IVF - Let me tell you...

Good luck for today Evolsen - hope to hear how it went once you are up and about.

Hey there, yeah good luck and keep us posted with how you get along, its good to read the real story and not the cold sterile description of these sort of things as they appear on the internet etc..
This could be the only way we can try for bubs too, so real interested in the process

Hi All. First of all - thank you so much for all your best wishes and crossing of fingers, toes etc.!!!

What a week/weekend it's been - full of ups and downs...

After almost giving up hope I wasn't looking forward to Friday - egg collection - at all. This procedure was my biggest horror of all, for obvious reasons: we all can think of nicer things to do than sit on this horrible chair exposing our most private bits to the world... Plus, catheters, tubes, big needles etc - not my thing...

For all those that don't want to read the whole blurb about the procedure - I got FOUR eggs in the end and three of which got fertilised and developed properly waiting for implantation this morning!

Anybody who's interested in the details - here it comes:

What an amazing experience it has been so far!

When we first got to the clinic, the nurse prepared me by putting a canula into my arm for the sedation lateron. Not nice, but ok - once you get over the mind thing that you have some sort of straw-like needle in your arm... (which I'm not usually good at)

Then the embryologist talked to us - this was a bit of a shocker - he came in and said "well, so we're here today to collect ONE egg." I was a bit put down by that thinking "Hey, yesterday it was possibly three..." Anyway, he answered all my questions and he did then say that of course they would go for as many eggs as possible. He also told me that he will probably use the ICSI method for fertilisation (confirmed by the doctor who joined us at that moment). I think my hormon levels weren't that great so they decided this was the best thing to do - suited me well. He also told me he would ring me on Saturday and Sunday to let me know the progress and day/time for implantation.

Next thing I'm in the theatre. Not as glary and horrible as I imagined it. THE chair was nice and low and in the upright position when I first got on. Somehow that made a difference...

I knew they use a slight sedative to calm you down. However, I had never been drugged with a sedative before and hence I was very sceptical that it would actually work on ME. But, gee - I didn't feel drugged at all, thought I was fully there. Just a little dizzy in my head, but as I was lieing down now it didn't matter. And the procedure started.

I must say at this point the staff at FA in Wellington is just amazing. So supportive and warm-hearted at all times! And this particular morning was no different. The doctor and nurse were in excellent spirit lifting mine with that. Suddenly - and it was probably due to the sedative as well - I didn't feel scared, worried or anything anymore. It was incredible.

They used the same type of probe that is used for doing scans - which I personally don't find as uncomfortable as a thin tube - attached to that a long needle (husband's report) and at the other end a tube with a little container at the end with a pink fluid.

So as far as I know they put the needle through the uterus wall into the ovary and then into a follicle. Then they flush the follicle with the pink fluid and then draw the fluid into the little container. This container is then taken by the nurse to the room next door where the embryologist checks if they managed to extract an egg. If not the process gets repeated. All I remember is the voice from the other room "Yep, got one!", "Yes, got another one", "No, didn't get one, try again." - highly entertaining (I thought at the time).

So in the end we managed to get four eggs!! Which was one more than I thought we'd get and THREE more than the embryologist was hoping for in the morning.

I was so relieved and happy!

The rest of the day was nice and cruisy - breakfast at a café on the beach (you can't eat or drink for six hours before the procedure) and taking it really easy.

On Saturday the embryologist rang us at 8.30am to tell us that he managed to fertilise three of my four eggs. I was so happy - didn't expect to be so lucky again! And then on Sunday the call that all three eggs had developed properly and that implantation is scheduled for 11am on Monday - today! So with any luck, we have three embryos waiting there for us. We haven't decided whether we put one or two embryos back in - will talk to the doctor and embryologist about that this morning.

So there. Got this far - and am much happier than I thought I'd be. Ready for the last step! Will keep you all posted on the progress...

Wow, sounds amazing Evolsen, thanks for sharing that with us and all the best with your implantation. Stick little embryos stick!

All the very best wishes from me too, we are all thinking of you -

Well done Evolsen! 8 cell embryos on day 3 is basically your perfect scenario! My 8 cell embryo is now a week away from being born. Can't wait to hear the outcome in two weeks time! I'm guessing your test date will be the 10th of August?

Yes the two week wait seems like the longest and most tedious of the entire process. But you've done the hard work, so just keep yourself occupied with fun stuff for the next two weeks and the 10th Aug will be here before you know it.

Crossing fingers and toes for you Evolsen!

Stick little embryos, stick!!

Yay Evolsen!!!!

im so excited for you
we have 5 waiting for us
I have a defrost happening next week
i cant wait :)

(((hug)))
thinking of you

Thanks so much for all the details, its soo good for a newbie like me to read all of this and get prepared for my first try.
How come they put two back? I've been told they will only put 1 back?
Did you take any time of work throughout and did you feel like you needed to rest after the retrieval or the implantation?
Did you do anything like acupuncture as well throughout too ...
Sorry for all the questions!!!
Hope your two weeks are flying by!!