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 :)

@2021ivfagain how did it go? I hope it was a smooth transfer and you can find ways to keep yourself busy and sane during the TWW x

@clhiu Thanks. All 7 day 3 embryos became day 5 blastocysts. I did the egg retrieval at 40 when hormones were good, but did better than at 38. I can’t believe 100% blastocysts, but feel annoyed that I could’ve transferred fresh when I had the chance. I’m taking two vaginal probiotics a day. Yesterday I started feeling discharge as I had taken last one Monday evening. Progesterone made me feel warm. My lining was still 13mm but estradiol after ovulation had fallen from 2040 to 304. When I asked, they said oestrogen was not important. Progesterone is.

Got a bit of stress with boiler being repaired today. No hot water for days. Have to wash hands in shower. My toddler refused to go to bed last night with a cuddle but he wanted me to pick him up. I’ve been advised not to lift for awhile.

I had two day 5 blastocysts transferred: one 6B+B+ and one 6B+B-.

@2021ivfagain glad things went well. That’s such a good result. Can I ask why they were they not frozen as blastocyst originally? Do you know what you are doing now with the 5 blastocyst? Hope you can focus that you have and are doing everything you can. Hoping for sticky embryos! ❤️

@Enfys23 It was set up that way for batching. The idea is I would do 3 cycles close together. Freeze all at day 3 then grow to blastocyst at same stage to avoid paying blastocyst rate each time. Didn’t work out like that for me. My best cycle was my worst. Clinic refused to let me do a fresh transfer. As they had a break for Christmas, my fsh got slightly high and ruined my second cycle. I asked in advance to get fsh tested but I was talked down. Now these are my last embryos and I might not be able to afford more transfers. Didn’t want to go through PGS testing as errors can be made.

@Enfys23 My first cycle was my best.

@Enfys23 The other 5 day 5 blastocysts have been frozen.

@2021ivfagain really happy to hear everything went well and you got that many blastocysts, hoping for sticky beans for you and great nonetheless you have more frozen!

This is great news @2021ivfagain congrats on being PUPO

@2021ivfagain fingers and everything crossed for you! It's great you got more to freeze again and had 3 transferred!

So I'm appealing to the group again to see what they do. I have sent letter from private clinic to gp and asked to speak to a Dr about getting tests done. Unfortunately we go to londonderry 26th and I can't even get a gp telephone appt to talk about it until 28th, let alone knowing when I'll get them done. They also said the clinic should contact then directly 🙄 what difference does it make when all they would have sent was the email with letter attached anyway duh!

My question is, is there anywhere that I could get these tests done prior to visit and that may be a little cheaper at all or not? Something I thought would be simple turns out not to be as gp who was willing to order tests based in letter was locum and now left.

I have attached tests. Thanks all

@kerrym87 sorry you’re running into difficulties. The vast majority of these a GP could request. They may not request very specific specialist tests eg AMH, MTHFR gene but the autoimmune screen antibodies, and lots of the coagulation screen and high vaginal swab really shouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately many CCGs and local health board are taking a hard line that if you’re private all testing your specialist requests must also be done private. It’s hugely unfair when the lack of NHS funding for fertility treatment is what drives us to go private. You just have to depend on a nice GP who’s willing to bend rules. Unfortunately I think @Gardenlady543 is right that if you’re having to do all private there’s probably little difference in price across different places.

That is good news they could freeze them @2021ivfagain . Yay for being PUPO!

@Gardenlady543 @Enfys23 @kerrym87 @clhiu

Thank you. They would only let me transfer 2 day 5 blastocysts but they were good quality.

I had some rectal bleeding from cyclogest this morning which scared me a bit, but did put a lot up there yesterday lol! Diflufenac x2 and cyclogest x3.

Also found out the nurse made an error with my estradiol it was much higher than 304. In fact, yesterday it was about 1040. My progesterone was 181. They were happy with results but had some brown spotting this morning which could be from yesterday’s procedure before transfer.

@Gardenlady543 I also used Flora Femme and it seems to be melting now. Did you have any spotting from using it?

@2021ivfagain those are great levels for estradiol and Progesteone. I've had rectal bleeding from the Progesteone pessaries. I've not had vaginal spotting at all, but I think it's very common for the cervix to be irritated.

@Enfys23 I did have one but she was locum for 6 months, now left. I am happy to see how much it would be to pay private with GP if it was worth it but they can't even give me a telephone call to dicuss until 28th July....so frustrating. Short of calling every day for cancellations I doubt I'll get anything sooner, really I was only expecting thyroid and hvs amh and fbc/ some clotting to be honest from gp.....

Hey,
thank you for all your tips on the drink or not to drink scenario. I did have a few drinks for my birthday and it was exactly what I needed. Obviously now I have the guilt aftermath but really trying to ignore that.

I have a scan tomorrow with Bill Smiths- I was referred to him by fertility masseuse. He specialises in implantation failure so hopefully we will get some answers there. Anybody else been seen by him?

i was also wondering if anyone has any good tips/ mottos/ mindset advice for pregnancy announcements?

obviouslt over the 3 years we’ve been trying (and failing) there have been quite a few announcements and everytime I’m pulled right back to a very triggering time. I have counselling weekly (I am training to be a counsellor so it’s compulsory) and I have a partner I can talk to about it.
yeah, I really struggle with them- a lot of my same sex couple friends are now pregnant from 1 attempt at ivf and it’s sending me a bit mad.

any tips or just some solidarity would be great right now xx

@Sar1010 I've not heard of that person, let us know how it goes it sounds really interesting. I am awful for announcements, I just couldn't handle them and ended up telling people "I can't talk about this because of trauma" I work with doctors so that has worked out fine as they understand, but I feel like a lot of people wouldn't. To me this has been about self preservation, you must put your psychological health first.

@kerrym87 do your surgery work any sort of econsult type system? Seems complete waste of your and GPs time to have a full appt tbh when it’s an admin job once GP OKs it to order you whatever tests they will allow from the specialists’ list.

@Sar1010 I hear you and yup they don’t get easier. I think what helps me is to think that it may not have been an easy journey for them either. I got particularly upset last year about a couple I knew and I thought they’d got pregnant within a month of their wedding. The announcement after a long line of our other couple friends also announcing within short period of time. It was only when I opened up about our struggles with them and explained while I’m happy for them, I was going to struggle with their news, they told me about their miscarriages and journey to get there over a couple of years etc.
One of the mantras in the little book my acupuncturist encouraged me to write (it’s a small blank notebook and I’ve written one per page ) is “their success is not my failure”.
While there will of course be same sex couples who have medical fertility issues, for many it is simply the logistics so their success in a first cycle may not be different to your heterosexual couple friends who get pregnant eventually with no medical help. Completely different kettle of fish to what’s going on with you and your IVF journey so don’t compare.
Sending love. It’s really hard.

@Sar1010 it's been nearly 4 years and sometimes I'm alright sometimes I'm not. Not got something that always works but for me I can handle it better if I do self care, meditation/yoga, dont push myself to feel I have to respond or attend baby showers for example. The thing that helps me is allowing myself to cry, as in noisy, dribble nose the lot to acknowledge it is painful and let it out but equally not to dwell on it or block it out. It is bloody awful but we all know how that feels, sending hugs x

@2021ivfagain thats amazing regarding your embryos! I didn’t know they could be frozen and thawed in this way. Hope you’re able to relax after such a hectic time!

@Enfys23 how are you getting on? When’s EC likely to be? I’m ok thank you. Had a progesterone test today and they said it was high enough and I don’t need lubion which surprised me as my levels were almost double my last FET when I did need lubion

@Spin101 is your transfer tomorrow? That’s great news about the progesterone level. Also that you can avoid the Lubion for now!
I’m doing okay thanks. Scan is Friday and then hopefully EC Monday 🤞🏼. I’m finding the mindfulness and yoga quite good this time in staying positive and calm. Naturally a bit nervous but I think doing okay with it.

Thank you all @Gardenlady543 , @kerrym87 and @Enfys23

i had a huge big sob with my husband, lots of tea, he ran me a bath and then a doodled to distract. Still painful and oh so frustrating but definitely better now that it’s out.

I’ll let you know how I get on with Bill smiths tomorrow- it could just be the same as what my clinic (evewell) offer but this masseuse was under the impression that he’s the best in the bizz… worth a shot. Especially with this potential andenomyosis / fibroid and painful shooting pains in the butt.

appreciate you all xx

@Gardenlady543 I was worried today as I had fertility acupuncture, but she forgot to turn the low heat off on the bed. It was only on first setting and slightly warm. She had it on for previous client and forgot to turn it off. She turned it off 2 minutes after I laid down, but it was more warm than hot. It spoilt the acupuncture session as I felt nervous. My back area still felt warm, but everywhere else was cool. She said it was my body heat from progesterone.

Also I said I try to have a cold shower to avoid heat and she said that’s bad, but as far as I know a hot shower is bad. When I was pregnant with my son, I had colder showers to avoid heat. What do you think?

Not having a good day. Dad’s just been taken into hospital, my husband got a speeding fine for doing 35mph in an area of London which is 30, but it was the day my boiler flooded, so both stressed that day. I’m just worried my stress will affect my outcome. Trying not to stress.

@2021ivfagain well it sounds like you've had your share of bad luck and you're due some good luck, sorry to hear about your dad I hope he's ok. Don't worry about the heat, they always say keep your feet warm so I wore fluffy socks and was always under a blanket, given it a summer and it may randomly get really hot I don't think that heat lamp did anything bad.

How are you getting on @Spin101

I thought I was starting to get over my cold but I'm all congested this morning :(

@Gardenlady543 Thanks. It was not a lamp. It was an electric blanket on the bed that is used for acupuncture. It was in the first setting. But I feel I should have just cancelled.

@Gardenlady543 It cooled down but I was not taken off the bed.

@Gardenlady543 What do you do about showers? I’m having cool showers. I want to avoid hot showers.