The impact of IVF on work

[jessicadrake]

Hi there,
I am going to start IVF in May at Bourn Hall in Cambridge which I see some of you have been to and reviewed. I am a self employed psychotherapist and yoga teacher and am moving back to the UK with my husband from Ibiza (where we've been for the last few years) to be nearer family and do IVF in the UK. I want to restart my therapy practice there at the same time, because I am a bit of a 'do-er' and feel that doing nothing except for IVF might drive me mad! However, I wondered if anyone had any feedback or insight as to how much time needs to be set aside for IVF, if it's possible to work, feel normal, etc. I also am thinking about the impact of seeing clients while doing IVF. I am thinking of working a couple of days a week as well as teaching yoga... but wondered if anyone had any personal experience of what it was like to go through this treatment as well as conduct a normal life. Thanks and have a great day. jess xx

Whilst you don’t want to put life on hold for IVF, you’ll need some time off.

Physically, during stims I felt ok but not quite to the point of fancying lots of exercise. I also needed to attend the clinic every day or two for tests and scans. Although not sure that Bourne Hall is likely to be that thorough. After the egg collection, I was a bit uncomfortable- not in much pain but it was nicer to rest than work. As I was at high risk of OHSS, I was put on some meds that gave me side effects (even hallucinations) so I definitely wasn’t fit for work for a week whilst on those. However, I think I was pretty unlucky with how that panned out for me and most women might be in a bit of pain, uncomfortable etc but nothing drastic.

Emotionally, it can be a real rollercoaster but the news usually comes in the morning. I suppose you’ll know what headspace you need to be in for work. The news can be good, ok or down right awful - eg if eggs are immature, fail to fertlise, embryos arrest etc.

I was lucky and during my second cycle I was working 3 days a week, and I could change these around to suit my appointments. It was absolutely fine working that amount.

From my experience there's about a two week period of madness, starting with the stims leading up to embryo transfer where you'll probably need to plan for appointments at least every other day. The follicle scans can generally be done first thing in the morning, so you can go to work after. Your egg collection and embryo transfer days are fixed. You will need at the least the day of egg collection off, and might want to take a couple of days off after to recuperate, as you can be sore and bloated afterwards. Mine have always been on a Friday so I've had the weekend to recover which was perfect.

After embryo transfer, in two week wait I felt fine and went back to work as normal. I was happier to keep busy and not be symptom spotting and obsessing. But some ladies take this time off, it's down to personal choice. There are generally no appointments in the two week wait until your test date.

If you are working 2 days a week and teaching yoga, provided you have the flexibility to change at short notice, you should be fine. As JoJo noted if you over-respond it can affect things but you won't know that until you start the treatment.

Good luck with the cycle!

Time wise I'd say the same as pp. It's really from when you start stimming until embryo transfer, which is 2-3 weeks, that is a bit intense (daily or every other day clinic visits).
If you have scans and bloods during stimming phase, these tend to be in the morning, so bloods go off to lab and they can tell you in the evening whether to adjust your stim dose. So maybe check about that as you could book stuff in the afternoons.

In terms of work - do you mean having therapy clients (ie emotional impact) or yoga (guessing more physical and maybe emotional a bit?) Only you know how you're feeling going in to this. I can't see why it would be an issue? Physically you might not feel tip top (sluggish, tired, etc) but I carried on with yoga and some exercise and was fine (they do limit what exercise you do because of potential risks). Emotionally, can't see why it'd be an personally. Unless it doesn't work and you have a client who comes in beaming because they just got pregnant. Or someone with fertility issues that you over identify with and struggle to keep boundaries. Or the like? 😁

Would you consider having IVF in mainland Spain before you move back to the UK? They seem to be streets ahead, lots of people on here go to Spain for treatment.
Friends used IVI in Madrid and have had 2 successful cycles (first didn't work but next 2 did).
Wherever you do it don't give yourself additional stress, you know yourself but psychotherapy sounds quite intense. Good luck.