5 Tips For Your Fertility Treatment Cycle (IVF or Egg Freezing)
Going through IVF or egg freezing can be daunting. Some people experience side effects such as bruising at shot sites to bloating and constipation. In severe cases, you may experience electrolyte abnormalities, nausea and/or vomiting from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Here are 5 simple tips I share with patients to help them navigate their IVF or egg freezing cycle. These are supposed to be as simple and low lift to achieve as possible.
Straight In and Out For Subcutaneous Shots
This may seem like an odd first point, but it is something I learned when I had to take shots of blood thinners for a month following major surgery. While I was still admitted, I would try to rub the injected site following the injection, as a form of self soothing. My nurse would tap my hand and admonish me in clipped Spanish accented English saying “no rubbing.” (As an aside, I had this unplanned surgery while on vacation in Spain -a story for another day 🙂).
Rubbing the injection site following a shot increases the risk of bruising, redness and tenderness. Instead, try applying ice or a cold pack before-hand to numb the area and a heating pad afterwards. (Pro-tip - you can make a homemade heating pad with rice in a pillow case, heated in the microwave)
The one exception to this rule is the Progesterone in oil shot. This is an intramuscular shot and not subcutaneous, in this case rubbing may be beneficial in improving pain and swelling. So rubbing post-shot is okay, in addition to the cold-pack before and heating pad after.
Prioritize Self-Care
I cannot overemphasize this. This process is stressful and anything you can do to relieve your stress or take care of your mental health is golden. Now, I am not a fan of self-care that causes undue stress to achieve or breaks the bank. And what constitutes self-care varies from person to person. Here are some ideas that my patients have shared worked for them:
Watching a favorite show or saving up a new show to watch during your treatment cycle.
Planning your cycle to coincide with close friends or family visiting, especially with egg freezing.
Scheduling workout classes, yoga classes or group meditation or doing these at home with their favorite YouTube channel. If you follow me then you know I love Yoga With Adriene. Of course, being mindful of activity restrictions during your cycle.
Listen to an audiobook, podcast, uplifting playlist or read a book during the process. A lot of my patients love true crime, I am too much of a scaredy cat and so I lean towards chick lit- give me a good Emily Henry or Sophie Kinsella book any day.
Go hiking
Meet up with friends
Schedule a massage
Acupuncture
This list goes on. The most important thing is to do things that you enjoy and find relaxing.
Salt up!
The process of going through an egg retrieval can lead to electrolyte depletion, especially if you have a large number or eggs retrieved or develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). As a result, it is very important to stay up on your electrolytes especially sodium and potassium, for the week after your retrieval. Options to keep your electrolytes up include broth based soups, salted potato chips or French fries, low sugar electrolyte drinks and electrolyte packets.
Use caution if you have hypertension, and lean towards sources high in both potassium and sodium such as electrolyte packets or home made broth based soups made with salt that is 50% KCL and 50% NaCL or only sodium chloride.
Keep Constipation at Bay
An infrequently discussed side effect of fertility medications is constipation. When coupled with distension from enlarged ovaries and fluid shifts, it can lead to a lot of discomfort and sometime pain. I recommend keeping track of your bowel movements and making sure you are maintaining your normal schedule. If you notice you’re going less frequently or if it’s your third day without a bowel movement, it is time to begin a bowel regimen of some sort.
I recommend starting gently with prune juice, if this doesn’t work within 8-12 hours, I recommend adding on Miralax or dulcolax tablets. Alongside making sure you’re staying hydrated and keeping up with your fiber intake. Walking at least 30 minutes a day and chewing gum, are also effective ways to get your bowels active.
Pre-mix your trigger shot
Not every trigger requires mixing, however if your trigger shot does then pre-mix it on the day of your trigger but before the time of the shot, ideally during office hours. This is because the time for the trigger shot is very precise and mixing instructions can sometimes be confusing. By pre-mixing ahead of time, you guarantee that you can take your trigger on time and not be delayed by unexpected complications. By pre-mixing during office hours, you are more likely to hear back in a time sensitive manner, and decrease your stress levels prior to your trigger.
Bonus point: take things one step at a time
When you think of the process as a whole, it can be very daunting. My number 1 piece of advice for navigating this process is one I apply in many aspects of my life. It’s the answer to the question How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Trying to figure out the whole process from the beginning will be overwhelming, what I recommend instead is to focus on doing the next thing, and then the next and then the next until you get to the end of the process. You’ve got this! And as always sending you love.