Egg retrieval without sedation

Aylah1 · 2023-07-18T00:28:27+00:00

Hi ladies, I just started stims last night and I'm getting so much anxiety thinking about egg retrieval as my clinic is a low cost clinic and does not do sedation/anesthesia. I will only be given 10mg of Valium orally before the procedure. Has anyone done this and can share their experience with me please? Thank you.

BritInAus · 18/07/2023 02:22

Hello, I haven't but will be later this year. The way my specialist described it is it should be 100% pain free. He said most women chose to be sedated as it's sometimes 'not very dignified' being awake, ie if one hand is inside you and the other is pressing on your abdomen to move eg your bowel to access an ovary more easily. He said he can work more quickly when someone is sedated but other than that it's entirely my preference.

I am terrified of sedation after a bad experience so would rather feel a bit awkward whilst they rummage around... I imagine my genitals won't be the most interesting part of their day.

I understand they inject a local anaesthetic and then you can have the 'green whistle' if needed.

Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 02:32

I wish I could have a local anesthetic but they aren't doing that either. I can't find anyone online who has done this without some kind of sedation or anesthesia!

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BritInAus · 18/07/2023 02:49

You must be having a local anaesthetic? They're piercing your follicles with a needle via your vagina... surely they're injecting a local?

Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 03:16

No they're not, that's why I'm freaking out 😔 They said I will feel everything but I will also feel very relaxed because of the Valium they will give me prior to procedure.

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USaYwHatNow · 18/07/2023 03:42

I mean, I know it's not completely comparable, but I had a coil inserted by a gynae consultant. They gave be a load of diazepam prior to help me cope, but it was still super painful, and I ended up really going for it on the gas and air they provided. Personally, I'd be sedated.

Ifeellikeateenageragain · 18/07/2023 03:57

Hi OP, I had a sedated egg retrieval and 2 non-sedated retrievals (no drugs either just an oxygen tube to suck on similar to when giving birth). The two non-sedated were far better! It got uncomfortable at times but I just sucked down on that oxygen. The consultant, nurses, and my partner and I were just chatting and cracking jokes throughout. I say this as someone who was screaming and shaking with pain and in shock when I had a HSG procedure.

I think with a calmative beforehand you'll be absolutely fine.

Good luck with the whole process x

Lily0719 · 18/07/2023 05:34

I had egg retrieval without any anaesthetic or sedation and it was so so painful!! I have a high pain threshold and would never be awake for it again. Go under for sure!

Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:00

USaYwHatNow · 18/07/2023 03:42

I mean, I know it's not completely comparable, but I had a coil inserted by a gynae consultant. They gave be a load of diazepam prior to help me cope, but it was still super painful, and I ended up really going for it on the gas and air they provided. Personally, I'd be sedated.

I'm so sorry you had such an awful experience! I wish sedation was an option but they don't offer it unfortunately.

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Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:04

Ifeellikeateenageragain · 18/07/2023 03:57

Hi OP, I had a sedated egg retrieval and 2 non-sedated retrievals (no drugs either just an oxygen tube to suck on similar to when giving birth). The two non-sedated were far better! It got uncomfortable at times but I just sucked down on that oxygen. The consultant, nurses, and my partner and I were just chatting and cracking jokes throughout. I say this as someone who was screaming and shaking with pain and in shock when I had a HSG procedure.

I think with a calmative beforehand you'll be absolutely fine.

Good luck with the whole process x

You give me so much hope reading this, thank you! You are the first person who reported a positive experience and that's what I needed to hear! Do you think 10mg of Valium beforehand will help me? There will be gas available too but not sure how much this will help.

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Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:06

Lily0719 · 18/07/2023 05:34

I had egg retrieval without any anaesthetic or sedation and it was so so painful!! I have a high pain threshold and would never be awake for it again. Go under for sure!

I am so sorry to hear you had an awful experience! If sedation or anesthetic was available at my clinic, I would have definitely opted for that.

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Soontobe60 · 18/07/2023 07:18

I’m currently listening to a podcast called ‘The Retrieval’, which is basically about a group of women who unbeknown to them had their egg retrieval procedures without sedation. TBH, it sounds brutal!

LividHot · 18/07/2023 07:20

Okay WHAT?

Where is this low cost clinic? Is this abroad?

I can’t get my head around this. Hoping lots of people pile on and tell me it’s completely normal.

notanicepersonapparently · 18/07/2023 07:27

I had one without sedation. It was awful. No one had said it would be painful and it was trapped on that operating table surrounded by people and wondering what the hell was going on. Also I could see myself reflected in the glass cover of the overhead light fixture. The pain was like being kicked in the stomach. I think I react poorly to local anaesthetic ie it doesn’t kill the pain when I have dental work. After that I paid for sedation ( it was an oral tablet) and was blissfully unaware of the whole thing.

notanicepersonapparently · 18/07/2023 07:28

I’m kind of relieved to hear that it wasn’t just me who found it painful.

notanicepersonapparently · 18/07/2023 07:31

Me again. OP if your clinic doesn’t offer sedation then you are just going to have to suck it up if you are already part was through a treatment cycle. I’m still alive after all! And at least you know it’s going to be painful and it won’t come as a nasty shock.

tumblebumble · 18/07/2023 07:32

I'm another one asking where this clinic is? I was under the impression any regulated clinic wouldn't proceed without some for of sedation.

I'm in the uk and when I had it done a few years ago it was made very clear to me that uk guidelines are that sedation of some sort has to be used. This was LWC though so not exactly low cost so it may be different.

Good luck!

tumblebumble · 18/07/2023 07:33

LividHot · 18/07/2023 07:20

Okay WHAT?

Where is this low cost clinic? Is this abroad?

I can’t get my head around this. Hoping lots of people pile on and tell me it’s completely normal.

I completely agree! Not my experience in the uk at all

LittleMonks11 · 18/07/2023 07:35

I can't work out how they 'don't offer it'. What kind of clinic is it? It probably means they don't employ the required qualified HCP? I had a general when I had egg retrieval in the uk.

MoserRothOrangeandAlmond · 18/07/2023 07:36

Please don't put yourself through this without sedation.
I took 0.5mg of lorazepam the night prior and 0.5mg the morning of. Then had light sedation. I mostly slept but my husband was next to me and he said I kept saying 'OW!' That was especially when they pierced through the vaginal wall to get to the ovary.

If they offer you gas and air take it. As well as the 10mg or Diazepam but I wouldn't be happy.
I'm a nurse and not scared of gynae procedures and investigations and I have gave birth with gas and air. I wouldn't have an egg retrieval without sedation.

Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:49

LividHot · 18/07/2023 07:20

Okay WHAT?

Where is this low cost clinic? Is this abroad?

I can’t get my head around this. Hoping lots of people pile on and tell me it’s completely normal.

I'm located in Australia and it's my first IVF cycle. I was not really aware of this until I had already paid for the whole cycle. The nurse who we had our initial consultation with said I will have twilight sedation. Then while I was talking to a nurse about my medications and I asked her what they use for the twilight sedation and she said "Oh I wouldn't call it twilight sedation, it's only Valium to relax you before the procedure". She explained that they don't use sedation or anesthesia because they want to keep it at the lowest cost possible. I had already paid and signed all documents by then. Is 10mg of Valium a lot?

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Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:51

notanicepersonapparently · 18/07/2023 07:27

I had one without sedation. It was awful. No one had said it would be painful and it was trapped on that operating table surrounded by people and wondering what the hell was going on. Also I could see myself reflected in the glass cover of the overhead light fixture. The pain was like being kicked in the stomach. I think I react poorly to local anaesthetic ie it doesn’t kill the pain when I have dental work. After that I paid for sedation ( it was an oral tablet) and was blissfully unaware of the whole thing.

I'm so sorry you went through this. Do you remember what tablet they gave you?

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Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:53

tumblebumble · 18/07/2023 07:32

I'm another one asking where this clinic is? I was under the impression any regulated clinic wouldn't proceed without some for of sedation.

I'm in the uk and when I had it done a few years ago it was made very clear to me that uk guidelines are that sedation of some sort has to be used. This was LWC though so not exactly low cost so it may be different.

Good luck!

I'm in Australia. The clinic will offer me 10mg of Valium before the procedure. I don't have experience taking Valium, so I'm not sure whether this will give me any relief at all.

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Original poster

Aylah1 · 18/07/2023 07:56

MoserRothOrangeandAlmond · 18/07/2023 07:36

Please don't put yourself through this without sedation.
I took 0.5mg of lorazepam the night prior and 0.5mg the morning of. Then had light sedation. I mostly slept but my husband was next to me and he said I kept saying 'OW!' That was especially when they pierced through the vaginal wall to get to the ovary.

If they offer you gas and air take it. As well as the 10mg or Diazepam but I wouldn't be happy.
I'm a nurse and not scared of gynae procedures and investigations and I have gave birth with gas and air. I wouldn't have an egg retrieval without sedation.

I wish I haven't paid for the whole cycle already. But I'm already on day 2 of stims, I feel like I have no choice at this stage. Will 10mg of Valium do anything at all?

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Seddon · 18/07/2023 07:56

The valium will calm your nerves a little but it's not pain relief.

Sounds quite barbaric TBH! I hope you find a solution OP.

notanicepersonapparently · 18/07/2023 08:03

I’m sorry but I don’t know what the sedation was. It was some years ago. I had a quick look on their website but couldn’t see anything. I did notice that it said sedation was always included for egg retrieval now.