Things I didn't expect.

Keep in mind there are a lot of ways a body can react to the process of IVF.  As a result there are a million and one different scenarios that can happen.  Your doctor will have an answer to what your treatment should look like.  My advice is BE FLEXIBLE.  Go with the flow.  At this point you have hopefully chosen a doctor you trust.  Ask questions and most of all enjoy the journey.  You are following the path you and your partner feel is the best for you and your future babies.

These are a few things that could come up while going through IVF:
- Blood draw and ultrasound every other day or more while on the Follicle Stimulating Hormone injections.
- Feeling like your in the very early stages of pregnancy.  Feelings of nausea, fatigue, heightened emotions, increased need to urinate, sensitivity to smells, etc...
- Needing to run to the doctors office to pick up shots or medications you will need for that night.
- Slight discomfort, pain and a feeling of being bloated in your lower abdomen due to the growing size of your ovaries
- Changes in the amount of medication in your injections.  This will be explained to you by your doctor or nurse.
- An overall feeling of something is different or off.
- Changes is what medications you were originally planned to take.  This will be decided by your doctor.
- Not knowing exact dates of things.  Everyone's body progresses differently.  They offer projected dates for retrievals and embryo transfers but they can only predict the dates.  Your body decides the actual timing of things.
- Expect a period 3-5 days after you stop your medications\injections
- It can take your body a while to adjust after procedures.  I was so bloated I looked 4 months pregnant for about a week after my first retrieval.  Be sure to call your doctor if you have ANY concerns for what is going on in your body.
-Don't expect all the eggs they retrieve to result in an embryo.  I was told that about 20 -25% of eggs result in an embryo.  For women with PCOS you may get a lot of embryos but they may be of fair to poor quality verses excellent to good.  All embryos can result in a live birth.

These were just a few things I didn't know before beginning the process of IVF.  Every experience is different!