Time off from work during IVF?

jani7 · January 2010

Just curious if anyone has had to take a leave of absence during IVF? I'm not doing IVF now just curious - I read in books about people having to quit, change jobs or take a leave of absence.

nikinikinine · January 2010

it's a possibility that you would need extended time off if you develop OHSS. I have a friend that was on bed rest for three weeks.

I only had to take 3 days off my whole cycle. GL to you.

Ginger71 · January 2010

Those seem like pretty extreme examples. You can usually get your monitoring done in the early a.m. so you don't have to miss work for that. It depends on the RE but if you aren't lucky enough for the days to fall on the weekend, you will need the day of ER off and maybe a day after (I always take it because I end up with OHSS) and the day of ET off. Some REs want you to do bedrest after the ET so you may need more days in that case. I have been to 3 diffferent REs and none of them ever recommended bedrest. That's probably it if everything runs smoothly. GL!

Omega20 · January 2010

My ER was on a Sunday. I took off Monday and went back to work Tuesday. My ET was Wednesday, so I took Wednesday and the rest of the week off.

Work on Tuesday was kind of miserable becuase I was still so bloated. For my next cycle I'll probably take a week off, but that's just me.

perry7285 · January 2010

i think it's a great thing to do if you can, but of course most people can't. in general you don't need a ton of time off, maybe three days surrounding ER if you're not feeling well, and then whatever your RE recommends for ET bedrest. the problem is that since you can't predict when ER and ET will be, it's hard to schedule your absences. you make it work, though, one way or another!

DinaLINY · January 2010

I was very lucky - I only needed to take 1 day off, for my ER. my ET fell on a Sunday.

Kdenny79 · January 2010

With my first cycle of IVF, I got OHSS really bad and had to go on short term disability for three weeks. I just had my second round of IVF and did not get OHSS. My ER was on a Monday, so I took off Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I worked from home (which I consider myself very lucky to have been able to do). If I wouldn't have been able to work from home, I probably would have taken off Wednesday as well, and then returned to work for Thursday and Friday. Had my ET Saturday, so I didn't need to take off any time for that.

Overall, I think it ultimately depends on each individual and how their ER goes. I obviously had two experiences that were drastically different from each other. Hang in there and I wish you the best of luck.

Imanurse03 · January 2010

I had to take about 3 weeks off from work in August with IVF #1 because I developed OHSS and was put on bedrest. I used FMLA. My RE doesn't require bedrest after ET. So if I hadn't developed OHSS I really didn't have to take any time off work, minus time for the monitoring appointments and the day of ER. Lots of luck to you!

ChiTown Bridget · January 2010

For ivf#1 I missed two days of work. My ER was on a Wednesday and I took that day off and the following day. I occasionally came in late during monitoring appointments but my work was ok with that.

GenRN45 · January 2010

it also depends on what you do. If I had a desk job and worked a regular 8 hour day, i would have had to take 4 days off of work. However, I'm an ER nurse, and my job is extremely physically demanding with 13 hours shifts on my feet, lifting and pushing and pulling and bending...

my RE kept me out for the 2 weeks, because work wouldn't agree to give me any days off.

For my next cycle, they gave me 2 weeks off, so at least i don't have to use FMLA this time.

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