Hi everyone, I recently had my egg retrieval procedure, and I’m feeling a mix of emotions – nervous, excited, and a bit anxious about the process and what comes next. To those who’ve gone through this, what was your experience like post-retrieval? Did you have any unexpected challenges or tips that helped you through this time? I would really appreciate any insights or stories you’re willing to share. Thank you in advance for your support!
I did not experience any bleeding and only felt slightly bloated as if my period was approaching. My main focus during recovery was overcoming the effects of sedation, as I felt a bit unsteady for the remainder of the day. Overall, everything went smoothly.
They disinfected the area before the procedure by applying hibiclens, which made me a bit anxious since it’s meant for external use only, but it turned out fine. The pain was minimal for me. I was able to go out for coffee and to the farmer’s market after each procedure, feeling sore but not in severe pain. The following days, I felt more uncomfortable but not to the point of being unbearable. I only had slight bleeding and felt back to my normal self within two weeks. Overall, it wasn’t too bad and I would not hesitate to undergo the procedure again.
I experienced more discomfort before going to the ER than after. I didn’t experience any pain or need pain medication after the visit. Despite feeling bloated and having bad skin due to the hormone drop after having 51 eggs collected, I felt normal once my period arrived about a week later.
My clinic provides an antibiotic to take for several days after the ER and disinfects everything. I experienced some discomfort and bloating, especially when trying to pee normally. I had to stand to pee over the toilet to alleviate the pain. The discomfort has been persistent since a couple of days before the retrieval due to fullness. Good luck with your recovery!
I had my ER done in Ireland, so I’m not sure if the experience is different elsewhere. Didn’t feel pain when I woke up, but my partner said I kept asking for more painkillers, which was probably just an effect of the drugs. Minimal bleeding afterward, more like spotting. Experienced bloating, slight constipation, and extreme fatigue, slept the whole day after getting home. Felt completely better the next day and even attended a wedding. Good luck with your ER! 
I underwent four egg retrievals and experienced varying levels of physical pain and bleeding each time. However, I did consistently experience intense hormonal crashes after each retrieval. The initial retrieval was the most painful and resulted in bleeding blood clots, leading to a doctor diagnosing me with mild OHSS. Despite not feeling bloated, I did develop an uncomfortable infection following one of the retrievals, which eventually resolved. Symptoms generally subsided after my period started, although my periods were consistently delayed. I am unsure if the spots where the needle punctured were properly disinfected, but I hope the needle itself was clean.
I received conscious sedation during my ER visit. Initially, I felt some pressure but then nothing. In the recovery room, I experienced dizziness for a brief period. The following day, I was sore and had to move slowly, experiencing discomfort when sitting or getting up. Additionally, I felt extremely gassy and had some spotting for a few hours. However, by the next day, I felt completely back to normal with no pain.
I didn’t experience any pain after my two retrievals. My ovaries were slightly tender for a few days but didn’t require any pain medication. I may have had some brief spotting and felt a little groggy on the first day, but overall, it was a manageable experience. I received 17 and 18 eggs respectively. Despite not noticing it at the time, I’m sure they properly disinfected the area. If you’re concerned, it’s a good idea to ask for more information from the medical team.
My expectations for immediate relief from bloating and ovary discomfort were not met after the procedure, leaving me feeling disappointed. However, the grogginess I experienced afterward made me feel pleasantly buzzed and sleepy. Despite initial worries about general anesthesia, I found the experience great. Following the procedure, I experienced light spotting for the first week with no pain, but the discomfort continued during stims. It took around 3 days for my bloating to mostly decrease and the rest of the weight/bloating to go away after my period. I did develop acne on my chest, back, and shoulders after the retrieval but it has since cleared up. This was my experience with 17 eggs retrieved.
I experienced bleeding for several days and felt very bloated and uncomfortable for about a week afterwards. It took some time for my periods to return to normal before I could have an FET. In Australia, general anesthesia is used during the process so you are asleep. Many people mention that the hardest part is the crash in hormones.
After the retrieval, I only felt exhaustion for a day or two. I didn’t experience any side effects and felt back to normal as soon as I got home. Best of luck for your retrieval, you’ll do amazing!
The discomfort was not too severe, with some tenderness and stinging while urinating. A painkiller pessary was administered during the operation, providing relief for a while. Minimal pain was experienced for 2-3 days, followed by 5/10 pain from swelling in the ovaries for the next 2-3 days. Walking was uncomfortable but manageable with rest and pain medication. Bloating occurred but no bleeding or itching. No complications arose and I felt completely recovered after approximately 10 days.
For a whole month, I experienced discomfort in my insides. Due to my autoinflammatory conditions, my healing process is prolonged.
I have PCOS and was at high risk for OHSS, despite efforts to prevent it I still experienced severe OHSS and was hospitalized for nearly a week. I gained 40 pounds of fluid, had my stomach drained multiple times, and was in excruciating pain requiring painkillers for weeks. My situation was rare, but I did retrieve many eggs and 13 embryos from the process. I have decided to not undergo another retrieval. Best of luck to anyone facing similar challenges!
I experienced two trips to the emergency room within a month. After the first visit, I endured a lot of pain for 4 days but surprisingly, after the second visit, I felt almost fine the very next day. It was unexpected since the second procedure involved twice as many eggs retrieved. It just goes to show how unpredictable our bodies can be.
After experiencing bloating and fatigue, I took a nap when I got home. Fortunately, there was no pain, cramps, or bleeding. I returned to work the following day.
I experienced minimal pain during the procedure, mostly feeling sore like during a period, with just a little spotting. I noticed pressure on my bladder with the first retrieval, but it went away after a week. The most noticeable issue was constipation, so I suggest taking miralax or colace before and after the retrieval. Physical recovery took 1-2 weeks, while mental recovery took longer, improving after my first period and fully returning after 2 months. Hormonal let down triggered anxiety/depression. Take it easy and allow yourself time to recover, considering taking off the day of the retrieval and an additional day.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much better it was than I expected. But the most challenging part for me was the constipation and bloating that followed. My stomach felt significantly larger the day after eating a full meal. However, once I was finally able to go to the bathroom fully, it returned to normal within a day or so.
I experienced only slight bleeding and cramping immediately after the procedure. Over the next two days, I felt some discomfort while making bouncing movements, and for the following four days, I was quite bloated. I didn’t experience much pain after the first day post-operation.