# 45 and defying STATS!!!!



## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Ok, some of you may already ahve read this elsewhere but just in case here is my story today:

Married (1st time) age 43.  Neither of us have kids. TTCfor 2 years.  2 x IVF's at the Lister in 2005 - both BFN's.  Looking into DE or our own miracle.

Jan '06 had first BFP but was chemical as disappeared after 2 days.  Mar '06 second BFP at 11dpo faint but ++.  By 15 DPO    and yesterday on Clearblue Digital PRGNANT within 30 secs.  So, today I am defying the statistics.  I have an awful long way to go so please send lots of sticky vibes.  I will have a blood test this week to see how levels are and go from there.

I do hope this is an inspiration to you.  Here is what I did:

Accupuncture - twice a month
Horrid Chinese Herbs - last 4 months
Yoga - 2 -3 times a week
Pilates - 1 x week
Clearblue Fertility Monitor - first month
OPK's
PreSeed lube
Robitussin - 4 days pre O
Brazil Nuts and fresh Pineapple
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THANK YOU TO MY DARLING DH for always smiling and leaping  on me when it was the best time   

Fingers, toes and legs crossed for now.

Nuala


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## madison (May 6, 2005)

HI,

I just wanted to say .... WELL DONE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH.

with love Katy, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## belladonna (Mar 25, 2005)

nuala,

sending you loads of                         

congratulations darling x x x x 
donna x x x


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## MollyW (May 5, 2004)

Nuala

Congratulations to you and your DH  and thank-you SO much for sharing your positive story and your tips. 

Sending you a heap of sticky vibes                             

Good luck for the blood-test and the next 8 months.

Love Molly
x


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## ♥Meerkat♥ (Nov 14, 2005)

Hi Nuala
Many congratulations to you - you must be over the moon  

Thanks so much for sharing your inspirational story

Sending you tons of sticky vibes and good luck for the blood test        

Love Meerkat x


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## zora (Sep 30, 2005)

Well done Nuala nice to see some good news. Forgive me for asking but did you do IUI this time around? ONly asking as I might be going down the same route.Wishing you the best of luck


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## Guest (Apr 3, 2006)

FANTASTIC ....Congratulations.

Your great news has certainly given me hope too.  DH and I had our registration appointment today to sign all the legal stuff to jump the IVF rollercoaster.  

Like you, I met my DH late in life after kissing my share of toads (or rats).  Neither of us been married or had kids and TTC since we married Aug 2003.

Sending you lots of luck and         (would send you sticky thoughts but can't find the smilies - not quite got the hand of this site yet.


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Hi,

Thank you all for your wonderful messages and lots and lots of sticky vibes.

Corndolly:  Yeah, know what you mean about kissing lots of toad rats along the way to finding your DH    

Zora:  Thank you so much.  I have followed your journey on these boards so thank you.  No we didn't have any medical intervention for this BFP or the one in Jan.  As we have no blockages and my DH   were given a gold star by the Lister I thought well then what I need to do is to get my bod into as much balance as poss and I guess its worked so far!!  This was a totally natural conception except for ingesting lots of vile chinese herbs, being an accupuncture pin cushion and using Preseed lube which is   friendly....

Molly, Belladonna and Madison - thank you all.  Madison I too have followed your journey so far - wishing you every success too.

We are taking this one day at a time as again the stats are against us.  Now I am a passenger and must trust my body knows what to do and if everything is ok then so too will be this pregnancy.  Off to the doc tomorrow to get a blood test.

Love,
Nuala


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## druzy (Jan 25, 2006)

Nuala

Can I ask what chinese herbs you used?  Was it a treatment from someone who knew about treating for fertility and if so are they anywhere near me in Kent!?

My DH also has a gold star for his sperm count and my only thing, other than age (41 next month) is elevated FSH at 11.6 (mind you that was last August).  I'm going to do a general post about why the hell elevated FSH apparently makes conceiving more difficult?  I appreciate that it may make you react poorly to stims (although I was OK on that) but once you have the embryos why's it harder after that - or isn't it? 

Testing on Thursday for 1st IVF but already have what looks like a pretty normal AF to me so think that that is the end of that round.  Want to make the most of the next year obviously (41-42) and in two minds as to whether to take out a loan and bash myself every other month with IVF or try and chinese herb type approach?  

Thanks a lot and constant sticky vibes for you!

Druzy xx


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## zora (Sep 30, 2005)

Nuala- natural wow that's the [email protected] been advised by one place that IVF is not for me but don't give up yet ?! So pleased that TTC  could still be an option since no male factor .You made my day yesterday. I'm so hung up with the fact that I'm over 40 and never been pregnant that it was so nice to see that it CAN happen. Really hope things work out for you
More


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Thanks girls for your wonderful support    

Druzy - I beileve my acupuncturist TCM doctor does consult at a clinic in Kent as well as here in Cambridgeshire and London.  I will ask her the name of the clinic when I see her next week.

It is a difficult one - if you have not problems other than age than I personally believe that acupuncture, herbs, diet and exercise can give your body the boost it needs - oh and BDing at the right times of course  .  I'll post a note next week to you re Inga.

Nuala


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## foxyangelina (Mar 16, 2005)

Many, many congrats, Nuala and sending you billions of positive thoughts    .  Your post really cheered me up today , been feeling down and losing hope  (age 44 – one iui miscarriage).  I too am seriously considering acupuncture (had high fsh in jan 13.4 but had unusually short cycle with it so dr and I are hoping it was a blip due to stress as Sept was 5.4 and Oct was 5.7). Back to normal cycle now but keep putting fsh test day 3 off as last two months falls at weekends or Easter!!!!! Aaarrghhhh  V. annoyed and frustrated). I too would like to know at which clinic your acupuncturist is at in London - be great if you could find out for me next week, Nuala.
ang xx


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## LoveBug (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Nuala,

Only just caught up with this thread and just wanted to add my congrats - that really is great, cheering news! I'm 43 and on 3rd IVF now - had BFP first time but m/c early on; but really determined to keep trying, and a story like yours gives us extra grounds for staying positive! It's so hard not to feel like time's running out, but you are an inspiration to keep trying. I'm also doing acupuncture every week and core stability exercises (similar to pilates) and hoping it will make a difference this time. 

Thanks for sharing your story, and big, big sticky vibes to you! Btw, am also enjoying the toad-kissing sub-conversation (Hi Corndolly!) - as I'm another one, didn't meet dh till age 40 and boy, is he different from the specimens I met before!!!

Take care and looking forward to hearing how you go on,

  

LoveBug xx


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Thanks girls - feels a little wierd being an inspiration to others but I do remember every time I read a positive story from someone in the their 40's that it encouraged me to keep trying and tweaking my odds in different ways but without being obsessive.    

LoveBug - your post made me   and yes my Dh is so totally different from the other speciemns I met before hand too!!!

Ang - I will ask Inga where in London and Kent she practices acupuncture.

Have a lovely weekend - I'm enjoying putting my feet up for an hour in the afternoon at weekends - feels very self-indulgent.

Love to all,

Nuala


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## janeup (Jan 15, 2005)

Nuala - your story is so wonderful.  Keep us all informed as to how it goes!  I am more than encouraged now to keep on ttc naturally and give ivf one chance with my own eggs.  My previous consultant was so negative, despite the fact that I already have a child and have excellent hormone levels.  I have never thought of using pre-seed until now. thanks for this helpful advice.


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Janeup,

Although the consultants at the Lister were always so supportive they too said  that the highest odds against us is age which really upset me when I found this out a year ago age 44.  We were determined to give ourselves the best shot and so went for IVF.  When this didn't work we were upset but I was determined to keep trying naturally.  Like you my Day 3 hormone levels are absolutely fine  FSH 8.4, LH 8.3 & Estradiol 127.  My acupuncturist/herbalist has been really supportive and asked me to do Basal Body Charting (taking your temp each morning) so it could show her where in my cycle needed supporting with herbs and acupuncture.  I watched my temps go from very rocky to much smoother to almost flat at times in the last 6 months and once they stabilised I started to get my BFP's!  I do think PreSeed helped too as (TMI) I didn't have that much CM around ovulation anymore.

Yoga and pilates helped me physically and emotionally and probably increased bloodflow to all my vital organs which with the herbs just brought everything into balance.

Wishing you every success for your own BFP,

Nuala


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## yonny (Mar 5, 2005)

Well done honey, (and DH as well of course!! )
So incredibly chuffed for you!!!! 
Yonny x


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## Mish3434 (Dec 14, 2004)

Nuala,  Congrats on your BFP, wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy

Love Shelley x


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## Plink (Mar 24, 2004)

helo Nuala

best of luck and hoping this one sticks!!

I'm doing pilates too but not sure if I could manage 2-3x yoga hehe heh!

were you taking chinese herbs or just the usuual vits?
I had a raised fsh this month so looking for 'lowering' manoevers before doinmg another assisted, and the ttc naturally aswell.

keep us posted
Louise x


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Yonny & Shelley, Thank you so much for your messages.

Louise - I was taking the vile Chinese herbs prescribed by my acupuncturist who is a fully qualified chinese doc.  I had to brew them up like a tea every two days and take a cup morning and evening.  She said brewing the fresh herbs works in half the time the pills do so at my age I went for the stinky herbs as time was not on my side!!!  Inga said they wold work within 3-4 months and sure enough 2 months later ist BFP and now second but a sticker (so far) just 4 months from first taking them.  My DH hated the stink they made so rigged me up a cooker in the workshop so they didn't stink out the house  

Just waiting on midwife to call today to sort out first scan appointment.....

Nuala


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## janeup (Jan 15, 2005)

thank you for this advice.  I will talk to my acupunturist next week about herbs as she is a qualified chinese doc.  On another subject, I went to my GP today to book in blood tests for FSH, LH progestagen etc etc and she told me that from 1st April, private IVF patients could not get their drugs on NHS prescription, a practice my health centre had been doing for years.  How annoying is that?  Anyway,  any advice on where to get "cheaper" drugs for treatment would be very helpful.  Otherwise, will keep on ttc naturally with dh.


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## Plink (Mar 24, 2004)

hi Nuala

well its nice to think the stinky herbs helped! agree its important to find a properly trained tcm practitioner. I have seen a very good one in Harley street and here in HK have seen an equally good one. She has a very good knowledge of fertility stuff and always 'knows' about things you mention (which I think is reassuring since us lot are somewhat more knowing than most since we spend so much time reading about it and others experiences) lets see if she gives me some cyclical herbs next Thursday when I see her.
The chap in London gave me some capsules (he made them up tho)and I had to take one lot until 'o' and then another lot.
the fsh measured after taking that for a month or not much more, was 7 (from a 14.5)
you never know if its the culprit but it certainly hadnt gone up, which carries a certain significance for me.

good luck Nuala
great to hear about 2 +ve tests in such a short time. I would like just one + ! but pleased for you...x


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## babybliss (Jun 3, 2006)

Hi Nuala, What is pre-seed? Am 44 almost and having tried ICSI (male factors) twice failed having to face egg donor due to my age. Have fsh 8 and lh6, so otherwise normal. Been pregnant nce at 34 but abortion. Wasted time with bad relationship. Any suggestions? Babyblissxxx

Although the consultants at the Lister were always so supportive they too said that the highest odds against us is age which really upset me when I found this out a year ago age 44. We were determined to give ourselves the best shot and so went for IVF. When this didn't work we were upset but I was determined to keep trying naturally. Like you my Day 3 hormone levels are absolutely fine FSH 8.4, LH 8.3 & Estradiol 127. My acupuncturist/herbalist has been really supportive and asked me to do Basal Body Charting (taking your temp each morning) so it could show her where in my cycle needed supporting with herbs and acupuncture. I watched my temps go from very rocky to much smoother to almost flat at times in the last 6 months and once they stabilised I started to get my BFP's! I do think PreSeed helped too as (TMI) I didn't have that much CM around ovulation anymore.

Yoga and pilates helped me physically and emotionally and probably increased bloodflow to all my vital organs which with the herbs just brought everything into balance.

Wishing you every success for your own BFP,

Nuala 

[/quote]


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## Misty C (Mar 1, 2006)

Hi Babybliss 

I have tried to PM your last question and your in box is full so it won't let me send I will try again later if you manage to delete any of your older stuff.

Misty C
xxxxx


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Babyliss,

I also tried to send you an IM but your inbox is still full.  I will try it again tomorrow.

Nuala


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## Plink (Mar 24, 2004)

HI Nuala

Just bumping this up!
Hope you are continuing well. BTW  when I had my dd at C+W, Cherie Blair was around at the same time! I saw her in antenatal.
Sent you IM and wishing you the best

PLink  xx


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## Sally123 (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi Nuala
Congratulations - I only just read your post so hoping all is still going well! I just wanted to ask you where you obtain Preseed lube?
Love Sally

Age: 44 - just!
TTC 4 yrs
1 son, conceived naturally, born 2001
Contemplating IVF this autumn, trying to pluck up courage!


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## MelMac (Jun 28, 2005)

What fantastic news, it brings hope to us all.  Very many congratulations and may your stickiness persist!!
Best Wishes
Mel XX


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