Angela K. (she doesn't post on here much...hasn't for a long while) just had a little girl through ivf. She posts as snot rocket. You might pm her. She has a blog where she blogged about it some. I'll hit her up on FB and tell her to check this thread.

Thank you!

I did three rounds, first was successful, second not, and last one is currently successful. My docs advised no training but I did until the day of embryo retrieval for the first one. The last two were frozen embryo transfers. Highly recommend freezing since probably most important factor in ivf is the age of your eggs. The fresh cycle I did I got OHSS and was on bed rest for almost 3 months having gone from 60 miles/week running. Danger with that is if ovary twists you and baby could die. Was hard to do bed rest but totally worth it. Training was definitely derailed and sheer amount of hormones caused about 7lbs weight gain. Lots of exhaustion. Eating right and making sure you get enough rest is key. I'm about 18 weeks along now with a little girl and I have a 14 month old little boy. If you have any questions, let me know. Good luck with your next cycle!

I went through 2 rounds of iVF and as a type this am holding my three week old which resulted from a successful FET transfer. My doctor only made me stop training when my ovaries were being stimulated and then after transfer - but he did have me scale back intensity and gain weight during the entire process.

My blog is willtrainforcreamchheseicing.blogspoy.com and las winter/spring I blogged pretty openly about what I was going through. If you want to pm me I can send you my email address and I'd be happy to swap stories.

Good luck in the process. It's brutal in so many ways. I hope you have success in the end.

Good luck! My RE was very conservative, and I was not allowed to exercise at all. I did three rounds of IVF and essentially gave up running for a year. I am still trying to get my fitness back. I was not successful, but it was worth it to know I did everything I could. Good luck!

Good Luck!

We didn't do IVF but plenty of rounds of drugs and my Metrodin twins will be 23 next month. After the twins we tried a couple more years then ended up adopting three daughters.

It was a very emotionally draining time for me. The emotions and not doing what you love to destress makes it hard.

I know this post was from last year but I haven't checked into slowtwitch for a while. I am on the waiting list to do IVF and will hopefully do it in May/June-ish this year. My doctors and nurses have told me not to run, which I am really struggling with. I love to run, have been doing it for years, and without running I gain weight really fast due to the nature of my hormones, etc. I did a superovulation/IUI cycle in January and was told not to do exercise during the injection phase. I want to do everything I can do hopefully have success our first try at IVF, but hate the idea of giving up the things that I normally do to de-stress, especially since I find this whole process the most stressful thing I have ever been through! Does anyone who has been through this have any suggestions for ways to cope with this whole experience? Has anyone tried acupuncture/yoga, etc.? Any book recommendations?

Can you bike or swim?
Curious why they say no exercise?

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

I think they say no exercise because they don't want people to over-do it. I understand that I will need to decrease the intensity of exercise, but I've read so many ridiculous things about running and fertility - like you're not supposed to run because it activates the fight-flight-freeze response in your brain and the body thinks that it's getting chased by a bear or something. I'm sorry, but if doctors would see how I run most of the time, it's pretty low intensity and if I were being chased by a bear I'd be dead. I guess I'm just frustrated because I do have a tendency to be overweight, and I'm barely holding myself at a reasonable weight as it is. I am right on the line between being at the upper end of healthy and lower end of overweight on the BMI (about a 25). The main reason I am able to stay at a reasonable weight is the running. Low intensity stuff is better than nothing, but it makes it more of a struggle. I know I could tighten up my eating habits a little more but I am pretty consistent the majority of the time. It's confusing because they also say stress can be a factor as well, and running in particular is one of my biggest stress relievers! They pretty much say exercise is okay except for any kind of running (even jogging) or intense cycling. It's weird, mostly frustrating. I have kind of been out of tri for the past year doing mostly running so that's been my focus and maybe it's just a sign that I need to pick up more of the cross training that I would do in tri.

I just wonder how many of you have had experience with IVF and what exercise you did prior to starting treatment and then changes you made when starting the downregulation, then the stimulation phase...because the stim phase is the trickiest for activity...

the other reason for no exercise is sometimes a 5 pound gain helps aid fertility.
strength training is usually ok it is cardio that seems to have the negative effect on fertility.

I cannot tell you how many patients I have seen who stopped cardio and got pregnant....

I did three rounds of IVF. Was not successful, but adopted a beautiful little girl . Anyway, I was always able to swim and cycle but could not run depending on the time of the cycle. When we were producing lots of eggs, no running! The rest of the time they said no problem. So when I was going for my daily blood work I would ask what was /wasn't ok.

Is that at all weights though? I get it for the super-skinnies that could always stand to gain a few lbs & look healthier & in some of the more obsessive types that run themselves unhealthy....but if some semblance of light sport is the primary stress reliever, then is it still advised against? I'm like the OP & would definitely be bear food on any run, but I do reap tons of the stress relieving properties.

Just thinking around the big picture stressball that many women become during fertility issues. Curious how much of a role that plays into the entire situation. I'm not sure it can really be qantified (or qualified) scientifically, but more just something I was pondering. I stand a reasonable chance to be fighting this battle at some point myself. As I tend to run a little high on the stress-meter anyway, I'll need some ways to release the pressure & escape - which is the role that sport normally plays in my life.

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AW

Your ovaries grow to 10-20x normal size - and you definitely should not run to avoid ovarian torsion. It is a real risk. It is probably OK to run and swim, but all the hormones really really made me tired. It is really only 2 weeks of taking it easy. You are spending a ton of money for the treatment. I think the sacrifice is worth it if you want a baby. My RE also said no to exercise because it would divert too much blood flow away from the uterus / ovaries into the muscles.

This is an old thread but definitely wondering if anyone has any updates. Going through my first round next mth. Not overly concerned about my fitness level during this first round as my #1 goal is to get pregnant and ok missing training (as i am not competitive when i race, just enjoy the process). But, if i can take a 30 minute jog here and there and swim, i would like it b/c that has become part of process of releasing stress, etc.

I have asked my doctor and need to sit down with him again and get more concrete answers but everytime i have asked the nurse, she say something like "do you really want to be doing that".. and when i answer "yes, i wouldn't mind running 3 miles a few times a week during IVF"... she responds somewhat non-chalantly like... well, if you want to.

just interested if others are willing to share their experiences.
thanks in advance!

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Full time working mother trying to find time for triathlons, marathons and golf. http://www.nicolekesten.blogspot.com

The risk of ovarian torsion and rupture is so great during the stimulation phase. Do you really want to ruin all those precious follicles? Running, biking, swimming, all of those pose a great risk. Yes, you will gain weight and feel like crap. Just be patient and wait it out.