Jan/Feb 2021 fertility treatment BFP ladies

[cher1981]

Just making a new thread so we can keep chatting :)

Hello, I hope you don't mind me gatecrashing. I'm after some advice from those further ahead than me. I've been told I'll be on oestrogen and progesterone until week 12 then I'll stop. I'm on almost 10mg oestrogen a day and 800mg progesterone. As this is what is keeping my pregnancy alive at the moment stopping cold turkey is pretty frightening. Did you all do the same? I want to ask for a slower reduction over a couple of weeks but not if I'm overreacting or being silly?? Thank you

@Howiesgirl I stopped all meds cold turkey at 12 weeks and all has gone well so far so I think that was fine- the placenta should take over by 12 weeks.

@Howiesgirl I tapered off oestrogen/progresterone and was fine but I know others who stopped just as you will be doing, and everything was ok. I appreciate how daunting it is so you aren't overreacting! Congratulations on your pregnancy.

How's everyone doing? We had our gender scan today and after being convinced it was a girl... found out it's a boy!!! My mind is blown. I'm so happy but so confused, ha. I still can't believe this is happening!!!

@cher1981 congrats on your boy! How lovely :)

I’m ok, still feeling unwell a lot, nauseous and on the edge of sickness or actually sick every day, despite being 15 weeks tomorrow, holding onto hope that the next couple of weeks will bring some relief. Also waiting to know the outcome of the combined screening test, hope that will all be ok.

@kikisparks 16 weeks was the turning point for me so hopefully things will start to get better for you.

@cher1981 congrats!

@Howiesgirl I stopped cold turkey just after 10 weeks and was absolutely fine. I was worried about suddenly stopping as well and questioned my clinic but they said the placenta is doing its thing by now.

So we got the results of our NIPT test this week and we’ve gone from increased risk of Downs to low risk so I’m really relieved. We’ve started the big clear out in the house today to try and make space for 2 babies and all the stuff they need!

@MF1981, good news about the NIPT result!

@kikisparks sorry to hear you still have nausea etc, im now 13+2 and its eased right off but now I'm having trouble sleeping, no idea why. Also my midwife said if you have a high risk combined result (1:150 or higher) they phoned you within a few days, low risk and its a letter so if you haven't heard yet it sounds like its low risk.

@howiesgirl, welcome. I was on 600mg progesterone tablets a day, a big progesterone in oil jab in the bum 3x a week and 2 crinone vaginal gel things twice a day plus 10mg of estrogen all til 10 weeks when my clinic (CRGH) then weans you off by 14 weeks. So at 10 weeks I dropped down to just the 2 progesterone vaginal gels and 10mg estrogen. Then at 12 weeks dropped to 1 progesterone and I was supposed to drop from 10mg to 2mg estrogen but i worried it was a dramatic drop so instead I stepped it down to 6mg for 2 days, then 4mg for 2 days then 1mg. So now until 14 weeks (5 days to go) im on 1 progesterone gel and 1 x 2mg estrogen tablet. There have been no issues at any point where I dropped down and I am now looking forward to not having a meds schedule, especially the gross vaginal gel mess.

@cher1981 congratulations!! I'm also convinced I have a girl, we shall see!

We got our combined test results early by chance because the midwife phoned me 3 days after the scan etc about something else but scared me thst she was calling about the test, so unknown to me she looked up my result and phoned me back, bless her, we are low for all conditions, phew.
I decided to delay my covid jab after doing research that said anytime after 13 weeks is defo OK (RCOG etc) just because i was 13+1, and still on my IVF meds. I spoke to my GP receptionist who is awesome and she reassured me I can still get my jab, they've just moved me to the next list and offered my slot to someone else. I just want to be a few more weeks further along and not on meds. My decision is mainly based on how I feel not science because the science says its fine. Plus I have a consultant endocrinologist appt due to my thyroid, I just want everything sorted before the vaccine.

Oh and top tip, ive got some maternity jeggins from Love Leggings (£28) they are great, highly recommend them, they look just like jeans, great quality and comfy. I bought a size bigger than my dress size before FET and they are perfect. In fact I've ordered another pair and a pair of their maternity leggins.

Thank you, it's reassuring to hear the stories @calmcat you sound like you were on a lot more than me! I might ask the clinic if they are happy to let me wean a little. I'm guessing it won't do any harm and will only help my ease of mind :-)

@MF1981 glad to hear about your NIPT result!

@calmcat glad you are low risk for all conditions too that’s great. On your advice I bought some of the maternity jeggings and leggings from love leggings as my jeans no longer fit and they are really comfy!

How’s everyone doing now? I’ve had my 16 week appointment and we are low risk for everything, also they have booked me in for a sweep at 39 weeks- it’s hard to imagine getting to that stage but in the first trimester I couldn’t imagine getting to 17 weeks either. I’ve still barely told anyone about the pregnancy, parents, siblings, work and one friend couple and that’s it, I don’t know why it makes me so anxious. I’ll need to bite the bullet soon I’m just not sure whether to wait til 20 week scan now as it’s not too far away.

I’ve got the date for my covid vaccine now but it’s 5 days before my scan and whooping cough vaccine and I’m a bit nervous in case I react to it, it’s also the day before my birthday! But the midwife said it doesn’t matter that it’s so close to the whooping cough vaccine so assuming they have Pfizer or moderna I’ll probably just go for it. I phoned a helpline today to find out if they would have Pfizer or moderna and I’m told there’s no way to find out until you go on the day which is quite inefficient! But I won’t be having AZ either way.

Otherwise I’m ok, I’ve discovered nasal strips really help my sleep which had been impacted by my pregnancy rhinitis, I still go to bed at 9.30pm, I seem to need a lot of sleep! I was sick a week ago and not been since but I’m still nauseous every day, I’m just starting to accept it might be like this the whole way through. I just wish I could eat more healthy foods for the baby, I’m trying my best but a lot of food I just can’t face. But I’m hanging in there and most days would say I feel relatively cheerful. Hope everyone else is feeling ok!

@kikisparks lovely to hear your update and that you are also low risk. I am glad the leggins etc were a success, I also found some maternity denim shorts from Shein, they are cute really short denim ones. Stick with your prenatal vitamins and try to get some protein and calcium in to give building blocks for the baby to grow then don't worry about much else, I have had Philadelphia cheese sandwiches for lunch every day for weeks and scampi and peas for dinner to get plant and animal protein in, I can only eat bland food. Although I'm not feeling so sick any more I am not back to normal at all.

I have my 16 week appt on Thursday then my covid jab the day after, I booked it online and ticked the "pregnant" box so hopefully despite being over 40 I would get the right jab. There is loads of the Pfizer and moderna about as all under 40s get it routinely, my OH is 39 and he got it and said there were big signs saying "pregnant ladies please speak to a nurse" at the entry. I've got my whooping cough jab on thurs but as it is only 1 day apart I'm moving it, may be superstition but it will stop me worrying. The covid place I am going to has a facebook page so I messaged them and to my utter surprise they replied telling me it was Pfizer on the day I am booked.

I had a private scan at 15 weeks and all was fine, I just needed the reassurance as it was 1 week after stopping all my IVF meds and blood thinners that I've been so worried about. We've managed to get my mum and the MIL to back down on buying things or even talking about buying things yet. we have told them nobody is to buy anything until after the 20 week scan then I told a fib about when it is to make it later.

I know how you feel about not telling people, I kind of feel weird telling people in case it ruins things. My OH is scared things will go wrong and so isn't properly engaged yet, it is so important to him he cant let himself believe its ok yet.

I am also going to bed earlier, i could sleep 24/7 but i am avoiding naps in the day as i just feel so horrendous when i wake up, we have a new bed on order with a new Tempur mattress, our old bed is so uncomfortable I am sleeping in the spare room until June when the new bed arrives, I think OH feels lonely but he wont join me the spare bed due to his back so we are stuck. I am so knackered I am fine on my own!

Hi ladies

Sit tight - I definitely turned a corner after about 16 weeks and started to feel much better. Had my 20 week scan and whooping cough vaccine today so got a sore arm again! Babies were lying a bit awkwardly so the sonographer kept jiggling my belly to get them to move - thought I was going to wet myself! One twin is still measuring bigger than the other but everything looked fine with them. I have one low lying anterior placenta over to the left and one at the top towards the left hand side. Wonder if that’s why I get more aching on the left? And we found out that we’re having......... a boy and a girl 💙💖!!!! So happy!

How is everyone else doing?

@MF1981 such good news!

@MF1981 how lovely, congrats!

@calmcat good to hear your update, how did your 16 week appointment and covid vaccination go?

@kikisparks
The 16 week appt was fine, heard the heartbeat again. The community midwife is lovely and very positive, I liked her!
My covid jab was fine, sore arm all yesterday and I was knackered but that might just be normal, im ok today. I have noticed that all the way through from obstetrician to midwife to the lady who jabbed me, there is a lot of "its your choice" and "are you sure" which is not very helpful. The lady who jabbed me had not done any pregnant women so was very unsure, even asking me if it was ok (!?!) which is not what needed to hear and went to get the lead clinician and she was brilliant, she just said "yes 100%, totally fine, good decision" which is what I needed to hear. They make you wait 15 mins on a holding area, no side effects arose though.

@calmcat I’m glad that lead clinician came out and put your mind at rest! I wouldn’t like being asked “are you sure?” either! And glad the vaccine was fine. So nice to hear the baby’s heart beat, I felt a bit cheated that my appointment was by video call and so I haven’t heard the heartbeat yet, I was Googling home Dopplers yesterday as I really want to hear it but all the advice says not to get them in case you rely on them.

Hi all
Just a word of caution about hydration in the hot weather. Please make sure you drink enough. I thought I had it under control until 2am Sunday night/Monday morning when i woke with horrendous cystitis and ended up at A&E with a UTI. Ive got antibiotics and im on the mend but the whole A&E experience was crap, it took 5 hours to see a doctor despite them checking my urine on arrival, and confirming i had signs if infection, the fact i was pregnant and these infections can spread rapidly to your kidneys just didn't matter. I had read that if pregnant they give you antibiotics right away then change them when the results are back, this just didn't happen. When i eventually saw the doctor he was great and i was out within 15 mins, it was the wait that was dreadful, one loo to share with everyone in A&E and i was in it every 2 mins as you can imagine. My partner wasn't allowed in the building and the man in the cubicle next to me was drunk and loud and had a police guard, so when the nurse said i should try to sleep because the wait was up to 7 hours, there was no way, i didn't feel safe enough. Plus the worry about the infection spreading while I waited.

Oh no so sorry to hear that @calmcat I’m so glad you’re on the mend. What an awful A&E experience. Thank you for the warning as I am rubbish at drinking at the moment (pre pregnancy I probably drank 12 large glasses of water a day, now I struggle with a few cups of juice and decaf tea). Hope you feel all better soon, did you take some time off work to recuperate?

I booked a 19 week private scan today for a few days time, I wasn’t going to book any private scans but I’m getting very anxious again, I know it’s still early but I don’t feel any movements and my bump doesn’t seem to be getting bigger so I need some reassurance even if my 20 week scan is only about a week later.

@kikisparks thank you, yes I took yesterday off and slept all day then sat in bed with my laptop until midday today and I'm now at my desk- working from home full time luckily.

You have done the right thing with the scan, my 15 week private one was reassuring, you might have a front lying placenta like mine, the private sonographer spotted it and told me it means it cushions movement so I might not feel anything for longer. my 20 week scan is actually 20+5, so almost as late as it can be, I am ok so far but if anxiety strikes I will also book another scan.

Glad you’re on the mend @calmcat

@calmcat hope you feel all better now from the UTI? I’m really glad I went for the private scan as I feel much more relaxed now, and I do indeed have a front lying placenta, although I’ve felt a few bubbly feelings right at the bottom of the bump on occasion! All was good with the baby at the scan and we found out we are having a girl!

Hope your scan comes quickly for you but if you do get anxious you are quite right to book another private scan.

Also I am starting to feel much better, the nausea is still there at times but I feel more human and less scared to leave the house.

Hope you are also all good @MF1981!

@MF1981 thank you, it is such a relief to feel ok now, you don't realise how you take it for granted until you dont feel well.

@kikisparks great news on the scan, and good to know things are ok and you are having a girl!!! I'm trying to hold out, we are on holiday in Cornwall next week so that will help time to pass.I have felt the weird bubbly feeling too once or twice when I'm sat quietly or in bed, I find it really hard to describe it to my OH, bubbly is a good description. Funny though as I now feel the bump isn't getting bigger, I think the layer of xmas fat might be shrinking as the bump grows so maybe the overall size isn't changing.

This weekend I will finish painting the room we plan to use as the nursery and we are going to buy a carpet- apparently that new carpet smell is a chemical that you should avoid in pregnancy, so we have to air the room for 72 hours- I found this out accidentally when googling if it is safe to pump petrol. Who knew?! I am stupidly excited about finishing this room because our whole house needs redecorating, we moved in last November and this is the 2nd room we've done, one less room that is a tribute to 1974- you should see our hall carpet, I could probably sell it a a piece of history!

Hi ladies.....I had been on the previous chat with yourselves...jan/feb IVF. Unfortunately I had a biochemical pregnancy. I'm due for another frozen transfer either July or august! I just wanted to ask fellow people who understand how stressful IVF is. My mind is working overtime knowing it's coming close and it's all I think about.... literally takes over every aspect of your life and I feel super stressed and not good. I'm a nurse and work is awful right now.... no staff of course and me being a full timer a lot is passed to me as our sister in charge recently left. I can usually cope with with work but I can't at all right now... can't concentrate and very tearful. Feel so exhausted all the time.... I actually don't feel healthy enough for a transfer....! I would feel super guilty going off work as there is no staff as it is.... but at the same time this is the most important thing in my life right now and I need to give it my best go and look after myself. Did anyone else feel like that?

@chocolate336 very sorry about your chemical pregnancy, I’ve had 2 and they’re tough. I totally get that IVF takes over every aspect of your life. That doesn’t sound good that your job is so exhausting and short staffed right now. I took it as easy as I could during ivf working from home etc, obviously that’s not an option for you but if I were you I’d seriously think about taking some sick leave in the run up to the transfer and maybe between transfer and test day because you’re so stressed and tearful, I’m sure a GP would sign you off if you explained that. I get that it’s not ideal for your work but this is too important to put your work before your health.

[quote kikisparks]@chocolate336 very sorry about your chemical pregnancy, I’ve had 2 and they’re tough. I totally get that IVF takes over every aspect of your life. That doesn’t sound good that your job is so exhausting and short staffed right now. I took it as easy as I could during ivf working from home etc, obviously that’s not an option for you but if I were you I’d seriously think about taking some sick leave in the run up to the transfer and maybe between transfer and test day because you’re so stressed and tearful, I’m sure a GP would sign you off if you explained that. I get that it’s not ideal for your work but this is too important to put your work before your health.[/quote]
@kikisparks Thanks for replying! Really appreciated...I know, your so right. It's far too important to put work first. Willl def have a chat with my GP! Thank you x

@chocolate336 i agree with @kikisparks but I do know it is hard to detach from work responsibilities, just remember you only get one life, you have to do what's best for you. Being in the NHS you can take a lot of sick leave and it is accepted, much more than in private industry so see that as a positive and use it. I have worked in both. Time to be selfish and put yourself first.

@calmcat Thanks for the support.....made the decision today and I am going to be selfish and put me, my hubby and IVF first. Now to get into a better place for transfer either July or August! 🤞🏻🤞🏻