'I'm pregnant with twins thanks to IVF!'
We tried to get pregnant naturally for seven years and it was heartbreaking. I cried for days every month when my period came and my husband Luke found it doubly hard, comforting me and dealing with his own unhappiness.
The worst thing was the doctors couldn't tell us why we couldn't conceive. All the tests showed we were normal - it was just 'unexplained infertility'.
Every time a friend of family member, fell pregnant, it got harder and harder. It got to the point where I'd feel like battering pregnant women I was so jealous. I couldn't even bring myself to see my niece and nephew when they were little babies.
We'd talked about IVF but were really reluctant to try it. We didn't have the money for a start but also my friend Danielle had gone through it six times before it finally worked and we'd seen what it did to her.
But when I inherited some money from my gran, we decided to give it a go. I was in my mid thirties already and I knew it was now or never. We decided to go private to give ourselves the best shot. It cost £3700 for just one go! It meant the pressure was huge but we tried to stay calm.
I had to take what's called a 'down-regging' drug to shut down my reproductive system. You take it in the form of a nasal spray then when the time's right, you start injecting to kick-start your body into ovulating again.
I had to keep going for blood tests and scans to check my eggs were growing. I didn't want to tell my boss what we were doing so that was another good thing about going private - they could give me really early morning appointments.
They put me under general anaesthetic to harvest the eggs. They ended up removing about 18 but only fertilised six. Two days later, I went to have them inserted. It was only like having a smear test done.
The next two weeks were the longest of my life. When I finally did a pregnancy test, I didn't think for one minute it would have worked. When it turned positive, I did four more tests before I believed it.
Luke was over the moon like me. Then six weeks later I went for a scan and they found two heartbeats not one! I'm having twins! They're due in January and everyone's so excited, especially my mum. I'd tell anyone thinking of trying IVF to have a go but be warned, it is a rollercoaster. I don't know how we'd have coped if it hadn't worked - emotionally or financially.
Sarah Leech, 36, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne
By Sarah Leech
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Liz, 3 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Hi , I'm new on this site, read so many of your stories. Its so nice to know I'm not alone in this emotional rollercoaster that we are on. I have a healthy 8 year old son, who I thank god for x but feel incomplete as a family so in the last four years I have naturally become pregnant but have lost all five babies ( one was twins ) years of getting my hopes up to becoming so depressed. We finally went private and they gave us the go ahead for firstly 3x IUI's, all negative and then ICSI was our recent programme, collected 10 eggs, 7 fertilised and replaced 2x 5 day blast. I am happy to say that I am today 6 wks and will have my first scan next tuesday. We can't wait, as much as feeling delighted we are so worried...what if....we've been there so many time before. Trying to stay positive....sending you all lots of baby dust, good-luck to you all....Liz x
ayesha, 5 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
i have read hear lots of successfull story so i am so happy for every one. my treatment will start on 12.02.09.i hope will be successfull.so please tell me which type of care i do during my tratment e.g food? husband wife relation and i do a night job so i should bed rest.my age is 33.
evelyn, 6 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
I am 33yrs. old and I have polycystic ovaries,married for 11 yrs..Had my first attemp of IVF and now I am 5 weeks pregnant.For those who wanted to try IVF go on and don`t waste the chance.
Samantha K Sullivan, 7 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
20th DEC 2008 I am in my first cycle of IVF. Am at the stage of waiting. I had my ET done on the 15th Dec. It's been 5 days. The first 3 days I was bed ridden. I suffered severe bloating and gastritis. I was in tears swearing i would not go through it again. Today, i am well and am anxiously waiting. I have read so many success stories to keep my spirits high. I pray for my happy ending to happen too.
Sam, 7 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
For 8 years my husband and I tried for a baby. Due to problems with both parties ICSI was our only option. After being unsuccessful with clomid, 3 ICSI cycles and frozen embryo transfer I eventually fell pregnant with the 4th ICSI attempt. I had been pregnant after the 2nd attempt but unfortunately we discovered that the baby had died at the 12wk scan. I also miscarried the twin with the 4th ICSI but in 2007 I delivered a beautiful baby boy. We were so lucky to have a happy ending, which just got better in 2008 as I gave birth to beautiful baby boy which was conceived naturally. IVF and ICSI treatments are a rollercoaster ride with highs of hope and anticipation and extreme lows of disappointment. It is addictive as you believe that just one more go will give you a baby. Choosing this path is not easy and you have to have an idea of when you will stop because it will consume every waking moment. My thoughts are with any one going through this process, and wish them all luck in the world. But choose your clinic carefully as paying privately leaves you open to people giving you false hope. Although nobody wants to hear bad news, false hope can be soul destroying at a time when you are most emotionally vulnerable.
Kitty, 8 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Oh Sarah, your story is the so like as ours. We share your joy. I am 8mths pregnant with twins from 2nd (and always to be the final attempt) on the NHS. I was so convinced the 1st round would succeed; unexplaineded fertlility, really healthy couple, responded well in the treatment - it nearly finished me when it failed. I really did not want to take up the 2nd attempt and did it with my eyes shut - hated every minute, resented it, buried my head in work trhoughout. So convinced it would not work that I refused to go for the final blood test. When we found out it had worked, we sat in the hospital in silence and could only say how did that happen? We had convinced ourselves so much that we were not going to have a positive outcome. Then there were two and we seemed to hold our breath for months, I thought they would disappear, could not say the word 'pregnancy', husband could not talk about it. Then it started to become real and now at 35wks - and feeling so close to holding our babies - we can believe it. My heart goes out to all of you reading this site - we are certainly one of the lucky ones. Kitty - 37 yrs old
Lizzy, 8 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Hi Everyone this Is my 1st post I've been doing lots of emotional reading lately as Im due for My 1st attempt at IVF/ICIs shortly at Newcastle Fertility Centre on the NHS also (next app 2 weeks away). Im 24 and have been with my partner for 10 years he is now 28, unfortuatley we have been unable to conceive natuarally due to M Motility/Form problems. We too are excited and nervous at the prospect of the fertility drugs and processes and are even more scared at the thought of it not working. Just like to congratulate everyone who's has or had good news and Good Luck and all the best to everyone else. My partner and I are staying positive and trying to talk lots to ease the stress and be a team fingers and toes crossed we'll share a little Miracle shortly god permitting xx
Vesper, 11 months [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
My first try with IVF and 6 weeks 2 days pregnant with twins.
Punky-P, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Thank you for sharing this story! My husband & I are facing the possibility of having to go through this treatment, and is really helpful to be able to read real life stories about it! Let's hope we can be succesful too!
marium, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
after God we r realy thank ful to ivf n all the staf
jools, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Hi, i am new on this site. i had done icis, waiting for my two weeks and it has been a long wait ever.wish me luck!! thanks
kelly, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
i am starting my injections this wk,it has been along process but i am excited to be finally getting started. i will be gutted if it doesnt work but i am very optimistic as i have heard many success stories and the best thing you can do is stay positive. anyone who has ivf i wish you the best of luck
mary, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
getting ready for 5th ivf cycle two failed cycles two cancelled cycles finding it very hard good to hear sucess stories
christine, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
It is so nice hearing the sucessful stories with the ivf. I had my embryos put back in last Wednesday so i have to wait till the 16th April. It is only the 6th April and it feels like i life senence. My emotions are all over the place but i am trying to stay positive.
Niza, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Hi Sarah, Huge congrats from me.. what a wonderful news. I'm on my 2nd ivf treament. I had positve test on the 21st of March 08. My eyes could not believe it. I had 12 pregnancy tests all together..:).. I did the first test on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th day of transfer but they came up negative and I started to get worried. But on the 13th day of transfer, it came up positive.. it was a very faint pink line, I wasnt sure. showed to my hubby and he said " there is definately a line".. and keep doing it till the 18th day of dpt which I suppost to call the clinic to inform them about the result. I still could not believe that my pregnancy test was positive after 7 years of trying.. I did the test again the next day and the day before just to tripple sure..:) I'm now having really bad morning sickness, the worst one was last night as I was woken up by my sickness and needed to throw up.. but I am just greatful that I am pregnant. My 1st scan will be on the 11th April. Hope everything is fine with me and my future baby or babies... I wish you guys good luck on your IVF treatment and lots of baby dust send to you.
taniya chughtai, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
i had been trying for a baby for 15 years due to having polycystic ovaries syndrome, i wasn't ovulating and it was heart breaking all the time, i never had periods and i couldn't even think if i was pregnant or not,i had been seen by at a fertility clinic for 15 years finally i was reffered for ivf, i got an appointment really quickly and within months i started the treatment,then came the day for egg collection 9 eggs were collected and the following day 8 were fertilized and 5 days later 1 was put back in,i had to wait 10 days to have the pregnancy test, they were the longest 10 days of my life,i developed the common side effect of ivf which people with polysistic ovaries get which was ovarian hyperstimulation it was a nightmare, i called the ivf unit who said it was a good sign but was worth it at the end i did a pregnancy test and it was positive at the first attempt, i couldn't believe my dream to become a mother had come true by god after 16 years, i had a lovely baby boy weighing 6lb 7oz, and it was free on the NHS.
Mrs Chanda Modi, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
My first child was born through IVF treatment on NHS. I had been trying for 10 years and done all the test but there was nothing wrong with myself or my husband. I went through exactly like Sarah Leech with the IVF treatment but with me only one survived but I was happy even with one. I started trying for a second baby when my first baby was only 6 months and I fell pregnant without IVF. Today I have two sons age 16 and 17.
donna, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Congratulations i am so happy for you, i have just had my third try at ivf and 3 tests say it is positive i dont have a scan until the 9th so i am really worried at the moment it has took 15 years to see a pregnancy test say postitive. i wish you and your partner all the luck in the world.
tracey, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
My husband and I are due to start ICSI in Feb 08, we are unable to have IVF due to problems with both parties, it is so nice to hear a good story about IVF all people seem to harp on about is the bad things. I am really scared and nervous about having the treatment my main concern is the disappointment should it not work. So far we have only been told what the failure rate is not the success, I really hope the treatment works for KIm
kim, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
im about to go for ivf and im trying to read up anything i can before the time comes and just read this story and it made me cry im so happy that it worked i know not everyone is lucky but its so nice to read happy endings for a change. fingers crossed it works for me to
kristina, about 1 month [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
I went on hormones at the beganing of May and Done a 3 dt with one 10cell grade 4 embryo and on the 26 I got my 1st faint positive. Now I am all Positive. I am 38 and hubby is 44.... I have 5 children natural got tubes tide 9yrs ago but this is hubby 1st baby ..... This is my only IVF...... and i think my doc is awsome