Feelings post egg retrieval

[SquishyBean]

I had my first egg retrieval on Monday. All went well and we got 20 eggs, 12 of which have fertilised, so I'm really pleased with that. I was initially quite bloated and crampy for a couple of days, but that's subsided, however I'm having some other symptoms that I can't quite pin down a cause for. Since Saturday, I've been really exhausted, and in the last couple of days it's become more of a brain fog. Today in particular, it was like a pressure in my head, and I just felt cognitively slow. It was such an effort to drag myself to work and eventually I broke down midday and was sent home and have been on the verge of tears ever since. This afternoon it's turned more into a headache, which paracetamol hasn't really helped.

Has anyone else had this following egg collection? My 2 theories are:

Side effects of the Cabergoline that I started taking on Saturday or

Hormone levels shifting since stopping the stims. My estrogen levels got really high, so presumably they're dropping now.

It could, of course, be a combination of these two things. Anyone got any thoughts?

[CyclingAddict]

Brilliant news on the number of eggs! I had a similar number (21) and 12 fertilised too! Did you develop mild OHSS by any chance? It's more common when a lot of eggs are collected (I developed it after both my egg collections). I'm asking because OHSS can sometimes led to brain fog and leave you feeling quite grotty for some time after and symptoms usually start with bloating and cramps. It can take a little while to fully recover x

[SquishyBean in reply to CyclingAddict]

I haven't been diagnosed with it, but am very high risk for it, so we have been doing lots to prevent it (including the Cabergoline). I don't think the level of symptoms I had would indicate OHSS though, and if so it was extremely mild. Never had any nausea and the cramping was mainly when moving around and felt similar to the cramps I got when the follicles were growing, so I assume it was to do with them shrinking back down, and also being a bit gassy and constipated. I'll bear that in mind though, I didn't realise brain fog could be part of it!

[CyclingAddict in reply to SquishyBean]

Yeah, I'm high risk too with being younger and having PCOS. My consultant amended my treatment plan, and I was even put on blood thinners, after the collection to reduce the risk, but I still developed it to some degree. I think some of the lesser known symptoms are brain fog and mood swings/being emotional. It does go away with time though!

[SquishyBean in reply to CyclingAddict]

I'm also on the blood thinners (which are the worst injection by far!). Maybe I'll call my clinic tomorrow if I'm still feeling the same. 🥴

[Cavipig]

I felt the same after my egg retrieval and I had mild OHSS- I had a freeze all cycle, not fresh, to stop the OHSS, so as soon as I got my period (which came really early) I felt like a different person, it really sorted my hormones back out.