving me 575 units instead of 525, which is the maximum our clinic gives anyone (525). Yeichs! When I had my us/blood draw today, they reassured me that it isn't a big deal. Guess we wasted about $200 worth of meds.

Also, good news on my follies. Five on each side. Left has the bigger ones. Right side all very tiny except one. Was told not to worry too much at the day-5 scan, as the day-8 is really the best indicator of what we are dealing with. And I remember from before how quickly things can change during these last days. I just pray I don't cancel like last round. They started out okay, but just stopped growing before EC.

Thanks, Debra! The list looks great! My Stimm start date was Sept 17.

Sharon, I have been having little treats along the way. I am keeping a food journal so I don't get carried away. Seems writing things down makes you think twice before you put anything into your mouth.

Thanks for filling me in on BigJ.

I can't believe we have 8 girls in our "older" group! That's fantastic! And further, I can't believe I am next in line for the big "procedure."

[randa2006]

Oh! One more thing. My cyst that I thought busted two nights ago, it did! No sign of it today at the scan.

[Kat]

Sharon - if petrol stations didn't sell chocolate then I would be sooo good but sadly they do

Kat xx