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

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@IVF22 welcome. If you have a Google there are some over the counter cold remedies that women take for immunes but I don't know what they are and I'm not sure I would recommend it!! I know others can advice on the biome stuff.

@seven201 if you triggered last Tuesday then you are too early. So if it was an FET you would have your transfer a week after the trigger. So yesterday was the equivalent of transfer day and today is one day past. That means the embryo can't logically have implanted and be producing Hcg because it's too early. No need to feel deflated yet! There is still time for that line to come back. I have everything crossed for you x

@Janefx40 thank you. Logically I know it's too early, but official test day feels really soon so the irrational side of me thinks it would have showed up before official test day. I fully admit I have lost the plot again! I'm only 7 or 8 dpo really so need to get a grip! Thank you for being kind to crazy me.

@seven201 CRP have really early test days don't they tho. I guess cos of booking in intralipids. Even ARGC who are pretty gung Ho don't test until 9 or 10 days post transfer so 14 or 15 dpo

@seven201 hang in there! I tested around 5dp5dt I think so you’ve still got a good few days yet. I was advised to test at 10dp5dt. Everything crossed for you 🤗

@Janefx40 they do have really early dates, but as you say must be intralipids related. No one gave me a "don't test too early lecture" at CRP whereas I'm used to that elsewhere! care fertility is 13 days after transfer I think. Saturday is 10 ish days after ovulation.

Thank you @MyEasterEggs

It's busy in the thread at the moment, remember a couple of weeks ago when nobody said anything for a few days. Congrats to those with good news.

@IVF22 welcome, the vaginal swab sounds like a good option, but if your FET is next month what will you do if it flags up an issue, it would be cutting it fine to take antibiotics and restore the microbiome before the transfer. I would say only take gardnerella if there is a fishy smell or your vaginal pH is high: amzn.eu/d/8ZLGQ0l

There is a antihistamine protocol people do mostly in the USA:
Loratidine 10mg
Famotidine 20mg twice a day
Diphenhydramine (nytol) 75mg

I had my iron test come back, my ferritin is slightly higher but at the expense of a high transferrin sats so I don't know I may call that done now and feel that at least I improved it. My CRP (inflammatory market) came back normal so that's perhaps a bad sign in relation to a LIT response.
Today or tomorrow is CD1 for bleed number 2 so I called my clinic to book the mid cycle scan and as per usual it was a nightmare dealing with them, it's just not even worth it, they make everything difficult. Despite my specialist telling me to call on CD1 and arrange a scan before ovulation the clinic need to check with her what day it should be on. I would much rather just pay and organise it with ultrasound direct but then I know that would cause more fuss getting it to my specialist vs the difficult to organise in-house scan.

Hi @Gardenlady543 , yes it is busy at the moment.

Hmmn, can't say I understand all of that. Will you see Gorgy again to discuss those results? The lack of LIT response would be gutting if correct. Sorry about your clinic and the scan. Why is nothing ever just a quick email or phonecall and sorted?!

Morning all. We had the call. Just one is 8 cell and looking good / top grade. The other is 6 cell but quite fragmented so not good. They're watching the other one until Saturday 🤷🏻‍♀️

Transfer is booked but we won't know whether its a fresh embryo or our frostie til then as it'll depend on the grade of this fresh one.

Feeling deflated. We had a difficult conversation last night about when to stop and it just feels like this is our last chance 😢

Oh I'm sorry @VenusStarr. Although I think getting the one bonus one from this cycle is still a really good thing. It's such a tough discussion to have.

@seven201 ❤️😪

Hope you're OK today. Have you tested again?

Sorry @VenusStarr but remember I think sometimes when our hopes are raised (eg potential for 3 more embryos following egg collection) we can lose sight of some of the positives ie you still look to have a great quality embryo that’s a bonus from this (what was originally) FET and you still have your frostie. I know it’s so hard and feel free to ignore me today as I know sometimes you just need to sit with the sadness and disappointment and just how hard and awful all this is, but try not to lose hope. It is a really tough decision as to when to call it a day but I think you’ll know and I suspect with these embryos still to play for you’re not quite there just yet. Sending lots of love

Thank you @Enfys23 ❤️ I know you're right. I think I've just not processed any of this and having the potential of a bonus embryo and then it might not happen is messing with my head.
But the original plan was to get good lining to transfer our top quality frostie, which is still on the table. I've just got this awful anxiety that the frostie won't survive and then we're done. X

@VenusStarr glad you have an extra embryo in the running but understand why you feel deflated. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. Hopefully you are having a transfer on Saturday either way.

De-frosting anxiety is awful. I know it happens but mostly it doesn't. Hoping yours won't be needed but will de frost perfectly xxx

@VenusStarr yes, remember how chuffed we all were with your thick lining! That was a huge achievement and the main thing you were hoping for. Most defrosts go well, but I completely get the anxiety around it.

All fine with me. I did do another test and it looks much the same as yesterdays, so could be going one way or the other. I'm less crazy about it today though. Although obviously I do go and squint at all the tests from the past few days every few hours

That made me smile @seven201 I definitely know that squinting! 😅 fingers crossed its going the right way.

Yes, I'm trying to remind myself that this all was to transfer our frostie. I've got good lining and an excellent frozen embryo so I'll try and focus on that ❤️

Thank you @Janefx40 ❤️

Tmi question - I didn't bleed at all after egg collection, but for the last couple of days I've had some brown discharge. I don't remember this from my fresh cycle leading up to transfer. Is this going to be an issue? Has anyone had similar? X

I had bad reactions following egg collection @VenusStarr. Bleeding, general nausea and vomiting. I was scared to tell them about the vomiting as it’s on the list of things to watch out for, I was fine on transfer day though and the clinic weren’t concerned enough to even discuss cancelling.

I didn’t have any bleeding after my first EC @VenusStarr but I did get a small amount of old blood after 2nd EC but he’d had to do extra thorough job after my first EC with less experienced doc went so badly with only getting 1egg. I think if it’s small amount and not fresh then nothing to worry about.

Thinking of you @OrangeBengal and @seven201

On a side note anyone got their IVF drugs from another supplier? Wondering if I can try and get cheaper than via CARE/Stork. Especially if need a new fresh cycle at some point as my FSH dose is huge because of poor response. Drugs cost me a fortune last time. And lubion isn’t cheap either.

@VenusStarr I haven't had that but they do poke around a lot in there so it's not surprising. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

@Enfys23 I'm with care too. It's £50 (or was about a year ago) for a private prescription. I tried it once but it all went very wrong as I couldn't get lentogest anywhere else other than stork, so I ended up paying £50 for a half filled prescription then had to pay care/stork £20 for another prescription just for the lentogest. Asda is the place to go, but you'd need to check what they can get. It's probably worth it for stim meds.

My test line is barely visible today so I think I'm probably out and the tiny line is the last remnant of the trigger. Official test day tomorrow so I'll still test then. Going to take my dd to a trampoline park today to distract myself instead of wallowing at home.

Thanks @seven201 things change quickly so you still don’t know. Distraction today a great idea.
that’s good advice I’ll make sure can get everything before commit to private script fee - think it’ll be over £55 now. Can see CARE putting up prices again from next month. The cost saving will have to be at least that!

I’ve just seen on the thread a few of you with Care @seven201 @Enfys23 I’ve been with them since Jan and had the hysterscopy there and then the medicated cycles.

I have just AMH and follicle count scan on Monday which I’m so nervous and anxious about. Worrying incase it’s all dropped significantly since January and also worrying my lining will look thin as it’s going to be 5/6 days after I’ve ovulated which was just like last time and she said “it wasn’t very clear and only 7.2mm”. But even if I went before ovulation I know I’d be a analysing the measurement then too! So there isn’t a win situation here.

If I’m due to start IVF in Jan do you usually go into first transfer without ERA / EMMA and ALICEs have just read a lot about them on here etc.

Been TTC 15 months since MMC. 4 of these months on medicated cycles so no spotting because the cyclogest is stopping that however still no pregnancy.

Hi @Loz2467 . I don't think they can tell much about lining thickness and quality after ovulation as it compacts after OV I think. ERA/Alice/Emma is usually suggested for those who have had a few failed transfers or I suppose those with poor response to stim drugs where embryos are more precious. I wouldn't worry about doing it yet if I were you. You could take some probiotics in case you don't have enough good bacteria.

Thanks @Enfys23. Beta is back, 298 at 9dp6dt - whoohoo!!