Working Out - 2WW

jszy10 · October 2013

Hey Ladies!!

So I'm in the process of finally buckling down and trying to eat better and exercise, and I'm curious about your thoughts on medium/high impact workouts during your 2WW? I'm just now starting a workout routine back up, after several months of slack, and I know DRs don't encourage you to start new workout programs early in pregnancy, but I wasn't sure about the TTC time?

Some of you may remember my post a few days ago about the pain I experience after IUI #2 on Wednesday (I know some of you experience that pain all the time, but it was new for me this time around). Well I took off work Thursday, took it relatively easy on Friday, and woke up Saturday morning and decided to go to a Zumba class with a friend. I noticed about 15-20 minutes in that I was feeling a 'heavy' kind of uncomfortable feeling in my uterus area. I did slow down, and stopped accenting moves that involved that area, but it worried me a little. I'm just now trying to get into a routine, and I'm wondering if I should be staying away from running or high-impact aerobic classes until after my 2ww?

I want to be healthy, but I also want to be careful.

Thanks for any input!!

runforcookies · October 2013

I stay away from high impact exercises during the 2ww and stick to yoga, walking, and weights. My Dr. is okay with me running, but I get nervous and won't run for a week after my IUI, I have a fear of shaking things (irrational I know).

My philosophy is I ask my Dr his guidelines, and then I work from there on what I feel comfortable with.

jszy10 · October 2013

Thanks for the feedback @runforcookies ..... I have the same 'shaking/bouncing' fear lol. It does sound so irrational because people who aren't so focused on TTC do whatever they want until they find out and have NO problems, but we are so careful because of our troubles!

I think I will stick with yoga or walking (maybe a little jog worked in) until the 2ww is up.

katib77 · October 2013

I wouldn't do anything high impact. This cycle for my IVF I got to see what my ovaries look like six days after ER and was amazed that my ovaries were still the size of a half mango! I thought after you either release or have eggs retrieved that they shrink quickly but was told it really takes the whole two weeks. And that high impact really gives chance for ovary torsion (where your ovary twists and cuts off blood flow. If that happens you can lose your ovary altogether so this is why I don't recommend it). I had gone in because I had some pain, turns out I had a 40mm bloody cyst on the left (and some smaller ones on the right) so they even said "No Yoga when I'm upside down or twisting around" and basically said no heavy physical activity either and I informed her the only "activity" I was looking forward to was finally have sex with my husband after a four week span of not doing it and she said "OK, but calm sex...nothing too wild and crazy." Ha!

jszy10 · October 2013

Wow...good to know. I was wondering if Yoga would be good with the twisting and things. I think I'll just do the elliptical or walk.

Love4Science · October 2013

I do yoga but I try to take it easy on the twisting. If it's a good, supportive yoga class, the teacher should be willing to help make modifications to decrease the amount/level of twisting. I still twist, just not as deeply as I twist before the 2WW. It's usually uncomfortable anyways because of the bloat.

As far as high intensity/high impact, I was told no Zumba/kickboxing/tabata, etc during the 2WW because they are so high intensity. I wear a heart rate monitor and try to stay below 145ish, though sometimes I venture above that. If I hit 160 I quit until my HR comes back down. The idea being that your uterus is not a vital organ and will be deprived of blood flow when the muscles are being worked. Decreased blood flow potentially could hinder implantation. There are no scientific studies to back any of that up, but it makes sense in my head.

I bought the Polar FT4 Women's HR Monitor on Amazon and really like it.

jszy10 · October 2013

Makes sense. I am feeling a little crampy today, so I think I'll be taking it easy for the next week or so, just to be safe. I have 9 more days until I can test....lord I hope it goes fast!!

RunCC37 · October 2013

I was told no running, lifting or abdominal crunches after ER of my IVF cycle. Even for my IUI cycles, I didn't feel comfortable running around O. My doctor always cautioned me to listen to my body and that there is a great risk of ovarian torsion.

Sigh202 · October 2013

I try to avoid high impact exercise but still run at a moderate pace, hike and rock climb. I'd think anything involving kicking would be uncomfortable given our super sized ovaries.

STBMrsMiller · October 2013

I take ballet classes regularly and my RE had said during the TWW of IUI cycles to not do any exercises that would "jiggle my ovaries" while they returned to normal size. For IVF she said no dancing from the day I start meds until a week after ER. She was ok with walking and light weights.

Jzyla · October 2013

I've been advised to stay away from anything high impact. Lifting heavy weights is also not advisable, nor are deep squats. I basically stick to yoga ("Restoring Fertility" DVD) and walking for the 2WW. Health is important, but from everything I've read there appear to be more studies linking high impact exercise to infertility than weight/BMI issues. Just my opinion.

gsancho · October 2013

I've been sticking with walking and will start elliptical this week. I may do some strength training, but not really with weights - just some lunges and maybe push ups.

absolutelymaybe · October 2013

My dr didn't say anything 1st IUI, but after Googling I decided that working out was OK as long as I didn't get my heart rate up too much. I stopped running and jogged instead and got a heart rate monitor. Tried to keep everything under 160. The 2nd IUI I asked the dr and he said since I had "so much going on" that I should take it easy and walk, which wasn't a problem since I felt bloated and crappy during my 2WW. This cycle I plan to do the same. I know it's illogical, but we're spending so much money on this that I just want to make sure. It sucks though because I haven't even had my IUI yet but the letrezole is making me feel all pukey. I managed to run 5 miles on Saturday, but I kept stopping and feeling like I was going to vomit Biggest Loser style (thankfully I didn't).