Weight gain during IVF

NandJ4Ever

So Im trying to loose weight before starting IVF. I'm not really overweight but could stand to loose ten to fifteen pounds. I've heard that it's common to gain five to fifteen pounds just from the IVF cycle. My question is, does weight gained from IVF eventually go away over time or would any weight gained during IVF be there to stay throughout the pregnancy? And what is the cause of the weight gain? Fat? Bloat? Water weight? I'm trying to determine how much weight I should try to loose before starting IVF without negatively effecting things by weighing too little. Thanks for your help!

KLake42

I have had two different kinds of weight gain.

I have gone on a med, gained 3-4 pounds, and then when I went off, the weight melted off.  Hormones are real.

And then there's the stress eating.  That doesn't go away so easy!  It helps to commit to avoiding sugar and processed starches during the cycle, which also helps with the cycle itself.

Whatever weight loss method you try (and I would recommend something gentle on your body-- don't screw with your system with any fast weight loss clinic BS), you'll develop a habit of monitoring what you eat to avoid overeating, right?  Just keep that up during IVF.  

Only make sure that you're eating a diverse variety of foods to get all your nutrients, including plenty of veggies.  

liljoy-2

Hi, I have always been on the lower side of a healthy BMI, but after IVF I gained almost 10 lb and couldn't get them off after, despite keeping my usual light, vegetarian diet and routine. It's not only fluids, I can see the extra pounds on my legs and buttock. But some it's fluid (bloated abdomen). 

mc4dj13

I gained about 5 pounds during my 1st mock cycle but I was also walking 30 minutes a day and eating lots of fruits and veggies. It is hard for me to lose weight so my focus was just not gaining more.

I started my cycle this month in Chicago visiting family and being around all that food (deep dish pizza yum) did NOT help. 

I am feeling the bloat, too, but I know I have to drink that water. Green tea helps me with cravings. At night when I want something sweet for desert I have some warm tea. This helps me sleep too!

NandJ4Ever

Sounds like the weight stays! Thanks that helps to know. So I'll try to loose closer to 15 pounds in the next few months. That way if I gain from IVF I'll still be within the normal weight BMI instead of overweight range. I'm trying to do my exercise bike 2 hours for 4-5 days a week and for the past 6 months I've eaten no grains, no sweets and pretty much just vegetables, 1 fruit a day, nuts and seeds, fish, chicken, eggs and hemp protein. 

Isthisthereallife

@NandJ4Ever Hi! Good luck with your cycle. I'll be honest, I gained 15 pounds prior to getting pregnant. Some of it was meds,bloat, water, etc. Most of it was stress/emotional eating and unhealthy choices. Either way - the stress of having the extra weight isn't fun. I hope you reach your goal! 

Kp214

@NandJ4Ever I might have gained a couple of pounds during the last of year of doing 4 ivf cycles. I seem to be in the minority, but just wanted to say that you don't always gain weight.  Good luck!

HopeSIN

@NandJ4Ever I did gain around 2.5kg during IVF, one half of it came from water retention (some is still there, especially in my upper thighs!) and I looked like I was 3 months pregnant, which must've been due to the injections. The other half definitely came from stress eating - it felt like I don't have any control over my body, so eating whatever I want is the only thing to make me feel like I'm still in control. 
However, after IVF I lost those 2kg again without too much effort. My belly is still protruding a little bit more than usual though (I'm only 1.60m, so even small changes can be seen easily).

desperatemom

I am so glad I found this post, I just finished my first ivf cycle and my buttocks and thighs are definitely much heavier than before, stomach is actually okay.  Started walking and eating healthier, hope to loose it all before may fet. 

artemis618

I guess I hadn't really thought about this.  I know for sure I was a good 8-9lbs up the night before ER this last cycle.  I actually didn't even own a scale before my first IVF cycle because I don't really believe in weighing myself (just at the doctor's office or if I visit my parents in my hometown since they have a scale), but I thought I should be able to monitor weight gain in case of OHSS.  Also, I was kind of paranoid about whether one dose of Ovidrel would be enough.

This past cycle, I was still up 5 lbs or so two days after the retrieval, then back to my normal range four days after (but I still made sure to pick size 6 jeans instead of 4s to wear this morning!)

I generally eat pretty well, but I have to think that two weeks of exercise restriction after each ER (what do your doctors say about this and...ahem...pelvic rest?) and not wanting to exercise late in stimming due to enlarged ovaries/risk of ovarian torsion really doesn't help the cause!