Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ... It Happens!

Abdominal Cramps, OHSS
www.amsj.org

I apologize for the delay on this post. It has now been a few weeks since my post egg retrieval procedure and I can safely say that I am 100% back to normal with my hormones and body. The bloating has now subsided and I only have my laziness to blame for my muffin top and lack of six pack abs. I do want to address a serious topic that is rarely talked about at the doctor's office when considering the egg freezing process: Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. There are different levels of it, and it happens more often than some doctors surmise. I have heard that OHSS impacts at a mild / moderate level about 15 - 25% of all egg retrieval patients. I was in that % that got it and for a period of 24 hours I thought I might die and was immobile. I could only go back and forth to the bathroom and was in extreme abdominal pain and looked about three months pregnant. I went from being constipated to having the runs. Gatorade and Immodium were my saviors.

The symptoms and formal definition of OHSS is described below.  Click here to read more.

Egg Retrieval Day ... Success and Alcohol

By: Sam K.        

The Egg Retrieval Day ... I woke up excited and hopeful about my future family. Granted there are no guarantees, but I was predicting about 11-13 mature eggs and I had it ingrained in my mind that I only needed approximately 10 of those to make a baby. Therefore, I felt the odds were in my favor. 

I got to the office waiting room on time only to wait an additional 45 minutes to be taken back to get prepped for surgery. I was getting nervous, because from the trigger shot of HCG to the release of the eggs is 36 hours and we did not have a lot of wiggle room. The eggs won't wait on traffic. They release on their own time frame. I remember briefly talking to the anesthesiologist about when I could get alcohol in my system again. No, I am not an alcoholic, nor do I drink everyday. However, these past two plus weeks have been the longest time I have abstained from alcohol since before college. It was a master cleanse of some kind for me. No alcohol, caffeine, sexual activity, or rigorous exercise for 16 days. If I could pinpoint what was the most difficult for me to give up, I would have to say the intense working out. I love to eat and the way I keep my somewhat girlish figure is by burning calories from running, cross fit, and biking. It was a bit of a letdown that I found out that I would need to wait an additional 10 days post surgery before I could start running again. If you work out too early, you run the risk of ovarian torsion, and could have to amputate your ovary if it gets severely damaged. Surgery can repair the damage though for most people. The reasoning is that your ovaries are majorly enlarged after the stimulation drugs and once the eggs are removed, the ovaries are a little slower to respond*. Patients with ovarian torsion often present with sudden onset of sharp and usually unilateral lower abdominal pain, in 70% of cases accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Follicle Counts, Hormone Levels, and Jennifer Love Hewitt

Retrievefreezerelax.com

Well, I promised full disclosure of my egg freezing cycle and I am keeping my word. I am slightly bloated and craving a work out, but overall I am really functioning at a high level right now.

Here is a chart of my progress throughout my egg freezing cycle. Througout the process, I had my doubts that my little follicles would mature fast enough. Some of it is just anxiety and some of it is real fear based on what I have heard and read about other people's IVF cycles. When estrogen reaches above 4000, the doctors want to trigger ovulation for fear of ovarian hyperstimulation and loss of egg quality. Right now I am on Day 13 waiting for the Go sign to trigger or take one more day of meds. I actually needed to order an extra day of medications just in case I need to stimulate for Day 13. My medications have cost $4800.00 in total for the 13 days. This is with the Heart discount for Menopur and the Go Savings for the Cetrotide and Gonal F. I ordered from Freedom Fertility Pharmacy and I would highly endorse ordering from them. They check the prescriptions, give you free syringes and needles, and deliver exactly when they say they will.   Continue on by clicking read more.