Trivial Question.....

[Jonesjp]

Now I know this is a VERY trivial question in the grand scheme of what we are trying to achieve by putting ourselves through IVF in the first place and also feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but how much weight did peeps gain through a cycle? I’ve been trying to loose weight and so far have managed a stone and a half, but the nurse told me I should stop the dieting now, which I thought was a bit odd as I don’t start my cycle for 7 weeks! As I said I know this is trivial but it’s just one of those things I keep wondering about. I was hoping to continue the diet until the end of down reg in some hope of countering the weight gain! It seems so easy to put the weight on, but so bloody difficult to loose it!!! X x x

[Hidden]

I think it really depends on lots of things eg if you have a diagnosis of PCOS, what protocol you are on and the medication used.

I was on weight watchers during my first cycle but I was not too strict with it ( I had lost most of the weight before I had started the meds). I put on about 3kg during the fresh cycle but was able to lose it afterwards. It was a BFN . This cycle I had stopped weight watchers a couple of months before - I was in a healthy weight and started following the body positive movement. My weight fluctuated by about 2kg but has remained stable but I stopped weighing myself regularly. I’m 10 weeks pregnant now.

I try to be mindful of what I am eating (although currently just finished my 3rd meal of the day). But I don’t have PCOS. X

[Jonesjp in reply to Hidden]

Congratulations hunny that’s brilliant news 😀 I’ve been doing the 5:2 diet since February and it really works for me, I can be good for 2/3 days in the week but struggled last time I tried weight watchers or slimming world. I hope you have a stress free pregnancy Hun x x

[Hidden]

I can't say that I struggle with my weight normally....but I felt a good bit more squishy after IVF. I held off exercising due to TWW and before EC I felt bloated. I was on full fat milk and whey protein so I think this has something to do with it too....

I walked a lot instead of Gym, helped for stress and must have burned some calories....

xxx

[Jonesjp in reply to Hidden]

Thanks hunny, I normally pole dance for fitness, but think that will be off the cards during stimming, don’t fancy twisting a tube or ovary and other than walking that’s my main exercise so I’m going to have to be careful how much I munch lol!! X x

[Hidden in reply to Jonesjp]

Ah pole dancing maybe not 😅

Good luck with it all!

Xxx

[Wishfully]

I put on 10 kg over two attempts (eek!) - as in one fresh & one frozen transfer. I found that the drugs slowed my metabolism right down & I wasn’t able to shift the weight before starting again. Fortunately I was pretty lean to start with, so I was still well within the allowed and healthy BMI range & I guess, with the end goal being to get pregnant, I’m happy to live with the extra weight for now.

By the way I think they ask you not to diet in the run up to your cycle as it can affect egg quality. And that’s more important at the end of the day.

Best of luck with it all xx

[Jonesjp in reply to Wishfully]

Thanks hunny, I did wonder if it was something to do with egg quality but wasn’t sure how far in advance the proper dieting really had to stop there’s so much conflicting info out there! X x

[elle80]

My fat nurse kept telling me that I had to keep losing weight, the drugs work better apparently 🤪. She said most people lose it and then put it back on when they're having treatment. She said that they will stop the treatment if I put on weight. I was weighed three times! But I lost weight and kept losing weight despite the medication, but just at a slower rate. I gave up 'dieting' after egg collection. I'm now 12 weeks and I've put on about 10lbs lol. I think after literally not eating much, I was bound to put some back on. My BMI is 27 so not a massive issue... Yet!! I wouldn't stop the dieting, but just eat healthy hun. I think once we go, I'm not dieting, we end up eating all the naughty stuff. Well I do anyway lol. Xx

[Jonesjp in reply to elle80]

Congratulations on the pregnancy and the dieting 😀 yes that’s my problem if I don’t have some structure to my diet I’ll eat every biscuit in sight lol 🍪 🍪 🍪🍪🍪

[AndRelax]

I lost 10lbs before starting IVF and put on about a stone between IVF and early pregnancy. I did the short protocol and stopped dieting before starting as I felt I had enough to worry about without worrying about what I was eating. I've been told a lot of this is bloating and water retention though and that I will probably notice some of it dropping off in second trimester xx

[Jonesjp in reply to AndRelax]

Congratulations hunny on the pregnancy, so many pregnant ladies on this message which is just fab 😀 enjoy your pregnancy hunny x x c

[kt_11]

I think like Zoe_waning says it depends on lots of different factors. I wasn’t overweight before but I actually lost weight during my cycle. I wasn’t ‘dieting’ but in order to give my IVF the best chance I cut out alcohol and cut right down on sugary foods so ended up lighter than when I started (I wasn’t a big drinker anyway but do have a very sweet tooth!)

Having said that, I was on a short protocol so didn’t down-regulate so that might’ve been relevant. Good luck with everything - hope all goes well xx

[Jonesjp in reply to kt_11]

Thanks hunny, I also have a very sweet tooth which is my downfall (saying that I am partial to fish n chips as well lol!!) I’m on long protocol so I’m just going to have to try and be as good as possible! X x

[Leo2017]

I’ve had 1 fresh (bfn) & 1 frozen cycle where I got my bfp but sadly miscarried at 10wks about 2 months ago. Over the course of the 2 cycles I gained about 10lbs, which I’m still trying to shift and I’m about to start my 3rd cycle!! Fortunately my BMI is still well within NHS limit, but I def notice the difference in myself!! Clearly as with everyone else hoping it’ll all be worth it!! xxx

[Jonesjp in reply to Leo2017]

Aw hunny I’m sorry to read about your miscarriage, life can be remarkably cruel. Trying to shift the weight really isn’t as easy as putting it on, but you’ve had more than enough to deal with this last couple of months, I really would have buried myself in cake. Wishing you all the luck in the world for your next cycle x x

[Montgomery2]

I gained around 5kgs whilst on meds but it was water weight and it came straight off after I had my withdrawal bleed. I have been going through this for 2 years and that was the last time I was weighed for the IVF funding. I was weighed before egg collection for the anaesthetics and I have put weight on since the first consultation my BMI is 27/28. I’ve started my FET today and there was no weighing me or anything x

[Jonesjp in reply to Montgomery2]

Thanks hunny, they never weighed me when I went in to sign my consent forms, my OH laughed at me as I was a bit indignant at losing all that weight and they didn’t even weigh me lol!! Good luck with your FET hunny, keeping everything crossed for you x x

[Montgomery2 in reply to Jonesjp]

Thanks good luck for you too... it must be a compliment if they don’t weigh you - must look healthy 😉

[Jonesjp in reply to Montgomery2]

Thanks Hun, let’s hope it works for us both x x

[Mrsplant]

Ive put on about 11 pound with letrozole and when i did IVF i put on about the same then 2 xx

[Jonesjp in reply to Mrsplant]

Thanks hunny, it does seem to be that peeps either put on 10-14lb or literally nothing at all, pretty much guess which way I’ll go 😂! X x x

[Tugsgirl]

Since 2016 (when we had our fresh transfer) I’ve gone from a size 10 to a size 14 (in some tops a 16!!) and gained 3 stone!! My boobs are bigger and so is my bum lol. My bmi was about 25 and now it’s 28! I’ve had 4 transfers all together and my last one was in February. I just can’t seem to shift the weight although it does seem to have stabilised now. I honestly don’t eat any differently than I ever have. I have baby weight and no baby! It’s depressing xx

[Jonesjp in reply to Tugsgirl]

Oh hun that must be very frustrating, I know with me I have to be really strict with myself otherwise it piles on sooo quickly, whereas my OH seems to be able to loose weight really easily, there’s no justice!!! X x x

[Tugsgirl in reply to Jonesjp]

I went really strict on my treatment with the fresh round; I lost 2lb and I was miserable too 😂 I wasn’t even as heavy then as I am now so I’m not sure why I was trying to lose the weight, guess I just wanted to be healthier for treatment xx

[Jonesjp in reply to Tugsgirl]

I know I’m trying to be so good with this being my first cycle but I REALLY like biscuits lol! Not so bothered about the whole non drinking thing, but I have such a sweet tooth! I seem to really struggle getting it off, but just one weekend of eating a little extra and it piles on whereas the OH can pig all weekend and nothing, there’s no justice 😊!! X x

[Hidden]

I didn't do too badly. I lost about 8/9lb doing the 16:8 diet but I also exercised like a mad woman during Feb and early March when I went skiing. I stopped all exercise once I started down regging but I don't think that is necessary until you start stimming (definitely no pole dancing!). I stopped the diet during my 2ww and now that I'm pregnant. I went from 9st 6lb - 9st 8lb once I stopped exercising but can fluctuate to 9st 11lb (I'm 9lb 10lb 6oz this morning), and I'm definitely 'jellier'' since I'm not very active. I have quite big boobs which has always been my issue and they did get bigger, the rest of me is a size 10 but most dresses would squash the life out of them. I'm glad I lost the weight I did before I started IVF otherwise I'd be nearer to 11st today which would be massively uncomfortable for me. Some people feel a bit lousy during down regging so you may not want to exercise, but if you feel ok I don't see why you can't keep going until stims. Xx

[Jonesjp in reply to Hidden]

Ooh what’s the 16:8 diet Hun, I’ve never heard of that? Wow I’ve never been a size 10 in my adult life, I’m currently 9st 10 but still very much a size 12. I’d like to loose another 7lb before my cycle starts in 7 weeks and a lb a week sounds achievable but I know I’ll struggle!! Hope the pregnancy is going well hun, those boobs will be massive by the end of your pregnancy 😊!!! X x

[Hidden in reply to Jonesjp]

You eat normally for 8 hours a day (10-6, 11-7 or whatever suits your lifestyle) then fast for 16 hours. Water, black tea or black coffee is allowed. The good thing about it is that you're asleep for a chunk of it so it doesn't feel as bad. The morning was a struggle initially but I got used to it quickly. For the best result you should eat well during your 8 hours and exercise. I lost about a pound a week but could have lost more if was stricter, but I eat mostly healthily anyway so I allowed myself the odd treat. You're also allowed 2 days off a week but I only did this if I had an ocassion as I knew I didn't have much time to loose anything. Google it and you'll find lots of info on it. Just a note, on my period week I would have gained 'weight' but by the following week it was gone plus the extra lb. Wishing you lots of luck xx

[Jonesjp in reply to Hidden]

Oooh a daily 16 hour fast sounds hard you did really well there. We do 5:2 as I can just about cope with two days of fast lol!! X x

[Ems83]

I started 1st cycle july 17

2nd cycle dec 17

And prepared for fet start of june with transfer yesterday.

Since 1st i have gained 1st 8lb and struggled inbetween to lose it. Ive gave up weight wise for now. Will worry about that at a larer date 😂😍

[Jonesjp in reply to Ems83]

A lot of people have said it’s really difficult to get the weight off after and that’s what I was concerned about but in the grand scheme of things I know it’s not a big issue, it’s just this is the slimmest I’ve got to in years and I feel so much better for it! Good luck with your FET hunny hopefully this round will be the one x x x