IVF with intralipids, steroids, aspirin and heparin...?!?! Anyone else?

[GillAwaiting]

Hey folks, yes I finally plucked up the courage to put up a ticker. It took a lot of nerve. I still haven't told some people Im pregnant. Afraid of my life. The private scan we went for was a relief. The lady even gave us a dvd with the scan on it! We didn't know they did that until we were leaving and she said to hold on while she put the dvd in a box. Now Im afraid to look at it though..

I since got a cheap little doppler thing on the internet and I tell ya, it's helped sooo much. They are not recommended for ladies because I think doctors think we will ignore problems but to be honest, we use it just for me to know that the baby is still there. With missed miscarriages, the baby has died but you don't know for weeks after. I don't want to go through that again. My DH has been having great fun listening to his own heartbeat. Its fascinating. First time I ever heard my own heartbeat and it turns out its a triple beat one. It sounds totally different to the bambino's. Weird!

Off most of the drugs now. Have been taking half progesterone suppositories for a few days and Im going to move on to 1/3 for three days and then that's it. Im going off it. Only other thing is aspirin. Have booking apt tomorrow at hospital so will ask them about it.

Have had some really strange problems with my legs the last few days and Im wondering if it has anything to do with coming off the steroids. It came on really suddenly. I said it to a nurse friend of mine and she said the steroids can mess up your calcium. Will talk to dr about it. It kinda feels like my arthritis is back worse than ever but only in legs and hands. The other weird thing is that the hair on my face seems to have taken a mad growth spurt and doubled in facial area. Here's hoping it disappears soon

Still sick as a parrot. Different sick though. It all went away for a brief few days. It was bliss! Then the horrific heartburn and indigestion kicked in. Indigestion to the point of nausea. I tried everything. All the diet changes, liquid changes, antiacids, liquid antiacids. The whole shebang. This evening out of sheer desperation I bought some ginger root and put some in boiling water to make basic ginger tea. It actually have me some relief. I can't believe it.

Think that's all the updates from me. My DH is in Florida at a family reunion. They are coming from all over. He hasn't seen them in so long. I was supposed to go but consultant said No way, too long a flight. Will be a lonely week There's my novel. How's everyone else? Any updates? Anyone do anything wild for Valentines Day?

 

[_Nell]

Gill you still sound to be having a rough time in the 2nd tri, but it'll all be worth it in the end

No updates from me because I'm still just waiting to get started. I got a UTI for valentines day

 

[Reb S]

Nell - boo hoo! That's not a great present! Gill - I hope you feel better soon, gosh what a journey! x

 

[Lou32]

Hi everyone. Wow Gill, not been on here in a while and it's great to read things are still going well for you. Blimey, not liking the sound of that facial hair though eek! Not looking forward to steroids at all...
Well, we postponed a month because I've been having terrible pain from a corpus luteum cyst. The hosp didn' t really seem all that bothered but I didn' t feel comfortable going ahead with the pain. They didnt seem to think it could cause pain but it bloody does! My gp was close to sending me to A& E witn suspected appendicitis cos it got so bad. Anyway, it has eased a bit so really hoping to get going in about 3 weeks.
Hope everyone doing well. Nell - is everything ok with you?
Xxx

 

[_Nell]

Gill - I can't believe your still so sick, I though the 2nd tri was meant to be easier....poor you. I'm sorry you weren't allowed to fly....is that an immunes related thing? I've not heard of it before tbh.

Reb - Hi , how are you doing?

Lou - Hi, good to hear from you. Sorry you delayed a month - I'd have done the same. I get painful corpus luteums some cycle, oddly only on my right side so like you worry I could be ignoring apendicitus. Not much happening with me, I have a UTI (thought it was an IC flare but turns out not) AB's haven't budged it so starting a 2nd round.....not sure if this will delay my stimms cycle which was due to be next cycle.

 

[GillAwaiting]

Hi folks, i just had a read back, Reb has a cold, Lou has a cyst and Nell has a UTi! How are you all doing??? Are ye all feeling any better at all? I want you all to hurry up and get pregnant so someone else can have a moan here for a change instead of me!! Im dying to hear what effects the drugs have you guys too. Hairy monsters all over the thread!

I had booking in apt. 5 hours in the hospital. Lordy!!! They booked me in to see an endocrinologist tomorrow. Not sure why. Was afraid to ask any questions of the midwife because I'd still be there with her. She was so slow!! It took an entire hour for her to go through my history and get it on their computer system. They must not be too used to people coming from fertility treatment, she hadn't even heard of ICSI. Scary. I think they booked me in for this guy tomorrow for the antibodies. Will be interesting to see what comes out of it. I'll come back on here and fill you in. Any of you guys ever seen an endocrinologist?

 

[Reb S]

Nope, don't even know what one is...let us know - sounds interesting, hope it's not making you nervous!
AFM, I e-mailed my consultant and said - I've been so unwell, can you tell me what side effects to expect from the meds and she replied - no, I can't possibly do that in an e-mail, you'll have to book another (£150) consultation' COW. Stuff that, I thought - Gill can tell me everything! xx

 

[_Nell]

Gill - I guess midwives are used to slow 19hour labours so not good at ding stuff in a hurry! I expect the endicronologist is because you've had immunes....I bet they're not sure what/if they should be doing anything for you and so are hoping he will know......but from everything i've read beyond the first try immunes ladies just get treated like regularly preggers ladies so I wouldn't have thought he'll do much - especially since the nhs don't really believe in immunes treatment with ivf!.
AFM - thanks for asking, still got UTI, stubborn one, trying a different AB this week instead.

Reb - is this the immunes meds your asking for side effects from? Save yourself the money hun and google for the drug data sheets.....your Dr won't tell you anything different to what's on them (they are worst case scenario though and always a scary read!).

 

[Reb S]

Thanks Nell - I decided the money-grabbing consultant was rich enough and I'm going to follow your advice! x

 

[GillAwaiting]

Hi everyone, Nell you were right about the endocrinologist and the health service. It was almost funny. Im in Ireland so its the good old HSE over here. Waaaaay worse than the NHS!! So I went in to the apt, and he was looking at me and I was looking at him and neither of us knew what I was there for!! i told him I didnt know what an endo guy does and he said thyroid and hormones. I think you are right. In reality, nobody knew where to put me so they started with him. Anyway, he said thyroid is fine (which I already knew, its going to go bonkers in far off future but its grand now). After lunch I went to second apt with consultant except it was his underling. They decided not to put me in high risk unit but to see me more often than the norm so Im back in 4 weeks. I started to lose the cool when he suggested that a c section may not be needed. i trust my fertility cons completely, she's seen my insides so much and if she said section, then section it is. Also Im only 4ft 11 and not usually too chunky (except recently with the steroids!). He said the decision would be made when I meet the consultant so I will be having a hissy fit if I dont get in to see him the next time. I gathered they are just afraid of getting sued by women who suffer from some after effects and I told him we would sign all the papers they could throw at us.

So there you go. Health service. They don't even do an anomaly scan which baffles me. Surely the sooner they know about a problem the better??

We discussed aspirin as Im still on it and he said its only useful for the first few months unless there is a thrombosis problem. I've have those tests (no thanks to the HSE, that was all privately paid for, they only do those tests after 3 miscarriages, I lost the cool with them over that one back then, it went like "we don't have the luxury of being able to get pregnant (hubby no sperm) so how are we going to have another miscarriage to find out?" ) so I know there are no thrombosis probs. So tomorrow is the last aspirin and that's it. Im nervous as hell.

Reb that consultant sounds like a right sod. Shame on them. Imagine wanting you to come in for a consultation. Nell is right, thank goodness for the internet. Apart from all the concrete facts, sometimes people on threads know more about what's really going on than the doctors.

 

[Lou32]

Hi all. I'm on my phone again so will try post properly over the weekend, but just wanted to say hope youre all well. Nell, only just noticed a PM from you from Jan! I really need to sort my settings out so I get emailed when I receive a PM. So sorry to hear about your UTI and the ABs not working. Boy do I know how that feels!!
Will post soon!
X

 

[Reb S]

Off to Korea and China for 12 days for work (yuk) so might not get internet access. Love to all x

 

[GillAwaiting]

Off to Korea and China for 12 days for work (yuk) so might not get internet access. Love to all x

That sounds like a cool job!

 

[Reb S]

Hi Gill, I've found some internet and I'm online at 3 am with jet lag. Beijing is covered with a vile orange smog - really hideous! I'm escaping the city tomorrow to get away from the smell. Hope you're doing ok x

 

[GillAwaiting]

Hi Gill, I've found some internet and I'm online at 3 am with jet lag. Beijing is covered with a vile orange smog - really hideous! I'm escaping the city tomorrow to get away from the smell. Hope you're doing ok x

I was in Bejing a decade ago with ex-hubby. The smog was bad then so I can't imagine how much worse it must be now. Lots of fascinating stuff there so so I hope you are having a good time and not working round the clock.

 

[GillAwaiting]

Gill - I guess midwives are used to slow 19hour labours so not good at ding stuff in a hurry! I expect the endicronologist is because you've had immunes....I bet they're not sure what/if they should be doing anything for you and so are hoping he will know......but from everything i've read beyond the first try immunes ladies just get treated like regularly preggers ladies so I wouldn't have thought he'll do much - especially since the nhs don't really believe in immunes treatment with ivf!.
AFM - thanks for asking, still got UTI, stubborn one, trying a different AB this week instead.

Reb - is this the immunes meds your asking for side effects from? Save yourself the money hun and google for the drug data sheets.....your Dr won't tell you anything different to what's on them (they are worst case scenario though and always a scary read!).

Any joy yet?

 

[Reb S]

Hello ladies - Day 2 of downreg! I finally did it. How's it going with you guys?

 

[GillAwaiting]

Hello ladies - Day 2 of downreg! I finally did it. How's it going with you guys?

That's great news. All fingers crossed now. Do keep us posted how it's going and share the details! It's all fascinating stuff.

Things seem to be ok for us. We had anomaly scan yesterday and got a really detailed examination of the baby. So far all is well. Im crippled with arthritis and acid indigestion but hey! As long as bambino is ok I dont care what suffering there is. Still terrified. We choose not to find out the sex. Im afraid to get too attached to be honest. Starting to feel the odd flutter now too. Really weird.

 

[GillAwaiting]

I should have added that my doc told me the steroids could have contributed to the bad acid indigestion. Apparently they can mess up your stomach and throat. Might explain why its been bad from about 12 weeks.

 

[Reb S]

Blimey Gill, sounds like you're having a hard time. How come you've got arthritis? Is that something you had anyway? I had a bout of arthralgia once and it was agony - poor you x