Coping with Side Effects of Medication

May 23
3 min read

Updated: Jul 25

Bloating, headaches, mood swings - the lot!

I was one of the lucky ones and didn't experience many side effects from IVF myself. But I came across a lot of women who did, so I want to share their experience here too.

IVF side effects are a strange mix of mildly annoying, surprisingly intense, and occasionally oh my god why do I feel like this (so I've heard). The clinic will usually tell you, you may experience some mild bloating and mood changes, which is the medical equivalent of saying you might get a tiny bit damp during a monsoon.

The truth is IVF side effects range from nothing at all to my jeans don't fit, my head hurts, and I cried because the toaster didn't work fast enough. And all of it is normal. Here's what the most common side effects actually feel like, and how to cope with them.

Bloating: the classic IVF belly

Ah, the IVF bloat. The moment your abdomen suddenly feels like you've swallowed a kettlebell and washed it down with a litre of sparkling water. It happens because your follicles are growing and your ovaries are expanding, in a natural cycle your ovaries barely change size, but during IVF they can grow up to five times their normal size. No wonder you feel huge.

What it feels like: tightness, heaviness, pressure, discomfort when bending, feeling full after three bites of food, struggling to button your trousers, the infamous IVF bloat pouch.

What helps:

Loose, stretchy clothes, leggings are your new best friend

Warm baths (before stims, not after transfer)
Warm water or peppermint tea to reduce trapped gas
Smaller, more frequent meals
Avoiding fizzy drinks, they add literal gas to the situation
Gentle walking, for circulation and digestion
Electrolytes if you're drinking more water than usual
Saying no to jeans, honestly, don't bother

And remind yourself daily: you're not bloated, you're growing follicles.

Headaches: the hormonal tension nobody warns you about

Hormonal shifts, especially rising oestrogen, can trigger headaches or even migraines. Add dehydration, stress, disrupted sleep and caffeine withdrawal (if you've cut down) and your head becomes a genuine pressure cooker.

What helps:

Drinking more water than you think you need
Electrolytes, magnesium especially
A cold compress across your forehead
Dark, quiet rooms, your sanctuary
Small, steady meals to keep blood sugar stable
Paracetamol (safe, but always check with your clinic)
Reducing screen time, blue light can make headaches worse

But also, be kind to yourself. Headaches during stims are common, your hormones are on a rollercoaster and your brain is simply along for the ride.

Mood swings: the emotional earthquake

If you suddenly cry at adverts, get irritated by the sound of someone breathing, or feel personally victimised by slow walkers, welcome to stim hormones. Some days you'll feel emotional, some flat, some weirdly calm, and some days you'll want to scream into a pillow.

Mood shifts can be caused by rising oestrogen, stress, sleep disruption, fear, excitement, and progesterone (save that one for later, it hits hard). IVF emotions aren't just hormones, they're the genuine emotional weight of what you're going through.

What helps:

Rest, overstimulation makes mood worse
Talking to someone who gets it, even a voice note rant
Letting yourself cry instead of fighting it
Journaling, to get the thoughts out of your head
Avoiding stressful people, protect your peace
Short walks to regulate your nervous system
Lowering expectations of yourself, survival mode is fine
Reminding yourself this isn't permanent

Fatigue: the quiet symptom that creeps up on you

You may feel tired, heavy, mentally foggy, unmotivated, like you're dragging yourself through the day. This isn't laziness, growing follicles is genuinely energetically demanding. What helps: earlier nights, naps where possible, slower mornings, protein-rich meals, staying hydrated, and cancelling non-essential plans.

Nausea, cramping and weird sensations

Most women experience a mix of little cramps, twinges, heaviness, pressure, and nausea (often from high oestrogen). These are normal, your ovaries are literally stretching. You may find yourself noticing every single sensation in your uterus and pelvis. That's normal too.

How they make you feel

The hardest part isn't the bloating or the headaches, it's the way side effects make you feel: frustrated, self-conscious, fragile, impatient, disconnected from your own body, overwhelmed, less like yourself. And because you're trying so hard to stay positive, you might feel guilty for struggling at all. IVF is intense, physically and emotionally.