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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

IVF

241 replies

Nerthus · 28/01/2004 00:57

Is anyone doing this at the moment/has done it recently?? I'm in the middle of my first go and finding it quite stressful...

OP posts:

Quackers · 28/01/2004 12:01

Good luck Nerthus, I'm sorry, I haven't been through IVF. Just wanted to wish you all the best though. xx

CookieMonster · 28/01/2004 15:42

Hi Nerthus, I have been through exactly what you're going through and I too found it stressful. In fact I went through it 6 times!
I think there's quite a lot of people on here who will sympathise and/or offer advice and support, so please feel free to talk about things. I certainly wish I'd had something like Mumsnet when I was doing it.
What stage are you at right now? What do you find particularly stressful?

Original poster

Nerthus · 29/01/2004 00:52

Crikey, IVF 6 times Cookie Monster, that's extraordinary! Has it worked for you? Hope so!

In fact since I wrote last night I heard this afternoon I have my egg collection on Monday (cluck cluck). One of my stress factors (Wondering When? If? etc) has been removed. I've mainly been knackered, because have had to get up at 5am whenever I've had to go in for scan/test, then do a 2 hour journey to work in the dream job I started 4 days before the IVF started...talk about timing! I also must admit I'm scared of the egg collection being really painful because they only do 'sedation' which I'm suspicious about. I'd rather be asleep as I've found the internal scans painful enough. The doctor this morning told me cheerfully one of my ovaries was a bit high so they'd have to press on it really hard to wiggle it around into the right position! Thanks I thought, I really wanted you to share that with me, especially as you're a man and haven't even got any sodding ovaries. Still I suppose one just grits one's teeth and gets on with it...

OP posts:

kagsie · 29/01/2004 19:01

I've been through IVF three times and agonised about it the last time. For me, I tried to keep perspective - I had a great job, brilliant partner all the trappings and nothing was going to take these away from me; a child would add to them in a unique and special way. It was hard it not working and trying to tell myself that nothing had changed though. I also got pretty sick of someone knowing someone who did it and it worked/didn't work blah blah.
Very good luck with the egg collection. This felt like the last bit that I had any real control over and was such a big mental hurdle. My husband was with me twice and I really valued that, though at first he didn't know what to expect. Have you had it explained to you clearly? It really helps.

kizzie · 30/01/2004 02:07

Nerthus - good luck for the egg collection!
I had it done under general anaesthetic but to be honest would have much preferred 'sedation'. The unit where I went didnt offer this but if I went through it again would definantely try and get sedation if possible. Its just adding an extra dimension of hassle in having to go through a general.
From people Ive spoken to who've had it done via sedation they say its uncomfortable but not unbearable and then a little sore for a day or so after (I was a bit sore for about 48 hours anyway with the general.)

Anyway - hope you get lots of eggs. Although dont worry too much if you dont. My first cycle - lots of eggs - no baby.
2nd attempt - only 8 eggs, only 5/6 healthy - twins!

I know exactly how you're feeling - its like the whole world has stopped and all you can think about is drug doses and scans and have you been doing the right things.

Let us all know how you get on.
Good Luck!
Kizziex

maryz · 30/01/2004 03:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MancMum · 30/01/2004 12:00

I did not go thru IVF but I did do iUI - I found it all quite stressful and felt fairly isolated - no-one I knew had fertility problems - I found the web site fertility.friends.co.uk very helpful -loads of women having all types of treatment and problems talking and helping each other.

And I am very pleased to say that it did work - got the most beautiful DD on just the 2nd go...

Hope you are lucky too

kagsie · 30/01/2004 13:58

I had sedation with pethidine the first time and over stimulated ovaries. That + gas and air (which no-one told me how to use, so its useful to be clear before you start if its on offer!) and confess that this really wasn't enough. The second time I opted for a general which was OK but does knock you out for a couple of days afterwards so the final time I was back to sedation as a preferred option. Can't remember what was used but it was better than pethidine and I floated into never never land! I wouldn't describe it as pleasant but it was really not that bad. It can cause memory loss so no matter what it feels like, you won't remember it any way! We also had music playing in the background which was the nurses suggestion and this helped to focus on nice thoughts - take some with you that conjure up a nice day or event for you.

I echo what was said about the eggs - it's the quality not the quantity! I got 24 the first time and 2 fertilised (but didn't take), 19 the second time (and none fertilised) and just 3 the last time, of which 2 fertilised and led to our lovely little girl!

Do try and take it easy after the transfer - staying at home from work might not be possible or the best thing but it will help to do something to relax and get yourself spoilt (unlike me who smashed out a fireplace!.

elliott · 30/01/2004 14:29

Hi there - I've had IVF twice ( both times successfully) and had egg collection under sedation. It was much much easier than I'd feared - but I guess you are always nervous before these things! I had a sedative (midazolam) plus a strong painkiller (fentanyl) and was vaguely aware of something being uncomfortable, but in a very detached kind of way. Didn't feel uncomfortable at all afterwards (in fact much easier than the laparoscopy I had before starting treatment). I had 8 eggs first time and 3 the second, and I think egg collection is probably easier with fewer eggs.
Anyway, all the best of luck. You've done amazingly well to be coping with a new job - I did feel that treatment totally preoccupied me while I was going through it and became totally non-productive at work!

motherinferior · 30/01/2004 21:10

Good luck tomorrow, babexxxxxx

CookieMonster · 31/01/2004 15:49

Nerthus,
meant to post again over the weekend but got side-tracked ... so by the time you read this your egg collection will be over. I hope it went well and wasn't too painful for you. Because I was 36 when I started on the IVF route, I never produced more than about 8 eggs and by the time my 6th and final cycle came round I only produced 3 eggs - my beautiful daughter (now nearly 3) was the result.
Anyway, lets hope and pray that you get some good healthy embryos ... please keep us up to date with progress. Even if things don't go as you hope first time, keep talking on here because I'm sure it will help.
Big hugs ... CM

DGD · 31/01/2004 16:32

Have only just seen this posting. Good luck, I really hope this works for you. After 'unexplained infertility' I tried twice - 1st time loads of eggs, 2nd time 8, I think. I found the whole experience enormously stressful, from trying to organise endless hospital appointments around a very demanding job to ensuring I was somewhere suitable when I needed to inject myself, not to mention all the uncertainty and risks at every stage, or so it seemed. The first attempt failed and to add insult to misery the hospital had a malfunction with some equipment and the remaining eggs had to be destroyed - I was devastated. I'm delighted to say the second time however was immediately successful and I have a lovely 3yr old as a result. Then 14 months afterwards, to our absolute shock and delight, I fell naturally pregnant and she's just turned one. The only thing I can say with absolute certainty is that it was all worth it. Good luck.

BeckiF · 01/02/2004 16:10

I'm in the annoying situation of waiting to lose weight before trying IVF. I could go ahead now and really want to but know that losing weight will help. Doesn't help when my gynae doc told me I need to get a wiggle on as I'm 34 this year!! Charming! Plus the weight is NOT moving, NOT helped by the fact I'm that stressed which makes me eat....

Original poster

Nerthus · 01/02/2004 20:43

Thanks so much for your kind thoughts everyone. That's really nice! I had my collection yesterday and they gave me lots of sedative so I felt to all intents and purposes as if I'd had a general but without feeling quite as grotty as you do after a general. Bit dopey and sore still but will feel fine by tomorrow I think. I think I had rather a good result too, which surprised me as I'm 40 therefore no spring chicken. 19 eggs of which, they told me today, 12 have fertilised, so I'm hoping they'll find a couple of good ones to put back out of that lot as I know what you mean Kizzie and Kagsie, it's quality not quantity!

I should think, BeckieF, that you could tell your doctor that he/she doesn't need to add to your stress levels by hassling you about time like that. Not-quite 34 is plenty of time, surely? You could give yourself 6 months to a year to focus on yourself and on losing weight if that's what you feel is right, and not diminish your chances of IVF that much, I should think. I have a feeling that 37/38 is meant to be the time when things start to get less successful, though of course for every statistic someone quotes, someone else can quote the opposite... Good luck anyhow, and thank you to all for lovely messages. Embryos back tomorrow, then just a jolly little fortnight's wait to see if it's worked! My demanding new job will keep me thoroughly occupied durin that time I'm sure!

OP posts:

150percent · 01/02/2004 21:26

Nerthus, that is a marvellous result! All the best for the transfer and hope that your embies do wonderfully in the next couple of days. It only takes one! DS1 was one out of 3 grade (3 out of 5) embies, and I don't think I ever managed as many as 12 eggs (and I've had 4 attempts, 2 successful).

BeckiF, yes a lower weight is ideal but I had a BMI of 30 when I had DS1 and BMI was 32 for DS2. Weight is one factor but age is another. If you can't shift it (and I couldn't) then unless you are so overweight that a pregnancy is medically dangerous, don't wait forever.

motherinferior · 01/02/2004 22:08

twiglett · 01/02/2004 22:10

message withdrawn

kizzie · 01/02/2004 22:20

great news Nerthus - more fertilised than I ever managed!
Good luck for transfer.
Kizziex

kagsie · 01/02/2004 22:36

That is such good news. hopefully they will freeze some for another go (for whatever reason) without all the hassle! So glad it went well for you - the transfer is a breeze and the team I'm sure will be really encouraged. don't forget to keep us in touch, !

aloha · 02/02/2004 13:08

Nerthus, congratulations What a great result. I'm 40 too and think it is fantastic that you are still producing so many eggs. I do think that spring chicken is an amusingly apt phrase in the circs! I wish you lots of luck with the fertilisation and transfer and hope that a baby Nerthus will soon be on the way. And if not, then you will have a couple of eggboxes worth of eggs to try again, which I understand is pretty unusual at our age.

Blu · 02/02/2004 13:16

Eggxellent news, Nerthus, we'll all be keeping our fingers crossed for you, let us know how it all goes. XXXX Blu

WideWebWitch · 02/02/2004 13:17

Nerthus, good luck with this, that all sounds very positive

CookieMonster · 02/02/2004 15:37

Nerthus ... fantastic news! Best of luck for the transfer etc ..

BeckiF · 02/02/2004 15:55

Well done! Lots of love and luck for the transfer! Remember to relax and think happy thoughts!

BeckiF · 02/02/2004 15:56

Well done! Lots of love and luck for the transfer! Remember to relax and think happy thoughts!

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