Waiting anxiety is real
The waiting game is hard. Patients stuck waiting for treatment, often feel the process is out of their control.
The most common challenge that we hear from patients is that the treatment journey feels somewhat out of their control. Similar to a big game of “hurry up and wait!”
Wait until Cycle Day 1! Oh, and now that you waited for Cycle Day 1, you can hurry up and start birth control pills then wait another month. Take your medicine at 7 pm – hurry up! Ok, now wait three more days to see your response to the meds. We have the embryos now! Now, wait for your PGT results to see if they’re normal. You get the idea.
If you’re “stuck” in the waiting game, how can you maintain sanity?
Your mental health during fertility treatment is important
We try to emphasize daily to patients that their mental health is just as important as their physical health. Telling a infertile patient to “just relax” is just plain silly. But it is still important to focus on your mental health. You might even look at this as an unforeseen gift or opportunity in the midst of a crisis.
- Reach out and cultivate your existing relationships. Make sure you have at least one person who you can talk to and ask them to ‘just listen’. No advice is really needed – just active listening can provide great relief.
- Find a way to move most days a week, outside whenever possible. Go for a walk. Set up a yoga mat outside and use one of the many apps on your phone or computer to try a new online class. Not only is it fun, but you can really go for it because no one can see you! Always wanted to try Zumba? Do it now, in the privacy of your home or backyard. Movement is not only a great form of stress release but has many metabolic effects that can benefit you when attempting pregnancy.
- Embrace yourself or your couple-dom! Now that our options for large group interaction are limited, revisit why you guys started this journey. Have deep conversations. Go through old pictures. Play a board game. Do something fun and light-hearted. Humor and play can really help when everything feels so serious.
- Create a list of cheap or free self-care strategies that you can use. Some that have worked for our patients include taking a bath with Epsom salts; journaling; organizing or reducing clutter; listening to music or a podcast. If you like to read, consider starting a virtual book club, which has the added benefit of keeping up with your friends and family. Being part of a group is another potent stress releaser.
We work with outside counselors and nutritionists who can boost your outlook
Now might be a great time to tweak your nutrition, mind or movement program.
- Eat Healthier: We work with registered dieticians who specialize in coaching our patients about diet and healthy choices. Working with a dietician can help take the confusion out of determining what is okay to eat. Ask your Fertility Answers care team for a current list of dieticians in your area.
- Think Healthier: Additionally, seeking the help of a counselor has helped many of our patients with decreasing stress, preparing your mind and body for the infertility journey and pregnancy, or just talking to you about habits that may no longer be helpful. Ask your Fertility Answers care team for a current list of counselors in your area.
- Join an Support Group: Sometimes just talking with someone who is experiencing the same things you are can make a world of difference. There are many infertility support groups, both in-person and online, that can help you cope with the stress of infertility.
We want to end by emphasizing that we are committed to partner with you during this journey no matter how long it takes or how complicated it might feel. By offering these additional services, we hope to help you find a silver lining in the midst of chaos: something that you can actually DO while you wait!
So hurry up and let us know if you are interested! Just kidding about the hurrying part, but serious about reaching out to us with any questions or concerns.
