I am starting my ivf journey soon. My cycle should start mid march. Will start giving injections of fsh from then. Have brought my weight down from 91kg to 86kilos but its been rly hard as i have pcos. My BMI is 35 at 87kilos, and my weight has to be below that. I am very scared of what is going to happen, from the needle retrieval to whether i will have ohss, all of it. Whether i will have cancellation of retrieval because my weight goes up during treatment. Please do give any advice regarding what i should be doing now. I also suffer from mental health issues, and am needing more medication due to stress. Any advice on how to behave right now?
Your weight WILL go up during treatment. This is totally expected and clinics know this. They often have a different BMI to do egg collection - you may want to ask. They don't typically keep weighing you, just require you to "make weight" before starting. If you do multiple cycles it can be challenging to get weight back down before subsequent cycles (especially if you do a transfer with progesterone supplements)...so be aware of your weight gain (watch your diet) during stims and 1-2 wks following egg collection.
Many with depression or other concerns find stims hard as your estrogen zooms up and if you down regulate it is really tough mentally for everyone (I think). So be prepared and prepare your supporters. It's only a few weeks, so keep that in mind when you stop feeling like yourself.
Otherwise I think everyone worries (rightly) about OHSS, but most don't have it or it is very mild. Your clinic will be eagle eyes for symptoms, so don't worry too much. My clinic gave a diet to prevent - you can find similar on-line.
Hi ☺️ I’d definitely recommend following Slimming World, I’ve done it for years and have really managed to get my weight under control. Meetings are online at the minute but definitely worth it. My consultant has been so supportive with the IVF, knowing I would have gains due to the medication. You could use it as a tool to try and maintain your current weight rather than lose at the minute. Have a look into it.As for the stress you’re going through, also completely normal I’m afraid, this journey is a massive deal for all of us and it takes its toll mentally. I’d recommend the Mindful IVF app, you can access loads of the content for free. I’ve found it helps with my sleeping. Good luck 🍀
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.