Looks like I’m moving up a level.

When I was finally able to get in to see my new fertility doctor at my new fertility clinic she recommended very quickly that I move to IVF. Her reasoning was my age and the fact that she had a few government funded rounded of IVF available in the coming month. She told me my odds with IUI were less than 10% now and if I was thinking of multiple children, IVF would let me freeze any embryos I didn’t use during the process.

The argument that really sold me was the idea of having frozen embryos for the future. I don’t know if I want more than one child but I do know that by the time I get to the point where I might be making that decision, I may not have the luxury of having more viable eggs. With IVF, I was told I might have up to 10 embryos to use later (Update: This was a flat out lie. Please do your own research and don’t fall for your doctor’s song and dance.). The idea of both having a stronger shot at having a child now and being safe in the future is what cinched things for me.

So what did moving forward with IVF entail?

Deciding on IVF

Well first thing first. I had to do my basic tests again to make sure I was in good health and a good candidate. More ultrasounds. More blood tests. Once that happened, all I had to do was wait till my funded round was approved.

I had about a month gap in between where not much was going on but once we got to the month I was approved for it was go time.

IVF is not a process for the faint of heart. It’s also a process I highly recommend researching yourself before you start. I found my doctor to be too busy to explain anything to me and the clinic was so over capacity and the poor nurses so overburdened that there really wasn’t much time for client education. In fact, my clinic left my primary care up to an app. Filled me with confidence lol.

If your clinic is like mine, you’ll be asked to buy the iMine IVF app. I was then asked to check my app every night after 5 pm for instructions. My appointments and medical instructions were all given through this app.

What the medication was like

IVF starts on day 1 of your cycle. AKA when you get your period in your target month. I reported my Day 1 to the clinic and everything was scheduled from there. I went in a few days later for the standard tests and blood work. Warning, you will get a lot of blood work done in this process and stab yourself with a lot of needles. Best prepare yourself now.

I then had to purchase my first expensive round of medication that would last me for a few days. I didn’t realize at the time that I would be shelling out the same about every 5 days or so to get more medication for about a month.

Then the needles started. With IVF, you need to inject yourself usually in your stomach/abdomen area with two needles a day. The goal is to stimulate follicle growth so that by the end of the month, you have encouraged more eggs to develop to the size where they can be harvested. Your monitoring is in large part to ensure your eggs are growing at the right rate and if they aren’t, your medication gets adjusted. The more eggs at get to the right size by the end of your cycle the better since the more they can harvest, the higher your odds of viable embryos being created and surviving.

PSA about medication

It is vital with IVF that you stick to your timing and you never miss a dose or a day. Any changes to your medication schedule can only be done by your doctor and a missed dose can throw off your cycle. Trust me, there were definitely days I wanted to give my body a break from the increased hormones being pumped into it, but you have to stay strong.

How does IVF feel?

We’ve all seen the women in movies and TV shows going through IVF who want to murder the world. Shoutout to those heroes. But what does it feel like in real life? For me, the medications didn’t have a ton of side effects which was awesome. I did have physical reactions to some of the meds near my injection sites like swelling and pain. Alternate what side you inject yourself on every day to try and help with that.

I didn’t experience the crazies, at least not at this point. My sleep was a bit disrupted, but I was able to live and work pretty normally. It didn’t feel like my brain was broken, which some women report.

The bottom line is you’re injecting hormones that your body isn’t used to handling at the rate you’re injecting which means different women can have very different reactions. For some, especially those of us starting at lower doses, you get used to the feeling pretty quickly. For women using higher doses of the medication, it can feel like riding a dragon.

Make a plan

It’s important to keep your end goal in mind and your end date. Know that you won’t feel this way forever. What you’re doing is temporary and for a baby, it’ll all be worth it in the end. Or hey, maybe you’ll decide the process isn’t for you and go back to IUI. No shame there.

If you’re feeling like the hormones make you want to do damage to any poor idiot that crosses your path, try things that will keep you calm. Going for walks. Yoga or meditation. Relaxing in front of the TV. Whatever works for you. You might also find, like I did, that it’s easier being alone. Family can be triggering when you’re not feeling your best.

Can you drink during IVF?

Another thing they recommend is to treat your IVF cycle as if you’re pregnant. So that’s a no go on alcohol or other substances you might be used to consuming. It’s also recommended to limit your caffeine. Basically, you want to do everything in your power to increase your chances which makes sense. At the amount you’re paying for your IVF, you’re very motivated to do anything you can to help the process. So say goodbye to that calming glass of red wine. At least for the month. Save it for celebrating after you harvest your eggs.

This process isn’t a laugh riot but it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever done either. If I can do it, you can! It’ll all about being confident in your decision when you pull the trigger and committing to the process.