# Does egg collection hurt??



## princess_1991

i hear about ivf all the time, but never hear if theres any pain involved, surely taking your eggs and putting them back via giant needles gotta hurt, right?? 

i just wanna know everything there is to know about whats gunna happen, 

no amount of pains gunna stop me from tryin to get what ive always wanted, but i just wanna know the extent of what im getting myself in for lol :thumbup: xx


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## MissMonty

Hi, to be honest I've had both good and bad experiences during egg collection. You'll be given a sedation which makes many fall asleep, however I wasn't given enough on my first EC and I could feel lots of pulling inside and got told off for moving about too much, it was really strange as due to the sedation I couldn't talk even though I wanted too but I could move. Anyway on my next attempt I reminded them of what happended and they increased my sedation and I didn't feel a thing, I remember laying on the theatre table and then all of a sudden I was awake again in recovery. I'm sure you'll be fine, I just think I was unluckly first time round.

Wishing you lots of luck xx


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## princess_1991

what about putting them back tho?? xx


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## MissMonty

Egg transfer is fine, no pain just a little uncomfortable as you need to have a full bladder x


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## princess2406

I found egg collection more uncomfortable than painful. Everybody's experience of this is diefferent, I was mildley sedated and given gas & air to use where as I know there are some ladies on here who have been asleep so didn't feel a thing. For me it was over in 20mins and I was abit sore after for a few days. 
Embryo transfer is 5 minutes and I didn't feel and pain or discomfort at all.

Good luck x


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## BethK

I was knocked out for EC so didn't feel anything, was uncomfortable when i came round the first two times and the third time i was in agony when i woke up.

When they transfered the embryos i found it very uncomfortable and quite painful all 3 times as you're completely awake.


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## Tinker16

Hi
I have wanted to know the sane thing and
was just wondering do you have to be put out for 
egg collection, I have never had any ops & have a bit
of a phobia of being put out? 
Thanks xx


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## africaqueen

Tinker16 said:


> Hi
> I have wanted to know the sane thing and
> was just wondering do you have to be put out for
> egg collection, I have never had any ops & have a bit
> of a phobia of being put out?
> Thanks xx

Majority of clinics opt for sedation or deep sedation where you are asleep but breathing unaided, unlike GA which carries a risk due to having to breath artifically but i have had 2 GA's and i was fine. Like you i was terrified but i was fine and recovered quickly from both my surgeries. xxx


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## LizzB

Hi Princess,

I've had 2 egg collections and found it to be totally pain free. My clinic used propofol (don't let Michael Jackson put you off....!) to sedate you and it is a really lovely sleep. I felt a bit woozy afterwards for 5 - 10 minutes and then absolutely no pain afterwards. I even had a fire alarm go off and we had to vacate the building 15 minutes after I came round!

It obviously depends on your clinic, but mine explained that they use the sedative rather than traditional anesthetic because they can control it better, but it essentially has the same effect. Apparently they are constantly pumping the sedative through you and stop when it's time to wake up (which takes a couple of minutes) whereas with anesthetic they use a specific amount in one injection.

Honestly, I have had 2 IVF's and there has been no point where I have said I have had any real pain. The worst thing about ET is the fact that you have to have a full bladder! I'm currently on my 2WW.

Sometimes the expectation is far greater than what actually happens, don't drive yourself too nuts, it really is fine.

Good luck.

Liz x


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## africaqueen

Lizz- Good luck for your 2ww and thanks for putting my mind at rest too as we start IVF in the summer and i am scared too xxx


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## princess_1991

thankyou liz, hope everything goes well in your 2ww and you get your bfp xx


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## psp2011

EC, I was put out, something through the IV to relax and a mask and then I fell asleep. I was only mildly crampy after, not much at all. For ET it's much like a pap smear except the full bladder which is the most uncomfortable part.
No big deal for either one! Relax! The constant poking is a bit worse than either procedure, but no big deal after you do a few. All of it is worth it though as I have my son IVF #1 and I would do it over and have!


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## psp2011

Princess, just to reiterate, I had my EC today and only very mild cramping. I feel great, just a bit tired. Thought you'd like to know!


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## princess_1991

thanks psp, thats great, hope everything goes well for you this cycle, will have my fingers crossed for you!! xx


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## spidergirl

Hi ladies hope you are all ok and don't mind me joining in. I have been reading what you have all wrote and is really good advise. I am having my egg collection on Wednesday i am both nervous and excited as unsure what to expect put am feeling much better now i have read your comments xx


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## princess_1991

hope your egg collection went well spidergirl, hopeing you get your BFP x


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## Ame

I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting this. IVF is our only option and I have read a lot of info but its so nice to hear first hand what to expect. Thanks again and good luck to everyone.


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## spidergirl

Hi everyone and thank you princess 1991, just letting you know my egg collection went well i didn't feel a thing. I don't remember any thing and with in about half an hour later they said i could go home as i was up and walking around. Hope all goes well for everyone got every thing crossed that you all get your BFP xx


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## princess_1991

glad everything went well for you spidergirl, when will you have your egg transfer?? xx


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## Flake-y

I had a sedation for EC, & I don't remember a thing after they put the needle in the back of my hand! Woke up in the recovery bit & had a bit of cramping but they gave me co-codamol & voltarol & it took the pain away completely. Had no pain or cramping at all after that.

ET was fine, pain-free although felt slightly uncomfortable later on that night.

Lots of luck for all ladies going through EC or ET!!!


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## spidergirl

Hi princess they only got 2 eggs so i had a 2 day transfer so that would be friday the 3rd of June. They only put one back as only one egg fertilised but it only takes one so keeping hopeful lol. I will take my test to see if worked on fathers day so have my fingers crossed xx


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## dreamofabean

Hey all,
I had ec yesterday and thought I'd share my experience!
I was sedated but totally aware of what was going on! Sounds scary but was pretty cool! Saw them draining the follicles n could see the test tube things filling up! They passed them straight through the window and they shouted out each tone they got an egg! 
It didn't hurt but was uncomfortable. At one stage the needle clogged up and that hurt as they kept trying to drain the same follie.
It honestly wasn't as bad as I had feared. I'm still tender today but not in agony, just like period pains! 
Good luck everyone xx


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## Bepaisley

Thanks for this thread, I'm very afraid of the ec part of ivf but feel better reading this...what would you all say is the worse Part of the whole ivf process?


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## dreamofabean

I can't comment on it all as I only had ec yesterday but so far for me, the worse part was waiting to get started!!! I felt better once I got started x


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## princess_1991

thanks for the advice ladies, and dreamofabean got me FX'd that you get very healthy embies for a sticky bean xx


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## jojett

Im starting the ivf process after my july cycle and I am very scared... this post made me less scared! so THANK YOU!!! I am more afraid that it isnt going to work.. my DH wants me to stay positive which I am trying to do! Any thoughts or experiences that I could try to focus on to stay on the positive side.. I have stage 4 endometriosis with swollen tubes... (hence the IVF) thanks~ and good luck to those trying thru IVF too :dust:


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## princess_1991

bepaisley i havent even started mine yet but all ready know the worst parts gunna be the waiting lol, im very impatient!! xx


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## Bepaisley

Lol same here I haven't started yet and am already thinking about how hard the 2ww will be lol


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## jojett

When do you all start your IVF now that the financing is starting I am needing some IVF buddies... :friends::friends::friends:
:dust: :dust:


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## Bepaisley

I'm supp to start soon but waiting on my insurance to confirm approval. My first scan is Monday but if they don't respond by then I have to wait another month :( hope to buddy up with u!


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## DanielsMummy

Hi :hi: for me egg retrieval and egg replacement didn't hurt at all. I have had 2 cycles of IVF and both times during egg retrieval I was put to sleep. I hated the thought but the thought is so much worse than reality. They inject you in the hand and you just drift off to sleep then wake up in recovery. You will probably need to relax and take it easy for a few days afterwards. Egg replacement didn't hurt me it was just uncomfortable as you have to have a full bladder. Again you will no doubt need to relax and take it easy for a few days afterwards. The worse part of IVF I found was the 2ww. It's really not that bad so don't worry and good luck :thumbup:


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## jojett

Bepaisley said:


> I'm supp to start soon but waiting on my insurance to confirm approval. My first scan is Monday but if they don't respond by then I have to wait another month :( hope to buddy up with u!

If you dont mind me asking where are you and how in the world do you get insurance to cover IVF? please FILL me in!:dust:


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## Bepaisley

I'm in the US, Virginia...my husbands insurance covers up to 25k in fertility treatment which is great cuz we could not afford all this right now! Actually some states have a mandate that require 6 ivf cycles covered so an hour from where we live is Md at they have that requirement. I told my husband after this we need to move there! Everything is so expensive! Where r u located? Also they have me starting BCP tonight so maybe we will be cycling closely?


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## jojett

Bepaisley- I am in Southern California... I would love to know the insurance name.. I need to figure something out... I am suppose to be starting... money is tight for us and time is not on our side.. I have stage 4 endometriosis and my oncologist here says that if i am not pregnant soon I may need to have a hysterectomy and that is NOT even one bit okay with me... I am 27 years old:growlmad:
I have been trying to research it online but I am so horrible with googling... thats how i found this site.. lol i was googling how to pay for ivf and it brought me here.. :haha:
I might be moving to virginia lol


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## Kirei

I couldn't feel the egg collection, and the sedation was quick and painless too, just try to relax.


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## Bepaisley

Jojett- Maryland has the mandate where they have to cover infertility, see if there are any states close to u that have a similar madate? My insurance is united healthcare, but I think coverage depends on your employer not the insurance. I used to have my healthcare through my job and they covered 5k which when I first started seemed like a lot and I quickly learned it was nothing! They suspected me of endometriosis also and wanted to do a lap which wasnt gonna get covered, luckily it was open enrollment at my husbands company, and even better was the amount of coverage they gave! I'm so jealous of the Maryland ppl though haha, they get 6 free ivf cycles covered! Start applying down here :)


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## Bepaisley

Btw r they going to remove ur endo before starting any procedures? I heard the first few months after it is removed is the most ideal time to start anythig...


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## jojett

I had surgery in september...and now we are finally at a point where we can almost afford it ...:haha: who am i kidding... we had to down grade our house... moved to where it was cheaper annnnd have only one car..(my husband just has his work truck:sad1: but i guess you do what you have to to have a family.. or at least try. 
I am sure my RE will want to do a quick lap to see if it is all back and if it is clean me up a bit... my tubes are swollen and inflamed.. but i want them to do another hsg test to see if they are actually blocked.. ughh!!! the joys of infertility and how it takes over our lives. :cry:


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## Bepaisley

Aww sorry, that's tough. Does ur RE offer loans or is that not an option. I figured as a backup we could try to get approved for financing through the RE, but how bad would it be to take out this huge loan u have to pay monthly if it doesn't work?! Ugh really does suck, I hope everything works out for u soon!!


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## labmommy

Hey girls. I also have stage 4 endo and start IVF next cycle. So BC will start in July. I am in IL. We also have mandated coverage in this state but because I am a teacher in a public school district they went through a loophole. The policy is district is self insured so they don't have to cover any treatments, just diagnosis of a problem. They did cover the lap though and all my bloods and ultrasounds.


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## Bepaisley

What about ur husbands job? If you're on his insurance won't they cover you? That loophole sux! If u can get coverage under him maybe u can switch...love ur name labmommy :)


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## labmommy

He had united healthcare and that covered like 1500 for him. Like that would do anything! Then he got laid off in Dec. And is now selfemployed and under my policy.


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## jojett

Labmommy so glad you found us on here.. Did they say you have tubal blockage? i am such a nut! I am so excited to have girlies to talk to on here...


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## labmommy

I'm excited as well! I hope to be a mommy to more than my lab! Lol 
I have endo on one tube andfine adhesions on the other. There were adhesions on the fimbria too. Basically my eggs are probably not making it into the tubes. One tube is slightly better than the other but if it does make it in there is a chance of having an ectopic if it gets stuck. Boo to endo.
When are you ladies starting your BC? Have you had your levels checked?


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## jojett

I have my initial appointment on june23 to go over EVERYTHING... I am ovualting now! so that is good told my DH to have a pep talk with his men(who have yet to be checked *June23!!!) this is there last shot! so we have been :sex::sex::sex: ALOT! I am a little scared to be honest! what if it doesnt work and We are left with a bill of 9000K... UGHHH! I feel like moving to a different state!!!!! glad that I made some :friends::friends: on here, I am sure my DH is getting tired of hearing me talk about all this.. He is very supportive thru it all but I know he is tired of talking about it! I just wish I was pregnant!!! I am WISHING AND PRAYING for a :bfp: this month... miracles happen riight???


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## Bepaisley

I hope u do get ur bfp before having to start...I hear those stories all the time, getting a bfp while waiting to start ivf...unfortunately I didn't get that lucky. I started my BCP last night, getting nervous and excited, also scared it won't work...please god let this work for all of us!!!


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## jojett

I will be praying for you!!! and I know we will get:bfp: 's and I have heard amazing stories about acupucture before your ER and after!! Have you started a journal on here... I am tempted to! But am waiting till I start my BCP


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## Bepaisley

Ugh &#8211; I wrote the longest post through my phone and it got deleted&#8230;let me try again!
I have heard good things about acupuncture also, now that you reminded me I&#8217;m going to ask my RE next time I go in. I know on his website they say they offer acupuncture at the office but he has never mentioned it, but I&#8217;m going to do everything possible to try to get pregnant this first round, cuz its going to use up all our money! And if it doesn&#8217;t work I&#8217;ll have to wait so long to try again L
I hadn&#8217;t thought about starting a journal till you mentioned it. I have reasons to do it and not to do it. You girlies have offered me so much support and knowledge through all this. I love reading the posts and journals to learn and also feel like im not alone. My husband tries his best but he cant understand the way you all do! The reason I think not to start one is because I feel as though I get so much anxiety/stress from this all, that I try not to get TOO invested in it, and I really feel that everyone would offer me great support, which is good and bad&#8230;I just don&#8217;t want to get my hopes up. I think maybe I&#8217;ll stick to posting questions when I have them and random updates to ppl I&#8217;ve been keeping up with and have been keeping up with me. I def think journals are a great idea, I just don&#8217;t know if I can handle it&#8230;


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## jojett

I def. understand where you are coming from with the journal.. It is difficult. I am so invested in this and I haven't even started the big process.
I believe that it is going to work for you, the money issue is so hard we are all in the same boat. I am now recently unemployed too. So this is a crazy rollercoaster! My ob and oncol. say I need to be prego asap in order to not have the hysterectomy or else we would wait a bit to do it.. keep up with me I dont want to lose you guys!:)


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## Bepaisley

I def will! I have heard that getting pregnant pretty much resolves the endo problem, but with the endo it's so hard to get pregnant! So cruel!! Trying to stay positive also, I'll keep you all updated, next Tuesday is my mock transfer and is also when I'll get my schedule of meds so I'll keep you updated to help u prepare, hopefully you are right behind me!


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## jojett

Dear GOD I hope so too!!! Im so new to this what is a mock transfer?


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## Bepaisley

So am I, trust me! I still don't know what down regging and stimming is but gotta learn soon! I just learned what a mock transfer was when they scheduled me. Basically u go in with a full bladder and they do a sono while inserting a catheter, it's to map out your uterus ahead of time I guess to know where exactly to put the embryos back. Supp to be similar to an iui/pap


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