IVF.10.1

I feel ROTTEN. Absolutely terrible. In fact, it is only my unwavering loyalty to you that has drug me from my guest bed to let you know what happened at the retrieval yesterday.

Actually, to be honest, I am not sure what happened yesterday. There was some snow that fell and continued to fall. There were a thousand people in the waiting room. There were sleeveless hospital gowns which may be fashionable but are down-right chilly to wear. Then they knocked me out and when I woke up I felt so unbelievably awful I no longer cared what was happening. Dimly I remember being told they got 23 eggs (a goodly number.) Dimly I remember trying to make the stretcher lie flat again and dimly I remember a nurse bustling over and telling me they did not want me to go back to sleep. With eyes flashing like the daughter of a hundred earls I snapped that I didn't want to go to SLEEP I wanted to DIE. So she gave me some morphine.

Um, I guess we must have come back here because here I am. I still feel like death warmed over and I am waiting for the call to let us know how many eggs were fertilized (the discharge sheet said they would call between 9 and noon which gives them 25 minutes and counting.)

I have no idea why I am in such rough shape but jeebus! I feel ghastly.

I'll let you know as soon as I do how many embryos we are starting with but for now I am going back to bed.

Bleh.

Comments

[Tammy]

Hello. Sorry to hear that you are feeling so yucky. I hope that you feel better soon. But, the reason I am actually writing is because I tried your pancake recipe yesterday and it is delicious! Thank you for sharing.

[karla]

Sorry, you are feeling so badly. I am keeping all things crossable crossed for you.

[Summer]

Here's hoping that the next time you feel this awful, it's October, and you feel terrible because you just pushed a baby or two out of your fun-hole.

Could it be a reaction to the anesthesia? I'm a total anesthesiaphobe because I felt so ghastly after having my wisdom teeth removed, which must have been a result of either the anesthesia or the erithromycin or both, because really, having four huge molars ripped out of your jaw is no big deal. It's the puking and wanting to die for the next 48 hours that gets ya.

If you are still feeling terrible tomorrow, I will come and sit by your deathbed and wipe your fevered brow with a cool cloth. How does that sound?

[Queenie]

It's 12:12. Do you know where your eggs are?

But seriously, have they called???

[Lola]

Julia,

Sorry to hear you're feeling so crappy. My guess is that you may actually have some degree of OHSS. I had it after my last retrieval, and I felt like shit for days (sorry for not being more encouraging). Anyway, if you're feeling bloaty and have a lot of abdominal pain you should probably call your clinic and let them know. You should also push lots and lots of fluids, including gatorade.

Sorry if I'm off base and full of assvice, and I hope you feel better soon. In the meanwhile I'll definitely be keeping my fingers crossed for your fertilization report and transfer. Let us know how it goes.

Good Luck

[Cecily]

Julie, I second what Lola said. You sound very much like I felt after the retrieval, and I also had OHSS. Drink loads of gatorade, because what happens is they pierce the follicles for the eggs, but the follies stay intact and fill up with fluid when you have OHSS. They suck the fluid from the rest of your body, so you are bloated and dehydrated. Fun, huh?

It took about three days for me to feel some semblance of normal... sorry.

[Kris]

Waiting on pins and needles and hoping you're feeling better!!!

[elisabeth]

sorry to hear you are feeling so crappy. Go bury your head beneath a pillow til you feel better and I'll have a drink or 2 for you :-)

[Karen]

It sounds heinous. Hang in there, almost-sister-in-law. I'm sending good thoughts to you from Houston.

[Christine]

I'm sorry you're feeling bad and hope you're perking up soon. But 23 eggs? You're eggalicious!

[Sheridan]

You poor thing!! I'm thinking OHSS as well. 23 eggs is a huge haul and is great news, but that can certainly play around with your poor little (actually really rather huge at the moment)ovaries.

Keep drinking fluids - huge amounts - as much as you can fit in. Even though its the last thing you feel like doing.

I think I spent about a week in bed afterwards, but maanged to avoid the trip to hospital (which does seem to be quite common).

I'm jealous that you got a general anaesthetic. I had 18 eggs removed and felt the whole thing - doctor was reluctant to give me much in the way of anaesthetic due to a previous complication years and years ago. Every needle into 31 follicles - ugh.

Anyway, I digress. Rest, rest, rest is another thing. Apparently any form of physical movement exacerbates OHSS so you have to be a lazy cow and stay in bed.

And if you can even think about being a wanton hussy with your husband NOW, then I am really really impressed.

Your dedication to us to warmly appreciated. Looking forward to hearing the fertilisation results, but not at the cost of you getting some rest.

Take care.

The more follies they get the more awful you feel or so it seems in my case. Also after my first retrieval I ran a low grade temp which my RE poo pooed becasue it was not over 101. Nonetheless I felt like crap and I'm sure the temperature didn't help that cycle (a bust anyway). Hoping for better for you!