ERA/EMMA/ALICE Testing thread 4

[Janefx40]

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

@Gardenlady543 thanks for all the advice! You are a marvellous person to have on this thread.

@thislittlebird my PH was a little off when my period is due. The kit I have says to test again a few hours later if abnormal so could be worth doing a follow up.

@seven201 hope you are ok. Thinking of you

@VenusStarr how are you?

Hope everyone else is going ok xxx

@thislittlebird I think it's the first few hours of full flow, so hopefully you get the kit before the full flow starts. If you can do a little more progesterone to hold it off slightly that would be good. Otherwise you might have to wait a whole cycle to do it again. I think my full flow came on during the night and despite trying to catch the drops of menstrual fluid I failed miserable so I ended up putting a menstrual cup in for a few hours to catch some.

I've attached 2 pH paper charts, if you got the box that I advised then you'll see that they consider the pH higher even though the colour is the same as the chart next to it which I got in another kit. I'm pretty sure it's the same pH paper. So I've not been too worried about the pH being around 5. As @Janefx40 mentions it will go up a bit when you're at period time. I'm worried if I'm not on my period and it looks blue and wow it looked super blue before I was treated.

I think that's sensible to hold off on the other tests, when I got the immune stuff tested I think I paid around €700 which was pretty reasonable but the price seems to have gone up quite a bit since. Why don't you book in with Gorgy and see what he thinks? He will advise on what tests he thinks will be useful, I think the initial consultation is about £250.

I am having a shit day, my friend who got pregnant the same time as I started trying, who I can't talk to as it makes me upset and she understands. Well she liked something I commented 14 years ago, which meant I got a notification with her profile picture attached of her playing on the beach with her toddler. It honestly has really knocked me down, I stayed up all night crying. I just feel like the treatment will never work and I'm so sad seeing her live the life I should be living.

Sorry you're having a difficult day @Gardenlady543 ❤️ random that she liked something from so long ago. It's a kick in the gut even you get things like that happen. Sending a hug.

@thislittlebird hello, we've spoken on other threads before. I'm sorry about your transfers ❤️ this is a lovely group, so even though its not for nice reasons, it's good to have you here.

Lots of love @seven201

Hi @Janefx40 I'm sorry you might have BV / thrush! I hope you can get it sorted and the discomfort goes away quickly.

I'm ok. Waiting for my period. Feeling quite crampy today, but don't think I'm due on until Monday / Tuesday. I'm guessing I ovulated Tuesday / Wednesday last week. I had hoped we might have got lucky but I really don't think so. So, I'll be starting our lovely friend progynova at some point next week. I've realised my following week is really busy with work, so squeezing in my scan will be interesting, especially as my doctor wants to do it. Hopefully my lining plays ball this time. But he did say I can try patches from the first scan this time, if it's on the thin side - usually day 8/9.

Interestingly, I'm still temping and they're really high, much better than when I'm on cyclogest. It's a shame my own estrogen doesn't do its job properly! 🙃

If anyone is looking for something good to watch, I've just finished Hacks on Amazon Prime. Would recommend.

Hope everyone is doing well xx

I’m sorry @Gardenlady543
Its very difficult…. empathise with you… and understand how upsetting it can be. I’m so sorry.

@Gardenlady543 I'm so sorry. It is so tough when we realise how much time has passed. I think all the time about how my lost one would be 16 months and what our life might be if we'd never lost her. I just hope that you get there in the end and all this pain becomes worth it. Love to you.

@VenusStarr I'd heard of Hacks. Will try it. I am on Emily in Paris. TOTAL CRAP but I am loving it!!! First time in ages I've really enjoyed something. Think I need to give my self permission to admit I like a good bog standard romance sometimes. Hope period comes on time (or really I hope that you got lucky).

Thank you @Janefx40 🙂

@birdbybird was today your procedure? I hope you're OK ❤️

@Gardenlady543 I am sorry you are hurting! I know the feeling! Sending you lots of love!

Sending love and strength to all of you! 💜

Thanks for thinking of me @VenusStarr
Yes the procedure was today. I almost backed out due to the risk of scarring and the doctor’s arms length attitude (I guess insincere sympathy is probably worse so I should be grateful). I went through with it in the end.
How are you feeling? When is your period due? I’m sending positive wishes your way… xx

@VenusStarr just saw your earlier comment…. that you’re due Monday or Tuesday.

How are you feeling today @Yuliaaa ?

@birdbybird hopefully you will recover quickly. I am so sorry you had to go through such a horrible experience! Hugs! 💜
I am a bit better today, I am still on holiday so I am trying to enjoy the few days I have left and not think too much ahead.

Thank you @Yuliaaa .

Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better and getting a chance to enjoy holidays.

Ladies, just on a different topic (PGT-A).
Does anyone know what the risk to the embryo is? I’m seriously considering but am going to ask the embryologist about it.
I think you’ve done it @Janefx40 @seven201 and @Gardenlady543 and @VenusStarr you didn’t feel it was necessary in your circumstances? What about everyone else?

Im with Create, and no idea how competent their embryologists are. And how or when would anyone know that an embryo had been affected?
Currently that’s a fear, and then after that it’s whether I’ll even have any euploids at age 41/42. For the latter, I suppose all I can do is try.

@birdbybird I did my rounds when 37 and 38 years old. I only had 3 embryos from 2 rounds ( 1x3BB, 1x4BB and 1 good quality day 3). We didn't test because we had so few and we couldn't afford losing them. The "top quality" didn't implant, but the poor 3BB tried to but ended in a CP.
I am 39 and by the time I am able to do another, I will be 40 but I still don't know if I will test them (in case I get any).

@birdbybird we tested as you know at age 44 and I got 4 blasts with 2 euploids. Not made much difference tho. Still didn't get pregnant!!! I think there is something like 5% chance of losing an embryo every time you freeze/unfreeze. I am still terrified that our final embryo won't de-frost after all this prep, time and money.

Thank you @Violette22 . I'm so glad to hear your little one is doing well. The bleed sounds scary though!

@birdbybird Well done for getting through today. Was it sedation or a general? I hope you're doing as ok as you can be.

@Gardenlady543 hope your LIT site is less itchy/sore and you don't have covid. That's good your results came back normal - but frustrating it doesn't provide any answers. Good idea to move the surgery. I'm sorry about the Facebook notification. Stuff like that is just so shitty.

@Janefx40 I too want to disappear into a vat of chocolate. I kind of have been actually! I sometimes miss my millions on tablets on purpose in an act of rebellion!

@Yuliaaa I hope you get to enjoy your holiday. I wish we had a switch we could flick to let us switch off for a bit.

@thislittlebird welcome. @Gardenlady543 is far more knowledgeable than me but I will also advocate for additional scans. I had a HyCoSy (showed one blocked tube) had surgery to unblock it (turned out not to be blocked!) and was told I had a prominent midline septum (ridge in the uterus, not a big issue) but years later, after two ladies on the original ERA thread recommend a saline scan it was discovered it was actually a big adhesion acting like a natural coil. Had surgery to remove it and since then I've been able to become pregnant, just can't stay pregnant now! Also, on my first transfer my period arrived after 6 days so I also have a progesterone issue. I'm on cyclogest and lentogest (progesterone in oil injections).

@MyEasterEggs good luck with the move. Don't worry about the nutrition (I'm telling myself that!)

@VenusStarr I hope you have a surprise miracle, but if not, it's good you're getting started again.

@Janefx40 sorry about the thrush or BV! Nightmare. I had thrush in a FET lead up, was stressful trying to get rid of it in time.

@birdbybird on the testing. I had 4 tested. 1
Didn't survive the thaw (I guess good to find out sooner rather than on a FET day!), one was mosaic and 2 eupaloid. I've had one of the eupaloids transferred, but that's the one I recently miscarried. Personally I'm glad I tested. Although if my miscarriage sample comes back saying it wasn't actually 'good' (in the stuff the pgta tests for) then I will probably change my tune. Part of my rationale for paying for testing is my FETs cost a fortune due to the progesterone injections and other drugs, so it was cost effective for us overall.

I'm doing alright. I still have some brown spotting. I'm guessing I'm not meant to try naturally. My appt with dr Shehata is 8th august so I'll probably have ovulated by then. I just want him to say "here, have all the extra drugs. This should work!" So I can get on with it again.

Anyone else feel like they're in a never ending triathlon that you never wanted to enter?

@seven201 good to hear from you! ❤️
I think I've signed up for the triathlon against my wishes! I thought it would be a nice walk in the park!

@Yuliaaa a walk in the park would have been lovely! Thinking about it, it's a bit like being entered into every sport in the olympics in succession without a clue how to do any of them. Then the Winter Olympics. Just jump off this 10m diving board and do two back flippy things while shoving a suppository up your bottom while your husband injects your bum cheek with a massive needle. That will be £40k, how would you like to pay? And your boss wants to know when you'll finish writing your tutor reports.

Oof. That was cathartic.

@seven201 😂 oh I know if's depressing really but that made me laugh! Sorry it's all so shit. I seem to say that a lot.

I may be having a scan tomorrow if I get a positive OPK. Have had to move mountains to sort childcare so DP doesn't have to take leave. Also the world has run out of noresthisterone which has been helping my cycles so had to chase around chemists but managed to find some. I honestly feel like I should be given an award sometimes for managing all of this.

Love to everyone x

@seven201 I’m as ok as can be. Although now up at 3:30 in the morning and on mumsnet. It was a general. I think you’ll get your results a week or two before me. As I didn’t test it before I’m expecting it to go either way.

Thanks for all the pgt responses so far ladies. I’m now more keen to see what my cytogenetics (sp?) result is.

This is such a resilient group of women. Experience heartbreak after heartbreak over months and years when others seemingly give birth so easily. Infertility with ivf and then miscarriage is awful. Special shout out to you all @VenusStarr @Gardenlady543 @Yuliaaa @Janefx40 @seven201 @MyEasterEggs and graduate :) @Violette22

And @thislittlebird . How could I forget the fellow bird!

@birdbybird definitely a resilient bunch!

@Gardenlady543 ao fertilysis is here. They do not want a period sample and I’m confused. 🤨

It’s saying pre-ovulation and now I’m worried I’ve got the wrong one.

@thislittlebird what kit did you order? It should be a menstrual blood sample AND a vaginal swab, is there a collection pot in there? If not go and get a sterile pot, like a urine collection pot, literally go to your gp and ask for one, they should just give it to you, collect a sample of menstrual blood from the first few hours of full flow and put it in the freezer and ask fertilysis to send the missing parts of the kit out.

@Gardenlady543 i ordered the full kit. I’m confused af tbh. This is what’s in there, plus these two pieces of paper. I don’t know why it would include an instruction for mid cycle only.