# exhaustion after failed ivf



## purplepeak

I was just wondering, has anyone else felt utter exhaustion after failed ivf? Is it normal? This is my third time, and i don't remember feeling so tired before. I am sleeping loads. Last night 12 hours but I'm exhausted again now at 3 in the afternoon and can hardly keep my eyes open. I know I've been through a stressful year and longer, but this feels like more than stress. Any thoughts?
PX


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## LilP

Hi Purplepeak

I got the BFN on Friday &  I feel very much the same. Although I am not sleeping well at all through the night and feel shattered through out the day.  This was my first time and to be honest I feel physically & emotionally exhausted. AF is here with a vengeance too which I am sure is not helping at all too.

Hope you feel better soon.

Lilp


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## Fordy girl

Hi ya, 

I got a BFN in Jan and have felt exhausted since. It was my third go, but this is the first time I have had a BFN after the cycle. I have had BFP that have ended sadly for me and my little chickers on the other two rounds. I have out it down to the hormones and the disappointment but maybe there is more to it. I am embarking on a new diet today to try to lose the post cycle, I'm miserable and eating Ben & Jerrie's pounds. It has to be said at my salad isn't giving me much of a boost either!

Vicki xx


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## purplepeak

Hi Vicki and Lilp,

Thank you for replying. I am very sorry to read your stories. Maybe this exhaustion is normal. I hope it will ease soon for all of us. 

Lilp, I hope you will feel a bit better once the post-cycle AF is over. I think you will. Even though I'm exhausted now I think AF was worse. 

Fordygirl, I'm so sorry to read your signature. You have had a very tough ride. 

PPXX


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## Dollynrosie

Hello

This was my first attempt at IVF and got my BFN on Tuesday, Im feeling exhausted too, not sure if its the fact that all the build up and stress of it has caught up with me, or the drugs coming out of my system or just the fact that im plain fed up and sad

Hope you are all doing a bit better now (I notice it was a couple of days ago you posted).  I do have a quick question though, did any of you spot and then start your period before your test?  I know the nurses say "its just one of those things" and I know i do have a tendency to over analyse sometimes but what if its not just one of those things....

Big hugs to you all....xxxx


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## purplepeak

Hi Dollynrosie,

Thanks for posting. 

On your question, I've never bled before my test but I think lots of people do. So it's quite common and probably nothing to worry about. However I think if you bleed a lot before the test, especially if it happens in more than one IVF cycle, then this is often interpreted as meaning you didn't have enough progesterone and therefore you might get more progesterone (in the form of extra pessaries or perhaps injections) for the following cycle. So when you have your review meeting or a meeting to discuss a subsequent cycle of IVF you might ask the doctor whether they think extra progesterone would be a good idea.

Take care
PX


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## missbrightside

Hello

I think it takes far more out of you than you realise and leaves you really run down.  After our first failed cycle I immediately felt fluey and then developed whooping cough.  Went on for weeks.  I really do think it was no coincidence (even though my GP looked at me like this   when I suggested it).  I'd only just started to feel better and then we started round two.  Same thing happened (well, didn't have whooping cough) after the second failure.  Constant colds and general lack of energy .....

Take good care xx


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## purplepeak

Thank you Missbrightside. I'm really sorry you had whooping cough! But it's reassuring I guess to be told it's not just me. I hope my energy comes back soon! And yours if you're still suffering.  Take good care you too. And thanks for replying
xx


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## Dollynrosie

Hi P

Thank u   Im going to speak to the clinic about the progesterone thing on my follow up appt on 19 th March.

Hope u are all starting to feel bit better and having a nice weekend;-)

Xxxx


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## stacey87

Hi ladies, 

Dollynrosie- i had a day 5 transfer then exactly 7 days later on my birthday i started spotting, the clinic said at the time it might be implantation bleeding but it continued and got heavier, in my heart of hearts i knew the cycle had failed so i tested at home 2 days later and it was negative but then i also kept thinking was it just too early to test, anyway we then went to the clinic the week after where they confirmed it was definitely negative. i questioned this at my follow up and all the doctor said was that i was one of not very many that this had happened to and that i was on the highest dose of progesterone (injections) , just hoping and praying it doesnt happen next time   good luck for your follow up appointment, will be interesting to see what they tell you. 

After my failed cycle i was shattered, and the week after i felt really drained and run down. i had been on injections for 6 weeks and then all of a sudden they stopped so i was just wondering if it was my body re-adjusting. I still feel tired and headachey, its alot that our bodies have to go through both mentally and physically. 

sorry to those that have had failed cycles, good luck and fingers crossed for the next cycle if you are lucky enough to have another one. 

xxxxxx


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## Dollynrosie

Hi Stacey

Mine was a very similar story to yours accept it started at 9p5dt..I wish id never tested early, eventhough like you, i knew in my heart, I still felt the need to torture myself early with the pee sticks - never realised how much hatred could be directed at a little piastic stick lol....

I am going to ask if I can have progesterone injections, because Ive heard that progesterone is only detectable via a bloodtest if you have taken the progesterone via an injection (unless its your body making it).  At least that way, I can maybe get a bloodtest done next time to check levels...  I just hope my clinic will allow me to do the injections, they can be a bit funny about how they want things done.

I actually feel more hormonal now than i did when I was on all the IVF meds.  I have had a blinding headache for the last 2 days and mood swings are great fun for my other half too!

Anyway hope you ok...
Vicki xxxx


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## Maisyz

Hi, have you had your iron levels checked? Sometimes after a failed cycle especially if you have a big bleed it may mean that you can be almost anaemic. I've had this in the past, was absolutely exhausted and bllod test showed iron levels had collapsed. Easily fixed with iron supp from the GP. Might be worth looking at if you're still feling exhausted.


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## purplepeak

Thanks Maisyz! I hadn't thought of that. I am feeling a bit better but still not massively so will ask GP soon if I don't see a big improvement. Thank you!


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## L_ouise

Hiya PP 

Sorry I didn't realise that you had just had a failed cycle  

It is very exhausting after each additional failed cycle, especially for you as you seem like the sort who doesn't ever give yourself an emotional break in between. Always planning and fighting to overcome it, like me.

I felt my most relaxed when I went on a long weekend break, no internet! Just me and hubby and the dogs. Maybe you could do with a break from all of this yourself xx


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## purplepeak

Thanks Louise. Those are wise words you speak. I have thought it might be a good idea to ban myself from ff and any fertility-related research for a while! The review meeting for our last cycle is this Thursday though, so I think I need that first. And really I would like to have made a decision about what to do next, then, having made my decision, sit back and switch off for a while until the next cycle. On which note, I am wondering about this embryoscope thing. It's difficult to know whether I should let it count in my decision. The statement from CARE says it's the biggest advance in 20 years but, then, I suppose they would, as they need people to pay to use it. Apparently 74 / 200 women who have used it have got pregnant, which sounds about a normal IVF success rate for a decent clinic, unless of course they were only using the embryoscope for difficult cases who have had prior failures. From my research into Serum i was really getting a good impression of their abilities so am tempted to go there, although CARE seem really good too ... There I go researching and planning again! 
Thanks anyway


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## Gemstone21

Hi,

I agree! this is the most stressful thing i have ever done in my life!

This is our first IVF attempt after 3 failed IUI. We had a BFP but sadly had a miscarriage in week 5, the thought of going through it all again is also stressing me out  

I am so tired all the time and i just cant seem to sleep (too much on the mind i guess).

For the past two days Ive had a numb left arm, i stupidly googled it.....as we all do lol and the results came back as 'heart attack and stroke'. I tried to ignore the fact i had a numb left arm and reassured myself i was not dying lol.

The thought of what results i got from google started to play on my mind....i went to bed and began to have palpitations! My first thought was oh no I'm having a heart attack.....freaked my DP out, she ended up dialing 999, and before you know it I'm rigged up to a heart monitor, having my blood pressure taken and the end of my finger pricked to check blood!!  It was actually an anxiety attack lol, i felt like such an idiot.

So i am taking a week off work to try and relax and rest.

Good luck to you all! keep positive


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## Shoegirl10

Evening All

Yes I have just done my 3rd IVF cycle which sadly ended in a miscarriage at 5 weeks - Both my Dh & I are emotionally, physically & financially exhausted and I have never slept so well!!!
It is like an IVF hangover we are going through and I know that I will be waiting for ever for my periods to get back to normal!!!

After a few weeks it does get better as you find that "determination" that will not let you give up your dream


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