Mad Margaret's Twin Pregnancy

So it started in L'viv, Ukraine. A very pretty place and a super clinic called Intersono. While still in Ukraine I had the most extraordinary pain in what seemed to be my ovaries. I nearly passed out with it and being abroad I utterly panicked. It came in waves every morning, just after I awoke and gradually subsided. I still have no idea what that was, but it continued back home. Having read about OHSS, I think it may have been something less severe, but along those lines.

5 days after transfer I bled slightly and although this was one of the signs I was hoping for - implantation bleeding - having only had a lining of 7mm when the 3 x 5 day blastos were put back, I had little expectation of getting pregnant. The consultant was certainly not expecting it and offered advice for the next cycle. So when the day of testing came round and I woke in yet another gruelling wave of pain, I was 100% certain that it was going to be a negative. I did consider not testing at all, but I had bought the poas and thought I may as well.

Kat was in the shower and I went next door and peed on my stick. And then I chucked it in the bin. That's that, I thought. The shower continued. I heard the water splashing and trickling, and I thought how bloody awful he would feel when I had to say for a third time "It's failed." I sat there listening to the water and I unknowingly reached into the bin and I looked at the double line. The double line that said You Are Pregnant You Silly Cow. I think I nearly fell down the toilet I was so shocked. I could still hear the shower and suddenly the world had changed. Everything had changed. I kept thinking How Am I Going To Tell Him?? So I did what every normal woman would do in those circumstances and went back to bed and waited. The poor unsuspecting man came in. I took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," I said. "Really?" he replied. "Definitely." He didn't rush into my arms or even whoop. He seemed to way it all up and I realized that we had been here before, twice before, so I understood his reaction. But I knew this was different. I knew that this time it was going to be fine.

My son's wedding was next on the agenda. By now I was 5 weeks pregnant and we had told no one. It was such a blissful and glorious secret to have. My god, I loved it. I had to get a private test to find out my HCG levels and made the phone call for the results, during the wedding - I was astounded that they were extremely high at over 6000, so I knew I had a healthy little bean. The wedding went well (it was the most beautiful day) and we decided upon some marvellous strategies to cover the fact that I was in the club. I am not known for my abstinence and it would certainly have started tongues wagging if I didn't drink. So I would take the wine/champagne offered and pretend to take a sip. Kat would quickly drink half of his and we then swapped glasses. I continued to pretend to sip and after a short time, Kat swapped his empty glass for my half full one. This resulted in no one guessing (a good tip for others) and Kat being pissed as a fart.

It was about a day after, that I started feeling terribly sick. It was so sudden. And I was still only just over 5 weeks. I had been pregnant three times before and had suffered quite badly with morning sickness (nb only that, not hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a very serious disorder) and knew this was not the same. My tummy became very upset and I found nearly everything I ate made it worse. It was only through a process of elimination that I realized I had quite suddenly become lactose intolerant. A change in diet eased things considerably and I had to continue that throughout the pregnancy.

I was still taking progesterone (Utrogestan), as is common with ivf pregnancies, and I was about to run out. So I popped into the Drs and said "I am pregnant, please can I have a prescription for progesterone?" I explained I was spotting and so felt it would be very unwise to suddenly stop the meds. The Dr, however, had different ideas. As soon as he had established that I went abroad for help with conception he just shut down. "I can't offer you medication. If you want it you'll have to ask your clinic abroad for it. If you go abroad for ivf, you can't expect the NHS to give you anything." I think I was entirely lost for words. I was just over 5 weeks pregnant, bleeding and desperate to continue my medication. I begged him. He finally conceded to give me 4 days of meds, by which time I had to get the rest from the clinic in Ukraine. I left in an utter daze and fortunately managed to Skype my clinic and they arranged meds to be delivered within 4 days via an Italian sister clinic. Wonderful service! I have been to my surgery many, many times since then, but I will never see that vile little man (now a partner) - it still makes my blood boil that he could treat a pregnant woman that way.

to be continued, when I get round to it... --Mad Margaret (talk) 18:12, 10 May 2013 (UTC)