Question for those who have done IVF

ColindaP

Yo ladies. I need some info since it appears we're going to be doing IVF next month. Really just about logistics. hduring the appointment-heavy phase, really how much does that upset your schedule and get in the way of work? I.e. How often are the appts, how long do they take (the actual appts, of ourse wait time is different everywhere) and how long does that phase last? I'm trying to think ahead,because at work my little team of 3 has been a team of 2 while one person has been out for surgery and we don't know when she'll be back. I need to know if I need to warn my other partner if I may be MIA. And also,what did you tell your boss if you needed time off on a lot of different days for appts?

Gummybear

Oh I am excited for you!

As far as the whole soup to nuts, I'd say it isn't THAT bad.

You'll go in on CD3 for bw and an u/s, where they'll count your antral follies. This takes maybe 10-15 minutes?

Once you start your meds, you'll go in approx EOD, for bw and u/s to check supression, then follie growth. Again, about 10 or so minutes for the u/s and then a few minutes for bw. How long this lasts depends on how long you take to stim. I only stim about 9 days, some ladies go 2+ weeks. Near the end, when the folliesa are nearing "ripeness", you may have to go in every day, until trigger.

One blissful day of no shots or appts.

ER I always took the day off. This takes all day since you will probably be sedated (the actual procedure is like 15-30 minutes).

ET I also took the day off. This also take about 15 minutes. Depending on your Dr, and level of comfort, you may be on bedrest for a day or two after that. I know plenty of people that went to work after though and got pg.

I always went it first thing in the AM and was able to get to work on time or less than an hour late. Good luck babe!

Gummybear

Oh, also, when I was in the closet I just said I was going to be a little late if I knew I wouldn't be in on time. I said I had Dr./med procedure for ER/ET.

surfergirlkona

My RE likes to see patients early in the morning, some even very early like 7am.  The appointments are really quick, maybe 20 minutes for blood work and an ultrasound.  The first one will be a bit longer as you go over your meds and protocol.

From my experience:

CD 1 call office

CD 3 bloodwork/ultrasound wait for call to begin injections

CD6 bloodwork/ultrasound; repeat every other day until about CD 10

CD10 you can expect daily bloodwork/utrasound until ER

I go to the doctor on Saturday and Sundays as our clinic does not do cycling with birth control.

 ER seems to happen about CD 13 or 14 from what I have been told.  Expect to take that day off and possibly the next day depending on how you feel.  You can expect ET on Day3 or Day 5 depending if you are doing pgd/pgs testing. I am to be on 4 day bedrest and 3 day houserest from day of ET.

My boss has been through this, he has been pretty understanding.  If you are comfortable, be upfront. It just takes a lot of pressure off when others are understanding of your situation.  It is stressful enough. 

I am so happy to hear you are moving forward sooner then expected!  

Any other questions? 

babygirlpriest

I was a closet IVFer, too.

But honestly it was pretty easy for me as my boss and I are both out of the office a lot... they just assumed I had work related apts.

For me the big issue was the drive time. I either fought rush-hour getting there or coming back. Literally my drive time doubled or tripled based on the time of day so keep that in mind.

Ditto Gummy. The actual monitoring was 10 min. MAX - a very simple, basic, run-of-the-mill date with the dildo cam. The bw was ONE draw from a lab tech. Same office but different room. The wait time was all over the place at my doc's.

It sucks ROYAL nuts, but if you can get the first apt. of the morning you KNOW what your wait time will be and can get in an out in less than 30 min. When does your place open?

Oh, and full day off for ER but was totally fine and pain-free by noon. I'd still take the whole day just as a safety measure.

lunatwo

I had pretty much the same experience as Gummy.  I did tell my boss what I was doing which made it much easier, but we are pretty good friends so I didn't mind.  If I didn't know him that well, I could have easily gotten away with going to my appts and getting back within about 30 mins and no one would have even noticed. But to be fair, my RE is only 5 mins from work so I was very lucky. 

All in all though, it really was pretty manageable.  I hope it works out well for you!  There's enough stress and emotion involved without needing to worry about work.

ColindaP

Thanks for the info girls. I'm ot sure how much I want to tell my boss, esp after what a douchey mcgee she was when I had to inconvenience them by taking time off for the d&c that didn't end up happening. Right now I'm thinking of just saying a series of dr appts and if she asks what it's for just tell her i'll bring a dr's note if necessary (and hope my doc has some letterhead from the hospital he's affiliated with and not just stuff that says "FERTILITY!!!!!!!!!!" all over it. I think their earliest appt is 7 or 730 so that shouldn't put me too late,but since I work at court,it's nit like I have one of those nice jobs that can just start whenever I get there.

butterfly843

I usually luck out with most of my appt's because my dr's office opens early (5:30-6am) for bloodwork and ultrasounds. The only rough days are those that you have to make a later appt to talk to the dr. In the beginning I go every few days, but as it gets closer I go in daily for bloodwork and ultrasound. My RE's office gives you a little calendar schedule to follow which helps, but it really depends on how you respond to the medication and when they start monitoring you closer.

AppleRidge

I have nothing to contribute, obviously.  But I just wanted to shout that I am SO FREAKING EXCITED you're taking this step. 

butterfly843

ColindaP:

Thanks for the info girls. I'm ot sure how much I want to tell my boss, esp after what a douchey mcgee she was when I had to inconvenience them by taking time off for the d&c that didn't end up happening. Right now I'm thinking of just saying a series of dr appts and if she asks what it's for just tell her i'll bring a dr's note if necessary (and hope my doc has some letterhead from the hospital he's affiliated with and not just stuff that says "FERTILITY!!!!!!!!!!" all over it. I think their earliest appt is 7 or 730 so that shouldn't put me too late,but since I work at court,it's nit like I have one of those nice jobs that can just start whenever I get there.

I'm sure they have a generic letterhead. With my last transfer my dh's boss was being a jerk about giving him the day off and said he needed a note. So the nurse at my RE's office wrote one and it said nothing about it being an RE or what I was having done.

ColindaP

oh yeah, I do have another question. How bad is the meds-induced instabloat,really? I'm having nightmares of muffin top at work. im hoping that my spartan superdetox diet for the next 5 weeks will mean my regular clothes are loose and the megabloat will still fit in them, but im skeered.

surfergirlkona

ColindaP:

oh yeah, I do have another question. How bad is the meds-induced instabloat,really? I'm having nightmares of muffin top at work. im hoping that my spartan superdetox diet for the next 5 weeks will mean my regular clothes are loose and the megabloat will still fit in them, but im skeered.

The first few days of stims wasn't too bad.  But since Saturday (day of awful cetrotide injection) I am very, very uncomfortable.  I feel a lot of pressure and it is a bit difficult for me to walk today.  I seriously need a bellaband. I will keep you updated on the gut misery  

KelinandKevin

Ahhhh!!  I am so excited for you!  I keep forgetting to stick that PIO in the mail.  I am going to find some time to do that this week.  Things have just been crazy!  Do you know when your going to start stims or any of that?

ERICA21779

I am excited for you that you have a new plan, I wish you the best of luck with IVF...........I agree with a lot of the girls regarding early morning appointments and limited interruption of the typical work day.  I hope your RE can offer you early morning appts as well.   i did in fact tell my male boss what was going on and he's been very good about time off when needed.