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 Hope you’re doing ok.

@Gardenlady543 I was rid of my last cold more than 3 weeks ago but a bit phlegmy after eating cheese. Would a crp test be better than full blood count?

@2021ivfagain do you need either? I'm not sure what they would tell you or what you would do with the result. I am constantly ill as well, I think it's the territory of having a little one. So if you're feeling well in yourself and no fever etc I would probably go ahead. The RI stuff is more to do with NK cells etc but you'd need a RI to do tests and advise on treatment.

@Diamondpearl123 I don't see why not because it's not a timed sample really, the only reason for the timing that I know of is because you need the endometrium to be thick enough for a sample to be obtained.

Thanks so much for responding x

@Gardenlady543 Well I did do era test etc in 2022 which showed I have slightly raised nk cells. My clinic say if you have a virus it should be cancelled due to raised white blood cells. However, my cold ended about 4 weeks ago. I’m just getting phlegm very occasionally but feel well. But it could be linked to more dairy. When I was on the garlic tablets, there was no phlegm but had to stop them when stims started for natural modified FET cycle. It’s strange last year I was worried about bv. I have been on probiotics for nearly a year and canesbalance and things are better there. I suppose you’re right.

Hi everyone, how are things?

@Gardenlady543 hope all is going well with your LO and you are enjoying her. When are you back to work?

@ChickenT2b hope you are feeling ok - any more scans planned?

@2021ivfagain when is your transfer lined up for?

@CailinInUK hope your absence means good news not bad. I have been thinking of you x

I have still not started my transfer meds. My lining has not been thin enough to start - back for a scan tomorrow to see what it looks like. Hoping they don’t cancel. I had this issue last time but an extra week of suppression and we went ahead. It’ll be just over a week extra suppression when I go back tomorrow.

I am going on a weekend away this weekend and in two minds about using the pool. I asked my clinic and they said shouldn’t impact the microbiome of the uterus. I do have 12 Canesflor to take if I’m going ahead after the weekend away and I’m taking strong oral probiotics daily.

@Dochas12111 thanks for checking in. I am so anxious that I’ve been having weekly scans. I’m now 9 weeks 4 days, last scan was 4 days ago and all good.

I have to say though I’m more anxious than ever now. I guess because it’s officially the furthest we’ve ever got.

I’ve had some symptoms of feeling bleurgh and queasy and nasal congestion but then this morning it all seems to have disappeared so I am losing my mind and like a crazy person booked another scan for tomorrow 😫 I actually feel embarrassed to be going back there so soon!

@ChickenT2b you're doing so well! I was so anxious I went for a scan every week and told the technician to tell me as soon as they see the heart beat, at 20 weeks the technician said "you really don't need to worry about that at this point". Towards the end I managed to drop to scans every 2 weeks and it definitely got a lot easier at the start of the scan. Movements came quite late for me but when that happened it eased my anxiety a lot. I also had a Doppler which they don't recommend but it's not recommended for the false reassurance, as long as you still seek medical attention if there is a concern it should be ok. I rented this one www.anawiz.com/products/hi-bebe-lcd-fetal-doppler-rental-14-95-month but if I did it again I'd just buy it either from there or medisave as I never felt confident sending it back until right at the end. Symptoms are super variable and coming and going doesn't mean anything. My symptoms got worse after I stopped the steroids.

@Dochas12111 were doing well thanks :) already thinking about what to do next. My period came back at 4.5 months but we've only just got breast feeding and I don't really want to stop. I guess I'll see how things work out when back at work in July. I am hoping to do the surrogacy with the last two embryos as I can only use them for surrogacy, but we haven't had a match since the surrogate lost the pregnancy at the same time I got pregnant.
Re microbiome I avoided water and then when I went away in march last year I just got into a hot tub because I'd had enough of it all, my transfer ended up in May. That's so annoying that you're delayed with lining :(

@2021ivfagain did you decide what to do about the blood test?

@Gardenlady543 Yes. I had FBC and the result of normal white blood cells was within normal range of 8.3. The range was 3-10. So I’m relieved. Still bringing up occasional phlegm when I eat more dairy but that’s it. I’m in accommodation this time with my toddler and husband to avoid long journeys from Plymouth to CRGH but the traffic actually getting into London is still bad. I had a positive urine ovulation yesterday so should be triggering today but was late for appointment. On cd11 and lining is 13mm so I’ll either be triggering today or tomorrow. Then frozen transfer will be a week after trigger.

@CailinInUK Hope you’re ok.

@Dochas12111 I’m on holiday in Dover and using it as a base to travel to CRGH for appointments. I’m avoiding the pool at present but I’m close to transfer. I should be triggering today or tomorrow. Then frozen transfer will be a week afterwards so early June. My lining was thicker than expected but it’s a balancing act as I do oestrogen priming beforehand and had to drag it out due to back to back viruses. Are you on holiday now?

@2021ivfagain do the clinic know about the lh surge and they aren't bringing the transfer forward? The trigger leads to a lh surge the next day, so if you get this in advance then the transfer needs to be brought forward. I used to take low dose stims though and it was confusing as they contain lh and fsh so I couldn't rely on the sticks for a surge when taking.

@Gardenlady543 Yes. I’m having bloods every day. Still haven’t ovulated. I am having lh, oestrogen and progesterone tested. I am on stims every other day and it’s mild so I have two dominant follicles and smaller ones. Largest in right is 16mm; largest on left is 17mm. Lining today is 13mm. Yesterday it was 11mm. They always book me in to check I have ovulated a day after trigger.

@2021ivfagain oh perfect, that sounds good then, maybe you picked up on the lh in the stims.

@Gardenlady543 @Dochas12111 My cycle was cancelled yesterday. My lining went from 13.6mm on trigger day to 18mm. I questioned it when they confirmed ovulation. I was ovulating both sides but had ovulated on right and then was getting ready to ovulate on left side later that day. They were going to do neupogen infusion and were rushing me and I said wait a minute is lining too thick. So they called a consultant and she agreed with me but then called my own consultant. He talked to me and said he was worried about lining being too thick. So he advised to cancel. All that money spent out. My oestrogen got higher than last time. It was 2500 on trigger day but obviously got higher.

I feel so fed up. I just want to get to transfer stage. I had worked a lot and saved money and most of it is now gone. My consultant suggested I start again next month but can’t afford it. So I need to work two months to save for things. 😞

@2021ivfagain I think there is a study that shows that up to 14mm the size increase aids implantation but it goes down after 14mm. But that would be before starting progesterone, they don't usually measure after. This is the problem with modified natural FET though, mine kept getting cancelled too :(

@Gardenlady543 Yes. Last time when it was successful my lining was 15.7mm and it worked. This time it grew to 18mm when ovulating. I had too many follicles growing. I feel so fed up and annoyed they didn’t cancel it earlier when I could’ve saved more money. Yes it was before starting progesterone. Last time I even got them to measure it on transfer day. I think anything up to 16mm is ok.

@2021ivfagain I’m sorry to hear you cycle was cancelled. It is so frustrating. It’s good you did flag the lining thickness though as if you’d gone ahead you could have wasted an embryo. I hope you manage to get sorted to try again in a few months. It is very draining finance wise.

@Gardenlady543 hope you manage to get some options sorted soon re surrogacy or using your own pregnancy - do you have a preference?
I think you can keep breastfeeding while undergoing ivf if you are doing a natural FET as you are not taking a lot of hormones so that might be a good option for you as you did a natural FET anyway if I remember correctly!

I'm waiting on my clinic to contact me. I had a scan this morning - lining is 11-12mm in thickness and has the trilaminer appearance. The nurse said it was a bit thick but I think up to 14mm is ok. Hoping they will tell me to start progesterone and plan for transfer next week.

I went into the water on our weekend away. My little one wanted me to and I figured that I could do everything right and it might still not work and I’m letting down the LO already here. Had a brilliant time so no regrets! I’ve got 6 days to take Canesflor before FET and my clinic said it shouldn’t affect the uterine microbiome just possibly the vaginal biome.

@ChickenT2b you have to do what you have to do! if it helps reassure you it is worth doing and there is no harm to the baby. Unfortunately this is so common in ivf pregnancies. we barely talked about possibly having a baby until I was well over 30 weeks pregnant when we realised we needed to start buying things. Have to just take it day by day and week by week. Hope the scan went well.

Hope everyone else is doing ok x

@Dochas12111 My last transfer that worked was 15.7mm. I am told up to 16mm is good. After 16mm it’s too thick. 12mm is very good. Good luck. I can’t delay too long. I’m 42 and 43 next Monday. I really have to do the transfer in August.

Hello everyone. Just posting here as I could use some advice. I am about to do my first ever transfer (medicated FET) next month. I recently got my results for the EMMA & ALICE test which I did reluctantly (given the evidence). It showed 75% LB, 11% Candida and 5% other. I am on a one week course of antibiotics. The ALICE test came back completely negative and fine. My consultant said the recommendation was to repeat the test to make sure that antibiotics have worked. She also said that it was up to me and normally the course of antibiotics should be enough. I am also to start probiotics from the end of antibiotics to just before transfer.

She said honestly that my results were the least worrying of what she sees and if I feel confident i can choose not to repeat the test but she had to let me know what the recommended advice was. I don’t want any more delays and i don’t want another expensive and invasive test. Any one has any insight? I am leaning towards not repeating the test.

Additionally, all the probiotics recommended are oral. She said vaginal ones would be best but there is a shortage. Is there anything that can be ordered as a vaginal probiotic online from the EU for example that would be as good?

@2021ivfagain I'm sorry :( how are you feeling now?

@Dochas12111 my clinic say you have to have completely stopped breast feeding to do any cycle with them. How are you doing did you get the go ahead for the transfer?

@ChickenT2b how are you getting on?

@Faith2024 75% lactobacillus is pretty good, did the print off definitely say to have antibiotics? I would have thought some antifungals and a course of vaginal probiotics with that result. With canesflor difficult to get most people are using biocare vaginal probiotics at the moment from what I can see.

Hope everyone else is good :)

I’m sorry to hear this @2021ivfagain so gutting 😢

@Dochas12111 sounds like all going well. Really hope transfer cycle goes smoothly now.

@CailinInUK been thinking of you and really hoping for the best.

@ChickenT2b sounds like you’re doing so well ❤️it’s so hard to avoid the anxiety.

@Gardenlady543 it makes sense to allow the hormones to get back to normal. Interesting you have to use some of the embryos in surrogacy how do you feel about that?

sorry if I missed anyone just catching up.

Physically a lot stronger now thankfully. Having two ops so close together really did me no favours. We’ve started trying again and I’ve started progesterone and pred this time from post ovulation. Too nervous given ectopic risk to start inhixa but I will if I get positive test I think. I don’t feel it’s worked but I’m only about 6-7dpo so probably too early to say. I did get a bit of cramping and a light pink discharge yesterday and Tuesday evening but it was over very quick so maybe just the progesterone. I’ll probably start testing from 10dpo as that’s when I got last first positive.

@Gardenlady543 I must admit I really struggled this week with the fact I have to go through it all again with the stress and expense of everything. It’s my birthday on Monday so I think I’ll try and go out and escape it. It’s difficult.

It’s good you have a plan and those good quality embryos.

@CailinInUK How are you doing?

@Enfys23 You have been through a lot haven’t you? I thought the hysteroscopy I had from miscarriage was bad enough but two operations. It’s good you’ve taken that time off from everything. You sound like you have a good plan.

I know it’s not directly related but I am experiencing really bad hay fever but I am too scared to take anything which will affect transfer in 2 months. I have had back to back colds and now intense hay fever which is affecting my sleep. Is it safe to take beconase if doing transfer in 2 months? I’m barely getting any sleep due to constant sneezing and itchy eyes/mouth. @Gardenlady543

@2021ivfagain I can't see it being that much of an issue if your transfer is 2 months away. Diphenhydramine is used in the antihistamine protocol and is what's in over the counter nytol, I took nightly throughout pregnancy. I was given Benadryl when I had IvIg in pregnancy.

@2021ivfagain Using steroid nasal sprays like beconase (I prefer flixonase/pirinase/fluticasone or nasonex/mometasone as less systemic absorption) should be fine pre transfer as they are prescribed in pregnancy. I use a steroid nasal spray twice daily all year round. I used to be on daily fexofenadine as an antihistamine but I’ve come off with TTC. Definitely don’t suffer.

@Gardenlady543 thanks for your response. Yes antibiotics were suggested then oral probiotics until transfer which wont be until end of July now. I have decided not to repeat the test. Doctor also said that 75% was good. I had a lot of antibiotics this year due to 3 ivf cycles and that hasnt helped. Anyway I am happy to do the oral probiotics and also natural forms like kefir etc. i hope that is enough!