Here are some IVF Tips that I wish I had on how to cope before I started the IVF party. For anyone who has not gone through this before and is about to embark on their journey!


1. Keep your body strong and healthy

Once the IVF procedure starts, you may or may not be disposed enough to do real exercises. So try to keep your body constitution good and immunity high by doing regular exercises in the lead up to your IVF procedure. Falling sick while pumping your body with hormonal drugs can be a real bitch. I unfortunately went down with food poisoning in the middle of my IVF, and it was not fun.

So take responsibility for your body and ensure your body is in tip top condition as best as you can.

Tips include:
- Avoid a sore throat and bad cough by taking it easy with fried food and cold drinks
- Avoid a cold or flu by not exposing yourself to wet weather or sudden extreme temperature changes

2. Anticipate a hormonal sandstorm of side effects 

This highly depends on the individual's body constitution. What you and especially your partner need to anticipate is the possibility of you turning into a werewolf like you do during PMS. The people around you must understand in advance that if you descend into a moody snappy abyss, it's the hormones talking, not you.

Then there are the bodily discomforts. What I went through included slight feverish feelings, random nausea spells, heat flushes, headaches, and an assortment of other hormonal cocktail. I didn't know about the side effects beforehand and seriously thought I was falling sick. I've heard that weight gain is normal. Luckily for me, I didn't gain more than a couple of 100grams.


3. Set an alarm for your injections, and portion your medication in pill cases in advance

If you're even half the scatterbrain like me, you should become best friends with the alarm on your calendar. I did after I almost missed a couple of Lucrin injections. Also, the medication will become so routine that you will forget if you had it already. So it really helps to portion your pills beforehand. If necessary, you can even label the date/time to ingest them.

My 'chocolate' pill case

4. Anticipate a haphazard schedule of visits to the hospital

This means do your holidaying BEFORE you start the IVF procedure. Or other stuff like renovation plans and so on. Keep your schedule absolutely free and on the beck and call of the hospital.


5. Keep your environment clean, calm and soothing

6. Pamper yourself silly

Oohh, eat all that chocolate while you can!! Forgive yourself for going on a shopping spree. Just think twice before buying that skimpy dress. For once, you are hoping you won't be able to fit in that in a few months' time.

One of the doodads I splurged on was a Thomas Sabo Karma Bracelet that I had been eyeing on for a while but had no reason to buy it without feeling guilty about spending the money. So I managed to convince myself that buying that will release euphoric endorphins that will combat the hormonal sandstorm caused by the Lucrin. It totally worked.

Guilt-free shopping rocks!

Oh and get a massage! After you're pregnant, you'll read so many unscientific literature on why you can't get a massage that you'll be too damned scared to get one. So now is a good time to get a nice soothing rub.

Said doodad: Thomas Sabo Karma bracelet with Tree of Life and Rose Quartz charm

7. Work from home
Changing my operations to be home-based is one of the best decisions I made 2 years ago. It helps when I need to take sudden breaks from the side effects, or when it is time for the injections. Lucrin and Menopur needs to be chilled constantly so it's a relief to not have to ferry them around in ice bags all the time.

Whenever I think of all the women who has to work in the office while going through IVF, I really have to take my metaphorical hat off them. See if you can negotiate with your boss for a temporary work from home arrangement if you can.



8. Brief hiatus from pregnant friends and proud mommies

The hormonal sandstorm can be exhausting, and at the back of your mind, the fear that everything won't work out is very real. It's stressful enough to have to wade through the 1001 baby pictures with gushing captions that your friends upload onto Facebook. It can be a bigger challenge to your sanity when your new-mommy friends proudly brag about how smart their juniors are (they can't restrain themselves, they tried), or when your pregnant friends talk about their exciting preparations to welcome their babies. And even if you won't admit it, you really are envious to death at your friends who can breed by virtue of humping like rabbits.

I'm definitely not saying to stay away from them. I love my friends! But just for these few weeks, at least until your embryo transfer is complete, maybe reserve the days as quality time to bond with your partner instead.


9. In case of OHSS... 

OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome) is relatively rare so don't lose sleep worrying about whether you'll get it if it hasn't happened to you.

But if you really do strike OHSS lottery like me, there is no known medication for OHSS but the doctors will give you hormone drugs to calm the hormonal storm in your body. It will go away on its own eventually so try your best to put up with the crippling pain for now. You are not alone, and it will be over soon! I promise!

(My OHSS Ordeal is documented here)


10. Stay positive and happy

And finally, positivity and staying happy is the key!

Here's a cute picture of a kitten to make you smile. Good luck to you!