intro (LO mentioned)

maven212

Hi All, 

A quick note to introduce myself. I am 38+ and have been TTC since December. At 7 months of unsuccessful trying, I think I am at the beginning of my TTTC journey. My daughter is 18 months old. Her conception was not a difficult process (I tracked my cycle for a few months, counted ten days watched for cervical signs), nor was the pregnancy. This time - foolishly, I guess - I tried the same and it failed. My cycle if all over the map (24 to 37 days, depending on the month). I used a ovulation kits and they gave strange results - who peaks in fertility 4 days after the first day of their period? So, the kits seem to have failed me. Temperature gauging doesn't seem to help. I cannot seem to get a beat on when I am ovulating. I'm menstruating…so that's something, I guess. Frankly, I don't know. Last month, as with this month, I genuinely believed I was pregnant while peeing negative (or the faintest of lines more than 10 minutes after the test was done), only to be 9 days over the long end of my cycle and get nailed with a hell of an AF.

 
So, I am older this time around and surprisingly uninformed about the factors affecting conception, implantation and sustaining a pregnancy. I don't know very much about my options, or even if how we have been charting the months and calculating peak fertility is useful.  I don't know any of the lingo, I saw when looking at the post titles before sitting down to write this message. The concept of "betas" is new to me. 

I'll admit that I am nervous about posting here as opposed to on the TTC boards. I am nearing 39, I've been at this for 7 months. It is not working out and I am anxious.  I really don't know where to start. I am hoping to be able to interact with and support informed and friendly people here. 

It is nice to meet you all. 

Autumray

Welcome! Sorry you find yourself here, There is a nice little link in the newbie blog to help with some of the lingo you can find the lingo list here. It becomes second nature after a little while. This board is ok to post in after 6+ month of TTC if you are over 35 so you are in the appropriate board. Betas are just the Blood pregnancy tests that are drawn if you expect pg or during medicated cycles to begin the next one. There is also the Secondary IF board for ladies who are having trouble trying to concieve after already having children. I am happy to answer any questions you have if I can Hope your stay here is short and sweet

BunnyBerry

Welcome! Congratulations on your daughter! 

I'm sorry you're experiencing TTTC this time. But I am glad you have found us here.

My suggestion is that you might start to consider seeing a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) if at all possible. It sounds like your cycles are really confusing, and an RE could let you know the first month if/when you ovulated by monitoring you. 6+ months when 35+ is medically infertility, so insurance should be willing to cover testing (bloodwork, ultrasounds, sperm analysis for your partner, and a dye test to check that the fallopian tubes are open).

Speaking from experience - we kept trying on our own for 5 years before seeing an RE even though my DH's SA was so low we had like 1 to 3% chance each month. And in my first month of treatment now, I found out that my uterine lining was 6.5 on CD11, then 5.5 on CD14, so they put me on estrogen to thicken it. I've had really light, short periods, so it's perfectly possible that if we did conceive in those years there was no way for it to implant in my thin lining. It's just a small example, but I kind of feel now that it would have been better to get more information earlier on. Now even though I'm still a good age for TTC, I'm not a good age for having great chances of the several kids we always wanted.

Of course, there's also a pretty reasonable chance of conception within a year and even some within the second year of trying - and we are super happy to help and support your journey wherever it takes you!!

KT416

Welcome to the board and I'm sorry you have to be here.

If you have an OB that you really like and trust thanks to your DD, I would recommend making an appointment and consulting with her first. She can help you figure out and track your cycles and do the initial testing with you.

Usually the recommendation on the board is to skip the RE, and I usually agree with it. However, you may want to speak to your OB first for his/her thoughts.

My first steps/timeline: Tried TTC for a year, actually had my annual physical at my year mark and mentioned my trouble to her. She encouraged me to set up an appointment with an OB and then gave me a referral. I found my OB (closer to my home) and made an appointment at 1.5 years of trying. She went through the baby making process and steps. I did three steps with her (in one appointment): She checked me for infections, did STD testing, and then had me come back during my period for a quick blood test. She all encouraged my DH to get a Sperm Analysis too. Everything came back fine, and she gave me a referral to her co-worker which was an RE and then I continued more testing with her including a HSG to make sure my tubes were clear.

Testing and coming up with a game plan can take awhile, so I encourage you to make an appointment with an OB or RE, whatever you are comfortable with. I know the first steps can be nerve wracking, but you will be glad you did it sooner than later! Good luck!

masterofallcheese

Welcome to the board. This is a very informative place and I hope we can also offer support on your TTC journey.

maven212

Thanks for the kind welcome ladies. I am happy for the advice and will check out the app. @DaydreamSam‌ . Thanks for sharing your experiences with me @BunnyBerry and @KT416. We are on obamacare and I cracked open the policy book tonight to take a closer a look at what is covered under what circumstances. I appreciate the encouragement to see someone quickly. It has been hard for me to figure out if I'm just going about this the wrong way, or if maybe there is something not quite right...and , really, seeing someone about it would clear all that up.

Thanks also @BunnyBerry for the congratulations on my daughter. You made me tear up a little, actually. 

@masterofallcheese and @rainbowbridge14 thanks for saying hi. Fingers crossed that we all exit this board soon (despite nice occupants).