Very nervous about follow up appointment

[Jackie S]

Hi everybody

I posted a couple of weeks ago asking a few questions about the follow up appointment after a failed ivf /early pregnancy. Thank you Staci for replying, it is nice getting encouragement when your feeling a bit down.

Anyway, I have another question which is probably a bit more complex.

Bit of history first. Husband and I were ready for our first IVF cycle March 03 -actually 4 days from starting to sniff when our treatment was stopped by the consultant due to me having high blood pressure and a history of problems with anaesetic. We had to wait until August to see a consultant cardiologist before we could begin treatment and finally started our first cycle in October. This cycle was abandoned due to poor response and we started again in December which resulted in a failed pregnancy in February. We haven't seen anybody since.

The problem I'm having is that all through 'both' cycles the consultants were worrying about my blood pressure and had to decide whether to procede or not. At the moment I am having a lot of blood pressure problems -my original tablet was doubled about 8 weeks ago then 3 weeks ago I was put on a second different tablet two times a day and 1 week ago I saw my gp again and he doubled the dose of this tablet because it didn't have any impact. I am getting severe headaches since I have been taking this one and my GP said he can't do any more about it because there is only the 1 safe tablet for pregnancy he can prescribe. So I have to talk to my consultant about an alternative safe one. I am also having injections weekly for anaemia. I am really worried that they are not going to let us go ahead with a second attempt etc if I am having these problems. I know it will be for my own safety but we have been left in limbo since February and feel so alone.

I'm sorry about the long ramble, I think i just feel on edge because we have waited so long for a follow up (since February) and just don't have any idea what the plan is for us. we have so many questions about that cycle and I'm afraid we won't get any answers because this will take over.

Thank you for reading this -ANY advice would be SO gratefully received.

Jackie

Ps Hope everybody is ok and keep those PMA's!!!!

[Bronagh]

hi,

I too finally have a follow up appointment at the end of July for my first cycle whihc ended negativelyhe only thing I can think of if there is an alternative way for you to balance your blood pressure etc. I went to a chinese doc before treatement but only for about 4 weeks, I have gone back to her since my cycle did not work and have started to see big improvements in the estremely bad AF that I used to get . This month has been the first one in years that \i have not been literally doubled in 2 from the pain. She says its an imbalance internally that she is trying to sort out I have unexplained infertility. So my thinking is if alternative therapies could sort things out for you it would decrease the risk about mixing your meds etc.

Good luck for the meeting.
regards
|Bro

[DebraP]

Hi Jackie...glad to see you've got lots of determination. You know you'll need it in spades over the next year or so.

My first thought on reading your message was similar to Bro's response. I've zero medical knowledge but what, besides all these horrible, conflicting pills, can bring your high blood pressure down? If you've seen lots of doctors has one of them mentioned alternative causes/solutions, maybe? stress relief, exercise, diet, weight, work pressures??...I'm just guessing but do you have any idea - besides the small matter of really wanting a baby - - what's behind it all? Is this a new situation? I don't have any experience of 'alternative' therapies (which are pretty mainstream now anyway) but have you tried any? homeopathy for instance?

Welcome to the board anyway and thanks for the PMA reminder, we could all do with more of that

Debra.