Egg retrieval is a massive step toward becoming a mom. After the procedure, you may experience moderate to severe bloating and pain after the egg retrieval process leaving you searching for an answer to ‘how to make bloating go away after egg retrieval.’ Depending on your experience you could be at risk from Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome or mere gas problems.
How To Make Bloating Go Away After Egg Retrieval- Tips
If you are searching for the answer to how to overcome bloating after egg retrieval then do not panic as there are a few different ways you can do this. There ate simple things you can do to make bloating go away such as watching your diet, ensuring that you are drinking plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated, and ensuring that you are eating plenty of fiber to keep those bowels moving.
Why Am I Bloated After My Egg Retrieval?
Preparation for post-egg retrieval is the best thing you can set your mind to. You are already on an amazing journey, a roller coaster of emotions and cocktails of hormones. You are striving to get your body in tip-top condition for the next step on your IVF journey.
You may be concentrating on living in the moment right now but it is important that you consider how you will feel after you have gone through the egg retrieval process.
How Will I Feel Post Retrieval?
Egg retrieval is pretty invasive when you think about it. Doctors select eggs with a transvaginal scan and suction needle. Once mature eggs are selected they are removed and put into an incubator to await fertilization. For the procedure, women are usually sedated but it can prove to be fairly painful post-procedure.
You may fall into the lucky category and just experience mild cramping but nothing that impacts your day-to-day routine, on the other hand, you could feel extremely uncomfortable for a while. Look at the common symptoms you need to be aware of:
- Cramping.
- Bloating.
- Constipation.
- Generally feeling unwell.
No one knows how you will feel afterward but it is a good idea to be prepared for all outcomes.
Make sure you are stocked up on Tylenol, allow yourself plenty of rest, and maintain a healthy diet whilst drinking plenty of water.
Maintaining a healthy diet and keeping hydrated can relieve constipation symptoms and keep your heat pads at the ready for any cramping. This is the time to look after yourself and give yourself some well deserved rest. The next step in your IVF journey will need your body to be in perfect health condition as you move closer to your transfer date.
How To Get Rid of Bloating After Egg Retrieval?
Bloating after egg retrieval is common. The ovary stimulation protocol requires you to inject drugs into your system to ensure you have mature eggs upon retrieval. Unfortunately, these drugs can have the adverse effect of bloating.
The good news is that bloating is a sign your body is responding to your IVF drugs and hormones that you are putting into place. Your ovaries are being stimulated which can make them swell.
So how to relieve bloating after egg retrieval, here are some ways you can help yourself.
‣ Diet
Increase the greens in your diet. Celery, parsley, and cucumber are all known to remove the excess water in our bodies. Fennel is an amazing anti bloat vegetable whilst foods like spinach, lime, and apple is natural anti-inflammatories that are great for reducing excess swelling.
Avoiding heavy carbohydrates like bread and pasta is recommended as they are known to hold water giving you a heavy feeling in your stomach. Salt also makes your body retain water so ensure healthy meals are prepared and stored for post procedure.
‣ Hydration
Fizzy and carbonated drinks add to the bubbles in your tummy and can cause gas. Drinking plenty of water will help flush out your system. You could also stock up on isotonic drinks. These drinks have added electrolytes to give you an energy boost.
‣ Bowel Movements
You may think that to get your bowels moving you need a fiber-rich diet. Whilst this is correct there are different types. Eating foods that contain soluble fiber will only contribute to your already bloated body. Apples, oranges, and pears all contain soluble fiber. Aim to include foods with insoluble fiber like whole grains, broccoli, cabbage, nuts, and seeds. Eating an insoluble fiber will add weight to your body’s waste ensuring it will have enough power to travel through your gut and help prevent constipation.
We have provided you with some simple ways of how to overcome bloating after egg retrieval but if you have any concerns you should contact your doctor for advice.
Is Bloating After Egg Retrieval Normal?
Just like late period after egg retrieval, bloating and cramping after egg retrieval is totally normal in the first few days after egg retrieval and after transfer. The discomfort from these procedures may leave you feeling as if your body is working against the IVF process but it is a way your body responds to the drugs, and success is not dependent on the amount of discomfort you feel.
Bloating should be temporary but some women experience slight weight gain due to water retention from high levels of estrogen.
How Long Does Bloating Last After Egg Retrieval?
Being uncomfortable from egg retrieval can last up to ten days post-procedure. So even if you are still bloated 5 days after egg retrieval take note it is normal. Only you will know your body and whilst it is not a natural method of conceiving you will be able to decipher whether you need to seek medical advice
Advice will be readily available from your IVF clinic so don’t hesitate to contact them.
If you feel the bloating or cramping is getting worse rather than better then you could have fallen into the Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome category.
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
This Syndrome is otherwise abbreviated as OHSS. It is a reaction to the hormonal drugs that you need to take to stimulate the follicles. Sometimes these drugs and hormones can work too well leaving your ovaries in overdrive.
When your ovaries respond in this way they can leak fluids into the abdomen leaving you with lower and upper abdominal bloating after egg retrieval, as you can imagine this can leave you feeling super uncomfortable and delay the transfer process.
Known to affect one in every three women the symptoms of OHSS can be mild to extremely severe.
Symptoms
Mild symptoms of OHSS can be anything from mild bloat, weight gain due to water retention, and nausea.
The more severe symptoms can zap your body. Look out for extreme vomiting, Significant swelling to your tummy, severe bloating and weight gain after egg retrieval, and feeling out of breath.
Symptoms can peak up to eight days after retrieval. No one can tell how you will react to the drugs until after the procedure so best to have everything organized with a larder stocked with good nutritious foods.
When suffering from OHSS some women report a significant weight gain. If this is you, sticking to the rule of burning more calories than you consume will get you back down a few pounds.
Can I Prevent OHSS from Happening?
There is no test to see if you are at a higher risk of developing OHSS but ensuring your diary is cleared and you have set aside time for good old-fashioned rest is always the best protocol. If you are a person that cannot rest easy then be sure to do tasks that are not too strenuous. Your body has to have time to recover before your all important transfer date!
Depending on the severity of your symptoms may warrant medication from your doctor to help with vomiting and nausea symptoms.
Pregnancy can in fact make your symptoms worsen and last longer so the best option would be for your fertilized embryos to be frozen and delay the transfer date.
As disappointing as this may seem, delaying transfer ensures your body is in the best condition to incubate and grow another human successfully. Speaking from experience, my sister actually had this happen and even though she was devastated at first she went on to have a successful textbook pregnancy and birth, now she has a bouncing healthy four-year-old. In hindsight, if they had gone ahead with the transfer whilst she was in so much pain her pregnancy may not have been viable.
Wrapping Up
So how to make bloating go away after egg retrieval – it is imperative that you take care of number one!
Eating a well-balanced diet, keeping hydrated and resting are your best chances of reducing the bloat after egg retrieval. Mild bloating and cramping are expected but if you notice any signs of OHSS then don’t ignore it and contact your doctor, the sooner you recognize these symptoms the quicker you can recover.
Cut yourself some slack you are on your journey to becoming a mom, something you may have wanted for years so embrace every process and rest assured you are in the best capable hands with your medical team.
