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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

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Original poster

Egg Recovery tomorrow - should I be nervous?

30 replies

merricat · 14/04/2015 09:26

This is my first round of IVF, and I have about 10 or 11 follies ready to go at 9am tomorrow morning. I'm not horribly nervous, but I'm a wee bit apprehensive. I had a rather awful laparoscopy last September and compared to that, I'm expecting this to be nothing, am I right? I won't be under GA though.

If anyone has any tips or advice to share, I'd be grateful.

OP posts:

keeponjuggling · 14/04/2015 11:03

10 or 11 is great!
I had mine yesterday, and it was ok. A bit sore after and tender today but nothing to worry about. Only tip I have is to ask for more sedative if you're still fully awake, I felt it all and waited until it was painful to ask for more. I think it's better to be asleep, which most people are. I have a history of resistance to anaesthesia...
Good luck, hope it goes well

inamaymaybewrong · 14/04/2015 12:31

I had conscious sedation for egg retrieval. Was generally fine and felt very trippy! The last couple of eggs they got hurt a bit due to the follicles being hard to reach. We had 12 in total, if I recall correctly.
I did vomit about an hour or two after the procedure ended. I ate too soon as was starving after being nil by mouth that morning.
I'd also previously had a lap under GA.
Good luck! Just keep a watch for OHSS which is more common if you have PCOS.

CatnipMouse · 14/04/2015 13:44

My clinic wanted to give me a suppository painkiller beforehand, I wasn't expecting that! So just to warn you that might happen.

I don't remember much although I was not under GA but sedation. I do remember it feeling v weird and a bit painful and they said, have some more gas and air... after that I don't remember a thing!

Good luck, and take it easy afterwards.

Original poster

merricat · 14/04/2015 13:46

Thanks, both of you. I'll definitely make sure to ask for extra sedation if I feel wide awake. They said I should feel trippy - I'm actually looking forward to that feeling, since I've been craving a drink lately and refusing myself one - hopefully this'll be the next best thing

I'll focus on that and try not to worry about the pain. I like to tell myself that after so many years of undiagnosed endo, I have a pretty decent pain threshold. I guess we'll soon find out: eek!

OP posts:

Guin1 · 14/04/2015 16:20

I had no pain or discomfort either during or after EC. However, I was unconscious for the procedure - not a 'full' GA, but enough to knock me out.
Best of luck OP!

CatnipMouse · 14/04/2015 16:36

Ha ha, you reminded me that I also looked forward to getting high. I didn't get that feeling, but I did get what felt like a nasty hangover from whatever it was they gave me for sedation and pain relief, and I was really pissed off about that! Not fair to get a hangover when I didn't even have a drink and didn't get any kind of buzz from the drugs!! But I think I react badly to that kind of medication, none of the other women that day seemed to feel so rubbish, so you should be fine.

WereJamming · 14/04/2015 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heels99 · 14/04/2015 16:44

I was knocked out all 4 times!
Didn't feel a thing, doesn't take long to wake up after and no pain or anything.
Good luck

Ilikesweetpeas · 14/04/2015 16:45

Nothing to add to the other posters experience but wanted to wish you good luck for a great result!

Original poster

merricat · 14/04/2015 17:49

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it! I'll let you know how I get on. Fingers crossed for a good crop of eggs and a relatively painless procedure.

Catnip, haha, I'm glad it's not just me who wanted to get high Too bad about the tipsinessless hangover, what a disappointment that must have been.

Quick question: did your DPs come in with you or not?

OP posts:

GalindawithaGa · 14/04/2015 18:31

I was dead to the world with the sedative, don't remember and didn't feel a thing. I was nervous as well - needles, drugs, hospitals all a bit scary but it was totally fine. Wasn't too painful but I did develop OHSS which was a flipping nightmare. Fingers crossed you don't.

DH was with me on the ward beforehand and when I returned but the recovery was in a sterile theatre with lots of staff so no he stayed on the ward. They are allowed in for the transfer in 3/5 days time though.

Have you got a nightie? I wore PJs and had to take my bottoms completely off. A nightie you can keep on and just shuffle it upwards.

inamaymaybewrong · 14/04/2015 19:44

Yes my husband was next to me, holding my hand throughout. Different clinics, different policies I guess.
Agree, OHSS is a painful nightmare!

CatnipMouse · 14/04/2015 19:52

No partners allowed in for egg recovery at my clinic. He was off elsewhere making his 'contribution'. I think he got the better half of the deal.

Original poster

merricat · 14/04/2015 20:48

Okay, so it varies then. I know my clinic does allow partners into theatre, but I'm not sure about whether I want that. It might be better that he's off playing his oboe (ahem) at the time. Even though I want him to see what I have to put up with, I don't want to put him off his game...

Galinda good point, I don't have a nightie - I should have thought of that, since I always always wear dresses to scans for that reason. But I'm now remembering that they said I'll be wearing a hospital gown, so I suppose that solves that.

OHSS does sound horrible, sorry for those who suffered through it. With my number of follies, I think my risk is fairly low, but I'll make sure to drink a ton of water.

Thanks all

OP posts:

ceara · 14/04/2015 22:07

Good luck tomorrow. Just to echo what others have said, yes it's technically a minor surgical procedure but you should not be too uncomfortable. I turned down sedation as wanted to be fully awake and aware, but the analgesia was enough to keep discomfort to a minimum and I say that with a clear memory of the whole thing. I was a little bit ouchy during the afternoon once the voltarol wore off, but fine by next morning. My other half was with me in theatre - he did his bit beforehand, but was actually quite worried the night before that his concern about me having to go through egg retrieval would put him off, so if it helps to know, the embryologist told us it's not the end of the world for the guys to do their bit afterwards once they know you're all right, if they find they are too worried about you to focus before you go to theatre :-). Seeing egg retrieval wasn't offputting for him and looking back we are both pleased to have been there and to remember it - in a way it's kind of the closest we got to being there for our DS's actual conception! Hope it goes well for you both in the morning and fingers crossed for the outcome.

chloechloe · 15/04/2015 00:37

Just wanted to wish you good luck for a good crop of eggs tomorrow! I had a GA for mine so have no idea what it would be like without. It was generally fine though, even though I did get OHSS (but I was high risk anyway due to PCOS). Make sure you take it easy after the procedure and get plenty of rest. Good luck!

Original poster

merricat · 15/04/2015 12:25

I don't know if I'm a wimp or if it's just that my procedure was tricker than most (they said it was much more awkward getting to the ovaries), but that was the worst experience of my life and I never want to go through it again. I was awake throughout and felt everything, it was excruciating. I begged for more pain relief but they had no more to give me. It was worse than my laparoscopy by far.

There's no silver lining either, because most of my follicles were empty and they only got four eggs, one of which I'm almost certain will be post-mature. So three eggs. It does not feel worth it, at all. I was so shocked by the amount of pain I was in I was crying, and I still feel shocked

OP posts:

CatnipMouse · 15/04/2015 13:47

I'm so sorry you have had such a shitty day. I'm sure you're not a wimp, it must be because your ovaries were awkward. Really sorry it was so crap for you. Fingers crossed for your eggs and I hope you feel better soon x

Original poster

merricat · 15/04/2015 13:52

Thanks. I've been doing some research and found that my clinic's policy on egg retrieval is generally regarded by other clinics as 'barbaric'. Sounds about right, I feel traumatised.

OP posts:

Hopefulmama34 · 15/04/2015 15:40

I'm so sorry Merricat, that sounds awful :( If it offers any comfort though I only had four eggs retrieved and then only two out of those fertilised, but am currently 25 weeks pregnant with the other embie (blast) in the freezer. It could definitely still be worth it from that point of view although I'm sure you don't feel that way right now after what you have gone through!

Acupuncture is very good for calming everything down and boosting blood flow before embryo transfer, I know its not for everyone but it really helped me.

Best of luck and hope you feel better soon.

Guin1 · 15/04/2015 16:40

Wow, that's awful merricat. I've never heard of anyone having an experience like that with EC. I'll echo pp that you may be fine with three eggs. My last EC gave only 2 eggs, and only one made it to blasto. But that one is currently snoozing on my lap, doubtless getting ready to fill her nappy! I really hope the rest of your IVF experience is much better.

WereJamming · 15/04/2015 17:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heels99 · 15/04/2015 17:28

You are not a wimp. Until your post I had never heard of anyone being awake for egg collection! I also was knocked out for embryo transfer every time, I hate even smear tests so for me being conscious or feeling pain was not an option.
It is done now, you did great, good luck for the rest of the process, it only takes one egg.

keeponjuggling · 15/04/2015 18:15

Oh I'm so sorry merricat, that sounds like an awful experience. I didn't go into too much detail in my early response because I didn't want to worry you unduly. I felt it all too and it was painful. I also had a large bleed and needed a stitch or two. I'm just concentrating on this stage and putting EC behind me.

similar to you I only got 5 eggs, was disappointed but as they keep telling me it's more than we need. I really hope your 4 eggs are little fighters and all make it to transfer day. I went for acupuncture yesterday and it helped with the discomfort, I'm still a bit sore but it is easing. Going again after transfer (hopefully). Might be worth a try? Very best of luck.

Guin and hopeful, thank you so much for sharing your success it's really wonderful to hear.

GalindawithaGa · 15/04/2015 20:26

Merricat that's terrible, I could only go through with mine because I was unconscious so no you are not being a wimp! Hope you feel better soon!

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