IVFers Due Mar & Apr 2023

[EasterBunny7]

Hello! Welcome to all who got their BFP after going through fertility treatment. Join here for a shared understanding of the struggles faced by some women to get pregnant. Due date: March 2023!
[Title edited by MNHQ at poster's request]

@thatismahogany I wouldnt say I have had as intense pains as maybe your description but I have had lower abdominal pains sometimes when im led down and i move position, or stand up to quick, or something like that. Its not constantly there or happens everyday but I think similar to what your experiencing?

everyone is so different maybe your body is stretching more and causing these pains as muscles relax in pregnancy making it easy for pulling things as well

@Agapanthus13 not doing so well as you see from the massive wall of text I just typed 😅how are you? I was a bit anxious om my last day of meds but I also welcomed a bit more freedom in my routine (no more running home to do pessaries)! Also I had the harmony and got results. Not sure what you're googling but I was worried my percentage of fetal dna was on the low side of normal (need at least 4% for results). But I think it can vary each day so you maybe just got unlucky that day and a redraw will be finez good luck

@EmzieMurf1987 exciting you've felt movement! I think I've felt a tiny little flutter a few things but nothing definite.

@Happycroc scanxiety can be awful can't it. I'd recommend telling the sonographer you're nervous when you go in as mine was really nice. But I know the worst part is waiting to get to scan day! 😬I hope scan day comes around quickly for you. The "popping out" sounds promising too. And good idea re new thread

@JessLaw96 thanks for the speedy reply! I'm glad your pains aren't constant, it's strange how our experiences are all so different. But yes I suppose we're all just built differently. I've always been fairly slim but I don't exactly have abs of steel that need to be stretched out of the way 😅I had hoped my body would be more compliant and just let the bump through! Just hoping it calms down over the weekend but also if it is just normal, I'll put up with it and I'll be happy to see a proper bump

@thatismahogany I think if your naturally slim it will likely cause more stretchy pains as it needs to make more room to someone who maybe isnt as slimming but I may be wrong. From what ive read thats what I have got from it. Im sure its nothing to be concerned about though 🤞🏼

@thatismahogany that sucks about intense pains, I’ve certainly not experienced anything like that so I’m afraid not much help. Sound like your gp & midwife seem to be looking into it? Hopefully it’s nothing more than your body doing a load of stretching, I read baby’s grow a fair bit around the end of the first trimester x

thanks for your response on the harmony, yes, they said there was insufficient fetal dna. I then googled reasons and read getting a failed reading increases your chance of chromosome abnormalities. I posted on the main forum too as wondered if the clexane can impact it. Anyway, fingers crossed I can test again next week and get results.

@Agapanthus13 the care seems to have improved drastically! We had our booking in appointment last Saturday and 12 week scan on Wednesday 12th so we'll be 12w4d by then.
Got a text this morning from the GP, apparently midwife advised I need iron as it's slightly low. Then missed a call but got a voicemail saying I need to take iron once a day (on top of what I'm already taking) and they want to do another blood test to see exactly what's wrong with the iron levels 🤷🏾‍♀️ slightly confused!

How do you feel about stopping your meds? I have one more week and to be honest, I'm now ready. Hard to find a gap on my tummy that hasn't been injected and looking forward to not setting the alarm for 6.30am everyday to get up and do it! I just hope my own hormones kick in!

@thatismahogany I get sharp pains quite regularly, although nothing like what you are having. Mine come when I sneeze and then randomly, enough to make me wince quite a bit but usually goes soon enough...feels like muscle twinges to me. Maybe similar to what you are having @JessLaw96 ?

@JessLaw96 glad you are feeling better and over the worst of the Covid! I'm 12 weeks on your 12 week scan date...but got the scan a few days after!

@EmzieMurf1987 that's amazing that you can feel things! I found my private scan so surreal that I could see the baby moving and rolled over, but couldn't feel anything! I can't wait to be able to feel something! And see a bump that isn't just food! Or wind! 🤦🏾‍♀️ the struggle is real on that front 🤣

@Coops0406 yess I get some pain sometimes when I sneeze but goes soon enough as well. Sounds the same to me.

how exciting! I cant wait to see baby wriggling around and assuming heart beat as well?

@JessLaw96 yes, heartbeat sound was amazing! My other half was naughty and recorded it on my phone without them looking! I listen to it loads, especially when I need a bit of reassurance! I honestly wasn't expecting to see him/her moving, I didn't know they did so early! Literally rolled over! So surreal to see!
I'm definitely going to book another private scan, we surprised our mums at the 10 week one so I think next time we'll take other half's dad and stepmum 🥰
Have you had a private scan at all? Or just your one from the ivf clinic?

@Coops0406 i cant wait! Ive only had a scan with ivf clinic at 7w4d so its been a while so definitely cant wait!
I didnt think they would move so much at this point either.

@JessLaw96 you've done so well to wait this long! I think on my first scan I was exactly the same at 7w4d! I hope you have a amazing scan 🥰 only a week to go!!

@Agapanthus13 yes they are and I'll be happy to get some answers soon. I'd put up with it and be content if I knew there wasn't anything seriously wrong. And I've got my fingers crossed for you I'm sure the test will work next time

@Coops0406 yes sometimes it does feel worse when I cough or sneeze. If I feel one coming, I'll apply some pressure to my stomach which seems to help a bit. I now wonder if all the organs moving around has irritated the fibroid I have. It's outside the womb so they said it shouldn't cause issues with the pregnancy, but that must leave it vulnerable to the moving organs pushing it around!

@Coops0406 ah that’s good to hear they’ve stepped up the care, I’m impressed the midwife & GP are talking too! Not long till your scan 🙌
You sound soo organised at taking your meds!!! Mines been a bit more morning / evening at roughly the same time. I actually feel ready to stop, I’m 13 weeks today yay! the consultant put me at ease so whilst a little anxious im happy for no more jabbing (those clexane really do sting) and hoping to never see cyclogest again 🤣 The midwife has told me to start with daily aspirin though- have you been told the same?

@thatismahogany how you doing? Has the pain eased off at all?

Hi all,

Just catching up on all the updates and amazing how similar timelines are reading through all your experiences. I've just "popped" out the last couple weeks too, suddenly getting headaches the last week or two as well, and have started weaning off my meds this Wednesday to finish them by next Wednesday. So excited to see the back of the pessaries in particular!

I've been on baby aspirin throughout @Agapanthus13 and have it on my list to ask the OB about staying on as benefits seems to vastly outweigh any risk.

@thatismahogany I have cramping/stretching all around my hips, front of hips and between them. Constantly have my hand over that area as the heat seems to help. I figured it was things just juggling around a bit to make room.

Good luck for your scans @JessLaw96 @Coops0406 @happycroc I'm in Tuesday for our 11+5 scan too. If all goes well going to tell my bosses in work later that day. Will ask them not to spread further until the end of October as I'm out of the office for a few weeks anyway. Are any of ye doing announcements after?

@Agapanthus13 @Gracie2021 unfortunately not feeling any better. Called 111 and ended up in A&E last night and only just got home. The pain had really ramped up and I couldn't wait for Monday to call GP or midwife.

The doctor thinks it's "red degeneration" of my fibroid which is where it outgrows it's blood supply and dies, which is painful! But she said it shouldn't affect the pregnancy and I saw baby bouncing around on screen so I'll just try to grin and bear it (and take the dihydrocodeine she prescribed if I really can't avoid it). Called in sick for my next couple of shifts though, no way I'll feel better by then but I still feel bad which I know is ridiculous...

Just so relieved everything is apparently okay with the pregnancy

@thatismahogany oh gosh! That sounds awful but at least baby is okay and great you got to see them wriggling around!!

@Agapanthus13 I have to be or I'll forget! I forget everything so I'm super structured with my meds! All laid out the night before too!
So midwife said to take aspirin once I stop the clexane but then said the consultant may decide differently when I see them at 16 weeks.

@Gracie2021 how cool that you have popped! Mine's still definitely a food belly! 🤦🏾‍♀️
How are you weaning off? The ivf clinic said I could do that but didn't really say how. Have you started that just before 12 weeks?

@Coops0406 yes definitely I was so relieved when I saw the screen! It's not ideal but it could have been much worse

@thatismahogany aside from taking medication, what can they do? I'm guessing if it's not getting enough blood it shouldn't grow anymore and may come out? Sounds painful, hope the medication is taking the edge off

@Coops0406 I think in pregnancy they like to manage conservatively, so I have pain relief and have been advised to go back if it continues past a week or gets much worse. I think they'd very rarely consider anything like surgery to treat the fibroid. I did ask what they can do and the doctor basically said "not a lot really" 😂gotta laugh or I'd cry like I did yesterday!

And it only occured to me yesterday once I was home, that I should have asked if it could cause bleeding (it hasn't so far) or if it's a case of it being re-absorbed maybe as it is attached to the outside of the uterus by a stalk?? Although I guess it doesn't make much of a difference; if I start bleeding I won't think "Oh it's just the fibroid, no worries!"

How are you doing? I hope everything is calm and uneventful. I remember you were having issues with miscommunication and sorting out your meds?

Oh @thatismahogany I had a de-generating fibroid last year and the pain is awful! So I really feel for you it’s not pleasant at all. Maybe the rapid growth was caused by all the pregnancy hormones. The only things that helped with the pain for me was naproxen - which u can’t take in pregnancy 🙈 and super hot water bottles - which I personally wouldn’t use either 🙈. I was also on codeine and tramadol but found neither helped particularly.

Mine settled after a week thankfully so hopefully yours will too? Really hope it settles soon 🤞🏼🤞🏼.

@EmzieMurf1987 thank you and sorry to hear you've had this too! I definitely think it must be the pregnancy hormones aggravating things. You're right though, no naproxen and I am worried about putting heat directly on my stomach so it's just been on my lower back (which also hurts to be fair!)

Just seeing your update @thatismahogany wow that sounds so tough. Glad you went to the A&E. Don't feel bad about taking time to heal, no way you could work in that kind of pain. Will you have any kind of monitoring? Hope the pain is better managed today with the meds?

@EmzieMurf1987 fyi I bought the pneumacare pillow we were chatting about and was so disappointed. It feels tiny IRL and I found the material very slippery so just slid away from me in yhe bed. Not sure if I can return it or not as it's such bad quality but I did try it out for a couple nights and it's not cheap!!!

@Coops0406 so I decided to come off my progesterone pesseries at 11+0, come off my progesterone injections at 12+0. I'm weaning gradually off my estrogen tablets and my steroid tablets across the week. Am currently down to half of both doses. Nothing wild happening yet so my body seems to be tolerating it all. Some days I think the belly is good baby and some days bump. Probably wishful thing tbh but I'm leaning into the fantasy.

@Gracie2021 oh no that’s a shame you are so disappointed and not getting on with it. Which shape did you buy? I also got one too - the big U shaped one with a flat part to put your arm when lying on your side. I must say I’m also a bit deflated with it as it moves quite a lot during the night due to the slippy fabric, half of it ends up off the bed and I still wake up on my back 😬😬 such a waste of money x

That's the exact one I got @EmzieMurf1987 and so disappointed! Exact same issue. Back to the drawing board but they're so pricy it's hard to gamble on another one.

sounds miserable @thatismahogany how are you doing now?

@Gracie2021 and @EmzieMurf1987 have a look for pregnancy pillow on Wowcher, I just got the £10 one from in there and it works just fine! Might be worth a gamble before splashing out again on something expensive? I’d also say, once you’re a bit more beaches whale like you’ll find you naturally stay (stranded) on your side (until you’re rescued 😂) x

scanxiety in full force ahead of tomorrow. One more sleep (if I can sleep)

@Happycroc is that your scan one more sleep!? How exciting! Mines Saturday and I cant wait!

I've got a pillow too I managed to get one from someone for £15 and its huge but hopefully will help!