Dec19/Jan20 IVF Graduates

[BambiOnIce80]

Graduate thread for all the amazing ladies who have endured infertility and are hopefully now starting a new chapter🤞

@Littlelot @Viletta @candycornlover @FlapJackered @Wimbledon1

I got my BFP on Tuesday the 28th and am feeling pretty symptom free today (so obviously panicking that it's all going wrong! 😣). 7 week scan due to be Tuesday the 18th and it feels like a long way away with symptoms going awol! 😥 POAS this morning and it looks spot on for where I should be, so trying to take some comfort from that 🤞🤞🤞

[Viletta]

How's everyone today? I still feel a bit dizzy when standing, working from home and it's my second day in the sofa barely moving.. feeling guilty I can't take the dog out. Not sure if it's just me being lazy or the morning sickness/dizziness kicking in.. I think possibly low blood pressure.

[BambiOnIce80]

Thanks so much for asking @Chooklass! 🥰 In that case I'll give mine a ring whilst I'm working from home on Friday and see what they say 👍🏻 And may I say it's wonderful to see you over here! 😍 Are you happy with your serum beta-hCG level? I was worried that mine was a bit low compared to others, but I still got the 2-3 weeks come up on the clearblue, which would be correct for my dates... must... stop... constantly... worrying!! 🤯

I'm the same with the postural hypotension @Viletta, but I've got low blood pressure at the best of times 😏 Sorry you're feeling so crap with it 💐

Right, I'm off to a work meeting with a load of midwives that I need to be able to concentrate on and not be constantly thinking "oooh, midwives - embieembieembieembie!" 🤪 Wish me luck! 😣

[Chooklass]

They said mine was 110, which is 'good', but I was also worried it was a bit low! But if it's doubling every day at this stage there must be a hefty acceptable range on any given day?

Talking of midwives - one of the other ladies having EC same day as me is a midwife. I can't get my head around how tough it must be to do that job if infertile! 🤯

[Wimbledon1]

Isn't the baseline 25 @twinkleyes35? So 110 seems very good?

Mine was 202 which is apparently excellent at Day 9, but I've not stopped worrying since because I'm still getting cramping. On/off, but every day. I think we are all just going to find things to worry about 😂
(Apart from @Viletta who has a healthy mental attitude that everyone else wishes they had!!)

[twinkleyes35]

@Wimbledon1 no idea how much is good but my clinic said as long as it's above 70 then they won't repeat test as it's normal above 70.

My lower abdomen cramping is only getting worse by day. When I get up or sneeze 🤧 it's like I have to hold under my belly. It only started in last 3 days . I have also been very dizzy and low on energy 😩. Some one did mention about BP check probably will start doing that to monitor x

[Viletta]

@BambiOnIce80 good luck for the meeting! I took my ass out for a long walk with the dog and feel much better. Also picked up a BP monitor from boots and mine is only slightly low. I must be a stimulant:)

@twinkleyes35 check if you can take magnesium b6 supplement, my clinic suggested it to me if I feel crampy or tense down there, I've been taking it on and off. As for hcg I think your number is good. You can take another one to check if it's doubling but see if this won't create more unnecessary worry. In the end of the day all our tests are only testing things that vary a lot and it's not a cure for anything. We do them to feel better, but if they make us more nervous maybe we shouldn't do them? At this point things are going well, we all had positive test and a scan to look forward to. If something out of the ordinary occurs like bleeding than we can worry about adding progesterone and taking more tests for reassurance. Your number is great and everything is going as planned!

[Viletta]

I hope I'm not annoying everyone with my positive attitude btw. I was born an optimist. I have my worries but a voice inside of me always calms me down and reasons that most likely the risks won't materialize so there is no point being worried about something that doesn't exist. And if it does materialize I've got plan b to go through it.

[Wimbledon1]

Not at all @Viletta. I honestly am trying t channel you because I think it's great. I'm the kind of person who had a stomach ulcer last year and completely convinced myself it was pancreatic cancer (in my small defence; my Dad died of it ten years ago, but still. Panic stations 😂) So I was always going to spend the first (who am I kidding) trimester on a knife edge. But I don't want to, it's not good for me, probably not for embie, and like you said worrying about having a miscarriage is pointless if it's going to happen anyway. So in conclusion, please keep hitting me with the positive motivational stuff, if it's not too annoying for you!

On the finding out question someone asked...I think I'll leave it up to DH. I always used to say I wouldn't want to. Now the time could be coming, I actually don't mind. In some ways I'd like to know because I'm a planner, but in other ways I totally get the opening Christmas presents early thing. So I'd be happy either way. :)

[Chooklass]

@Viletta I love your positivism!! ❤️

[BambiOnIce80]

Another one here who loves your positivism @Viletta 😘 You're the perfect antidote to my realistic pragmatist personality type 😄 Pragmatism seems to have gone out the window with this BFP though! 😣 I think I've never really thought I'd ever get a BFP, but I just wanted to satisfy myself that we'd tried everything/given it our best shot... and now Sprocket is in there I think I've realised that I very much want to meet them! 👶 In my defence, working in the NHS doesn't exactly help to put your mind at ease about what might go wrong, because I obviously see all the worst case scenarios playing out 😔 Again: must... stop... constantly.... worrying! 🙄

I feel you on the weird coughing/sneezing thing @twinkleyes35! Every time I've coughed today my lower abdomen has kind of tightened and my hand instinctively goes to it - I'm going to have to be careful at work or my colleagues are going to clock what's going on far too early! 😥

On the meeting front, it turned out they had my undivided attention! 😁 Interestingly, NHS Scotland is introducing the NIPT (aka harmony test) to all high risk patients from June this year 😯 Doesn't help us at all @Chooklass because it'll probably be March when we find out our trisomy risk status, but excellent news for the future! 🤓

[twinkleyes35]

Yeah 4 weeks wait is going to be killer thinking how difficult the 2TWW was but at least on positive side it's BFP so just being cautious.

My 10dp5dt HCG blood test was 316 which I think is good. I think it was @Chooklass posted hcg of 110 which is a good number but think some of you thought that was mine 🤪. I am not worried about number as it's above normal threshold just the symptoms that keeps popping up may b coz it first preg. And don't knw what to expect but this group defo helps 🤗

@Viletta I was taking magnesium before pregnancy so have continued but I think cramping is Normal after Bfp ( letter from clinic have just mentioned that ) so relief x

[Wimbledon1]

Oops, think that was me with muddling people up again. I did that on the TWW thread too. Am I allowed to blame baby brain yet?!

That's a good point @twinkleyes35 about first pregnancy. Is that the case for everyone on this group or is anyone on a sibling path?

[twinkleyes35]

@Wimbledon1 haha it's ok so many of us here and all on same journey and have similar things to share so not blaming you for anything 🤗 x it can happen as our minds are occupied with lot of other things 🥰

[Chooklass]

@BambiOnIce80 You know all the things! 🤓 I'm so glad you are around! 😘

[Viletta]

@BambiOnIce80 I read harmony test is available privately but it's pricey around £400. Does it give 100% result rather than standard nuc+bloods that give you 1/xxxx chance? Is it then a replacement for amniocentesis?

[BambiOnIce80]

I definitely don't know all the things @Chooklass! 😂 However, when it comes to blood test results I'll always try and help if it's in my field 🤓😘

@Viletta it is very pricey indeed and previously rarely available on the NHS (although I think Wales might have been leading the way 🤔). It's definitely not 100% (nothing ever is, sadly!), but it's very effective for something that's completely non-invasive (unlike the amnio and CVS alternative) 👍 I'd only consider it if the nuc and bloods gave me a high risk result though - wouldn't bother at all if my risk factor was low.x

[FlapJackered]

@twinkleyes35 I am going to keep it as a surprise. DH would like to know but we have said we will keep this one a surprise and if we are lucky enough to have another we will find out with the second.

The anxiety has set in for me today. Have been feeling a bit tearful and generally exhausted. I know it's not logical but I just keep thinking I am not going to get to the scan or there will be nothing there. I have been rushed off my feet on a deadline with work and trying to deep clean the house as my parents are staying tomorrow. Obviously breaking every rule of taking it easy! 🤦‍♀️ Sorry to bring the mood down. 😢

[BambiOnIce80]

Never apologise for sharing that you're not doing OK @FlapJackered - that's exactly what we're here for ❤️ It sounds like you've been rushed off your feet at a time when you shouldn't be and it's just too much 💐 Could you get your folks to chip in with entertaining themselves tomorrow? It shouldn't all be on you when you're feeling like this.x

[Viletta]

@BambiOnIce80 yes makes sense, I won't bother if our risks is low too.

This one will be our first and I'd like to know the gender ASAP:)

@FlapJackered sorry you feel this way. Do you have to deep clean for your parents? I know you probably feel great when the house is sparkling but I'm sure they won't mind it not being perfect. Do they know about your test? Take care of yourself, first trimester the energy is normally on the lower end.

[Wimbledon1]

Sorry to hear you are feeling low @FlapJackered. It's all part of the process, there will be ups and downs and sounds like you have a lot going on right now. You said you have told your parents didn't you? So I vote just don't deep clean the house and they'll definitely understand. 🙃

[FlapJackered]

🤦‍♀️ sorry for the self pitying post last night, thank you for you reassuring words. Now I have had my luxurious 5 hour sleep I feel much better 😂. It was just one of those days yesterday.
Unfortunately my Dad has slight OCD about cleanliness and i had been a bit lazy with cleaning the house during IVF so it did need it. They have never stayed overnight before either and are only doing it because they have an early flight to catch and my house is close to the airport so I don't want to traumatise them with balls of my dog's hair floating by like tumbleweed while they are eating their supper 😂.

I hope everyone else is feeling ok? Does anyone else have any more symptoms yet?
Apart from the hormonal tears I don't think my symptoms have got any worse, just exhausted and slightly sore books if I prod them!

[BambiOnIce80]

It's amazing how much better things look in the morning @FlapJackered 🌞I love a clean and tidy house (it's the usual source of fallouts between DP and I 🙄), but with working long days full time, we're forever in a pig sty! 🐖🤦‍♀️ We tried a cleaner out last week and she was awesome 😎 Not massively expensive either, so I think we'll be getting her in every couple of weeks from now on 👍

I have an amazing lack of symptoms this morning and am feeling quite normal, but I'm managing not to panic... yet!! 😬 I'll definitely be cracking out my last clear blue digital on Sunday and praying for a '3+ weeks' result 🙏🙏🙏

[Viletta]

@BambiOnIce80 I think not having symptoms is pretty normal. It's the weird symptoms you should be worried about like sharp pain, fainting or bleeding. I say feeling normal is normal. I was thinking of hiring a cleaner too towards to end of the term. I find routine things are more annoying line daily washing the dishes, laundry and cooking. DH bless him helps me more now

[Viletta]

Also yes first pregnancy for me (answering previous question)

[Viletta]

Useful article with a list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid www.parents.com/pregnancy/complications/health-and-safety-issues/12-cosmetic-ingredients-to-avoid-during-pregnancy/