My IVF Journey ~ Part 1
Featuring Infertility, Endometriosis, MTHFR and Early Pregnancy Loss.
In 2013 I married my wonderful husband. I was in my final year of my midwifery degree and we managed to squeeze a wedding and honeymoon in between placements. I started my graduate midwifery program the next year and have continued working in midwifery since. For the first 2 years of our marriage we worked, bought/built a house, went on a few great holidays and enjoyed married life.
A couple of years into our marriage I had a pretty awful time with endometriosis and my first surgery to remove endometriosis. A few months after this, we decided to start trying for a baby. I had always wanted to be a mum, so I was pretty impressed I managed to wait 2 years. I went into it knowing that conceiving can take time and knowing there was a family history of miscarriage, but I had no idea of the journey ahead.
After a year of trying, I saw my GP who ran a few baseline blood test and ultrasound and then referred me to a fertility specialist. The specialist ran more tests which showed PCOS and not much else at this point. We started by trying ovulation induction medication for 2 cycles. This medication wrecked me. Horrible dizzy spells, I had to sit down to shower and I felt awful. So after 2 unsuccessful cycles we moved on to IVF.
As a midwife I was used to giving injections, but I was shocked by how hard I found it to actually give myself the first injection. I really found that first one quite difficult until I actually just did it. The follicle stimulating hormone injections I didn’t find too bad at all. The GnRH injections to prevent early ovulation were another story. I found them quite painful. I did learn that if I gently rubbed my finger next to the injection site it provided a great distraction. I now do this whenever I give injections and patients often comment that it really helped. So, if you need to give injections, give it a try.
I was quite concerned I would react badly to the IVF medications, but I actially did surprisingly well on them. My abdomen felt full and uncomfortable as the follicles grew, but I think I just felt glad we were doing something to work towards the goal of having a baby.
I had blood tests and ultrasounds until everything was ready for the trigger injection to be given at night and my egg retrieval the next day. As I’d had multiple surgeries previously, the actual procedure didn’t concern me, I was just hoping it all worked. Thankfully, it did. When I woke up the number 19 was writen on my hand. 19 follicles (eggs) were retrieved. I was so happy with this.
I went home and rested and tried to be patient. The next day we received the phone call that 10 follicles had fertilised. And they would call again on Day 3 with an update. On Day 3 we found out that 6 embryos were continueing to develop. We planned to transfer 1 embryo on day 5 and the rest were to be frozen.
The transfer process I didn’t find too bad, the speculum was uncomfortable but knowing what it was for made it so worth it. Before we started the transfer we were able to see the embryo through a microscope displayed on a screen. It was pretty incredible seeing the little dish there being kept warm in an isolette like I was used to seeing babies in the special care nursey.
After the inserstion we went for brunch and then we went home and I tried really hard not to be paranoid about everything. It seriously felt like if I sneezed my embryo might fall out – which I know isn’t how it works at all, but that doesn’t necessarily stop the irrational thoughts – especially on so many hormones!
And so began the infamous Two Week Wait. Otherwise known as the longest two weeks known to exist. Trying to live normally. Struggling to think about anything else. Hormones. Overthinking every twinge, feeling, possible symptom. Convincing myself I was pregnant. More hormones. Convincing myself I wasn’t pregnant. Working out what the baby’s due date would be. More hormones.
The morning of my pregnancy blood test I started my period. The blood test confirmed the cycle was not sucessful.
