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]

@Amy00 I’m glad you are feeling hopeful this time and they have changed things and are treating your immune issues, that sounds like a really positive start. Also remember this is a completely different sperm and egg to previous times, so as hard as it is not to compare to previous losses, you have a completely different Embie snuggled up in there. You have hope so please hold onto it!!

im sorry you are going through this. I remember how terrifying my viability scan was it’s horrible. especially as your scan is so early it’s kind of adding to the uncertainty of it all isn’t it. I really hope you see that flickering heart beat tomorrow, but if you don’t there is still hope that it’s just a bit too early and in a weeks time it will be there super strong ❤️Thinking of you xx

@XjustagirlX sounds like a plan with the waiting to be discharged from fertility clinic before moving to the general nhs system. I did the same but still not heard back with my booking appointment or 'dating' scan.

I've been feeling the anxiety too about the 5 week long wait to the next scan. It's only in the last day or two that something switched in my brain: I was reflecting about how despite my bleeding being such a big stressor for me, I didn't run for scans. I just waited it out, realising that nobody can do anything even if embryo dies. That thought comes and goes though, it's not a permanent state of zen unfortunately.

@Justhopeful
I've also been reading about women having miscarriages after seeing heartbeats and it brings it home every time. You have a moment to yourself of being pleased to make this big milestone and reality comes to bite you wide awake.

We've been wanting to go on holiday for a while now and half heartedly talked about it in the last few weeks. It has become a stronger possibility with the viability scan out of the way. Ideally, I'd like to see the outcome of the 'dating' scan but that would be a very last minute, expensive holiday. A baby moon sounds like a dream!

@ChristmasJumpers when the hook effect take place? Why am I thinking 12 weeks?

Sympathise about the wait for the scan, it is definitely tough! Could you try calling your clinic to move it up a bit? It is possible to see something at 6+5.

@EmzieMurf1987
Sorry that you've got it so rough with the nausea and eating. When I get asked about my symptoms, I automatically think about common ones like vomiting, nausea, cravings, food aversions etc. I keep forgetting that I have constipation, and had it from early on.

Great that you've made headway with the next stage of appointments. Also, your pregnancy announcement sounds like lots of fun! I'm sure your in laws will be so pleased with the news.

I wish I had your courage to book that holiday I also want. Could do with some time out of the house and celebrate.

@Amy00
My heart goes out to you, what a tough journey you've had. I cannot promise you that everything will go ok but my personal experience is it's easier to handle knowing a pregnancy isn't viable earlier on rather than later. You get to grieve and you get to move on with your life, and not waste endless weeks with a pregnancy that's going nowhere. I really hope you get some good news tomorrow, we are here to talk you through it whatever the results. I agree with @EmzieMurf1987 that this time it is different. They identified your health issues and they modified your ivf protocol to best suit you. There is every hope.

@EasterBunny7 oh it might be 12 weeks, I read after you've had a dye stealer it's risky to keep testing as your hcg being so high can mean tests don't read it properly. I've probably read it all wrong 🤣

I think I will ring and ask for an earlier scan, if it's next week I'll be well into my 6th week so should be able to get a heartbeat by then

So my midwife rang me today! To be honest not filling me with confidence she had no clue what OHSS was she was like ‘oh I think I’ve heard of it’ 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 and then proceeded to offer me a home birth - um ok then …. Then I mentioned my large fibroid and she was like oh maybe not then 😂😂 I’m not filled with confidence after that phone call!! Let’s see how the face to face goes next week, otherwise I’ll have to get the OHSS NICE guidelines out to quote to her in regards to my ongoing care 😂😂

@EmzieMurf1987 haha on some level it's funny and on many others it's not. After everything we've gone through, do we really want to spend endless hours explaining our health conditions to medical professionals?

Is there a way of requesting someone who is familiar with ivf, I wonder? I've already submitted my self referral so I'm already being assigned anybody as we speak...I might email them though....

@EmzieMurf1987 unbelievable, I have my 1st midwife appointment on the 12th, funny she tried to offer you a home birth, after my laparoscopic myomectomy I was told if I get pregnant I will have to give birth through a c section - wonder what the midwife will say about that😁. So will this be them trying to save the NHS money?

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can put my mind at rest. I've just been to the loo and there's some blood when I wipe. I haven't had even a whiff of spotting since transfer on 12th July. Its pinky/brown but I'm terrified. I don't know what to do with myself. I've left a message with the clinic but they can take a long time to call back. I'm 5+6 weeks and had a strong positive yesterday afternoon with diluted urine

Hey my lovelie @ChristmasJumpers please take a breath. I totally understand that must be a terrifying situation to be in but I believe brown blood is old and could be left behind from implantation and it’s only shedding now. Or if you are using pessaries vaginally it could also be irritation. I really hope your clinic also call you back asap so they can advise. I think as long as you don’t have any painful abdominal cramps like severe period pains things look positively optimistic. Also very good news you have a super positive test too! When I had my MC my test was sooooo faint, so please take your test as another positive sign! I really hope this helps until you hear from the clinic. Also many other women on this thread have experienced bleeding and have seen a precious HB so no reason yet to think you won’t either xx

@EmzieMurf1987 thank you, I got into a bit of a state. The clinic called to say I just need to keep an eye on it for now and it could be a number of things. It does seem to be dying down. It hasn't stopped but is less and only shows when I wipe, nothing on a panty liner. It's just so scary isn't it. This was our one and only embryo from our only NHS cycle so I'm trying not to panic but it's not easy 😣

@EmzieMurf1987 @EasterBunny7 thank you for your support yesterday!

@ChristmasJumpers hope your spotting has calmed down. The strong positive tests are a great sign! There is nothing you can do at this stage to really influence anything which I find scary and reassuring at the same time. Remind me, when do you have your scan booked for?

So I went for my 6w scan and they saw a yolk sac but no fetal pole. They were very reassuring in the scan and said it is all measuring completely on track. I'm feeling disappointed that we didn't see more but not upset. Choosing to believe that it is too early and when we go next week we will see a heartbeat! Feel completely in limbo though. Relieved there is something in there and it's on track. Next scan is on Wednesday next week so on the countdown for that one now! Just need to manage the anxiety.

@Amy00 keep up the positive thinking! The waiting for another scan is tedious but at least everything that is supposed to be there, is there!

@ChristmasJumpers I completely feel for you. That has been my whole journey since 4+3. Hoping the clinic increased progesterone for you, only thing that can be proactively done at this stage, I'm afraid. But, don't give up hope! My little embryo is still with me as of yesterday 7+3.

An update from me: yesterday at 7+3, I attended an appointment at the recurrent miscarriage clinic. I was under the assumption that I'm going for a blood test review. First of all, I turned up one hour early! But, they were pleased as I was probably the last one of the day and they could wrap up.

Turned out that I was going to have a scan and a consult with a Dr! I have come to appreciate how difficult it is to get even 5 minutes with a Dr these days. I've had to wait 5 months sometimes at my ivf clinic.

Anyways, embryo's heart was still beating, which was a relief but when I got into the consult, they told me that I have a subchorionic hematoma! I did not know what that was and told them that the ivf clinic only mentioned fluid in my uterus. Dr confirmed that there is a 18 ml pool of blood between the wall of my uterus and the embryo. This is why I have been spotting. She told me that they will monitor it, and I'm due back for another scan in 2 weeks. They considered changing my progesterone to injections but wouldn't prescribe it themselves because of the cost, I'm sure! I left feeling ok because I don't think I fully understood what it was that I had until I came home and read Dr Google!

Subchorionic hematoma are more likely with IVF and especially so with frozen transfers. Lucky old me.

Im going for my second scan today at 7+4. Assuming everything is ok they will discharge me from the ivf clinic into the nhs system.

are there any questions I need to ask at the meeting? I’m asking about storage costs for the remaining embryos. When can I try again after giving birth? What happens if I miscarry after this appointment?

can anyone think of anything else?

@Amy00 it does seem to have calmed down although I still had teeny tiny amounts on and off throughout yesterday so I'll see how today goes. Your appointment sounds really positive, it sounds like they were happy with everything they saw 😊

@EasterBunny7 The clinic were nice but haven't made any changes, they just said they can't advise which way it will go but it's very common and to keep an eye on it for now. I'm on 1x lubion and 2x utrogestan and really hoping it's enough!
I'm so glad you're still going good despite the bleeding! Fab that you had an apt with a doctor too and an explanation of the bleeding. Did they say the hematoma shouldn't affect the pregnancy?

@ChristmasJumpers no, they didn't unfortunately. I asked directly if it could cause miscarriages and the answer was yes. They made no promises and only said they'll monitor it.

Your lubion injections are the best progesterone around so I'm sure that's probably why they haven't felt the need to increase. Keeping my fingers crossed for you. When is your scan?

@EasterBunny7 I'm glad they're going to monitor it for you, have they arranged for your to change to injections?

My scan is 16th August and feels so far away!!

@ChristmasJumpers so your viability scan is at 7+6? That's very late isn't it? Why not try asking them to move it up?

No, they didn't want to prescribe it themselves. They asked me to contact the ivf clinic. I explained to them that they had discharged me and any further medication, I get from my GP. They said stay on the pessaries in that case. It only dawned on me afterwards that I should have queried why they aren't prescribing it themselves if it is so beneficial. I have emailed them to ask them to request it from my GP now. Hope I get a response soon.

@EasterBunny7 it's so hard work isn't it. I hope you get a response from them, if they've said it would be beneficial, they shouldn't be able to backpedal on that just because they don't want to write the prescription!

When I got a call back from the clinic yesterday, I asked about an earlier scan. They said to ring them next week to see if there are any cancellations so I'll be ringing first thing on Monday morning!

@ChristmasJumpers we are constantly having to advocate for ourselves. We must keep in mind, clinicians have a duty of care but there will always be a limit and that line is normally ascertained by the cost!

Hope you get that appointment next week.

@EasterBunny7 congratulations!!!! I got my BFP! Too

I'm due very end of March/ April viability scan 30th Aug/ cautiously optimistic x

Hi everyone. First all I'm sorry to see some of you have had to deal with the stress of spotting and less than helpful medical professionals... it's just stress you don't need right now! And congratulations to those of you who have had good news at your scans 😊

I've not participated much recently because I've just been anxiously waiting for our scan! And I had to stop testing at 6 weeks because I think I experienced the hook effect (lighter test but become dark again with dilute urine- I think somebody mentioned this too, a few posts back?)

We had our scan at 7 weeks + 4 days, measuring a day ahead with a fast heartbeat! We're feeling very relieved but still cautious. I've been feeling sick and struggling to eat much, but at least I'm forcing down a multivitamin so hopefully that's helping😥I think I'll be getting more migraines from now on (had one earlier) which will make the nausea worse but I'm so grateful to be at this stage I'll just have to put up with it!

To reply to another post I saw, maybe a few pages ago, I'll be taking my estradiol tablets and progesterone pessaries until 12 weeks. I think it's this long because I had a FET?

So lovely to hear lots of positive news!

@PMAmostofthetime welcome and congratulations! I think we spoke on a previous thread about OHSS, I really hope you managed to avoid it with yr BFP! Xx

@ChristmasJumpers Glad to hear the bleeding has calmed, hope it’s been ok today? Fingers crossed u can get an earlier scan xx

@Amy00 glad things are all measuring as they should on your scan, I’m sure it was just too early to see the heartbeat but by next week it will be there. It’s totally understandable to be anxious between the scans though.

@EasterBunny7 oh that’s great you got to see the heartbeat again and it sounds like they are going to take good care of you. At least you have an explanation for the bleeding although I bet it still doesn’t put your mind at ease! Is there anything they can do to treat it or is it just a case of monitoring? Gosh why say you would benefit from something then not prescribe it!! Sooooo frustrating!! I hope your GP can do it for you 🤞🏼🤞🏼

@XjustagirlX hope all went well with your scan today? Gosh your so organised asking lots of questions! I literally just teared up the whole way through and asked nothing 😂😂

@thatismahogany oh congratulations on your scan! That’s amazing news! Sorry to hear about your migraines though hope you feel better soon!

I sometimes feel bad complaining about my pregnancy symptoms 😂😂 I’m not a sicky person so never thought I’d be affected by the nausea, how silly was I??!! Luckily today I’ve felt ok with the nausea but I’m sure it will come back with a vengeance tomorrow!

also anyone else have ppl touching your belly? My best friend and step mum both do it every time I see them and I don’t know why but it just feels weird …. Am I weird for feeling like that? 🤷🏼‍♀️

@EmzieMurf1987 Thank you I did with lots of Water and high protein- still sore though and the cramps are scaring me! X

@EmzieMurf1987 thank you 😊and yes I complain a bit, but just thinking about where we were a few months ago I really feel like I shouldn't. It's hard when you feel sick though! Thinking on it I'm the opposite- I've always been a sicky person 😂from migraines, anxiety etc.

And we're yet to tell other people so I guess we'll see if we know any belly touchers! I like my personal space so think I'd feel weird too, but I guess it's quite sweet of them, unless you feel uncomfortable of course

@EmzieMurf1987 the scan went well. We got a little video. The baby was wiggling all over and we could see the limbs starting to form and could see the brain.

also today I got my booking in appointment with the nhs for 19th august so 2 weeks to wait and I’ll be 9+5.

it took about an hour to be discharged as I had so many questions to ask 😆