Menstruation FIVE days after egg retrieval

[MabelPickles]

Hi all,

Google has no answers for me and currently my fertility clinic is closed because of Easter (I’m not in the UK) so I can’t call. I hope someone can ease my mind!

Last Saturday I had my very first egg retrieval. It’s a freeze-all cycle due to PCOS/risk of overstimulation, so no fresh transfer. Still waiting to hear if any blastocyst are frozen (today is day 5).

This morning I woke up with period pains (blamed the egg retrieval for that), but when I got up it’s a bloody menstruation mess, only FIVE days after the egg retrieval.

Is this normal? Or at least, is this something to worry about?

Luckily there was no fresh transfer planned but I wasn’t expecting a period just FIVE days after the retrieval and somewhat ‘ovulation’. Help?

Little bit more info about me: Dutch, 29, PCOS, ttc for 2 years but I don’t have a natural cycle/ovulation at all so wouldn’t call it ‘ttc’.
First IUI (january) 1 follicle, got period 2 weeks later so not pregnant.
Second IUI (march/april) not cancelled but was converted to an escape-IVF as I suddenly had 5 big follicles. In the end: 10 eggs retrieved, 5 day2 embryo’s, still waiting on blastocyst update as it’s only day 5 today. Was risk for overstimulation as the IUI protocol (75 IU Menopur) already resulted in 10+ follicles, so freeze-all.

Can anyone calm my mind a bit? Is it weird to get your period just FIVE days after an egg retrieval?

[DaisyMay25]

Hi OP unfortunately I don't know the answer to this, I did a bit of browsing myself and found this old forum

www.babycenter.com.au/thread/2871280/period-after-egg-retrieval

It seems to be along the lines of the people who get their period early aren't taking progesterone after EC. I also read that a trigger shot called Lapron(?) with no hcg you'll get a period around seven days after.

Sorry I can't be more help.

[MabelPickles]

Thank you DaisyMay25!

I indeed didn't have progesterone to support the lining and I didn't have hCG as a trigger shot (also not Lupron, but something else). And at least someone else experienced it too :) just expected it to come around 14 days after the trigger shot, not a meager 5 days.

In quite some pain right now as well. Was still bloated and some tenderness/pain from the egg retrieval and now BOOM a heavy period. My body doesn't get any rest. Ugh.

[Persipan]

I really wouldn't worry. Call your clinic for reassurance when they open back up, but I'd imagine you aren't currently taking progesterone, since you'll be having an FET in a future cycle? Progesterone is what holds your period off, basically - and since you haven't ovulated in the normal way, your body isn't producing its own progesterone as it would if you had done.

[MabelPickles]

Thanks Persipan!

Indeed no progesterone. My IUI protocol was pretty much the same as my IVF protocol as it was an escape-IVF, so I expected it to be kinda the same - menstruation 14 days after trigger.

Thanks both! I'll just hang in there then. It does speed up the timeline a bit for a frozen transfer so that's nice. If there's any blastocysts frozen that is. Anxious times!

[Missmonkeypenny]

Mine came 5 days after egg collection, also a freeze all due to OHSS risk. Clinic said it was on the early side but nothing that was cause for concern.

[MabelPickles]

Thanks @Missmonkeypenny !

I feel a bit better about it now. Was just a big surprise and the clinic didn't tell me it could happen.

I'm not using tampons now, seems a bit quick as I don't know if the needle holes are still there? Pads are terrible with such a heavy period though..

[Missmonkeypenny]

Yes, I was advised not to use tampons, only pads for this bleed and then okay to use tampons from the next one if you so wish! It won’t be a nice bleed, but it’s all one step closer to your FET!

[MabelPickles]

Exactly @Missmonkeypenny , it does speed up the timeline. I don't know yet if there will be something to freeze and transfer, very anxiously waiting for news. No news yet on day 5 so I think they're waiting for a slow grower blastocyst on day 6. Had five 2-day embryos (of the 10 eggs retrieved) so hoping at least 1 makes it to freeze.

[miracleon13th]

I got mine also 5 days after egg collection - was surprised and worried as the clinic never mentioned it would happen that fast but glad it did as meant we could look forward to doing our frozen transfer quicker x

[Blue4]

Hi, Recently I also had my egg retrieval procedure and Period (Bleeding like period for 3-4 days) started after 6 days. Clinic said this is not period and just a removal blood. Nurse said I will also have my natural periods on regular time..but its been now 34 days since my last natural period and no signs of period this month (My usual cycle is 29-30 days). Did you also have anything similar experience?

[Rosiestraws]

Hi @Blue4 I think your timing is a off with your calculations. So I believe your bleeding after egg collection is the withdrawal bleed from the medication essentially but it will also be getting rid of the lining. So then you have to wait the usual amount of time to have follicles growing and then ovulation and then your period. So essentially it's going to be first day of natural period (when you started stims) to first day of natural period something like 6 or 7 weeks I think?

If it helps.. my first day of natural period was 4th March, then did my stims and EC on 20 March, 24th March beginning of withdrawal bleed into "period" and now from tracking I know I ovulated yesterday and so my next natural period is likely to be starting around 28 April. So that's approx 7 and a bit weeks.

The withdrawal bleed from the egg collection sort of messes up your usual timings!

[Shamoo]

Hi @Blue4 - just to add that in the rounds I have done with no pesseries I have bled 5-7 days after the egg removal, and then my next period has been the usual timeframe after that (28 days for me). The post egg bleed counts as a period as far as I am aware from any discussions I have had with my clinic.

Wishing you lots of luck

[Shamoo]

(Even if it’s not a usual period, I mean)