IUI Appts. and Vacation Schedules

patchen30

I am in limbo right now waiting for my crazy, crazy thyroid to get under control (latest TSH was 33), but when I finally get on track we were advised to do a Clomid/IUI cycle.  I'm hoping that we can get it going in August (although I realize my thyroid might not be in check by then) and I was wondering what kind of appts. I can expect to have (which days, how many) for a Clomid/IUI cycle - my RE didn't really go into a lot of detail just yet.  I'm trying to plan vacations and finding that fertility treatments and vacation are a difficult combination.  Thanks!

jcombs

For clomid I had a cycle day 3 and then another on CD10-12.  Then usually I was ready for trigger soon after so I didn't need follow up appointments, but it would depend on how your body reacts.  Some folks get a progesterone check 7 days past ovulation too.  But I would call your clinic...it seems every place is different around here.

LOVEDBYD

I have never done a medicated cycle or IUI, but if you want my experience....here it is!

Because I have had monitored cycles before I know I have surged as early as CD#9 before, so this cycle I did monitoring from CD#8 until surge. Once I surged they called to adivse me the next day would be my IUI. H had to take his sample in by 7:30am for washing etc.....then my apt was at 10:00am. Once the IUI was completed I laid there for 15 minutes and I was told to make sure I had sex within the next 24 hours as I was still fertile.

HTH and GL!

MrsWood1228

I had my CD 3 baseline u/s early on in the diagnostic process. I haven't had to repeat it.

On Clomid, I make one appt. for CD 12 to check the follies. If you're ready to trigger at that point, great! On my first cycle, they told me to come back on CD 15... and then come back CD 18.... as they were waiting a few extra days each time hoping the follicles would grow to size. So, in cycle 1, I had 3 appointments in less than 7 days time. However, all the appts were for 7:30 or 7:45 AM - so I didn't miss much work if any at all. Most RE's leave those early AM time-slots open for cycle-driven appts.

So, that is why your RE didn't get into it because your specific reaction to the meds can change any "typical" time table they would have given you. I just told my employer I was seeing an endocrinologist and that they'd be continually adjusting my protocol until my b/w came back OK. The "excuse" made perfect sense, without giving my TTTC away, and I'm still hardly missing any work time!

Good luck. I'm sure you'll find some way to work it out.

babydontforget

Yeah, the planning thing is unfortunate. There is no way to know two months in advance when you'll need to be at home for appointments, because it all depends on when your cycle starts. After that, on clomid cycles, I always had a baseline on day 3 and then another ultrasound on day 11; that was it for me, but some people need several mid-cycle ultrasounds.

My advice: plan your vacations. If you need to hold off on the first IUI for a month because of them, that's OK.

MBandBud

Timing is definitely tough!

Our experience is monitoring cd3 and then again cd 11, depending on results maybe more monitoring then iui on cd13 (earliest).  

GL to you! 

ladychicago

jcombs:

For clomid I had a cycle day 3 and then another on CD10-12.  Then usually I was ready for trigger soon after so I didn't need follow up appointments, but it would depend on how your body reacts.  Some folks get a progesterone check 7 days past ovulation too.  But I would call your clinic...it seems every place is different around here.

 

ditto this, with the appointment for the IUI 24-48 hours after my last follie check around CD11-14.

LAD111707

Not every person?s cycle and office is the same so I would contact your doctor?s office and ask what their protocol is for an IUI. They can at least give you a good idea of the time off you?ll need.

 

With my first IUI I had my CD 3 ultrasound on CD 2 because of personal reasons. I then had my follow-up ultrasound on CD 13. I had to go back on CD 16 because my follies and lining weren?t quite where they wanted them to be. All of the previous appointments I was in and out of the office within an hour. So on CD 16 they gave me the go ahead to trigger on the night of CD 17 as long as I didn?t get a positive OPK that afternoon. I then had my IUI on CD 19. From the time my doctor came in the room, did the insemination and left me to rest it was only 5 minutes. I believe I then lay still for 10 minutes and that was it. I was probably only at the office for an hour total.  I went back on CD 25 to check for my progesterone.

 

This time around it looks like everything is exactly the same except for my 2^nd follie check isn?t until CD 17.

 

I truly realize how hard it is with taking take off and work. If I?m not at work I don?t get paid.

 

Good luck!!

Goldengirl16

Yeah, planning treatments and a vacation can be rough.  Usually I went in for a baseline u/s day 1-3, then back for a follie scan around cd 8-10, and based on those results, another follie scan a few days later or iui.  I only had my progesterone checked once after the iui and that was about 7 days later.  Good luck!

thiswillbe

I think you've gotten good info from the pps, so I won't bore you with the particulars of my two medicated IUI cycles. Just wanted to say: go ahead and schedule your vacation, get refundable tickets if you can, and know which you'll choose if you have to pick between the IUI and the vacation.

We'd been avoiding vacationing, but finally did schedule an OOT trip that was supposed to last one day (fly in in the morning, go to friend's wedding, fly back that night) and had to cancel it because our IUI fell on that day.

You can also talk to your RE and see if you can plan around a trip. BUT I would not necessarily recommend that. I told the RE about a work trip I had that was scheduled right around our first IUI, and I think he triggered me too early to accommodate the work trip (and that cycle was a BFN).