Tips for Organizing and Traveling with Your IVF Medications

At the outset of your IVF journey, you’ll receive a big box of medications in the mail.  When you open it up, the sheer number of bottles, needles, boxes, blister packs, and more may feel completely overwhelming.  We promise you’ll get a handle on it in no time. 

Organizing!

Here’s what you should do.

1. 1. 1. 1. Sort It:  Open the box right away, take out everything, and sort it by medication type.  Some medications may require refrigeration.
         2. Review It:  Print out and review the instructions sheet you received from the IVF clinic.  If you have any questions about the medications or how/when you administer them, email or call the nurse at the clinic or your contact at Brownstone.  You may want to put the instructions and calendar on the fridge or bathroom mirror or somewhere else you look every day.
         3. Organize It:  Organize everything into a system so that you remember what to take and when.  Some common methods include pill boxes with times of day and days of the week, makeup organizers or door shoe organizers for the bottles, journals with checklists, or a system of phone alarms.

You will find a system that works for you and settle into a daily routine before you know it!

Traveling!

When it comes time to travel for the embryo transfer, you might be wondering how best to pack and carry all these meds for flying.  Here are some things you should know:

1. 1. 1. 1. Ok for TSA:  Your needles and injectable medications will be allowed through a TSA checkpoint.  If you’re nervous about that, you can always ask your clinic nurse for a letter stating that the medications must be kept on you at all times.
         2. Don’t Check Them:  You may need to administer an injection during your travels and checked bags could be lost.  It’s better to keep the medications on you.
         3. Pack Extra:  Just in case, it’s always a good idea to bring a few extra pills, needles, etc.
         4. Leave the Sharps Box:  One thing you can leave home, however, is your sharps container.  You can probably get by using sharps disposal bins in public restrooms and at the clinic, or just recapping the needles and putting it in a Ziploc bag or empty water bottle for the time being.
         5. Make a Plan:  Consider where you’ll be at medication times.  If you need to adjust the schedule slightly so that you’re not injecting yourself in the airplane bathroom mid-flight, talk with your clinic nurse.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.  Safe travels!