Egg collection this weekend - advice/guidance/reassurance

[ABC222]

Hi all,
Egg collection this weekend. Feeling a bit nervous about it. Would love to learn from your wisdom and experience. Any advice you would give?

I just had mine last week! I was nervous too, mainly about the sedation aspect but it was absolutely fine.

Since it was my first I don't have any real wisdom, but for me it helped to remember that everyone involved is super experienced and knows what they're doing - you don't really have to do anything yourself, just go along with it until it's over!

And it's over really quickly, I was amazed - very much a 'that's it?' moment. Then you get to have an amazing, drug-fuelled sleep and when you wake up everyone tells you that you did really well :P

It's hard not to worry but honestly, it's fine. If you can arrange things so you can take things really easy for a couple of days afterwards that would be good, I was pretty tired and sore.

Hot water bottle. Electrolytic drinks. Paracetamol.

Good luck!!

I've only had one but my only advice is to try not to get too worried if they're not exactly on time - I was freaking out because I had to wait a bit and I know the timing of the trigger and EC needs to be precise and everything, but they know what they're doing :)
The sedation is really quite nice too!

I had mine a few months ago and had a big fear that I would be awake during the sedation but I was worrying about nothing, I went out really quickly and woke up on the ward with no recollection of anything!

I would wear very loose trousers or a dress as you won’t want anything pressing on your stomach after. I was swollen from the drugs so that might just be me! I ended up in maternity leggings

Hot water bottle afterwards really helped to ease any pain. I wasn’t very hungry afterwards as well but made myself eat something!

Don't allow yourself to get constipated - believe me that's the best piece of advice I can give you! Allow yourself a few days to take it easy and rest but try to have a little walk each day as well.

Hi @ABC222

I was terrified, and I do mean terrified. This was my post at the time: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4199994-Panicking

I hope that helps you. I will be starting a 2nd cycle in 20 days time, and although I am sure I'll still be nervous I am determined to re-read that thread to remind myself that it really wasn't that bad.

Good luck

Hi @ABC222,
The best thing I did for myself before egg collection was to prepare a huge pot of chicken and vegetable soup. The sedation drugs made me sick so I couldn't eat anything heavy. At the same time it's important to stay hydrated - the soup helped with that and also with settling my stomach. I was really thankful that I had it and I promised myself I'd share this advice if anyone asked. Otherwise it was a much smoother process than I had imagined. In preparation for ivf and during the stims phase it's so easy to get stressed about whether you are doing everything correctly, but when you reach egg collection nothing depends on you any more so it's nice to just let the doctors and nurses take care of you. Good luck!

I had my first egg collection on 21 July. The only part of it that worried me was that they ran a bit late, but I think they must factor that in, because it didn’t matter. I was sedated, canulla in hand; I just remember talking to the nurse one minute, then the next second I was waking up and saying “have you done it?” Then they wheeled me back out of the theatre and everyone told me how well I’d done, which was quite nice because all I did was lie there! Apparently I wasn’t fully knocked out but I don’t remember a thing.

It didn’t hurt during and it didn’t hurt after, not even a tiny bit. Wondering if I was really there, to be honest!

I’ve done it twice and both times when I woke up I felt kinda giddy from the drugs as they wear off… a good feeling though.

I’d recommend telling dp to take care of you after. Transport you home, maybe out for food if you have a fave place that you know is comfortable. Basically take it easy after and enjoy being looked after. If no dp get a good friend to run around after you.

Good luck!!!

@Undermilkgood @physicskate @beachbum85 @ICSI @MF1981 @Goldilocks2528 @Azahar8 @EmJay19 @girljulian

Thank you all so much for your responses. They have made me feel so much better and really reduced my anxiety. I don't know anyone who has had IVF and to have all of you respond made me feel less alone, so thank you so much.

Hi op, just to chip in with my experience along with other posters. I had egg collection done back in March this year.

I'd been terrified for weeks prior to egg collection, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. I had deep sedation and brought my mum along (I'm a single female), as it was my clinic's policy to be accompanied by someone.

The procedure had gone well, I felt a bit groggy and dazed afterwards, I didn't feel any pain. However, on my way home (on the train), the anaesthetics had already started to wear off and I was starting to feel quite uncomfortable which persisted for the rest of the day (not in pain, just tender around the stomach area). I was back to normal the next day.

Good luck!

Thanks @anthurium That's really good to hear!

When is your collection.. I’m a really big scaredy-cat when it comes to hospital things but I did 2 collections and the worse part for me is the canulars I have fear of intravenous needles
Good luck