Hi lovely ladies ! I’m reaching out today because I’m driving myself a bit crazy in the wait for the 7 week scan. I had my test day almost two weeks ago so only a week before the scan… I’ve been feeling exhausted and have been experiencing nausea for about a week. I did another urine pregnancy test exactly a week after testing day and it was still positive. I’m taking lubion 2x a day and 2 x cyclogest plus the oestrogen tablets 3x a day and blood thinner . I think the chances of a miscarriage at this stage are around 25 % I’m 35) . My husband thinks we should do blood hcg testing privately as it’s not offered by our nhs clinic. I asked the clinic about it and they just said they don’t advise it without saying why ? The nurse also told me the nausea could be progesterone meds even though I was on progesterone for 3 weeks without any symptoms . She also said the drugs could mask a miscarriage . So basically I’m thinking maybe I’ve miscarried and I won’t know till the scan so is it worth getting a blood hcg ? I was convinced it was a real pregnancy until today , surely not possible to have nausea and fatigue only after the positive test if it is all side effects ? And I did have a positive test !!! Im driving myself mad here . Thinking to take the day off on Monday and get a blood hcg ? What are people’s thoughts on this ?
Advice on hcg testing please ! - Fertility Network UK
Advice on hcg testing please !
Hey lovely,
If you think it will put your mind at rest, then there is no problem with getting a blood test. You’ll need to have two done, normally two days apart, to check your hcg levels are rising.
I am so sorry you had a shitty nurse today who has unnecessarily made you worry! You are pregnant and there is only positive signs that everything’s going in the right direction. Nausea is a great sign and definitely caused by the pregnancy hormones and not progesterone 🥴 There is absolutely nothing to suggest you will or have miscarried. From personal experience, the drugs didn’t mask my miscarriage at all.
Good luck for your scan, hopefully seeing your little bean will put your mind at rest!xx
Hi KiboXX, thanks so much for replying to me . Really useful to know about having two hcg tests! And thanks for some positive vibes ! I also had my mum saying it’s too early to experience nausea so all in all was feeling pretty negative today . I’m so sorry you have experienced miscarriage . I just can’t imagine getting all the way to this stage and then that happening . It’s take a year for me to get here and I know that’s not a lot compared to others on here . This is such a difficult thing to go through ! All the best with your journey x
Thank you lovely 🥰 I was lucky enough to get my take home baby last year and your mum is definitely wrong there, my nausea kicked in hard at 5 weeks with my daughter. I remember the day I went for my 7 week scan, I felt absolutely rotten 🥴
What date was your transfer? Have you got long to wait for your scan?x
Amazing congrats ! ! 🥰My transfer was on 21st June and my scan is booked for next Sunday 👍 so just over a week to go. Thinking about having a sick day or two next week if it’s bad but I’ve been eating crackers all day today and it really helped 😂 probably not the most nutritious thing !
Best advice anyone ever gave me was just focus on getting to tomorrow, don’t worry about next Sunday right now, just tomorrow ♥️
Bread is your friend right now. Don’t worry about nutrients, love those beige carbs 😂 xx
My first symptom was exhaustion 4 DAYS post transfer and it just kept on going with the pregnancy. It was the only symptom I had that was different from my failed and mock cycle. They told me it was probably projesterone also but turns out it wasn’t! And you can definitely be nauseous that early! I’ve known many people who were sick almost immediately. More than likely these are really good signs and symptoms! I’m surprised your clinic doesn’t recommend blood tests… if it will help you stay calm, I say do it! Pregnancy is so stressful! I went in for an extra scan with my OBGYN last week because I just didn’t feel pregnant anymore. Turns put things were fine but I’m so glad I did it ; helped me sleep better! Do what you need to do to get through it!
Yes agreed! I was so ill from five weeks... Whyyyyy do people say things like that! 🤷♂️ X
I was most nauseous weeks 5-8 (then was panicking as it eased off) so if it does settle early try not to worry. Positive test and pregnancy symptoms sounds like things are working as they should. I’m not sure why the nurses have to be negative pretty sure most ivf pregnancy spend the first few weeks terrified it will go wrong so we don’t need that thought reinforcing. Currently 25 weeks took until the last few weeks to feel less anxious and still worry something might happen.
Hi Gatarra, the important thing is you still have a positive test. You have all the pregnancy symptoms.. If you want to get your HCG bloods you can request this from your GP. Why are they doing a scan at 7weeks? Is there a reason? I had mine at 6 weeks. Maybe ask for a scan if you are worried. Sounds like your clinic is difficult. As your husband said you can get your bloods done privately, same with a 6 week scan. I would go private for the peace of mind. Xx
Most clinics do the first scan at 7 weeks just because it can be hit and miss if you get a heartbeat at 6 weeks, doesn’t mean anything is wrong if you don’t but can obviously cause more anxiety rather than give reassurance. The heart normally starts beating in week 6 so by 7 weeks it’s normally always there x
KiboXX, now that you explain it, I did know that. 🙈 I just didn’t know they waited a full week. I had my scan 6+3 days but yes I can see why they would wait due to anxiety. Xx
I had my viability scan at 8+1-that was a long wait! Xx
Hi Londongirl84 , thanks for your message. Interesting that you were able to have a scan earlier on !a week makes all the difference at this stage … definitely not good to feel so anxious ! My clinic are not very informative - every stage is a bit of a surprise as they don’t tend to tell you anything till it’s happening ! I would prefer knowing more and being mentally prepared personally. Also really useful to know my gp can request a hcg test for me . I will give them a ring before I try private . Congrats on your pregnancy btw! X
Thank you! Big congratulations to you too!!
I totally understand that. I feel the same. I read your comments about the nausea and I can confirm I also got mine at 5 weeks and still going strong.. Best of luck! Xx
I did HCG in my 2ww for the same reason. Medichecks do it and you will need 2 separate orders as you can’t add the same test twice (so annoying!). 2 samples 2 days apart will give you an idea of rate change, which is just as if not more important than the levels themselves in the first few weeks. I think nausea may be a listed effect of both meds you’re on (oestrogen and progesterone) but if you only got it after the positive test then I reckon it’s bubs doing it xx
Hey Purpledoggy , thanks for your advice ! Useful to know I would need two tests . Yeah I had the same progesterone meds for two transfers now and only got the nausea a week after my test ?? It’s hard to not take that as a positive sign 🙄 but then it could be Sod’s law that it’s a coincidence ! Thanks for the positive vibes X
Best of luck for your scan-not long to go xx
What an unhelpful nurse! 😡 To make you worry like that: like you don’t have enough on your plate. The advice the others have given you is spot on. All the best with your scan next week 🙏🏾
Hey joyfulstar ! Thanks a lot for your sympathetic message ! It really made me feel a lot better . Yes it was a bit unbalanced to just try and put me down instead of also saying something positive ! I guess not all nurses have the empathy required 😂 that’s why I love this group 😘 x
Glad you are feeling better. Have you decided what you will do yet. Can imagine what it is like to be in limbo until your next scan. Many women pay for private blood tests and scans for that extra reassurance. If your scan is a week away, technically not long but in the world of IVF, a week can feel like a month! 😅
I think that’s a good idea if it’s going to put your mind at ease and give you some reassurances. It’s also great that you’re experiencing the positive symptoms of pregnancy too I.e nausea.
I’m newly pregnant (4w6d) and my clinic check my HCG every second day from OTD for two weeks until I have a scan. Whilst it seems OTT to some, I actually have found it reassuring because I know my beta is continuing to rise. It’s also really nerve wracking though, I’m so anxious waiting for the call and then when it comes I can breathe for a day before I’m anxious again. It’s such a rollercoaster. As someone says above, the best advice is to take it day by day. That’s what I’m having to do right now, think about the moment and not tomorrow.
Best of luck 🌈💗 xxx
Good morning 🤗 my clinic didn't offer hcg but this is only a cost factor! I was pretty livid myself to be honest but I knew before I started they didn't. I did suggest on my report that it needed to be offered even at a cost but that was ignored so I rang my GP and they did them for me twice and it honestly lifted my worries until my scan. Then you'll worry about a whole lot of other things lol as we all do in this process but it's stages isn't it? You get by each one, one at a time. I was on all those meds barring the lupion and I felt like you did. None of those (not sure sure about lupion) would test you positive if you weren't and if the lines were getting darker and or clearblue going from 1-2, 2-3,3+ then that assured me things were headed in right direction. I know one girl from my clinic who's doc wouldn't do them and she went privately but it's worth a shot! Definitely follow it up for your peace of mind. I'm currently 24 weeks preg on monday 🙏🏼 and still a nervous wreck 😂💙altho not as bad as I was at the start. Wishing you all the best x x
It is so difficult to not feel anxious when you are going through infertility. And I think people just got to do what they got to do to make themselves feel better - so if you feel having hcg tests would help, perhaps you should. Not sure why they would advice against it - perhaps it does not have the same effect of information later on in pregnancy? I am no expert on hcg. My clinic never did hcg levels, we only had a home pregnancy test until viability scan.
I felt really worried at the start and the build up to our viability scan was immense - I was so scared there was not going to be anything there. But my thought process before hand - and this might sound harsh.. was - what can anyone do though at that stage. I can’t change it.. the fertility clinic can’t change it. Sadly it is just nature as that embryo might not have been viable to life. So I decided extra scans etc was not going to stop any of it if it was meant to happen. The same if it was a viable embryo - then it will stay and all will be well! Might be wrong to think like that, and I am sorry if that upset anyone, perhaps I should have just not commented, but that was what got me through those early stages - I just had to let go of control and try learn to trust my body again. And I made myself tell myself something positive every day in the mirror as I woke up. It is obviously not as easy as that to just let go - but over time, it has got better. Still anxious on and off - and still have moments when I think it is too good to be true! But then also so so grateful that we have help like ivf science 🥰
But yes, I think you need to do what makes you feel better - always worth easing the anxiety if you can.
Wishing you all the best for your scan and congratulations on your positive test!!! 🥰🧡
I think you would need to have two HCG tests to check if your numbers are rising (though the probably won't be doubling by this point).My GP (pre covid) has arranged for HCG tests for me before but the results took a long time. There are also online services. You do a finger prick and send it off.
Thanks chloeDE . Interesting you can do a finger prick that sounds a bit easier than a blood test 👍 my gp today said only offers it if signs of miscarriage so if I do want one I would have to go private . I think I’m going to hang on for this week but maybe if all good with the scan might consider it for the next waiting period before the 12 week one ! So much waiting …. Feels like being in limbo forever ! X
I’m in a very similar boat to you, my clinic doesn’t do the blood tests either and I need to wait until week 8 for the viability scan, which is a full month- as bad as the TWW! So I still have 10 days to go. My test day was 28 June and transfer was 19th. Scan is not until 27 July. I had considered paying for a private scan a bit earlier but I’m now thinking I’ll just wait - if I can hold out. It does feel such a long time but I think all you can do is think positive and assume all will be well until told otherwise. I have pretty similar symptoms to you as well- tiredness and nausea, and am on cyclogest pessaries and progesterone tablets daily. Nausea is definitely new since about the 5 week mark. Hope everything goes well for you, hang in there! X
Hi Diana1207! Good luck with your wait. I phoned my gp today and he told me they don’t do hcg testing unless there are signs of a miscarriage . He said if there are no signs and I’ve got symptoms of pregnancy I should stay positive and hang on for the scan . Easier said than done isn’t it !!! I do feel better for weighing up the options and am considering hanging on for now and maybe do hcg testing between the 7 week scan and the 12 week one depending how stressed I am 🙄😂 ! It’s an even longer wait for that one !!! X x x
Ah that sounds like a much more positive response/reason from Your GP. I think it’s all we can do! Argh I know, you can one wait over and another one begins … and it’sDefinitely worse for fertility patients… we must have the patience of saints!! Hope everything goes well for you and you get good and better news at every stage x
I panicked all the way through the early days and paid privately every 10 days or so for a scan to put my mind at rest. If it makes you feel better and the money is available. Do it. Best of luck xx
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