BFP after IVF - the journey continues (part 2)

[HopefulllHolly]

SENSITIVE CONTENT

Continuation of previous thread for anyone with a BFP following IVF to support with anxieties and other worries that come along with pregnancy after infertility.

@AnnieStar12
@DippyDuck19
@DogMummy87
@Edf
@Fluffyted
@Leaf86
@LouP87
@Natty2
@SETTC87
@ThePeachGoose
@jas1996
@lemonyfox
@oliviagrace2307
@summerchild92

Please tag anyone else I’ve missed accidentally!

@DogMummy87 was desperately hoping your update would be better news. Take all the time you need navigating through the next couple of days and weeks. Sending you and your partner lots of love and hugs.

@DogMummy87 - so sorry it was such devastating confirmation, I have been thinking of you a lot. Batten down the hatches and look after yourselves. Sending love xx

@DogMummy87 so sorry to hear this, been thinking about you a lot. Hope you can get some answers and take the time to process this tough time 💔
Take care 💛

So sorry to hear it wasn’t good news today @DogMummy87 😢 It’s been lovely chatting and getting to know you and I know
youll get there soon with expanding your family. Cuddle those fur babies and take good care of yourself. You deserve all the happiness in the world and I’m sure it’ll happen. Lots of love and do keep in touch if you feel up to it xxx 😘

@ThePeachGoose Hope your EPU appointment was ok today. Good they managed to get you in!

@Fluffyted How are you doing? Hope all ok!

@DogMummy87 I'm so sad that this has happened to you. You seem so calm and collected, and you're being so considerate towards us all when really, you and your partner are the most important people in this and you should just focus on yourselves. Look after each other but most importantly please look after yourself and cater to your every need and pamper your every want as you've been through so much physically, not just emotionally. We all know what sort of toll IVF can take on us. And surround yourselves with friends as you deserve to be showered with love after the week you've both had. Lots of hugs and hope to see you in here one day with some positive news.

Thank you @HopefulllHolly it went well, with baby measuring as it should (8+1) and the haematoma slowly reducing, but it looks like it's reducing by discharge instead of reabsorption so I'll be having more fun with this. At least I know why it's happening, but it's no less scary and the scans bring me lots of reassurance. They said they're thinking it won't clear up until 12 weeks, if not later. So interestingly enough, the EPU doctor has sent a letter to my GP recommending that they prescribe me extra progesterone to go all the way to week 16. The IVF clinic only prescribed it up to 12 weeks.

Now... I know that prescribing progesterone is always a bit funny in the NHS and no one ever agrees on who can actually prescribe it. Was anyone here able to get their GP to prescribe progesterone? Or would it be easier to go back to the IVF clinic and ask for it?

@ThePeachGoose thank you for your message and pleased to hear all went well for you today. I think if EPU have written to your gp they should be able to prescribe it?
I actually spoke to the midwife about progesterone today. Technically I had a natural modified frozen transfer so only had it for extra luteal support. The ivf clinic prescribed up to 10 weeks. Speaking to the midwife today, they said there's no harm in taking up to 12 weeks for extra precaution and to go back to my clinic to see if they will give a prescription, which they will.
So hopefully either way I'm sure you will be able to get the extra dose!

@Fluffyted thank you, all booked on for 12 week scan in just over 2 weeks. How far along are you now?

@ThePeachGoose i had a bit of a nightmare trying to get progesterone on the NHS. GP initially refused, saying they can’t prescribe it at GP level. The EPU doctor said they would only prescribe it if I was bleeding. I then went back to my GP on a day when I knew a different doctor was working and he did prescribe it for me! So it’s worth a try via the GP, especially with the letter from the hospital. I know others have had luck too. Bit weird the EPU didn’t just give you the prescription themselves?!

My private IVF clinic were happy to prescribe it but it’s just so much more expensive that way which is why I perused it on the NHS as its free with our maternity exemption.

I have 2 weeks to go until my next scan at 9weeks. I’m anxious if there will be a heartbeat. 😬 How did you survive those days leading up to it? 🫣 I’m full of hope, but trying to stay realistic too, as there is always an option of sth going wrong. 🥲 I’m at 7w + 1 today, no special symptoms yet … I don’t really feel pregnant 😬

hope everyone else is doing okay!👌🏻

Thanks @AnnieStar12 and @Natty2 yeah, I’m aware from friends that the GP’s can be funny with prescribing it. So I’ll probably start with my IVF clinic, and then see the antenatal care team and the GP if that doesn’t work.

I’ll check with my consultant as well, but does anyone know whether you can take Lubion until week 16? I’ve been prescribed both Cyclogest and Lubion up to 12 weeks, but the EPU only gave me a letter for Cyclogest until 16 weeks.

@summerchild92 the counsellor at my IVF clinic told me to focus on the facts. At the time it was strong lines on the pregnancy test, strong hcg results, passing the heartbeat milestone at 6 weeks, and then any pregnancy symptoms I might be feeling. Also stats - datayze.com/miscarriage-reassurer This is a good website to remind you that the stats are on your side with every passing week. Symptoms do come ago, like I started this journey super exhausted but last week my energy came back to normal and it was a bit unnerving, I have to say. But the scan was good yesterday, so maybe symptoms don’t mean anything as @HopefulllHolly was concluding in an earlier post. The one symptom that hasn’t left me and gives me a bit of reassurance is the sore breasts. Do you have one symptom that is always there?

I think if we all made a list of how we were feeling each day you’d be surprised at how many symptoms you do actually have ☺️ And yeah, symptoms don’t hold much weight - some people don’t even know they are pregnant until they are about to give birth 😂

We had our NHS scan yesterday - baby is also measuring ahead (13+4) but they kept our expected due date. Everything went well, but it was a quick scan with a sonographer and we have a more in-depth one with the consultant on Friday. They’ve also added scans with fetal cardiology in two weeks and another consultant scan in 4 weeks. I’m definitely feeling baby swish about in there from time to time now, which is lovely. She was incredibly active on the scan, flipping upside down etc 🙃 and it was amazing to see the growth from 10 weeks. This next bit from now until 20 weeks is equally as anxiety provoking for me because of our history and I feel so torn about telling people. We were quite set on telling work and family after this week if all went well, but now I feel like I want to chicken out and keep it a secret for a bit longer!

@ThePeachGoose i don’t know, but my clinic had me stop lubion at 10 weeks and I will continue the pessaries until 16 weeks. I think I see that more frequently (pessaries continue, injections stop) but not sure why.

@summerchild92 you’re in the right place if you’re feeling anxious - we are all right there with you. What helps me is to focus on the controllables and try to let go of everything else. This whole process is full of uncertainty, but nothing we do or say is going to change that. I have everything crossed that baby is going to be just fine in there and is happily growing. Distraction also works quite well, try to keep busy!

So happy for you @Leaf86 that everything is going well, and I'm pleased that you're going to be so closely monitored over the next 7 weeks. It's always triggering to go through the same milestone where things stopped last time. What week is the triggering one for you? We're always here to support you, especially when that week comes round. I don't know much about your history or the second trimester in general, but I have all the hope in the world that things will go well for you this time and the history won't repeat itself, as it's a completely new baby with a completely new chance and I think that it may be unlikely for the same thing to happen twice to someone at this stage. I'll be thinking of you.

And thank you for the Lubion advice, that's very useful to know.

That’s really kind @ThePeachGoose thank you. I don’t want to dwell too much on it or talk about specific weeks (or cause anyone else additional anxiety), but between 13-20 was when it went wrong with my first pregnancy (catastrophic heart defect, we had to terminate unfortunately) - it was a really terrible few weeks of scans / extra referrals and so on.

@Leaf86 oh I’m so sorry I asked! Of course! And apologies if I caused any anxiety to anyone! We’re here to support you through this time and I truly hope that this baby is THE ONE who goes all the way 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Leaf86 Awww i’m so pleased for you that it went well and baby was showing off for you! I know you probably can’t relax until you’ve past the dates that rocked you last time - was that around 20 weeks I think you said? If you can keep it quiet then I say do that if it helps your anxiety and mental health. I have only really told people I’d need support from if anything went wrong but beyond that it’s still a secret (as far as it can be when I am visibly pregnant! My bump is bumping now - this week it’s really grown which is crazy!)
So pleased it’s all ok - one more little milestone done. And so so lovely you can feel her moving away. I’m so ready for that now! 😍

Sorry missed the messages where you said @Leaf86messages hadn’t updated when I posted!!

Thanks both, really appreciate it. @ThePeachGoose @HopefulllHolly

@Leaf86 congrats on a positive scan and pleased you’re having lots of extra checks so hopefully you’ll get lots of reassurance that all is well.

Im now 17 hours countdown to my 12 week scan. Arghhhh, just hoping so badly it goes okay.

Eeeek exciting @AnnieStar12 what time is it? Well done for making it without a panic scan! You’re so close now, just one more sleep xx

@AnnieStar12 I'll be keeping everything crossed for you tomorrow and well done on being patient and waiting for the original scan to come around.

Thanks ladies! Appointment is at 10.30am hopefully I’ll get some sleep tonight!

I'm 6+3 and don't really have any symptoms either, seems daft to be wishing for morning sickness doesn't it but I still do!

I had a small bleed today but my clinic were really great and brought me in for a scan. Couldn't see any reason for the bleed and I saw a heartbeat too. Hugely relieved!

@AnnieStar12 good luck tomorrow! Hope you get some rest tonight!

@Leaf86 lovely to hear your update and so sorry to hear about your past pregnancy. Pleased to hear that they are really taking care of you. I've seen quite a few people here have been measuring ahead! What were you expecting today?

@summerchild92 completely normal feelings, I think we've all felt that and still do. Hope you can distract yourself over the next two weeks but I know time can feel like it's standing still!