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 I have high arches, I’ve learned to lace for high arches and wide feet in the last couple of years which has been a big help. Annoying they’ve stopped selling those shoes for you, I saw some wide feet hiking boots in Clarks but probably more than I want to spend.

@VenusStarr I have chronic sinusitis, so I have a steroid spray which almost always keeps it under control so I found it odd I woke up with pain behind my ear, red cheeks etc, it does feel a bit better today.

I don’t kind timed intercourse, it feels less stressful than ivf but we can’t do it with his antibodies.

I’m really nervous about this scan. On my way there too. Feels like I’m sealing my fate. Don’t know how much more ivf we’ll want to do or can afford to do after this cycle really.

@VenusStarr good news!

@2021ivfagain I don't know much about it, I know I got more CM when I ate a load of it. Probably best to have it fresh if you can find it, I can't see how it would interact with metronidazole.

@VenusStarr if you're doing TI every other day then you should hopefully hit it even if you don't catch the surge. Fingers crossed the scan gives you an answer.

Good luck @thislittlebird

I've been trying to distract myself this bank holiday weekend, hoping CD1 will be here Friday or Saturday so I can get a baseline scan booked in and hopefully start finally, since my last transfer cycle was November and I heard people say after a chemical people seem more likely to get pregnant and I've just lost all these months :(

@Gardenlady543 we lost all those months too, between sadness and sperm issues. It sucks.

Ok there’s 18 follicles at various sizes today but a few less will probably be viable between too big and too small, biggest is 27mm. Anyway, waiting for an update but assume EC will be Wednesday and trigger today.

Fab news @thislittlebird sounds like you're nearly there. Keeping my fingers crossed that you'll get a good number of mature eggs 🙏

I'm totally with you on wasted time @Gardenlady543 it's our 5th wedding anniversary this week, so that means we've been ttc for 5.5 years, can't believe where tye time has gone. So much of it has been waiting...
Hoping that your period comes when you expect and things run smoothly x

@VenusStarr If I can get 10 mature I’d be relieved. With his sperm issue we need as many as we can get but only had 6 mature last time 🫠. I have the plan, need to figure out what’s going on when I get home, they’re going to call me later after my bloods are in but I may need a single or double trigger, plus have to do more gonal F and Fyremadel at 7, possibly two fyremadel today. Might have to go back tomorrow as well if i take the suprecur? Never had that before so I don’t know what that’s all about.

We’re coming up to 4 years and it’s depressing, it’s also been waiting for us, and lots of disappointment and poor experiences with doctors.

Oh wow, lots to do today then @thislittlebird Hopefully it'll give your smaller ones a boost and keep the larger ones ok too. You'll be a pin cushion later!
I feel like 5 years married has flown by, but then 5 years trying for a baby and getting nowhere has felt like a lifetime. So strange. X

@thislittlebird that sounds really promising. Hoping all goes well for EC for you.

@VenusStarr I hate LH surge monitoring as mine is up and down in such a short space of time. Hope you can catch it but at least you’re covering all bases with the TI.

@Gardenlady543 hope day 1 turns up soon!

@kerrym87 thinking of you and hoping you get a positive update soon.

@CailinInUK hope you’re enjoying the Easter weekend and get your results ASAP this week.

@clhiu when’s your next monitoring scan?

@Faithhopelove83 thinking of you ❤️

Hope everyone else has had some nice times this weekend. Infertility is so hard, and holidays can be so extra hard.

Thanks for the kind messages. It was a long consultation and went through everything, asked about all the things I wanted to see if we could try. Good news is DHs results were good. The karyotype isn’t back yet but they are not expecting an issue but will let us know when results back which is still at least 1-2 weeks away. They weren’t keen on many things I asked about; I can only say that’s them being careful, as I’m private patient they don’t really lose anything by agreeing?

So the plan going forward is: they want me to do 8-10 weeks DHEA 25mg three times a day until trigger day, though that depends on Biovea getting it to me as could only order it on Saturday once they told me and I understand from reviews that they are not UK based. Then they will do a scan to check my AFC and AMH in the cycle before I stim (predicted approx last full week of May), and re look at FSH dose then. I’m also having pred added sooner and clexane increased to 40mg. Plus adding viagra for lining in this fresh cycle. They said the DHEA obviously gets converted to some oestrogen so that would provide some oestrogen priming too?

Disappointed that they said no benefit/point to extra scans/bloods or baseline scan. So I’d only have the one day 10 scan again. What can I do?! I may do some bloods myself via medichecks and/or see if I can book a scan elsewhere to at least check no cyst at baseline (there’s a pregnancy scanning clinic that does ivf scans for those doing ivf abroad local to me that doesn’t look too expensive, they are CQC regulated etc but not sure how experienced they’ll be at follicle and lining checks etc).

I felt really sad and frustrated on Saturday that I’m going to have to wait another 2/3 months to start our 3rd cycle, plus DH is home loads in May but June/July is trickier to ensure he is around for EC, ET and OTD, but equally I’m really keen to try anything that may give us a chance at more than 4 follicles for EC in this last cycle from our package so the DHEA plan seems to make sense and we know my testosterone was low this month. I just hope we don’t get there and find it didn’t do anything for me and I still only have 4 follicles but just wasted more time….

I’m feeling really tired right now. I guess it’s just emotional. I’m trying to put on brave face and that is exhausting. DH is away with work for 3 weeks now, left this morning. And I’m still feeling the loss of the last transfer. I think I felt I had to be normal and happy over Easter as I worry sometimes (I know it’s silly as he’s a very supportive husband) that he’ll get tired of all this/me as last few years have just been so many tears and me feeling rubbish with hormones (even before IVF ttc was so hard as I get terrible PMS off treatment, haven’t felt “me” for years now). Sorry for the moan!

Anyone know if I can slightly shorten my cycles by using provera? I still have a stock so wondering if I start them day 15 and stop after a week I could ensure I have shorter cycles for next two cycles (I can normally be 24-29 day but if I make sure closer to 24 for next two then it would work out better to make sure DH around for the full works in last half of June). Don’t want to mess with my AFC/AMH or lining though…

Oh dear I am so sorry for the essay above!!

@Enfys23 you can arrange a scan with ultrasound direct, they have places across the UK and you can select when you want to book. I personally would do that, maybe one at baseline and one around day 6, and pass on the results to your clinic, ultrasound direct email you the report and images via a link before you leave. Obviously it's not ideal but if your clinic won't let you do extra scans then all you can do is work around it, like for instance if the baseline shows what I just had (estrogen producing cyst then that could mess up the cycle). Could the DHEA help if you do some timed intercourse while waiting to start the collection cycle? Just so you feel like you're doing something inbetween? It sounds like a really big day with lots of info.

Sounds like a good scan @thislittlebird it can be hard with some big ones which they may sacrifice and small ones which may not make it, but if you have a good few in the middle range then hopefully you should have a good yield.

I don't know if there is some psychological meaning behind this but I splurged in a load of comfortable chairs yesterday, a nice set for the garden and a reclining massage set for the home. I guess the opposite of my walking pad purchase!

Hi all, we had a decent blast transferred which had gone from dotage 3 to stage 4 of development between first thing and the transfer, one other made it to blast but had spit out lots of material so was unlikely to continue, other 3 fragmented. It's better than previously where only one out of 7 fertilised got to transfer with 1 in 5. Got pred and oestradiol too as well as progesterone.....gona be a hotbed of hormones and emotions! 🤯🤭

@thislittlebird fingers crossed for you

@Enfys23 I had baseline scan each time with result that thus ivf cycle was not optimum twice due to either scan or bloods. Seems a bit strange they don't want to make sure baseline afc is as best it can be

@kerrym87 glad you’ve got to transfer day and wishing you so much luck for 2WW.

@Gardenlady543 thank you. Yes yours and @clhiu recent experience mean I cannot understand why you wouldn’t check plus as you said @kerrym87 wny wouldn’t you check AFC that cycle esp given my previous issue with poor response. It seems a minor thing to do vs giving us back the £12k for the refund package if this doesn’t work out…I’m definitely going to go ahead with arranging some monitoring myself. I’ll feel better for it. The way things fall to enable my consultant to do EC usually means my day 1 of bleeding post stopping provera/norethisterone has been a Saturday so I might need to do the baseline scan on day 1 or 3 rather than day 2 if it’s a Sunday, but usually they will get me starting stims on day 3 (6 days after stopping the progesterone), would rather have the scan before I start injections.

Congratulations on being pupo 🥰 @kerrym87 will they watch your other embryo til tomorrow? Our embryo that was our healthy girl threw out a lot of cells too (could even see sperm that didn't make it as well which is weird), so might not be a bad thing.

@Enfys23 that's a lot of information to take on 💗 glad your dh's sperm was good. Are they monitoring you on the dhea? Definitely look into getting scans next time, just one is strange.
I've never used provera, is it progesterone? I guess it could shorten your cycle but I'm not sure of it would impact on anything though.
I'm sorry your dh is away now, you've had such a lot to process. I'm glad he's supportive 💓 I hope these next few weeks (and couple of months) pass quickly for you x

@kerrym87 congratulations on your transfer, may your TWW be filled with good distraction and caring people. 💗

@Enfys23 your day sounds like a real handful, it must be a lot, especially the news that you have to wait quite a bit longer than anticipated to get going, I am really sorry to hear that, but sounds like they have a plan in place finally, I hope it’s the right one for you and the wait is worth it in the end. Feel free to vent on here at any time, including if you ever want to DM, it’s what this is for.

@thislittlebird your scan sounds promising, but I hear the concerns over size differences. Everyone’s completely different, but if a little encouragement helps I think I had 19 on collection day, sizes allover the place, but they ended up extracting 16, of which 12 mature so hopefully a similar outcome for you. I completely get the feeling of lost time, focussing on this so much for a long time, it’s hard not to wonder what you might have missed and whether it was the right decision.

@2021ivfagain yes this is my first and last attempt at IVF as I only have one frozen euploid embryo from a PGT-A cycle, well technically 2, but the other one tested inconclusive twice so I may as well just try conceiving naturally if this one doesn’t work and save the cost of another FET as getting pregnant isn’t my issue.

I don’t remember who recommended Inessa Advanced Daily Biotic, but is it definitely ok to take after FET and during pregnancy if needed?

May I ask if anybody has any experience or an opinion on Embryo Glue? I’m thinking of asking for it as I read good things about it, but doesn’t appear to be part of my plan, unless they include it as standard and that’s why it’s not specified. Thanks!

@clhiu I'm pretty sure the embryologist told me it can't be used on hatching embryos and they have to start that process to take the biopsy, so they said I wouldn't be able to use it.

@kerrym87 congrats on being pupo :)

@VenusStarr halfway through my pin cushion era, two more to go. They called and said to stick to the plan, so only one fyremadel after all and I don't need to go in tomorrow. I'm annoyed because EC will be in the afternoon again. My clinic get you in early and then you just sit in your boring hospital room all morning, it's very annoying. I was hoping to get the early slot, but once again I'll be in at 10 and leaving during London rush hour :/

@Enfys23 thanks! I really don't understand why your clinic are so resistant to scans and bloods, surely that's the whole point in monitoring? Very weird.

@Gardenlady543 that's what I'm hoping, that the most of the middling ones make it.

@kerrym87 glad to hear you got to transfer, when do you hear about the other one?

@clhiu yeah, I'm hoping it's like that but we shall see. I have no idea if all this is the right choice at this stage, but I guess I can say I've tried.

@clhiu I advised the Advanced Biotic Complex probiotic by Inessa. It’s good for ibs. It’s completely safe in pregnancy as I was told by my nutritionist who recommended it.

They don’t use embryo glue in CRGH.

@VenusStarr thank you ❤️

@thislittlebird that’s very annoying and mean to make you fast that long. Hope it all goes smoothly.
They basically say it makes no difference, that scanning during short protocol is pointless as they won’t change the doses as it is too short a time to influence anything, and that timing of antagonist (fyremadel) start doesn’t change anything. Same with bloods. I can’t help but think it’s a cost decision even with me paying extra for them, that I’m taking up appointment they could use for someone else who’s paying for a whole IVF cycle. I’ve found a scanning place locally now. I’ve actually booked a scan for AFC with my next day 2-5 so that I can try them out ahead of time.

@Enfys23 I don't think that's true, people are told to hold off the antagonist to give some smaller follicles a chance to catch up and if there is a mismatch they will say to increase up the dosage of stims for a couple of days. The expensive clinics in London seem to do loads of scans, it's just a cost cutting thing, they clearly don't care how many embryos people will get or about increasing the yield.

@Enfys23 yeah it’s very annoying. I checked and it’s even earlier, you have to get in for 9 🙄. It’s so unnecessary, just being sat around waiting until after midday. And then last time it was so late when I came back and then we had to wait for the food order to come, wait for all the specialists to visit, we didn’t get out until maybe 4ish and getting home was a joke.

You’re planning for a new EC, aren’t you? I agree with @Gardenlady543, that’s definitely not true. I’m always short protocol, they changed my fyremadel timing, decreased my stims based on scans and bloods this time, they did more again yesterday to determine which trigger I’d have or both. I’ve had 5 sets of scans and bloods this time, maybe they don’t need to do that much but it’s included in the access package so I can’t complain they aren’t monitoring me.

It's good news 🙌 I never get good news, so feels strange. Triggering tonight. My lining is over 7mm, which I'm chuffed with (and the clinic are!) They said well done! 😅 after last year's shitshow with my lining, this feels like a win.
I do have a dermoid cyst though... 🧐 but she's said that they'll check it's nothing sinister (unlikely) but better to check. But they are made up of hair and teeth which is horrible.
I got a positive opk last night, so we dtd. Plan says for the next 3 days... 🫣 this does take all of the loveliness out of sex. Let's hope it works 🙏

Hope you're OK @thislittlebird are you injection free today? That's rubbish that you have to wait around all day...

@Enfys23 is this a private clinic you're with? Seems strange they don't want to monitor you more.

How's things @clhiu are you doing your transfer this cycle now?

Just having my intralipids and then I'll get some breakfast and then do the long drive home... have to work later, should've just booked the whole day 😒 have a good day everyone xx

Thanks all, they never even said anything about growing them further, just said that others were fragmented and slow growing hadn't even made it to morula, that second blast he said was missing about half the material so wasn't freezable or put backable as highly unlikely to implant, never even considered asking them if they would keep growing. Kind of frustrated that rhey never offered but they are specialist and have a good rate so I don't think to question it 🤔 kind of sad that we could have potentially let that one carry one and may have had a freezable, I did ask about double transfer but 2nd blast was so poor they said no....

@kerrym87 I have found embryologists to be very good, if they think there's a chance they'll let something keep going even up to day 7, so I expect that the embryo wasn't going to develop further. You could always ask though, I've found the embryologist really helpful and willing to talk things through.

Congrats @VenusStarr did you know about the dermoid cyst before?

@thislittlebird I have 2 more euploids from my 2020 collection and if those don't work I get another collection, it will be 6 bloody months since my last transfer until I can try one, if I don't get a third abandoned cycle, so who knows when I'll have gone through these two. My last embryo is a pretty poor quality one.

@VenusStarr great lining news! I’ve seen those cysts online, they’re so weird 😩

Injection free but not stress free. Had a heated chat with the embryologist. One embryologist told DH his sample needed to be done as near as possible to egg collection, I asked them about this on an email and they rang and basically said that isn’t a real thing. We’ve been assuming this was a plan and now they say it’s just going to be the same as last time. I’m unimpressed to say the least, I don’t know whether to email my consultant or wait until we speak to a doctor there tomorrow. I don’t even know what I’m asking, why are they telling us different things?

I felt totally gaslit, like she’s saying it didn’t happen when it absolutely did.

@kerrym87 frustrating that they wouldn’t try a transfer, I always wonder about the ones they discard, but we have to trust them I suppose.