Hi Everyone,
I haven't been on the board for awhile (I had some things to figure out) - hopefully all is well with everyone. My husband and I have started our first round of IVF. If all goes well I should be going to Hamilton sometime next week at the latest Oct. 20/07 to have my eggs extracted. I am okay with the entire procedure except for the being put to sleep or concious sedation. I know I do not want to be put to sleep for sure and I am nervous about being sedated ... I was wondering if anyone knew whether or not one could have the retrieval done without any. If anyone has, was it painful?

Hi & good luck w/ your cycle!! I hope it brings you a very healthy strong bfp! :angel: I can't say that I have ever heard of anybody going through egg retrieval w/o being put under sedation. I have heard of somebody not being sedated enough, and they said it was pretty painful. I really wouldn't recommend it. However, if you feel strongly about it, you should definitely discuss it w/ your dr and see if (s)he can offer any alternatives. Once again, wishing you tons of luck! Let us know how you make out. :)

Holly

Hey Holly I think you were talking about me;)

Cris - when i had my e/r, i was not sedated enough. I was told i would be lightly sedated so i would sleep through it. well, I woke up in the middle of retrieval and it was awful. the pain was like a knife stabbing you in your insides, and moving all around to suction those eggs out. i kept telling the nurse how much it hurt but they pretty much ignored me. it was very uncomfortable and i remember feeling like i wanted to jump off the bed and smack the doctor for screwing up. and that was after having an additional shot of demerol before the procedure. I would not recommend doing the e/r without some sedation. i know it is scary to be sedated but if they do the appropriate twilight sedation you'll only be out temporarily and will wake up quickly. Best of luck to you at e/r.

Yes CBB, I was talking about you. :) Hope you didn't mind. :)

Chris, the sedation really wasn't bad. I know a lot of people are scared to go under sedation, but I was scared of the pain more! LOL I too came out of it really quickly, and I wasn't sick afterwards. Definitely the route I would suggest. :D Of course, whatever you decide, we are behind you 100%.

Holly

I had 3 IVFs and let me tell you the PAIN I felt after waking up along with knowing how the procedure is done...I would NEVER recommend not being sedated or given a general. OMG I think I would DIE if I ever had to feel that much pain.

Just my opinion though. Best of luck to you.

Cris, I agree with the others. Having just had my first E/R on Monday, let me tell you that when they had me on the table and prepped in the clean room all I could think was "please give me that sedation and give it to me quick". Probably 30-60seconds before I went under, my doctor had already begun inserting the clamp and cleaning the cervix and all, and I remember feeling pain and telling them that it hurt. Within a minute tho, I was under and felt nothing else. Definitely express your concern to your doctor though... I'm sure he/she will be able to give you all the info needed to make the right decision. Good luck, and trust me, it will be well worth it!!!!

My 1st IVF I was put under, and they did not like the way I was when I was under. Apparantly, I fell asleep too heavily, and was breathing too heavily which caused my body to shake somewhat and difficult to do the E/R. So, the next two IVF procedures I did, they gave me a spinal, basically like an epideral, that made me numb from the waist down. I could not feel a thing, and I was awake. Getting the spinal itself was not fun, but it was fine once it was over. It does take a while to get the feeling back in your legs, so you have a longer recovery in the hospital than the normal sedation.

I just wanted to say, that while I really have no idea abotu this---Cris, I wan to twish you the best of luck and hoping that you choose whatever is most comfortable for you. (Personally, I'd want the sleep----give it to me now and fast! :D)


************babydust*************

i know for me i dont like pain and i dont like being put to sleep but i prefer not feeling the pain and i remember my 2nd cycle when i woke up from retrieval i was in so much pain so i couldnt imagine how i would feel if i was up and them taking my eggs and it took a good couple of days till i couldnt feel no pain at all.

ive had both medium sedation and full sedation.

Ive never wanted to be put to sleep though, so ive always been sorta with it and......

It is exptremely painful, i could feel the needle going through my ovaries. It felt more like a knife going through your back passage. Its horrible, but not totally unbearable. If you can take going to sleep which i couldnt, DO IT. I wont lie, it was really painful. Good luck anyway

wow, those stories sound awful, I would def recommend being sedated for the procedure, thanks Penquin for your story. But also agree that being "put under" carries risks as well, so definitely something you should discuss with your DR. I wish you all the luck in the world with whatever you decide.

were you sick from the sedation as well? do they give you any pain meds for afterwards? I may need to move on to IVF so I want to know what to expect.


thanks ladies

i was vomitting after last lot of sedation for IVF, but that because they gave me a pethadine jab and i really DONT do pethadine. Yes again i wont lie you do feel pretty bashed about and sore for a few days afterwards, but its nothing if theres a happy ending. i think the worst is when you go through all that and then it doesnt work, believe me i know i went through it 6 times before i had my gorgeous ankle biter. GOOD LUCK :)