Time off work for IVF

[sunshinegirl12]

Hi eveyone

I'm hoping to start my first cycle of IVF within the next couple of months but am worrying about how much time off work I'll need. I don't overly want to tell my employer about it as I doubt she will be very understanding and don't want it all round the office, but I don't really have much annual leave left to take. I could wait a few more months until next year and take it as holiday but would really like to try one cycle before christmas. How much time off work did you all need and did you tell your work? x

You don't actually need much time off. I went in late a couple of times and missed two days. I didn't tell anyone. Good luck!

(of course it also depends on how far away you live from your clinic - I was very close!)

Hi Sunshine girl. Im am just in my 2ww just done my first cycle. I did tel my team leader and i told her i didnt want anyone else to know ad she was very understanding. For the scans to check the follies i just started work abit later and worked the time back. I had 2 days off for Egg collection as it was recomended and used my holidays. I would have had he embryp transfer say off also but it fell on my day off and bank holiday weekend. I hope this helps you a bit lovely and wishing you lots of luck x

Thanks for your replies, thats reassuring to know. I'm about 40 mins away from the clinic so not too bad. Thinking I can ring in sick for egg collection and then use my last precious days holiday for transfer. How often did you need to go in for scans? I'm sure I can make up other appointments for those.

Wishing you both lots of luck x

I think I had 3 scans but I might be remembering wrong - it was a while back. It was successful good luck with yours!

Thank you. I had 5 scans. They had to up my dose as mine were slow starters x

First cycle needed 5 scans as to begin with the day they wanted to start injections my lining wasn't thick enough so scanned 3 days in a row. Then scanned think day 7 and 10. Then ec few days later

2nd cycle 3 scans plus ec and transfer

3rd did 3 scans but in Eve as private clinic and did ivf abroad

4 fet so scanned once day 12/13 then transfer week later

5 fet same as above tho as away on holiday scanned week later and then transfer on day 30

If you can get early am scans 8/830 then go to work just mention you will be late as have doctors app etc

Check with your clinic. They should be able to tell you what days they need to scan you

Thanks for this, am going private so hopefully they will be able to do early morning or evening appointments x

Just so you can prepare for every eventuality - not everyone is text book. I had to go in every other day for scans during stims, then I got OHSS (which I still have during pregnancy = more scans). And for a variety of reasons, I couldn't tell work.
You can get a sick note from your clinic for one week post-transfer, so I'd recommend you get one, even if you don't use it. They don't write anything other than you've had a 'Gynecological Procedure'. No one will ask questions, and they can't legally anyway. I was really ill at the end of that week, so I went to my GP, cried and she signed me off for a further 2 weeks because of the OHSS. The great news is, work were none the wiser. I nearly cracked and told them halfway through out of sheer embarrassment for being off for 3 weeks - but now I am soooo glad I didn't.
Good luck. Try to stay positive, it's worked for me 1st time too, so keep the faith and dont worry about work! I spent more time worrying about it than the IVF, haha, it wasn't worth it :) xx