Had to stop during egg collection IVF

[EMREX]

Hi, had my egg collection today for IVF. It was the most horrific pain throughout and the “anaesthetic” did not touch me at all. I felt every prick and it was so unbearable. They drained the follicles on my left ovary and then moved over to the right but had to stop. I was screaming in pain. We got 12 eggs, 10 of which have been injected with sperm. I just feel like a failure as there was more there - I just couldn’t hack that level of pain and they had to stop. I’m so glad we have got 12 but I’m just gutted there are still more inside me and are wasted. Has anyone been through anything similar? I just couldn’t tolerate the pain at all and I’m praying I haven’t ruined our chances of having children 😭 I also don’t think I could ever do that again. I’m feeling very upset and disappointed in myself

My gosh, that sounds awful. I was sedated for my egg collections so don't remember a thing. If you ever went again would that be an option?
12 is a really good number- equivalent to a whole year's ovulations. I've got my fingers crossed for you.

Why the hell were you not under general anaesthetic for this?
Demand it for the next one if you need it.

For what it's worth I only had 10 eggs come out from both sides (I was under GA).
6 fertilised, 2 became embryos, we transferred both embryos, one stuck, and that's my daughter who will be two years old in July.

All the best for the coming days OP, hope everything goes well.

I was sedated for mine (not GA) and was in absolute agony when I came round because they’d forgotten my pain relief suppository. I remember sobbing and begging for my husband. If that was the pain afterwards I can’t imagine what you were going through. I’m so sorry this happened to you x

One other thing I always remembered during the most painful parts of the IVF - you're doing all this in the hope that you will one day go through labour, and the (physical) pain of IVF is nowhere near that labour pain!!

You got this xx

Jeez that sounds horrific! I was knocked out for mine. I 100% wouldn't have done it if they'd told me I was going to be awake.

12 is a really really good number though so don't be disheartened! I've had 4 egg collections, all under sedation (not GA) and been a bit sore afterwards but not loads of pain, although very sick with 2 of them! The most eggs they've managed to collect from me has been 8 so you are getting close to double what they managed from me from a single ovary! My numbers have always been low but IVF worked for me and I've got embryos frozen so dont lose hope!

I would recommend looking at other clinics if you need more EC in the future. Sedation was standard in all the clinics I considered for treatment.

Oh love so sorry you weren’t sedated for this, that seems insane to me. I was out for the count for all four of egg collections.

12 eggs and now hopefully 10 embryos is an excellent number.

My first round they collected 24 eggs - I had OHSS - and we made not a single baby.

We went on to have our son from our third round - when I think they collected 10 or 11 eggs. It really is all about quality.

Very best of luck to you.

I'm so sorry you went through that! I donated my eggs in 2018 with Bourn Hall Clinic and I was not put under for my surgery and it was the most painful thing I've gone through... far more painful than my emcs!

Please don't feel like a failure! I had 52 follicles and my ladies got 6 eggs each. Even 1 is amazing!

Everyone I've ever spoke to since has said they have been put to sleep for collection and it even says it on the website yet I have no idea why I wasn't.

I unfortunately suffered with hyper stimulation after and the clinic didn't care. It's caused major trauma to this day because of how traumatic the surgery was but you've done it now and it's just time to be as positive as you can! Sending love 🤍

Ladies thank you so much for replying! I appreciate you so much. I am so glad you all managed to get eggs on your rounds and amazing to donate also. I was given sedation but I was completely awake, it just didn’t work at all for me unfortunately and she did say it’s 1% of people that will have this. There was no anaesthetist there though, just the gynaecologist consultant doing retrieval and the nurse so they are limited to what they can give. Did you guys have proper anaesthetists? I would need to go under if I ever have to do that again as it was horrendous. I really am traumatised and I’m still crying even now. I’m praying we get some decent embryos I’d be absolutely made up if we got some on ice as well just so there’s a chance I would never have to do another round. Thank you so much for your replies I have nobody to talk to about this that understands as we don’t know anybody that have had ivf before us nor do my family so this is so precious x

@EMREX I'm so sorry this happened to you. Yes there should be an anaesthetist - absolutely. It sounds horrific.

Do your clinic offer counselling? If so I would recommend asking for a free session (my clinic offer one free session per cycle but can also offer more on discretion). If not I can recommend a counsellor although she's not cheap!!

It sounds like you have enough eggs to be getting on with anyway. Please don't beat yourself up about this - this is the fault of the clinic not you. You're not expected to go through this without pain relief.

Be so nice to yourself. You have been through something traumatic and I think you're amazing to let them even do one side.

Xxx

You should really dig into this with the hospital and find out what their rates of failed pain relief for the procedure are and why it happened. Don’t let them off the hook easily. There was a big case in the US where a fertility nurse was stealing the drugs and replacing the painkiller with saline. The stories of the patients are terrifying, so I can really understand that you’ve had an incredibly traumatic experience. I so sorry you went through that.

I had the same experience as you. It was extremely painful when they drained the follicles. They tried to do it as quick as they could. I got 8 eggs. Only one was fit to transfer after 3 days.....my dd is now nearly 11 years old. So, you have a fantastic chance of success with 12 eggs. I remember saying to my dh that I hope the ivf works first time because I can't go through the pain again. Thankfully I didn't need to. By the way, labour is a very different kind of pain so don't worry about that either! Good luck!

The sedition didn’t work for me for my egg retrieval in February either. I had to stop the procedure half way through because it was so painful but they’d only retrieved 3 eggs so they offered me gas & air and told me if I stopped it again then that would be it.. i gritted my teeth and I only ended up with 7, one made it to blast and it failed so building up the courage for our second go.
It was by far the most painful thing I’ve experienced. The recovery was incredibly rough too, from what the consultant told me before having it done, I thought I’d be fine to go back to work the following day but ended up having the full week off. Then I felt like such a fraud because it was so painful and I thought it wasn’t suppose to be so I just thought i couldn’t hack it.
Cycle ibruprofen & paracetamol if you can take them, can’t offer any advise but absolutely holding your hand because I’ve been there. Wishing you all the luck with your 12! That’s a great number!! xx

Ladies thank you so much. I am so sorry that some of you have had horrific stories similar to mine, I would think if men were undergoing this it would be a general every time across the board! I’m shocked really from what I’m hearing that most women I’ve spoken to had an anaesthetist so must’ve been some really crap drugs I had ! Didn’t even have gas and air! I could’ve possibly stuck it with that as the IV stuff was useless and not working. I’m lying in bed now in pain and just thinking I hope my little eggs are holding up ok and fertilising/growimg. The stress of all this is sickening isn’t it - not to say I have a lot going on personally as well so I’m not in a great frame of mind. Thank you so much for all of your replies, I really do appreciate the kind words, you all have no idea how much you have made me feel better! Felt like I’d failed earlier tbh but I’m feeling more at peace now and hopeful! Xx

Hope you are feeling a bit better today - and that your embryos are doing well 🙏

Oh God, you poor thing. That's absolutely horrific. I woke up screaming during mine but I can't imagine being awake screaming throughout. Also, my recovery took almost a week whereas I was told it would be a day.

Definitely ask for GA next time, if there is a next time.

Don't worry about the number of eggs - what you got is great! I remember being disappointed when they only got 9 from me, but we still got 5 good quality embryos from that. One is our child and 4 in the freezer.

I hope you're OK - maybe down the line it's worth having some therapy about this? It's not normal or reasonable for you to have gone through this so it might be helpful to have some support. Have you considered discussing this with the hospital?

OP I’m so so sorry this happened to you. You absolutely should not have been in pain during this. It’s shocking what women are expected to suck up sometimes. If you have the mental energy please consider complaining, it is so unacceptable that you should have been in this position. Even if the sedation doesn’t work then there needs to be a back up.

Please rest up and be kind to yourself ❤️

Yes I was thinking why didn't they give you gas and air at least

My clinic did sedation and no anaesthetist. I didn't have an issue luckily. I'm sorry you went through that. If you ever have to do it again go with a clinic that puts you under. Good luck for your eggs.

I was offered only gas and air for my egg collection, plus a pain pessary. It was painful but bearable; you’ve done so well without it.

When my wife had her egg collection, she was sedated and an anaesthetist was present.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. 10 is still a good number.

Sorry, I meant you’ve done so well going through without it. I am sorry you had to though.

Bloody hell! I was totally out for both of mine. No pain and no real recollection of any of it.

Optimal egg retrieval used to be 12 so that’s brilliant. I had 14 the first time, and the result is a (lovely) 6’2” gobshite now. Hang in there. It can all still work out.

Thanks 🙏 I can’t believe such a lovely bunch of ladies all exist. I’m so glad you have all got in touch! I felt so at peace after chatting with you all! I’m so sore today but I have had to come to work (from home) my dog has just bloody collapsed so she has had to go to the vets for surgery, X-rays and tests as she has swelling in her throat. That’s cost me a bloody arm and a leg all paid upfront. I am very sad, worried and sore but we got the news we have 9 embryos out of the 10 that were injected with sperm! I’m praying for my little dog and our little eggies!!! Loved the 6ft2 gob shite comment as well hahahahaha

9 embryos is brilliant at this stage. I'm
glad you are feeling brighter.

Anyway, when you are more recovered please do raise this with your clinic. I'm shocked they don't have a plan B for the 1 in one hundred patients who need it. Women have to put up with far too much.

wishing you, your embies and your dog well OP!