Every two days?!

[sophie223]

Hi guys! I'm making the move over here from TTTC. I may be too early--I haven't had a beta yet, going in for that today--but I had a question I wanted to ask.

My RE told me that I'm going to need to come in for bloodwork every two days for the next month, until my OB can see me. My RE is a half an hour away, so I'm going to be out of the office for at least an hour and a half, every other day, for the next month. Is this normal? If so, how did you guys hide things from your employer during this process? 

At my office, we all come in through a common door, and we sit in an open office, so everybody knows when anyone comes and goes. It's majorly stressing me out! 

[belovedbride07]

Congrats and welcome!

That seems excessive. I had two betas, at 12dp5dt and 14dp5dt, and I had them both drawn at a local lab and sent to the RE. There have been a couple ladies here who have had MANY betas recently; but I can't remember either name right now.

[tarajane]

That seems excessive if the numbers are progressing normally.

My RE does 3 betas and then an u/s at 7 weeks.

[sophie223]

Okay, glad I'm not the only one who thinks this is a little much! I'm going to talk to the RE today and ask if I can just come in weekly, or if there's a lab closer to my office where I can get blood drawn. I don't want to seem like a "bad mother" this early on (or, I mean, ever), but every two days is just not feasible with a full-time job.

[cactuscookie]

Yeah, every two days is tough, and even more so when the office is so far away. Plus, too many betas seems like it can be more stressful than comforting. I had two, both at a local lab (good thing, since my RE is 4.5 hours away!), then an ultrasound at 6 weeks. The RE isn't scheduling an ultrasound, they just want you to wait until the OB does one?

[callmehales]

i had 4 betas, but 2 were one week and 2 were the next...then they scheduled my first u/s for the monday after.

granted, i go to my RE every other day anyways for PIOs (DH can't do them, he'll pass out)...luckily, it's 5 minutes from my house.

[sophie223]

Thanks for validating my concerns, guys. I guess I do have to get bloodwork pretty often, but they said I can find a lab closer to my office.

I can expect my beta results back tomorrow morning. I was a little annoyed with the nurse--I asked her some questions, and she basically told me to slow my roll by saying "Yeah, you got a positive pregnancy test, but we don't even know if there's a sac in there yet." Which, of course, she's right, but I still want to know things like: can I continue with my regular workouts? Is it normal to have abdominal cramping?

She told me I'd know more when I talk to the doctor sometime next week. Hope it gets here quickly.

[boiler717]

I had two betas and a progesterone check. You should be able to get labs drawn closer to you though!
Workouts probably depend on how big your ovaries are. Did you do a fresh IVF cycle?

[tarajane]

Femara and TI, right?

Listen to your body but continuing what you have been doing with working out is generally fine. Cramping is normal.

[sophie223]

You have a good memory, tarajane! And your advice is much more helpful than my RE's. So, thank you.

[ursulabuffay]

I had about five or six betas done before we move onto ultra sounds. 15 test does sound like a lot but every practice does things differently

The cramping is normal I am 12 weeks and still feel cramping. There's a lot going on in your uterus. You shouldn't be in excruciating pain. But something like period cramps is totally normal.

[azurely]

No, that seems excessive. I had two betas right at 4w, then another beta a week later (at 5w) after I had some bleeding. My first u/s was at 6w.

If they just want bloodwork, maybe you can use a lab closer to you. Still seems excessive to me though, to draw blood every 2 days for a month...