First Time IVF and Terrified..

Hi Everyone,
Im Mel, my DH and i have been ttc for 14 months and we found out in April that he has a very low sperm count and IVF/ICSI is the only option for us.
We made our 2nd visit yesterday to the FS, going to Fertility First (Dr Anne Clark) at Hurstville and made our decision to go ahead straight away.
Im am absolutely Terrified about giving myself the injections but on the other hand i am extremely excited and nervous.
Just thought i would share my story with you guys and would be grateful for any techniques on how to get over my needle fears.

TIA

Mel

hi Mel - good luck with your first stim cycle hun! hoping it all goes well for you

if you're stressy about the injections, you can always get DH to do the injections for you - though personally, i found it easier to do them myself. the first one is always a bit weird, while i get over nerves, but the second and later ones are easier. i think it's more the anticipation of what it will be like - and as soon as it's done, i wonder what all the stress is about!

fwiw - some of the needles might sting a bit, and you might get little bruises - but on the whole, they're not too bad - and a little discomfort is worth it in when you look at the end result you're chasing...

Jump onto the BB chat room & have some girls holding your and through cyber space LOL!! But seriously, that's what I did! I had the girls cheering me on & give me advice on what to do as I was doing it because like you I was terrified. But like BG said it is so worth it when you think of the end result :)

hehehe - i got some cyber hand holding this cycle too - was freaking out cos it was over 6 months since i'd last done a needle!

not sure if you've stumbled across them already, but there are some great threads for those long term ttc and going into assisted conception - check them out - really helpful bunch!

Hi Mel,

I was very scared when I did my first cycle but to tell you the truth all the injections, spray is nothing compare to the 2 weeks waiting and the anxiety in the waiting.... you will be fine and in no time would be an expert (like the rest of us) ;). The injection doesn't hurt at all because the pinching prevents us from feeling the needle and before you know it...its all done!

Kahlan

I don't think anyone ever goes into IVF without being terrified. However, I found that all the things that scared me at first weren't anything to be scared of in the end... and the things I found hardest (and perhaps should have been scared of) didn't even enter my head at all! But I had a rather hellish IVF experience with lots of unusual complications, so it's probably best we leave my experience out of things.

As the others have said - the first needle is scary, but once you're past that one the rest are easy. I found it easier to cope if I did the injections myself, but I would often get DH to prepare the needles for me. Don't worry if you end up with a needle pointed at a bare belly for a while before you can stick it in... I think we've all been there.

Finally, best of luck with everything, and don't be afraid to ask if you are uncertain about something. The only silly question is the one you don't ask!

BW

Hi Mel,

It's so daunting and overwhelming at first but hang in there.

My first needle was done with the nurse at the clinic giving me a run through of how to load dose then getting me to do it and give myself the injection. I remember I really just wanted to close my eyes so I couldn't see the needle but obviously that wouldn't work because I wouldn't see what I was doing :)

I also got a DVD from my clinic about how to use the pen which I took home a couple of nights before having to do it so I was partly prepared for what was involved.

Thankyou all for your kind words and support its so comforting being able to speak to other people who know exactly what you are going through, rather than family and friends who have the best intentions at heart who have no idea whats going on and just look at you with a blank face.
Well the nurse from the clinic rang me today so my first injection is tomorrow night so theres no backing out now..;)

Wishing you the best of luck for your cycle.

Mindy, may I ask which clinic you go to? It's just the whole starting the day after the blood test thing... something I've only ever encountered before with the one I used.

Good luck with the cycle and that first injection.

BW

I am with Fertility First at Hurstville my test was on Monday so it will be 3 days after.

good luck. i only have done one cycle and felt like you are now. i did my own injections and it wasn't as bad as what i thought. i hope it all goes well and the nurses will explain everything hopefully.

Well tonight was the 2nd injection and it hurt a little more than last night which considering was the first didnt hurt at all.
I just have one question straight after i pull the needle out the skin around the injection site gets itchy and a little lump like a mozzie bite forms then fades away is that normal or should i ring my clinic to let them know?

Quite normal, Mindy. You can reduce it a bit by applying some pressure with the alcohol wipe after you take the needle out.

BW

Thankyou BW i will try that tonight.

I think the first needle never hurts cos you have so much adrenalin running through your body cos you're so scared!! Then the second one hurts cos you have no adrenalin thinking bah this is easy LOL!

I totally agree. The first injection - didn't even feel it. The second one I kept jumping and ended up all bloody and bruised (poor husband). I asked him to do the injections to get him involved. He wanted to do something to try and make i easier on me - bless.

I started my Lucrin injections on the 23rd and tomorrow i'm going in to get my FSH meds, pay and hand over my consent forms.

I'd love to hear your experiences as you progress - I think I'm not too far behind you. Is it ICSI you are doing?


I've posted the following on another thread, but I thought you guys may have some thoughts or ideas for suggestions for dealing with the process.....

No one I know has been thru IVF and I find it is really difficult to talk to my friends. Most of them have kids or haven't started trying yet. I feel like I'm whinging about it when I talk to them. I don't hate the fact that I have to do IVF and I'm quite optimistic (maybe that's because I haven't even started FSH yet).

I go thru periods of quite high expectations and then periods of depression and feelings of having no hope.

I have tried reading some books but I have found that they tend to send me into the depression state. Maybe I'm in denial and looking at the real-life disappointments makes me realize that it could quite easily happen to me.

My husband is great - he's doing my injections (he has to brace me against a hard surface otherwise I jump a mile) it's getting easier though. He holds me and lets me cry - stupid baby white lions on the animal planet channel - and I haven't even started the FSH injections yet.

I go thru periods of complete clarity where I feel like I can see every single leaf on a tree miles away and then periods of walking around in a daze - forgetting what I'm saying half way thru a sentence.

I'm scared about how many eggs will be there when I go for collection, I'm scared about how many will make it to the stage of ready for being put back, I'm scared about how many will be viable to be frozen. So many things that are out of my control.

I'm sorry to go on and on - I think I just need to unload somewhere.

I wish all of you the best for you journeys . I would like to hear more of your stories - both triumph and disappointments.

Hi Nixon,

I started my Lucrin on the 24th so you are a day in front of me and i have my ultrasound on Friday to see if everything is going according to plan.

I am doing ICSI and my estimated egg collection is the week of the 18th August how about you?


I guess i have been lucky cause i know several people that have been through IVF and they have been great at answering my questions. The ladies on here are always so nice and willing to answer any questions you have, so dont be afraid to ask.

If you dont mind me asking what Clinic are you going to?

Mel

Hey Mel

I'm on the ICSI band wagon too. Fun isn't it :D

Originally we got referred to IVF Australia for my hubbies initial tests, but we ended up being referred to Sydney IVF clinic on Kent Street for treatment when the test reults came back (anti-sperm antibodies 100% binding).

So far so good. I quite like the way they operate. I have found that they are not in my face about everything, but I feel informed and I feel like I can approach them whenever I need to. How are you finding it with Fertility First?

My nurses have been awesome and put up with 3 or 4 calls in a day (before I started the Lucrin).

I have only had one ultrasound so far and that was before I started taking any injections.

I went and had my first BT since starting on Lucrin yesterday. All is progressing as predicted by my Dr and I start the Puregon tomorrow morning (two injections a day - can't wait).

After that BT on Monday, BT & US Wednesday then again on Friday. That's the rough plan anyway.

Dr has indicated that the 11th of Aug would be the approx egg collection - depending on how things progress.

It just so happens that the 11th will be my one year wedding anniversary. I was expecting Champagne and Roses - looks like it will be a sedative and some local anaesthetic instead :lol:

I hope that your US goes well. I was so relieved after mine - it was no where near as bad as I thought it would be. It actually relieved my fears about the egg collection too (to a degree) It certainly made up my mind that I wanted to be awake for it.

Anyway babe - good luck for tomorrow. Let me know how it goes.

Nix

Well went for my scan and bloods this morning and have walked away with my Gonal F pens they have put me on 150 units and all i have to do now is sit and wait for AF to arrive.