ERA/EMMA/ALICE Testing thread 4

[Janefx40]

New thread ladies! @Gardenlady543 @MyEasterEggs @seven201 @VenusStarr @Violette22 @Yuliaaa

@Gardenlady543 😂 there are so many acronyms on these sites. I often have to Google them. There's still a few I don't know.

Had a weird scan. He was really quiet and said he hadn't found any lead follicles and the one from baseline must have disappeared. Then he said I had a large cyst. Then he said no that was my baseline follicle now grown to 18mm which is about right for me. There is no cyst?!! But am a bit confused. Will be scanned again tomorrow anyway, hopefully by someone else.

Lining is ok but thinner than this time last cycle. But only CD9 so shall see if it thickens.

@Janefx40 well that was a rollercoaster of a scan then! Sounds like it's a good idea to rescan tomorrow for clarity. What's your lining measurement at the moment and do they have a prediction for transfer day?

@Gardenlady543 my lining was 6.5mm today.

CRP are infuriating! I can't get through to find out whether or not to change this appointment for intralipids. They said if I emailed they would get back to me much quicker than if I phoned but nothing.

My DD is off sick today so my DP is at home with her but hoping to go to work this afternoon. I need to know in the next half hour if I am getting a train home (not in London but opposite direction to Epsom) or if I am heading down to Epsom. So infuriating!!! Just sat in a coffee shop waiting.

Oh the email went into Spam. Apparently they are closed after today until 7th so I will have to go in today and hope for the best

🤣🤣🤣 thats really made me chuckle @Gardenlady543 ttc / infertility terms are like a whole new language.

Glad you're already known to Mr Trew, I hope when you're ready you can get the fibroid sorted quickly.

Just back from acupuncture, mentioned my thyroid and she said that it can also thin your lining but she's hopeful that the higher dose will bring it under control 🤞

I've done an opk today and got a nearly positive, so really hoping with the trigger everything is timed well. Still not hopeful of a bfp but at least I'll know where I stand and know FET is close for next cycle.

I've set my alarm @Janefx40 although I know there's no chance of forgetting! What times your scan?

Hello everyone💖

@VenusStarr I hope you will get your positive ovulation test result soon 💚I know you're not hopeful for this cycle but keeping everything crossed anyway 😊

@Yuliaaa You have an exciting day today waiting for the hcg. Cant wait to hear the updates 💜

@Janefx40 that sounds like a weird scan and frustrating with not getting the answer earlier from the clinic, hope you can get your intralipids today 🤗

Here so far so good (I hope?). We had another scan on Monday. First measurements were 8+0 when I should have been 8+1. I was nervous about this after which the doctor got 8+1 from a different angle. I even asked him "did you stretch it a bit for my sake?" 😅

Last week was horrible cause I had cramps that felt excactly like Im about to miscarry. Ive still had some and yesterday I noticed a few tiny bits of blood when whiping. Gladly it hasnt continued. We will have another scan on Friday cause my doctor is on leave next week.

I saw some comments here about Intralipid lasting for 4 weeks. Here the doctors think they last for 3 weeks. My doctor told that earlier they gave it every 2 weeks but now some new research suggests 3 weeks is better.

Until which week do they give intralipids in UK/under Dr S? Im supposed to get my last dose next week which would be 9 weeks. Is this too early to stop??

Hope everyone is ok 🧡

Unfortunately my test was negative...
I am in shock.

@Yuliaaa I am so sorry 😔💔 My heart breaks a little for you. Thinking of you and sending you a big hug 🧡

@Yuliaaa oh no. I'm so very sorry. Is your dp with you?

@Gardenlady543 the acronyms are so hard to understand!

@VenusStarr good news about the opk.

@Janefx40 I hate scans like that! Sounds like all is fine, but you just want someone to give that reassurance. Hope it goes well tomorrow and hope the intralipids go/went ok.

@Violette22 well done on the positive scan.

@VenusStarr as far as I'm aware under active thyroid tends to cause endometrial hyperplasia so thicker lining and heavier periods. In my case when I had normal TFTs my lining was 5mm then I developed it at some time in my treatment and it looked like my lining was 8mm in natural cycles, now it's treated mine is thin again. I think it was the cause of the weird issues I had with my lining, the patchiness and the issues getting a sample in my first ERA.

@Janefx40 6.5 mm is good, you're almost there.

@Yuliaaa I'm so sorry, how are you feeling?

@Yuliaaa I'm so sorry. I was so hopeful for you. It's just not fair. This whole process is a pile of sh@* sometimes. Eat chocolate, drink wine, watch crap tele or just do whatever you need to comfort yourself. Lots of love 💐

Thank you so much ladies. I am very upset and angry. I can't even process what has happened. I can't think of a worse form of torture than infertility. Unfortunately it will take a while until we will be able to afford another round. I'll have probably reached 40 by then and my odds are quite low anyway. While I am aware this embryo wasn't tested, I still hoped that it was viable. At this point I am pretty sure the embryo abnormality is the issue, but since I barely made 1 or 2 each round, I didn't see the point in testing them. I did all the possible tests (immunes, 2 hysteroscopies, 1 saline sonogram, ureaplasma, micoplasma, thyroid, EVERYTHING )except endometrio and pgs/pgd the embryos. My husband did everything as well, including sperm defragmentation.
I lost one pregnancy in 2015 at 7 weeks (after hearing the heartbeat) and since then I have been in and out therapy. I have been battling depression for years and I had to stop my medication because they had messed up my hormones and I had a few transfers cancelled because of that. I really can't put up with this anymore.
I will call my consultant later (fortunately we have a close relationship) and ask for her opinion.

Oh @Yuliaaa I am so sorry ❤️ it's unbearably cruel. You haven't caused this, its absolutely OK to have hope. Sending you a big hug. I hope that your consultant can offer some insight and support. We're all here for you xx

@Janefx40 we cross posted earlier. I'm sorry about your scan, how confusing. It definitely sounds like you're close 🤞 hopefully a better person tomorrow. Are you doing a trigger?

@Violette22 good news 💕

@seven201 I'll be thinking of you tomorrow 🙏❤️ hope you're feeling OK.

Ugh @Gardenlady543 why are things so complicated.

Can definitely feel ovulation type pains. Still struggling to think that the egg isn't a duff one but I'll be relieved to trigger and know this horrible cycle will be over soon.

Sending love to all 💐

@Yuliaaa you did everything to give the embryo the best possible chance. I agree with a small amount of embryos there is no point in testing them, it's best to just try and see if they work. I hope your specialist can give you some helpful advice on what could be next.

@Yuliaaa did you speak to your consultant? What did she say?

@seven201 good luck tomorrow!!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

@VenusStarr i don't see any reason to assume this egg is no good. There's a certain randomness to all of this so it's just not possible to know if this is a good one or not. I think we are going to ovulate around the same time so at least we can do the 2WW together (if mine defrosts that is).

The nurse today confused me when she rang because she said the follicle/egg is ready but my lining isn't and so we might trigger tomorrow. I don't want to trigger tomorrow as my lining won't be ready. But hopefully she was just reading the file and doesn't actually know anything.

@Violette22 I'm so pleased that the scans have been going well. I don't think a day either way matters on a scan. So you're next scan will be at 8+ 5? These are important milestones. Mr S's plan gives intralipids until 16 weeks but every 4 weeks so I guess they all have slightly different ideas. X

@Janefx40 how confusing with that nurse's comment on the trigger, I hope you get some clarification tomorrow 💪Thanks for your kind words 💖. Yes, the next one would be 8+5.....The furthest weve got before this pregnancy is 7 weeks which brings a bit of hope but naturally I am very scared of each ultrasound and what it brings.....Im a bit worried about the fact that they would stop the intralipids already at 9 weeks if Dr S continues them until 16😮. Does that mean that the last dose is given at 16 weeks so actually effective until 20 weeks?

@Yuliaaa Im so sorry, you must feel awful right now😣. Is your partner with you at the moment? You have had a long struggle and giving up the meds Im sure hasnt been easy either. I hope your consultant can give you some clarity for the situation, nice to hear that you are in good terms with him/her 😊

@VenusStarr Sounds like you're about to ovulate! Sending you love 💙

@seven201 💚@Gardenlady543 💛

@Yuliaaa I hope you managed to speak to your consultant. How many transfers have you had now? It's so unfair. Feel whatever you need to feel over the next few days.

@Janefx40 that is odd about the trigger. Did she know you'd only done the intralipids today? I hope you can wait an extra few days. You don't think it's to do with bank holiday days do you? My clinic is open tomorrow, but I think only for people who really have to go then.

Thanks everyone. I am nervous. I think I've mentioned before about how I have my hopes up for this cycle. I've had five transfers (all bfn) and never felt positive so I feel like I'm setting myself up for a big fall. Gah!

@seven201 I'm not surprised you are nervous - this is terrifying all of it. We are all so so brave. You can do this. And we'll all be here.

@VenusStarr did you take your trigger?

@Violette22 it's something that this is the furthest you have got but natural to feel scared. We are all rooting for you.

I spoke to her earlier. We had a long talk. Unfortunately she suspects the embryos. She said that top graded embryo tend to be abnormal more often that the average ones. So much for the grading then! Medically speaking I can only try endometrio. Genetic testing is out of the question because of the low no of embryos. My egg quality has never been good. When I did my first round my eggs looked pretty bad. Out of 7 fertilised I only got 1 3BB which implanted but then CP. And then the 4AA and grade 1 days 3 didn't take at all!
I might try naturally with some cycle monitoring in the future to keep and eye on the lining and to thicken it if needed. At this point I am fed up. I"ve been going to the clinic every month for the past 10 months and I can't do it anymore. I need a break.
@Violette22 being on the AD was awful. I was put on sertraline last november after my failed transfer and the side effects were horrid: I developed a hand tremor, I had horrible night sweats, sugar cravings, lost a lot of weight and messed up my progesterone. And then I stopped them and I put on around 7kg.
I am glad your scans are ok. 💜
@seven201 I've had 3 transfers so far. I will be thinking of you tomorrow.
@Janefx40 hopefully you scan will go well tomorrow!
@VenusStarr fingers crossed that the egg will be the lucky one!
@Gardenlady543 thank you for your kind words and advice! 💜

We are a handful of women here and we've been through a lot of bad things and the unfairness of it breaks my heart. This thought is unbearable. Why do we have to hurt so much? I know there is no answer.. my heart goes out to all of you! Thank you so much for your support! I really appreciate it!

Trigger all done, dtd scheduled for tomorrow and Friday, how romantic! We have been every other day as well. Will start pred and cyclogest on Friday too.

@Janefx40 I had a fear about the embryo not thawing but I think that's incredibly rare. I hope you're reassured tomorrow with your scan and feel comfortable with the next steps.

@seven201 it's absolutely OK to feel hope, you won't jinx things or cause anything bad to happen. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Try to enjoy being pupo ❤️

@Violette22 so pleased to hear how you and your little one are doing 💕

@Yuliaaa I'm sorry that your discussion with your consultant hasn't given you some reassurance. I do think the endometrio tests are worthwhile. Mine found nothing but it did help me feel more confident moving forwards. It's really difficult to know if your embryo was healthy or not and I do think often cycles that don't work out are put down to 'something wrong with the embryo' but I'm not too sure about that. Do you take any supplements for egg quality? I'm on 400mg of ubiquinol.
Give yourself time to grieve and process this, we're all here to listen and support ❤️

@VenusStarr I have been taking ubiquinol and a bunch of others for years now. The reason why I think it's egg quality is because I have never fallen pregnant for the past 3 or 4 years when actively ttcing. Not a hint. And I have had all the tests done except the immunes which I did this January and funny enough showed nothing wrong. But I agree with you, perhaps it's not just the embryo. Then, there's also the thin lining, but some cycles it was thick enough, including during transfers. But other than that, nothing major. It's so frustrating!
Keeping my fingers crossed for you! 💜

Ive started to bleed last night and all of a sudden Lost all symptoms ....are we loosing this one too 😭

@Violette22 oh no! I'm so sorry. How heavy is the bleeding? Sorry if you already ruled this out but could you have a subchorionic hematoma?

I think we're going to have to cancel this cycle as I had a positive OPK this morning (cd10) and my lining wasn't ready yesterday. It's a bloody bank holiday so probably can't get hold of my consultant (since it all goes through his secretary) or CRP who are closed. I really miss ARGC because for all the chaos you could trust them to make these kinds of decisions for you. With CRGH they will do a bog standard response so my lining my pass their test but not be right for me personally. I suspect I will have to make the call.

I know it won't be what I want it to be but I don't know what the cut off should be, if that makes sense.

Will wait for the scan but feeling gutted

Oh @Violette22 I'm so sorry to hear about the bleeding. It sounds really scary. Are you able to get hold of your doctor? I really hope this is nothing sinister but know that you must be feeling really scared. Sending you lots of love ❤️

@Janefx40 I think going with your gut is the right thing to do. Especially with this being your last embryo, you don't want to have regrets or questions of what if. What time is your scan?

@Yuliaaa I meant to ask, what was your ivf protocol? I did mild ivf as I have low amh and that seemed to be better for me. I think it might be worth exploring mild or natural modified ivf for egg quality. When you're ready to try again.

@seven201 I hope transfer goes smoothly.

My temp has gone up this morning so fertility friend confirmed ovulation as Monday, but I've overriden it because I know that's impossible. Plus my temp today wasn't quite my usual post-ovulation temp. I'm thinking ovulation is today. I do feel a bit calmer now its done. After tomorrow there's nothing else we could have done this cycle.

Xx

@Violette22 I'm sorry. Is there a lot? I hope it's another false alarm.

@Janefx40 have you had the scan? I hope you were able to make a decision with confidence. If it doesn't feel right, then it's fine to hold off.

@VenusStarr well done on the trigger and everything.

My embryo is now in! Was lots of faffing round with different catheters, but I think the embryo went in ok.

What are peoples thoughts on eating some dark chocolate today? I can't stop thinking about chocolate!