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

❤️

Are the supermarket bacteria shots any good for this purpose? A lot of them have sugar in which seems to go against the principle of healthy bacteria and good vaginal balance!

@Janefx40

Hi. I had two blastocysts today, but they are poor quality and won’t let me transfer them. One is 6CC and other 6CB. Only have 7 day 3 embryos left. Last cycles were a complete waste of time.

@2021ivfagain I'm so sorry to hear that. Have they frozen them for the future or decided against. I'm sorry this hasn't worked out. Take some time to look after yourself today x

@GoldenElephant welcome. I'm afraid I don't know!

@Janefx40

Thank you. No they have thrown them away. I’m not allowed to use them.

I’ve only got 7 day 3 embryos left. The only positive thing was I had two blastocysts from 4 day 3 embryos which was 50% blastocyst rate.

@2021ivfagain I popped on to see what your news was. So sorry they weren't classed as good enough. Is transferring some at day 3 an option (I really don't know much about this)? I think I've heard sometimes that's done if the quality isn't looking great. Sorry that you didn't get the news you were hoping for. It is good two made it to blastocyst.

@GoldenElephant I'm sorry, I also don't know. I take Femdophilus tablets (the 5 billion fridge ones) orally twice a day and canesflor vaginally every now and again. Years ago I used to buy actimel, but like you, it just seemed too sugary to be healthy, so I stopped.

@seven201

They were frozen at day 3 as set up for batching cycle. Not allowed day 3 transfers. Everything has to grow to blastocyst stage.

@seven201

Hi. Thanks for your message. The day 3 quality was good. They only thawed what was good.

@GoldenElephant a lot of marketed probiotic foods don't do much eg the yogurt drinks etc. I know people talk about symprove having good evidence although I've heard it tastes horrible and is quite expensive. I personally take a oral probiotic daily either: bio femme V, femdophilus or optibac for women.

@2021ivfagain I'm so sorry, I heard that anything with a C clinics may not want to freeze, often they will transfer them though, but I think that there is a lot to grading and in your case they must have decided that the embryos weren't good enough to transfer which is really disappointing. This is all very stressful it's a shame they didn't just let the embryos go to day 5 in the first place, then you'd know where you stand. Are you outside the UK? As UK seem to be fine with day 3 transfers.

Has anyone here who uses CRP even had Ms Silva Edge? I'm meant to be seeing her on Friday but there's no info on the website.

@Gardenlady543

The c grading is relevant for the first letter and I think relates to what would form the placenta. Therefore, it was lacking good formed structure hence the c. I asked if they would transfer them today anyway and they refused. They have been discarded.

I go to CRGH in U.K. but live in Plymouth. They never do day 3 transfers. The only reason they were frozen at day 3 as they were set up for PGS testing. So basically they thaw all at the same time so I just pay one fee for blastocyst culture and one fee for PGS testing. However, I decided against PGS testing when I realised my egg quality was getting worse, but it was already set up that way.

@Gardenlady543

I also didn’t want to thaw everything just in case my infection was not under control. Had another swab done and although I did have gardnerella again my nutritionist said my results are better.

I’m starting to lose hope but really need as much as I can control to be in my favour for final transfer. My consultant has not been forthcoming with information about microbiome.

I’m worried about fsh getting out of control again. It’s been good with the medication I’ve been to regulate cycles but worried my consultant will not let me take it again to control things before next transfer. I responded really well to treatment and had quite a lot of follicles for someone with my age 41 and high fsh. It’s so frustrating when there are several variables at play. I’d like to do era to make sure everything is good but worried if it might cause an infection which would set me back. Only had success once with a fresh transfer.

Thanks for your message. Hope everything is going better for you and you are able to squeeze in a transfer this year.

She's who I see mostly. I like her.

@2021ivfagain but they can freeze at day 5 and then thaw for pgt-a testing. I had mine thawed and biopsied. But what's done is done, they froze at day 3 so that's where you are now. How upsetting that you asked if they could transfer anyway and they said no.

I don't think era would cause an infection, the main issue is if there is if there is an infection in the vagina as it can get taken up to the uterus.

It's been a really hard day for you today, doing what you can to feel in control sounds like a good idea.

@Gardenlady543 I'm also at CRGH and the Day 3 thing is infuriating because you also don't know how many banking rounds to do as you don't know how many blasts you have. But there's nothing much to do about it.

@seven201 thanks. Is she a consultant then? There's nothing on the website and nothing Google either which is weird

@Janefx40 it's ridiculous because there can be a lot of drop off after day 3, there's also some good research for day 3 transfers in certain patient groups, so them not doing this as well is annoying.

Is everything going ok with you asking about this specialist?

@Janefx40 I think she's a consultant. Titles confuse me, but she's definitely a doctor. My first appointment was with Mr S but she was also in the room (I don't remember her being there, but she said she was there at my next appt, was such a lot to take in), then was Mr S and her for consultation after last Mc, all other appts (mainly scans with dr appt attached) just her.

@Janefx40 is this for your 8 week scan?

@seven201 thank you. Yes it is.

@Gardenlady543 I'm not sure how things are going to be honest. Had a few worrying signs so far already but may be ok. I guess we'll know more on Friday.

Wishing you lots of love and luck for Friday @Janefx40. It’s test day for me (OTD is Sunday, 10dp5dt, but I’d like the weekend to process so hopefully 8dp5dt is reasonable) so I’ll be thinking of you and hope we can both end the week with good news.

That would be wonderful, a double good news Friday!

So, I need advice.

Here's a little timeline...

Pre miscarriage - mostly normal periods, average 32 ish days but since started extra meds so don't know what my normal is now.
July - miscarriage
August - incredibly light period, just a bit of light brown spotting, didn't realise it was a period until after it finished. Missed a letrazole cycle. Had a scan that showed what dr thought was left over products.
September - very light period. Just light brown, could have probably got away with just panty liners. Took letrazole then scan showed something still in uterus.
Start October - hysteroscopy found big adhesion, removed at the same time. Minimal spotting for a few days after.
Today, 4 days later and cd28 light brown spotting, more than after the hysteroscopy.

I'm assuming these very light periods have been from the adhesion, as it's not usual for me.

I need to start letrazole (it's like clomid) on cd2 (although I think cd3 is also ok), but I don't know if it's my period or not! If I had to guess I'd say it is, but I'm just not sure. I do NOT want to miss yet another month! I don't see how taking letrazole accidentally at the end of a cycle could do any harm? Presumably if my proper period did show up then I could take more/start again? I had a scan on cd10 that showed 3x 16 and a bit mm follicles getting ready, so I'd guess a 27 ish cycle could make sense (I have no clue really!)

I emailed CRP with the above but they just asked if it was like my usual period.

Oh no @Janefx40 I'm sorry to hear this, I hope Friday comes soon and that it's a reassuring appointment ❤️

@seven201 I think to be classified as CD1 you need full flow. It sounds like you have been having very light periods the last few months, has the lining been consistent with this during scans you had in these cycles?

If it's any help after my myomectomy the surgeon said my first normal lining would be the cycle that comes with the 2nd bleed. So I recently had period 1 post op, now I need to wait until period 2 and arrange a mid cycle scan to see how my lining is within that cycle, that lining will then come out with bleed 3 which should be my first normal period.

Hopefully you would get to a normal post op lining sooner though since your recent op was much less invasive. I'm pretty sure when I had surgery with Trew I was able to do a transfer pretty soon after. It's hard to know what you should do, I would probably give it longer to see if anything else comes, my first period after this op was really strange I had brown tinged discharge for about 2 days then very light flow before eventually getting 1 day of what seemed more period like and then spotting dragging on for ages after.

@Gardenlady543 thank you for this. She said she couldn't measure the lining at both scans due to the 'stuff' being in the way/in the middle, so would be measuring lining plus that. She said, in better words, they're really not that bothered by lining thickness, which is just very different to ivf clinics! I think I just need to wait and see what tomorrow brings. Could be like yours and just be a weird start.

Thinking of you janefx40. Hopefully Friday will bring a bit of reassurance.

Love to all x

@seven201 I think the only way to actually know would be to have a baseline scan where they check what your follicles and lining are doing. But assuming that's not possible at short notice, I'm not sure you can really know. I also don't know anything about letrozole so don't know whether taking it a bit potentially early would matter.

Sorry not to be more helpful

I found out today that my ALT levels have shot up. They're technically just above the normal range at 46 but that is a huge increase from 22 3 months ago. I'm assuming it is the pred but all sounds a bit worrying.

@Janefx40 that’s liver, right? What does that mean for you? what dose of pred are you on, out of interest? I hate pred but I suspect I do need it to conceive, the only time I’ve taken it is the only time I’ve had a positive test. And I know I have existing immune issues/reactions.