IVF Pregnancies (thread 2)

[Holskey]

@LemonyT
@strawberrysummer19
@Etonmess20
@IamnotwhouthinkIam
@strawberrysummer19
@paintfairy
@2mumlife
@Starbeach
@TheSnufflet
@Novavee
@Donimo
@Monday55
@Cakecakecheese
@Porridgeislife
@JAR1981
@Hufflepuff1
@2022babyhope
@becarefuloutthere
@notsofertilemyrtle
@RiverRiot

I've definitely missed people, but hoping I've got everyone who's been active recently. Apologies if not!

@Cakecakecheese That's great news :)

Thanks for the welcome @2mumlife I think I was on an ivf thread with you back in August, which was my first cycle? It's so good to see you here, 16 weeks pregnant! Good that you are being well-looked after by the consultant too
I am definitely finding this bit harder than the 2ww - I think because now I actually have a reasonable amount of hope and I desperately don't want it all to come crashing down

I'm roughly the same as you @ForeverHopefull17 - just over 5 weeks now. It's great you've been able to get some reassurance that things are looking good so far

@Cakecakecheese Good to hear about your scan - Must be amazing to be 20 weeks along

@Katree oh yes the scan wait is way worse than the 2ww. It's easier said than done but stay as distracted as possible.

Welcome @KatRee and congratulations. I think the waiting/counting down never stops, but still very grateful for it all finally!

@Cakecakecheese great news on your scan.

@2mumlife sounds like your appointment went well. I’m surprised your ivf clinic commented on it at that length (and at transfer too!) as generally the NHS only consider it a problem under 25mm. 30-50mm seems to be their ‘normal’ range. Good that you’ve got the extra monitoring to 24 weeks though. Weird how it varies from trust to trust though, I was told at all 4 of my measurement appointments it had to be transvaginal for accuracy. Not that I care these days after so many ivf scans 🤣

@KatRee Feel like I've been on so many of these threads over the last year! Its the first transfer after my freeze all cycle in August/September that did the trick :D The scan wait is really tough - just do whatever gives you moments of joy while you're waiting to try to take your mind off it, even if just for 20mins.

@JAR1981 Yes being asked if I'd have cervical surgery because my cervix looked short in the middle of a transfer doesn't exactly make you relax! Interestingly, it was only 1 of the consultants who mentioned it - the other one never mentioned a thing at the tranfers he did. But they did write to GP twice saying I should be monitored. They never actually measured it, it was his eyeball opinion that it was short. For 16 weeks consultant said I'm 6mm under what they'd want to be comfortable at this stage, but as you say still over the danger zone. Hope is I'll be totally fine. At the end of the day, I'd rather have the extra scans and bit of stress its caused that last 16 weeks waiting to see if its a problem or not, and it be totally fine, than have it be a problem and losing this pregnancy when its taken so long to get to this point. Sonographer did say if I needed more scans then as my uterus stretches it would need to be transvaginal, but that they try to avoid it and do abdominal if they can get a clear enough image.. I'm same as you - didn't really care if it was transvaginal but was grateful for getting to have a proper look at fetus with it being abdominal

Hello to all the newbies on the thread!! Welcome and I hope time passes quickly and uneventfully for you guys - We all know how nerve racking the first few week can be!

@2mumlife my mum has a short cervix - my brother was a little early at 36 weeks but perfectly healthy and then for me and my sister she was put on bed rest for her third trimester! Hopefully you won’t need to though by sounds of it!!

It’s more drama for me though - midwife’s just told me my blood results are positive for gestational diabetes 😩 my hopes for a midwife unit water birth without induction is looking further and further away.

I don’t really know what GD means, am due to receive a call from the GD team next week. Anyone with advice in the meantime? I know a lot of you ladies are in much earlier stages but wondering if anyone has or had it before?

My bmi is normal and I’ve eaten pretty normally too. Not aware of anyone in my family who has diabetes, so wasn’t expecting it!

Congratulations and welcome @KatRee and @ForeverHopefull17! I hope you're coping with the anxiety and fingers crossed for oovely scans that come around quickly!

Congrats on your 20wk scan @Cakecakecheese

@2mumlife I know nothing of short cervixes but it sounds like your scan went well and long may that continue

@LemonyT I had GD in my last pregnancy. I didn't have any symptoms, and like you, I was surprised (healthy eater, healthy bmi). I was diagnosed at 30-something weeks. (I was tested earlier but didn't have it.) Mine was diet controlled so I didn't have to take any meds. I just had to check my blood sugar on a machine they gave me after every meal. I had to let them know if the reading was high (can't remember the threshold). Avoiding certain foods was annoying, like orange juice etc would put me over the top. So my advice would be to avoid sugary food, even natural sugars. It really depends how bad yours is though as to what you can tolerate without your levels going too high and whether or not you need meds. They gave me a steroid injection when I went in to be induced (to develop baby's lungs because he was coming early) and that sent my blood results crazy! Everything I ate was a problem so I had to have a drip overnight, so I had a brief experience of what it must be like to have it bad and I remember being afraid to eat. Even then though, I still had no symptoms, and my baby's levels were fine when he was born just a couple days afterwards. Hopefully it's diet-controlled for you too. Why did they test? Was it because of the strange sweet smelling pee? (Have I remembered that right or was it someone else?! 🙈)

@holskey thank you! I’m meeting a friend today and just looked at the menu and am so confused! Asking myself ‘Are gluten free sweet potato waffles ok? What about sourdough bread? or should I just play it safe with an omelette!’ Annoyed i now have to watch what I eat even more, and feeling just a little bit guilty about all the desserts I had last week when we were on holiday!

I forgot about the popcorn smelling pee! Luckily that didn’t last long - maybe it’s connected?! I was checked because I’m Asian and apparently certain ethnicities have higher risk. Hopefully I can manage mine through diet too 🤞my midwife said ‘basically veggies and meat’ cut the carbs. I’m not a huge meat eater, and I adore bread and rice, so it’s going to take a change in mindset and palette for sure over next three months!

@holskey sorry rude of me - how’s things with you? We’re roughly the same in terms of weeks I believe? (I’m 26 weeks). Any signs of GD this time or have you cut back on sugars since the beginning?

@LemonyT yeah I'm 26 weeks tomorrow 😊

I'm the same - I love carbs 🤤 and crave white carbs particularly during pregnancy. I haven't actually cut back (I probably should have!) but with morning sickness and aversions, it's been too difficult even if I had thought to. I was tested quite early this time (13 or 14 weeks, can't remember) because I've had it before and it was all clear. As I said, I didn't develop it until later in my first pregnancy so maybe it will be the same this time. Or maybe I'll be lucky and avoid it altogether 🤞

There wasn't a delay for me in seeing someone to discuss it when I was diagnosed. It was within a day or two and I got the kit to monitor my levels then, so that was helpful. It must be annoying not knowing what you need to do or how severe it is.

Thank you @JAR1981 @Holskey

I have a habit of obsessively googling stats and potential problems and I know it's bad for me but I can't stop! I was better during this recent cycle just because I'd exhausted all my googling on the previous two, but now I'm onto a brand new stage I've started up again and uncovered a whole new set of things to worry about 😩

I have managed to make plans to spend time with friends over the next few weeks- I found it hard to do that whilst I was doing stims and worrying about getting covid and clinic cancelling cycle, so it's nice to feel a bit more relaxed about that aspect of things

Sorry that you've been diagnosed with GD @LemonyT. I'm sure you'll be well taken care of, but managing sounds like a pain. Hope you manage to avoid it this time @Holskey

@LemonyT Oh no, that sucks about the GD. Hopefully you get to speak to team soon and find out what the situation is. I'm on the lift to be tested but not until 28 weeks, because my dad has diabetes, but really hoping I avoid that! That's interesting your family experience of short cervix. I'm just hoping I don't end up on bed rest, but also I work from home so it wouldn't be terrible. Told my parents this weekend I'm expecting and they are meant to go on holiday on my due date so they'd be pleased if it comes early!!!

I’m also due for GD testing but not for some weeks. I hope you’re able to manage alright with your diet. The rule I’ve heard is to eat more brown foods (bread, rice) and less white ones, so you don’t feel completely deprived of carbs.

Hope everyone has had a lovely Mothers Day. I’ve been absolutely knackered and spent almost the whole day horizontal! Grateful of course for this pregnancy but do hope I can get back some energy soon, the house is an absolute tip!

@LemonyT hope you get some advice on what to eat etc. I'm only 10 weeks and live on carbs to keep the sickness down 😳

I hope you're feeling well-rested this week @Begoniagal7 . How far along are you?

I've been feeling really knackered myself this last week and I'm only 6 weeks 🙈
Keep waking up at 3am and not being able to sleep again. Not sure if that's hormone-related or just good old-fashioned anxiety!

When did your sickness kick off @CurbsideProphet? I hope it calms down for you soon.
I've started feeling constantly nauseous the last few days too. It seems to get better when I eat, but I don't feel like eating anything except carbs!

Feel like I've gone from having no symptoms or only very fleeting symptoms to all of the symptoms in the space of a few days. I'm hoping they are a good sign- viability scan is tomorrow

Hope you're all doing well whatever stage you're at x

Doesn't everyone get tested for GD? I thought it was normal procedure & I have mine booked for next week when I turn 28weeks.

I just came back from my 1 week baby moon. A week in the sun was exactly what the doctor ordered. I forgot to take my maternity notes, but nothing went wrong. Anyone else planning a getaway before baby comes?

@KatRee my sickness started at 5 weeks. It came on quite suddenly. The nausea is constant but I seem to vomit less if I eat every 2 hours. I did discover this week that I definitely can't eat jelly sweets right now 😬
Hope your scan is ok today 💐

@Monday55 You'll only do the glucose tolerance test if you have risk factors (age, weight, family history, previous GD). We're doing a few trips and thing, but nothing specifically as a 'babymoon'

Did anyone else stay completely knackered throughout t2? Does the eneergy ever come back or is this me until the fetus is 18 lol

@2mumlife
Oh ok, I just checked the criteria and I believe I'm getting a test because of my ethnicity.

Otherwise everything else isn't a risk e.g it's our 1st baby, no diabetes in my family, I'm young & my BMI is 21 etc.

@2mumlife I’m 25w and have been totally knackered for the last couple of weeks. Apparently the baby goes through a huge growth spurt before the 3rd trimester…. at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Has anyone been able to obtain a MAT1B and pharmacy exemption form? My midwife said at my last appointment she couldn’t do them and my hospital won’t mail them because of fraud. I’m at a loss as to how one is meant to get hold of these (reasonably) important documents. I miss my organised IVF clinic

I was amazed to get my prescription exemption emailed to me during my (finally got round to it at 11 weeks) nhs booking in appointment this week, but maybe trusts vary… 5 years ago I remember having similar difficulty getting the matb1, in the end I think my gp surgery provided it and the hospital signed it…

@Porridgeislife push your midwife or hospital. I got my MatB1 by collecting on the 1st date it was available - ready to collect l. And my exemption form was posted to me really promptly in the early days from what I remember!

Thank you @CurbsideProphet - just got home from scan- absolute relief to know it's looking good so far- everything is in the right place and we could see the heartbeat flickering!
Doctor also advised me to eat crackers (so as to have something I can be eating pretty constantly I think) and drink ginger tea to help with the nausea. Sorry you made that discovery about jelly sweets- bet that was unpleasant!

He also said feeling knackered is your bodies way of telling you to get some sleep while you still can, so naps all round!

Congrats on the scan, @KatRee! My sickness is better but still have random waves of quite strong nausea and aversions at nearly 12 weeks.

@Porridgeislife: I also received my exemption form at my booking in-it was sent electronically. There’s no reason you shouldn’t have it now! Though many pharmacists will be happy to take your word for the maternity exemption when they see your bump-just tell them that you haven’t got the form with you and you don’t pay for prescriptions.

I’m do feel the fatigue beginning to shift a wee bit. Still quite knackered but not falling asleep on the floor in the middle of the day knackered! NT is booked for next week, beginning to feel the “scanxiety” creep back but will be relieved at least if it all goes well (and at least have bad news now rather than wait another eight weeks if it doesn’t). I’m 40 but the pregnancy is from an embryo made when I was 35, so hoping it’s a healthy one.

Congratulations on your scan @KatRee

Commiserations to all of you feeling sickness. I had it quite severely, and I still (at 26+4) get nausea daily. It's nothing compared to what it was though.

I've not stopped being tired since I got pregnant. My dp gets up with our toddler on Saturdays and I literally stay in bed until 10am. After going to bed at 10pm! And that's the kind of sleep I feel i could do with every night.

I also got my exemption letter emailed during my booking in appointment. You could always ask the pharmacist to waive the charge, but keep your expectations low. My own gp's pharmacy said they needed to see my exemption form even when I was being prescribed pills for morning sickness.