OHSS Recovery time

[~BecD~]

Quick question for those who have been through OHSS...

How long were you sick for, and when did the bloating go away completely?

My EPU was on Tuesday 3/6, and am still putting on weight (fluid).

Would love to hear other peoples experiences with this.

[NAT025]

Hi BecD - Holy crap I didn't realise you got 20 eggs thats fantastic. I can't really help much with OHSS as I haven't experienced this.

Could you tell me what drugs and protocol were you on this cycle. I have an appointment with the same clinic as you next month with Dr Hart which I am very excited about.

[butterfly_warrior]

Bec, both times I had it, I waited three weeks before I started to be decidedly more normal. The bloating won't really go down until AF arrives - When I had it badly, we didn't use any luteal phase support and AF arrived 8 days after EPU both times. If you've been using any, stop now, you want AF to be here ASAP. I'm not entirely sure I'm the usual case when it comes to OHSS recovery, but there seems to be so few people that have experienced it that it's really hard to say. Remember... hospital is likely to be the best place for you - they can drain off the excess liquid (sounds horrid, I know) and make you much more comfortable than you can be at home. Take care.

BW

[~BecD~]

BW - was hoping you would pop in with some advice Im currently on Provera tablets? Not sure what they are but I have been told to take them for 10 days (Am on Day 3 now).
Spent the last three nights in hospital, now the nausea is under control and I am peeing properly (gross I know)they have let me go home, but Im meant to rest and drink heaps of water.

So far I have put on 12 kilos!!!!! I was 98.5kg at my EPU, 102kg on Sunday, 104.5kg on Monday, 108kg on Tuesday and 111kg this morning. I just can't handle getting any bigger, my waist measurement has ballooned by about 20cm also.

[Kema]

Hi Bec,

I'm so sorry you're feeling crappy.

I too suffered with severe OHSS, I put on about 11kg's and 15cm around my waist. I looked like I was 8 months preggo, lots of fluid under my diaphram, so I couldn't breath properly. I'm only 5ft 3 so I didnt have any where for all this extra weight to go, except straight out in front.

It's good to hear your kidneys are functioning properly, this was my major concern (heaps of fluid around them as well) The provera is a progesterone so I would think it will keep AF away, I've used it to try to skip AF due to endo, I'd say AF will arrive 2-5 days after you stop provera, but I wouldn't just stop they will have you on it for a reason.

I was in hospital about 10 days, on day 5 they drained about 5lts of fluid and I felt better instantly. AF arrived about 14 days after EPU & it took me about another 4 weeks to lose the last 5kg's and start to feel 'normal' again.

I had 41 eggs collected so I know how you feel, I hope you got lots of embies, it seems to make it all worth while.

Take care and do rest up. Hope you are feeling better soon.

[butterfly_warrior]

Bec, from my experience I'm absolutely stunned that they let you out of hospital with 12 extra kg! The first time I had OHSS, I gained 5kg of fluid, and that was bad enough. I was in a pretty bad way and lived on soup and gatorade for over a week, so when that extra 5kg went, it took an extra kg or so of mine away with it. I'm not exactly petite, but the skin over my belly was stretched so tight it hurt to touch... And all through that I refused to go to hospital because I was too damn scared of being drained...

Second time, I only ended up with an extra 2.5kg, but my doctor wasn't letting me out of hospital until my weight had started to drop. I was in for a week - I was let out the day after AF started. I had more eggs collected the second time (32 as opposed to the 26 first time), and my E2 levels were higher, but I'm convinced the OHSS wasn't as bad because I was in hospital, on a drop and being forced to rest. Being waited on hand and foot and being fed food that I didn't have to prepare myself kept me eating and stopped me from getting as bad as I could have.

Mind if I ask if the clinic or the hospital put you on the provera? I had a huge pile of medications given to me by my FS after EPU, it was fun trying to explain all of them at hospital admission (different hospital for the OHSS) along with all my other medications... but the whole idea was to reduce the level of something called VEGF and get AF to arrive as soon as possible in order to make it clear quicker. I know different clinics deal with it in different ways, but from my limited experience, this doesn't seem right.

BW

[~BecD~]

Kema - Am so glad you mentioned the whole being out of breath thing, I get breathless talking to people or even just lying down. I have been sleeping in a sitting position for the last few nights to try and help but it.

I need to keep a watch of my weight over the next two days, if it continues to get higher than I will probably need to get some of the fluid drained as well, although that scares the crap out of me! Is it a painful process?

BW - clinic gave me the provera tablets and I double checked with my FS who was looking after me in hospital and she confirmed that I should keep taking them. Considering I'm 8 dp EPU, I probably wont do the full 10 Provera tablets, but will take it as it comes.

TO be honest Im surprised they let me out when I so obviously have put on that much weight. I was desperate to get home though, I get so impatient and bored doing nothing, so I didn't complain.

[~BecD~]

Am down to 108kg today so that is an improvement of sorts. Sleeping last night was terrible, I felt like I was going to stop breathing at one point.

[butterfly_warrior]

Bec, from experience, once it starts going down it generally continues to go down, so this could be the beginning of things improving for you. I slept propped up for weeks - and because I have a very mild dose of it now, I still tend to do so. If you have trouble breathing again, please go straight back to hospital. It's as scary as hell when that happens!

I'm glad there's a positive update this morning - I've been really worried about you. OHSS is not something people really understand unless they've been there.

BW

[Kema]

Hey Bec,

I'm so glad you are starting to feel better, as BW said once it starts to go down, thats a really good sign & it will continue to get better. You just have to get to that corner!! once you've turned it, generally, it's all good from there.

It scared the crap out of me, the thought of having fluid drained, and I'll be honest it was no picnic!!!! But looks like you are on the improve now, Bec.

The process itself wasn't too bad, the give you local anasthetic, which helps for the first bit but the last layer they go into they cant numb. They left my draining tube in for about 3 days & by the end that was a little painful. It was such a relief having some fluid drained though, I could finally breath again, so it was all worth it.

I hope you are feeling better tomorrow & make sure you put your feet up!!!

[~BecD~]

Feeling a lot better this morning, my belly is slowly going down and my nausea is completely gone. I still have a headache which the clinic want me to keep an eye on but other than that it looks like I am on the mend Weight is down to 106kg so still have a bit of fluid left to get rid of.

Kema - I am so grateful I didn't have to get the fluid drained, it sounds quite painful!

[butterfly_warrior]

Yay for feeling better, Bec!

How have the embryos progressed? Do they have you doing a rest cycle before a FET cycle?

BW

[~BecD~]

We have managed to freeze 4 blastocysts which we are pretty happy with Apparently they are using vitrification (whatever that is) and they have a 95% thaw rate which is really good.

The clinic want me to have a cycle off all meds to get ready for the FET, get my body completely right first. I wanted to go straight away but I guess it's a good thing to get all the OHSS out of my system and hopefully be able to exercise again! So FET looks like being in August.

[butterfly_warrior]

I can certainly recommend the full cycle off. First time, I used OI drugs to have a full cycle in between, but the second time I spent three weeks on the pill in order to manipulate things to suit us better timing-wise. The one where I had a full cycle was so much easier to cope with and I felt so much better. 4 blasts is great - I hope they work well for you.

BW