FertilityZone

Hi lief, 
I had server OHSS after my ICSI cycle and the bloating hasn't completely gone now (I'm 1 day off 10weeks) although that could be due to pregnancy!!!
Your 1st question why does it happen - well if you were not on a fertility cycle then your body would of only produced 1 or 2 follies and would have been able to deal with the side effects of that fine, your egg/s would disperse naturally and your follie would dry up! When you have treatment your body goes into overdrive and produces much more follies that normal, during EC your follies are flushed to help retrieve the eggs which is not something your body would naturally do, what then happens (in ohss cases) is that the follies fill back up with fluid (not sure why it could be because they have been flushed which is not a normal thing for them!) the lucid builds up and hasn't got anywhere to go (your eggs are already released!!!) so because of the shear amount of follies full of fluid your body Is unable o naturally get rid of it fast enough and it starts to leak into your abdo. Once the fluid has leaked out your body finds it harder to get rid of it so it floats around making you bloated. To get rid of unwanted fluid, most people recommend protein as it can soak up fluid via your blood stream!!! Tuna, pork and chicken are all very high in protein.
Your 2nd question how long does it last - on average in server cases around 3 weeks, but pregnancy actually makes it worse as your body is busy concentrating on developing your baby so it already working hard!!! You should not be in pain anymore though if you are I suggest you speak to your clinic, you also have to remember that your womb size is increasing with your developing pregnancy and that will also cause bloating!!! At this point I think your bloating is more likely to be down to your pregnancy rather than OHSS, all my fluid has gone and my ovaries are back to normal now so I've put my bloating down to pregnancy!!!
If you are concerned though your clinic should be happy to check your ovaries mine have been checked at every scan!!!
Hope your felling better soon!!!!

Hi lief, congratulations on being pregnant. I suffered with being bloated as well. I had alot of follicles during icsi and apparently when you become pg, the follicles fill back up with fluid. This fluid supports your growing baby until the placenta takes over at about 12 weeks. My bloatedness was replaced with a little bump which is getting bigger now I also suffered with constipation aswell which didnt help either. I found fybogel helped with the constipation.If your concerned give your clinic or midwife a call xxx

What Shelley said

I had severe OHSS too and was in hospital for 2 weeks until 6 weeks pg, the pain lasted until 10 weeks and even then I was still quite bloated but then i didn't really know what was pregnancy after that... Really hope it goes soon honey so you can fully enjoy it all xxxx

What a great description Shelley, thank you!

My experience was bloating for about 12weeks due to mild OHSS, my right ovary produced more eggs than my left and remained the size of a coke can until my 12week scan, then it finally started to shrink a bit. But the right side of my tummy has been bigger than my left since treatment, I'm lopsided!
But I think the bloating was exacerbated by constipation, probably further worsened by the cyclogest! So if you're still taking any progesterone it won't be helping. I'm afraid I was uncomfortable until 12weeks, couldn't eat full portions until 12weeks, sorry!

The protein thing is helpful, I fancied cheese and chicken and milk (not all together!) during first tri and I don't think it was a coincidence that I fancied protein rich meals, I don't know if it helped but my ovary never expanded and the OHSS didn't worsen.

I think at 12weeks when the placenta starts to take over hormone production, you're body can take a back seat with it and then the OHSS eases off, a glorious concert of flatulence? Well I didn't have that, but I'll listen out for a rumble in 4weeks time!

I forgot to say on your BFP!!!! Xxxx

Congratulations Lief

I didn't have OHSS, but did feel really bloated during most of the first trimester. My ovaries were pretty much back to normal by the 9-week scan at the clinic, but my jeans felt really tight until about week 12 I think it was. After that everything deflated back to normal for a while, but now (19+3) I'm definitely expanding again! As the others have explained, there is a lot more fluid in your abdomen, plus probably gas and/or constipation can add to the problems. Your uterus is expanding, but will remain within the pelvis until about 16 weeks - but it will be pushing other things up to make space for itself. Overall, for me, the first tri I felt really big and bloated the whole time, I just had to keep reminding myself that there was a lot of construction work going on in there!

Hi hon

Congrats on your pregnancy!

I was severley bloated after ICSI and I still am(well fat) but i had a baby.
I was a nice size 10 pre tx and in PG went up to 12 stone. Worth it tho.
I am a size 14 6 months after having the baby.
I dont feel bloated anymore just fat lol.

I think the baby just grew in to the bloated feeling and i stopoped noticing it at 16 weeks PG.
Xx

Glad alls going really well hon xxxxx

See FZ is full of experts!
Scans are amazing, truly wonderful, enjoy!! Glad to hear all is well x