Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome

Stimulated ovaries with large follicles. 

Here is the Facebook post I made this afternoon. Just like I never expected to be on this infertility journey, I never gave a thought to having Ovarian Hyper Stimulation. (OHSS). I guess I have to be thankful for it because it is those overactive ovaries this cycle that got me so many eggs and allowed for our nine little embryos. 

"OHSS is crazy stuff. I don't have all the symptoms of the severe version, but from what I understand, I'm between moderate and severe. I have tried to stay away from google because when you look up the symptoms, at the bottom of this list (most of which I have) is death. Yes, death -try not to let that freak you out!
In an effort to not sound like a panicking hypochondriac, I downplayed my symptoms and described it with as much humor and levity as I could manage when I sent my dr an update. His nurse replied that I hade made her laugh out loud in the office. Goal accomplished. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do to make things better except take pain pills, drink lots of water and get rest as much as possible. Shortness of breath from my swollen organs pushing on my diaphragm is ok as long as I can get a good breath by leaning back and not sitting straight up. Pain is to be expected and is 'normal' as long as it can be controlled by my (narcotic) pain killers.
Not being able to stand fully upright because of pain from swollen ovaries and other organs being choked by excess fluids is all within the realm of normal for OHSS.
The constpiation (and gas😐)from the strong pain meds (even drinking lots of water doesn't keep that away) adds to all the bloating and general uncomfortable feeling as well as making my bum really sore (😳Tmi).
This is the first time I've experienced OHSS and I'm grateful I haven't had to deal with it before. I'm also grateful that we have nine embryos. This means that likely we will never have to do the stimulation / retrieval phase of IVF again, even if we try to have another baby in the future. We are expecting to have several little embryos in the freezer."

As I said above, there isn't a lot that can be done unless symptoms become life-threatening, so I just have to sit and monitor my symptoms. I feel better when I am able to lay flat and not move much at all. I was able to take a long rest this afternoon, so I feel better than I did this morning. It is a rainy, gross day and H  decided to take over a two hour nap, so I took full advantage of it.  

If you are going through IVF treatment, your Dr. will look for symptoms of OHSS and will be on top of it. It is your job to monitor symptoms at home and let your clinic know if you have any changes or new symptoms. It is uncomfortable and not much fun at all, but while it CAN get bad, most cases are nothing to worry about  - you just have to be diligent and not over do it. 

My nurse told me that symptoms and even new symptoms may occur / continue up to 10 days after the HCG trigger shot. It is excess HCG that is believed to cause OHSS. This is the reason they delayed my transfer and decided to go with a frozen cycle in a couple of months. Pregnancy increases the HCG in your body and could make OHSS even worse. Attempting a pregnancy while having OHSS symptoms could lead to other complications. 

What is OHSS? 

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a medical condition affecting the ovaries of some women who take fertility medication to stimulate egg growth. Most cases are mild, but rarely the condition is severe and can lead to serious illness or death.

What are OHSS Symptoms?

With severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, you might have:

• Rapid weight gain — such as 33 to 44 pounds (15 to 20 kilograms) in five to 10 days
• Severe abdominal pain
• Severe, persistent nausea and vomiting
• Blood clots in legs
• Decreased urination
• Shortness of breath
• Tight or enlarged abdomen

Read more here

How long can it take for OHSS symptoms to subside? 

OHSS symptoms usually appear a few days after ovulation. Symptoms usually resolve within two weeks, unless pregnancy occurs.