42 want to conceive a girl

[kkkk37]

Hello, I've been in the forum since 2015 when I lost my girl with 18 weeks. Since I was pregnant 4 times and had miscarriages all 4 times. 2 of them were boys, 2 unknown. Last time over a year ago. Since when it does seem to have stopped happening.
My recent blood test was not good: FHS 19.6 AMH 0.09. I have received a prescription for Femara.
My cycle is regular and I ovulate every month (tested with a clear blue monitor). But I have bleeding in the middle of the cycle, 2-3 around the ovulation. Do I still have a chance to have a child? Will femara be of any help? Should I take it or try naturally without femara? I'm very very sad at the moment. Thank you.

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh gosh I'm so sorry for everything you've been through, what a terrible ordeal.
:heart:

Unfortunately no one can tell you if it's possible for you to have a child or not. We just don't know. No one can know if you have good eggs left and how many there are. But when it comes to fertility, numbers aren't destiny. Bad numbers aren't always going to predict who can conceive and who can't. All you need is one good egg so if you do want to continue trying, you just have to keep showing up every month (meaning, having sex!) to catch that good egg even if it will not come but once a year or so.

Do they have any guesses why you're bleeding in the middle of your cycle?

I would definitely try the Femara, it may help you release more than one egg at a time giving you more than one chance for a good egg every month. (your body would have developed those eggs anyway, and then reabsorbed them without ovulation, even if they were good. So you aren't wasting them by taking the Femara, they would be eliminated at the end of that cycle anyway)

Are you doing anything via diet or taking supplements to help you conceive?? Some types of diet and many MANY supplements are actually worse than nothing and we may want to have you come off those to improve your chances of conceiving.

[kkkk37]

Thank you

[kkkk37]

Hi atomic, Thank you for reply. I take only folic acid. And no there were no explanation for bleeding. Is there a chance for me to get more eggs on femara? I thought with high fsh there will be no reaction on my side and the change to several eggs with femara should be very low for all women?

[atomic sagebrush]

Switch to folate instead, and take 2000 mcg daily (you can break this into smaller doses and take it several times a day, so 400 mcg 5x a day). This will be better for egg quality.

Yes, while it's less common than Clomid, you can make more than one egg on Femara. See the following from Drugs.com: https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/femara-letrozole-twins-3546148/ This doesn't mean you personally would have twins though, it simply means you're more likely to release 2 eggs and thus double your chances that one of them would be good.

As for your FSH, yours is somewhat elevated anyway so I would not worry that you won't respond to the medication, you'll be no worse off than you were to start with! FSH can fluctuate so it may be you'll end up with a lower FSH level for whatever reason in the months you're planning to take the Femara and can get extra benefit from it. FXFXFX!

[kkkk37]

Ok, I will try Femara and folate. I live in Germany, and here the terms folic acid and folate are often used interchangeably. Would the drug "Folate 400" by "Pure Encapsulations" be a folate? Which supplements would you recommend for better egg quality and pink sway?
Coenzyme Q10( ubiquinol ,ubiquinone) ? DHEA ( my value in blood is 3.5 µmol/L (128.961µg/dL ) )? I am afraid to take to much and mess all up .

Does Femara itself improve egg quality by increasing hormone levels?
Another thing I haven't found an answer to on the internet. The blood tests are done normally on the 2-4 day of the cycle. By me it was done on day 1. Does it matter? Would my FSH value be higher on day 3? What says LH and Estradiol(eE2)value? My LH = 6.2 IU/l, FHS =19.6 IU/l Estradiol(eE2) = 26.7 pg/mL.
Sorry for all the questions. But in the fertility clinic they only talked to me like for 15 minutes, till I said IVF and IUI( spermetogram was good) is out of the question.
Many Thanks.

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, the Pure Encapsulations one is actual folate and better than folic acid.

Coq10 is fine. 200-400 mg

If you want to conceive a girl I would not take DHEA. Your DHEA levels are not bad for a woman in your age group and taking DHEA when you don't need it will actually make egg quality worse anyway.

I would have you follow the atomic fertility diet here: https://www.genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/9052-swaying-under-special-circumstances-part-3-pcos.html?highlight=swaying+special+circumstances

Do you have any history of insulin resistance or PCOS? Do you have more than 30 lbs to spare? I have another supplement that may help but it isn't right for everyone.

We don't know for sure if Femara makes better eggs. Some people think it does, other people believe it makes MORE eggs and a better lining with a healthy luteal phase. We don't know for sure.

If you had your tests run on the wrong day they're not reliable. We would want to see those run again on CD 3 if at all possible.

[kkkk37]

Hi atomic, thank you for reply. I have no history of PCOS or insulin resistance or diabetes. My TSH is value 1mU/l , BMI 20,1, Testosterone 0,3 nmol/L(8.7ng/dl).
I'll have the blood checked again.
Many Thanks.

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok, given all that I'd skip the other supplement. I don't think you need it and I'm afraid it would lower your hormone levels more.

[kkkk37]

So just folate? No Coq1? Is Coq10 for pink or blue sway? Thank you.

[atomic sagebrush]

Coq10 can be used by either pink or blue because you're on different styles of diets and it can have a part to play in either sway. 200-400 mg coq10 is fine (I mentioned that in my other message! :))

[kkkk37]

thank you so much

[kkkk37]

Hi atomic, I am back. I have had two cycles on femara, 5( 2 Doses) , day 3-9.
On the first cycle, on Day 8 I had only one follikel 1,8 and got the trigger shot the same day, BFN.
On the second cycle, on Day 8 I had also only one follikel ( or cyst) 2,6 mm, got also trigger shot same day. Now on CD 11 BFN.
I definitely want to change the clinic, too little information and time for me. I've read and hoped to have multiple eggs, not just one and way too soon. Several months ago I was by a doctor on Day 8 and also had one egg 1,8, - the same as on Femara.
What should I change: try naturally, higher dose of femara or another drug? Should I give up completely?
Thank you.

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok, I need more information. Are they scanning your ovaries on Cycle Day 8, while you are still taking Femara, and giving you a trigger shot then? Because Femara, while you are still taking it, will suppress ovulation. And they should NOT have given you a trigger shot while you were still taking Femara.

ARe you taking 5 mg Femara and for CD 3-9? I need to know this before I decide if I think you should try a higher dose.

Femara is less likely to have multiple eggs. For most people this is a benefit as they don't want twins. Are injectibles on the table?

[kkkk37]

I take femara on days 3 to 7 (5 days long, dosis 5 mg 2 tabs). On day 8 I am scanned and the result was one egg 18mm the first time and one egg 26mm the second time.Both times on day 8 there was a trigger shot and planned sex on the next 2 days. I'm also worried that the shot comes too early or that the egg grows too quickly.

[kkkk37]

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the help

[atomic sagebrush]

So when you say 5 mg 2 tabs you mean 5 mg total, not 10 mg, correct?

I agree, I think both months you had the shot too soon. You won't ovulate till 5 days after your last dose of Femara the vast majority of the time (like, I've only seen this happen a few times and in at least a couple of those cases, the people had skipped a pill). The 26 mm one was at least justified, I think they should have waited with the other one.

Some doctors won't give a trigger shot till the follicle is 20 mm. Anywhere from 18 and up should work, but I think they really jumped the gun that month especially.

5 mg is already a double dose from what most people take. I suppose you could take more, to get more suppression of estrogen at the start of the cycle. but I start to worry about things like lining and CM on higher doses. Femara is supposed to be more forgiving of that than Clomid, but at the same time I don't think just taking more will necessarily produce the results we want (which is you to conceive quicker).

I would ask them if you could start the Femara sooner. Taking it starting CD 2 or even 1 (and still taking for 5 days, so CD 1-5 or 2-6) might mean you get the suppressive power of the Femara in before the eggs start to develop, and it might help you not ovulate so soon after stopping the medication.

[kkkk37]

Hi atomic,thank you for reply. Yes, I took 5 mg total.
I assumed that ovulation would always take place within 2 days after the shot. I have not checked with ops and only had sex within 2 days after shot. In the end, I'm not sure if ovulation has occurred.Why do you take the shot and not wait for natural ovulation? I have also read that taking the medication from day 2 increases the number of follicles. I will aks.
"Ovulation only after5 days after your last dose of Femara" - means that regardless of the size of the follicle, I should take the shot at earliest three days after the last dose?

Thank you.

[atomic sagebrush]

I feel like we're miscommunicating somehow - these are very hard things to explain, I'm sorry.

You probably did ovulate - sort of - after having the shot. But because they gave the shot in my opinion likely prematurely, it may not have been a fertilizable egg, or at a point in time where hormonally, everything was "right" for allowing the egg to move down the tubes and implant. By having a shot too soon, it may have been that your tubes and uterus were not READY to have the egg there yet and were still under the influence of the Femara too strongly. There may not have been the right kind of cells in the tubes and the right amount of fluid to let the sperm/egg pass through. This is about more than just the egg dropping, it's about the egg itself being ready to go, and also that your body is ready for the egg to show up and go where it's supposed to.

So while it's distantly possible that you did not ovulate (it can happen sometimes with the trigger) I think more likely you did ovulate an egg that had the odds against it because the shot was given too early, if that makes any sense.

Most people DO wait for natural ovulation. Some doctors think that the trigger shot boosts your chances of conceiving but of course that only counts if you get the trigger shot at a place and time where it helps you conceive rather than possibly interfering in that.

I think that in upcoming months, in addition to having attempts at the trigger shot, you should be having unprotected sex every 4 days in the 72 hour pattern before and after. That way if the egg shows up early, OR the egg comes late, you will still be in with a chance.

I can't say for sure if you should only have the trigger 3 days or longer after the last dose. I'm just saying it's quite unusual to ovulate before that 5th day after the last dose of Femara so it's not very likely that on CD 8 you should be having a trigger, just seems too early!

[kkkk37]

Thank you very much for the very detailed answer.

[kkkk37]

Hi atomic,

An update of my suffering story.
This cycle I took letrozol ( 5mg ) from CD 1 for 5 days. On CD 10 I had again only one follicle- 18 mm and lining - 9mm. According to doc, I should trigger the next day, but I waited until CD 14. The clear blue monitor had detected the increase in ostrogen on CD 12, so I tried to set the trigger at the time of LH surge . I had such a good feeling about this cycle. And today O + 9 I got my AF. I am devastated.

I wll not see my doc in the next couple of days, so I can't ask.
Should I try clomid (have a prescription ) instead of letrozole this month. My follicles grow faster but not multiple on letrozol. Can clomid work better for me?

Does letrozol or other meds really encrease the probability of conception, if I get on them only one follicle, or I should try without?


Thank you in advance

[atomic sagebrush]

Clomid is not a good option for a 42 year old because it can raise FSH too much. Letrozole doesn't have that same effect adn so it's better for women over 40.

Are you having sex in addition to when you have the trigger shot?? If not, you should be. That way if you ovulate early you won't miss the egg.

I would have probably had you have the trigger CD 12 instead of CD 14.

The truth is we don't know if letrozole is helping or hurting you. Some people have great results with letrozole. Others seem to take longer, or have issues with cervical mucus and poor lining *but I can't know if that is because of swaying!!!*

If you're ovulating off the letrozole on your own I can see some wisdom in dropping it. But at the same time, maybe you want to continue it...or take a month off and then continue it in the future. I can't know what option is better for you. Follow your gut instinct!

[kkkk37]

Hi, I do not do UIU. So we habe sex before and after shot every day or every two days for like 10- 15 days. It is not the problem��

[atomic sagebrush]

Even without IUI sometimes people only have sex the day of trigger, so I had to rule that out.

So you are having sex every day for 10-15 days??

[kkkk37]

Hi, yes my hb thinks that if we do it offen, it should bring success.
He is very optimistic. :)

[atomic sagebrush]

You guys need to stop doing that, though. What happens is that if you have sex TOO often, particularly when the fertile window is not yet open, the sperm count will get depleted, and by the time the egg shows up, your husband is depositing much smaller amounts of sperm.

I would have sex every 2-4 days till the fertile window opens and then go daily from O-2 through O Day. This will help him make more sperm than he will be making if he ejaculates every day.

Or you can use the SMEP (Sperm Meets Egg Plan) and you can find that here: https://thespermmeetseggplan.com/

[kkkk37]

We will try. Thank you.

[Walkerbabies]

Hi kkkk37, so sorry to see that you have had a long troublesome journey. I have PCOS too. I had 3 failed IUIs and 1 failed IVF and at 43 I have been fence sitting and wondering if I should try again. Finally decided now that I am 46 to transfer clinics for a DE treatment. How are you getting along?

[atomic sagebrush]

She got pregnant with a girl! https://www.genderdreaming.com/forum/ultrasound-gender-prediction/82381-girl-boy-12-weeks-2-days.html#post1075049

[Walkerbabies]

Thank you for updating atomic! Good for her!

[kkkk37]

Walkerbabies, sorry, haven't been on a forum for a while. Atomic thanks for the reply.

[kkkk37]

I have good news. My daughter was born two weeks ago. I've been on this forum since the beginning of 2015, since my first miscarriage, and in my worst moments, the forum and the quick answers from atomic and other members have always helped and given me the strength to continue. I will be 44 in 3 months and this is my first child. I had 4 miscarriages, one at 18 and one at 13 weeks. Since I really wanted a girl and live in Europa, I have always wanted to try it with C- Clinic, my husband was just always against it. Since in the last 2 years it became more and more difficult to get pregnant, my husband agreed. But due to my age and egg reserve analysis, the clinic turned me away. It was one of the worst moments. Then Aatomic wrote, you need only one good egg to get a healthy child, I clung to this sentence and kept trying. And atomic was right, i got pregnant only with slight hormonal support without IVF or UiU.

I would like to say a big thank to atomic and the forum for the support and hope.

[treens]

Congratulations! I am so so very happy for you. Thank you for telling your story! Atomic has been such an amazing human to many and asks for nothing in return not many people like that in the world!

Snuggle that girl you were meant to have her!

[atomic sagebrush]

KK, I'm so happy to hear from you and read this lovely update! It's my pleasure to help in some way whenever I can and I'm just absolutely thrilled that you got the little girl you were hoping for. Best of luck, enjoy every moment as it just zips by!

[Walkerbabies]

Walkerbabies, sorry, haven't been on a forum for a while. Atomic thanks for the reply.

Thank you so much for your update! Enjoy your baby girl! Did you say without IVF? So it is by natural means? Wow you are so lucky! I'm currently under my IVF treatment right now for egg donation. Like you this will be my first baby. I really wish this will happen to me like it did to you!