BFPs following IVF to take symptoms & scans

[Justawannabemam]

Hi everyone.

I've started this group for us to chat about our symptoms, scans and any other pregancy related issues after getting a BFP following IVF/IUI/ICSI.

It is by no means to leave anyone out of the previous groups we have been in, where we all offer advice and help during an IVF cycle.

We all know hearing people's positive pregancy news can be heart breaking. I just found on the group that we are talking scans, symptoms, signs and positive tests I'm very conscious that those currently mid cycle may get upset.

We can all still give advice but maybe we could use this group as our pregnancies progress.

I've tagged who I remember from the last group, please feel free to add others as they join us on this next phase of our journey or if I have missed anyone.

@W1ngingit
@Millymillymillymillymilly
@womaninkent
@xreadytoglow
@Bluehawaii29
@Bryterlayter1

@JMC91 this felt more like period pain, that dull ache feeling. I'm 10 weeks now so I would've thought any new progesterone symptoms wouldn't show this late on. I did have mild cramps earlier on then it stopped maybe 1-2 weeks ago. But this last night actually woke me up, it was really quite painful. I'm comforted by the fact that it went away quite quickly though but still it's a worry I don't need 🙈! I have my scan tomorrow though so at least I don't have long to wait to find out if everything's okay.

That is a bit stringy isn't it.. haven't any experience of that myself. Mines much more fluidy probably because of the progesterone. I don't think you need to worry about it though x

Welcome @bajanbump good luck for the blood tests. Sorry to hear you are suffering a bit

@JMC91 I've not experienced that discharge - but most of my discharge is from the pessaries at the moment. Sorry I can't be more helpful

@xreadytoglow sorry to hear you've had some pain. It is scary isn't it. They do say pain is common - glad you have your scan tomorrow to give some reassurance.

@xreadytoglow all the best for your scan tomorrow.

I've managed to book a scan tomorrow also, it's over 2 weeks until my dating scan so really want to have reassurance

@Overlyanxious @JMC91 thank you. We invited my parents and my MIL too.. just adds to the anxiety!

What time is your scan @JMC91 ? Hope everything is okay for us both x

@JMC91 good luck on the scan tomorrow x

@xreadytoglow it's at 1:30
Yes wishing us both luck x
How are you feeling now

@JMC91 aw mines not until 4:15. I just have mild cramps like I had earlier on in my pregnancy. Trying not to read too much into it. The fact that it's not come back badly today and I'm not bleeding are good signs and that's what I'm concentrating on. How far along are you now? Will keep checking back tomorrow to see how you got on.

Hey, is it ok if I joined too? I have been lurking on the infertility board for the past year which has been a great comfort reading women's experiences. Great to read positive outcomes and also saddened to read about losses too.

This is my 2nd round of ivf and I am currently 4 weeks and 5 days after a 5 day blastocyte transfer. Never had a positive pregnancy test before so very excited :)

The symptoms I am having are freaking me out a little bit - everyday I have cramps that come and go and lasts a few hours at a time, no bleeding. Did anyone experience this very early on in your pregnancy? Only other symptoms are very sore breasts and bizarrely my armpits hurt!

I have a viability scan in a couple of weeks - time seems to be moving very slowly compared to waiting to take the pregnancy test.

Hi @wantingeasylife ! Congratulations 😀
I had cramps pretty much daily for those first couple of weeks or more. Very normal so try not to worry.
The wait for the scan is the worst 😫 I hope it goes quickly for you! Try and keep busy and take your mind off it.

Welcome @wantingeasylife I also had a lot of cramps early on. The wait does feel like forever but fingers crossed the time to your scan comes nice and quickly.

@wantingeasylife congratulations 🥰
Yes, I had those same sensations for a few weeks, try not to worry too much (easier said than done, I worry about everything🤪)

I'm 11+2 now

@wantingeasylife welcome to this group and congrats on your BFP. Just to say I also had the armpit pain too but was always on my left side, my left breast is bigger and apparently it’s the lymphatic system which is working harder so can cause that pains. It went away after a couple of days so don’t worry too much. I’m currently 8 weeks +4, found to have twins, twin 1 has always had a strong heartbeat and been ahead of twin 2 by about a week. Had too many scans already which I don’t recommend as just causes more anxiety. Started with my first scan at 6 weeks which was private after I had a scare with a small subchorionic haematoma which thankfully resolved. Then due to the spotting that has caused EPU still wanted to see me, their first scan was 6 week+3 where 1 twin had heart beat and the other one they couldn’t find as was too early so called me back for another scan at 7 week+3 when both had heart beat then stupidly had another one with the private place at 8 weeks as they did their own 2 week rescan and thankfully saw twin 2 growing well and heartbeat getting faster. Now waiting on the 9 week +4 scan next tues with my ivf clinic. Due to the nature of internal scans you can get a bit of spotting after so that can also increase anxiety. Definitely recommend waiting it out if you can for 8 week scan xx

@aliceabsolum @ginandtonicformeplease
Hi Guys, hope you don’t mind me adding you to this group. We all got our BFP through ivf and decided to make this support group now that we are pregnant. Even though the 2WW is a very scary time what comes after you’ll find is just as anxiety provoking. I’ve actually been referred by my GP to the perinatal mental health team as my anxiety has got so bad. It feels like each day goes so slow as you wait for that next scan and it’s so hard to imagine getting past the first trimester. But this group definitely does help and hopefully we can help you too to get through the different stages. My story is as above, 8 weeks +4 today. Started with a line that looked very similar to yours @aliceabsolum so get ready to find out about twins! add anyone else you know as well who has got BFP x

@xreadytoglow @JMC91 I had a lot of round ligament pain early on and still got it. Its like a pulling / stitch sensation more towards the sides of your uterus. It can particularly hurt when you cough/sneeze. I still get it but its more mild now in the second trimester than it was in the first trimester. Its just your uterus trying to expand.

@JMC91 Not sure what that is. If tests for yeast infection etc are coming back negative I wouldn't worry. You will get leukorrhea (increased vaginal discahrge) during pregnancy (mine kicked in pretty quickly) but it should be more milky and thin (not stringy) but it might be that.

@wantingeasylife Tentative congratulations! Symptoms all sound normal. Good luck for your viability scan!

@bluehawaii29 Thanks for the add. When you had the hematoma did they provide any treatment or give any advice? Or is there nothing you can do?
That's what caused my MC last time so I'm v scared of another one.
Are you on blood thinners?

@xreadytoglow @JMC91 good luck for your scans today! I’m sure they’ll go great xx

@AliceAbsolum luckily my haematoma was tiny, only had a tiny bit of blood on the sat and then after that couple of days of brownish discharge and when I went for the rescan dr said she wasn’t worried at all and could barely see it but I still bed rested for that week and took week off work to relax my mind as was a very stressful experience. I’m on baby aspirin daily now after they found out about twins so that’s the 75mg daily dose. They say the large haematomas cause more problems when it’s 40% or more of the gestation sac size. I’m sorry to hear you had a MC from it, how big was yours when you had it x

Thanks for replying. That's interesting about aspirin, did they say why they put you on that for twins?
Mine was large . No idea about the size because I was in hospital and just found out there was no heartbeat when they told me. But I just remember them saying large. It was between the placenta and the uterus lining so it peeled the baby away from my womb basically. And I Bled a lot. Horrendous experience :(
I'm not having a scan until 9 weeks as for me seeing the heartbeat last time wasn't helpful and 2 weeks later the hematoma had started, grown and caused the miscarriage, so unless I'm being scanned every few days what's the point. There also doesn't seem to be any treatment anyway.
I'm on clexane and it just worries me. Watery blood doesn't seem great. But I'm not a Dr, and they don't know why hematomas develop

@AliceAbsolum hi aww that sounds like a nightmare experience, sorry you had to go through that. Can I ask how many weeks was it when you had that scan last time and did the haematoma not cause you bleeding before you went for the scan? Usually can be quite obvious if it’s as large as that. Yeah I know what you mean about early scans , I’ve had so many now and always work myself up before each one expecting the worst. I think 9 week scan will definitely be a good one to see things properly and even though twin 1 has always been doing so well we need to find out what the outcome is for twin 2 by 9 weeks so will be good to know. They said either way if twin 2 doesn’t survive it won’t effect twin 1 as they both have separate gestations sacs and the body just resorbs it. I’m on aspirin because it’s my first pregnancy and twin pregnancy so they just want t protect against risks I guess. But I’ll ask them if I need to continue with it if twin 2 doesn’t survive. All depends really

Oh they also say aspirin helps with the blood flow to the embryos and uterus so that’s another plus of using it

Scan at 6 weeks showed nothing. Major bleed at 8+3 then had a scan, baby had stopped growing at about 8 weeks.

@AliceAbsolum hopefully all will be well this time and your little one implanted well, they don’t know why it happens but it is definitely common and more common in twin pregnancies/ ivf. They are usually harmless and don’t effect the baby but I can understand why you are worried about it happening again. Try to stay positive and distract yourself in the meantime, don’t do any lifting and try to just go for gentle walks and nothing else. I struggle with walks still more due to the fatigue but I will try and get more active after 9 weeks x

@AliceAbsolum how many weeks are you now? I can understand you wanting to leave your scan to 9 weeks. I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience last time. Hopefully you won't get a haematoma this time.

Thanks ladies. I'm 5 weeks tomorrow, so incredibly early days.

@AliceAbsolum Hey, I'm sorry to hear about your experience with SCH. I also had one at the start of this pregnancy, big spontaenous gush bleed that soaked through clothes, but luckily fetus survived and the SCH has self-resolved. My understanding is there is nothing they can do to fix/stop a SCH, it has to just resolve by itself. Its more common in IVF pregnancies, and more common if you're taking aspirin. I would have thought clexane would also make it more likely for a SCH to occur as well, but this obviously needs to be balanced against the benefits for you individually, and I'm certainly not an expert. Perhaps ask your clinic if you're concerned about taking clexane. Keeping everything crossed this pregnancy goes smoothly for you