I went with the ride this month to - it's my first month.

It wasn't bad at all - the main thing I found difficult was my feeling of 'crapness' that I had to go through the procedure in the first place - which was my own personal emotional thing - rather than any pain attached to the process itself. It wasn't has bad as the laparoscopy surgery I had last year.

On the day i just went home to bed and slept most of the afternoon. I found it pretty difficult to sleep the night before so I was tired, and the anasthetic knocks you around a bit. It's nice to have someone at home with you to look after you - they should be able to give DH a medical certificate if he needs one to have the day off work. My EPU was over the melbourne cup weekend - EPU on Monday, then public holiday tuesday, and they gave me a medical certificate for the ET on wednesday as well. there was no gel or cream immediately after pregnancy - I'm on crinone, which is a progesterone vaginal suppositry - it's a weird feeling, and there is some 'remains' kinda like wet tissue paper to start, and then turned creamier as the week went on. There's been no BD'ing in our place - which made me feel a bit more distanced from DH, so make sure you do things to feel connected and build intimacy if you don't feel up to doing the dance :-)

they say you can go back to normal activities - and you supposedly can go straight back to work as well - I hadn't realised before hand that I would get a medical certificate for ET - but I was really glad to have the day off work - I just sat on the couch and sucked it in hoping it would stick :-) lol
of course I was obsessive researching on the internet that day and was looking at BB forum at lot - I only joined on that weekend, as I was so obsessed about it all. It was the emotional ride that week that I found most challenging.

The FS said you can do moderate exercise - as per early pregnancy - my personal trainer said that means nothing above a heart rate of 140bpm - for the first trimester especially. I was sick as well that week though, so I only went to the gym once. I think it was helpful to stay busy - it has made the TWW go quicker - so it I had have felt better I would have gone more often.

good luck! I reckon the 2nd time (should I have to do it!) will be smoother, as they will have the meds right (they took a bit fo tweaking for me this month) and I will know what's coming next :-)