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

❤️

@Janefx40 I didn't realise there'd be such a gap between trigger and transfer, but I guess it makes sense as the embryo is 5 days old and the trigger doesn't mean instant egg release. Hope the 6 days goes as fast as possible!

Dr rang and he said they don't do antibiotics for this unless there's a sign of infection. I've got to call back later to book in a blood test to check for that. Don't think I have an infection, but who knows. Good to rule it out.

Got a blood test booked for 5th September!

@VenusStarr breaks are so important but I also know how hard it can be to make the decision to not try for a while. Ultimately though time out has always done me good 💛

@Janefx40 managed to speak to Asda pharmacy and I’d have to take in a signed prescription to get them to even share costs. So I’ve just gone with the clinic’s recommended pharmacy because I want to avoid worrying about prescriptions arriving via post (due to strikes) or waiting if there are delays with ordering medication (due to shortages). With the recommended pharmacy everything can arrive Wednesday. Good luck to you for next week!

@seven201 belated birthday wishes. Sorry I missed that in an earlier post 🥳

@MyEasterEggs sounds sensible. The Asda's really vary. Mine were happy to give quotes over the phone and accept email prescriptions. But sometimes it's worth paying a little extra for the peace of mind. And the suppliers aren't always more expensive. I would say tho to watch the price of Lubion if you are prescribed that. There are huge differences in what pharmacies charge for that. Glad you've made a decision x

@Janefx40 yes the Lubion cost is insane! I got six boxes and it makes up over 60% of the total. But, like you say, peace of mind. I know it’s all on its way.

How are you feeling about transfer?

@MyEasterEggs I think Lubion is £56 per box of 7 at my local ASDA. I've not found it anywhere cheaper. If the cycle works out and you need it for an extra 8 weeks then it may be worth finding wherever is cheaper if that isn't your supplier.

I am feeling nervous about catching Covid again or something going wrong!! I am also a bit gutted that I didn't just trust the clinic to trigger based on my bloods as I think I would have got a really amazing lining this month. Because I panicked about those stupid Ovulation tests we triggered. Lining is hopefully fine anyway but not amazing. Nervous about lining in scan today too. Last time they said it was a certain thickness at trigger but then it was smaller post ovulation / which either meant it had shrunk or that they were wrong previously.

Basically I have many anxieties swimming around in my head!!!

I was home alone yesterday as DP and DD went of camping. I'll join them post scan but I felt so miserable and lonely!!!

Hope you are all doing ok

@seven201 well done for pursuing the antibiotics although 5th Sept seems a long way off!!!

@Gardenlady543 not long now til this op. Really hoping they can get everything you need done at once.

@VenusStarr I wish I could just give you a big hug. I hope having some time off is healing for you both xxx

@Janefx40 I think I ovulate the same day as my peak too. I have a super short and quick LH surge. I hope that doesn’t mean it’s not great. I know @Gardenlady543 and @seven201 told me the lining can compact and decrease in size post ovulation. I hope your scan went well today.

im thinking next month to get the scan before I ovulate to see if my lining is cooperating.

Thinking of you for tomorrow @Janefx40 hope all goes smoothly ❤️

@VenusStarr thank you. I'm just so scared it won't defrost. Also DD threw up this evening so DP may not be able to come with me. It just feels like a bad omen but trying not to think ahead.

I hope you're ok xxx

Oh @Janefx40 I have this fear too. But the odds are in your favour ❤️ I'm sorry you might have to go alone as dd is sick. As hard as it is, try and take each moment as it comes.

I'm ok thank you. Been away for a night with dh for my birthday (39 😑) was really nice. We've got a week away at the end of September and I'm really ready for it now xxx

Happy birthday @VenusStarr

Best wishes for tomorrow @Janefx40

Happy birthday @VenusStarr where are you going at the end of September.

Thanks @birdbybird

@Janefx40 Good luck tomorrow! 🍀
@VenusStarr Happy birthday! Hugs! 💕

Love all!

@Janefx40 wow are you at transfer day finally, this has been a long time coming!

So I had my myomectomy, the plan was for the surgeon to try via hysteroscopy, then lap then open as a last resort. He had been quite hopefully in recent communications that he could remove the two fibroids via hysteroscopy so I was a bit shocked to wake up and find that he’d had to do open. I trust that he made the right decision as he’s an excellent surgeon but I’m not looking forward to the recovery.

The plan was to do a lap whatever happens to look for endo, but he said he was able to do that through the open surgery and the good news is he saw no evidence of any endo, he also said my tubes look good and besides me having a small uterus there were no new issues found. I would have preferred the lap but at least I just have the one open scar rather than open and lap scars and also as he did open he could feel the uterus for any other fibroids and is confident there were just the two, that he has removed.

So now the bad news, I need to stay in hospital for 3-4 days now and I’m not doing well, I’m not able to move from lying down at all, I’m not even able to shuffle on the bed and this means I am catheterised. My observations have been pretty bad throughout the night with a low blood pressure, high heart rate and low oxygen saturations. This isn’t getting any better and right now I’m on a lot of opioids which mean constipation is around the corner and I need oxygen. I am hoping to make some progress today when the physio comes round but it has been a shockingly bad night for me with constant observations being taken and no sleep. Also because of the open surgery I was intubated and my throat is killing me. And I had a pretty bad experience when I got to the ward, I was not told what happened in the surgery and spoken to quite abrasively and left without water for several hours and nobody brought me food even though I’d fasted for 14 hours. The nursing team over night have been really good though.

Still it feels that I’m one step forward, the surgeon said I will need to wait until my third period after this one to start a transfer cycle as quite a lot of surface area in the uterus needs to heal.

@Gardenlady543 another milestone. The fibroids have gone! And great news about the endo. Is open surgery like a c-section? If so then I'd say the pain is a bit of a shock at first but it does get better quickly. Within a day I was able to move around more easily although rolling over and sitting up were very painful. Within 3-5 days that was much better too. Hopefully you will recover soon. Hope the hospital feeds you too!!!

Xxx

@Gardenlady543 good news on the success of the surgery but not so good news on the recovery. Hope you turn a corner today 🤞🏻

@Janefx40 wishing you lots of luck for a successful transfer. I’m excited for you and really hope this is the end of your fertility treatment journey!

@VenusStarr belated birthday wishes. Hope you have a lovely holiday 💛

Thanks @MyEasterEggs not the best start with DD throwing up, no easy access to childcare and a broken night! We're hoping to take her with us to London and drop her at my Mum's on the way to the clinic. Fingers crossed she doesn't vomit in the car. I really want DP to be there for this last step of the journey. Yes it is the end of our fertility journey whatever the result which feels huge and scary but also it is time now.

@Janefx40 yes exactly I have a c section scar from the op and the surgeon said he would take the uterus out through it so it was outside my body to remove the fibroids, he said he made one incision on the outside of the uterus which move came out through.

Gosh it's a stressful day for you so far but you have a plan so I'm sure the pressure will ease as that unfolds. Good luck 🤞

@Janefx40 oh bless her, I hope she’s okay on the journey. Sure granny cuddles will help. And I can appreciate how you must be feeling (though I can’t fully understand yet) as we decided to do one round of EC only so the embryos we have will be the only embryos regardless of the outcome. I think it’s healthy to draw a line. But today is going to be a good day and you’ll be PUPO 💛

Well it's done. Our final transfer is finally in.

The embryologist wasn't that positive so I'm not sure whether it was just her tone and that the same words could have given a more positive impression. It obviously survived the thaw and had expanded but not fully so I wasn't sure if that was normal or whether it was less than ideal. But she seemed to be saying they were happy enough to go ahead. Something for me to drive myself mad googling for the next week. But then my daughter wasn't even a blastocyst on transfer so I know it doesn't have to mean that much.

Anyway hope you're all ok.

@Gardenlady543 how are you feeling? Did you get any sleep?

Great news @Janefx40 !!!

I hope you can put that to the back of your mind@Janefx40 try not to go googling because it won't change anything. If it's good enough to transfer then it's good enough to work. I'm pretty sure embryologists speak in their own language that not even other embryologists understand! Congratulations on being PUPO!!

On the note of focusing on the negative I picked the brain of the surgeon again today focusing on the only bad thing he said that I have a small uterus. He said it's up to my fertility clinic about it but they've never mentioned anything. Then he said he mostly operates on people who have had children and with bigger fibroids who would have bigger uteruses anyway.

I have achieved sitting in chair level 1! The physio was really patient with me and we went through some exercises, then she taught me the steps of sitting up on the edge of the bed, then we did some standing and a little walk and now I'm in the chair. The physio kept asking how it felt and I said "well it's a lot harder than it was preop".

@Gardenlady543 well done for getting into a chair. Impressed that you get a physio - no such thing after a c-section!

So he didn't think a small uterus is an issue? I've never heard anyone comment on uterus size before. Maybe again it's just the language of surgeons and he was just making a passing comment.

Thanks folks. Really pleased. Now keep everything crossed x