ERA EMMA ALICE testing thread 7

[VenusStarr]

Hi all. We're on our 7th thread! Really hoping for some more positive news in the coming months.

@Gardenlady543 @seven201 @2021ivfagain @kerrym87 @Janefx40 @thislittlebird @Spin101

@Gardenlady543 @seven201@2021ivfagain@kerrym87
@Janefx40 @thislittlebird @Spin101 hopefully the tags work now 🧐

@Enfys23
@CailinInUK
@BewilderedBee
@Loz2467
@Lori2022

Thanks for setting up adding me @VenusStarr

I need to go back to the old thread to catch up and reply here

Thanks for adding me @VenusStarr

Not much going on for me apart from I won’t be able to start my down Reg 😭 on my next period as I won’t have my meds and prescription on time. So frustrating when I had my follow up on the 31.01. I know it’s only another months wait but I’m down regging for 2 months and I could of had the Lap on the 14th March after all!

I joined a live chat this morning with the fertility suite if anyone has them on IG or Facebook. It was really interesting and I got to ask about my adeno and down Reg and low progesterone and I Learnt more from him than I have in the last 2 years!

how is everyone doing?

Thanks for the new thread @VenusStarr.

Oh no @Loz2467 . I would be so kissed off at that delay!! Sorry. I've not heard of the fertility suite - I will look them up one day.

@VenusStarr
Thanks for starting a new thread. I have an early start tomorrow to go to London for my next scan.

Wow we do get through these threads don’t we! Thread 7! Thanks @VenusStarr . Here’s hoping for some good news with lucky 7. Hope you’re getting stronger day by day, glad you can work a bit flexi from home to take it easy.

I really hope that line is there this morning @seven201 certainly looks to be some colour on the second photo.

Good luck today @2021ivfagain it must be so scary but you’re doing really well. One step at a time.

It’s sad there’s so little consideration for others. No one seems to be careful about Covid now. I still wear a good mask to work in healthcare but I get strange looks by now. I’m going to be more paranoid once on the pred.

We will be thinking of you on Tuesday @Gardenlady543
That’s funny about the moxibustion! I’ve never seen it like that before. My acupuncture lady puts these little mounds of like clay on my skin and lights them for a few seconds until they warm the point, then she does the needle on that point after. All sorts of methods I guess.

@Loz2467 I am so so sorry about the delay, I would be livid about that!! Have you paid already? There’s no chance of getting script done elsewhere? I remember when I needed tostran in a rush once they gave me a private script and I took it to hospital pharmacy. It all ended up costing more but I at least had it in time just.

@kerrym87 I’m sorry to hear there’s been cycle cancellations, it’s always devastating. I think FSH will always be knocked about by all the meds we end up on. ovaries switched on and off all the time. Not sure why they’ve cancelled with the AFC. I’ve only ever had these measured once before starting treatment.

Hi @spin101good to see you here!

How are you doing @ thislittlebird?

Hope not missed anyone out. Tags on here are being weird today for me.

Work has been awful busy, long days and barely chance to stop. Didn’t get chance to have lunch or wee yesterday. Always proves to me why I need to be off around a transfer! My endo pains are bad this month so not sleeping great either. I’ve had confirmation from the consultant that I will be on 20mg pred and 20mg clexane from the day of transfer. I do wonder if I start them slightly earlier to calm things down before the embryo gets in there!? And will have the progesterone tested day before transfer and lining thickness scan as close to surge day as possible. Just had my meds delivered. Full steam ahead then!

Those who’ve used fertility network for meds - how did you do that? I tried a few like fertility medication centre for quotes but with the private prescription charge it wasn’t worth the hassle as I was only saving about £5 and would probs have spent that in petrol/parking and effort to get the private script.

The line is a bit darker today and I think has colour. Holy shit! Going to try and book in intralipids. I've had 4 early losses though, so Aghh! I've not been pregnant with hydroxy before so hoping that's 'the thing'.

Brilliant news @seven201 I totally get how scary this is ❤️ take it one step at a time. Xx

Sorry about work @Enfys23 sounds like time off when needed is a good idea, I have 4 days booked off around transfer time this cycle.

That's good news @seven201 !

@Loz2467 I'm so sorry. It's not just another month when you've been mentally preparing for it 😞 I'm sorry the clinic weren't organised and this has happened.
That IG sou ds interesting. I'm still on a (self-imposed) Instagram ban. It's doing me the world of good not being on there, I do a lot of doom scrolling and I followed a lot of people doing ivf, seeing Dr as etc pretty much all of them have babies and toddlers now and it just makes me feel shit.

@2021ivfagain fingers crossed for your scan, let us know 🙏

Thank you @Enfys23 you were awake early! I'm pretty lucky that I can work from home. Got to pop out for a meeting this morning but then straight home, joggers on and a teams call later.
I haven't used fertility network for meds, sorry.
I'm sorry work is so hectic for you and that your endo is bad ❤️ I start clexane and pres before transfer. So clexane was about cd9 and pred was 5 days before transfer. Definitely ask / check if you're worried x

@VenusStarr thanks for tagging me.

i just went to Ark ivf in Greece for hysteroscopy before my last nhs retrieval. Several polyps were found which have never been seen on ultrasound. The consultant has cleared me to start ivf on my next cycle.
I’ve been spotting for several weeks now due to the polyps so no doubt my ph and microbiome isn’t as good as it was. The thing is that something always seems to crop up and go wrong so I’m going to try and improve the microbiome during stims. I’m tired of waiting and I don’t have faith in my nhs clinic anyways. Just need to get this cycle done!
lots of luck to those transferring soon xx

@seven201 I must of missed this! Gentle congrats and I hope that line is developing for you!

@Enfys23 wishing you so much luck for your next cycle. Are you doing a natural FET not medicated? Is that how it works. Also is pred and Clexane for endo and adeno protocol? I asked for some immune meds which I know sounds extreme but I wanted to throw everything at this cycle.

I know pretty frustrated but wondering if they would put that on a seperate prescription if needs be as that’s what I need first. But I don’t want to pay the private prescription fee twice. I’m not sure I’ll have to figure out the difference in cost from other places as I saved £850 on my fresh cycle but I know that’s different.

I didn’t ask the question with Dimitri on the live yesterday about immunes and a lap. It’s very obvious something has gone wrong with the my fertility since the MC and he did say the endo or adeno can be causing the low prog. He also said letrozole is advised after the dish Reg to help any estrogen that might be coming from the actually adeno tissue itself.

Also because my MC was due to an infection I’ve had a biopsy done to check for endometritis but I haven’t had the Emma and Alice. Should I be taking some gut probiotics and some vaginal ones just incase?

@Enfys23 definitely take a good chunk of time off around transfer. Personally I stick with when I'm told start pred etc but if you have questions you should push for them to justify why those start dates. They may be fine with you starting earlier.

@2021ivfagain good luck for the scan.

@Loz2467 yes, I'd take some oral and vaginal probiotics as it can't do any harm. Private prescription fees are so annoying!!

Thanks all xx

So panic kind of over. They have a prostap in stock at care so I can just call you on cycle day 1 and get it there! It’s £261 for one injection. I know that’s nothing in the grand scheme of what we are all spending but I didn’t expect it to be that much! I guess I don’t really have chance or a choice to find it privately now.

@Enfys23 thank you!

is there any you ladies recommend? Just to cover all basis and give me a good chance? I’ve no idea where to start.

@seven201
Thank you. Follicles are growing more on left side but lining is still 8.6mm today. I’m on cd9 today so still early as with oestrogen priming I tend to be triggered on cd15. Also congratulations.

@Gardenlady543 When is your transfer? Hope things are going better at work. Are you still using the vaginal probiotics? I’m currently alternating between canesflor with canesbalance and vagibiom. My IVF nutritionist told me that canesbalance can be stopped 5 days before transfer but I’ll stop it 7 days before and take Flora Femme.

I’m starting to get very anxious about when I start steroids as my consultant wants me to stop my additional vitamin c after confirmed ovulation. I think it’s because I’ll be on blood thinners as well.

@CailinInUK
How is your cycle going? I know you were preparing for the long protocol. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.

@VenusStarr thanks for tagging me on the new thread.

@seven201 that was definitely a line. Glad it's got darker. Have everything crossed for you

@Loz2467 glad you are sorted for this cycle

Love to everyone else xxx

@seven201 fingers crossed for you!

@Enfys23 yeah I’m paranoid about covid too. If I get it I have no idea how I’ll feel, never had it, but if dh gets it again it sets us back six months. I’m so worried he’ll get it, and I’ll be even more worried if one of the other of us has to go on pred. I’m sure my levels will be high, I should have NK results Monday. I want to talk to my clinic about being on slightly lower doses of pred. I achieved implantation when I self-medicated with 10mg, I’m wondering if they’ll let me have that. It’s been really hard for me to lose the face fat since I was on it at high doses for six weeks, I want to avoid that again, if I can.

I’m feeling very old the last few months. My extra weight doesn’t want to shift, I have veins appearing in places I never had them. I feel like I’ve lost the few years I had to conceive a child and now it won’t work. I am pleased to know DH has a reason for his low motility, because we never understood why, it wasn’t a lifestyle or hormonal issue and his count is good. But now we do know it also feels like our chances of success just fell off a cliff. ICSI is our only chance, natural just ain’t happening and I want to cry my eyes out really, I didn’t think it was a strong chance for us but it always felt like a possibility. Now we know his own antibodies are killing his sperm we know they aren’t going to be able to get to an egg. I don’t want to feel like it’s over but it increasingly does feel like that.

He’s started taking 1000mg vitamin C which there’s some evidence to show it can help lower antisperm antibody levels, but I can’t see our next cycle going well. We’re seeing Guys andrology on Monday, I don’t even know what to ask them. We were going to ask for more tests but we just paid for those while we were waiting. The number of people who have told us to just keep trying and have lots of sex, I’m so angry they never investigated his problems more. Only a few weeks ago a urologist basically pointed the finger at my age and I asked why it wasn’t a problem for everyone else we know?! Because clearly age was not the issue when I was 36.

Oh and my clinic threw £399 of TH tests into my invoice for NK testing. I had no idea they were doing them, it really annoyed me because there’s a big difference in cost between £650 and £1k. They’ve done the test so I guess I have to pay for it, but I wanted to say that they need to tell me if they’re doing extra tests, you can’t just spring that on people.