Traveling during fertility treatment can be tough, but sometimes it needs to happen. Work trips, family emergencies, and mental health getaways can be squeezed in, but it's important to plan so everything goes as smoothly as possible. Here are some things to think about before traveling during your treatment cycle.
1. Talk to your clinic
Before you travel anywhere during your treatment, it's best to talk to your clinic. Reach out to your point of contact (like a nurse or care coordinator) and let them know your plans. Confirm that it's medically safe for you to travel and that your plans don’t interfere with treatment schedules.
2. Ask about timeline
Check in with your clinic about the dates of your travel. Ask when you'll need to be seen in the office again and if the dates are flexible. Sometimes you can even have a clinic in a different city do your monitoring and send the results to your doctor. Ask your doctor in advance to help you set this up and to give you a requisition.
3. Medication storage
Some of your medications are probably stored in the refrigerator, but most can be stored at room temperature for a limited amount of time. Make sure to double check the manufacturer's storage instructions for all your medications.
If your medications need to stay refrigerated, an insulated lunchbox with an ice pack is a great way to keep them cold on the go!
4. Need to fly with medications?
If you need to fly, don’t worry! Medical supplies are safe to take through TSA. This includes ice packs, needles, medications, and all your other supplies. Ask your clinic for a doctor’s note to provide to the TSA agent in case you run into any difficulty making it through airport security.
5. Time zone
Are you planning to change time zones on your trip? If you have any medications that are scheduled to be given at a specific time (like the trigger shot), be sure to account for the change. Always administer the shot based on the time where your clinic is located.
6. Make it quick!
Lastly, if you are planning to travel during your treatment cycle, try to make it a short trip. Appointments during your treatment can be very frequent, sometimes as often as every day. The easiest way to travel is to keep the trip short to create the minimal amount of disruption in your treatment schedule and the least stress in planning.
With a little planning, travel during your treatment cycle is possible. Thinking ahead about medications, travel logistics, and scheduling can help to make the process much less stressful.