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.

@kerrym87 ah ok. I do disagree with NHS’s stance on PGT-A in general. But yes in your case for your last cycle, it probably was appropriate not to do it in any case. Perhaps get a second opinion privately from a reputable IVF consultant on the most appropriate protocol ? It could be, like you say, that their cookie cutter approach is not optimising your chances.
Sorry you’re flat, it’s completely expected. Be gentle on yourself.

@Gardenlady543 thank you for the advice, I think I will start tomorrow or Saturday. The clinic called today and said that there looked like an issue with my red blood cells, they said nothing major but can I come in tomorrow for iron testing. Good luck for your scan tomorrow, keep us posted on how it goes

Hi @AM08fingers crossed for your tww ❤️

How's things going for you @thislittlebird? Hope you're getting on OK. Will you wait til test day? I can't face early testing.

Thinking of you @kerrym87 💗

@Gardenlady543how are you getting on? Got everything crossed for positive news flat your scan tomorrow 🤞

I'm absolutely shattered but had a full on day at work. My fertility bracelet broke today 🥺 can't help but feel a little bit of hope, silly really. I took the gcsf injection last night and I think that's made me feel a bit dizzy and hungover today. Temps still high, although I woke at 5am today and couldn't get back to sleep, thanks steroids 😒 and my heartrate has gone up a bit.

Hope everyone is doing well xx

@VenusStarr you know I have gone a bit mad and bought a huge amount of crystal bracelets from Ali express, could you use it as an opportunity to get a new one?

I wear loads now and mix and match them, I even used sage to cleanse them. I have got:
Moonstone
Amethyst
Lavender amethyst
Rose quartz
Aquamarine
Green aventurine
Sunstone
Smoky quartz
Rhodonite
Rhodochrosite
Morganite
Cordierite
Cherry blossom agate
Lapis lazuli
Lepidolite
Labradorite
Shoushan stone
African stone

You've got an impressive collection @Gardenlady543 ! I think I will get a new one, feels weird not having it.

I've been awake since 3am 😳 and just felt like I was dreaming the whole time. I even had a dream where I was telling dh what happened in my dream. Weird. Today is going to be long...

Hope all is well at your scan x

@VenusStarr I saw loads of TikTok's where people had made Wes Anderson style films and I dreamed all night about making one! Outside waiting to go in for my scan now feeling zzzz

Hope your scan goes well @Gardenlady543

Good luck with the scan @Gardenlady543.
My FET is at 2.20 today

Thanks everyone, had the scan I have 3 follicles 15mm and 2x10mm and then some smaller ones. So if 3 keep going then that will be good. My estradiol is raised on my CB sticks and they've taken bloods. My lining is 6.2-6.5 and trilaminar, it's CD8 today so this looks good.

I have enough stims to keep going until Monday. I'm worried they will ask me to start the antagonist as that tends to shut everything down and it's unlikely I will be scanned again until Monday now.

Good luck for later today @clhiu

Yay! Good news @Gardenlady543 🙌

🥰 @clhiu thinking of you today x

Got the call to say my estradiol is 695 (Woop) and LH is 2.4 (so not at risk of ovulating imminently) they know I'm reluctant to start fyremadel as that seems to shut my body down and said it's ok to not take it if I do LH tests over the weekend and then come in for a scan Monday. I could book a private scan Sunday am, but then it would probably just stress me out as I'd need to decide how to act on it.

@Gardenlady543 that's good!

Has anyone had low dose steroid from transfer then had to stop after bfn? I'm only on 15mg of pred for about 10 days but they want me to taper off rather than just stopping. I've looked on NICE and only says to taper if on large doses and/or more than 3 weeks. Seems a bit over the top really

@kerrym87 that is a bit extra, yeah. I try to taper but when I have pred for asthma it’s just 5 days at one dose and then stop so I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. Otherwise take 10 tomorrow and then stop.

@Gardenlady543 glad it went well!

@kerrym87 I took it for about 10 days at 25mg during my abandoned cycle and I weaned off then.

@kerrym87 Dr Shehata has me on 25mg of pred from ovulation til test day, so about 10-12 days and I just stop. I've only had to wean when I've been on it 4 weeks or more.

Fab news @Gardenlady543 🙌

That is good news @Gardenlady543

@clhiu hoping all went well.

sorry been quiet. I seem to have had daily migraines and had the mother of all ones only just easing this afternoon but still feel really washed out. Think time of the month (day 1 today) plus starting DHEA combined to create mega migraines.

hope everyone else doing ok x

That sounds really horrible @Enfys23 I'm sorry you're being knocked about by hormones ❤️ hope you can get some rest this evening xx

I wish I was on pred right now, my eczema has gone insane today, could really do without this but it’s probably stress-induced.

@Enfys23 have any of the other hormones worsened your migraines? I’ve always been worried about them because of my migraines. Progesterone has been ok and I’ve avoided oestrogen to date.

Meant to add, @VenusStarr do you finish the pred if the test is positive or continue it?

@thislittlebird continue 25mg if positive until 12 weeks, then wean by 5mg every 5 days is my protocol.

I think its the pred but I've felt dizzy and off all day. Just got into bed but I don't feel tired. Hope I can sleep tonight.

Sorry to hear your eczema is flaring yltoday. How are you getting on? X

@Gardenlady543 so glad things are looking good for transfer. If you went for a scan on Sunday, what would you be looking for and what would you have to decide? Sounds like it’s safe enough to just LH test until Mondays scan?
Back to your previous reply, my Day 21 scan was a bit non-standard. It was to check AFC prior to down regging to see if the down reg over suppresses me.

@VenusStarr argh the pred. I hated the symptoms, especially the effects on sleep. Hope they manage to settle. When do you plan to test (no need to share if you don’t wish to)?

@Enfys23 hooe your migraine completely eases. Sounds horrible.

I’m still down regging and hope period comes in a week’s time for down reg scan to follow. I took a vag microbiome swab today to send to Juno (USA). My last test a few months ago was virtually 0% lactobacillus so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s any improvement after the antibiotics and probiotics. My pH test was 5.0 today so a bit higher than I’d like. I’ll post my results when I get them, probably 2 or 3 weeks.

I just compared photos of the pH test from Nov with test taken today, as you do on Friday night! There’s a distinct improvement in colour though the scale indicates it’s gone from 5.3-5.5 to 4.7-5.0 so not a major change.

Thanks ladies. @VenusStarr hope the dizziness eases and you managed some sleep.

@CailinInUK hope you’re feeling okay with the downreg.

@thislittlebird I was nervous about hormones in IVF too (or just coming off my migraine meds to TTC was nerve wracking enough) because I have such hormonally driven migraines (I literally had my first migraine with aura when I started my periods). It is really the hormonal change especially the drop pre period (or also now post failed transfer 😓) that seems to trigger them. I’ve been on 12mg estradiol tablets with 100mcg patches on too and been absolutely fine. The norethisterone did make me a bit more headachey. The provera I had to have because norethisterone was out of stock last time before my second stim was actually a bit better. Everything else seems to have been fine in terms of stims and progesterone for the IVF itself. It’s just the stopping of stuff post BFN that’s got me. Hopefully will settle into DHEA soon. I’m sure it hasn’t helped being premenstrual starting it. Day 2 now though so onwards and upwards. I have a baseline AFC tomorrow after just a week on DHEA. Will repeat later to see if improved AFC🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼(clinic doing the next one but I’ve arranged this one as I’d like to see if really changed anything esp given they admitted they’ve never formally done my AFC)

Thank you @CailinInUK hope your period comes as expected and you can move forward.

I don't know if its having been off treatment and meds for so long, but I've never felt like this. Got an awful headache. Did wake again at 3.30am for a few hours but dropped off again about 7am. But the dreams are insane, so vivid. I was supposed to go to the gym today but I thought I'd see how I feel and I don't think I can do it. I've got a party later. But am driving anyway but I'm not sure I feel up for driving, very fuzzy headed. But it's not til this evening.

My test day is tomorrow. It's come so fast. I have zero desire to do it, I hate them. I'm worried about a negative, I'm worried about it still showing the trigger and I'm scared that it'll be positive. So all in all, I'd love to just close my eyes and have a peaceful sleep as that usually helps me, but I can't do that. Think I will go for a walk today and try and clear my head. (Sorry that's so long!)

@Enfys23 I'm glad you're advocating for yourself and taking some control. I really hope your migraine settles. They sound awful ❤️

@Gardenlady543 hope you're feeling OK about things.

Love to everyone 💕