Starting FET and Mental Health

[Phoebe345]

Evening all,

Apologies if this is waffle. I’m just trying to get my head straight.

I’m meant to be phoning my clinic tomorrow to initiate treatment for my first FET in April. (Had egg retrieval in October and then got quite severe OHSS).

Today, I’ve had an assessment with the mental health team after a few very low and anxious weeks. It’s likely that I will be taken back onto caseload with the mental health team as I’ve been unwell and needed them before. They’ve mentioned medication to help with my mood, but are going to speak to the psychiatrist first and get back to me.

I’ve been trying to avoid medication due to fertility treatment. Now I don’t know what to do. I want to feel ‘better’, but I don’t want to do anything that would effect treatment.

I’m worried that the fertility clinic are going to want me to delay treatment even more. Or judge me for my mental health.

Whilst I know it’s not guaranteed to work, I’ve been holding on to this next round of treatment to keep me going.

I know I probably need to let their fertility nurses know, but I have no idea how I’m going to be able to tell them.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks for reading.

[Kookypie]

I'm on sertraline I just take a lower dose. I did contemplate trying to wean off it but I don't think I could go through all the stress of fertility treatment without taking it. Plus it is safer in pregnancy and the doctors said it was fine. So I think try it if you think it will help.

I would say you have to think about your health. Plus I hope your FET works out but if the worse happens and it fails that sort of thing makes most people really low and feel a bit hopeless temporarily. So for you it might be good to have a bit of a buffer of medication already in your system before then?

But it's really up to you if you think being on medication will stress you out you can try other things such as counseling or yoga which I also do that helps.

X

[Phoebe345 in reply to Kookypie]

Thanks for your reply - I’m moving towards going into meds. The nurse I spoke to today was very supportive and I didn’t feel judged. I always seem to think things are going to be worse than they are.

[Lovemylion]

Hey lovely, sorry you have been going through a rough time. I'm sure a lot of ladies can also relate to this post. Whilst I haven't been on any medication, I have had counselling and suffered with anxiety and depression since my last round resulted in a mc. I can completely understand you wanting to carry on with treatment and I think stopping treatment would also affect my mental health. I am pretty sure there are meds you can take that are safe to take during stims/ pregnancy. However, now my round is coming up Im wondering if I've given myself enough time to recuperate as I'm feeling low and anxious..... Im afraid I can't advise you on whether you should mention it to your clinic. Perhaps your GP could give you some advise? Going through fertility treatment is really gruelling and you need to be super kind to yourself and maybe it might be the right decision for you to take some time out? Xxx

[Phoebe345 in reply to Lovemylion]

I question this every day. If I didn’t keep going with the fertility treatment I think I would feel horrendously empty - I think it’s the hope I need at the moment. But worried that the professionals may take that decision away from me though.

[Lovemylion in reply to Phoebe345]

Yes the hope does keep us all going. Plenty of people are on meds so I'm sure you won't be the first and I very much doubt they say you can't do treatment because of it. Might be worth just checking what meds are safe to take during treatment with your GP and then explain your worries about them not allowing you to continue treatment....I'm sure they will know what to advise you. Xx

[ashbb]

I feel for you. Had similar thoughts through this... If it's any reassurance, at no point did my clinic ask me one thing about my mental health or if i was on any meds. I disclosed how anxious I was at certain points and they were nothing but understanding. I think the best thing is to try and reduce emotional stress as much as possible. Meditate, have therapy, have Acupuncture, work less or not at all if you can. I relaxed a lot and did a whole load of pottering about.

I took diazepam around my FET. I read that the more relaxed you and your uterus are afterwards, the more chance of success. Mine was successfull.

Wishing you well for this next stage! Xx

[Phoebe345 in reply to ashbb]

Thank you. My clinic were understanding this morning and have just asked that the pysch copies them into on letters (with my consent) so the consultant is aware of what drugs they want me to take and can offer me the best care.

[Phoebe345 in reply to Phoebe345]

Can’t help but worry though!

[ashbb in reply to Phoebe345]

Remember they want the best results for you (and for them). I totally understand thinking people think the worst. That's my default mode too but it's so often untrue. X