how hard were the IVF meds on you?

[Anonymous]

I've heard horror stories around extremely moody / angry, unable to concentrate at work, 10lbs of weight gain in 1 month etc. Which fine I can handle that for one month, but assuming we have to go through several rounds......gahhhhhhhh!!!

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if I'm the exception, but I literally had no side effects.

[Anonymous]

I did 4-5 rounds of clomid with timed intercourse, 2 IUIs (similar meds to those I used for IVF), and 2 cycles of IVF. Really, almost no side effects throughout. The exception was progesterone suppositories gave me sore boobs which I never had before (also never ovulated so maybe I would have, if I had a normal cycle).

I gained a little weight during a couple cycles but was pretty thin when I finally got pregnant. (Did gain some then that is still with me because frankly I was too thin for a regular cycle and because kids come first before exercise etc. but I wouldn't blame fertility meds.)

[Anonymous]

I'm on my 6th ART cycle (3 IUIs, on 3rd IVF). I haven't had any real notable side effects.

[Anonymous]

I had more side effects from clomid (25mg and 50mg, so low doses) than I did the IVF meds. Clomid gave me headaches and made me feel very moody. I have PCOS and am a high responder, so I was also on low doses of meds for IVF (Gonal F and Menopur, followed by Ganirelix, triggered with Lupron). I had some bloating by the end, but that was completely gone about a week after ER.

[Anonymous]

I was on highest and lower doses. Took lupron, GonalF, Meopur and clomid. Then estrogen and progesterone for transfers. No side effects really, except a little from the progesterone (which mimics early pregnancy symptoms - but the worst part about that was that I got mild symptoms and wasn't actually pregnant). When your ovaries get bigger from the stims you feel bloated and you're not supposed to do much exercise with enlarged ovaries (to avoid ovarian torsion), so that kinda sucks, but overall it's not that bad.

[Anonymous]

I didn't have many physical symptoms, meanwhile other friends found it very debilitating: achy, bloated, nauseous, etc. I was kind of irritable and I managed that by reminding myself when I got super annoyed at something small thing that it was the meds. Id take a deep breath, get a glass of water, walk out of the room.

I am on Lupron right now for an FET and I feel the same. Sometimes I get these random waves of rage just thinking about things in my life. Working out helps, yay endorphins.

[Anonymous]

I was on a roller coaster of drugs for a year before getting pregnant. I think my body adjusted to it, because pregnancy was not bad at all compared to the ups and down of IF medication! The worst was before egg retrieval. I have PCOS and am a high responder so even on that protocol my ovaries felt like grapefruits and it was uncomfortable to walk around.

[Anonymous]

I had pretty much zero negative side effects.

There were a couple of weeks though when I felt 20 years younger and it was A - MA - ZING!!!

[Anonymous]

I was fine except one night about half way through shots, I just sobbed for no real reason. The shots don’t even hurt, but I was sick of my husband sticking me with needles every night. I did gain a lot of weight. 30lb over 3 IUIs and 1 IVF. However I quit smoking and my ADHD meds to do treatments and I think that contributed most of the problem.

I also wasn’t crazy weepy or moody when pregnant.

[Anonymous]

I was ok on the meds, but always an emotional wreck coming off them (I did back to back freeze all cycles).

[Anonymous]

Clomid did a number on me, making me so irritable. I took steroids for egg quality and they increased my appetite. I could eat a whole meal and then want to eat again 30 minutes later, even if I was still full. I gained about 5 lbs for each IUI cycle but then lost it on my off months.

[Anonymous]

I had no side effects on IVF meds. None.

[Anonymous]

3 IVFs - all pretty high doses. I deal with mild anxiety, but the medications made me extremely anxious, like my whole body was wired. Weight gain for sure (although some of it would drop off as I stopped meds between cycles - but definitely still a cumulative weight gain). A couple of major crying meltdowns with each round. Nonstop sore breasts. And when I start progesterone, I have all of the pregnancy symptoms including nausea.

Jealous of all of these no side effects people. The shots don't bother me at all, but IVF has been really hard for my body.

[Anonymous]

I was on ART for almost two full years, with just a few weeks off between. I did gain weight and felt bloated with gonal-F, cetrotide and HCG trigger. While on estrogen and progesterone I was very sleepy, a little moody. I’m pretty even-keeled, and now expecting a baby. I was waaaaaay moodier and emotional during TTC than pregnant. So that has been a nice difference. Sending you luck. It is worth it.