Talk to me about OHSS

tarala · May 2014

Hi ladies, I am 2 days post ER and so uncomfortable. I am drinking Gatorade like it's going out of style and I still have bloating and discomfort. Today, the pain seemed to rise into my upper abdomen and lessen in my lower abdomen. I can hardly eat because I feel so full and sleeping is so difficult. I am monitoring my weight and it did decrease by over a pound overnight.

I really want to do this transfer on Thursday and I am hoping to feel some relief tomorrow.

I already have a phone call into my doctor for tomorrow to make sure this isn't too abnormal. I was wondering: did anyone experience OHSS? How bad was it for you? Any advice? Thank you in advance for your help!

Puzzlefuz · May 2014

I had what was termed mild OHSS. My RE cancelled the ET because of my OHSS. I gained about 6 lbs in the first two days afterward. I was pretty uncomfortable for about a week after transfer. I lost my appetite and it took about 5 days before I started dropping the weight. I drank a lot of Gatorade and ate a high salt and high protein diet. I feel like the Gatorade, diet and rest really helped me get better. It's no fun at all, sorry you are going through this. Hope you feel better soon.

dreambig1021 · May 2014

It took me 5 days to start feelin better but it wasn't until after AF where I felt "normal" my RE cancelled because of mild OHSS sleep propped up with an extra pillow that helped me with sleeping.

Sha259 · May 2014

I am starting to worry about this OHSS business. Is it really that common? My RE has me triggering with hCG, and said that if I develop OHSS we will have to do a freeze all cycle. He said that I am at higher risk because of my age and weight, though the risks are still significantly low. Is OHSS more prevalent for those with PCOS than those with other risks?

dreambig1021 · May 2014

There are a lot of articles on it that can give you some insight. I tried avoiding it like the plague but after they retrieved 31 eggs from me it was inevitable. I hated that my RE did a freeze all but I told myself that I get to lose the weight I gained from the meds and get everything back in order.

Milagros315 · May 2014

I was high risk, but I didn't develop any symptoms (that I'm aware of). I did have pain in my upper abdomen kind of like you are describing, but I suspected that that was from all of the antibiotics I had to take. It went away within a day of starting to eat some probiotic yogurt. Maybe you could try that too?

It's a good sign that you're not gaining weight, but you should still monitor that and your other symptoms carefully. Keep up with the Gatorade (I alternated with coconut water too), protein, and salty snacks.

I hope you're feeling better soon - good luck!

Spring78 · May 2014

OHSS is no fun at all. Like dreamingbig, I had 31 eggs retrieved and wound up with a mild/moderate case of OHSS. For the better part of a week, every time I moved, my whole torso hurt. Walking was painful and very, very tiring. I could actually feel my ovaries bouncing in there for days after retrieval. I couldn't eat. I felt sick to my stomach for days. I could not lie on my side due to pain. I never gained a ton of weight, but did yoyo up and down by a few pounds every day. Never had the scariest symptom -- breathing trouble/significant shortness of breath. But what I did experience was miserable, I will not lie. Good thing is, it is temporary.

After about a week, I started feeling like myself again. It took another week or so to really bounce back, though. I ended up with 13 embryos, so my RE was willing to transfer one because she knew we were anxious to try. Needless to say, it was a BFN. I now kind of wish we had done a freeze all and saved our best embryo for when I was in better shape... But we still have the 12 frosties, so on to FET#1. If you RE recommends a freeze all, I say take the advice. I hate feeling like we wasted our best embryo... Good luck to you!

Sunny B · May 2014

I did. It peaked at day 4 and 5 so that's why our fresh transfer was cancelled.
I felt bloated and like I really had to pass gas but couldn't (sorry for the tmi). I was peeing a ton which made me think that I didn't have it, but I did. On the evening of Day 5 I started to have problems breathing when I laid down flat and had fluid pooching up by my rib cage. The bloat subsided about 10 days later.

tarala · May 2014

Thank you so much for your replies. I realized that the intense pains were from the meds- Medrol to be exact. I must have some type of sensitivity to it. I am also on a high dosage so that could be why, as well.
I was worried it could be OHSS as I am at a higher risk- many eggs retrieved, low BMI; but it's the stupid antibiotics!

Sha259 · May 2014

Well I'm glad to here it's not OHSS, and hopefully you start to feel better soon!

bayareagirl2011 · May 2014

I had mild OHSS. For the longest time I felt nothing (basically no symptoms the entire cycle) other than a few days after trigger like you. If you get a BFP, it will likely get worse. Just keep hydrated, eat lightly, and wear your most comfortable (preferably elastic waisted) pants!! My stomach stuck out a good 3 inches from normal for a week or so. Good luck to you!

ikrystal · May 2014

I had the same symptoms as you. I ballooned up and gained like four pounds. I was at high risk for OHSS, so they had changed my trigger to Lupron. They got 22 or 24 eggs from ER (I can't remember how many exactly). We almost canceled my ET, but by the time my day 5 transfer rolled around I felt better and we proceeded. But that morning, everything was tentative and my doctor was not sure if we were going to do the ET. Good luck to you.

gnl42 · May 2014

I'm joining the conversation a little late... but for those of you who did have OHSS, do you know what your estrogen level was prior to ER?

My bloodwork today was >6000 and my RE is pretty much preparing me for a freeze all. I was on the lupron protocol, so I have to use hcg to trigger. She prescribed Cabergoline to help prevent it and I'm drinking massive amounts of coconut water... but I'm feeling pretty defeated. After not even making it to ER last month, I was really hoping we would make it all the way through this time. I guess I should be grateful that we are still planning on ER this Friday.

Spring78 · May 2014

I would definitely be concerned about OHSS with that number. Everyone responds differently, so what could tip one over into OHSS might be okay for someone else, so you could still be fine, but that is getting pretty high. If your RE does recommend you do an all freeze cycle, it may be for the best. My RE agreed to transfer one embie in spite of my OHSS because we were anxious to move forward and now I wonder if I wasted the best of our embies by implanting it when my body was not in the best shape to receive it. I know the delay would be frustrating, but if you have good numbers to freeze, you should still be in good shape. Good luck!

dreambig1021 · May 2014

I was a freeze all and I was right under 4000

gnl42 · May 2014

Thanks ladies. RE is mostly concerned about the risks to my health, but @spring78 - you make a good point as well. The best embryos are obviously transferred and if I'm in bad shape and it didn't work out, it could feel like a waste.

We are just so anxious to move forward already. Every step of the way there has been one issue or another!

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