# Sick Leave and IVF cycles?



## JoJoSa3 (Sep 23, 2006)

Hello everyone,

I'm due to start IVF soon, after having a failed IUI last year.  During my IUI treatment, I became much more stressed and anxious than I ever dreamed I would and I'm conviced that had a negative effect on me.  Combined with a busy job, looking back on that treatment I can see just how worn out I was.

I've noticed, having read a couple of comments on threads here, that some people take time off for their cycles.  My employer is very sympathetic, giving me time off for appointments etc, but I doubt they would allow me time off for the treatment cycle unless I took leave (which I don't have that much of!).  

My question to you is, have any of you taken sick leave at any time during your IVF treatment?  Did you take a lot of time or just some?  How sympathetic was your GP?  Did you take leave? If you took sick leave, why did you take it - was it to manage side effects of the drugs or to manage the stress?
And most importantly - do you think not working during treatment helps?
I'd be really interested in your views.

JoJo


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## Chandy30 (Apr 19, 2005)

Hi Jojo

Sorry you were stressed last time hunny - you are deffo not alone  

I took sick leave when i had my cycle of icsi, because of the side effects of d/reg mainly, but i did tell my doc i didnt think i could cope with working while all this was going on, he signed me off for 2 weeks and i had 2 weeks holiday booked after that I worked the first week (it was horrid)  BUT i have to say now that WHEN we have our next cycle i will work up to the day before ec then will go back a few days after et - the 2ww drove me mad sat at home and i ended up angry with dh because he had the release of work   stupid seeing as it was my choice to go to the docs for sick note anyhow.  My GP was very understanding (although i think now it was more cos he didnt understand ivf and didnt want me bawling in his office   )  He didnt sign my sick note as ivf he just put headaches (which were the side effect) 

I work on a busy surgical ward and just didnt feel i could work to my full abilities (theres is alot of heavy manual work & some violent patients) I knew i would be preoccupied with the ivf and worried about the embies ( embie as it turned out) so i had no intention of working after et however like i said earlier in my post i have decided i will work after et this time but the choice is entirely yours hunny.

Dont beat yourself up if you feel you need the time off take it sweetie.

Here for you 

xx C xx


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## Fionajane (Sep 5, 2006)

Hi JoJo,

I was signed off work for the 2 week wait.  GP just wrote 'viral infection' on the sick note.

I've read that some clinics will sign you off too.

My GP was great about it, I just asked her not to mention what it was for, and she said its none of their business anyway!!

You have to think of yourself just now, and not worry about work.  At the end of the day, you won't get any thanks for struggling on, and trying to cope, you'll just end up stressed out even more!

Good Luck, hope it all goes well for you.

Take Care

Fiona x


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## Jules1 (Mar 7, 2005)

Hi JoJo,

In the past I've alway had a week off, as I've started my treatment I've told them I need a small gyny operation and I have to have scans upto when they tell me I need to go in, I told my boss I had ovarian cycts and need to have it removed, these can come back so when I had my second lot of treatment I told them the cyst was back and I need to have it removed again.  If necessary I'll use this old nut again and if I ever get told I need to see the company doctor I'll tell him the truth.  I don't think if I told them I was having IVF I'd get paid for the time off.

I've worked upto the day of egg collection and then told them I need to go in hospital to co-ordinate with my cycle, you self certify for a week anyway so you don't even need to see your doctor and if you feel you need more time off than this i'm sure if you went to see your doc and explained they'd help.

The only down side this is when I got my BFN last time I was back in work and I found people asking if I was ok which of course I wasn't.

I suppose if it works first time for you then having the 2 weeks off is fine, if however heaven forbid it doesn't work first time and you want more treatment in that year, for instance me who had 3 treatments in the last year that would have meant I would have had 6 weeks off sick as well as any odd days I'd taken for appointments etc, where it stands at the moment I had somat like 20 days of sick last year!

Hope this all makes sense.

Take care and put yourself first no matter what.

Jules
xx


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## MissTC (May 8, 2006)

Hiya JoJo

I think the time off work thing is personal to each individual member. Some people prefer to carry on working as normal and go about their daily lives to keep as much normality as possible, others prefer to take time off to relax and take it easy etc. Personally for each of my treatments my GP signs me off for the whole of the 2ww. He usually puts "Investigations" on my sicknote to keep it generalised. Unfortunately, as each time I have had BFN, he has then signed me off for an extra 2 weeks to give myself time to recover.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do honey
Love
Tracy
x


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi

I agree with Tracy, I think it really is a personal choice and whether work or not doesn't actually effect the outcome...although obviously the less stressed the better...and if have a physical job then perhaps a good idea to take some time off.

With our treatments I was signed off from EC for the first full ivf cycle...our fertility consultant (not GP) just wrote a note saying "gynaecological procedure" - sadly bfn.  On the 1st fet I was signed off again for the whole 2ww from ET with same from consultant - chemical pg.  With our 2nd fet I was signed off for the 1st week...back to work 2nd week but then after confusing results (possible false +ve from hcg or consultant believes another chem pg so don't really know for sure) became so confused and heartbroken, especially as was our 3rd treatment in a year, my GP signed me off with stress (related to the treatments) for another 2 weeks.

All appointments for scans, consultant and GP visits were put down as hospital admittance or visits - my work are aware we've been having fertility treatment though so this does help as I can be more honest with them.

Good luck
Natasha


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## Sencybil1 (Sep 4, 2006)

I did mine half and half.  Told work I was having a small gynae op, so sick leave for EC day which was a Tuesday and rest of that week (4 days).  Then took the next week as holiday.  Back to work the following week and had preg test on the Wed morning.  My job is not physically demanding though, and I felt if it was BFN, I'd rather have some distraction rather than sitting at home with nothing to force me to get on with life.

Good luck to you, I hope it all goes well!

Sencybil.


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