So what are people's thoughts on alcohol during ivf treatment. Due to start my first cycle of ICSI. Should be starting injections in the next week and egg collection due week beginning 29th may.
Trying to keep calm and act normal especially around my friends so was thinking of small amounts of alcohol slowly.
Camping at the end of May and don't wanna act weird as none of them know that we are doing IVF. I know not to drink loads but I don't anyway.
Any advice would be great.
I stopped in January and we started our treatment end of feb. They told me they tell people to stop drinking completely once you start treatment. I stopped before so it was out of my system long before.
There was no way I wasn't giving my all to the treatment and if that meant giving up alcohol then that's what I would do. I didn't want to ever look back and think "if only I hadn't had that drink"
But each to their own. One thing I would be careful of or check is whether alcohol can have any affects on the meds
I haven asked the nurse this week and she said some people drink and get pregnant just like a natural pregnancy and others stop altogether.
Have you been successful this time?
Our ivf worked first time but sadly had a missed miscarriage at 7 weeks and had my surgery to remove the pregnancy yesterday. Going to finally have a drink tomorrow if I don't need any more codeine today for the pain. It's been so hard going through this and not being able to drink
Sorry to hear that. Good luck next time and hope you feel out of pain soon xx
Our clinic tells us "no alcohol". I have read on here some people have been advised that a glass of wine wont hurt etc. I think you just have to do what's right for you an so long as you dont have any regrets then that's the main thing. If it's just to pretend in front of your friends, coke in a small glass with a bit of lemon or a small soda water with slice of lime etc can fool a few! Good luck with what you decide!xx
I'm on my 3rd cycle. The first 2 I was tee-total for months before and throughout the treatment. This time, I had 2 glasses of wine one weekend when I was on down regulation. But during stimulation of my eggs I wouldn't touch and it was only 1 glass I had on two occasions earlier in cycle. Good luck! x
I haven't drank for 2 years since I started my journey, but I know its difficult when you're with friends. I started off by saying I am on a detox, then eventually people didnt ask. I think they just thought I stopped drinking. Its totally up to you, but I wanted to give my body the best chance possible x
Me and my partner we both stop drinking. Our clinic advice that is better not to drink x
Hiya! I think I am at the same stage as you & I have given up the booze. I'm currently working my way through the different non alcoholic wines I have found! 🍷Do what you feel is right for you! Xxx
I've stopped drinking on 12th march which was my birthday, as I wanna give it my best shot,
I defiantly wouldn't have any alcohol whilst taking the injections or at anytime whilst on your plan,
Maybe make up to your friends your on antibiotics for ear infection or something, or drink lemonade / coke and pretend it's got a mixer in it if asked
, or you can get non alcoholic beers there in bottles and they apparently taste the same.
Or you could make out your doing the go sober thing for McMillan,xx
I tend to decsnt non alcoholic wine into an alcoholic bottle so people think I'm drinking, got away with it so far lol! 😊
Personally I chose not to risk it. On my second round I've also given up caffeine all the way through... and that was actually harder.
If this round fails again, I just don't want to have any reason to think "if only I'd done that differently".
My clinic says it's fine to have a bit of alcohol all the way up to egg collection. ..as long as you're not binge drinking. They say we have enough to worry about, so if it helps destress us it's not an issue. Every clinic and person is different though so just go with what feels right ☺
It depends really. As it's your first cycle you're not going to know what your egg collection is going to be like. How old are you? If you're under 35 and healthy then it's unlikely that alcohol will affect things much, I wouldn't go OTT but it's doubtful a glass of wine will harm you. If after your first cycle you find that your egg collection was low or the eggs were poor quality then you could think about lifestyle changes. Good luck x
Just read all the replies on here and I think it's important to consider how much you actually drink. One glass of wine with food is quite healthy especially red wine, I certainty had wine with dinner when I was pregnant a few times.
Also if you're going to give up, you need to for 3 months not just right before the treatment starts. The maturing cycle of the egg is 3 months, I've heard of people changing their whole diet and their shampoo and everything.
I was really good & strict my last cycle with diet and booze etc and it didn't work so leading up to this cycle I've been far more relaxed.im a major stress head so a drink does relax me.i do worry that it may affect my treatment tho so I would say if u can cut it out do, or keep it to bare minimum.u can always say to friends u r on antibiotics or even say u drank too much the night b4 u went camping so u don't feel up to it!!
My Greek clinic were far more relaxed on their views about alcohol than my uk clinic by the way xxx
I drank red wine and matched every drink with water. Tried to keep to the 14 units but I do love my wine. I had 17 eggs all mature, all fertilized and 7 grade a embryos. Of course in my 2 ww I didn't drink. It didn't work this time but I doubt it was down to my vino. Do what's right for you. My friend who cycled at the same time was abstaining for 3 months prior and she ended up with 1 embryo but she is now pregnant. I think keeping hydrated is important but you put enough things on hold through IVF so enjoy yourself when you can. Xx
First time round I had one glass of red during stimming, and it made me really tipsy, and I'm an avid fan of the red wine so really not like me after one! But then I stopped, that round failed, second I didn't drink anything as it didn't agree with me the first time, and I got a bfp, but sadly that ended in a mmc 2 weeks ago. Last night I had 2 glasses of wine and was rather drunk! I'm a cheap date these days! My clinic were all about cutting down on everything naughty, but didn't say strictly no alcohol, totally personal choice xxx
Personally I haven't had any alcohol for 8 months. I had just under 3months with no alcohol before my first cycle and just kept it up and am now mid-way through my second cycle.
It is completely personal choice though. I do get some odd looks from people who don't know when I am out and only drink water, but I was never much of a drinker and had sort of stopped anyway when we first started trying 3.5 years ago.
I think it is a really personal choice though and I know others who are also going through IVF who have been much more relaxed about it.
Good luck with your cycle xx
I think each person has to do what is right for them and have no regrets. I cut right back for about a month before I started the nasal spray to one day a week and then before I started the injections I had nothing. I didn't want it to affect my egg quality but that could well be in my head. I have just had egg collection yesterday. I told my friends I was going on a health kick so I was nice and healthy for when we wanted to start IVF so then they weren't sus when I wasn't drinking x
Feeling guilty about alcohol and tea! 
Needing advice 
Alcohol IVF
Alcohol/ IVF prep
