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.

@Dochas121 I had issues with the quality of my lining in my first FET, in my second we'd identified the microflora issue and everyone said how lovely the lining looked, that's why I was certain the microflora was good, although saying that it could have been one of the dysbiotic bacteria doing that and perhaps having gardnerella as the only dysbiotic bacteria (on the repeat EMMA) wasn't affecting the lining. In medicated cycles I have always been over 8mm, so 8.1mm isn't that spectacular.

It sounds like you need to hold out until 10dp, if it's a negative on 9dp it's just going to put you under more stress knowing you have to have another test the next day.

I’ll hold out then. I may be gone completely insane by then but at least it’ll be conclusive! 🙈

I see what you mean re lining. Hopefully the bad bacteria was the issue last time and all the treatment you have had for this FET will have fixed the problem. And 8-9 is apparently ideal lining thickness so you are all good on that front.

I do sometimes tell myself ‘what if it all just works out’. It’s my anniversary this weekend too. 4 years married = 4 years TTC, 3 of which doing IVF.

Fingers crossed our luck turns around @Gardenlady543

@msgloria I'm so sorry you're going through this. You are still young so I agree with others, take stock over Xmas and decide if you want to carry on the battle. It's so very shit. Counselling might help you decide?

@Gardenlady543 that's good for your lining. Sorry you're not feeling too positive about it.

@Dochas121 crampy can be a good thing so don't rule yourself out!

I've had more bleeding today, just as I was going into a year 10 lesson. It's not a lot and a kind of a peachy colour, but it's definitely there. Trying not to freak out. Just got to get through the rest of the day at work. Not told my dh yet as I don't want to ruin his day too.

I did do a canesflor pessary last night, but didn't push it in very far. I also had a bit of diarrhea before bed and this morning. So maybe it's that?! Who knows.

Thanks @seven201 I agree about taking stock. I already have seemingly unlimited access to one of the clinic counsellors (I think they up the provision for PGD patients) and I have my own long term counsellor / therapist. I think it will come down to DH and I working our way through this slowly together. All of the options available to us are very hard, but there is something appealing about stopping now and being grateful for what we have. So then it's about coming to terms with a life that's different from the one we hoped for. But it's raw today - clinic has just called and confirmed I can stop meds.

@seven201 I sometimes had spotting after using the pessaries. It could be with hormone levels changing that your more easily irritated so it could well be the pessary. Did you manage to do the HCG test?

PS @seven201 I really hope you get a good outcome x

@msgloria I’m really sorry to hear your news. It’s so rubbish. I had ivf to have my first and second and so I know the differing complexities trying for ur second brings. It’s also utterly rubbish going through it all with nothing to show. I was getting to the point this time of wondering when to stop . I decided I just needed to know I did all I could and not have future regrets. I was 35 on my last retival and luckily my third transfer worked.

I just wanted to ask what sort of delivery did you have with your son? Lots of women (me and seven included on this thread) had sections and then suffered with infertility.

Def take Xmas off and enjoy yourself . Hopefully time will help heal or u will decide to go again. It’s so hard deciding to stop.

Thanks @Cream123 for your kind words. I had a natural birth with my first. I've had a hysteroscopy to check for any retained tissue, and it was clear. I do just seem to have been very unlucky.

My only other thought is that the immune protocol might have been the missing piece for me, but there could have been something wrong with the third embryo. Perhaps the first or second might have taken if we'd done the immune protocol from the beginning. But IVF is beset with "what ifs".

@msgloria sorry to hear your news. This is a tough road we are all on. I'm also trying for my second (first was also IVF) so I know how different it is. If this doesn't work we will be stopping. I think it is going to take enormous courage to accept that our lives (and that of our daughter) are going to look very different from what we imagined but I'm determined to do whatever it takes to get my head around it and live without regret. I agree that it would be good to take some time before you make any decisions - you have a little time. Btw ARGC isn't that bad - in some ways it's the most supportive clinic I've been to.

@Gardenlady543 good lining. Exciting that you are ready to go although I realise it is hard to get excited.

@seven201 ahhh how tough having to teach with all this going on! Bleeding is a funny one. I had a miscarriage at 9 weeks and didn't bleed at all. Other people had huge bleeds and had successful pregnancies. Bleeding just doesn't tell us that much. These early days are torture but only time will tell. Do you know how many dpo you are now?

@Dochas121 I think you could totally test at 9dt and get a reasonable result but @Gardenlady543 is totally right that if you get a negative you will just be waiting to test again the next day. I have tested at 9dt in the past and had a positive but didn't really trust it until the next day

Oh and I forgot to say...my test results are back but I don't know what they are. Consultant has asked to speak tomorrow morning to talk them through. In all the stress about the clinic closing, I had totally forgotten about the tests!

@seven201 sorry ur still spotting it’s just beyond stressful! Have u got ur hcg sent off? Have u got a scan booked yet? It’s a really awakrd place to be as sounds like no one is holding ur hand - ivf clinic - gp - lower. But u could do with someone doing ur bloods and a scan. Hope ur doing ok…

@Janefx40 oh that's good your results are back and that you can speak to a doctor tomorrow.

Good to hear that it could be the pessary. I sent off my HCG blood test Monday morning so hoping the results are back tomorrow. I've ordered a second one so I can see if it's still rising (assuming the first shows anything!). It seems to have stopped for now. I did have bleeding with my dd so logically I know it's not game over, but I've also had an early mc that started with just a bit. Need a time machine and a job where I can hide behind a computer instead of having to be standing at the front of a classroom pretending I'm fine!

[quote Cream123]@seven201 sorry ur still spotting it’s just beyond stressful! Have u got ur hcg sent off? Have u got a scan booked yet? It’s a really awakrd place to be as sounds like no one is holding ur hand - ivf clinic - gp - lower. But u could do with someone doing ur bloods and a scan. Hope ur doing ok…[/quote]
@Cream123 thank you. Yes, I do feel a bit stuck between people, which is frustrating given how much money they've all had off me! Have posted off the HCG blood test and got a scan booked for 22nd (I'll be 6+6 then if I make it that far).

@seven201 great. Fingers tightly crossed
Will be a long few days till then!

Enjoying lots of activity on this thread and that lots of people are in a hopeful phase which is nice :-)

I feel fairly chilled about my 2ww so far in terms of the wait itself, but my overly optimistic brain is counting forward to due dates and scan dates already. Even though I know in my heart it's probably not happening 😞

@whatcangowrong

Enjoying lots of activity on this thread and that lots of people are in a hopeful phase which is nice :-)

I feel fairly chilled about my 2ww so far in terms of the wait itself, but my overly optimistic brain is counting forward to due dates and scan dates already. Even though I know in my heart it's probably not happening 😞

Your heart could definitely be in the wrong!

@seven201 that's good that you've ordered the 2 hcg tests. Not long until the scan!

@Janefx40 ohhh that's good that the results are back, is it ERA EMMA ALICE, or just ERA?

@whatcangowrong what date is your OTD?

My specialist called me on her day off to tell me the transfer is a week tomorrow and to make sure we got the progesterone dosing right, it is 6.5 days I need to be on it. So I need to do the first dose at 1:30am on Thursday! I'm still umming and ahhing about how to do it, I am prescribed 1 x lubion and 2 x cyclogest a day. So I was thinking that I should wake up at 1:30am to do just the lubion, and then do everything as if it's a new day on Thursday.

It's next Wednesday I think, I actually don't know as can't recall the doctor saying anything but I generally don't make it past at most 8d without testing anyway, so I think I'll target that. I got a faint, and also false, bfp at 7dp5dt recently which turned out to be nothing and confirmed the trigger does hang around for a long time for me. So I slightly learnt my lesson! But not completely :-)

I am not feeling negative or despondent at all but on the other hand have nothing extra to give to this process this time around. Did rest up really properly yesterday, was waited on hand and foot which was v nice! But I am eating normal food including chocolate, having a coffee in the morning, might even have a few sips of wine tomorrow for our anniversary dinner. I just figure it is really not any of that stuff that is the reason I'm not pregnant (nor Tupperware, nor nail varnish!) and I need to maintain a bit of sanity and sense of self this time.

@Gardenlady543 best of luck with the dosing. I think I agree with you taking the Lubion first as it's a half day dose.

The results tomorrow should be Emma, Alice, ERA and NK bloods and biopsy. Am definitely expecting elevated immunes as I've been tested twice before though not with a biopsy. No idea what the others will throw up but hopefully nothing insurmountable.

@whatcangowrong good luck with the testing. I've had positives from trigger 13 days past trigger so about 7 post 5dt so it is tricky. Glad you're feeling chilled - nothing wrong with dreaming about it success. I work out scan dates etc before I even start a cycle!

@seven201 fingers crossed for Hcg results tomorrow

@VenusStarr @Dochas121 how are you both? Xxx

Hey guys I'm currently on my 1st round of ivf. 1st time didn't work. I had my 2nd transfer on 4/11/21 and my test date is on 14/11/21 so this Sunday. I've been taking lubion x2 a day morning and night an pregrestone 3 times a day. On my 1st Cycle I was on different injections and medication which I need to look up on as I've forgoton the names so I couldn't say but this is my 1st time using lubion I had spotting on day 5 after embryo transfer only a small amount. I'm nervous I don't know if its because I'm coming on early or implantation bleeding or even side effect from these meds .. I've very bloated atm also.. my head is all over the place I'm thinking am I pregnantam I not .. has anyone used lubion and became pregnant after trying for a while? Or know if its more effective than other injections as I know it helps with getting pregnant? Thanks

@Gardenlady543 I think your plan sounds good. Will you then need to continue taking Lubion during the night however or can you amend to the evening - you’re just starting your progesterone at the correct time right?

@whatcangowrong I feel very similar to you. After being through so much I’m out of energy. I’ve been having one cup of instant coffee a morning and I’ve had too much chocolate but I need those comforts to see me through. With all the issues that have been found I don’t think a dairy milk and teaspoon of mild maxwell house is going to make or break a positive for me! That said I am now around 5Lbs overweight and previously I wouldn’t been a perfectly healthy weight so I will be dieting if this doesn’t work to get back to a normal range.

@Janefx40 it will be great to get those results. Did you do them pre emptively prior to transferring your normals or are you hoping to find something that explains failed transfers?

@seven201 good luck with the hcg result.

@whatcangowrong what day do you think you'll test on? Did you do a medicated FET with a HCG injection?

@Janefx40 oh wow lots of results coming today! Good luck with it and let us know what they are!

@Hassyboo if you're on 2 x lubion and 3 x pessaries then that's a lot of progesterone. Progesterone is only usually a factor in unsuccessful transfers if it's too low, did you have a progesterone test to check the level before the transfer? If not I wouldn't worry most people don't and they are on less than you are, I take 1 x lubion and 2 x cyclogest.

@Dochas121 I was going to do my normal dosing the next day, I normally take the lubion and a cyclogest in the morning and then another cyclogest at bed time. I'm worried about taking any more than one lubion at 1:30am as I don't want to swing into postreceptive, I think it's likely better to be pre receptive than post.

@Gardenlady543 I'm so sorry I was so sleepy when I wrote my last message. I'm 30 years old got no problems never havent used any contraception for 10 years and still no baby... I am not ovulating... I actually taking x2 lunion morning and night and taking x3 progynova tablets a day anyone used what I'm using ?