Comfort measures for your IVF and IUI.

Whether you go to one of the best known IVF centers like Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine (CCRM), Shady Grove, CNY; or you work with "the clinic next door"; or you choose one half a world away — one thing ALL the protocols will have in common is needles.

So let's break down the four best-known comfort measures for IVF and IUI shots. I'll help you understand the best time and place to use them — and when not to.

Ice might be nice.

Ice numbs the nerves. But it also decreases local circulation by constricting blood vessels. The good news is that makes it helpful for making the initial poke feel less … well, pokey! The bad news is it leaves you more likely to get those lumps as the carrier liquid from the injection just sits in the tissue and doesn’t get absorbed as well.

A quick note on lumps. If you've got shot lumps, don't worry. You're still absorbing the hormones just fine. It’s simply the carriers that pool up — especially oils (as in PIO). If you get bumps be sure to avoid doing other injections on top of them and ask your nurse if you can do anything different. Like, for example, maybe try a thinner carrier oil like ethyl oleate instead of sesame oil for progesterone.

Caution

If your shot sites are itching, looking rashy, red, or hurt, have a nurse take a look. You might be having a local allergic reaction. Again, switching things up might make sense and save you a lot of suffering. Most clinics are okay with using topical Benedryl cream on the spots you already have, but be sure to double-check with yours.

Best Use

Ice can be useful if you tend to bruise easily or if a little blood-flow reduction is useful, like for blood thinner injections that cause a lot of bruises for instance. Otherwise, it’s not my fave — so read on for a better way to make pokes hurt less! But if you do opt for ice, I recommend it only before injections and not after.

Heat could be neat.

How about heat for your IVF and IUI shots? Heat is pretty much the YANG to ice’s YIN. It does the exact opposite. Heat doesn’t numb the superficial nerves at all but it does increase local blood circulation. This means the poke still feels like a poke, but the carrier oil solution and the medicine can move into the tissue and help the muscles stay looser and feel better after the fact — and that’s a major win.

Best Use

Heat can be good if you feel particularly stiff or sore after shots. It's also nice if you tend to feel cold as a whole, or it’s the middle of winter. Applying heat after the shot is usually better than before.

But, I actually often prefer …

Movement for improvement.

A little physical movement after injections can be even better than heat because movement literally moves the muscles and improves circulation even more!

So take a little stroll or go up and down the steps a few times, especially after intramuscular shots. You might even put on a sappy song and do a little middle-school-penguin-style-slow-dance and create a silly romantic moment with your partner. Swaying and stepping is a great way to move the powerful hip and glute muscles — and a slow dance reminds you that you’re trying to have a baby and that’s a whole lot about LOVE!

Best Use

Movement is great for preventing — or at least lessening — the lingering pain and stiffness after shots. Just know it doesn't do much for the initial poke.

Caution

Be careful if your ovaries are enlarged from stimulation medications, and always listen to your body. Avoid bouncing, twisting, and jarring, especially if you’re at risk for OHSS. If that's the case, heat would be a much better option.

For something greater, try a vibrator.

Personal massagers, bullets, or good old vibrators — call 'em what you will. The main thing is it has to buzz!

It turns out that when you put something that buzzes near the area you’re going to do an injection, the buzzing overwhelms and shorts out the nerves in that area so they don't register the poke nearly as much! This is called the Gate Control Theory of Pain. There's even a device called the Buzzy Bee pediatricians use for shots. Buzzy Bee is really just a vibrator with a bee cartoon wrapper to make it kid-friendly and cute.

I personally love the Gaia Eco Bullet because it’s small, budget-friendly, waterproof, and it’s made of plant-based compostable material — so it’s both earth AND body friendly! This bullet also happens to be very buzzy and rumbly so it packs a lot of punch for great Gate Theory pain control.

Best Use

If you’re nervous about the “poke” part of the shot you should definitely try this vibrator during the injection. You can tuck it in your waistband or even tape it to your butt if you're doing shots solo. Vibration works better than ice for most people and most medications. Plus, you might get some other good use out of a vibrating massager too. At the very least you can rub your shoulders with it or roll it around on your neck or temples after your shots.

My takeaway.

I suggest using either ice or vibration if you're having trouble with the initial poke — vibration in most cases. And once the poke and shot are done use movement and/or heat to decrease lingering pain.

Plus, there's even more.

If you like info like this sign up for my IVF Insider Guide! I’ve got way more shot tips, shot “station" set-up suggestions so you don’t make any mistakes or waste meds, comfort measures for stimming, OHSS warning signs and preventative measures, transfer day tips, stress-busting guided meditations, bladder prep suggestions — and so much more.

I want every person to feel informed and empowered at every step of their IVF because it matters. It matters for both pregnancy rates and for your quality of life.

Warmly,

Nicole

Nicole Lange

LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST
HOLISTIC FERTILITY EDUCATOR