Top Tips for Surviving Infertility Treatment: Day Two--Remember your body, not your RE, is the real boss

I was reminded recently of something that happened during the preparations for my first IVF cycle, so long ago now.  The nurse was going over my schedule with me, and explained that my menstrual cycle would have to sync up with the "on" weeks for the IVF lab.  "After this date," she stated with utmost confidence, "we will take control of your body and your cycle."  I remember being very impressed with this idea.  The doctor would take control of my recalcitrant reproductive system, and my problems would soon be solved!  Boy, was I naive.  My RE spent the next couple of years trying to "take control" of my cycle, and my body fought back.  Eventually, even he had to admit defeat.

All of this made me feel pretty awful and did not do great things for my self-esteem.  It was only later that I realized that I was not alone in having a body that didn't respond to medications in the typical way.  In retrospect, I think it would have been helpful if someone told me this in advance, which is why I'm telling you now--expect delays because your body won't "cooperate".  Cysts happen.  Late periods happen.  Lead follicles happen.  Cancelled cycles happen.  They happen all the time, and it doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong, or even that treatment won't eventually work for you.  It just means that infertility treatment is part art along with the science involved.  That IVF schedule the doctor's office gives you is really all just a big guess about what they would like to happen.  Expect that your real life cycle might be very different.

Thanks for reading, and come back tomorrow for more tips for surviving infertility treatment!