ERA/ALICE/EMMA testing thread 2

[seven201]

Link to the old thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4187520-era-testing-after-multiple-implantation-failures-anyone-had-it-done?msgid=110302437&utmsource=mentions&utmmmedium=email&utmcampaign=2020-10-19&utmmterm=You+have+been+mentioned+in+a+post&rei=438192#110302437

Welcome to the new thread. Anyone welcome.

You're giving me a shred of hope @Gardenlady543 thank you. I'll go ahead and put my best 2 in and cross everything.

@VenusStarr Doctor just called and said the mosaic is too complex to transfer and the abnormals have complex abnormalities too 😒. Don't know what that means for future cycles.

I hope you get access to genetic counselling soon @whatcangowrong complex abnormal usually means more than one chromosonal abnormality however i would not loose hope as your son is proof you can create a normal embryo and you are only 39. Were all embryos from one egg collection? On the PGS thread I’ve seen women have abnormals from one egg collection and all normals from the other.

@Gardenlady543 yes I have seen lots of stories like yours. I don’t have the same categorisation as you guys but am actually transferring a 3BB in my FET when I also have a 4AA, 5AA and 3AA as I feel like it might be more likely to be normal than the ‘perfect’ looking ones - also as the 5AA and 3AA were PGS tested and both came back inconclusive needing to be biopsied again.

@Janefx40 sorry, I missed your posts as I was writing at the same time. It's not just a month, it's a month during a stressful ttc time when getting older. I had that last year, had to wait
Until January as the December slot was fully booked up. I was gutted. I keep getting lapped by people having babies too. Be kind to yourself.

@Gardenlady543 thank you as always for your
knowledge. It probably is sperm. I will test again when there shouldn't be any hanging about in there. That pic is funny!

@whatcangowrong oh it is all so overwhelming and confusing I'm sure. I guess doing another egg collection round does make sense. Some people say sometimes you get a dodgy batch - no idea if that's true or not! Sorry that the mosaic can't be transferred either. Do cling on to the knowledge that your body made your wonderful son, so hope is not lost.

Thanks @seven201 it's good to be positive but unfortunately now I am just thinking that we have made 14 embryos over 3 rounds and of those we have 1x Perfect child, 6 x failed transfers, and now 3 abnormals and a mosaic, and 3 poor scorers in the freezer. From where I'm standing it's looking like the baby was an absolute miracle, but we are so lucky to have him and I know most on this thread have got there yet so I must be grateful. We will just carry on until we can't anymore I suppose. The annoying thing is the time you have to wait between collections. @VenusStarr I might need that Create info sooner than I thought. Tempted to go and see them and see about some natural modified cycles instead.

ps sorry for hijacking the ERA thread when I haven't even had an ERA and then going on and on about PGT-A instead!

I did mild ivf with them as my amh is low and it was my first round so a bit of a trial I guess. I was on 225 of bemfola and although they collected 7 eggs, they'd only really seen 3 on the scan and only 3 fertilised. I know you can't tell by looking but I had a 5aa and 2 3aa embryos. Having 3 fertilise and then make it to day 5 is pretty rare I think?

There is someone on here who did natural modified at my clinic and had a long, difficult journey, tested some embryos and got bad news but now has twins which I think were from her natural modified cycle. I'll try and find her as I think she name changed.

They also do regular webinars, so would recommend having a look to see if there's some coming up. I went along to prepare for our round and found it helpful @whatcangowrong .Xx

They were also really open and honest about our chances which I found refreshing and helped me manage my expectations (for example we were told to prepare for a day 3 transfer in my fresh round) so every step we passed felt positive.

@whatcangowrong I'm so sorry. Such shitty news. We go through so much for these embryos. But you do have 3 more and as everyone has said, these could be the euploids. I know loads of people who have got pregnant from one collection but future FETs from the same batch haven't worked so it just shows you can get mixed results. Fingers crossed.

@Gardenlady543 here is the link. She was quite interesting although I think I missed the bit where she said why her product would actually work!! It's one thing to identify a problem and another to find a solution. But you'll know more than me anyway

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/understanding-the-vaginal-microbiome-with-deborah-brock/id918950602?i=1000515751939

@seven201 what a year for you all! Sending so much love xxx

BTW I've done three cycles at ARGC though I'm not there now. But if people have questions, feel free to ask x

@VenusStarr that user was IVFbeenbusy and then IVFgottwins and now I'm pretty sure she is tigerwhocametotea (not sure of the exact username)!

@whatcangowrong don't worry about hijacking the thread lol, I'm always going off topic, I think this thread has become more of a complicated journey thread over time, which is good because whenever I'm in the monthly treatment thread I seem to be one of the only ones who has no luck each time. There is so much knowledge here on implantation failure and recurrent losses and it's good to have ongoing contact with people having tests etc as the gap between transfers is often very long.

Thanks @Janefx40 I'm really interested to listen and see if anything gets cited that I haven't read yet!

Yes that's the one @Gardenlady543! She might be worth looking up @whatcangowrong but she was at Create and tried a few protocols x

Thanks @VenusStarr and @Gardenlady543 I know the user you mean as have been on threads with her. I thought it was 3 different people who had miracle twins with create though!! Bit sad to find it's not...

I should probably change my username at some point - this will make you laugh - I selected this one to start a post about what could go wrong if you got pregnant too quickly after having a c section. LOL 😂

@whatcangowrong absolutely no problem with go off topic. I think I'm rarely on topic! I agree with @Gardenlady543 I can't hack it on the monthly threads at all any more so this space is incredibly valuable for practical and emotional support.

Sorry the miracle twins ladies turned out to be just one lady.

Thank you to everyone for being here

I think it's tiggerwhocametotea

I'm rubbish at names. When I first joined I was so desperate to post and so worried about anyone knowing it was me. But I wish I'd come up with something witty! But I am now long past 40. And people know me on here now so I've left it.

@Gardenlady543 I'm not sure you'll find much scientific evidence on the podcast although you might on her website as she said she was keen to share all she'd learned.

I have a rubbish username. I'm just not witty enough and can't be bothered to work out how to change it! Who knows if someone I know in real life has spotted me.

My progesterone result is in. It was 30.1 and according to the blurb that came with the result 30 or more = ovulation. Does it keep rising? Trying to work out when ovulation might have been. Probably impossible to tell now. I'm happy as I'd kind of convinced myself I no longer ovulate. And... no more sperm needed this month

@seven201 that's great news right? We now know you ovulated. I'm afraid I don't know when it might have been - no expert of progesterone x

@Janefx40 thanks. yes it is great news I think. Just need to focus on the fact I am rather than get hung up on the numbers, although obviously I will now spend at least an hour googling!

I have my answer
"After ovulation, progesterone levels go up for about 5 days before going back down."
So no way if knowing, but that's fine.

@seven201 so you'd have to do a series of tests to work it out. Do you know how long your luteal phase is? Or has it been too long since you've been able to track ovulation to know that? X

@seven201 I didn't think they went down until just before a period - because doesn't the embryo need progesterone to establish itself until it gets implanted and produces its own?

Good news about confirming ovulation @seven201 so you know af will be here when you expect 🙂 (or maybe not 🤞) not long til you can get started on your FET cycle.

How are you feeling today @Gardenlady543 hope the headaches have eased.

@whatcangowrong that made me smile. We started ttc 4 years ago next month, I remember counting ahead towards our wedding (April the following year) and not wanting to be too pregnant at the wedding!

Hope everyone has a good day today. We're off to stay with friends tonight. Had about her terrible night's sleep, taking it as a positive sign that things are OK in there. X

[quote Janefx40]@seven201 I didn't think they went down until just before a period - because doesn't the embryo need progesterone to establish itself until it gets implanted and produces its own?[/quote]
I thought that too. Maybe I looked on a not great website. Yes, maybe next time I will do two or three tests to try and pin point, but I guess I don't really need to and would be a waste of money. My luteal phase has been changeable over the years but back when opks last worked for me it was 13 ish, which is good.

@VenusStarr I used to count down to everything too in the early days.

Have a lovely time at your friend's house. Will be nice to have a distraction. I hope you sleep ok there.

That's great news about the progesterone @seven201

I have horrendous muscle aches, especially in my legs, I can't sleep and I'm so restless, everything is uncomfortable, I have taken some paracetamol and I'm under a heated blanket but it won't go away. I think it's the viagra.

That sounds really unpleasant @Gardenlady543 I'm sorry, it's really hard when the meds were taking having such difficult side effects. It's makes the process even harder ❤️ sending a big hug x

Thanks @VenusStarr the paracetamol seemed to ease it a bit then I started feeling dizzy, my blood pressure always runs on the low side but because the viagra vasodilates it has gone down to 89/58 so I'm officially hypotensive, I'm trying to take it ease as I don't want to faint. Drinking as much as I can. Glad I'm only on this for 7 days. I thought it would be the vaginal viagra that she was prescribing, I hear people in the USA talking about it, not sure if we can get it in the UK.