Pregnancy After Infertility IV

[Blueroses99]

Pregnancy after infertility or fertility treatment can be a scary place, from scanxiety to unexplained bleeding to other random symptoms.

We are a supportive group of women across all stages of pregnancy who are used to being on the wrong side of the odds and still can't believe it's really happening.

Previous thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/2755564-Pregnancy-after-infertility-III

Hello everyone.. Please can I join.. (again).
I was on the previous thread and wrote a post soon after my first ever BFP but then all of a sudden anxiety took over really badly and I haven't wanted to interact with anyone. Now I've finally pulled myself together and realised I'm not the only one who's been/going through this so here I am..
First cycle ICSI, BFP just before Xmas. Currently 11+2. Have had ZERO symptoms. Odd days where I've 'felt' pregnant but most days when I'm tempted just to give myself a slap for questioning it.
I had a scan at 7 weeks at the clinic (Leeds Seacroft) and then a private one at 9 where the baby measured two days behind and had a heartrate of 185bpm.
I have my NHS first scan on Friday when il be 11+7. Is this too early?
Also I realise that some of u r way ahead, if u had IVF/ICSI, how did u react when u came off progesterone? I'm on the injections and been told to come off them when I hit 12 weeks but I'm worried il start bleeding? Anyone have any knowledge on this?
Sorry for going on but I've been a mess so far. So scared I'm going to miscarry or something is going to happen I have hardly left the house and made DH go to his cousins wedding alone!!! What a mean wife I am. :(
#help

MPP sounds like you're being well looked after, but what a curveball with the diabetes! Hope it all goes ok.

Grumps hello neighbour

Genghis hope the move goes well. Hope there isn't too much work to do when you get into the new place?

Zenzie! Good to hear from you, wow 36 weeks, not long now. Stick around and let us know how you're getting on.

Lucie I got a Dream Genii, it's ok and some nights I love it, other nights it gets kicked out of bed. But I wish I'd got a full body one rather than one that needs me to sleep in a certain position.

Liberte hey cycle buddy, I've been thinking about you and wondering how you're getting on. 2 good early scans are a really positive sign, so hopefully the 12(ish) week scan will start calming your worries. I didn't have bleeding when I stopped progesterone, it just made me less bloated. I was on pessaries though, not injections, I don't know if that makes a difference. The anxiety is totally normal though, we definitely get it on here.

Hi to everyone else xx

MPP sorry to hear your appointment was stressful, sounds like they are really looking after you. Hope the call tomorrow goes ok

Genghis congratulations on getting a moving date

liberte hello again, sorry to hear you're r so anxious and you're right you are not alone. I totally agree it's so scary when you just don't feel pregnant. I can only give you my experience and I'm only a few weeks ahead of you (15 + 4) but my NHS dating scan was done at 10 + 6 so it's not too early. I was also really scared about coming off the progesterone (pessaries) I came off gradually at 12 weeks and it's been ok so far

I've got my 16 check with the midwife tomorrow, I know she will check for a heartbeat so I'm getting anxious about that!

Thanks Blue I've been thinking about you too and hope everything goes well for you. I don't think it makes a difference if it's injections or pessaries, they both do the same thing right? They say the placenta takes over, just hoping all ok with mine.

Hi Custard good to hear you are at 15 weeks! Here's to a healthy pregnancy for you too. I'm thinking about getting a doppler.. God knows if this will just feed my anxiety further. It's getting beyond ridiculous!

Lucie I just bought a pillow that's basically like a long tube and I like it, but also have a love/hate relationship with it at times. I like it for support between my legs and around my bump.

The first months are so hard Liberte so I'm not surprised you've been feeling so anxious. I had no reactions when I came off the progesterone, and actually I just went cold turkey. Also, I think that scan date will be fine. I really hope you start feeling more secure soon, and of course, good luck on Friday.

Good luck tomorrow Custard!

Thanks Blue, it should be ready to live in so that's one less thing to worry about thankfully :)

Hello Zenzie. Only two weeks left - wow! Good luck

@liberte. Totally normal feelings about coming off the drugs. Clinic told me that they say 12w as placenta has taken over by then. Actually does by 9/10w but allow another few weeks to make sure

As I did fresh cycle,fet , 2 era and another fet all in 2015/16 and had been in progynova literally 10mths I was very wary coming off and did gradually to again clinic said fine to just stop but also said if I felt happier to wean then that was fine as well

Whatever made me happier

Each week we all make is a major milestone and past 12w is a huge one. Then 16 then 20, rem at my 24w check up with me she said if baby was born now they would likely to survive tho be in scbu

And each week makes a huge difference

I've had many scans private and NHS as reassuring to see and hear baby

Havnt a clue how the basic preg and woman get 12&20

Then again if they haven't gone thro infertility and countless ivf failures then they prob don't worry they way we all do

Custard hope all goes well with me today. Amazing hearing heart again

and no one please but a doppler

You may think hearing the heart will assure you but you aren't qualified to know what you are listening to and if baby in distress

Friend almost lost her baby as heard heart and thought all ok tho didn't feel well in herself , so didn't go to triage

Welcome back liberte! Glad your little bean is hanging in there. Your NHS scan can be any time between 10 weeks and 13+6, so don't worry too much.

I was on oestrogen and progesterone, I stopped at 11+5 because I ran out and didn't see the point in 2 more days, and have experienced no problems whatsoever. 13 week scan showed a perfect (and very wriggly) baby!

MPP fingers crossed everything goes ok today.

liberte I'm going to second what Blondes said, I was looking into dopplers but read on here and other places that they could just give you a false sense of security or worry you more if you can't find it, it takes experienced midwives a little while to locate.

Saw the midwife this morning and heard the heartbeat and even heard it wriggling (I couldn't feel a thing so think it's going to be a while before I can feel movements).

Thank you all - really appreciate the advice. I'm not going to bother with the doppler now, it's just going to feed my anxiety even further. Instead I'm just going to get extra scans in between the early 12 week scan and the 20 week one because there is no way I can wait two months!
Google is currently my worst enemy so today I am making a vow to just leave everything to whatever is meant to be. The truth is anything can go wrong at any point in our lives, not just while we are pregnant. It's the constant failure and disappointment over the last 5 years that's has changed me into a nut job. I honestly don't recognise myself and feel naive in thinking my worries would end once I saw a BFP.

As for the progesterone - I am also on progynova, just going to ring the clinic after my scan on Friday and ask them again to make sure I got the right info and will follow their advice accordingly. I'm not a medical professional and need to stop self diagnosing myself or predicting what may or may not happen.

Excellent news Custard I bet that was just lovely. What else do they go through at the 16w app?

Thanks all! Things are going ok, I suppose. Its a steep learning curve, and my numbers STILL arent dropping despite me following the dietary advice exactly. I've had quite a few cries on DH's shoulder the last few days as its really frustrating to be doing everything you can and getting nowhere, especially when there's a chance it could affect the baby! I phoned the nurse today and she's told me to up my metformin dose but to be prepared to start insulin at my appointment on Thursday. She was very kind and stressed that she suspected that dietary control wouldnt work for me during pregnancy, so not to feel bad that the numbers arent going down and if I am found to be diabetic afterwards, then it doesnt have to mean I will be on insulin afterwards either. I shall see what the next few days bring.

Lucie DH actually bought my pillow for me so I dont know where he got it from, but I checked the label for you and its called a Sanggol maternity pillow. They do a few different ones but I THINK this is the one I have: www.amazon.co.uk/d/3si/Sanggol-Maternity-Pillow-Pregnancy-Nursing-Body-Cotton/B00LJR51AW?tag=mumsnetforum-21
Honestly, I wouldnt be without mine. I love it!!

Welcome back Liberte! Good news on the two early scans, though obviously its hard to stay positive sometimes! We are here for any help we can give! I was on progesterone pessaries too, so I'm not sure how much help i will be, but I was terrified of coming off them. In the end, I halved my dose for a week before coming off completely and had no bleeding or anything like that. I dont know if thats an option with injections though, but even if it isnt, I'm sure you will be fine.

Custard Glad to hear your appointment went well today!!

Waves to everyone else!!

Aww Mpp I'm really sorry to hear the numbers aren't dropping. It must be frustrating but they will get it under control for you I'm sure. It's not your fault and it sounds like you have done everything possible.

Thanks for the link to the pillow. It looks amazing and so comfy but I reckon dh would have a fit if I produced that and tried to fit it in the bed with us

Thanks also to ghengis and blue for other pillow suggestions. I really think I need to get one soon. I would quite like something I can use for breastfeeding afterwards.

Hi all, I've been lurking a bit and liberte's post has prompted me to join the thread. Some of you might remember me from the mindnumbing thread. I stopped posting about six-nine months ago after my first round of ivf / miscarriage.

Anyway, like you liberte I can't bring myself to believe I'm actually pregnant. I'm a bit behind you. Technically I'm 5+5 after another round of ivf, although last time I got to 6/7 weeks and found out at the early scan that the baby was dead. So until I see some live action on screen I won't believe it. I have no symptoms at all either.

I oscillate from wondering if really this might be it, to thinking it can't possibly work and I can't imagine putting myself through this again.

It's lovely to see so many familiar names on here progressing well through pregnancy and having their long awaited for babies (and twins!!!) Best of luck to all

MPP thanks for your message. I know it's so hard but please try not to worry so much about the diabetes - my aunty had it and also couldn't understand why she couldn't do anything to help it but there's nothing you can do. Unfortunately it's 'one of those things' but the nurses are trained to deal with it and loads of women go through pregnancy and birth with it and don't end up having it afterwards either. I have also been told that I have a risk of it due to having pcos :(

Potatoes - glad I could help in prompting you to post. Don't worry, I had absolutely zero symptoms and still to this day remain symptom free. It doesn't mean anything bad. The wait for the first scan is the longest and the worst - sorry to hear he had happened in your first cycle. It sounds cliche but all you can do is take each day at a time. U may have some symptoms later on, you might not. Here's to a healthy non eventful pregnancy for you x

Oh potatoes so lovely to see you here! Cautious congrats for now, and hope that the wait for your early scan isn't too horrendous.

Welcome potatoes x

Potatoes!! So good to see you hear and everything crossed for this one. I mostly lurked on the infertility thread but was alway routing for you - remembered you had a particularly horrible time

Hi all, can I join here even though I haven't had IVF? I'm pregnant with my first after over 12 years since we started trying and unexplained infertility. I'd given up years ago and now it's complete shock and confusion to find I'm suddenly pregnant. Everything is scary now and I'm googling every feeling which I know I shouldn't!

Hi Potatoes! Great that you're pregnant again - same thing happened to me with my first pregnancy, but I'm now 15 weeks into this one and all is well. When's your first scan? Fingers and toes crossed for a strong heartbeat

Welcome Why! Congratulations on your pregnancy, how far along are you? Have you had a scan yet?

Welcome potatoes, lovely to see you over here and cautious congrats. Hopefully you don't have too long to wait for your first scan? I know in the early days, especially after a previous loss, it can be heard to believe it's all real and get excited.

Welcome Why, that must have been quite a surprise! Congratulations, how far along are you?

liberte good idea going for extra scans between 12 & 20 weeks, I'm going for a private scan tomorrow. The 16 week appointment wasn't much apart from listening to the heartbeat, she did blood pressure & checked my urine sample, went through what I might be able to expect movement wise before 20 weeks and that was pretty much it.

MPP sorry your numbers are not dropping but your nurse sounds very supportive.

Potatoes welcome and cautious congratulations, hope you don't have too long to wait.

Why welcome & congratulations, how far along are you?

Thanks guys, although sorry to piss on your chips, I just started bleeding. More than spotting. I knew I posted too soon!

Oh no potatoes! Are you going to the EPU?

It might be ok, people do sometimes experience bleeds that don't lead to m/c.

Bloody hell potatoes that's just shitty. Thinking of you xxx

potatoes thinking of you and hoping all is well. I know a few that have had quite a bit of bleeding and its been OK. Though after last time you will be assuming the worst understandably. Everything crossed for you.x