u/Barrot_and_Rubys_Mom

I can't remember the user who provided feedback to another post, but if it was you, I am forever grateful! A few weeks ago someone posted for help regarding oily nail beds and how their gel polish always peeled off no matter how much prep they did. I was in the same boat. Someone on here recommended a rubber base coat! I ordered some immediately (like went straight from reddit to Amazon). I used it and got two whole weeks out of my gel polish for the first time ever!!! I am now a week in on my second go, with no chips or signs of peeling. I know it sounds silly, but this was a game changer for me and I can't thank you enough!!!

TW: miscarriage and blood

I finally started miscarrying on my own. Spotting. Started brown on Wednesday, then pink Thursday, then red Friday. Friday night I had horrible cramps worse than any bad period cramps. Then Saturday afternoon it turned into unbearable cramps that were getting closer together. Went to ER and they said I was already in the process so there was nothing they could do but gave me painkillers and muscle relaxers and send me home. All Saturday night I was in extreme pain and passing blobs the size of a Cadbury creme egg (best reference I could think of). Probably 6-8 times. This morning the pain is less, but still passing these large clots (2-3) so far today. Is this normal? My last miscarriage I was very early and it just felt like a bad period with one medium size clot (size of a ping pong ball) this time I was 8-10 weeks (measurements were all over the place, but 10 based on LMP)

Nothing really new to share, just wanted to talk about the constant, stressful waiting that no one around you seems to be part of. I remember when TTC every tww was torture. Then you finally get a bfp and you wait for that first scan. Then things measure behind or they can't see anything, so you wait again for that next scan. Then if it's bad news or you miscarry, you wait again for things to pass just so you can start TTC again. Even if things are good, you are waiting for that NIPT result. If that's good, you still feel like you are waiting for the time to pass until you have that baby in your arms. because of all the prior losses, you never really quit waiting until you have a healthy baby. I remember being almost shocked that there was a real baby when they put my daughter in my arms. 😂 Meanwhile, it's like the world is just going on around you for everyone else in your life. You try to talk about it and you get "don't stress", "it will all work out", "whatever is meant to be will be", "it's all in God's hands", etc. But the time continues to move like molasses on a cold day for us. You can't think about anything else. You cant make yourself just relax. Anyway, I just wanted to let y'all know, you aren't alone if this has been your life. No matter how different our journeys, I think the waiting is the worst part for all of us. And I have so appreciated the support here. No one pish-poshing my concerns or making me feel silly for my fear. Thanks to all of you. ❤️

I said I would update after my appointment. It's not good news but not definitive bad news. The doctor only had abdominal ultrasound and couldn't see much. So he sent me for hcg and tvus at hospital. Of course the US tech wouldn't tell me anything. But I didn't hear a heartbeat and my mom said she could see the screen and they kept measuring "a black blob". So I assumed blighted ovum. It was a long day. I went all night pretty sure it's over. But waited for nurse to call this morning and now I'm even more confused but not hopeful. Both gestational sac (7mm) and hcg (2900) are consistent with 5 weeks gestation. They couldn't see anything in the sac, but according to them, that's what they would expect at 5 weeks. But there is no way I'm only 5 weeks. I would have had to ovulate late AND implant late. I go back in 2 weeks since my doctor just assumes I don't know when my lmp began. So I guess I am just waiting to miscarry or get confirmation of blighted ovum in 2 weeks. Sorry I can't add to the success stories, but as I saw someone else say on here, I am looking at it as taking one for the team and upping the odds for someone else here. I'll update again after my next scan or if things happen naturally between now and then. Thank you all for your support. It has made this journey tolerable and less isolating.

I posted previously that I am 43 with a surprise pregnancy. I estimate around 7 weeks tomorrow. I let myself enjoy this last week. Acknowledged all my symptoms, let myself get excited about being pregnant, shared the news with a few close family members and friends who I will need for support either way. Anyway, my first appointment is tomorrow and everything in me just feels like it will be the end. Like today is my last day to be pregnant. It was never something we thought would happen and we definitely won't be trying again or anything. I guess i am just sad for it to end. The odds are so against me due to age, previous miscarriage, previous trisomy, and natural conception. I have never been on the good side of statistics and this may be the worst odds I have come up against yet. Sorry for the depressing post but I needed to get it out.

So my bestie and I did some research and found out that the clear blue tests now also check fsh to provide a negative result if the hcg is only elevated because of perimenopause!! If you saw my first post, I was concerned about that being the case for me. Just wanted to put this out there since we are all over 40. If you want to eliminate that concern, they have done it! I am probably the only one on here who didn't realize that this technology existed in a home pregnancy test 😂

Well, like the title says, I am 43 and just found out I am pregnant. I was a week late and thought it was just a step closer to menopause. My husband said he thought I was pregnant and I scoffed. Went and got 2 of those $1 tests (one for right away and one for first morning urine just to be certain). Basically just to put his mind at ease. Both were positive so I had him pick up the clear blue double pack with a digital. Both also positive. I don't even know how this happened. My husband (58 years old)had a vasectomy 20 years ago (before we met). But after talking with him, his urologist retired the next week and he never had any follow up testing to make sure it worked. I am wondering if it's possible I am just having a hormone issue from perimenopause? Maybe I'm not actually pregnant? I honestly feel kind of bad because he is so excited. I don't think he understands how likely it is for me to miscarry. He's religious and I am not, so he thinks God has given us a miracle. I am just stressed out about the pregnancy and haven't even been able to consider the possibility of a baby at the end. I have had an ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, and a trisomy 18 stillbirth. My son is 25 (teen pregnancy) and was born at 29 weeks due to severe preeclampsia. My daughter is 8 and was born at 34 weeks due to preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. So needless to say, pregnancy has not been a positive experience for me. I wish I could be excited. If I knew everything was good and I would end up with a healthy bundle of joy in 8 or 9 months, I would be over the moon. It would be my first pregnancy with a supportive partner and someone I know is an excellent father. He is amazing with my kids and has 2 adult kids of his own. I guess I am just here to put it all out there. I don't want to really share with ppl in my life until I know that it's real and viable. I mostly came here to see if there were positive outcomes for anyone my age. Thanks for listening (reading), if you made it this far.