ERA EMMA ALICE testing thread 10

[Gardenlady543]

Last thread is maxed out... happy for anyone new to join to chat about anything ERA EMMA ALICE or pretty much anything else fertility investigations and treatment related

@2021ivfagain @Enfys23 @clhiu @CailinInUK @Loz2467 @Mybabydream @ChickenT2b @kerrym87 @Sar1010 @thislittlebird @APSR @VenusStarr
@Dochas12111 @SallyLovelady @Lyrabee @Lauralozzle @Sera9 @Twigg12 @Wren123 @Summerishere83 @Vicky81B

@cailininuk let us know how you got on, hoping and praying you get your BFP.

Hi Ladies, after a very anxious wait - we have a heartbeat and measuring 2.4mm which I think is around 6 weeks ish and I thought I was 6w3d so seems within expected range.

The scan didn’t start off well, we had to switch to internal and there were frowns, long pauses and “I think that’s a yolk sac?!” So it was just such a shock when they finally found it 🥹

This is great news @ChickenT2b I went to ultrasound direct for my first scan at 6.5 weeks and they always start off abdominal and then move to transvaginal for an early scan. They managed to get a good view through the abdomen in me but I don't think this is common. As when I went to my clinic for their scan at 8 weeks they said they don't even bother with the abdominal and only do transvaginal. They even said how they wouldn't be able to see anything at 8 weeks via the abdomen.

This sounds good @Enfys23 I'm glad someone is helping you now and that you have their contact if you need it. I think 3 months unassisted sounds sensible :)

@ChickenT2b this is great news! I’m so glad the scan went well.

@kerrym87 it’s always so hard betting that balance between things and finding a good time to start but glad you’re getting there.

@Gardenlady543 thank you ❤️
I am struggling with recurrent thrush again after the co amox. I’ve done 3 doses of fluconazole and then it’s come back within a week. I’ve not managed to source any vaginal probiotics so am taking double dose of Optibac for women and S Boulardii and hoping it helps!!

@Enfys23 so glad to hear the consultant was good and hopefully you are now properly on yhe mend. You could ask a pharmacist if they would make you up a vaginal pessary - see advice from garden lady a few posts above and also suggested to me by a pharmacist. I have been looking everywhere in Ireland for the pessaries. It’s amazing they are just completely gone. I might contact the manufacturers and see what they say. I also linked a v good oral probiotic above that I found - more strains than anything else I’ve seen! Could be worth trying next.

@ChickenT2b wonderful news. Congrats ❤️

@CailinInUK hope you are ok!

Im day 21 today so starting down reg. I’ve cut my caffeine down to two teaspoons of instant a day and I’m taking my vitamins but I’ve failed miserably on healthy eating. Chocolate is my downfall! Still it’s around 4 weeks till FET so going to try harder.

@Enfys23 Garlic Allicillin is good for thrush, colds and lots of things. I take Design for Health. I take 2 a day orally. They really smell but you probably only need them for 1-2 weeks. You cannot use them when stimming or if taking blood thinners.

@Dochas12111 I agree. Chocolate is my downfall but I’m having 100% as I put on quite a bit of weight with 85%. 100% is good but it’s obviously sugar free.

I find Vagibiom a really good probiotic. I know you can get these on eBay. I sometimes use two a day: one in morning and one in evening.

@2021ivfagain chocolate is mine but in Spain I found 0% sugar 72% cocoa with coconut in its divine! Only have a little bit due to sweeteners but they're not as bad as the usual ones.
@Dochas12111 it is hard but a little bit of what you fancy means we keep mostly on track, things are challenging enough as it is!

Hi

Hope its ok for me to join. I was considering these tests if my current 3rd natural FET was to not work, does anyone know if its possible to have this done the cycle after a failed FET? If this FET didn't work I was considering these tests before another EC in the following period, conscious I did not want to waste time waiting around if possible as I'm 38 but was not sure how long these tests add to timelines and if that is even realistic

@Sunflower360 welcome, sorry you’re here but hope you find some helpful advice. If you’re doing natural FETs then ERA probably not worth doing. The window of implantation in natural cycle is wider anyway. Then with regard to microbiome testing @Gardenlady543 and others here can probably give you good advice on Fertilysis menstrual fluid test rather than having to do ALICE/EMMA.

@Enfys23 I was thinking that about ERA, I've had a natural chemical pregnancy before the FETs which appeared to fall on the standard implantation window so completely agree with that- thank you!

How does Fertylsis work and if antibiotics were needed would I need a Dr to prescribe that, would that be GP or the IVF Dr? @Gardenlady543 or anyone!

@Sunflower360 ERA is contentious as it is, but with a natural cycle there isn't much point of doing one, there are variations between cycles and if it was a shifted implantation window there's not much you could do about it. With fertilysis they send out a kit, you collect some drops of menstrual blood and put it in the freezer and then do a mid cycle vaginal swab, arrange for the courier collection and they email the result about 2 weeks later. I think my friend arranged a consultation with their doctor and they wrote a international prescription, but it would be easier to take the result to your GP or clinic and get the antibiotics that way, there are some online pharmacies that you could get the antibiotics for, for some drugs like metronidazole for instance.

Hi everyone, I am new to this thread and have just returned from my first EMMA test. Has anyone else had a somewhat traumatic experience with the biopsy procedure itself?

I am normally really good with all the uncomfortableness that comes with IVF and testing, but for the EMMA today my doctor just couldn't get through my cervix and into my uterus. She was using all sorts of different dilators and clamps and then seemed to start to panic, so ended up bringing in a different doctor to help. She was saying that at the stage of the cycle you usually do an EMMA, your cervix should be soft but that mine wasn't and it was moving around. The whole time I was worrying that we weren't going to complete the procedure. By the time it finally got in I was feeling really uncomfortable and a bit panicked so found it harder to cope with the pain. They only took one sample as I don't think we all wanted to go through it again, so hoping it's enough to test.

The doctors were both lovely and I did feel for them too during the whole thing. They seemed to suggest it was just one of those things that can happen, but I can't help reading into it. Has anyone had a similar experience? I'm petrified this is going to happen for my next transfer too.

@ChickenT2b I’m happy your scan went well for you!!! That’s interesting that you say about diet as I’ve read about gluten free etc and my last period was the least clotty of all and I’ve started the gym and eaten more healthy and less gluten! Thanks for the tip!

@Gardenlady543 thank you! I thought there was some kind of immunes that could be done with anti histamines. I did have another consult today with a clinic down in London who I used to speak with last year and supported me through the adenomyosis protocol. He is going to start me on hydroxy now. Then have my adeno removal and then try some pred in a natural TTC cycle. Can’t see it happening but might aswell try as my partner still doesn’t want to re visit IVF and I’m not sure I do either. He just doesn’t want to waste more precious time and then more losses.

Something to note though is that when ever I’m immune supressed I get thrush. I did get it in my last pregnancy which we lost so I’m super paranoid about it. After doing some reading it does say some Candida can travel the placenta or end up in the chorio - I’m assuming this can cause rupture of membranes which I didn’t have. But I’m worried as I’ve not had thrush for years like 10 years and now I’ve had it twice this year. I’ve seen it’s common when having pred or something but does it mean something is underlying for me?! Maybe causing losses? I haven’t done the full microbiome testing as last year I just took the antibiotics and probiotics anyway. Just paranoid if I didn’t clear the thrush completely in my last pregnancy :(

Then also I’m sure it means my lactobacillus good bacteria is low if I’m developing thrush again? As soon as I take something that affects my immune system? But now the canesflor are discountinued I don’t know what to get.

I can’t believe Canesflor is actually discontinued. Surely it was a huge seller. Doesn’t make any sense to me!
What is everyone using instead? I’m officially out of stock!

@CailinInUK I’m just catching up as I’ve had back to back colds from my son’s nursery not caring about hygiene. As for progesterone, mine was nearly 180 on transfer day so even higher. So higher progesterone is fine. It can work. For my son, my progesterone was also high about 155 and it got ridiculously higher as I was on lentogest then as well as crinone. This time I insisted to be on 3 x cyclogest a day plus two lubion a day. I needed that as my progesterone kept dipping slightly.

I hope everything is ok with you. When was your transfer?

I’m hoping to go for baseline scan in about 10 days time but have to go on norethisterone longer each time to make sure I’m clear of colds. I don’t think I have high nk cells in blood anymore as I am very prone to getting colds even eating healthily. It might be stress from everything with my mum and dad.

@ChickenT2b Lactovaginal is similar but it needs to be refrigerated. They have lactobacillus rhamnosus instead of plantarum. You can get these on Amazon.

@ChickenT2b there is this one that I understand works well

https://www.bodykind.com//beauty-c1/body-care-c36/intimate-and-sexual-care-c37/biocare-intrafresh-for-vaginal-freshness-6-pessaries-p379/s379

@ChickenT2b I’m not sure if safe in pregnancy and also not high in lactobacillus. It contains garlic. I think garlic is safer orally than vaginally in pregnancy. Vagibiom has got a range of natural ingredients and is safe in pregnancy. It has lactobacillus crispatus which is supposed to be best for preventing vaginal infections.

@2021ivfagain thanks. I was looking at vagibiom but seems it’s only available in the states? Where do you buy it?
@Sunflower360 thanks for the suggestion. I do buy all my supplements from BioCare, I think they’re a great brand.

@ChickenT2b You can get it on EBay. It does take awhile. I order natural as you can get a pack of 30. I sometimes use two a day, one in morning and one in evening. You can even use Balance activ in pregnancy. You just have to avoid when conceiving as it affects sperm.

I am using lactovaginal as a replacement to canesflor. You can get it from Amazon. It contains lactobacillus rhamnosus. You can use balance activ with lacto vaginal at same time. I prefer gels. It maintains a lower ph.

Hello. Thank you very much for this thread, it’s really helpful. I’m due to have an emma/Alice test soon. Does anybody know if I can have the test while I’m on norethisterone? I have put myself on it to try to control my cycle length. Thank you

@cailininuk How are you doing? ❤️

@Gardenlady543 I’m sorry I have not been on here much.

Hope you are all doing ok.

I’m on cycle day 10 and a bit worried. Before starting this transfer I had had back to back colds due to my son being at nursery. However, I got rid of my last cold more than 3 weeks before I started. I have been eating more cheese lately in travelling up and down to London and noticed I had to bring up a tiny bit of phlegm (sorry for tmi). I am asking for a full blood count test tomorrow to detect any raised white blood cells. Will this indicate if there are still signs of an infection? I feel absolutely fine. I can’t keep cancelling cycles. I have woken up in a panic today as I’m a getting closer to trigger which is predicted to be Wednesday. I feel so worried. I did not have a cough with the cold and brought up lots of phlegm but that stopped 3 weeks ago until today and yesterday when it was the odd bit. But feel fine.