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

Last night I checked my vaginal pH which is really high with a bit of a whiff positive, so I should have stuck to my plan and used daily vaginal probiotics. Looks like I've developed full on bacterial vaginosis most likely due to hormone changes and steroids. I will try and treat it with probiotics and balance activ as I don't want to add in antibiotics right now. Today's test is still very light and looks lighter than yesterday but I don't know how yesterdays looked bang on the 3 mins.

@Gardenlady543 sorry you have pH issues, hope you can get it under control. Also hoping for progression once the line is left to settle like the other ones. Thinking of you lots, it’s such a head wreck.

@Gardenlady543

I’m sorry you are experiencing bv symptoms. I found canesbalance to be really good and it says it’s safe in pregnancy. I took it for 10 days but wondered if that is too much in pregnancy.

@Gardenlady543 sorry to hear about the PH. You still have a line which is good but I know you were hoping for a big progression. I know this is torture - we'll just have to cross fingers and see what the next few days brings xxx

Thanks everyone, the blood sample has made it to the lab so I may have yesterdays blood result back today, although that's very stressful with such faint lines in the 3 minute window.

I have asked for a gp phone consultation, I'm not sure what to do, I basically panicked about the fact it's a 4 day holiday with no access to antibiotics when my pH is 7. Metronidazole is safe in pregnancy but they say try to avoid it early on, so it's just knowing what is the right thing to do and I'm blaming myself for this. :(

@Gardenlady543 might ph changes be expected in early pregnancy and not necessarily indicative of bv? I just wonder if other women who know less about these things (I wish I was in that camp) maybe wouldn’t notice the changes that you are. Fingers are crossed for you xx

Beta is back it is 9 so very low
Progesterone is 134
Did my thyroid as well and T4 is high.

@Gardenlady543 I’m really sorry it’s low. Do you have an official test date/process with the clinic?
Going back to your comment about you blaming yourself (for the high pH/suspected BV?), I don’t think it will affect the outcome of this, whatever the outcome is going to be. You’ve given this your all, did the research and made the best decisions. I’ve had similar blame feelings following the late miscarriage and I don’t yet even know the cause.

Thanks @CailinInUK OTD is Tuesday, I was able to speak with the fertility doctor they said under 20 is negative but it's too early to test, the earliest is 9dp5dt and really it should be after 11dp5dt. They basically didn't call it and didn't want to state an opinion on it. I'm surprised it's as low as it is in the blood, because there will be even less hcg in the urine and the frer lines have been quite clear. The lines are still there today on a wondfu and a frer. The next blood reading I can get is if I take my blood on Wednesday and up until then I have to rely on the urine tests. So I'm in limbo really and if the lines are still there on the urine test on Tuesday then the clinic will just say carry on meds.

So now I'm even less sure of how to tell DH as he needs to know now I have more of an idea of what's happening and I don't want to tell him in person as I'm too upset about it.

Just to update I have now told DH, I sent him a message and then he called me and I talked him through the urine tests and the blood test and the various scenarios for what might happen over the next few days.

@Gardenlady543 Aghh sorry about this limbo. It's torture I'm sure. It's really good you've told dh. Hopefully you can be a support for one another.

I am sorry there is so much uncertainty @Gardenlady543 but please remember it is such early days and every person and pregnancy will be different in terms of timings and numbers. Wishing you lots of strength over coming days and glad you’ve told DH now.

I’ve had some good news this morning which was welcome change. After all the treatment and biopsy cycles with poor lining, the natural cycle plan seems to have worked for now and this check scan in a natural cycle this morning found a trilaminar lining of 7.3mm on day 13!! I know that probably seems nothing but that thickness heady heights for me!! I had a collapsed follicle suggesting ovulated as I had a smiley face CB test yesterday morning. So plan will now be for natural cycle FET in January.

@Gardenlady543 Ahh thinking of you as you are stuck in this difficult limbo stage. I really hope these next few days pass quickly for you and the lines get darker and darker. From the photos you have posted they have definitely progressed. Do know that HCG levels vary soooooo much from person to person. Sending you strength.

@Gardenlady543 I'm sorry you're going through such a tough time. I have been there a few times and it's horrible. I'm still hoping things fall into place with that little bean. Glad you told DH. I hope you can support each other while you wait xxx

@Enfys23 I'd be bloody delighted if my lining got to that thickness. That's nice news for Christmas.

@Enfys23 that is fantastic, in natural cycles over 7 is perfect, this is what I was hoping for when I couldn't get above 5mm. I'm glad you got some good news pre Xmas!

Thanks @seven201 @Janefx40 @Zest11

Today my urine looks more concentrated, I have done a test. This is in the 3 min window yesterday at 9dp5dt on left and in 3 min window today 10dp5dt. So line definitely not getting lighter.

Thanks @seven201 definitely better than any other Christmas present I’ll get!! she had to show me and tell me twice as I couldn’t believe it! Who knows if it was the acupuncture, L-Arginine, Ubiquinol, Omega fish oils in pregnacare conception max, Vitamin E and high dose (2000iu) vit D, fertility yoga for lining/circulation, pomegranate juice, drinking loads of fluids, gaining some weight (I’ve been BMI 19 and now 20), munching Brazil nuts, berries, and generally trying to eat good diet with zero alcohol or caffeine, healthy fats and snacking so my cortisol level kept lower, lots of big Os with DH (apparently helps pelvic blood flow plus it was nice to be normal after all the bloody restrictions during treatment/biopsy/hysteroscopy cycles over recent months), regular use of a heat pad on my belly, or just that it was always going to be better in a natural cycle once my body had enough rest from the high dose stims. Either way I’m going to do all of the above next month too!

has anyone here done a purely natural cycle transfer? I’m wondering if I should ask for HCG trigger rather than be at the whim of when my LH surge happens.

@Gardenlady543 thank you I think our messages crossed!

that looks clearly darker. I hope that gives you some hope now. It’s such a horrible time of uncertainty but try and hold on to the fact the line is there and clearly darker. I’m hoping so much for a good outcome for you xx

@Enfys23 to give me a chance todays line would need to be a beta of 17, It's hard, I know the urine looked concentrated but clearly the line is not the same or less, it's getting darker. I know my prognosis is bad with such a low level on 8dp5dt, the only things I have going for me is I know it was later implantation because of the embryos stage and because I didn't get any evidence of rising hcg until 5dp and not properly until 6dp.

@Gardenlady543 that line is definitely darker. You still have hope there.

It's my official test day today and I'm pretty sure it's bfn. It's one of those lines that at 3 mins you could only see at a certain angle. It's dried out a bit now and I'm just not sure if it's the indent I'm seeing or not. I know I had the fluid in my uterus and a thin lining but I was still given intralipids/a chance, so will be gutted again. 5th Christmas of ttc!

@Gardenlady543

There is a definite line. My clinic will not accept a result until 14 days passed a transfer. It’s still early. Please do not feel worried about pessaries as my consultant told me to stop day before transfer but to keep with oral probiotics. We can only do so much.

@Enfys23 That is good news. Ubiquinol 200mg 3 times a day is good for lining as well as vitamin e 400iu. You are doing all the right things. I would recommend the hcg trigger purely because it helps your body produce more progesterone. It really helped me get to 113 on 5th day of progesterone. I had 10000iu gonasi. Also there will not be as much progesterone in a natural cycle so the modified natural with a trigger helps things more. It’s good to do normal things. Last year I was ultra strict with diet and everything. This year I’m having some treats during Christmas. I had some chocolate cake last night and a glass of wine. My transfer is end of January so I’m stopping treats again Boxing Day. Sometimes a bit of normality is good.

@Enfys23 great lining! That is fab news

@seven201 ugh I'm so sorry. Is this a Shehata test day tho? Because those are always super early. I think you are only 11dpo so any line at this point has got to be good no?

@Gardenlady543 getting darker is good. It's always tough to know whether to let yourself hope or prepare for the worst. ARGC do Hcg tests every day/2 days so there are loads of women who have posted their Hcg results on the FB site. There are quite a lot who had Hcg levels under 10 and went onto have healthy babies. But yes there are also many women for whom low levels meant a chemical. So while it's rising there is always hope but sometimes I think it's the hope that makes it all so hard. Sending lots of love and still willing this little one on!!!

@seven201 not that I'm an expert with my 5 days of frer history, but I'm quite sure my second line wasn't showing up in the first 3 mins on the first few tests I did, what dpo are you?

Thanks @2021ivfagain I managed to speak to the doctor yesterday, my gp has prescribed me antibiotics and the fertility doctor said only take if I'm symptomatic and I'm not. So will stick with the vagibiom pessaries as they are acidic and have probiotics in them.

Thanks @Janefx40 when do arcg start testing the beta from and when do they stop if it doesn't go up?

Thanks @Janefx40 and @Gardenlady543 yes, only 11dpo and CRP timing. I really do think it's an indent, as you do sometimes just get them with frer. I'll do another one in the morning and keep on the meds tonight. If I was going to be getting a negative (which it most likely is), i'd have preferred it to be clear and today. At least I can drink Xmas day if it's negative tomorrow!

@Gardenlady543 well done on getting sorted for the antibiotics - that really is great to have in place before Xmas hols get in the way. I hope there is more good line news for you in the morning.

Merry Christmas to everyone on here. Thank you al for all the support you have given me over the years (!!!). You are a wonderful bunch of womenLots of love xxx