ERA EMMA ALICE testing thread #6

[Gardenlady543]

@Janefx40 @birdbybird @seven201 @Gardenlady543 @patientpatient @MyEasterEggs @thislittlebird @Yuliaaa @Violette22 @2021ivfagain @OrangeBengal @Enfys23 @Loz2467 @DEIVF @Hopeful199 @ER12 @greendress789 @Douchas12111 @Lori2022 @AdviceForJane @Anonbaby @Molls87 @ChickenT2b @GoldenElephant @IVF22 @StillTrying10000 @warrior101 @whatcangowrong @Yaynayokay

Oh yes it really has happened we are onto thread #6.

All are welcome to join us, we started out as people interested in ERA EMMA ALICE but we seem to have had every test available between us.

So if you want to know about the microbiome, reproductive immunology or you just feel your case is complicated and what like minded people to talk to about it you've come to the right place

Thanks for the advice, as always @Gardenlady543. In the past some of my lines looked barely different between days but when you put many days together you can see them getting darker. So yours sounds like they're bang on track to me. What has DH had to say about the BFP?!

@seven201 I haven't actually told DH, I had him leave early on Monday as I didn't want him to know I was obsessing over the test as I was quite embarrassed about how much I was looking at it. And then yesterdays was a big jump and very clear but still faint. I know you girls know what you're looking at, DH doesn't have a clue he will say something like "oh it's supposed to be darker I don't think that counts". He never actually asks about tests I think he doesn't want to put pressure on me and expects that I will tell him.

I also worry about managing his emotions as well as my own. You know we always spoke about a September birth being perfect as the child would be oldest in the year, the due date of this works out 1st September, we also have a lot of Virgos in the family and this would fall into Virgo. I know my husband would be ecstatic with a 1st September birth as John Richardson the comedian made a comment about aiming for this and getting it bang on.

I never thought I'd be like this, I have never had implantation at all, now implantation has happened which is a big jump and now it's, oh no I hope it's not going to be a chemical, like have the immune drugs just helped me get over one hurdle and I hit the next.

For now it is positive, there has been some progression, the lines are light but I'm so much further than I have ever got. I hope it doesn't end. I am getting some symptoms, weird taste in my mouth at times, thirsty and indigestion symptoms. I expect this is because it's modified natural my estradiol will be following a more natural pregnancy pattern vs medicated FETS.

@Gardenlady543 when I was pregnant with my dd I had a feint but very visible line that I took when late for a period and in the evening. My dh was so shocked but utterly convinced that if it wasn't a dark line then we shouldn't think I was pregnant. So we had a whole evening and night where we weren't allowed to talk like I was pregnant. I had to buy a test on the way to work and do one in the staff loos and even then it took him a few days to believe the tests. Men can be funny things! Maybe he's thinking it hasn't worked though and is hiding his upset? it is good news, but I see what you mean about not wanting to raise his hopes.

@seven201 this is exactly what I'm worried about! I will obviously have to tell him at some point even if the lines disappear I will tell him this had happened.

Let's be honest this isn't going to be a pregnancy test in the Xmas card situation. You don't go through the kind of things we have been through on this thread and expect anything good to happen.

I may have a think about it and WhatsApp him the test pictures and explain what he is looking at, maybe tomorrow with the morning test or maybe Friday if I have the blood test back. I don't want to tell him in person I'd rather he has time to process before reacting.

You do what's right for you and dh @Gardenlady543. Ha! You should put a pregnancy test in a cracker - bet some people do that! You're so right though, a positive pregnancy test from anyone on this thread is obviously wonderful, but will always be joined with a whole heap of new worries!

@Gardenlady543 I'm not near any of those, my next ivf cycle of stims likely to start mid January (period due around 16th) - I thought it would be candida that's high but it's not, it's just listed as NA's - NA and there are a few other yeasts listed like that so I've asked what the hell that means. I've read proboscis are good to get with this but then when they reported they reported told me to avoid fermented foods but then said I can eat bread which has yeast in for example which is recommended to avoid with candida, but I don't have lots of candida🤷‍♀️. My research is that one supplement is brewers yeast so why add more yeast in?? And the other is an acid with some bee polyphenol which is supposed to help keep yeast balance but diet can do just as well and I haven't had proper symptoms or thrush infection in many years. Got a consultation with microbiologist next week as I'm even more confused. My lactobacilli are 98% with very little bad bacteria.

@kerrym87 I don't know anything about all these other yeasts or these treatments, it is not stuff I've come across and I've read a lot of stuff on this topic. I would just follow normal advice. It seems a bit too much. There are studies about lactobacillus over 80-90% leading to higher rates of implantation and ongoing pregnancy. This other stuff I've not seen studies on.

@Gardenlady543 it is so hard being in that early test limbo. The cheapie tests take a long time to go dark - or at least they did for me. Something is happening in there which is really exciting. I have everything crossed for that little bean xxx

@Janefx40 Thankyou, I call the embryo squishy because on the video it looks squished like someone stepped on it! I think the wondfus are keeping me going today, I did a second one to check it wasn't a one off and got a similar line. It's just the frer comparison that isn't great today. But the frer and wondfu from yesterday and today was dipped in the exact same urine, so there must have been progression for the wondfu to go from invisible to visible.

I will reply properly ladies but I’m only maybe like 4 dpo and I’ve got brown spotting already and started the norethisterone yesterday. It makes me wonder where it’s actually coming from. Like if it’s the cervix but then surely not because cyclogest progesterone stops it so it must be coming from my lining or somewhere.

surely it doesn’t matter? It’s driving me crazy having no explanation for this brown spotting. I really hope it isn’t poor egg quality. I’m taking this till the 30th. Then wait for my period then starting the injections on 5th Jan.

Sorry about the spotting @Loz2467 if there are no structural issues then it sounds hormone related which can be overcome with IVF in medicated cycles. Without tracking hormones in a natural cycle I guess you won't know though. You'll have to see if it happens in a medicated cycle.

@Gardenlady543 Thank You! The brown spotting stopped when I used to take 1 400mg cyclogest each even after ovulation and I’d stop taking it and my period would usually come 4 days later with minimal or none brown spotting. I suppose this norethisterone is only 5mg I think and 3 times a day. Just frustrating seeing that all the times as it just brings back back memories :( it’s literally happened for a whole week before my period since last July. I swear it was the vaccine but what can I do. I’m worried it’s egg quality related because of progesterone. Your tests are looking good!!! X

@Gardenlady543 how's the test today?

@seven201 I've been up since 3am as I'm so anxious about testing to see if the line gets darker. The wondfu line is lighter today although people say those are bad for progression, I did 2 x frer this morning one at 3am and another at 6am as that's closer to the usual time I do it and the picture is the 6am one which is a tiny bit darker than the 3am one. There's clearly an extra line and people are telling me this looks like good progression but I can't help compare to people at others with similar coloured lines at this stage, there are 3 x cases where it's bounced up and was successful but a lot end in a chemical.

I never thought I'd be like this, I thought I'd be happy with any line at all as this means there is hope, I just want to be someone in the middle of the pack with dark lines. I took my blood for a beta this morning, but the post office said there is no way it will get to the lab before Xmas I told them to try anyway.

@Gardenlady543 that is very clear progression! I think stop doing the wondfo and stick with the first response. try and focus on the fact that you are currently pregnant. Amazing!!!

@Gardenlady543 that is clear progression. I freaked out over the cheapies too with this current pregnancy. They're good at picking up Hcg but no good for progression. Congratulations and crossing everything for more progression.

I think if you want blood results you'll have to go into London. But even then you wouldn't be able to get a second Hcg until after Christmas so that would be worrying and maybe better to wait.

Oh my gosh @Gardenlady543! this is great news!! I’m so happy to log in and see all this. Looks like clear progression too. Sending so many sticky vibes for this little bean!!

sorry been AWOL, house move (seems all that could go wrong has) and work been chaotic (couldn’t take time off for move as NHS right now bonkers busy). Got my first smiley face with clear blue this morning so much easier than the easy@home ones I was using before. Crossing fingers my natural cycle lining check tomorrow is good news but prepared it’ll be shit too.

Thanks @seven201 @Janefx40 and @Enfys23

I think when I look back at what 6dp5dt looked like on the day I took it (as it has now gone yellow) and compare it to today there is a fairly big colour jump, attached side by side. I just wish I was in the middle of the pack with the intensity most have by now. I think I likely implanted quite late though as the first test showing any indication of hcg at all was 5dp5dt and it was so subtle and almost invisible. That wondfu from earlier really made me confused though, but as seven and Jane say they are probably not good tests for this.

I hope it's ok asking you guys these things, I've never been able to contribute to test discussions as I never had a positive at all before so didn't know what I was looking at really.

I mean this kindly @Gardenlady543 , you are overthinking this (like we all would). Your lines are getting nicely darker. It makes no difference if someone else's the same dpo as you had a darker line at the same time. Logically you know that. Now there is no doubt that you are currently pregnant, are you going to tell dh?

@Gardenlady543 as @seven201 it's totally natural to be obsessing about the line and it's torture waiting to see if things progress. You had good progression today. Only time can tel what will happen and no amount of googling can tell you that.

You have a lovely line. In amongst the panic try to take a moment to feel pleased about that. I'll be crossing my fingers for tomorrow's line! Xxx

@Janefx40 and @seven201 I think it's because the line is almost invisible when you first dip it and it takes a few minutes to develop and at the time the test should be read, it's being compared with a line that has dried darker so can look very similar. At 3am I was convinced it looked very similar to 7dp and then went on a long internet search session and found so many chemicals :( I am not sure about telling DH yet, I spoke to him to tell him about the blood test and was thinking I would have a result for that tomorrow, but that might not happen with the most. I may see what tomorrow brings. He isn't around until tomorrow night anyway.

@Gardenlady543 I always take a photo bang on the 3 min test time so I can compare them and then compare the dried out ones too. Not that I should, but I think a lot of women probably do too.

@Gardenlady543 I was comparing my dried out tests this time around and it drove me mad because they do start to blur a little which makes it difficult to see progression. But this is showing a clear difference which is wonderful news! I’d focus on the positive here which is that you’re headed in the right direction.

@seven201 my lines are a lot lighter in that case. But then everyone who is putting comparison pictures up of tests in row all the tests bar one will be dry, so maybe it's still like with like.

Your tests are definitely getting darker, that's all that matters. Some days there will won't be a noticeable difference at all and that's fine too, just more dilute urine or whatever.