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!

@Gardenlady543 I think your point about how oestrogen is high for a fresh anyway is a very good one and shows it shouldn’t make a difference to your FET.

Also re adding in down reg. I did an ERA with just oestrogen and progesterone and didn’t find window and for the repeat added in sniffer - consultant said it wouldn’t make a difference as it’s all about progesterone so I don’t think you’ll need a repeat ERA even if you do change protocol slightly.

Good luck! And congrats @Cream123 glad HCG is still going up.

I had my ERA/EMMA/ALICE there on Tuesday so waiting the few weeks on results now. Dr said he took a big sample as sometimes they come back saying there wasn’t sufficient so hoping this will identify implantation window and rule out any other issues. Just got a call to go get my vaccine too so I’m delighted! I was going to hold out on FET until I had it so now all going well can go ahead with a FET in a month or so.

Unfortunately my embryos are not PGS tested but hoping if I deal with everything else i might get lucky. First one back is one that was 10 cells on day 3 and made it to blast. It’s a 3BB too which I’m actually happier with as I previously transfers a 5AA and it didn’t work and I’ve heard anecdotally that the best ones morphology wise aren’t most likely to be normal.

@Gardenlady543 how was ur progesterone?
@seven201 when do u get to start ur cycle?
@alwayswithhope I hope you get some results! We all had something or another treated with ours! Good luck for your vaccine and great it’s before FeT!

@alwayswithhope thanks for the reassurance  and yep I agree a nice big sample is good, I was worried about mine because it took 3 attempts but the last attempt met their requirements. Oh good about the vaccine, yea def take that up, I've had both doses now.

@Cream123 I've just had the call, it came back at 0.5 so it's all systems go for a transfer on Friday. I'm trying to just forget about it being high now, since most people don't even have it tested. When's your official OTD by the way?

@Gardenlady543 glad they are happy to go ahead - time now to just focus in on this embryo being the one and no more worrying about anything else. Hope you’ve a relaxing weekend planned.

@Gardenlady543 exciting!!!!
My otd was friday (yest) so 15 days post transfer.

Oh yay @Cream123 I didn't realise you've reached your OTD! That's great.

Thanks @alwayswithhope yeah hopefully I can relax, there is no need for me to go into the clinic until transfer day now, which is relaxing in itself!

Thanks @Gardenlady543 I’m
Totally bricking it. Got to wait for a scan.
Pregnancy after mc is so anxiety provoking!

@Cream123 Gosh I bet, but everything's looking good, which is great. How many weeks from OTD is the scan?

2 weeks after.
Not sure I’ll manage! Def be having a handful of them if I make it past the first one being ok.

That's good @Cream123 not too long to wait, I was looking in my area and there's a private place that seems to do scans for fairly cheap. So I'm sure you can source some extra ones.

Oh yes I had weekly scans till 14 weeks with my Ds! I know the local scanning places !!!
It’s actually part of mc management to have weekly scans until 10-12 weeks. I’m n under them anymore as it gets cancelled once u have a live birth! So I’ll just source my own. Just hoping first one is ok as I can’t think past today atm!

I’m not under the nhs miscarriage clinic anymore that is...

@alwayswithhope well done for getting such a good sample. I hope the results come back swiftly for you. Mine were just under two weeks.

@Cream123 brilliant that you've made it this far and only a couple of weeks until the first scan. Has the bleeding completely stopped?

@Gardenlady543 fantastic news! You're right, they don't routinely test for it so try and make that something to focus on. When is transfer booked for? I'm so happy you're back on track. When I had my era cycle nearly cancelled because of a cyst I was a complete mess and then completely shocked it could still go ahead!

I have no idea when my next period will be. Im provisionally booked to start mid June. I'm on cd26 but my ovusense (first month using) is still waiting to confirm ovulation. My cycle averages 32 days but I do have some random 50 day ones. It's frustrating as I suspect I have ovulated (ovusense did say about a week ago I was in my fertile window but now won't confirm) and I bought the ovusense so we could stop having sex every 2 or 3 days. We're all sexed out!

What are people's thoughts on swimming when you have low good bacteria in your uterus? I was at center parcs this week so I went swimming but am worrying the chlorine will have killed off the good bacteria I'd been working to increase with the canesflor. I did do an extra tablet on the swimming days! I think I'll just not go swimming again but it's difficult as I'm meant to get in the water when my daughter has her swimming lessons (covid rules). I found a website that said swimming is bad for microflora. Should we stop baths? I love baths!

@seven201 it’s hard to know isn’t it! I didn’t go swimming when I was away the week before transfer over the same worries! I thought i was being a bit mad. However u have ages till u start cycle so just keep topping urself up and maybe just the week before Dont? I don’t know!

Yes it was just that one day 8dp5dt. And only 1 episode. Really strange. It felt too heavy to be an implantation bleed but I’m hoping it’s that and not a sign it’s all going to fall apart! Don’t want to talk too much about it on here cos know guys r still cycling and some people don’t want to hear about others bfp which I totally get - but I’m hitting myself every minute of every day! Of course grateful to be able to be have the opportunity to myself!

@Cream123 you're not going on about it so it's fine. I had two early bleeds with my daughter. Can't remember how many weeks (after 6 though and both first trimester). I was convinced that was it, but my dd is a stubborn little thing so she refused to be shifted!

Yeah, I think I'll just skip the swimming as I'd just be worrying about it.

@Cream123 weekly scans sound like a good idea, I think I might do the same. I have never been pregnant before but I think I will need that reassurance at least at first, as I see people talk about how they went in for the 12 week scan only to be told they has a missed miscarriage and growth stopped several weeks before. If I ever get pregnant I'm going to be super anxious!

Thanks @seven201 this has been such a stressful week, I was already stressed before the week began and it's just been a nightmare! I started progesterone this afternoon and transfer will be on Friday.

I was happy with the measurements ovusense gave me, but I didn't really like their algorithm, I used to input the temperatures from ovusense into the natural cycles app. Also Ovusense has to get to know you, so the first month it doesn't really tell you anything, but then it will predict the fertile window in the next month. I remember it not confirming ovulation until a couple of days after. Looking at your chart, if you've had a temp rise already then it looks quite subtle.

Hmmm swimming is an interesting one, I guess it would be unlikely to harm the flora that much or anyone into watersports and swimming would have issues getting pregnant. I've stopped submerging myself though, I think I'll do that at least for a bit. I have a layzspa hot tub and have drained that, also I'm super careful when showering, I don't want to be accused of douching again!! I think if you do swim then using the vagina pessaries is a good idea. I have put in a couple this week around scans. Might be useful for you to use around one a week with that ovusense going in during the nights. That's what I'd do anyway, but I think I'm always going to be really cautious now.

@Gardenlady543 yay to friday! How exciting.

Thank you for the ovusense and swimming advice.

Goodluck @Gardenlady543 not too long to go! Then the terrible 2ww ! Or 5-7 days if u test early!!!

Sorry no help with ovusense as never used it!

Hey guys
Do any of you use cyclogest during ur fet
What dose and how much? Think there’s been a mix up of my dose…

Hi @Cream123 yes cyclogest 400mg twice a day + lubion once a day for me. Cyclogest also comes in 200mg and they prescribed me the wrong one this time around so I had to get them to change it. I think it says on the protocol covering letter to check the dose is the right one for you.

Yes they have done it wrong on recent script. Got so confused! Luckily I spotted it ow would be underdosing!
Will ring them to give me the 400
Thanks garden

How u feeling for transfer - what time is it?

@Cream123 as long as you've been on the right dose so far! you definitely don't want to go down to a lower dose now. Well done for spotting!

I'm feeling awful right now to be honest, anxiety is coming on in waves I suspect because of this super high oestrogen level. I have got a diffuser on with relaxing essential oils and I'm using mindfulness apps. I normally stop the essential oils during cycles in case they aren't safe, but I can't imagine that it will be more harmful than the cortisol that's currently running through my body right now. I was feeling ok at work today as it was a bit of a distraction and then I had a work meeting and someone mentioned their imminent maternity leave and I just clicked leave meeting abruptly. And have been really upset since, which to be honest is a lot nicer than feeling anxious.

Transfer is in the afternoon on Friday, sometime between 1-4pm. The perfect time with when I started progesterone would be 2pm, so hopefully it will fall somewhere near then but they won't tell me until closer to the time.

@Gardenlady543 I’m Sorry. It’s so so though. Def keep going with the nice diffusers it won’t do anything. What about a nice massage or facial? I get a facial
Before each transfer ( I figure the body surface isn’t much to cause issues pre transfer?!) or acupuncture (I don’t enjoy this so don’t do it!) or a journal? Have u thought about a counsellor I think she was busy? Why not pay a private one honestly mine saved me from some terrible times…..she was wonderful.

@Cream123 well spotted!! I'm on the 400 one too. The cycle before last no one told me I needed to use 2 estrogen patches at a time so I'd accidentally been doing a half dose for a while. It's so easily done.

I picked up my prescription today and lucky I checked when I got home as all the lentogest was missing! I called them up and they said "oh yes, we're having trouble working out what that is". I read out the full name from a box I have and they still can't find it on their ordering system. Just another thing to have to somehow sort out.

@Gardenlady543 sorry you're feeling like that. I'm sure the oils are absolutely fine. It's all about a balance. You're so very nearly there now. Continue to make time for your diffuser or whatever else helps you.

@seven201 such a palava! I know I could have started using the 200 and just not checked! In my clinic they call it progesterone in oil. Incase that’s on the database