BFP after IVF: any other nervous ladies in need of a handhold?

[wombats]

I've had my BFP after our first FET and in a bit of a state analysing symptoms/lack of symptoms. Had two losses prior to starting IVF so really can't get my head round what might be normal or not. Clinic will scan me at six weeks, but that is two very long weeks away! Anyone else in a similar position? xxx

Hi Janefx, nope I had EC 16 days ago and et 13 days ago. It does seem earlier than most to have a first scan.
Did your tummy pains settle after a week?

@Yorkshirelass27 Yes they settled down although I had cramping for about 2 weeks. Not that painful but enough to make me panic!

The way my clinic dated the pregnancy was that I was 2 weeks "pregnant" on the day of egg collection. So 16 days later I was 4 weeks 2 days. There are a few websites that will date your pregnancy post IVF based on date of EC - you can check them out.

Xxx

Arh ok, that would make sense why having the scan sooner Janefx. Good to know the cramps settle. You are right, they are pretty scary! xx

I woke up to go to the loo at 2am and there was blood when I wiped. Not bright red, more pinky. This morning light brown. I am terrified. Waiting for clinic to open at 8.30am so I can call. Not sure if they can even scan usefully as I am only 5+6 today.

@Si1ver, good luck with your scan today. Hope it all goes well! 🍀

@1wanda, my appetite has been all over the place the last 2 weeks. I’m 8w1d and feel nauseous every morning, late afternoon & evening. I’m struggling to eat fresh fruit & vegetables. 😩

I also had brown/pink spotting about 2 weeks ago...the day after my first scan! I was 6w5d. Obviously it freaked me out, but the clinic put it down to the medication. No issues since. I’m just hoping all looks good on my next scan on Wednesday. 🌟

Have you had any cramping? If not and blood not bright red, that’s usually good. Hopefully the clinic can give you some reassurance. 🤞

Congrats and welcome, @Yorkshirelass27

@1Wanda1 fingers crossed you're ok.

@1Wanda1 hope you're ok. As others have said, spotting doesn't have to mean anything bad but I know how terrifying it is when you think things may be going wrong. Hopefully EPU can reassure you.

@Si1ver good luck today

Thanks for your reassuring messages. I spoke to the clinic, who just said to increase Cyclogest to 4 times a day (I was on 3) and let them know if the bleeding/spotting gets worse. If it does, they will do a blood test to measure progesterone and HCG and then repeat to check if HCG is rising.

So not very reassuring really, though I know that at this stage what will be will be. It's just so stressful.

Sorry to hear of your scare wanda. Its very scary, but doesnt necessarily mean the end. i had bright red blood without cramps and it was still ok on scan. I hope for you that all is ok. X

Congrats yorkshirelass.

The scan went well today thanks for asking Jane. Everything is in the right place and there was a clear heartbeat.

@Si1ver that's great news. Congratulations!!! Hope you are feeling happy xxx

Thank you SouthernBella and Decaf.
Hope the Cyclogest sorts things out 1Wanda1
Congratulations on the positive scan Si1ver

@1Wanda1 it's so hard isn't it. Hopefully the cyclogest will do the trick. The waiting and seeing is murder tho I know xxx

Good to hear scan was positive Si1ver.

Decaf I read about your bleeds at the start of this thread. Did they ever give you a reason for why it might be happening?

My bleeding/spotting has stopped now, but I can't help thinking it must mean the embryo has stopped growing and I still have to wait another 2 weeks for a scan to find out. I can't handle all the worrying and waiting in this process.

Hi @1Wanda1 I had a moment when I totally lost it around 6 weeks. I had some cramping and was 100% sure all was lost. My clinic are pretty hands off so I went to see my GP, told him about the cramping and did a lot of crying. He referred me to EPU who scanned me. Not sure what the local service is in your area but see if there is an early pregnancy unit and what the access criteria is. If you need a referral, your GP may do the same for you

Great news silver
wanda they never found a specific reason. Possible suggestions were that It was cervical or due to placenta growing. Basically there are lots of blood vesels forming and changing and can bleed without affecting baby. I am still on progesterone for safety since my last bleed at 13w. So hope it works for you too! X

Thanks ladies. It does seem to be quite common to have some bleeding and be fine. But then it also seems to be quite common to have some and miscarry. I've had no more since Saturday morning now, and have woken up feeling quite nauseous.

Jane our local hospital do have a EPAU but you have to be referred by GP. I have literally just changed GP surgeries so probably there will be some delay in getting an appointment. I could pay for a private scan locally. It's about £100 but then if I went to our clinic for 2 x blood tests they've suggested, that would work out at over £100 because they charge £50 a time and I have to get the train as well. So maybe a private scan would be better.

@1Wanda1 I know how you feel. It was the same with my cramping and then with the embie not having grown as much as expected - it could all be fine and normal but it equally could be a sign of something wrong. And there is really no way to tell.

Personally I would try to GP first. If you can't get an appointment then maybe go private for a scan x

@1Wanda1 call and speak to your GP. Mine referred me during my last pregnancy from a phone call.

Does anyone know if it's possible that the progesterone can maintain a non-viable pregnancy so that while taking it the bleeding doesn't start naturally?

@1Wanda1 this is such a difficult situation and I have been there. I must have googled "would you bleed if you miscarry on progesterone" a hundred times.

Here's the annoying thing. I think there is no definitive answer. There are women who have miscarried on huge doses of progesterone and bled. There are women on no progesterone supplements who have missed miscarriages where they didn't bleed. In some cases progesterone may prevent bleeding, in others not.

What did you GP say?

X

Hi @1Wanda1 - sorry you are having the worry. If you can get referred by your gp to the EPU they can scan you and check the embryo is still there. Before 6 weeks they won't be able to see much, other than if is in the right place and about the right size, but can reassure you that it's still there for now.
As far as the progesterone is concerned the truth is yes, it can hold off miscarriage - that doesn't by any means mean that that is what is happening with you, and spotting is very common and as it's stopped now, I have my fingers crossed for you.

I know from my mmc last time that I didn't start to bleed til I stopped the progesterone support and this time I am awaiting wednesday's scan, but I haven't had any bleeding since very early on and I am still a bit nauseous and have sore boobs etc, but I know weds won't be good news as I've searched high and low on the Internet and can find no good news stories from my position.. so for me the progesterone and estrogen I'm on is tricking my body and I am finding that the hardest thing at the moment.

Thanks Janefx40. I know the only answer to nearly all the things running through my mind is "maybe yes, maybe no", I just can't stop myself though.

Predictably when I called GP there was confusion about whether or not I was even registered, I couldn't get a straight answer never mind an appointment. In the meantime I've been googling the results of scans at 6 weeks and there seem to be a lot of ladies who get told no foetal pole and to come back a week later. I think that would be worse than just waiting. I've emailed the clinic instead to ask if we can move our scan next week forward so it's sooner than Thursday. If it could be at the start of the week I think I could cope with the waiting.

@1wanda1 I’m so sorry to hear you are going through a hard time. Nothing ever seems easy for us all does it. I’m currently 12 weeks 5 days and have been reducing my medication for the past week I was on 1200 mg of progesterone a day and have now cut that to 400, I have also had to reduce all my other medication and completely stop some and have had the most horrendous headache that’s lasted two days. Did anyone else suffer with this? I have my scan tomorrow and I’m scared and excited at the same time.