Scared about IVF for first time- anyone else?

[Knittingninja]

Hello ladies,

I'm due to start IVF this month or next. Been for our nurse consultation today that covered all the injections etc and am now freaking out! There's no one bit I'm particularly worried about (except possibly egg retrieval) but all together it all sounds fairly unpleasant and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Anyone out there at the same point of treatment and feeling the same?

Didn't want to read and run - just wanted to say that it might not be that bad. I went through five rounds of IVF (dd was born 6 weeks ago ) and it wasn't that bad. You get used to the injections - the first time is the worst! It's more the idea if it that put me off, I would count to three, and then chicken out and keep counting
You might not get side effects either, I certainly didn't! The only tough part for me was the emotional roller coaster of it. It is difficult, and it's so all-consuming that there's no escape. Try to keep life simple while you're going through it, and keep stress levels down if you can.
Good luck and try not to worry. I hope it works for you, it makes everything worth it
PS I had one painful egg retrieval, but the rest were fine. Even the painful one was over pretty fast, and it was fine really. HTH.

I went through 4 rounds last year. The first was definitely the worst as it is all the unknown. Personally I found it all quite difficult (emotionally, physically it wasn't that bad) but I am pg after round 4 and if this one works out I would have to say it was worth it. We were unexplained and I resented having to put myself through IVF with no diagnosis. I treated it a bit like taking a nasty medicine - take a deep breath, pinch your nose and get on with it as it is in a good cause.

I posted on the egg buddies thread throughout and found it a good source of support: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2012095-http-www-mumsnet-com-Talk-conception-1984412-Eggcellent-egg-buddies-a-thread-for-all-those-IVFing-in-January-February-and-March-Volume-3
There are people on there who are doing their first round and others who are between cycles or on a later round, so there is a good mix of peers and people with expertise to lend.

Good luck!

Hi everyone, knittingninja are you going through the nhs and if so how many cycles will you get? How long has it taken to get referred? We are right at the beginning and my husband has low sperm count and I've got pcos. Hope you're ok xx

Hi

I had my consultation last week for us to start IVF.. we're waiting for a couple of months as DB has a big birthday coming up.
I know what you mean, the whole thing is overwhelming - I cried the whole way through the appointment as the nurse was explaining it all

Im just gonna focus on what were trying to achieve to get me through and hopefully will be lucky like shroomboom - no side effects wow!

Hello, does it sound really bad? I'm feeling so sorry for myself!!! Hope ure ok xx

Hello Knittingninja. Me too - I'm starting down-reg next Thursday. IVF is so far removed from my comfort zone...I'm a bit of a hippy. We have a six year old (and lost one at 10 weeks, two years ago) and pregnancy hormones turned me into a witch, so I'm terrified about what IVF will do to me...but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Are you on short or long protocol? And when do you start? Good luck!

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses. I'm just doing the routine (short?) protocol but have decided to put it back to April, that was the original plan but had the opportunity to start this week with AF being later than expected! I feel I have made the right choice to wait a little longer as am on annual leave this week and therefore actually enjoying it and having a chill out (nice weather helping too). Have got family coming to stay and a hen night and wedding to go to this month as well so wouldn't have been convenient. We only get one cycle on NHS and then we'll see..... cross that bridge when we come to it. It's taken us almost a year to get to this point, GP tests were starting about this time last year, then investigations through gynocology/andrology then referral to assisted conception unit.

Thanks for the reassurance that the procedures will hopefully not be too bad and that the first time is the worst! I think I will take the advice to join the egg buddies thread too, sounds good. Also thanks for the offer of relaxation CD TheBuggerlugs but I actually have a lot of relaxation materials already from my work, just need to make the time to actually use them!

Good luck to all of you in your various different stages! xxx

Any chance I could have your Zita West CD please TheBuggerlugs??
Ive been having a look at it on Amazon..