IVF and work.

[Bubblewrap]

Hello just wanting to know how everyone copes with work and IVF. Im going to be doing my first IVF after two failed attempts at IUI.

I looked at the schedule for the BT and U/S. Im a shift worker and getting those days off to attend them will be hard. I have to travel to another town 1 hour away to have the BT and U/S.

I have to be at work at 7am if I am doing a morning shift. The one hour travel and the opening times of the BT place and U/S place is 8:30am

I will try to ask my boss for only evening shifts when cycling. But I don't fancy my chances as she is narky.

I just want to know how you all coped. Were you bosses good to you or not?

bubblewrap

[jenice]

I quit my job over a year ago, to do IVF. I figured doin IVF would be stressful enough My job would have been impossible, easier to quit can always go back @ anytime. I'm fortunate enough to afford that luxury I realize not everyone can. I have had 2 cancelled cycles and two failed cycles. I will continue after I lose some of the weight gain after all these meds. I really don't know how everyone does it. I do have a little one and something had to give, so it was my job

[me2009]

i took time off during ivf and now 14 weeks prego w/ twins, ive been off since october. my work was not very happy about me taking time off...

needless to say, there are plenty of great pregnancy laws that protect us..

ive been off since oct and i am gonna be off until they are born some time in july!

[wishfulthinking]

I'm also about to start my first cycle. I am very lucky in that my bosses are very understanding in allowing me time off. different work places have different policies and i am currently waiting to find out if i can take the time off on medical grounds rather than using my annual leve. i am worried about the stress of juggling it all though. speak to your bosses. thats all i can suggest. you won't know where you stand without asking. i've been very open with mine and they appreciate that. i really hope you sort something out. now is a time we need to be looking after ourselves and shouldn't have to be worrying about work on top of everything else. let me know how you get on xx

[miyaya]

I am still working full time. My RE was nice enough to fill out FMLA papers for me. So I am able to use my time under that which is protected.

[Riley baby maybe]

Hi!

I just told my bosses what was happening; they were very understanding. Blood work is always early AM, so I could just do that and then go into work. I ended up missing less than a full day for all of my blood work so I just took half a day of vacation to cover it all. For my ER, I took off, then got OHSS and took the next few days off as well. I used my vacation/personal time to cover that. I just did both. It was not stressful or difficult for me. It's really only one week that gets crazy with appointments, so maybe you could just take some of your personal/vacation time for a week. Good luck!

[Hope644]

I saved my FMLA for maternity leave, thankfully... my schedule was flexible and I could make my appointments when necessary and adjust my schedule accordingly. Now I have different job, same company, different boss - but they are actually more supportive than my previous - surprisingly. Even offered to watch my DS while I go for ER!!!!

The head of my agency actually has two children (grown) both born via fertilization treatments. And he pointed out that people going through fertility treatments are covered by ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and can expect to receive reasonable accomodations... Bubblewrap, I realize you're in Australia - do you have anything similar??

[lou71]

Hi everyone,

Working FT while cycling is VERY difficult. My clinic is 10 mins from home so I ALWAYS take the 1st appt of the day at 7AM, that way I can get to work by 9AM no problem. It's an issue when I have a morning meeting though and I've just been doing the best I can to reschedule, send a replacement, or make the appropriate apologies. I've got a meeting on Tuesday morning 2/16 that starts at 7:30AM and I've also got an u/s appt because I'll be stimming so that's already stressful. I just plan to show up late, it will be a long meeting. Luckily my boss is understanding. Her grandchildren were born with IVF, so she gets it. She knows my situation and understands why I need the days off when I do. So far, I've only take the ER and ET days off.

I've considered just taking the whole cycle off. A woman I know did IVF 6 times with BFN results. She finally took off a full cycle and tried one last time. Her beautiful son was born in January. She credits the success to her not having to work.

[webster]

Bubblewrap, I'm in the same boat, I'm a 7a-7p nurse. I am doing a FET next week. I went to my supervisor and told her that I needed the days off for the transfer and she's granting me personal leave of absence for 4-6 days, but luckily the bw/us appts were on days that I was off (actually one day wasn't, so the clinic let me come in a day earlier). We discussed what if it didn't work out with the schedule or if I have to do another fresh cycle (if this doesn't work) and she told me to apply for FMLA to cover me. Regardless, my manager is great and let me know that family and medical issues are more impt than a job, so she understood. I think if it came to another fresh cycle I would just try to work nights to make it to the clinic b/w 8-9:30, then try to schedule vacation for 7-10 days around the ET. So, my suggestion would be to check into FMLA. Good luck, I know scheduling is just one more added stress!!

[sorcet]

i am a nurse that works purely night shift, and my bw and u/s were in a hospital right down the street so i lucked out there, however when it came time for retrieval and transfer i was lucky enough that my unit director had gone through similar things and allowed me to take off a week as long as i wasnt paid for it ( which is a big deal bc in my unit we can only call off 2 shifts a year that we were already scheduled for) and then also allowed me to go on light duty so i wouldnt have to lift or do any patient care after transfer.... even then it was hard though making sure i got out of work on time int he morning to get there i cant imagine being able to do it with a regular 9-5 job thats 5 days a week beings i just work nights on weekends. good luck to you !