Egg collection - experiences of being awake for it and feeling discomfort?

[Cariad82]

I'm due to start first cycle of IVF next week with Care Fertility Manchester and at my injection teach appointment yesterday the nurse mentioned that for the egg collection I 'might be awake and might feel some discomfort'. At a previous appointment with our consultant he had said I'll be asleep for egg collection and won't feel a thing. Now I feel like he was just trying to 'sell' the ivf to me and so cut out the more negative aspects. I'm really nervous about EC now - I've never been in an operating theatre or had a cannula in my hand or anything before. I just want to be asleep for the whole thing.

Does anybody have any experience being awake for the collection and feeling anything? Does anyone that went with Care Fertility know if they tend to not put people under for it? Thanks x

You'll be heavily sedated. So even if you are 'awake', you won't remember a thing.

I was in a lot of discomfort afterwards for about 3/4 days, but I had 18 eggs collected, more follicles drained and probably/ possibly had mild ohss.

I had egg collection with no anaesthetic (for a good reason). It was very unpleasant and I would not recommend it to anyone. However it is survivable and I am assuming you will have sedation so you will be fine.

I had my egg collection at care. I have had it elsewhere and in comparison I was far less sedated at Care. I do remember it but didn’t feel much pain - on par with a smear test. It wasn’t traumatic and went quickly.

Typically they use twilight sedation, which has an amnesiac effect - so, even if you're technically awake, it's likely you won't remember anything much. For my retrieval, the anaesthetist doing the sedation basically explained that his goal is for women to not be awake and that he usually achieves that. My sense is that I wasn't awake - literally, all I remember is counting backwards and the feeling of the sedation entering my hand and me saying 'it feels prickly', and then hearing the sound of binbags being scrumpled and opening my eyes to say 'I can hear binbags'.

I had my IVF at Care Nottingham. I had IV sedation and it felt just like GA -I don’t remember anything and don’t remember feeling anything. I have had IV sedation since and felt the same- I was told I was awake and talking rubbish but don’t remember a thing.
Good luck - best thing I ever did, DS is 6 now.

Had IV sedation during egg collection. The best 40 minute sleep of my life. Woke up. Had cup of tea. Went home and got dressed up for my 40th birthday dinner (yes that day). Ate Michelin starred dinner with wine pairing.
No after effects whatsoever.

I had egg collection at Care and I don’t remember a thing except I found the sedation wonderful. I woke up really well and wasn’t in much pain. Best of luck

I was awake for all 3 ec and remember them clearly. I had IV paracetamol, gas and air and fentanyl. When it started to feel painful I asked for more fentanyl and that took the edge off. I found it very manageable and it was quite exciting to hear them call out each time an egg was collected. There were moments of discomfort but nothing like I was worried about and like I said, they topped up pain meds whenever I asked so it was fine.

You've all made me feel better thank you :) sounds like when the nurse said awake she meant it in the sense hat I may be talking and stuff but I won't recall it. Plus even if I am awake and can feel it I can probably request more meds. Feeling less on edge now

I hope it all went well for you if you have had EC now! I had sedation and pain relief but could feel each little ‘stab’ for the follicle (they topped me up the first time I said ‘ouch’ but not subsequently). So def. did feel it but I would do it again if I needed to and the recovery was so so quick. I was at London Women’s Clinic though and maybe they give you less drugs! All the best for the rest of your cycle, hope it is going really well. Xx