BFP after IVF: nervous ladies needed a handhold Part II

[gingergnome]

Hi everyone,

Think that the last thread for this topic reached its limit, so have started a new one.

Good luck to everyone who has finally got that longed for BFP!

This is a place for everything that comes after the 2WW: celebrating milestones, being (cautiously!) excited, symptom checking, worrying, sharing advice, commiserating bad news, generally keeping each other going, and willing each other along on our way to the 12 week mark.

A bit about me: 39 y/old, 0 DC, IVF ICSI cycle 1, first BFP since TTC, currently 6+0.

Look forward to meeting lots of people with new BFPs and sharing your journey!


Tagging in some ladies from the old thread,
@itonlytakesone
@TheArtfulScreamer
@cannonball8726

[Beherenow32]

@cannonball8726 oh and congrats on your scan too! It’s sooo hard waiting for scans. I had one less than a week ago, and would love another one today! Xx

[cannonball8726]

Thanks @beherenow32. I have another viability scan in a week and a half for the HARMONY tests. My 12 week scan is still three weeks away. Feeling so impatient!

How is everyone getting on? I think I'm eating way more carbs than usual to get through the nausea - have put on 1-1.5kg since before starting IVF. I'm still exercising but not pushing myself too much - just trying to stay active as it keeps me sane. Has anyone else put weight on in these early stages?

[cannonball8726]

By the way, were any of you ladies started on levothyroxine before IVF? My TSH was 2.66 so I was started on levothyroxine a couple of months before IVF. I'm still on it and have had my thyroid function tested four weekly. Do most people then come off it after the first trimester if they weren't 'truly' hypothyroid to begin with? Will ask my midwife this weekend but wondered if anyone had any experience of this!

[Beherenow32]

@cannonball8726 week and half away isn’t too long. That will be nice.
I’m still really struggling. Exhausted and sore head all the time. Going to speak to work about making my hours more manageable. Oh well.. it’s fine! Belly is starting to get round 😊
Good luck for harmony test! Xx

[cannonball8726]

@beherenow32 sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish. Are you 13 weeks now? Hopefully an improvement is around the corner. How have work been about things?

Exciting that belly starting to become round. Mine already getting bigger because of the bloating - and eating way too many carbs to fend off the nausea!

[tikha]

@cannonball8726 i am not checking my weight.. dont want to find out how many kilos I have put on.. I am also constantly hungry.

@beherenow32 its better to be upfront actually and reduce hours.. Easier then feeling guilty.. Hopefully things will improve especially as you progress in your pregnancy..

@itonlytakesone congrats on the wedding dress..

@TheArtfulScreamer congrats on the lively scan.. its amazing how technology lets us see them so early :)

@gingergnome @tigerlily99 @beanhunter how are things :)

i am not in UK but I have to think about returning as I am supposed to return around when the baby is due but can't fly then so will need to time it earlier.. will need to speak to boss but really want to have a couple of scans before I start talking to them.. The nervousness persists but I think I am learning to live with it. The harder part is having non-negotiable work deadlines which only I can deliver on !!! I didn't count on exhaustion and sleep disturbances having such a big effect on my focus.

Since I am not in UK, I kind of have to make sure i have all the standard blood tests that one would automatically take for granted.. learning curve..

[beanhunter]

So I was seen again yesterday and heartbeat still there despite ongoing spotting and bleeding - which they can’t find a cause for. Consultant has signed me off for another 4.5 weeks so unless it all settles or I miscarry I’m off until nearly 13 weeks.

[Itonlytakesone]

@beanhunter
That's great news that your baby seems to be unaware and unaffected by the bleeding. Still super worrying for you but you relax while you are signed off and take it easy.

@tikha
Sounds like you have a pretty stressful job last thing you need when you're going through this.

@gingergnome
I'm still getting nausea on and off and the carbs!! Can't stop eating them I'm trying my best not to pile on the pounds i do weigh myself and write it down just so i can monitor it- don't want to be in denial!

@Beherenow32
Glad everything is good with you apart from your headaches. Work need to leave you alone!

I'm 12 weeks today! It's my scan tomorrow so hoping everything is fine, still nervously awaiting my nipt results too

[gingergnome]

Hi everyone,
Sorry for the silence - so busy getting back in to work after all the time off and then massively tired in the evenings. (Been lurking though!)

Sounds like everyone is doing really well!

@Beanhunter so happy to hear you are still with us. You're often in my thoughts. Get your feet up and enjoy the time off!

@Tikha I have a job a bit like that (probably not so stressful though). I spoke with my immediate boss quite early but haven't officially told my company yet. It really helped me to feel I could manage things a lot better even though I haven't needed to change anything yet. They've been very supportive. Could that be an option for you?

AFM. I'm 9weeks and we have been discharged into midwife care!
I've been nauseous last two weeks - no being sick thank goodness. I'm not eating everything in sight anymore! I think I put on around 4lbs (just under 2kg?) but have lost almost 1lb of that this week as eating getting roughly back to normal (which shows I need to try and eat more as clearly making another human takes a lot of energy regardless of what NHS says with their you don't need to eat anymore and you shouldn't put on weight in trimester 1. Pfft!) Not too different to you @Cannonball8726 Same @Itonlytakesone - I'm just following it to keep an eye on it but I will be whatever size I end up being and deal with it after. I'm not going to fight it.

Good luck tomorrow @Itonlytakesone.

Ladies who've had NIPT tests - did anyone in formal services mention this to you or was it something you did independently? No one has mentioned anything to me about these.

[Itonlytakesone]

@gingergnome
Nipt i did it myself because I'm a bit of a worrier, no one told me i was high risk or anything. Nervous about results now and partly because they will tell me the sex so I'd be lying if i said that wasn't on my mind too!

Glad you've got to 9 weeks it's such a worrying time all of it!

Yeah I'm trying to choose healthier but will be the size i am can't really fight it and I'm not really an exerciser! Was going to mention weight gain to the midwife see what's a healthy amount to gain ect. Iv no idea what I'm doing.

Thanks for the good luck tomorrow

[gingergnome]

Ooh knowing the gender this early - that’s exciting! Any feeling what it will be?

I’m torn between going for NIPT or waiting & using it as an alternative to amnio/cvs if needed.

I don’t consider myself much of an exerciser either! I think if you’re a normal weight BMI you’re meant to put 25-35lbs on during pregnancy with most being in the last trimester. USA sites seem to say different things though - like that you’ll put 1-5lbs on in first trimester, then 0.5-1lb a week in t2 and the rest in t3. 🤷‍♀️

[Beherenow32]

Thank you for your well wishes everyone.

@Itonlytakesone that’s exiting! Hope it all goes well. I’m sure it will.

I’m not going to book NIPT as it’s prob too expensive for us. Will rely on nhs tests.
Haven’t heard anything... so, thinking I may announce it to work on Monday. I’m finding it hard to do some things, and asking people do do things for me. They must think I’m lazy haha

@cannonball8726 yes I’m 13 weeks.
Just eat what you feel you can. I’m starting to eat fruit and veg again. But just eating what I feel I can.

@beanhunter good that you’re getting time off to rest. Hopefully you can relax your mind too, but I know it must be hard with the bleeding going on.
Xx

[Beherenow32]

Is everyone still managing to do housework/ have a life? I am literally going to work, coming home, getting straight into bed!! I’m going to go to sleep now! X

[sproodlemummy]

Hello everyone

could i please join this thread? After 5 years of TTC, our Fourth round of IVF via a FET has produced my very first proper BFP and i'm TERRIFIED!!!!!! I'm currently 4 weeks and 3 days.

My boobs have been hurting so much, but this morning not so much. They do get more painful as the day goes on but i'm finding myself prodding them all the time to make sure they're as painful lol.

My official OTD date isn't until Monday so even if I do call the clinic they'll just tell me to call back on Monday.

I feel like i'm counting the minutes never mind the days lol

[TheArtfulScreamer]

Hi and congratulations I tested before my OTD due to how much my boobs were killing me but didn't dare believe it until OTD. My boobs were tender for a few weeks but then they returned to normal so don't panic if your symptoms come and go. I'm now 12+6 and starting to relax a little more after a good scan result on Mon.

[cannonball8726]

Welcome @sproodlemummy! Congratulations, that's lovely news. These early weeks are really unnerving, but it's nice to speak to people in the same boat. I'm 9+1 and counting down the days to 12 week scan!

Also doing the NIPT privately as I'm a worrier and NIPT offers better sensitivity and specificity than combined testing. It's expensive but I think IVF has made me immune to all these costs... I'm going for Harmony at the Fetal Medicine Centre on Harley Street. They do a package for £400 (Harmony bloods and viability scan at 10 weeks, then nuchal translucency at 12+2). Not sure what to do about the latter scan as having my 12 week NHS scan and nuchal translucency two days before the private scan - and not super keen to have two ultrasounds so close together. I'll ask my midwife whether I should cancel the NHS one (although I'd rather be in the system) or the private one (although the private scan at FMC is meant to be more detailed).

Thanks @tikha, @gingergnome, @itonlytakesone, @beherenow32 - I guess a little weight gain is no big thing. I'm sticking with the exercise and will just have to accept it might not be possible to eat as well as I want to at the moment with this persistent nausea. I've just been at my parents' house and I'm pretty sure they've guessed I'm pregnant as they heard lots of wretching!

Good luck for scan @itonlytakesone. So awesome that you, @beherenow32 and @TheArtfulScreamer have reached the 12 week milestone. It must ease the anxiety at least a little!

[cannonball8726]

@beanhunter glad your scan was okay. Will you keep having weekly scans for the moment or will they space out a bit now?

[beanhunter]

@cannonball8676
The rmc clinic scan weekly until you are past your latest loss. Which is the 12 week scan for me. So I think I have 3 more scans with them then having to go to antenatal clinic for the main one. Which I am beyond shitting it about.

[cannonball8726]

@beanhunter it's good that they are keeping such a close eye on you. Although I'm sure it's a horribly nerve wracking period. I had no idea I would be quite this tense after a BFP. My husband says the past few weeks have flown by but my perspective is slightly different as I'm counting down every day 🤣

@beherenow32 housework feels pretty challenging at the moment. You're not the only one! I feel pretty tired by 9pm and am ready to crash!

[tikha]

Hey all just thought I would give an update. Had a scand and it was a beautiful embie with a heartbeat but sadly it is near the cervix and not viable. Its a rare form of ectopic and they have no idea why it happens. So the BFP story was enjoyable while it lasted but sadly its back to the grind of IVF once this is all sorted. This was only my first attempt and too good to be true... Atleast for the next one I will back in UK with all my peeps nearby. I am strangely ok about all this maybe I am middle of needing to deal with all this so it hasnt hit me yet. Take care all of you and may they all be sticky and grow well :)

[beanhunter]

Oh tikha I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve not heard of this before xx

[TheArtfulScreamer]

Tikha really sorry to hear that, it's such a blow that there's a heartbeat but it's just implanted in the wrong place I've never heard of that before. Be kind to yourself and fingers crossed for your next round.

[cannonball8726]

@tikha I'm really sorry :( It's so unfair. All the best to you and your partner, I hope you are able to offer each other some comfort. Look after yourselves and I wish you the the very best for the next round

[gingergnome]

@tikha really sorry to hear this it really is all very unfair :--( Take care of yourself. I hope you are able to re-group and the next round goes without a hitch xx

[Beherenow32]

@sproodlemummy congrats. It’s sooo nerve wracking before your first scan. My symptoms didn’t really appear until after 7 weeks. They now seem to be easing off (just today! Lol) at 13 weeks.

@tikha that is horrendous. Can’t believe that can happen. Stay strong, like you are. I hope you have support, but we are here for you also.

My results came back, and baby is low for downs. I’m definately announcing it to work on Monday. (Not on social media though). My belly isn’t as big today... but I suppose that doesn’t mean anything! Just have a horrible cold that I’m hoping goes away soon.

Thinking of you all! Xx