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If you've read my story in the monthly thread, then you'd know I'm about to join the IVF gang.
Well, having done IUIs I can imagine what the transfers are like but keep thinking about the egg pick up.
Please tell the good, bad & ugly (I want them all) about your experiences to give me a bit of insight.
Thanks heaps in advance.
*Tam*
They do things differently from clinic to clinic, but at Concept, they knock you out completely. They sit me down when I get there and give me detailed instructions on what I need to do over the next few days (like when to call, what I can and can't do, when to take my antibiotics/pessaries etc) They then wheel me into the theatre, put my legs in stirrups, I feel the needle in the back of my hand, and the next thing I know, I'm in the day surgery ward with DH next to me.
They usually would have told him how many eggs they retrieved and when I've had something to eat and feel steady on my feet, they send me home to rest.
I'm sore in the nether regions and belly for a few days after, the evening of the EPU being the worst, and getting better every day after (bit like a lap) By the transfer, you usually feel pretty much back to normal!
love
sushee
Tam,
I had mine at SIVF, and well, there you just get a bit of local anaesthetic injected into the side of your vagina and a bit of fentanyl, which makes you feel like you have had a few wines!!
The local stings a bit, but only the initial bit, and then you don't feel it.
The actual pick up you can watch on the U/S screen as they suck the fluid out of each follicle, and on the whole during the procedure I felt pressure and every now and then a sharp stabbing pain like if you stuck a needle in your finger.
After the procedure I was also sore in my nether regions as Sush put it, for about 2-3 days and that was about it.
A bit of spotting for a day after the procedure.
It is not the most comfortable thing in the world, but not the worst either.
I hope I have not put you off, but I was trying to be as honest as possible.
You will be fine, promise.
Oh, Gab, so it's Fentanyl that is put in the back of the hand? Can I ask your opinion - do you think it might not work for everyone? My experience was that it made me feel unpleasantly light-headed, but otherwise I felt the needle stabbing into the ovaries very acutely. On the SIVF website there is a story posted by a woman about the whole cycle (lucky her, she fell pg first go) and she said that the drugs made her not worry and forget about the pain. I didn't find it that way. I have to say, I don't drink alcohol at all (don't like the taste) and don't like the way alcohol makes me feel. Is it just me?!?!
Hey Sleebs, welcome back!!
Yep it is Fentanyl that they put up for us....
Nope it does not work for everybody, least of all because the dose required also varies immensely from person to person.
I think they had to give me the whole syringe full, starting off with 3mls and then one and one again... and there I think that I have a reasonably high pain tolerance....
I too felt like I was gonna be sick when they gave it to me, and unlike the lady on the web it did NOT make me forget the worry and anxiety. Plus I hate the 'drunk' feeling and that is exactly what I felt.....
The very first initial feeling was pretty nice though......
My hubby just wanted to know where was his!! LOL!!
Gee,
I'm starting to feel lucky that they knocked me out each time... I quite look forward to EPUs because I doze off and next thing I know I'm in a pink room with birds singing outside the window. Not a bad way to wake up...
love
sushee
LOL Sush!!!
Besides feeling like an absolute freak with my legs up in stirrups and 2 or 3 scientists/nurses in the room as well as my gyno chatting to me between my legs (hows work? nice weather....etc etc) whilst waiting for the anaesthetic to kick in, it wasn't much worse than a looong pap smear. I found it interesting to watch the eggs being sucked up and this distracted me from the uncomfortable feeling. Whenever I winced my Dr upped the drugs but I never really felt out of it - I could have gone home straight away. Plus my DH felt really sorry for me after seeing the massive needle he used and I was treated like a queen for a week after. You betcha I milked too!. But looking back I laugh at the pain - after all I gave birth to one of those little eggs 9.5 months later and bloody hell - now we're talking about pain!!!!
Well put Humphrey LOL!
Have to admit though, since it's been nearly 11 years since I last experienced labour pains, I have developed into a bit of a wuss since then....
love
sushee
At MIVF, Freemasons, it depends oin the anaethetist as to whether you stay away or not. For my first OPU, I was conscious right through and didn't experience much pain, other than a bit of uncomfortablness (??) when the needle went inot each follicle - more of a jabbing feeling that actual pain.
For my second, I started awake, but I felt the pain more acutely and I must have moved, so they knocked me out.
For my third, they just knocked me out straight away.
I had a different anaethetist for each OPU. DH was allowed into the surgery every time (even when I was knocked out from the word go) and was a great source of information when i came to!!
But I know in other hosptials that DH is not allowed into the surgery at all. Try to ge them to allow DH to go in with you. I think it is better than them waiting outside (unless of course, they are squeemish!!)
Hayseed
I'm also with MIVF and I was completely knocked out. DH was allowed to come in with me and before I knew it I woke up in recovery thinking I was just about to go in! Had a cup of tea and a sandwich and then went home and watched DVDs all afternoon. I had no pain whatsoever afterwards. Looking forward to doing it all again this month :roll:
Hi Guys,
Very timely thread for me. Since the appointment on Tuesday with the nurse, I am now feeling a bit anxious about the OPU. Mainly because she said I'll be conscious but I won't remember anything. I'm a bit confused. I don't know whether this means that I will know what's going on at the time or not. Am I going to be talking **** from my subconscious or what? Maybe I'll be better off being knocked out.
If this Fentanyl is what was given to me before the lap, it might explain why I don't remember anything about the tube being put down my throat or any of the other things. I have no memory of anything after "I'm just going to put this into your hand to relax you".
Gab ... you're the expert. Does that sound like Fentanyl?
Tam - how are you?
Mel - I wish that I had been conscious but remembered nothing of the EC!! If the drug for your lap was fentanyl then you're going to be pleasantly surprised for your EC as you'll be out of it!
At SIVF you can have the option of a general anaesthetic but it costs more and isn't the norm. I think I'm going to ask my doc NOT to use fentanyl for my next EC...it really didn't do anthing for me...not sure if I'd want to be out fully, either.
OMG this has scared the wits ;) out of me I am going to have to try and sleep on this now (Now 12.30am) . AS if I haven't lost enoguh sleep in last few days. But my DR at IVF said they give you sedation to relax you - nothing about general and or even local. :smt022
I now have questions to take to my nurse app. - so I am glad I read this post I HOPE !
But nothing compares to emotional pain I wallow in so I guess whatever you girls can do I can too ! Please don't let it hurt too much.
What else should you not tell me ?
It has been quiet in here over w/end I was away last night (SAT) camping (in campervan =D> ) at Lithgow and so damn cold it was how was everyone elses w/ends ?
Trish, I know what you mean. I can't believe I'm all het up over a sedative. I think it's a case for me of the brain needing something else to worry about in the absence of anything else.
Hope your camping trip was nice although Lithgow would be bloody cold this time of year!!
Sleeb - Thanks for the heads up. I really think it WAS Fentanyl which was given to me before the lap. The anaesthetist was saying that I might feel the tube going down my throat but I don't remember a thing! Sounds like my EPU is going to be equally oblivious.
Mel it was cold but campfire was cosy - only back cold.
At night the bonus was the stars looked so close you could reach up and touch them.
I am going to be asking lots of questions I think -
lets start a thread :smt102 - questions to ask our nurse or (NOT)
if it is not too scary :-s
:smt018
Hi girls, I didn't mean to scare you! It really wasn't that bad, I mean I'm up for another one ASAP and I'll actually be asking for LESS sedation than before. So it's really nothing to worry about. I just wish I was one of the lucky ones who have a lovely trip with the Fentanyl rather than just feel plain woozy.
Sal that 's okay - I didn't even know that about Fentanyl
I personally would actually rather know what I am up for - thanks for sharing -really you are helping
Better the devil you know .....
or else what a shock WT sorry can't add F - DH doesn't like me swearing ;) - I do when I am being a crazy ***** like with PMT
have to remind him if I get preg. it goes away.....
Tee hee! My sister used her pg as an excuse to be snaky for the whole nine months! Her poor DH just had to accommodate.
Sal - :smt023 see you changed your name -
I am thinking it might be handy to keep up my sleeve
men they can be so sweet but also bug you at times and then we need to have a secret weapon
'hormones' excuse
Trish,
"Hormonal" is my normal state of being.
I find it saves time.
Mel, I concur. Except when I'm on the stim drugs, then devil-woman seems to fit better.
love
sushee
I dont think I realised how the procedure varies from one clinic/state to the next.
I went through Chatswood IVF Australia with Dr Quinn & it was (looking back) quite good. I spent a few hours at Hunters Hill before the procedure & then was asked to strip down & taken up to the theatre. The anathesitist (I can never spell or say that word) introduced herself & I chatted with Dr Quinn. The needle went in & then I awoke a few hours later in recovery thinking "What am I doing out here? When will they start the procedure?"
Dr Quinn had written my egg number in bold blue pen on my hand (as promised) & then when I was wheeled back down to DH we were told that the lights had been dimmed, soft music was playing & all eggs, sperm were already aquainted.
I had an egg sandwich & a glass of OJ & went home. As much as I am being lighthearted I was VERY tender & weepy that night & did feel as though I had been through the wars around my ovaries/stomach.
I worked the next day (I owned a cafe so had too) & that seemed to take my mind off it.
I was tender for 48 hours & then pretty much fine. I hope this helps :)
Chin up.... it is all for the absolute BEST cause & you will look back & marvel at how brave you were. Concentrate on the end result!
Melbo - sorry I have not answered your question - I have not been back to this thread for a bit.
The fentanyl is sometimes given as a premed, but more commonly it is another drug like midazolam (from the valium family) which is given in the anaesthetic bay to 'relax' people.
With only that on board there is no way you would let anyone intubate you!!
Once you are on the bed in the theatre, they give a combo of drugs like propofol or thiopentone plus a paralysing agent like rocuronium or something like it to put you to sleep. Then and only then do they intubate once you are knocked out!!
The only time this varies is when they do an 'awake' intubation which is done with different meds and in different order and is generally preserved for people with very difficult airways or a history of problems at intubation. So unless you are one of these, you would have been asleep prior to the tube being near you.
The midazolam premed has an antianxiolytic properly as well as being an amnesiac so that is why people often remember they had something done, but not exactly sure of the how and whens.
Ooops, sorry this is getting a bit long and wordy.....
Stop lecturing Gabby.... OK.....
Bye!
Mel & Sushee - better not tell my DH about :smt077 woman
He worries enough already what he is in for - save the surprise for later :chairfall:
I guess they don't always knock you out - Gabby - if so will they just give
Midazolam - IVF did not mentiont theatre to me at all 8-[
Can't have a rainbow (baby) without rain (or pain)
Babyanglemum - nope I was not knocked out. I had mine at SIVF and they don't generally knock you out. I just had a bit of fentanyl and local anaesthetic in the wall of the vagina where they insert the needle through to your ovary.
Some of the other centres seem to knock their ladies out for the procedure, and I guess we were just comparing drug notes LOL!!
I would prefer NOT to be knocked out, I like to know what is going on.
Oh nooo Gab, knock me out, baby! I don't want to know what's going on down there!
love
sushee
I am in two minds (LOL - cart me off to looney bin now and save time)
I think it would be exciting and if local anaesthetic/sedation is used more often must be bearable -OH to say I saw start of journey and to be there to end (to hold the baby of course) is a magical thought
I am over the embarassment issue - I had plenty of it when I was induced and trans vag u/s since but What if you jump when they jab ! I have strong reflexes.
LOL Sush - I think the opposite, I think I have the classical doctor petrified of thy healing disease!! I am s*&t scared of a general anaesthetic. Drug me to whatever degree just make sure I am awake enough to see and hear LOL! Wonder when I will change my mind about that.....
Embarrasment issue??? I think IVF gets you over that real quick!! Its like another person walks through the door and you feel like - 'do I need to spread my legs for you too dear??'
No wonder women go off sex whilst doing IVF - I reckon after having every tom **** and harry looking up there, not to mention probes of every shape and description, the little willies of our hubbies have no hope in hell!!
Sorry, if I offended anyone..... 8-[
That is so true! When I went for my first u/s I automatically started to unbutton! #-o:
Gab,
No offence taken. Seriously, I reckon I've had more sex with that ultrasound probe than with DH in the last little while.
(Sorry mods, if this is out of line, please feel free to remove).
Oh and thanks for your rundown on the drugs. I love hearing/reading about medical stuff. Anaesthesia is fascinating. They have it down to such a fine art these days.
I'm trying not to get too ahead of myself with the OPU thing ... one step at a time!
I have to say Im a bit apprehensive about the OPU. Unforunately have not gotten to that stage before, so am not sure what exactly to expect, but you guys have put my mind at ease a little, so thanks.
Not for a while yet though, so have plenty of time to get anxious again #-o
Keen
Gab, I just love the way you put it all. They say that you lose your inhibitions giving birth, but they never thought of us who have already lost it on our plight to get pg.
I'm one week out from my counselling appt now so I will be doublechecking that I do get to go to sleep while they retrieve my eggs.
How long does the epu last ?
Tam, EPU lasts about 30 mins - could be an hour, depending on number of eggs, plus I imagine it's a little longer if you're knocked out for the procedure.
Thanks Tam, I can sound so cooth (?sp) sometimes....not..
My EPU took 45 minutes the first time because we had so many follies, and the second time it was abot 40 minutes, for the same reason.
Seems to go faster though when they are doing it.
Could be the drugs though.... :-s
Best of luck!! Can't wait to hear how it all goes for you! :crossfingers: