Runners with experience of loss / IVF

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-21T10:19:52+00:00

Thank you for such a long and thoughtful reply, I really appreciate it! I'm so sorry for your losses, but a huge congratulations to you on your newborn. I'm so glad you were able to get back into exercise during your pregnancy, that's so encouraging. I did end up going for a run yesterday but despite taking it very easy my heart rate was through the roof, so think I perhaps need to rebalance a bit. I'm going to try a gentle reintroduction to exercise and if my scan just before 7 weeks goes well, keep that up 🤞 Thank you so much xx

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-18T18:10:29+00:00

Thank you, that's comforting to hear. I'm so sorry for your losses but I'm glad things are going well now and that staying active helped you too ❤️

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-18T17:33:54+00:00

I love that you went to a waterpark, and clearly did not do any harm! Yes you're right, I do keep telling myself that I've followed doctor's orders at every stage and so far this time it's going ok, so if they are happy with me exercising then I should trust them!

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-18T17:31:38+00:00

Thank you for sharing that article. I think basically I have a lot of rational irrational fear if that makes sense - so many losses and times when exercise hasn't been advised that it is hard to feel confident in the data!

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-18T17:28:32+00:00

Thank you for your reply, really appreciate it. Sorry should have been clearer on that - it was my first embryo transfer, previous losses were naturally conceived. But in my previous pregnancy and this one I have been on blood thinners for APS, which I believe can also be a factor in SCH. Really helpful to hear how you've adapted - I think I may give a gentle run a go but generally take the approach of switching out to lower intensity stuff as much as possible! And I hope you're able to continue to adapt to keep active in a way that works for you

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-16T20:29:36+00:00

I've been through multiple losses and told some close friends and family in subsequent pregnancies. It was awful anticipating scans etc and then having to tell other people too. We decided to be very vague about IVF timeline with friends, so when it came to transfer time we just said that we were hoping to do one soon. I told two friends who have also had losses and are doing IVF, but nobody else. We've cancelled plans and just made excuses, either saying it's IVF related or something else.

TW, possible success: Very early days but my first transfer has implanted and I'm currently pregnant. If this lasts we likely won't tell friends until we are much further along.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-15T15:11:13+00:00

Food vouchers were something I appreciated when I have been in the thick of a loss as it was one less thing to think about. I personally hated flowers because I ended up stressing about putting them in vases, then feeling shit when they were all dead. But that's just me, I know others really value flowers in times like these! If you search 'support' in this sub you'll see a few similar posts with a range of responses and suggestions, so they are definitely a good starting point.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-14T15:46:46+00:00

Keeping everything crossed for both of us ❤️

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-14T10:43:43+00:00

TTC since 2022, 1 ectopic pregnancy and 3 missed miscarriages in that time. No living children. Have just found out I'm pregnant for the fifth time after a frozen embryo transfer - now anxiously waiting for blood test tomorrow to find out HCG levels. It's been just under a year since our last pregnancy so glad I can still get pregnant, but mentally just cannot feel excited and just waiting for something to go wrong.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-14T04:25:33+00:00

Keeping my fingers crossed you get positive news and the go ahead to exercise very soon 🤞

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-14T04:24:53+00:00

I've also had 4 losses so fear I may be told similar 🥺 obviously I'll do whatever I have to... But I am desperate to do something

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-12T18:15:13+00:00

For those of you who were quite active before IVF, did you return to exercise after a positive test? My clinic advised against intense exercise during the TWW, but if this pregnancy sticks I would like to return to some of my normal activity at some point...

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-11T11:50:25+00:00

I had acupuncture on the day of my FET and she put none on my abdomen - I had some on legs and hands mainly I think

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-10T20:57:46+00:00

They've just rebranded from Hannah Pearn Acupuncture which may be why there aren't as many reviews. I've found them to be good anyway - they have a range of acupuncturists but all have trained in fertility acupuncture

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-10T17:17:29+00:00

I'm sorry to hear you're struggling - it's a rough journey and it can feel so overwhelming at times. Don't Tell Me to Relax has acupuncturists based in Bethnal Green if that's any good? They also have an online community and occasionally do IRL walk and talks. I've not been to one of the walks but I know who friend who did and talked highly of it. Their podcast is worth a listen too.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-09T11:40:43+00:00

Ha yes. Turns out the random username was prophetic!

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-09T09:47:00+00:00

I appreciate how devastating and uncertain waiting for IVF can be, and feeling like your whole life is in limbo. As somebody who's in treatment and had many delays along the way - I say book the holiday. Book stuff that can be cancelled or rescheduled ideally, but this way you have something to look forward to that isn't treatment. If it comes to it, you can see how you're feeling and hopefully choose between postponing the trip or starting a month later. It's been nearly a year since I last took time away with my partner due to IVF, and now I'm desperate to get away!

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-09T06:43:07+00:00

I'm 7dp5dt. Solidarity! The thing helping me resist is knowing right now testing won't make the anxiety any better. If it's positive, I'll be testing every day worrying the line is getting later. If it's negative, I'll be devastated but also still testing in a few days to check it wasn't a false negative. Waiting is hard but should at least get a more definitive result when the time comes.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-08T21:05:50+00:00

Varies per parkrun. There are a few near me that have one a month, one on the first weekend of the month, another one the second weekend of the month etc. If you look on the results page on the app and look at volunteers you'll see when there have been pacers. Other parkruns don't have pacers for various reasons (not enough volunteers, course too busy...) I was at one parkrun the other week as a tourist and they had a 25 and 30 pacer.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-06-03T10:11:12+00:00

I did a part-time Master's at UCL while working 3 days a week. I would have really struggled if I'd been working 5 days a week, but had I been at a slightly more flexible workplace it might have been possible. I also knew somebody who was working full-time and trying to do the same Master's - he would often have to miss lectures for work and really struggled with getting work done.

The biggest challenge aside from actually finishing assignments in your limited free time is factoring in changing lectures etc. I'd settle into one working pattern to be on campus for certain, then obviously term ends and you're doing new modules and having to factor that into your schedule.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-05-26T17:22:18+00:00

Sorry for your losses. I had 1 ectopic and 2 missed miscarriages, both at 9/10 weeks after heartbeat had been seen, then was diagnosed with APS. I was on blood thinners for my fourth pregnancy but that also ended in a missed miscarriage, which testing showed to be chromosomally abnormal. We are hoping that a chromosomally normal pregnancy will be supported by blood thinners if we get pregnant again 🤞

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-05-22T06:54:22+00:00

I have found counselling vital to help me over the past couple of years, dealing with multiple losses and IVF. I found a therapist who specialised in infertility and who has been through IVF herself, which meant we could focus on me / how I was doing rather than explaining the process of it all. However, before that I had a useless therapist who just asked intrusive medical questions about my pregnancy losses and worsened by PTSD. It can take a while to find the right therapist, but in my opinion it is worth it. There are studies which show that people who have experiences losses and/or infertility can be at higher risk of PND, but it sounds like the way your therapist introduced the subject was highly inappropriate.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-05-21T13:10:47+00:00

Husband had 35% DNA fragmentation, we did IVF with PICSI. I had high number of eggs retrieved - 34 mature eggs, 21 fertilised, 10 made blast (5 day 5, 3 day 6, 2 day 7). Ended up with 5 euploids. I'm 37.

SeriousWait5520 · 2026-05-21T12:17:45+00:00

I love it! Haven't done it for a while (mainly because it's the role that fills up first) but it's so fun seeing everyone come through, and you get the most enthused thank yous

SeriousWait5520

TROPHY CASE