Post-fertility treatment health

[HornungTheHelpful]

Didn't really know where to post this, and hope not to upset anyone. I have had the following:

• 1 fresh round IVF (via ICSI) late 2016 followed by successful pregnancy


• 1 frozen round mid 2018 followed by successful pregnancy


• 1 failed frozen round in late 2020


• 1 semi successful (two implanted, one took) fresh (again via ICSI) round in slightly later 2020

I have had real difficulties with the hormone treatment and my health. It has shredded my mental health, specifically around hormone changes and I have real issues around ovulation and my period. I have been diagnosed with PMDD. I did not previously suffer so severely. I also struggled with progesterone based treatments during IVF and my pregnancies. I have been taking sertraline since the 13th week of my last pregnancy (earlyish 2021) and pregabalin since early this year. I am OK with this but the pregabalin is difficult to get right. It works really well but also makes me very tired so still messing around with dose (under the Dr's supervision).

I am otherwise healthy. I really wanted to know if anyone else is in the same boat; not the toll that IVF itself takes on you (I'm not minimising this it is horrendous particularly for those who are not lucky as I have been) but specifically a reaction to the hormone treatment, be it mental or physical.

If you have, has it improved over time? If not, what do you do? Is this a recognised phenomenon? I have googled it but can't really find anything on point.

Thanks for reading, and good luck to all those still trying.

Congratulations on your babies. It's lovely to hear success stories.
I've not been successful yet but progesterone in both my rounds have really made me struggle.

I'm hoping my comment will boost your post and you'll get more answers.

Do you have a perinatal health visitor in your area I know friends who have needed these up to 4 years after pregnancy due to hormone issues.

Yep! My mental health is shredded, l have taken a few different antidepressants but they never seem to work that well. Plus my weight and metabolism have never really recovered. I never struggled much with my weight before l had IVF ☹️

Thanks for your replies. While it's not good to know others are struggling, it is good to know that I am not alone.

I will look into the perinatal health visitor. I am trying to lose weight (yep - I'm finding that waaaaay harder too) and am now in the healthy weight range but hoping if I can lose a bit more so that I'm at the bottom of the healthy range (advised anyway as I have joint issues) this might help with the hormone issues.

This wasn't something that I was warned about post-IVF and I wonder if it is common enough that it should in fact be mentioned. I know it can be a post-pregnancy issue anyway, but do wonder if IVF makes it more likely.

@PMAmostofthetime wishing you all the best for future rounds and/or anything else you decide to go for.

@HornungTheHelpful Thank You- I find these forums great for moral support and hopefully you will too .