Anyone between 4 - 8 weeks, and feeling very nervous?

[LHReturns]

Hello! This is my first tentative step from the Infertility Board.

I am 5 weeks and 1 day, not feeling any substantial side effects yet - and until I see a strong heartbeat I feel like a fraud over here on Pregnancy. But equally I don't belong for the moment over on Infertility.

My battle has not been that long - been trying for about 18 months, and this was my first fresh round of IVF. We transferred two 5-day blasts on 13 September (my cycle is 24 days so somehow this makes me 5+1 today).

My IVF was at the Lister, and I have one naturally conceived son who just turned 2. I am nearly 41 years old.

If there is anyone else out there who has their BFP, but getting here has been a great struggle for any reason, and you are counting the minutes until a viability scan (and then will be very nervous about genetic screening), maybe you would like to chat here for a while?

Would love some buddies through this tough period!

Hi, I'm 7 weeks pregnant after having IVF at The Lister too! I'm a bag of nerves. I've seen the heartbeat twice which is great but I have a history of miscarriages so can't relax at all.

Is anyone struggling with ovary pain after IVF? Mine are still huge and coupled with the extra progesterone bloating I look about 4 months!

LH - lol!

Hello and congratulations to everyone else.

Tea - I'm lucky enough to have got here without IVF so can't comment, I'm sure someone with experience will be along soon. Sorry to hear you're in pain though.

LH I think prawns are fine as long as they are well cooked and you aren't eating them every single day.

Tea I had ovulation induction which doesn't stimulate the ovaries as much, but LH had IVF so may be able to help. My ovaries are about the only thing that aren't either hurting or oversensitive!

Hi Tea and welcome! Lovely to meet another Lister friend, although very that you have reached 7 weeks already. I am so sorry about your previous miscarriages and all fingers crossed that this is your time.

I had terrible ovary pain for about two weeks after EC, and combined with the new Cyclogest I looked enormous. Constipation was making this worse so my two DulcoEase tablets each night before bed has certainly helped.

Truthfully ovaries no longer feel in specific pain, but I have constant periods pains, and the pulling and stretching of the entire area (hips, groin, pelvis, the works) is noticeable all day long. Some days I go to the loo absolutely sure I must have started bleeding.

While I certainly have a tummy (hilarious at 5+3), I seem to have acclimatised somewhat to the Cyclogest. I am also injecting with Clexane every day.

I think whatever you are feeling is very normal - I know loads of people feel their ovaries for a long time after IVF. Well done on seeing your lovely heartbeat! I so hope that happens for me later this week (I'm not going to Lister for this first scan, they don't want to see me for another week, so I am doing a viability scan elsewhere).

Tea do you have morning sickness? My nausea is starting - I have a history of HG, so the sinking feeling is coming.

Yeh the waiting it absolute torture isn't it! I was booked in for a scan at the lister at 6+3 but I had really bad stomach pains at 5+5 so went to the local EPU and luckily they agreed to scan me the next day. I think the pain was a combination of ovaries, constipation and really bad anxiety!

LH- no I don't have morning sickness. I feel a bit nauseus around dinner time when I'm hungry. I'm on prednisolone for high NK cells and I read that can mask it (im trying to believe that as I think morning sickness would be horrible but at least reassuring!) how far will you be at your scan?

I hope everyone else is doing ok! It's just never ending waiting/worrying isn't it!

How's everyone doing today? Hope it's all still going to plan for everyone and that the morning sickness is just bad enough to be reassuring and no worse!

My morning sickness has arrived guys...this is typical me. With my son I ended up in hospital 3 times. It is reassuring as much as it is awful. The long climb has begun. Can't wait for scan so I feel like here is a point to all this.

I am not at HG stage, just at the 'must eat all day long' stage. Today I have had (in this order): three roast potatoes, half a box of dry Cheerios (while driving), two large BLT sandwiches, one tuna sandwich, Starbucks frappuccino, bottle of Ribena, giant bowl of penne pasta with disgusting homemade plain canned tomato sauce, the remaining pasta sauce on its own from the saucepan - and now about to have some monster munch in bed.

I have never felt sexier. Already getting pitiful looks from DH. WHATEVER!!!!

Hello to you all, and if you aren't suffering like me then you can all booger oof.

Teakind, yes - prednisolone is the drug of choice for the worst HG cases (I don't know if NHS use it, but private consultants definitely do as there is a view that terrible MS is an inflammatory response of the immune system). My consultant prescribed it last time, and I expect I will get it again if I get bad again.

Teakind I will be 6+0 at my Thursday scan. I had two blasts transferred so even if heartbeat not quite there (which of course will make me crazy), we should be able to get an idea of how many gestational sacs / yolk sacs are there. Dear god say it is one.

Sending sympathy LH. (I wouldn't even know what HG is apart from Kate Middleton...)

Urgh LH your poor thing. Although I'm sure it is a good sign ahead of your scan. I am hugely sympathetic but I have to say the food list made me laugh.

I don't have sickness, just occasional nausea if I've left it too long and I'm hungry. Two friends who know I'm pg keep texting me making jokes about ginger tea. I'm really scared that a lack of sickness means this is all over. I can feel my scanxiety ramping up, so I booked a dentist appointment the day before the scan to try and distract myself with a different kind of health anxiety.

Oranges I seriously think Kate M did womankind a huge favour by publicising the fact that HG exists and is debilitating.

Hi all... I have nausea most days and am extremely emotional!! Am currently 5+1 I believe, can't get into see doctor until Friday, am hoping I can push for an early scan as my heads not really coping.... think the fact of trying for 4 years and pretty much getting a no from the doctors as messed with me big time... I keep thinking the worse and it's really messing with me. If all else fails hubby has promised to book a private early scan... when would be best to have one?? Any recommendations?
Glad to hear it's all going well so far for everyone, can't wait to hear about all your early scans! X

Nanny I've heard 7 weeks is a good time for a first scan. Any earlier and you risk panicking yourselves.

Are you all taking your DHs to the scan? I was on my own for the 5+2 emergency one (when they couldn't see the baby and told me it was over), and he was with me at the 5+4 one when they saw a sac and yolk. He's got a big meeting that morning which would be a pain for him to get out of, but I want him there in case it is bad news.

Robber, occasional nausea when too long between food is much more the norm! I sadly fall into the 2% of women that don't do well with HCG. I had hideous travel sickness as a child, as that has a stein link with bad MS. Don't give it a second thought! The only good things about my MS is that it stops me spending money on pregnancy tests!

GrannyGR, if you can bear to wait until 6.5weeks you have a very good chance of seeing a heartbeat by then. A lot of women wait until 7 weeks as that is almost a sure thing. I am trying at 6 weeks (this Thursday) but I accept I may not get the heartbeat.

That any help?

Granny, I find this chart quite helpful:
www.babymed.com/hcg-blood-level-by-week-during-pregnancy-is-it-normal

Robber I meant CLOSE link above, not stein link!

LH argggh that chart makes me panic, I think my HCG is on the lowest band for my dates. DH has agreed to come with me on Friday. And now I'm going to step away from Google!

Robber, so is mine! I have seen other (less well laid out) data, that shows lower bands for HCG levels. I would ignore the HCG levels here - it was more the days to yolk sac and heartbeat that I found useful.

My consultant said that HCG levels become largely irrelevant once something positive is showing on a scan. Another example for you: my pregnancy tests with a ClearBlue Digi have NEVER moved to the 3+ stage!! They haven't now, and then didn't with my DS.

You have seen your lovely yolk sac, so forget about HCG levels. Ok?

Hi all! Just dropping in to update you all on my food intake today - again, in this order:

• One banana
• 8 ginger snaps (gross, won't be repeating)
• two bags of monster munch
• one BLT sandwich
• one carton of cold pasta with pesto sauce
• two frappuccinos

It is only 3.41pm. Feeling pretty dire. And have to take clients to the ballet tonight which is not exactly my dream evening right now. This is to see Carlos Acosta at the Royal Albert Hall (who is quite delicious). There is a 'standing supper' at the interval - absolutely dreading that - trying to stand and eat while making small talk. Like torture.

How are you all today?

LH I love your updates!! I'm currently at work feeling sorry for myself! Absolutely exhausted and trying to amuse 3 kiddies isn't fun (I'm a nanny) roll on 7pm!! Have also decided that if the doctor won't put me forward for an early scan then I'm going to book a private one for when I'm 8 weeks! Is it bad that I've been doing a test every few days just to check that it is still real......

Granny, dear god - I could NOT deal with three children all day at this stage. You are amazing. I live fairly near work so have just popped home to sit quietly on my bed and breathe before I have to get ready to go out.

If you are persuaded to wait until 8 weeks to them have a private scan, I think that means you will have a far more informative one. They will be able to see much more, point more out to you, and a strong result then is indicative of a healthy pregnancy. I'm glad you have made a plan, you must feel better!

Doing tests every day is one of the best parts of very early pregnancy. If you can afford them, do them. You can stop after a scan....

Hello - can I join you? I found out I am pregnant during an ultrasound yesterday for a medical issue and appear to be between 6 and 7 weeks... I had been having really frequent periods and was told I wasn't ovulating so although we'd previously been TTC it's a surprise and my emotions are all over the place. This will be DC 2 as I have a 2 year old DS!

LH- I'm starting to wonder how I'm going to manage looking after then all... it's knackering lol! Think I will have to wait until 8 weeks as that's the next free day I have haha!! My husband thinks I'm mad keep doing tests, think once the doctor confirms on Friday I'll feel slightly better about it all!

Congratulations littletike!!! Hoping it was a pleasant surprise for you! Mine certainly was after over 4 years of trying haha! My emotions are also bad atm, I keep crying for no reason!!

Hi all, more spotting yesterday but it's stopped again. Some cramps but it's only a week until my scan so not long to wait. I've a horrible cold and I've taken the day off work and spent the day on the sofa.

Wow tyke. That's amazing!congratulations.

Welcome Tike! I hope this is a wonderful surprise for your DH and you. What a surprise! Having just undergone IVF I cannot imagine finding out at 6 - 7 weeks - jeez, after IVF we know just days after the transfer! How marvellous to have a scan surprise! Was it literally 'oh, and what do we have here then?'? And was there a little flicker there in the screen? Makes me feel emotional.

GRanny you are doing so well. Even if I wasn't sick, the afternoon exhaustion would be a real challenge for me if caring for three kids 10 - 12 hours a day. Hats off to you.

Nimisha, spotting in itself means very little. May I ask what colour it is? First trimester spotting, coloured discharge and even some bleeding happens to many many women with healthy pregnancies. I bled for 5 weeks with my DS (from 7 - 12 weeks).

So sorry about the cold too - such a rubbish set of symptoms to add to the basket.