ERA testing after multiple implantation failures. Anyone had it done?

[seven201]

I've had four transfers so far (first 3 from 1 batch, fourth from a second egg collection) and 4 BFNs. I have a naturally conceived 4 1/2 year old and had a natural pregnancy with early miscarriage a bit over 3 years ago. My lining struggles to get to thickness, I have polycystic ovaries (on sukkarto), a fibroid, slightly high thyroid thingy (on levothyroxine), high bp (on meds) and a midline septum (ridge/divide in the uterus). I had surgery to unblock a tube 2 years ago. I'm in the healthy weight range.

My clinic have suggested PGS testing (we have 5 embryos in the freezer) but I'm really not keen on it as I've read about actually fine embryos being shown as poor and therefore being disposed of.

They also suggested ERA (endometrial receptor assessment). Has anyone had that done and found it useful? I just hate anything that delays the next FET but I think maybe it will be worth it?

Any other suggestions? Last FET I was on lots of estrogen, extra progesterone injections, clexane, neupogen infusion, aspirin and probably a whole load of other stuff I've forgotten.

I am so fed up with it all!

@Cream123 that's good that the cycle has at least started. I hope the scan went well and you're making a bit of progress.

I had my dr appt to discuss next steps. Not doing the embryo testing and am doing the ERA/Emma/Alice, hopefully with my next cycle. Turns out I have had a hysteroscopy before (when I had my tube unblocked a couple of years ago so that was a welcome surprise!)

@seven201 oh that’s great least that’s ticked off! I have my era biopsy on Thursday. Thank god! I feel so sick on the oestrogen feels mean doing a cycle with no transfer. My lining is looking better post surgery though not perfect so will have to see if it’s worked or not when I transfer!
All the best x

@Cream123 I hope it went well today and that you don't have to wait too long for the results.

@Cream123 I’m day 8 of my ERA cycle at the moment, I feel awful on the estradiol it makes me vomit I feel so fatigued and headachy as well. In my first FET I was adamant that it made me too unwell and that I would only do a natural cycle and then I found out that my lining was only 5.4mm on 9 dpo so I have no choice. It feels so draining to know I’m feeling this ill right now all for an investigation and that I have to go on the meds and do it all again for a transfer. I hope your biopsy goes well.

Good luck with your ERAs. For those in the middle of one, is it possible to have a transfer in the following cycle, as in straight away, no bleed in between?

I may need an ERA beginning on my April period, so i'd be hoping to actually start my FET process on my May period, but i'm not sure how long results take and if i need to have a period in between. Feel i'm in a rush, as if this next transfer fails, i will need to cycle again.

@IslandStars the company say the results come back in two weeks but my friend just had one and it took almost 4 weeks. You will definitely need one natural cycle in between, whether you can then go into the FET after that depends on if your clinic is able
to get a protocol together in time, I’m hoping mine can do I can start the FET mid-May. If you do Emma/Alice and need treatment then they recommend doing another endometrial biopsy I think.

@Gardenlady543 Thank you, everything is so time consuming, i should have guessed! I find all this waiting around the hardest part, especially when my reserves will probably drop a lot this year at 42, so who knows how successful another round might be...hope you can start your FET in mid-May.

@Gardenlady543 I find that the worst part, how crap the drugs make you feel. And as soon as your body starts to get used to one it seems they then want to add in an extra and you feel crap again. And on some cycles it's not so bad, others completely awful. I had a permanent headache for weeks on once cycle and as you say even more annoying when it's not even a FET!

@IslandStars my clinic say hopefully I can do a FET the cycle immediately after. Whether that will actually happen I have no idea! I'm having the ERA, Alice and Emma.

I'm in the dilemma of should I go on holiday 7 hr drive away when my period might arrive when I'm there, and then I'd have to drive back for a baseline scan (with or without my family but we only have 1 car). Or I could cancel the holiday. I think my period will come when I'm away but I don't know for sure as I had so much progesterone last cycle that it's thrown my cycle out. I just don't want to delay treatment. It's just so annoying how ivf affects every aspect of life!

@seven201 Thanks, I will have my failed cycle review next week, so will find out for sure then. Seems it depends how quickly results are back.

I may have this holiday dilemma if I can’t do my FET straight away after ERA. I’m not sure what to do yet, mentally I need the holiday, but if I delay treatment for another month, that will also stress me out! Just can’t enjoy anything without worrying about ‘wasting time’ since I started IVF.

@seven201 is that because they will provide all the meds and then advise about the progesterone course length when the result comes back, I think it’s a bit risky, what will you do if the result doesn’t come back in time? If your transfer window is out but you find out too late, then will you have to have an extra cycle off before the next FET?

I just want to get on with things ASAP but I know my specialist will insist on at least one cycle off between.

Re the holiday- my clinic scan for the first time on day 10 in a medicated FET, does your clinic scan before that?

I feel like my life is on hold too @IslandStars I’m a right mess today, my company asked me to do a day 1.5 hours away, I don’t feel well enough to drive, I won’t be able to attend a scan if needed on that day and I like to shield during treatment. I told them all of that and they said they’d find someone else. But it just makes me feel rubbish, this treatment is going to go on without an end date in sight and the only reason I’m managing right now is because I’ve been working from home.

@seven201 I think starting meds and then hoping results come back before progesterone begins is probably the only way to fit it in back to back, but will have to weigh up the risks. I’d ask the clinic what percentage of results come back within 2 weeks and judge it from there. I don’t want to waste money on meds, plus I found FET meds much tougher physically than I did the stims for EC.

I’m WFH too and feeling anxious about the return to normal. A long commute and office politics will not help my stress levels. You can’t please everyone, your work said they will find someone else, so let them get on with it, you had a valid reason. Easier said than done I know, everything stays in my head at the moment, it’s hard to let go of stress and I feel like time is just running away from me, all I do is wait for my next period!

@seven201 For medicated FET without down reg, my clinic say you can scan between day 8 - 10. Perhaps aim for day 10 because if you go in on 8 and lining isn’t thick enough, they will ask you back on day 10 anyway.

@Gardenlady543 Sorry, meant to tag you for the first post, brain frazzled!

I was just just told it should be the cycle after, they didn't elaborate at all. I should imagine that if the results aren't back they'll tell me I have to wait and I will do if I need to.

My clinic do a baseline scan on cd 2-4. I did email asking if I could miss it (but didn't say why) and they said no. It's annoying as I've never 'failed' a baseline and I've had 5 now, it's other scans that always show problems! If I do ever get a positive ovulation test then I'll have more of an idea and then can ask again explaining why. I just don't want them to say "we'll just move you to the month after then". I am so utterly fed up of it. We've been ttc for over 3 years and have always been pretty impatient anyway!

I'm a secondary school teacher so in school with just a mask and lateral flow tests for protection. Would feel much happier if I'd been vaccinated!

@Gardenlady543 don't feel guilty about work (easier said than done!). Sometimes you just need to put yourself first. Sucks though!

Thanks @IslandStars I tried to get through to my boss today but he was off. I feel the most unwell at this point in my medicated cycle and really thought I should let him know how unwell I am. I seem to forget how unwell I get as soon as it’s over and end up taking on far more than I should.

My specialist says that the bleed after stopping progesterone is a withdrawal bleed and not a proper bleed which is why she insists on a cycle off between, realistically I know I need a month of feeling normal before another FET. I’m thinking of asking for a double transfer because I’m not sure how many cycles I can take feeling like this. But I have 5 embryos left, so if I have to use all of them to get a BFP then it probably would be more sensible to have a single transfer and then aim for a double and then another double. Otherwise by the 3rd cycle I’ll only have one left and if it doesn’t survive the thaw I’ll be really upset having the cycle cancelled.

Thanks @seven201

That’s annoying about the baseline scan, is it a natural FET? I think if I had a nice holiday booked I would probably go on the holiday and make a decision whether I want to travel back for the scan or have a month off. It’s so hard to plan anything, I’m hoping me and DH can go away and have a nice holiday in the USA at some point, I think I’d be re-energized. It’s so annoying to go through IVF with so many restrictions.

@seven201 I’d ask to skip the baseline and tell them you have a family holiday booked. Much better that you take the break and are relaxed before FET. At least you have plenty of embryos left, I’m in a panic as I’m down to my last one.

@Gardenlady543 I do think we forget how unwell these meds can make us, we just sort of accept it and get on with it, as we know it’s such a long process.

It’s true doing 2 FET ( one mock, one real) would be tough on the body, so I need to weigh all this up. If your investigation tests resolve any issues, then I’d go for single transfer first too, then look at a double.

@Gardenlady543 ‘At least you have plenty of embryos left, I’m in a panic as I’m down to my last one.’

That was meant to be on the end of my reply to you not @seven201 sorry, my phone is cracking up as much as me

That's a good point. A month to recover isn't an awful idea. Mine are medicated (and very heavily - 3 types of estrogen, loads of progesterone, viagra, and some other stuff). I have enjoyed not putting tablets in all orifices and injecting my bum and tummy this month!

A usa holiday sounds fab! Relaxation is important too.

I hope my clinic do let me skip the baseline - I skipped one in lockdown.

I'm contemplating a double transfer but I've been advised not to (due to complications in my last pregnancy) so will probably hold off on that one. It's worth considering though.

Hey guys. ERA was fine-just waiting for sample.

I felt awful on the oestrogen. Terrible. I always do but nothing helps I just have to tell myself it’s not forever. Felt worse knowing there was no transfer at the end of it!

My consultant wouldn’t let me cycle at after either said it’s a withdrawal bleed and makes results invalid. So I’m taking a break this month.

The excess carb bingeing due to feeling sick has made me get fat! So I’m on the healthy eating and having a month of not feeling sick before I get back onto my FET.

Similar holiday dilemmas here too. Sick of ivf ruining my life all the time. I’ve decided I’m
Going (I Need a break!) but it will mean some juggling about and it may be the wrong choice if I need a scan in the middle of cornwall (actually sure there’s a clinic somewhere I can get one done if needs be!).

I’ve been utterly pissed post era until today though! Felt amazing not taking progesterone up my back , oestrogen in my front and stabbing my self with lubion all whilst feeling sick!

@Cream123 Glad it went well, so many people say ERA is really painful. The FET meds are just horrible, I hate them so much more than stims!

This withdrawal bleed doesn’t seem to count for anything then, I was told the same when embryo banking, I wasn’t allowed to start a new cycle on the withdrawal bleed.

Take the holiday, I really think the break is important. Some clinics do have branches in the South West if they let you scan somewhere else, might still be a trek from Cornwall, but closer then going all the way home.

Me ERA fine ! I took 2 para but I hardly felt a thing. Good luck! Also had FeT more than stimming. I’m on all sorts of immune meds so I’m like a rattling pharmacy. Will update when results r in!

Lol @IslandStars @Cream123 we should form a group the ERA gang who cannot stand the FET meds, besides feeling some pressure in my fresh cycle I thought it was fine! But this estradiol

I’m worried the ERA will be painful too, hopefully I’ll have it in just over a week, I guess if it is painful I won’t know until I’ve fully committed! My friend had it and said it was fine so🤞