Recovery /Time off work- How much for IVF/ ICSI?

I know everyone is differnet, but how much time did you need off work for your cycle?

Blood tests/ Scans etc

When you had your EPU, how fast did you recover?

When you had a transfer, how fast did you recover?

Hi Summer!
I have only arranged to have tomorrow off for EPU and am having transfer done on Saturday so I wont have to worry about that one... In the past I have only taken half a day off for transfer and then gone back to work. The only day I have had to have off totally is for pick up as it involves anaesthetics!!! The following day I have gone back to work but always felt really cruddy so if you can arrange it I would have that day off as well. I am casual so if I dont go I dont get paid and I try to avoid that as much as poss! As for bloods/scans they are always really early in the morning so I have just gotten to work a little bit late those days, not having much time off for that at all. I find appt with FS a bit trickier cause they are always in the middle of the day so cant really avoid taking time off for them. Also I do shift work so if I sort of know in advance I try to make changes to allow for those times.
Hope that helps a little...
Sazz

Hi,

My blood tests/scans were always before 9am so I went to work straight after. For my EPU I took one day off work sick and for egg transfers I went back to work straight afterwards so I just had to make excuses like dentist, physio appts.

I was quite new in my job so didn't want to take time off but I must admit 2 days would have been good after the EPU because I was a bit sore. But egg transfers are fine, not time off needed.

Good luck.

Hey Summer. I only work 2 days per week but for scans/blood tests on those days, they are generally done early in the morning so you just go to work afterwards (I did some at the city clinic where I work and on the days I was at home went to a different clinic which was only about 20 mins from home, I was with IVF Australia who have clinics all over Sydney).

I was lucky that epu and transfer fell on days I wasn't working. But to give you a rough idea, I had my epu on a monday, was VERY sore and in bed most of that day and was surprised at the level of discomfort. But by the next afternoon (tues) I was feeling fine and well enough to catch a train into the city (an hour trip there and back) for acupuncture. I had my transfer the day after that (weds) and would have been absolutely fine to go straight to work after that. I don't work Wednesdays but was back at work as normal on the Thursday.

Anyway, hope that helps a little bit!

Hi Summer,

At my clinic, bloods start at 6.40 with first in best dressed. At that time...usually straight in. Ultrasounds are booked in but only take an hour (we only did one this time) at my other clinic it was before work. So depends where you go I guess. I had EPU today and took today off. They suggest this anyway and I am glad I did because I slept most of the afternoon and was very drained. I will go back to work tomorrow and my tranfer is Wednesday afternoon so I took the afternoon off. At my other clinic I took all of these days off. If you talk to your clinic and let them know you work, then they will do their best to assist you with appointments. I did my bloods on Satudays as well.

Good luck....
Cheers Tracey

Summer, I hope all these responses are helping in convincing you that what I experienced was NOT normal!

When it came to blood tests - I would be at the clinic at 7am, to be able to start work at 8am without drama. Scans would take a little longer, and I'd usually book the first period of the day off, and then be back from there. The very nice deputy who I booked all my time off through would usually give me an extra period's leeway, which I didn't need once, but one morning the clinic was running really late and I needed that extra time! I didn't find any of the time on lucrin/synarel to be too bad, and even when I started on the puregon I didn't feel I needed to take time off because of the side effects. Perhaps I was just exhausted as I got to daily monitoring because of the hyperstimulation.

As for the egg collection... I saw all the other women at the hospital same day as me, waking up, dressing, walking out with no hassles... and then there was me - waking up screaming, unable to dress myself or walk without assistance. I'd been warned it was going to be bad, but I didn't really grasp *how* bad. That was the Monday. School broke up for the term on the Thursday so I had those 4 days off. I wouldn't have got back to work for any of the next week, either. Today was two weeks since the EPU, and I think I *might* have been able to go back if I was to really push myself. So all up, for me with the OHSS, 3 weeks off work, and I think I should be pretty much right for next week. If I ever have to do another stim cycle, I'll be jumping up and down and screaming at my clinic for closer monitoring at the start of things, but I'll also try to arrange it like just happened - EPU at the end of term, just in case...

Just remember - I'm the worst case scenario, NOT what's normal.

BW

Hey Summer,

I got all my tests done before work and the only time I needed off was 1/2 a day for the counselling, accounts and doctor meeting before I started IVF and a whole day for the pick up. Which I didn't find too bad at all, I was just a little tired if anything. I got the transfer in a longer than usual lunch break.

I have to say I have been extremely lucky throughout this, no side effects that have made an impact and I was so scared because I had heard so many horror stories. I spoke to the other woman waiting for their pick ups and they all said the same thing. It has been a lot better than I expected. I think it would be nice to have a extra day off in between though to spoil yourself - my emotions seem to be the hardest hit.

I wish you an easy cycle and hope you get a BFP at the end of it. XXXX

I took the day of EPU and the day after off and the day of transfer. When I was doing Day 2 transfers, I was off for 3 days straight, but with blast transfers, I was off 2 days, then again on the day of transfer (which for me was a Sunday anyway for the only blast transfer I ever did)

DH took the days of EPU and transfer off! Lol! We work for the same department, too!

I was the same as most, bloods and scans before work. I actually had my OPU on a Monday and ET on the Wednesday so I took that Mon, Tue and Wed off work and went back on the Thursday.

The other day I did take off was my results day. I had no desire to be a work whether it was a negative or postive so I had a annual leave day and said I had something else on. I figured I would need a bit of time to get around things as I had been having a hard time at work at that point.

Good luck.

Hey Summer
Most of my test/scans have been before work...my clinic advises a week off after EPU...so I planned mine for the school holidays...I feel better today (EPU Friday) but there is no way I would feel up to work yet...I guess it's different for everyone...BW's post made me laugh as I'm a Deputy and always cover for the girls doing fert treatment ...which has been really challenging while trying to do my own!!!! Good Luck xxx

Hi Summer

Like Claire I had minimal effects and only needed the day off for EPU but was fine on ET day. What I didn't account for was the emotional strain which after the 2WW and a BFN saw me need to take a week off unexpectedly to cope and grieve. Luckily I have a very understanding boss.

Good luck with it all!

cheers dusty

Hi Summer

All BT's and scans were booked in between 7am-9am so it was easy to get that done before work.
MY EPU was done on a Wednesday and I decided to have the rest of the week off. I'm glad I did as I was in a lot of pain. The worst day for me was the Friday and I couldn't walk. Transfer was Saturday, but that is quick and painless so no real need for time off after that one normally. Personally, I think I prefer to have transfer day off or rest.
Don't know if it depends on who does the transfer but I had a difference dr do my FET and I was crampy all day and ended up going home from work after a few hours.

HI Summer,
My bloods and scans are always done early morning as they have to get from Grafton the Coffs harbour by mid afternoon. However when I have had egg pick ups and have been ordered to take 5days off - Syd Ivf in Coffs believe you need the 5days off to put your feet up and they also feel you need it emotionally. They don't like us going back to work until after egg transfer - but I do now girls who go straight back to work - and are okay and have fallen preg - I just know do what i think is good for me - and I think the 5days off is needed.

Like most of the girls said, I also did my b/t and u/s early in the morning and then head to work...

I had EPU on Thursday just before Easter break, so I only have to take Thursday and Friday off and that worked out perfectly. Physically, I think I would need 2 days after EPU to be completely back to normal...so next time if I am not as lucky, I would take 3 days off...

Transfer was a breeze, mine was on 430pm and so I just went back home directly after that...

good luck Summer!

Scans and bloods no time off just went before work.

EPU and transfer I normally take about 3-4 days off in total as I always get a large amount of eggs due to pcos so its a little painful. But really yo shouldn't need anytime off for transfer unless you want to rest for the day.

Hugs
Shazz.
xx

I know this is an old thread but I'm in a quandry at the moment and I'm not sure what to do...

Last time I had EPU on a Friday and went back to work on Monday.

At that stage there were only 12 eggs, which were all immature.

This time around they collected 18 - 15 of which were fertilised.

The collection was on Monday and I took that day, yesterday and today.

I am getting better but I can't bend down and I still have pain in my abdominal area.

I also had a bit of an issue with constipation :redface: (sorry if TMI) but that's been fixed now. However it added pressure in the same area.

I've been sleeping a lot too.

Transfer is this weekend. I am really not sure whether I should go back to work tomorrow or not. Its an easy day but I will be standing all day teaching...

I called my clinic but they said it was really up to me....

Its a tough one Seachange because you just never really know how you are going to feel. My opinion would be to take the day, not just for the physical reasons but for the psychological mental health reasons.
I've taken today and tomorrow to recover from EPU, just because I don't want to aggravate the bruising and make the feeling worse. I am going to choose to take at least the time following transfer off as well.
I know that last cycle about 5 or 6 days after EPU I blew up like a balloon and had some pain as well so was really uncomfy at work. That I didn't expect quite so much.
If you're not comfy generally, I would think a day of being upright in any way makes things tougher... but it really is your call hun.

Woah, what a haul!
I'd take the day off - being on your feet all day could well make it worse.
:goodluck:

Thanks S'Rose and Marcellus.

Marcellus - 8 are still going strong - which is excellent news!

I had 18 eggs collected in January. I had already booked the week off beforehand.

My trigger was on the Monday, EPU on Wednesday, Transfer on Friday. I was due to go back to work the following Monday. I did end up going back to work, but it was uncomfortable, exhausting and not much fun. We were really short-staffed at the time, so if I'd had a choice I would have taken at least one more day off. I had mild OHSS as well, and it was 40 degrees in Melbourne, which didn't help.

If you can, I'd say take the day off and err on the side of caution. Take it easy, because it's worth it. Good luck with the TWW.

I personally would have the day off, especially if you're going to be on your feet all day. My EPU was on a Wednesday, I had Thursday & Friday off cos I don't work, but went in on the Saturday. It was only a half day but I paid for it & that was sitting behind a desk mostly.

So exciting *chesire cat grin*

My sister has taught me a new expression meaning excellent or great, which I think is appropriate:

AWESOME SAUCE-PANTS!!

:

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AWESOME SAUCE-PANTS!!

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:ROFL:

Seachange

How did you go sweets ? Did you end up taking Today off ? I have been thinking of you and pray this is it for you . Great Fert Results

Thanks for thinking of me.

Yes I decided to take yesterday and today.

Work's been very good about it too. I've been emailing marks in and will be doing reports over the weekend.

It's only today that I've felt well enough to get into a car and drive a short distance.

I also bit the bullet and bought a set of scales - after not owning one for years. I have gone up by 2 kilos - but the last time I was weighed was on the hospital scales and when I'd had Nil by mouth since midnight. But I will be keeping an eye on it.

Embies are still going strong - 5 have gone 'squishy', 2 are starting to go 'squishy' and 1 is thinking about it.

I'll be going in tomorrow morning for the transfer.

"Squishy" ?? That must be good if your going in for TF tommorow

Will you transfer two ?

BG, BW and Hollybolly told me that the official term is 'compacting' lol.

I just remember that term from the lab technician.

No, just one going in at this stage.

Hey SeaChange I just heard an awesome expression that I think will suit you perfectly after your transfer....

"pregnant until proven otherwise" hehe :)

:yeahthat: