Intro and question: When can I say to myself that I am pregnant?

zeynsom

Hi Ladies,

Coming over from the infertility board. We transferred two embryos on 1/27. I did POAS and because it was faintly positive my RE allowed me to test early. My first beta on 2/4 was 158 and the second beta on 2/6 was 391. Doubling time is 36 hours. We will do one more beta tomorrow (Monday).

I know that everything looks good so far but I am a nervous wreck. I have never come this far. I have severe immune issues and my body thinks embryos are foreign agents that must be killed. I am happy that they did not do it so far this time and there was some sort of implantation but I am still on pins and needles all the time. 

The next step after tomorrow's beta is doppler ultrasound on Friday. My immunologist wants to make sure that I have good blood flow to the embryo. This will be on 5w1d. 

Next, my RE will do an ultrasound on 6w4d.

My questions are:

- When do you feel like things are moving okay? With your betas? With your first u/s? When you saw heard the heartbeat?

- I am having quite a bit of AF cramping. It is not too painful for me to suspect ectopic but it comes and goes during the day and makes me worried that my AF will explode. Has anyone experienced those?

- How do you deal with the wait between beta and the ultrasound? I have thought that 2ww was the worst. I think this wait is even worse.

- Finally, do you know what I should expect to see on the first u/s this Friday on 5w1d? Should they definitely need to see the yolk sac etc?

alpCRNA

Welcome and congrats!  Unfortunately it seems that IF brain continues into PAIF for most of us.  I am finally starting to feel a little better after making it to the second trimester.  I am still constantly worried that something may happen.  I do believe the wait between positive betas and the first ultrasound is more difficult, but you just have to make it through it.  At 5w2d I was only able to see the gestational sac.  5w5d we saw the yolk sac.  6w1d we saw fetal cardiac activity, but HR 90-100.  Then 7w1d the HR had picked up to an appropriate speed  8w4d first ultrasound with OB HR 172.  Also, the baby measured a few days behind at every ultrasound.  OB said as long as there is growth and you measure within a week of where the baby should be, it is ok.  There are so many things you can get hung up on, but you just have to try to remind yourself you are PREGNANT and take it in stride.  

sorrellam30

Congrats!!! Unfortunately I'm almost 16 weeks and STILL worry but at the same time I think I'm starting to accept that it's real...
I had a lot of cramping too so I think that's normal. I think we saw heartbeat at 7 week ultrasound. Best of luck!

J&D2007

Congrats and welcome! I agree with PP's, that unfortunately, none of the 'milestones' made me feel 'in the clear'. Each was a relief, but there is always the next hurdle. As for cramping, it's completely normal and expected that early. Nothing to be worried about. As for dealing with the waits, I found them excruciating and I have no advice. On your u/ s, I think you'd want to see a gestational sac in the uterus and that is about all. A few days later, a yolk sac. I saw a hb at 7w0d. What do they have you on to control immune issues?

gsancho

Congratulations!!  That is a great doubling time.  I don't think I finally started talking about being pregnant as a reality until around 10 weeks or maybe when I had my first OB visit at 12.  The little milestones help some - seeing/hearing the heartbeat at 7 weeks helped, although I had some spotting and cramping until 8/9 weeks that drove me crazy.  

The worry never fully goes away, but I think most of us have found ourselves finally getting excited as go through the 2nd trimester.  Feeling cramping throughout 1st tri is very normal.  Unless it gets really bad (like heavy period cramps) or is accompanied by bleeding, it's not normally a cause for concern.  I got a lot of the comes & goes type of cramping.

Good luck Monday!!

pblge

I am so thrilled to see you here!!!! \:D/ \:D/ \:D/ \:D/ \:D/ Huge congratulations to you! I'll give my answers to your questions:
- You'll start to believe it's really happening when it's right for you. This could be really soon, or not for a few months. The sooner you can let yourself be happy, the better, I think. For me, having had a MMC, I didn't really start to relax until after the a/s, but each milestone helped a little.
- Yup, cramping normal. Drink lots of fluids and rest. FYI, also, a large % of have had bleeding, too, so don't panic if you see that.
- The waits are always hard. When it was late enough, the doppler helped me a lot. Before that I just remember a lot of anxiety and therapeutic application of Netflix. You're lucky that your first one is so early!
- I think at that point you may only see the sac. It's possible you'd see fetal structures (fetal pole, yolk sac), but don't worry if you don't. At that point I think the main thing they're looking for is a sac in the uterus.

You may be about to knocked flat on your ass for a few weeks with fatigue and/or nausea, so if there are any projects (work or home or whatever) you can distract yourself with while you wait, that will help a lot. You won't regret it!

Good luck and congrats again!!

weansworld09

Congrats and welcome!!

I also had a lot of cramping throughout 1st tri. I wasn't sure what to think, but I mostly tried to keep myself distracted with work and such.

The earliest I had an u/s was 6w3d and at that point we saw the sac/fetal pole/HB. I'm not sure what to expect during the 5th week.

I was pretty terrified through the NT scan. I was again overly anxious and worried prior to the A/S. And it wasn't until I hit 24w that I felt comfortable posting anything on social media. I think I was the most frightened between that 6w u/s and my 10w u/s at our first OB appt.

starlightgator

First and foremost....CONGRATULATIONS, you are pregnant! This is a huge milestone and you deserve to celebrate. I agree that it's very scary and agree with PP's that IF brain has taken a lot of the joy from pregnancy. I also have an immune disorder, but we made it through and we are here now.

To answer your questions:

Seeing the babies heartbeats in the monitor in my RE's office at 6 weeks was amazing. That made it real. We didn't make it public until 13 weeks.

I didn't have cramping so I can't say.

The wait between beta and US was tough. But, I just looked at those positive POAS tests and thought about the betas.

At my US, I remember asking about the yolk sac numerous times and they said it was there for both babies. Blew DH and my minds bc we couldn't believe both embies stuck.

Congrats again and good luck for a wonderful journey!

katers79

Congrats and welcome! IF brain is awful, and like PP's have said, it makes enjoying the milestones hard. I'm 11w4d, and still am nervous and knock on wood multiple times/day. It seems to be the norm around here, but you're in great company with a ton of awesome ladies who are Ah--mazing at issuing support when needed! H&H 9 months!!

Justone13

So happy to see you over here!! Happy dance!!! Looks like everyone has given all the info you would need. Keep us updated on how the next beta and scans go!!

zeynsom

Thank you, ladies! I appreciate the support and your answers. 

Some of you asked about my immune issues and my protocol: I am working with Dr. KK in Chicago. I have elevated NK activity (currently 17.8-- must be less than 15%), and elevated cytokines (tnf-a is 39-- must be less than 30). I am also hetero MTHFR and positive APA. Current treatment protocol: biweekly double-dose IVIG, prednisone 35mg, lovenox 40mg 2xday, baby aspirin, PIO 2cc, prometrium 400mg, crinone x1/day, estrodial valerate 0.1mg IM injection every T and S, Vivelle patches x2 every other day.

Best of luck to all of you. I hope I will stay in this group for the next 8 months

dp21

Lurking!  Congrats!!!  Soo happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I've been wanting to email you but keeping my distance, I know how hard it is.  Doesn't mean I don't think about you! 

intheplanningstage

IF brain is horrible. I'm almost 35 weeks and I still worry, but a lot of that is based on 2 losses as well. I have a hard time starting my day if I haven't felt my little one move yet. It's kind of ridiculous but I don't know anyway to make that fear magically disappear. At the beginning, I didn't even have betas and I tried to just think as positive as possible. Worrying wasn't going to solve anything, so I just let go and waited between each appointment. I told myself "today I am pregnant and I am fine." I don't think it will ever be "easy"...but it gets easier. Congratulations!!

zeynsom

Thank you all! Third beta is 1187. Doubling time is 46 hours. So, things look good today. I am still slightly scared of ectopic because I have this slight pain (not constant but occasional) lower righthand side. Bur I try not to worry about it. Next step is 5w1d u/s this Friday at my immunologist to see the gestational sac and evaluate the blood flow. Wish me luck!

turquoisequeen

Congrats!!! Each week that passes makes it a little easier to feel like you are pregnant but for me I didn't start to think that way until 2nd tri and there have even been some anxious days in 2nd tri but those are becoming less and less. I had a lot of cramping in 1st tri and also some random uncomfortableness/aches (not a word but the best way I could think to describe it)... I hadn't really expected that part but your organs are little by little moving around to accommodate for a growing uterus and such (especially if you happen to be a small person to begin with like me) so it was just the effects of that. 

Good luck at your first u/s!! I didn't have my first one until almost 7 weeks so I don't know what you should see. Keep us posted!

CML11

Congrats! My RE told me cramping was normal, think of it as growing pains.
I'm at 7 weeks and it still hasn't fully set in. I'm so afraid I'm going to lose them. I'm a nervous nelly! I hope that those feeling go away and I'm able to fully enjoy the milestones.
Good luck!!

shauna78

Those first several weeks are SO hard!  I'm 16 weeks pregnant right now and I'm still not sure it feels real yet!  We were able to find out the sex of the baby a few weeks ago so that has helped me bond a bit more with him but if this pregnancy is anything like my last one I'll be holding my breath until I can actually hold him in my arms. 

Congratulations on your pregnancy - keep thinking those positive thoughts!