Anyone diagnosed with free fluid in pelvis?

[BluChakra]

Just a wee update and a question. I suffered a lot of pain for weeks after out first IVF failed in September and had to take antibiotics. When I finally got a review appointment with the hospital a couple of weeks ago the consultant said I probably had a low grade infection since egg retrieval. I also saw my bowel surgeon and he referred me for an ultrasound which I had this weekend. It showed a lot of free fluid in my pelvis ( around my ovaries, bladder, womb etc). I am now waiting or another appointment with my bowel surgeon and the radiographer said it would also need a gynaelogical opinion.

Has anyone else had this? Did you have the fluid drained? I had a pelvic abscess after an operation in January and they never drained it. I was told it would eventually disperse, but obviously there is still some hanging around in there and I don't think we can try IVF again until this is sorted out. I've looked up pelvic free fluid and apparently it can be dangerous if you become pregnant.

[Hidden]

Hello. So sorry you have had all this trouble. I would defiantly push to get the pelvic free fluid drained. Especially as they said it would go disperse naturally. And it has not. It could be harmful if it got infected again once you are pregnant. And would give you peace of mind that you are doing everything you can to give it everything to work. Thinking of you. Take care. Lots of love. ️Xxx

[DianeArnold]

Hi BluChakra. So sorry to hear that you have this awful problem. It almost seems as if you have had some leakage from your ovaries similar to hyper stimulation or an ovarian cyst that’s “popped”. You may find that the docs will be reluctant to drain anything, as it can be like picking a scab off something - I don’t know, but often it does mean having IV antibiotics. They even might just aspirate a little off to send it away to see what it “grows” if anything, so as to give you the correct treatment – that is if it is due to an abscess or infection of some sort. Anyhow, let’s hope that they soon get to the bottom of the cause and can soon decide on getting rid. All the best! Diane

[BluChakra in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks Diane. This definitely wasn't hyper stimulation as they only got 5 eggs and I've never had ovarian cysts either. I think the fluid is related to my surgery. I had a laparotomy in January to seperate adhesions when I had a bowel obstruction, then the pelvic abscess was a complication of that. I think the fluid was still hanging about since then and the egg retrieval somehow disturbed things and set off another infection. I just wish they could get to the bottom of it

[DianeArnold]

Hi. Obviously, you need that scan and perhaps a needle aspiration to see what the fluid is. They should then “grow” the sample to see what infection is there, if any, then you can be treated appropriately. I do wish you loads of luck with this and can understand how worried you must be feeling. It will get sorted I’m sure, but just an awful nuisance getting to the bottom of it all. Diane

[BluChakra]

Yeah I had a scan last week which showed the free fluid and I could collect a sample of the fluid myself because it passes out of my rectal stump every day so there would be no need to aspirate. I think the fact that it can get out of my pelvis that way and the fact I am seeing a qualified herbalist and taking a tincture with antibacterial herbs is the only reason it hasn't got infected again since I finished the course of antibiotics. But no one has even asked me for a sample.

It's just so frustrating because my colorectal surgeon is at a different hospital from the infertility clinic and they don't really communicate with each other. The IVF clinic has no background information about all the surgery and infection I had earlier this year because it happened while I was on the waiting list. I put it in an email to them, but I'm not sure if they really have enough specialist knowledge about inflammatory bowel disease and complications of pelvic surgery.