BFP after IVF/ ICSI

[brighteye3986]

I've started this thread to have somewhere for those of us who have been through the IVF/ ICSI journey and have finally got our BFP! For support, symptoms chat and whatever else anyway wants to chat about....

But it definitely makes me feel more confident knowing that several of us keep having these tiny twinges and cramps in similar areas....

@saltsford it may vary area to area but I had my booking in appointment last week and i’m classed as low risk (despite ICSI and being 36).

@Saltisford I haven't heard that. I've heard that natural and IVF pregnancies are considered the same as you go along. As womaninkent says I imagine it's up to your area but I don't think ivf automatically makes you high risk.

@PhoenixBird82 those numbers are brilliant!! Doing exactly what they should be. They've more than quadrupled in the 4 days, well done. The cramps and twinges really are common and a good sign that things are happening down there. When is your scan?

Hi, I hope you don't mind me popping in.

We had DS by IVF with ICSI (2nd time lucky) and the twingy cramps at the beginning are the one thing I remember from the pregnancy. So I think they are, as many have said, just everything getting back to normal after the pummelling they've had from medication.

Just make sure you get plenty of rest and, of course, if you're worried see your GP asap.

Good luck to all of you. DS is coming up for 12 years old now and is the biggest blessing we ever got.

@BoboElephant So I shouldn’t be running for my third blood test to be overly obsessing about the third set of numbers afterwards? 😂🐒 just joking... peeing on a stick epidemic never hit me, but HCG numbers did! I think this obsession has to do with an effort to control the situation, which we obviously can’t. Letting go is the hardest.
My scan is on the 21. How far along are you? Did you get just two bloodworks done?

@LondonJax Thank you very much for popping in! I really appreciate you sharing from your personal experience and making the whole thing less frightening. 🌟 Because there are so many posts with people sharing their negative experiences- miscarriages, this and that... and that certainly adds to the anxiety issue.
I guess the important thing is not to forget that such a miracle that we’ve been waiting and trying for could finally happen and to enjoy this beautiful time!

Hello all, can I join please? So glad I found this thread after Jan/Feb IVF/ICSI thread and lovely to see familiar names here! 😊 I’m 7 weeks exactly tomorrow and have my scan on Thursday. I’m so scared of the scan as have had MMC before and the long silence when they found out the little one had died... scared this will happen again. Otherwise I’m cautiously optimistic as I’m definitely feeling more things this time. I never really realised this wait (and then I suppose the wait to 12w and 20w scans) would be so excruciating after putting all my efforts getting through 2WW!

If it helps I am feeling much calmer since my scan. I don’t think waiting for the next one is going to be quite so bad (although that might be hopeful thinking )

That’s good about the high risk thing then - sounds good! Also, no one has given me a blood test for HCG so I have no idea on this! All my clinic did was a urine pregnancy test and a 7 week scan!

@Saltisford my clinic didn't even do that. Just a home test and then you ring them with the result. I've been booked for a scan at 7+3. It would be interesting to see my HCG levels though....

@LondonJax thanks for sharing your positive story! 😀

@PhoenixBird82 ha ha well you have to do what feels right for you! But if I was you I'd be reassured by the first two. It's hard to compare to others and why the windows are so big because it's so subjective on how our bodies process and provide hormones. I just had the two as I mostly wanted to see they were rising and I don't want to keep paying for them! I'm 6 weeks today and my scan is on the 19th.

@Bumblebee25 hi and good luck for your scan Thursday!!

@Saltisford and @brighteye3986 I wonder if its a private vs NHS thing? Are you both NHS funded? I had to pay private and could have a blood test every day if I wanted- but that's because they'd charge me! 😂

@Boboelephant I'm NHS so possibly that could be the reason why. I think it also differs at each clinic and areas etc.

Hi everyone, we had our first scan today and got to see a lovely little baby and heartbeat! I'm 8 weeks tomorrow and it's currently measuring 1 day ahead. It was very emotional!

Aww @Positivity86 that's great news!

@Positivity86 congratulations!! What wonderful news 😀

How is everyone else feeling?

My clinic never tested for HCG levels either, just told me to phone up if I got a positive, and email if I got a negative (nurse expressed that email would be a better option for me as I was rather emotional and abusive when the nurse demanded I take another pregnancy test even though I had taken one and it was negative and I had my period)

This time I was booked for a scan at 7+5 and it was the most amazing feeling I've ever had after everything we go through to get to this point

I'm ten weeks now, still don't know when my next scan will be but I can't wait to see the baby again.

@melissa1215 what a great pic. Have you registered with the midwife etc?

@Boboelephant I'm not too bad. Morning sickness has come back today as had disappeared for a few days. I did a CB week indicator test this morning which came back at 3+ so that make me feel a little more at ease. Although I brought a double check pack and did the line one last night which was so strong even with diluted urine. Feeling extremely tired as well since around Sunday.... guess that marks the 6 weeks... Hello pregnancy symptoms! Lol

That’s so lovely @positivity86, wonderful news. Great to see all the fabulous scan pictures. Still smiling at the memory of seeing our little bean’s flickering heartbeat last week-like a little light bulb turning on and off.

@brighteye3986 I'm registered, I've had my initial apt and got my pregnancy file just waiting for my 12 week scan apt

Ok, I must admit it... it hit me now. Today I’m a complete nerve-wreck. And there are no obvious reasons to worry about anything special, but I do nonetheless.
I don’t have my nausea or any queasiness at all, other syptoms are also tiny or mild the most.
I guess reading all the post and overwhelming myself with all the information, especially reading about miscarriages here and there,women writing about all of their various symptoms gets me on edge and very stressed.
Surely, I couldn’t resist and went to test my HCG numbers today, although later I read, it makes only sense when you test within couple of days period to see if the numbers are doubling. My numbers have grown but are not super big either.
As I said, I am totally stressed today and see everything less positive today.
Are no or little syptoms - bad syptoms? Tomorrow will definitely be a yoga day for me. Tonight I am finishing with listening to classical music to take the worries away... ☺️🎼
Wishing you all a peaceful evening ☯️

@PhoenixBird82 don’t panic! I don’t have any sickness and I’ve had two scans that are fine. I’ve also had red and brown bleeding to finish me off but the scans have showed the baby is fine.

I was NHS funded so maybe that’s why there was no HCG test. We were given the chance to urine test at home and ring in or urine test there. We were too frightened to test at home so we went in - the nurse thought we were mad lol! She had to break the news!

So I asked my midwife about the high risk thing. She said IVF pregnancy means I’ll be high risk for monitoring but if the baby develops as expected and everything is fine as the pregnancy progresses, then I can then still give birth in the low risk midwife led unit. I can’t believe I’m discussing giving birth - my whole aim in life has been just to get a BFP! We actual have to give birth?

Oh and yes, I only have a week left of the suppositories! Yay!

@Saltisford I envy you. I can't wait for the pessaries to end. Only another 6 weeks....

@PhoenixBird82 I was getting worried as my symptoms seemed to have eased at the end of last week. Now they have come back with a vengeance. I have had non stop nausea all day today since 6am. Also it may be little things that you haven't really noticed like going to the toilet a few more times during the day, maybe drinking a few more glasses of water or coffee through the day etc. I've read that the symptoms seem to hit more at 6 weeks.... but then again some people get hardly anything. Please don't worry though as everyone is different and each pregnancy is different.

@Saltisford Thank you! Hearing from others makes all seem much better. Otherwise today was a lonely day for me.
I also caught a couple of questioning looks at the lab today: with all this IVF story and HCG obsession they seem to recognize me well now 🙄☺️
What probably scares me most are the stories where women tell that everything was right and then they went to have a scan and there was no heartbeat and couple of days after - a mc or an ectopic. So can you have a mc without any symptoms at all?
I’m also on suppositories until end next week when I will have my scan. I hope it will put me at ease then. But you are so right, already the fact that we moved so much further in, is a great achievement!! I’ve never been pregnant in my life and this endless ivf made it seem almost irreal.
So, hopefully, step by step, we’ll reach our dream. I went to look at children’s books today.... 🤞🏻☀️🌈
@Brighteye3986 Thank you for your word of support, it helps so much! I am exactly 6 weeks today. I suppose having stronger symptoms like nausea would have made the situation more real for me. Otherwise, fuller breasts, toilet runs, strange sleeping patterns, fatigue and the most beautiful of them all- itching armpits, are my main companions so far.... 😉😌
But I hope all is well. Anyway in this situation we can’t change or control what is meant to be. And letting go is the most difficult part... ✨

Just thought I'd check in and see how everyone is doing?

I'm getting excited and anxious for my scan on Thursday..... nausea seems to be hitting me hard this week. Yesterday was the worst day so far. At the moment I'm feeling ok today but I can feel it coming on so won't be too long until it hits. And to top it off I have a day full of meetings which I'm sure will make me feel loads better- not!

@melissa1215 great pic! That must feel good being 10 weeks. The second trimester is in sight!

@brighteye3986 I'm the same as you. I did another CB a couple of days ago and felt relieved to see the 3+ too. So very tired!! Can't wait to see bubs on the scan next week!

@PhoenixBird82 hope you are feeling calmer. Sounds like you are having plenty of symptoms- similar to mine. Remember lots of people don't get nausea. It's very hard- with my DS who is a happy healthy 3 year old I had zero symptoms until 9 weeks and only a couple of days of nausea in total. My other pregnancies I had more nausea and MS and they didn't work out. So there is no rhyme or reason. We just have to have faith that we went through this IVF process, amazingly got pregnant and these babies are determined to cling on!! Hopefully all our scans next week will give us the hope we need to keep pushing through!