I will admit on my first go around with the shots, I was scared, I was intimidated, I didn’t know what to expect. I just kept hearing from people I knew who had done IVF was how hard it was. Now looking back on I feel as though the hardest parts of the shots were not the shots at all, it is just the emotional toll poking yourself a couple times a day for 10-12 days can do to you not to mention how you react to the hormones.
For me the shots were not bad, the only one that was not fun to take was the menopur I had to take, it just stung going in but was over quickly. TRUST ME you can do these shots, even if you hate shots!!! I put together 5 tricks I used when taking my shots that truly helped! I hope they help you as much as they helped me.
1. Set an alarm
For when you are meant to take your shots! It is just so so helpful, you don’t think it would be but it is probably one of the most helpful tips! Even if you think you don’t need to, you do, life gets busy .
2. Create a few IVF MEDS schedules:
Make duplicates of your schedule I made one on a large post it note on our living room wall it’s where we spend most of our time and where we did the shots. I also had one in my phone which was linked up to the IVF clinic. I would literally check them one on our living room wall and the phone one every night before the numerous shots just to make sure!
3. Read the directions + watch the instructional videos over again
I did this nightly, they all stayed the same until the last day I want to say before the retrieval, after a few days I felt good and was able to do them without watching the videos over again but towards the end I got so tired and just emotionally and physically drained that, I went back to watching the videos and had my husband help watch me mix them. He offered to mix them but I just felt I needed to MAKE, you know!
4. Ice the shot location + switch location with each shot.
I was told this time and time again and boy was I happy I listened, this helped tremendously. There is on medication I will be honest stings regardless it is just the type of the medication but icing the location helps with numbing the area so you don’t feel the needle going in and it also helps with bruising if you continue to ice it after. Switching location just helps with bruising and also, I just mentally kept thinking I will give one ovary this today and tomorrow the other ovary. NO scientific reasoning or proof it helps anything, it all goes into your. body regardless, it was just my OWN thought process.
5. Think of it as a gift.
Each time I took shot, I just said as a thank you, and I said to myself. This is a gift you are giving your body to bring forth the greatest gift. You are doing everything in your power to achieve that, and that’s all you can do, the rest is out of your hands. Be proud of yourself, you did it, you are strong, you are capable.
