Egg collection

If there's a hard way to do something, that's how we'll do it! Arrived at the hospital at 7.30am and was immediately taken to our room, which was really nice. We watched a bit of the Winter Olympics while I had my cannula put in and IV paracetamol administered. It was one of the longest waits ever as I was terrified. Finally at 10.30am we were called through to the operating theatre. I was given fentanyl and gas and air and the nurses turned the screen so I could see what was going on. I can't fault the nurses at all, they were amazing, telling me when to use the has and air and chatting. The doctor was happy with my ovaries, and said I was an egg making machine. The collection itself was ok pain wise, more discomfort than anything but no real pain. Then we got to my right ovary, which is actually sitting on top of my left. The needle had to be repositioned a few times and the nurse had to push down on my abdomen so the doctor could get to the follicles, that was the painful part. All the way through the embryologist was shouting "we've got an egg..." Through a little hatch. In total we had 18 eggs collected, which I'm so pleased with! The doctor left a few of the less mature follicles where they were because they weren't needed. Afterwards was when the pain started, I have to say I think I was one of the unlucky ones. I was crying it hurt so much. I was given one dose of codeine, which did nothing, so 30mins later I was given another. They said if that didn't work they would call for the doctor. Luckily it did, the pain is now manageable but discomfort is quite high. I'm actually sat in the car now waiting to go home, hoping our 18 eggies are fighting for and doing what they should be. Very long wait until 8am tomorrow when we hear how many have fertilised.... Apologies for any mistakes in this..I'm a little bit away with the fairies still. COME ON EGGIES!!!

Jeez Louise

12 hours post trigger and 24 hours before egg collection. I often walk around the house in my underwear when I'm alone, nothing wrong with that. There is a huge mirror in our bedroom that sits across from the door so you can see yourself when you walk in. Today I walked from the bathroom to the bedroom to get dressed, and audibly gasped to myself at the size of my tummy.

This may be the only time in my life I actually look pregnant. So far no pain, no nausea, no weight gain (in fact, according to my scales I've slightly lost weight) and generally feeling good. Drinking lots of isotonic water (Thanks KK!) and eating lots of protein to try and keep OHSS at bay.

23 hours until egg collection

I've woken up 3 months pregnanct. Trigger at 10.45 last night and went straight to bed. Luckily I'm off work today, but poor Martin still had to get up at 6am to drag himself off to the office. I thought I was bloated the last few days, but that was nothing compared to today. I'm struggling to find comfortable clothes. Thankfully, there's no pain, nausea or anything else slightly OHSS - fingers crossed! There is slight tenderness but nothing too bad. Still 23 hours to go so really hoping me and my body can work together to stop any form of OHSS so we can do a straight forward, fresh cycle. Please please please please

Results are in...

My oestrogen levels are in the normal range! So far no planned freeze and IVF to go ahead as planned. Obviously not all of the 40 follicles were mature, think I glanced at around 10 she had logged on the screen as being 18mm+. Hopefully the small ones will wither away and leave the juicy ones. Trigger at 10.45pm this evening (way past my bed time!) and go in for egg collection at 8am Saturday morning for my procedure at 10.45am. I'm terrified. My doctor on Saturday is Dr.Skull which cheered me up.... Send me luck!!!

"....it's 50/50 at the minute"

...is not what you want to hear a nurse say when she's got a dildo cam up you. Well, scan this morning after 7 days of stims and I have 40+ follicles. Forty. Not a typing error. I'm at very high risk of OHSS so it all depends on my bloods this afternoon. If my estrogen levels come back too high they will do egg collection on Saturday, freeze the embryos and then transfer next month. If my oestrogen is in the safe range we'll proceed as usual. Long 5 hour wait until that decision! Whatever happens I'll be having egg collection on Saturday.

IVF day 6

Urgh, feeling pretty crappy today. Second day of certrotide to prevent ovulation. My ovaries feel like balloons that are about to pop. Bloated to the max, killer headaches and general nauseous feeling throughout the day. Absolutely exhausted as well. Lucky I have a god send of a husband who is going to cook my tea so I can get in my pyjamas when I get home and relax.

IVF Day 5

I think it's safe to say I've been relatively quiet this time round with treatment. No particular reason, think I'm trying to inject then push it to the back of my mind so I don't dwell on it. Work is keeping me busy and no huge news as of yet. Day 1-5 of gonal-f was fine, have a tummy is now covered with lots of tiny red dots where the injection sites are, but no bruising which is nice. Seem to be developing late morning/early afternoon blinding headaches this time around, I'm quite happy to take paracetamol to cope with these so no huge problem. First morning of cetrotide injection this morning to repress ovulation, this is where i start to get sore around the ovary region. I HARE the cetrotide injection, mixing the solution up at 6am when I'm barely awake is always a struggle, the needle they give you is much bigger than the one used for Gonal-F and it hurts. So I'm not loving this stage. Scan on Thursday to see how my eggs are getting on, this is where everything went wrong last time round. It's brand new territory after Thursday. Next big challenge? Egg Collection.