ERA / EMMA / ALICE testing thread 5(!)

[VenusStarr]

Just setting up a new thread as we're coming to the end of thread 4.

@Janefx40 @birdbybird @seven201 @Gardenlady543 @patientpatient @MyEasterEggs @thislittlebird @Yuliaaa @Violette22

❤️

Hello! Just marking my place x

Hi everyone!

I went for a scan on Wednesday, CD13, it was mostly to see if more fibroids have appeared, which they haven't. My app said I'll ovulate in a week, the technician measured my lining at 8-9mm which I found quite shocking, she said it wasn't triple lined, it was homogenous, which I've never been told before. It's always been triple lined. Anyway she said that's normal if I'm not ovulating for a week. But then looked at my ovary and said I'm about to ovulate and I just got the LH surge today. So I have no idea what to make of it. I guess I'll have to see what the lining looks like after the fibroids are out.

The biopsy I sent to the lab has got confusing. They tried to charge my card more than I expected which my card declined. I then got told that the CD138 is $125 (marker of endometritis which i want to see). The beta 2 integrin (marker of receptivity but I understand is only useful if there is endometriosis) which I thought was $250 is actually going to cost over $600, I don't really need this so I do not want to pay this much. I emailed them back and asked if they can just do the CD138 and they said they already ran them both. So right now I'm in some kind of payment dispute with them and this is delaying them giving me my results which is really frustrating as I sent an email enquiries where I clearly stated the prices on their website and at no point did they tell me it actually costs more.

@Gardenlady543 scan sounds confusing but that is a good thickness anyway especially if you didn't have you surge at that point. My lining usually thickens quite a bit the day of the surge. If you are usually triple lined then I wouldn't worry about that as it will probably click back to normal next cycle.

Clinics and payments are frustrating. Keep going with it especially if they told you another price but ultimately you may have to just pay it. I've never managed to get a clinic to back down over prices! But then if anyone can, it's you!

Glad there are no more fibroids! X

Ps let's hope this is the last thread that we all need!

Thank you @VenusStarr !
Hugs all!

@Janefx40 we'll be the ERA EMMA ALICE thread 100 when we all have children! When is our sponsorship money coming through from Igenomix, we must be considered their official spokes persons by now.

I am wondering whether I should try naturally just once this cycle, I haven't done this since before my last FET. I guess since it's been 3 years without a positive there's a pretty low chance of it working.

I guess the positives are

• My lining looks thick
• I should have some benefit from the LIT
• If I got a positive I have Gorgy who will advise on what I should do
• I know this is the right timing as I had a good sized follicles and the LH surge matched together.
• I could avoid surgery if it did work

The negatives are

• Lining is not triple lined
• I have the surgery booked in, but by the time of the op I will know if I'm pregnant or not and could postpone, I think it doesn't get officially booked in until 2 weeks before the op. And it's planned for 3.5 weeks time
• I could mess up my microbiome but I could then treat it as I have antibiotics, so it's not the end of the world
• As I have a submucosal fibroid I would be at an increased risk of miscarrying.

@Gardenlady543 it's hard to know what's right but in a way why not? The lining is irrelevant because if an embryo implants then it has already by-passed that issue. Otherwise it just won't. You can delay the op as you said and treat the micro biome. The only serious negative on your negative list is the risk of miscarriage. How much does the fibroid increase your risk?

@Janefx40 I don't know really, there are statistics saying the chance of implantation is lower and miscarriage risk higher with submucosal fibroids. The surgeon that specializes in Ashermans said people with fibroids can get pregnant if they have very good egg quality (which I should have). Technicians at scans have said the submucosal fibroid I have is lower down than where implantation should happen so didn't think it would affect it. Although no fertility clinic would do a transfer with it there.

I means it is very unlikely I will implant now anyway, since it's been 3 years and I don't even implant with euploid embryos, I guess with the LIT in me and this being the last chance I have to avoid potentially open abdominal surgery I should probably try.

@Gardenlady543 sounds like you should go for it! Good luck! X

Thanks the add @VenusStarr ☺️

I’ve been on the quiet side as we moved into our new place on Monday. Madness for the first few days but we’re feeling a bit more settled now.

Managed to catch up on the last thread and I’m sending lots of love to you all. I’m about to attempt the trip to London again on Wednesday so not much further forward myself.

I did get in touch with this pharmacy today though as Stork no longer offer meds direct to patients and I wanted a quote to compare with the clinic pharmacy. They also do intralipids at home so I’m considering that over regular trips to London (all going well). Anyone taken that approach?

thefertilitypharmacy.com

@Gardenlady543 in your situation I’d go for it too. Seems you’ve weighed it all up sensibly!

For those of you who have had your EndomeTRIO, what was your next cycle like? My cycles are generally a little longer anyway and have been between 32-38 days over the last year. But I’m currently on day 43 and no signs that I’ve ovulated let alone that period is coming. Had planned to contact the clinic about it today but now I’m thinking what can they actually do? I don’t want to induce anything with drugs if that’s even possible. But it’s a bit frustrating as my plan was to have a couple of “normal cycles” before FET cycle…maybe a knock on effect from last month’s 21 day cycle?

@MyEasterEggs was your test cycle medicated? I always have a longer cycle following either stims or Hcg (trigger or pregnancy).

I had oestrogen and progesterone @Janefx40. My cycle was fine after EC, which is when I last had HCG. I think it’s probably down to the move. It’s all been quite tiring. Going to give it a few more days and see how I get on. Boobs are a bit achy this afternoon and I’m feeling a bit anxious so hopefully those are signs!

@MyEasterEggs my cycles are always longer after any meds. I find my luteal phase is always a fixed length though, so I tend to track ovulation so I know when to expect the next cycle to start. Maybe if you've tracked and don't think you've ovulated, you're not going to ovulate this cycle, I think it's quite common to have the odd cycle like this.

After going back and forth with the lab I have the results of the biopsy now, it says mid secretory endometrium, in-phase based on the date the sample was taken. The CD138 showed no evidence of chronic endometritis. Integrin beta 3 was normal, which is evidence against a luteal phase defect. The latter is a protein that is needed for embryos to adhere to the endometrium. I think this is lacking with endometriosis, so another normal biopsy.

@Gardenlady543 glad you got it all sorted with the lab. Are there other tests you’re considering or do you feel you’ve covered everything now? Sorry if you’ve said further up or in last thread. I had a lot to catch up on last night.

I wish I could track but after three years of temping when TTC naturally I can’t bring myself to follow my cycle too closely. It seems to trigger stress. Like today 😅

Usually get mittelschmerz and ewcm around ovulation but none of that in recent weeks. I would really like to get going with this next cycle though as I think it might help me focus knowing I would then have about 8 weeks before FET.

I’ve kind of got it into my head that I need that time to prepare after eating a fair bit of rubbish lately! I have a nutritional plan but can’t seem to stick to it 😫

Sorry everyone! That wasn't for @MyEasterEggs that was for someone on another thread!!!

Sorry

@Gardenlady543 good to get an normal result. I know it's not an answer but at least it's not something else to worry about.

@MyEasterEggs I'm the same with the healthy eating. Since I finished egg collections (a year ago!!) I've seriously fallen off the wagon and can't seem to get back on. I ate heathily for so long that I just can't seem to face it again! But I know I must ☹️

@MyEasterEggs the only thing left is the fibroid removal where they will do a hysteroscopy and lap to check for endo. I will need another LIT and a LAD after that to see if it's worked and then that's it.

@Janefx40 yeah you're right, I keep seeing people in an implantation failure group talking about endo for people like me, but I really don't want it, so hopefully this is a good sign.

@Janefx40 I’m the exact same. I think the plan I followed for EC was so intense that I struggle with the idea of doing a similar thing all over again. Where are you in terms of fertility treatment now? What are the next steps for you?

Hello! I'm on holiday (still in the UK) so not been on here much. Can't believe we're on thread F***g 5!!! That is very shitty indeed. When will it end?! Although, I will get a bit soppy and say how wonderful these threads are both for emotional and practical support. Especially @Gardenlady543 for sharing her expertise and immense research skills and lots of other women on here who take the time to share what they have learnt along their journey. You will have helped to create other people's actual babies!

Just trying ot catch up (just from this thread, can't be dealing with looking at the end of thread 4 as that would overwhelm my little brain).

@Gardenlady543 did you try naturally this cycle in the end? That is confusing your lining wasn't triple lined but was nice and thick. Good news on your test results too.

@MyEasterEggs congrats on the new home. I wouldn't worry about one random long cycle, especially after a medicated cycle. Blooming annoying though!

@Janefx40 @VenusStarr @Yuliaaa and everyone, how are you all doing? What stage are you at now?

I just had my video consultation with prof Shehata. I was worried he'd make me wait until the miscarriage tissue testing results are back, but thinking about it I didn't even tell him it had been sent off for testing (didn't really get the chance). He said as it was a PGTA tested embryo likelihood is it was fine. Weird as Dr Edge made it sound like I really should get it tested, hence why I was worried they might make me wait for results. Anyhow, he had made a new FET treatment plan that's the same but added in hydroxy. I said my IVF clinic want me to wait 2-3 cycles before next FET (with our last embryo) and he said that was unnecessary to wait so long. So the current plan is to on my next cycle start superovulation rounds with letrazole. I said so I can do one letrazole round then a FET and he said that was silly as superovulation won't work on the first try and I should save my embryo for if we want a third child (don't think we will want more treatment if we do ever crack this!) or if superovulation fails! This threw me a bit. He said something along the lines of usually it would be 6 months of superovulation then resorting to IVF, but I could do 3 months of letrazole then I can do a FET if I want. Just wasn't what I was expecting, but I'm not against superovulation as I don't love all the IVF drugs and since the Mr Lower surgery it does seem I don't really need to IVF, but the embryo is two years younger than me, so thought a FET with a eupaloid embryo would be encouraged! As I can't track my own ovulation (OPKs and temp tracking rarely work for me) trying naturally is probably not the best plan on its own, seeing as I need intralipids etc. I've got an IVF appt on Friday but I think I should probably cancel that now (as I'd have to pay for another consultation in 3 months or so). I need a little time to process it I think. I should focus on the fact I got the main things I wanted - not having to wait for ages and 'just' another drug added on to my treatment plan. Sorry, that was a long explanation.

Oh, I forgot to say (to both you and Dr S) that today was my official pregnancy test day after my miscarriage and there's still a feint line 🙄. It was a very cheap test from a supermarket though. I'm probably meant to ring the EPU in case it's retained tissue aren't I? I might just buy another test and give it a couple of days.

Also, I randomly have annoying acid reflux for the past few days.

Just replying quickly, I'll be back properly later. But yes @seven201 speak to epu with the positive test. They said wait a week and retest, so I was 4 weeks after surgery, then it was still positive so I went in for a scan to check. It finally went negative 5 weeks after. X

Thanks Venus. I've given them a call and waiting for a nurse to call back. That's reassuring that it can just take a while. I was hoping that would be the answer!