i've only been to EPU once and thankfully it wasn't a nightmare like BW's. in all honesty, it wasn't too bad at all.

like most other people here, it was done under a general - but the general isn't the deep general you'd have for a major op, more a heavy sedation. in all honesty i'm not sure if it IS a true general as the paperwork just says sedation... anyhoot, i was sleeping peacefully!

i turned up at the hospital, took DH's sample (collected at home) up to day surgery, and got told they were running ahead of time, so down to check in, then back up to surgery, whisked into the cubicle that contained my day surgery bed, then it was chaos. FS, nurse and anesthetist all trying to do their thing at the same time (at least i was only asked the questions once!) - i'd not met the FS before as he was filling in while my FS was on leave. i was having blood pressure check while everyone was on my case, and of course it came back high - both the nurse and the FS said "well, what do you expect, we're stressing her out!" quick change into the surgical gown, which they asked me to not put on properly as they always end up removing one arm for the bp cuff and iv, so it's basically just there to cover your boobs!

i was taken into the operating theatre on my bed, and moved to the surgical table from there. anesthetist put the iv into my arm midway between my wrist and elbow. i don't know if this is standard in other areas, but locally it seems to be the way they do it. i've found it to be quite good cos you can still move hand and elbow with it in there! i was introduced to the scientist before i went under, which was great too - she was really nice, and explained what her role would be (i remember her talking, but not sure i could tell you the exact process now!)

i woke up in recovery to pretty ordinary stomach upset - i have IBS and stress flares it up. seems that all the poking and prodding of my ovaries did too. i was very alert coming out of the anesthetic, which is normal for me. told the nurse i needed the loo and she kept saying it was just a feeling of pressure from the EPU. i ended up being more then blunt with her, telling her i knew my body more than she ever would, and when i need the loo, i need the loo! she offered me a bed pan (ummm NO!), and i said i'd wait til she could get me to the loo. didn't take long for them to realise i was alert enough to go back, and i took myself off to the loo. after that, i had minimal pain. i was offered pain meds - panadol, or panadeine forte. i find panadol useless, and panadeine forte too strong for what i was feeling - but they didn't offer straight panadeine, so i went and just had one forte.

DH was waiting for me when i came out of surgery, which was great. was there when we found out egg numbers etc. he sat with me while i ate some food (and ate the sandwiches that were yukky! lol), had a drink - and then took me home. was uncomfy for a day or two, but it was just like nasty AF aches. wasn't too bad at all really...

hoping you get a reasonably easy EPU like mine hun!