OHSS

[Panickypants]

I've just had egg collection yesterday and have massively overstimmed. Thought I was going to die of the pain last night but seems to have settled this morning although they tell me things can get worse after they've got better! Any one have any experience of this? Did you move to transfer in the normal way or did you have to freeze? I'm worried about that as I've had no luck with FETs before? Did they allow you to put 2 embryos back? Any help or advice very gratefully received x

[Tootsiepops]

How are you feeling today? And how long do you have before ET? Are you aiming for 5 day transfer? Any chance you'll be over the worst of it by then?

[Panickypants]

Thank you for asking. Much better although have been put on Cabergoline. Just worried as the nurses keep saying this is the calm before the storm (or words to that effect!). Yes hoping for blasto all being well.

[Panickypants]

How are you getting on Tootsiepops? I just read that you had your collection a week or so ago. Hope all is well.

[GalindawithaGa]

Hi Panicky

I had egg collection on Monday 2nd March and then developed OHSS. Unfortunately my day 5 transfer was cancelled I don't know your situation obviously but I will want you to expect it to be cancelled. I wasn't expecting it and was utterly devastated and shocked when it was.

My story has been this. My egg collection on the Monday was uneventful, collected 11 eggs so a good result but no major overstimming. Tuesday I felt a bit rough but thought it was just post-op stuff. Tuesday night I woke in terrible pain, retching, swollen stomach but had never really heard of OHSS much so assumed it was something I ate or gas or something (my pain was very much a 'trapped wind' type pain not sure if yours is the same)

Wednesday I felt rough but not the same level of terrible pain/nausea. A nagging voice in my head told me to phone the clinic and report my overnight symptoms which they took quite seriously. I went in for a scan and bloods. At the scan I was told I did have OHSS but very minor. The fluid was 'negligible' apparently. I was told to start injecting a blood thinner and to drink a lot of fluid. I still felt pretty rubbish and sore but went back to work in Thursday and Friday.

Friday I had another appointment at the clinic just to make sure it was all still minor. The scan and bloods were both good, very little fluid and good blood results, everything teed up for 5 day transfer on Saturday.

Saturday morning and the day we have spent years waiting for and they did one more scan 'just to check'. Somehow, overnight, the OHSS had gone from mild to moderate/severe and I had masses of free fluid everywhere and my ovaries were huge. They were floating around in fluid which was pressing on all my organs. My transfer was cancelled as I was lying on the bed in the theatre! Needless to say I was bawling like a baby!

Anyway I have been back in again twice this week and the scan and bloods look good again. The OHSS has gone back down to mild. For some inexplicable reason, it chose the morning of transfer to become extremely bad...

They froze our blasts which is good news for us, we had four. We have a three month waiting list to get FET started although that has actually shortened a little bit. I know it was a necessary clinical decision for my own safety but it was a hard day.

In the meantime I'm still taking the blood thinner and fluids. I'm feeling ok. Apparently when you get your period after OHSS it is your body resetting itself so you are effectively cured, so the clinic wants to know when that is.

It is a yo-yo, it seemed to come and go. And what was odd was that my symptoms didn't always match the clinical picture - the worst I felt was that first night but my scan after that was apparently ok. All very confusing.

Anyway sorry this is long, I just wanted to share what my experience has been in case it is helpful. Make sure to drink lots, are you doing a fluid balance sheet? And just rest, and look after yourself. As well as a sore tummy I just felt pretty crappy the whole time.

I don't want to worry you about your transfer but I had 100% certainty mine was going ahead and it didn't so beware. Now that I am a few days past it I can see it was the right thing to do and I can concentrate on getting better and being healthy for the FET. So don't despair, especially if they will freeze some embys for you.

Feel better soon

[Panickypants]

Galinda you are so kind to note all of this down. I'm feeling pretty rubbish. Constant sea sickness feeling and sore tum. They only said they'd scan me if I felt really bad but your words would make that sound not entirely logical. I'm going to go now but will log back in tomorrow if feeling better xx (p.s fluid balance sheet - measure input and output? Is it that straightforward? Hadn't thought to do that).

[GalindawithaGa]

Yes they gave me a fluid balance chart and I had to record when and what I drank and when and what came out (I bought a 40p measuring jug from Tesco for the latter part!) it's to check how much fluid you are retaining.

I can't believe they won't scan you but they have prescribed you something? That seems utterly reckless! How on earth can they tell how serious it is? I say that because my own experience was that my symptoms and my severity of OHSS did not always match - it took the scans/bloods to determine what was really happening. I presume they are at least taking bloods?

I hope things improve for you. Keep going with the fluids, once you start measuring it you are aiming for 2 - 2.5 litres per day (or at least that's what I was told).

[Panickypants]

Hi G

So I went in today. They were confident that I wasn't at obvious risk of OHSS - my ovaries are obviously very large but not ridiculously so. No bloods taken and usual advice. So excitingly I've had an embryo popped back in. I think I'm very lucky in this respect as I was certain it would be cancelled. Anyhows, fingers crossed. Hope you will have your time very soon. Keep me posted won't you? X

[GalindawithaGa]

Wow panicky I'm amazed, that's great though they must have thought you were well enough so that's good. Fingers and toes crossed for you.