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.

Sorry every time t try to tag anyone it goes mental and messes my message up so can't tag properly

2021ivfagain - I saw about your fsh and covid- did it settle down? Mine was completely.normal then had 2 cycles postponed due to raised fsh plus one occasion lower afc than usual, raised progesterone and fsh 8.4, other one fsh 9.7.

2 months after covid it was 12 but everything else normal. My 8.4/9.7 were 6 and 6 months post covid but have long covid. I'm hoping it's not a sign that my ovaries are giving up a bit and I won't respond so well.

Venustarr- it sounds awful, thinking if you both!

Has anyone got recommendations for pro and prebiotics as I've recently had yeast infection (known higher yeast level from swab), tried brewers yeast as suggested by microbiologist to put a less aggressive form of yeast in but caused full on thrush. My lactobacilli levels were absolutely fine

@kerrym87 Sorry you’re having these problems. Yes I think I’m older than you as well. Anything below 10 for fsh is normal. It does fluctuate from month to month. Covid affected egg quality and sperm quality. It might’ve also affected fsh as well I think but fsh was already getting bad. I think covid accelerated things.

However, my fsh got to 24 last July and I was severely stressed, also had a very bad vaginal infection and failed to ovulate, so that caused fsh to rise. It was the cycle I was on provera. I’ve never used provera since. I also try to use dhea, wheatgrass, omega 3, ubiquinol and some hrt when doing oestrogen priming. Also try to eat food that supports oestrogen when not taking hrt like flaxseeds and tempeh. Also acupuncture can help greatly. Problem is it’s expensive.

I can also recommend allicillin Design for Health oral garlic tablets. They are good for thrush and bv. I’ve had to restart them. You have to stop when to stim. Prebiotic I use is by Invivo called: Bio.Me Prebio: amaranth-wellbeing.com/products/invivo-bio-me-prebio-phgg?variant=42759698677988

The above is a link but I also use natural dispensary. I also use Pro Bio women, but have had to increase them with digestive enzymes to break down biofilm.

Canesflor vaginal pessaries are really good preventing thrush. This might be the best option. Optibac oral probiotics are also supposed to be good. Have you taken antibiotics recently? If you have thrush, it might be best to try canesten duo first as my nutritionist advised. She also recommended I cut out yeast and sugar, but you probably do that already. Kefir is good. I was told to avoid bread and have things like wraps instead of oat biscuits. My thrush problems went very quickly but bv is harder to resolve.

Sending so much love and strength @VenusStarr

@VenusStarr Sorry you’re going through this. I hope you don’t have to wait long for your husband’s surgery.

Had a read back through a few pages ladies.

@VenusStarr I really hope your DH is better soon and you manage to work everything out. It must be so much more stress in a different country!

@Gardenlady543 I’m so sorry your cycle was cancelled. :( I see you went to LA which seems a long awaited trip! I love LA and I hope you have the best time.

I might start looking at a full thyroid panel. I’m not sure. Adeno is obviously a form of endo so there’s a chance I could need pred but seems like my clinic don’t dish it out until more failed. Just this wait is sooo long with the down reg.

@Loz2467 given you’ve got this enforced break and it’s something that’s on your mind, but your clinic isn’t open to it, would seeing an immune specialist with this time be a useful thing to do? Maybe they’d have recommendations for your protocol. I think some ladies on here had ureaplasma testing with a urine sample?

DH is home tomorrow, it’ll be nice to have more company and distraction, I don’t know if we will just do some lateral flow tests and be normal or wait a few days. He’s had a track record of coming back with COVID or similar after work trips and long haul flights. I had night sweats last night so that has worried me, I’d normally start with them pre period, and my endo pains seem as bad as ever this month. Hard not to think I’m already out but really trying not to be negative.

How are you @VenusStarr ? Thinking of you. Hoping there’s light at the end of the tunnel and you’re getting some good support out there.

@VenusStarr how's your hubby? x

Hi @Enfys23 , sorry to hear about the night sweats, I know how worrying they can be. I hope things have been easier now DH is home. I'm a couple of days behind you in the 2ww. I was doing well, pretty calm and positive over the weekend. But today I feel wiped out, so tired and nauseous, emotional but can't cry. It's hard not to analyse everything, isn't it. Hope you're ok and sending you encouragement xx

Hope everyone else is ok too.

Still thinking of you @VenusStarr and hope your DH is getting the care that he needs xx

@Faithhopelove83 it’s so up and down isn’t it. I’m sorry today has been tough. I was wide awake from 2am, not sure if it’s because of the steroids or just the 2WW mental torment. No sweats last night but then hardly got any sleep 😂🤦🏻‍♀️. I’ve written out some positive affirmations in a blank notebook at the suggestion of my acupuncture lady. It felt really corny to start but I’ve actually found it really helpful this morning to read and repeat them. DH has come back and felt instantly poorly with a cough and sore throat coming off the plane. So we’re being careful for a bit. Today’s LFT negative but neither of us wants to take any risks! At least we can chat and it’s good to know he’s in the house but it would be nice to have some cuddles!
Sending you lots of positivity. When is your OTD? Are you going to wait? xx

@Enfys23 I’m sorry your husband is unwell. There are a lot of viruses going around. I think you should be fine. The only reason I got my husband’s cold was because my toddler caught it. I’m hoping you get a positive result at the end.

@VenusStarr How are things going?

Thank you @Enfys23 ❤
Oh I had middle night insomnia too but on Friday night. DH had to put up with me talking all sorts of gibberish in the early hours 😂. I put it down to the steroids being doubled that day. Saturday crashed out and slept like a log. Last night was a mixed bag. But oh my, how tired do I feel today, it's really hit me.
Glad you've found the affirmations helpful. I've just done some gentle yoga. Still off work today but back tomorrow and no idea how I'm going to get through the rest of the working week. We go on holiday on Friday and it can't come soon enough, we're both exhausted.
I'm sorry your DH has come back poorly. I totally understand why you're being cautious. I've been quite paranoid about avoiding bugs as it's my first cycle on the intralipids and steroids. I hope he gets well soon and you avoid it.
So the OTD they've given me is 1st April 😂but another nurse said that's wrong and it should be 30th March (they can't get anything right!). According to the last OTD they gave me, it should be 29th March, so who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️. I'll test early but not until 8dp5dt, which is this Saturday. And you?
Sending you lots of positivity too xx

Thank you @2021ivfagain

When we’ve all gone through so much to get where we are, plus have the added dimension of immunosuppression, we aren’t going to take any risks are we! So much invested emotionally, physically, let alone financially.

That does sound late. My OTD is 11dp5dt so Sunday 26th. I know some clinics say 16dp5dt which seems really late. I’ve got a fear of tests now I think, having only ever seen BFNs - it was kinder to just let my period come in natural cycles and now with IVF OTD is so traumatic. But maybe there’s value to knowing if I have some signs of implantation even if ends in chemical? I don’t know, maybe it’s not different to just continuing to have BFNs on OTD and so I needn’t put myself through that. My GP has kindly signed me off this week - there’s no way I could function at work now.
I hope the time passes quick and you have a lovely break ❤️

Hi. I had to contact my clinic today as I’m worried the cold will have affected my nk cells in the blood. I hope I won’t have to delay treatment too far. I’ve been doing so much to treat the vaginal infection.

Has anyone on this thread has success with low nk cells in endometrium? When I did my fresh transfer for my son, I had no tests for nk cells but I was younger. From my research, if progesterone is higher, this helps to increase nk cells in endometrium.

@CailinInUK How is your cycle going?

@clhiu Could I just ask what you are on for progesterone? I am concerned about the low nk cells in my endometrium. I will have some treatment for it but will also be on steroids for slightly raised nk cells in blood. In the blood, one was 23.8 and they like it below 20. Couldn’t afford ivig.

Thanks for the support and messages ❤️ still no further forward. Been at the hospital all day and no progress. Had to complain about his cannula as its not been changed since Wednesday... standards of care are very different to the UK.

Hi @2021ivfagain, I’m away from home till tomorrow and cannot double check the dosage, but Cyclogest 300 (I believe!) twice daily and also Lubion injections (can’t remember the dosage) twice daily too. That will be from 2 days post trigger if ovulation is confirmed and I’m told for the whole first trimester if implantation is successful. NKC in my endometrium are all within good levels, just one blood value is slightly raised, hence the intralipds, but I don’t know about correlation between NKC and progesterone, sorry about that.

Been in a major freak out over the past 24 hours as I suddenly have a huge lump in my neck, out of the blue, visible to the naked eye and definitely cannot have been there much longer than when I noticed it yesterday afternoon. Looks like it may be swollen thyroid, but impossible to tell, I’m abroad so won’t be able to contact a doctor till I’m back tomorrow to have it investigated. Really worried now it may cause delays to transfer or it may even be something outright bad, transfer cycle will likely start in 2 weeks, but I won’t mention anything to the clinic just yet until I’ve seen a doctor and got it checked. I have private medical insurance through work so going to try and use that for the first time to see if I can have it checked quickly in the next week as with the NHS I’d be waiting a long time. I’m really annoyed at the though of FET being delayed because of this, but cannot really go into it without knowing what it is. I’m also really scared of what it may turn out to be and what treatment I may need…just as we were almost on the finishing line, this had to happen ☹️. Anybody got any experience of a swollen thyroid gland? Had a full thyroid profile, hormones and antibodies, tested back in October and everything was completely fine, never had issues with it, but I read some of the synthetic hormones given in IVF may cause this kind of thing, especially the Norethisterone, which never agreed with me much and I’m now on for the 3rd time, I hoped it’d be the last!!!
If anybody on here has any experience of this, please let me know.

I completely understand about the fear of tests @Enfys23 . I think there's value in testing early, in case it's an early loss and this helps with investigations/treatment, but I know everyone is different. I'm so glad your GP has signed you off for the week. I've had quite a bit of time off work (I was off for a couple of months after my last cycle / mc), so I'm scared to take any more. Thank you for the holiday wishes. We've booked it for DH's birthday and to try to come to terms with whatever the outcome of this cycle is. I hope the time passes quickly for you too and that it's good news xx

Oh @VenusStarr , I'm so sorry to hear there's been no progress. You must be exhausted and at your wits end, especially as you're having to advocate for better care standards. I really hope progress is made soon xx

I'm sorry @2021ivfagain , I don't know anything about nk cells in the endometrium as I only got my peripheral NK cells tested. I hope you get answers from your clinic about the affect of your cold on peripheral NK cells. Would you mind letting me know what they say please? I've still not had any answers from mine as to whether my illness affected my NK/immune tests. I really hope it doesn't set you back again.

@clhiu I'm sorry to hear about the lump on your neck and I hope you can get it soon quickly.

@Gardenlady543 How are you getting on?

Does anyone know about cervix positioning please? I could tell when putting in the pessaries (with an applicator) that my cervix was high and soft. But now it feels like it's dropping and hardening, which I'm worried is a bad sign. Obviously worried that my low progesterone levels may not have been rescued in time. I'm trying to get them to re-test to see whether the added Lubion and extra pessaries have got the levels up, but the clinic is taking forever to come back to me. Do you think this is something I need to push for? Thanks everyone

@Faithhopelove83 Blood nk cells can definitely be affected by a cold or virus. I know that because when I had a cold in January my cycle had to be cancelled as they informed me it would definitely affect treatment.

As for progesterone, my clinic wait to test on transfer day. I will be on 400mg cyclogest twice a day and lubion twice a day. That’s 850mg a day. They like the progesterone to be 100 at least on transfer day. Do you know what your progesterone is?

Thanks @2021ivfagain . I had been unwell for 6 days when I had my nk/immune test. I was assured it wouldn't affect the test, but then afterwards I was told it might have and they couldn't say either way. So now I don't know whether the £1.5k tests are worth the paper they're written on. I've gone ahead with intralipids and steroids just in case.
My progesterone was tested 2 days before transfer when I'd only been on 800mg of pessaries for 3 days. The results were delayed (or they didn't look at them promptly) and I was only told on transfer morning that my levels were low at 21 pmol/ml (they want them over 35). So I started Lubion 25mg and added in an extra 400mg of pessaries. So that's 1200mg of pessaries and 25mg of Lubion per day. I'm now 3dp5dt. I called the clinic and then went into the clinic this morning (as I was picking up a private prescription anyway) but no-one has called me all day, it's a disgrace. Trying not to worry too much, but it's difficult.

@Faithhopelove83 That’s terrible. Were you on a natural FET modified cycle or medicated?

@Faithhopelove83 Were you taking the cyclogest vaginally or rectally? I take them rectally due to issues with microbiome. I found out they absorb more quickly if taken rectally.

Thanks @2021ivfagain .
I'm on Utrogestan, so taking vaginally. That's all I've ever done and this is my 6th ART cycle (3 IUI, 2 IVF fresh and now this FET). I've been fine before (I think, not tested), no breakthrough bleeding. But this is my first medicated FET and obviously it hasn't been enough this time. I'll be moving onto Cyclogest when I finish the Utrogestan (supply issues) so will consider rectally then - thanks for the tip. At the moment I'm having to take 6 pessaries vaginally per day and it's not fun 😔

@VenusStarr came by in the hope you had a good update, sorry to hear it's still ongoing, I really hope they can get a transfer booked in asap. How are you holding up?

@clhiu if you feel your the lump and swallow and it goes up, then it's likely the thyroid, but there are other causes of lumps in the neck like swollen lymph nodes, usually caused by infection and will be painful. I never had a swollen thyroid but my hypothyroidism was recently put down to a silent transient autoimmune thyroiditis, but I never noticed and enlarged thyroid.

I'm ok thanks @Faithhopelove83 :) got a good 12 hours sleep to help with the jet lag and managed at work today. No idea about the cervix :( I can't even feel mine.

Clhiu - sorry still cant tag without it jt repeatedly tagging and not letting me type. Thyroid is on the front but if it is a thyroid issue it doesn't normally just pop up. More likely to be a cyst or lymph gland, are you away where its warm and it could be a bite?