Cycle questions - Trying to Conceive (TTC) Message Board

JenW67 · 06-19-2007, 06:57 AM

Hello all,

I am pretty new to this thread. He is my deal. I am 40 and have a 2 year old son. I used to think I was pretty fertile because I conceived him just a few weeks after going off BC. Now I think it might have just been pure luck.

My husband and I have been trying to conceive for 8 months to no avail. (I want to say here that I know a bunch of you have been trying for longer and I don't mean to minimize your situation.) I think I might not be counting my days right. I know I am technically supposed to ovulate on the 14th day but for me that is hard to figure out because when I am getting my period, I have this very light, faint discharge for two days before getting a full blown period, which only lasts for 2 days. I had been starting counting when the heavy bleeding started but now I think that maybe the very faint stuff counts as the first day.

Frankly, I don't even feel like I am ovulating at all. I don't have any "wet" days in the middle of my cycle or feel like I have a slight temp. Here is another question - could the fact that I can still express milk from one of my breasts mean that I am not ovulating?

Thanks,

Jen

prairie_dawn · 06-19-2007, 07:19 AM

Jenny please do not think that just because others here have been trying longer means that your situation is less then important. You are 40 and that has a lot to do with it. Not saying you are old, I am saying that our eggs age as well. My RE has always said that any women over 35 that has not conceived on her own after 6months needs to come in. Weather she has had a child or not before hand. Our bodies change and sometimes they can go into menapause sooner than we think or change for one of any of a 100 reasons.

When did you stop nursing your 2 yr old? If it was recently(yeah yeah yeah i know everyone, i'm sure you think its a gross question but some people do nurse that long) then you might have to wait. If you are like most of us and stopped at about 1 yr then there is no reason you shoudl still have milk coming out. You need to stop trying to express milk out (just to see if its there) and ask dh not to touch them at all. Some women just need a little stimulation to have boobies keep just a little milk in there.

Have you seen your OB or RE(reproductive endocronologist)? If you have not please see your OB , do not let them give you a run around either. At your age they shoudl be trying to figure out what is wrong and not"wait and see" you have already waited for 8 months to no avail and this is not a time in your life where there is a wait and see. If you wish go straight to an RE and have then run some tests on you. They can run blood work during certain days of the month to see where your levels are and if they are good. Usually about 3,7,14,21 ,27 and they can do ultra sound(vaginally) to see if your eggs are maturing.

Let us know

Good luck and hugs to you. Listen to your gut when it comes to this. IT wont stear you wrong. IF you feel that your dr. isnt helping then your gut is right and move on to someone else.

Please do not feel that you should not speak or ask on here about this just because you have been trying 8months. everyones infertility or possible infertility or need of support when just trying to concieve is different and we all understand that.

magster04 · 06-19-2007, 07:22 AM

Hi Jen,

Welcome to the thread! I can't answer all your questions, but I recomend you get the book "taking Charge of Your Fertility" You can get in online for less than 10-15$. It's a wonderful resource and explains a LOT about your cycle and how your body works. If I were you, I'd start charting and bbt asap. By bbt you can see if you're ovulating. When you go see a doctor, you'll need to have charts so the doc can see what you've been doing.

Also, don't worry about minimizing someone's situation. personally, 8 months is long enough to have some concerns, especially if you don't think your body is working right. We all have the same goal in mind, to make a baby!

It doesn't matter if we've been trying for a month or 2 years. Good luck! Keep us posted!

Vi

saw339 · 06-19-2007, 06:17 PM

Welcome to the boards! I just wanted to tell you that I hear about this a lot from friends. One friend in particular got pregnant while she was on the pill, then when she TTC 4 years later it took a full year! And she was only 27. But I do agree with the other posters - if you are worried about not ovulating, then it might make sense to get it checked out.

Something else to consider if you have a regular period but don't know how to pinpoint your ovulation is that sperm can stay alive and active in your body for 3-5 days. So if you bd every other day for the middle 10 days of your cycle, you're bound to have a chance at conceiving. Just a thought!

Good luck!

JenW67 · 06-20-2007, 07:44 AM

I saw my doctor yesterday (just my regular GP) and asked if I should count the first spotty days as the beginning of my cycle. She said that at my age, I should and that I should consider myself to be ovulating 14 days after that.

I can't believe I forgot to ask her this but I just need to clarify. Is it right that I am most fertile the 3 days BEFORE as well as the day I ovulate?

Thanks,

Jen