DH's and EPU, what happens?

Just wondering what does everyone's DH/DP do during and after their EPU?
I was looking at our clinic's website and it says that carers/family members have to wait on the first floor while you are on the 4th floor.
This sounds like DH can't come and sit with me when I wake up?
Do you guys wait in recovery until given the ok to leave?
What is the go with everyone else's clinic?
Will be making a phone call later on in the week to (hopefully) confirm our cycle and will ask all these questions as well :)

Nic

Nic, I think every clinic does it differently.

For us, EPUs are done at the day hospital. DH had to bring his sample from home with him, and one of the embryologists from the clinic collected it from him. DH stayed with me until I walked into theatre, and then he waited in the hospital for them to call him that I was out.

DH was able to come and see me in recovery, but only after I woke up. He needed to help me dress and was then able to sit with me in the lounge once I was moved from the bed until we were given clearance to be able to go home.

I think it all depends on whether the EPU is done under general or only under a local anaesthetic. Mine was under general, and he was with me until the last possible moment, and back with me ASAP.

BW

For me. Whilst I was having EPU, DH was downstairs giving his sample. Then he went for a walk along the shops for a while and came back to wait for me in the lounge, where I went after I woke up for a cuppa, sandwich and to relax for a while before we left.

EPU is done under GA at my clinic so DH's not allowed in, but I know of some places that just use local anaesthetic and DH's can watch the whole procedure.
In my case, DH was able to stay with me until I was taken to theatre. He then would have to go and give his sample and then he could wait in the lounge area just outside of recovery. He wasn't allowed in recovery, but once I was up to it I was taken out to the lounge where we could have some lunch and a cuppa and wait until I was allowed to go.

I chose to be awake and watch my EPU - DH was allowed to come in but chose not to (chicken!!).

He went and gave his sample then came back around to the lounge while I had something to eat and drink and went home half an hour later.

Wow, sounds like our was completely different. I was awake for the entire procedure with sedation. Aaron sat next to me holding my hand, watching as they were draining the follicles & seeing the little eggies on the screen as the embryologist sorted through the liquid. Afterwards I was shuffled to a recliner chair & wheeled out to recovery. He was sitting with me there & after I was feeling a bit better (I fainted), he went upstairs for his sample. I then had to stay for about another 45 minutes to make sure I was ok after fainting.

From what I read on all the information booklets, SIVF only do GA if it's really necessary, like if the sedation isn't enough or the mum is too stressed.

Wow, so many variations. I will definately have to write out another list of questions to ask when I ring to pay for the cycle.
Just went through the clinic paperwork and it says for pick up that you are anaesthetized, and that you can expect to be awake and dressed within an hour or two with another hour or so before going home.
Thanks for all your replies :)

Nic

Nic ours was done under a light GA too. DH was with me till I went into theatre and then went upstairs to give his sample (usually this can be done at home but we had too far to travel so did ours at the clinic upstairs).

He was allowed to come in to recovery when I woke up and sat with me in the lounge while I had a cup of tea, some juice and biscuits etc then we went home.

Hi Nic,

Mine was also like Sarah_H. DH was in the surgery room with me, and I have to tell you I am big chciken with needles, but once sedated, no problems at all. It doens't hurt.

I have heard that in Japan, women don't have anything sedation. They have EPU with no drugs. That is very brave of these women, but no way without drugs I will be able to do this. I have done this procedure 4 times and haven't been in much pain at all.

Yikes Max, that's scary!

Hi
Hopefully if my follies have a growth spurt over the next few days we will have our EPU on next Monday or Tuesday.
Our clinic generally does EPU under a 'twighlight' anthestic - like a light sedation.
Just wondering about other peoples experience of EPU under light sedation.
Our clinic said I will be awake and will be able to watch the screen but when it is all over I won't really remember anything.
I really want just the sedation, so my partner can be with me, but I am starting to feel a little bit anxious about it, so any advice would be great.
Thanks

Belin that's what I had & I remember everything. The sedation made me a bit sleepy but that was all. When I was in recovery I was dozing on & off because of it, but I definitely remember what happened. Before I went in one of the nurses said the sedation was like a glass of wine, knocks some people on the floor but others can have a bottle & be fine. During the procedure the Dr said, "looks like it's time for another glass of wine" as he topped up the sedation a bit!!

Sarah_H did you find the EPU painful?
I think I am a bit anxious because about 12 mths ago when I had a hysteogram thingy (the scan where they check that your fallopian tubes are clear by mointoring how fast& freely fluid flows out of them) it was incredibly painful, and I ended up quite ill from the pain. Though normally I can tolerate pain OK.
Think I will chat to our nurse a bit more tomorrow when I go for another scan to check the size of my follies.

The actual egg collection wasn't painful at all because of the local anaesthetic they put on your ovaries, so that wasn't a problem. By the time I was in recovery, about 5 minutes after it was finished I was in a bit of pain, nothing worse than period pains really but I was given a heat pack which was quite good. I had the collection on Wednesday & was fine to go to work on the Friday (I don't work Thursday but if I did I would have had the day off). I was in a bit of pain up until about lunch time Saturday, so pretty well 3 days after, but it wasn't anything I needed panadol for just an annoying ouchy feeling.

I haven't had the hystogram one, so can't compare sorry.

HTH

Hi Nic,

It sounds like you're with QFG. I am also. Hubbies are allowed in to recovery briefly, but if they run out of room in the (sitting recovery area where you spend most of your time) they will kick the hubby out.

QFG don't do sedation, only GA for EPU. You'll be woken lying down, stay there and monitored for a while, then moved to the sitting recovery.

For my EPU, I told hubby to go home and wait and come back with his sample and drop it off, then he went home again until I was ready to go home.

For Transfer, hubby goes in with you and holds your hand and you're 100% awake. It's the quickest and nicest part of the whole IVF process if you ask me!

xo

Soozie, thanks so much for the info about QFG :)

Nic