ERA EMMA ALICE testing thread 8

[Gardenlady543]

@2021ivfagain @kerrym87 @Janefx40 @seven201 @thislittlebird @Spin101 @Enfys23
@CailinInUK @BewilderedBee @Loz2467 @Lori2022 @VenusStarr @clhiu @Faithhopelove83 @APSR @ChickenT2b @Mina209 @IVF22 @Lizzybeth1988 @AM08 @Fluffykins33 @Sar1010

Continued in from thread 7 :)

@Gardenlady543 that is good news.

@Spin101 yes I’ll be doing the viagra four times a day from start of stims until trigger day.

My scan seemed ok. It’s day 4 of stims so early days (but I couldn’t get scan anywhere tomorrow or Tuesday). They could see 7 follicles in total with largest 10.1mm. They also said though I had cyst next to ovary that was 16mm. Weird given that wasn’t picked up on baseline scan. Endometrial thickness 5.1mm (cautiously optimistic with that and hoping the next 5 days sees it thicken up).

Clinic have said I can either start fyremadel antagonist day 5 or 6 of stim (so as early as tomorrow to start it). I’ve started it on day 5 in previous stim cycles. When I raised the question whether I could alter timing as I’ve read it may benefit those with poor response to have a few more days before antagonist started, they were noncommittal saying it can be started when lead follicle 12-14mm (but that’s not useful because they won’t monitor, so how would I know this, my next scan with them is day 9 of stims), or I could opt to start fyremadel a day later than I have previously on day 6 of stims. But then I’m left feeling if I make the decision to go for day 6 and then surge early I will have massive regrets! I’m thinking along lines if lead follicle currently 10.1mm it may have grown by a couple of mm by tomorrow and be in the 12-14mm bracket anyway. I wish clinic would just monitor a bit more closely!

On topic of egg collection what do people do in terms of making sure they are fragrance free/cosmetic free for procedures? I went to the extreme last time of literally having nothing. Do you reckon some fragrance free roll on deodorant and maybe a bit of fragrance free basic face moisturiser and concealer make up ok (my face is a mess of acne with the DHEA right now so feel really bare not wearing anything). Or would you just stick to having nothing on and suck it up?!

@Gardenlady543 Pleased scan went well. It must be a relief for you. Sorry you’re not feeling well. Are you taking any additional vitamin C? I’m not sure if you are allowed fresh lemon drinks. I didn’t have an nhs scan until week 12.

@Spin101 Good luck with transfer. Sorry you’re having lining issues.

@Enfys23 It’s so frustrating. I remember that I did oestrogen priming for egg retrievals and it lowered everything. Is there any chance you could have a blood test? I wish you were going to my clinic. They are good for monitoring.

In terms of deodorant, I don’t use any hand creams, make-up or perfume. I do use deodorant lol! I’m not even using cream for eczema but not so bad in summer. My clinic said avoid hand creams and perfumes for 24 hours from transfer day. I would avoid perfume completely.

@Enfys23 I am not a fan of fyremadel after it led to my FET being cancelled by my whole body shutting down. I've taken it with stims fine, my first cycle I was told to start it before my first scan but then after I was monitored more closely and it was a clinical decision, can you get a scan privately between? I would say wear absolutely nothing, I don't know if the fragrance thing is science or what, but it's best to just have nothing on I think.

@2021ivfagain I'm a bit worried about taking anything with the immune stuff I'm on, strepsils have vit c in. I'm measuring at 13+2 so really should have had a date for the nhs scan by now as it's supposed to be up to 14 weeks.

@Gardenlady543 Yes it’s tricky. I had lemon infused water when pregnant, but you have to do what is best. Do you have a midwife?

When you used the Flora femme after ovulation, did they always melt? The thing is I have been told I can keep using canesbalance until transfer so using both together but after ovulation I’m drier. Have you started to use an acid product vaginally recently? I know you said you avoided it near transfer and afterwards.

@Enfys23 Can you use cetrotide?

@2021ivfagain nope I just will use about 1 vaginal probiotic a week. I like lemons, I made some lemonade and I've bought a special ice cube tray as I really like cool drinks. Flora femme did dissolve for me but did come out quite sticky.

@Gardenlady543 yeah I’ll stick to nothing! It’s safer that way!
Sadly there is no where anywhere close to me that has availability - I’d checked weeks ago. It was today or Friday, and obviously have scan Friday with clinic anyway. I can check my oestradiol level via medichecks but I won’t get results in time to make decision. I guess just have to go with it and not overthink it, hope for best.
I hope they get you booked in for the scan soon.

@2021ivfagain I’ve never had alternative antagonist discussed with me so not sure. Hope you’re doing okay. Do you have more monitoring or are you booked in for transfer now?

@Gardenlady543 My mistake. I thought you said the other week you were using an acid product vaginally. I’m worried that as my microbiome is not good now I will have to resort to using canesbalance at some point. My consultant is letting me use it before transfer but nothing on day of transfer and no canesbalance after that. Using last canesbalance tomorrow morning. Problem is Flora femme is not really dissolving so I have to use Vagibiom but problem is I think I’ll need to use two.

The cyclogest is starting to raise ph. My gynaecologist who is an expert in BV said I must maintain a healthy ph to avoid reinfection. Today, I used one canesbalance in the morning with Flora femme and just used a vagibiom and tonight canesbalance and Flora femme. When I was having frequent scans, everything was getting inflammed even though I had cervical mucus. I think antibiotics and norethisterone have dried me out. I wish I could’ve done my transfer when my microbiome was better. I had a call today that all 7 day 3 embryos have thawed. Just feel sad that my microbiome might be the thing that affects implantation. Did your friend take one or two vagibiom a day? I was hoping to take Flora femme in morning and vagibiom in evening but don’t know if Flora femme is doing much good especially if on its own when I’m in luteal phase and drier.

Things have been stressful with my mum and dad’s care, dad’s health, boiler nearly causing a fire. My husband wants to show his face at work tomorrow but we have so much to do to prepare for the journey the next day and look after my toddler and I have to work in the afternoon. Sorry for the moan.

@Enfys23 Hope you sort out scans. It’s not good but I find nothing much happens until cd9. You’ve taken norethisterone which lowers fsh and lh and this prevents ovulating too early so it controls things better. My transfer is next Tuesday but getting nervous.

@2021ivfagain sorry you’ve got a lot going on, I hope things calm down for your 2WW.

@2021ivfagain if you're worried then use the flora femme with an acid product. The person I know just did 1 vagibiom a day. Sorry everything is tough with your parents on top of all this :(

@Enfys23 @Gardenlady543 Thanks.

@Gardenlady543 The problem is Flora Femme is not really melting properly anymore. I’m feeling inflammation vaginally unless I use at least 2 canesbalance a day plus Flora Femme. Yesterday I even used vagibiom halfway through. It’s so annoying as when I did the egg retrieval in November 2021 my microbiome was good. It’s only when I started the batching that things got worse. I feel sad that I’m transferring good embryos to a bad microbiome. My transfer is tomorrow. So far this morning I have used a canesbalance and Flora femme. I have just used vagibiom now as Flora femme is not melting. Tonight I’ll use a vagibiom, but I feel as though I need to use two a day at least after transfer.

@2021ivfagain if the flora femme is not dissolving even with a canesbalance then you'll need to stick to vagibiom

@Gardenlady543 Thank you. Vagibiom does not dramatically lower ph as much as canesbalance and all ingredients are natural. Did your friend take the Vagibiom about 6 hours after transfer? I might still use Flora femme instead that night but then take vagibiom in the morning after transfer. What do you think?

That sounds like a plan @2021ivfagain

@Gardenlady543 Thanks. I know you send your friend even took vagibiom on transfer day, but do you know if it was before or after transfer that same day? My transfer will be at 3pm so won’t get home until about midnight. I’m just seeing how I am on day.

@2021ivfagain pretty sure she took it at night, so would have been after the transfer. You should be fine to do it at bedtime that night.

Thinking of you tomorrow @2021ivfagain hope you get some sleep tonight.

how are you doing @Spin101 ?

Yes thinking of you tomorrow @2021ivfagain . I hope it all goes smoothly.

Good luck @2021ivfagain I’ll be thibking of you tomorrow x

Good luck @2021ivfagain ❤️

@Gardenlady543 @CailinInUK @Enfys23 @clhiu

Thank you do much. I was in a panic last night! I even called out of hours phone number. I had acupuncture and had a massage with organic grapeseed oil. The nurse asked if I wanted to cancel my transfer and was quite rude as she said no solution 24 hours before. So I had a shower washing my back, I sweated in the night due to progesterone and had another shower. Then I called the nurse line this morning and was reassured.

Then I had a call from embryology. I had all 7 day 3 embryos thawed from my Nov 21 cycle. All 7 thawed and all 7 are still in the running! For the first time ever I have 5 blastocysts and potentially two more. This is better than what I did at 38. I was 40 when I did this egg retrieval. I just have to pray my microbiome is ok.

Thanks for all your support.

@2021ivfagain good luck!!! Thinking of you 🍀🍀

@2021ivfagain oh wow that's great news, and today will be the day 5 blast transfer is that right 🤞

@Janefx40 Thank you.

@Gardenlady543 It’s so annoying that I did all that batching and ruined my microbiome. I’m starting to feel like my ph is rising with cyclogest even though I rectally. I’m sweating every night with progesterone and feeling warm all the time which is not like me. I will need to use Vagibiom tonight or midnight. I just hope things don’t get worse. I’ve been using 2-3 canesbalance a day with probiotics to control things. The problem is I was not recommended to have more oestrogen which could have helped me.😣

I ordered more vagibiom frpm
Amazon.com but it was in the box instead of the pouch. The ingredients are the same but with extra things added. It should be the same as the pouch shouldn’t it? When I’ve emailed these companies, they say they use Amazon. It’s just added things like dextrin I think. Problem is if I use two a day I’ll get through the pouch of 15 quickly. I ordered Flora Femme as well but probably won’t be using them.

@2021ivfagain I haven't had them in the box before I've only got them from eBay. You've done all that you can :)