How much did your ovaries hurt with the injections

[Anonymous]

I am starting on Bravelle and I was just wondering how much my ovaries are going to be hurting with the injections. I am doing them for timed intercourse, not IVF so I think my dose will be a bit lower. I just wonder how much daily activity I'm going to have to cut out. (I'm an avid exerciser)

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

People react in different ways. On maximum doses of Bravelle, I never felt discomfort or bloating. My friend was the same way. But other women's bodies are a little more sensitive to the medication.

Just take it one day at a time, you might be surprised and have little to no reaction. I still did my normal running, etc.

I was on Bravelle for a round of IVF...now expecting. So, it does work.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I second that, i am also a workout junkie and bravelle didn't bother me at all. towards the end of my stimulation, it didn't hurt but it was uncomfortable to be on the elliptical so i just switched to walking on the treadmill or spinning. but everyone reacts differently, one friend of mine said she felt like she was carrying bowling balls in her abdomen.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks. They keep telling me that I am going to hurt. I do the Seargent's Program and it involves lots of ab work and running. I was just wondering how much I would have to modify before my TWW wait. I guess I will have to wait and see. I got the impression that I could actually do damage. If I don't hurt, I don't see why I need to stop. The doctor already told me that I needed to stop running and that I would have to stop doing the Sgt's every day. I just don't want to give it up before I absolutely have to. On the other hand, I really want to get pregnant again. I have a luteal phase defect. ( I was pregnant last year but we had to terminate it)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks. They keep telling me that I am going to hurt. I do the Seargent's Program and it involves lots of ab work and running. I was just wondering how much I would have to modify before my TWW wait. I guess I will have to wait and see. I got the impression that I could actually do damage. If I don't hurt, I don't see why I need to stop. The doctor already told me that I needed to stop running and that I would have to stop doing the Sgt's every day. I just don't want to give it up before I absolutely have to. On the other hand, I really want to get pregnant again. I have a luteal phase defect. ( I was pregnant last year but we had to terminate it)

I also have LPD, amongst other issues. I was told early on by my RE to limit strenuous physical activity because your body temperature going up can have adverse effects on your progesterone levels. I don't think this applies for most women, who seem to produce plenty of this hormone, but my body was very sensitive.

[Anonymous]

I reacted differently each cycle, and there didn't seem to be any relationship between how many mature follicles I was developing and how sore my ovaries became.

I do stop doing pilates and ab work once I start stimming - it just feels too uncomfortable. For aereobic work I just do what feels okay - I often will stop running for a week, but spinning and eliptical seem okay. Swimming really bothered me some months because moving my arms over-head pulled on my ovaries, but another month it was fine. I continue weights.

[Anonymous]

I didn't hurt, I would describe them as heavy and "achey", I was also exhausted. I was doing a bootcamp program and had to stop because I just couldn't function, I would struggle through the workout and then need a two hour nap-- VERY untypical for me! I know my doctor told to lay off, apparently when you ovaries are swollen they are easy to twist-- which is a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

I think it kind of depends on how many follicles you have. I had 22 eggs retrieved and my ovaries were very sore. It even hurt to go over speed bumps. I now have pretty bad OHHS while pregnant with twins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't hurt, I would describe them as heavy and "achey", I was also exhausted. I was doing a bootcamp program and had to stop because I just couldn't function, I would struggle through the workout and then need a two hour nap-- VERY untypical for me! I know my doctor told to lay off, apparently when you ovaries are swollen they are easy to twist-- which is a bad thing.

When I did a Bravelle IUI, I couldn't stop sleeping. When I did a Bravelle IVF, I was perfectly fine. Neither time did my ovaries bother me. It affects every one differently, and can even vary from month to month.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Do you start out with a higher dose if you are doing IVF vs. stims with timed intercourse. I am doing the stims with the ti. Does it make a difference? I am just curious. I certainly won't be doing anything to put myself at risk.

[Anonymous]

I have done both and felt pretty gross both ways, although it was worse with the higher IVF doses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Do you start out with a higher dose if you are doing IVF vs. stims with timed intercourse. I am doing the stims with the ti. Does it make a difference? I am just curious. I certainly won't be doing anything to put myself at risk.

I posted at 17:59 with the Bravelle IUI and then Bravelle IVF.

IUI, I was at 150
cancelled IVF, I was at 300
successful IVF, I was at 450

I felt no ovarian pain any time. I should throw out this caveat, I was a slow responder (produced only 6 eggs on 450), and I had had two ovarian surgeries in the six months prior to starting IVF. One of them was pretty major, and my left ovary was extremely uncomfortable for two months afterwards. I have heard people hypothesize that surgeries can "toughen" up the ovaries, I am not sure if that's it or not. But I definitely felt nothing on the Bravelle at any dose.

My friend who produced 15 eggs also felt nothing...but she also did not develop OHSS. (Which sounds absolutely miserable. PP, you have my sympathies).

Ironically, one Clomid IUI that I did was the only time I felt anything -and it wasn't bad -just sort of like I had a pimple on my ovary.

I think it really can vary, by person, by month. If you are uncomfortable, try to think of it as discomfort with a purpose (that thought got me through recovery from the ovarian surgery/bowel resection). Good luck!