# IVF at Lister



## Rachel15 (Dec 4, 2012)

Hi All

Big day yesterday, went for a consultation for IVF at the Lister.  Had three failed IUI's at another clinic so think it is time for a fresh start.

I am really scared and confused by the whole process.  Cannot believe the amount of drugs I will need and the amount of trips up and down to London I will need to make.  My son is two and half and I will need to take him to some appointments as we don't have family here to help us with childcare.  

Is anyone else using Lister for IVF or has anyone had it?  I posted a while ago about my fear of egg collection, I actually started crying in the consultation my fear of it is such.  It's not the pain, it's the anaesthetic that scares me!

Would love to hear from anyone going through the same.

Take care all xxxx


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## Puglover1980 (Mar 7, 2013)

Hi Rachel. I had recent my IVF cycle at the Lister and can't sing their praises highly enough. An amazing clinic with truly wonderful caring staff. You will be in excellent hands. They have among the highest success rates in the UK and really know their stuff. I know IVF is scary but it's not so bad once you get started. And EC is the easiest part - it's under a light general anaesthetic so you'll recover very quickly (you'll be able to go home after a couple of hours and a lovely three-course lunch in your private room).

If you have any specific questions, do go ahead and ask. There is also a thread for all things Lister-related under the clinic boards: http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=492.0

Lots of luck x


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## Rachel15 (Dec 4, 2012)

Thank you for your lovely reply and you're pregnant, congratulations!  My friend had a great experience at the Lister too.  Will keep you posted how we get on.

xxx

Still get panic attacks thinking about the anaesthetic.  Think it stems back to a childhood op where I woke up and was very sick and my mum wasn't there (she wasn't allowed to be, she wasn't a mean mum!) xxx


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## carrie lou (May 16, 2006)

Hi Rachel, I've also just had IVF at the Lister and can really relate to what you're saying. My two-year-old little boy was conceived with IUI on just clomid which was a very different story compared to IVF. I was quite daunted when i started this journey by all the drugs, possible side effects, multiple journeys to London etc (we live in Somerset so it's quite a trek). And of course I was terrified of egg collection, never even having had an anaesthetic before!


Anyway, the whole process was nowhere near as bad as I'd imagined! I think it helps to take just one step at a time i.e. focus on your next appointment and what you have to do to get there. EC was absolutely fine in the end; I was extremely anxious but the anaesthetist was lovely and did her best to put me at ease. I just drifted off to sleep gazing up at the ceiling, next thing I remember I was waking up with a nurse beside me telling me how many eggs I'd got  I had no sickness afterwards at all and believe me if anyone was going to get sick it would be me  Anaesthetics these days have come a long way and there are fewer hangover-like effects afterwards, also it helps that EC is a pretty quick procedure. Soon after getting back to my room I was sitting up in bed having a cup of tea and some lunch, and went home early afternoon. There was very little pain either, I think they give you a very good painkiller in theatre which lasted me until that evening. Then I think I only needed one or two doses of paracetamol.


I would strongly advise you though to get someone to look after your son for you when you go to appointments. You will have enough to think about without having to supervise a young child as well. I was fortunate that my DH could be at home to look after my little boy most of the time, and my mum helped out with childcare too. I would have found it very difficult and stressful taking him with me as you have an internal scan at every appointment, think he would have found that difficult to watch! And there is sometimes quite a bit of waiting around. 


Sadly I got a BFN on my cycle but I've been assured it was purely down to bad luck and I'm getting ready to do a FET cycle this month, hoping for better luck! The Lister really is great and everyone I encountered was lovely, from the doctors and nurses to the lady who brought me my lunch  Wishing you lots of luck and success, and if you have any more questions please do ask


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## Rachel15 (Dec 4, 2012)

Hi Carrie Lou 

Thank you for sharing your story and I am so sorry that it did not work out for you this time.  Sending you positive thoughts.

I am taking things one step at a time.  More blood tests today, meeting with the nurse on Fri, etc etc.

The main issue (apart from me freaking about the GA) is the lack of help down here.  All our family are in the north, some with issues of their own at the moment (mum having chemo and sister due to give birth in three weeks).  Because we don't have an exact idea it is hard to get any one else down, and to be honest the stress of having people staying in our house and asking lots of questions would not be great for me.  I have lots of friends who have volunteered to help but most have toddlers of their own and we are looking at four to five hours.  T came with me on all my IUI scans, not great but no choice.  Nursery may be able to help but hard with lack of notice.

Thank you for your support.  This forum is helping me more than my own husband is!!

xx


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## lambanana (Jul 8, 2010)

I had my successful IVF at the Lister, it's an incredible clinic and if we're not fortunate enough to get a natural BFP in the next two years we will go back for FET.  I always throw up after anaesthetic and quite violently (I ended up in overnight after my lap and dye which was supposed to be a day patient procedure because I couldn't stop being sick) but I wasn't sick after EC, I didn't even feel nauseous. They do a fab lunch there too


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## Pinktink (Dec 17, 2008)

Hello 

We are having our IVF cycle at the lister to try and conceive a little brother or sister for our son, who is almost 2 and a 1/2. I've just started the stimms injections. So far I cannot say enough good things about the clinic, the staff are fantastic. We saw Marie Wren for our initial appointment and were very impressed by her. 

Wishing you so much luck with your treatment! Xxx


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## fred73 (Jan 27, 2009)

Hi Rachel

I have had both my successful tx at the Lister and again can't rate them highly enough. Don't worry about taking your little one to appts as think they are used to it as always see at least one mum with a toddler when I have been there. DS didn't come with me for scans as he was at nursery but he was there at ET as we were worried about getting out of London in rush hour before nursery closed. I felt a bit weird about him being there when his brother or sister was conceived   but from the staffs reaction it was nothing unusual and they chatted away to him, made him an animal from an inflated glove and generally it was a very relaxed atmosphere   

Are there any satellite clinics near you where you can do scans to save you travelling up so much? 

Good Luck with your cycle and you will be PUPO before you know it


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## carrie lou (May 16, 2006)

Fred! I thought I recognised the name ... I remember you from the donor sperm thread, years ago. I'm so thrilled to see how well things have worked out for you


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## fred73 (Jan 27, 2009)

Hi Carrie - Have to admit I do lurk on the donor sperm thread but just don't have time to keep up with it as working full time so haven't posted. However wanted to send you loads of        for your FET and looking forward to seeing you post good news


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## Rachel15 (Dec 4, 2012)

Ahhh

It's lovely to hear some good news stories.

Well time has flown and my egg collection is on Monday.  Yes, the staff at the Lister have all been lovely so far.  I have so managed without taking my son to the clinic and good job really as each visit has taken nearly 2 hours (over 4 if you include the train journeys).  Having to enlist the support of a family member for EC, bless him he is coming down from `up north` for a couple of days.

Still really scared about the GA but met a lady today who has gone through IVF 8 times so if she can do it so can I.  They told me I have 8 follicles which are big enough and 2 slightly smaller ones.  The nurse seemed happy with this.

Thanks for all your support.  xxxx


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## Puglover1980 (Mar 7, 2013)

Loads of luck on Monday. Let us know how you get on. x


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## Rachel15 (Dec 4, 2012)

Hi

Thanks for all your support.  Just to let you know I got 7 eggs and this morning they have told me that 5 have fertilized.  Just hoping they hang on!

The staff at The Lister have been amazing so far.  They were so lovely yesterday, I was very nervous about the GA but they put me at ease.

Fingers crossed the rest goes smoothly!

xxx


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## carrie lou (May 16, 2006)

Glad to hear it went well Rachel   Lots of good luck for the next stage and hopefully your five eggs will turn into lovely healthy embryos.


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