Hi everyone, I am getting serious about researching the IVF PGD route, but I would really like to understand the process fully and would like to know more about the drugs that I will potentially put in my body and other people's experience of fertility treatment.  So I hope I've got this right....

1) Firstly there are the down regulation drugs the GnRH Agonists such as Lupron, Suprefact and Synarel.  What are people's experiences of these drugs?  How long did it take your ovaries to be suppressed? What are the pros and cons of nasal spray v injections?

2) Secondly there are the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) drugs such as Gonal F and Menopur.  Are these given after taking GnRH Agonists or whilst taking them?  On what day generally do you start taking these and for how long?  What side effects have you had?

3) Thirdly there is the luteinizing hormone (LH) Hcg given to mature the eggs - 35 hours before ER.

4) Fourthly there are Progesterone supplementation drugs, applied 2 days after ER.  Have people had this vaginally or via injection?  Further what side effects have you experienced? 

To what degree with your doctor or clinic have you had a choice as to what format of drugs to use?

 Please let me know if I have misunderstood the IVF drug process and please let me know your experiences of or other people's experiences of fertility drugs.  In addition if you know of any good web pages then attach the link.

 Many thanks,

DSP

Thinking, hoping, praying for my high tech miracle :)

I moved over here for you so you can get some responses TJ  BUMP

desperatelyseekingpink:

Hi everyone, I am getting serious about researching the IVF PGD route, but I would really like to understand the process fully and would like to know more about the drugs that I will potentially put in my body and other people's experience of fertility treatment.  So I hope I've got this right....

1) Firstly there are the down regulation drugs the GnRH Agonists such as Lupron, Suprefact and Synarel.  What are people's experiences of these drugs?  How long did it take your ovaries to be suppressed? What are the pros and cons of nasal spray v injections?

2) Secondly there are the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) drugs such as Gonal F and Menopur.  Are these given after taking GnRH Agonists or whilst taking them?  On what day generally do you start taking these and for how long?  What side effects have you had?

3) Thirdly there is the luteinizing hormone (LH) Hcg given to mature the eggs - 35 hours before ER.

4) Fourthly there are Progesterone supplementation drugs, applied 2 days after ER.  Have people had this vaginally or via injection?  Further what side effects have you experienced? 

To what degree with your doctor or clinic have you had a choice as to what format of drugs to use?

 Please let me know if I have misunderstood the IVF drug process and please let me know your experiences of or other people's experiences of fertility drugs.  In addition if you know of any good web pages then attach the link.

 Many thanks,

 

DSP

Thinking, hoping, praying for my high tech miracle :)

Hi DSP!

Looks to me like your understanding of the drugs is dead-on!  I think everyone's drug protocol is different based on either your previous response to the drugs or other factors.  I'm still pretty new to this, as this is my first IVF attempt, but I will give you what info I have.  I am 38, DH is 40 and I already have one DD, age 5.  I never had any past fertility issues and my current DH just had a low % of normal sperm morphology, which my RE thought could have contributed to us not getting preg on our own (we tried for 1 yr on our own).  So they started me on a protocol as follows:

Started birth control pills 7/14/08 (take for approx 3 wks.. last pill taken 8/1/08)

Lupron started on 7/28/08 - 10 units (continues until day of hcg trigger, changes to 5 units on 8/11 - my last lupron shot was 8/22)

Started stimulating drugs on 8/11/08 - 263 IU of Gonal-F (this may be adjusted daily based on your response to it, mine went from 263 to 338 to 300 and back to 338 during my 11 days of stims.) and you combine that with 75 of Menopur (that one stayed the same all 11 days)  Stopped stims on day they told me will be my "Trigger", the HCG shot.

HCG trigger shot - 8/22.  No stims that night and discontinue lupron and stims from here on out.  Egg Retrieval to follow 35 hours later.. mine was on Sunday morning 8/24, around 10am.

Progesterone - started 1mL daily, intramuscular (every shot mentioned before this was sub-q for me) on Sunday night after Egg Retrieval - 8/24.  These will continue daily until possibly the 10th week of pregnancy.

As far as choice in the matter... well, I didn't know much at all when I started so I had no reason to question what they chose to put me on.  If this attempt works, then I guess they chose the right protocol for me. :)  I did have a low number of follicles show up (although they ended up getting 9 eggs at retrieval, so I was grateful for that) so my doctor thought maybe they would have to try higher doses of the stims next time.. if needed.)

As for side effects:  For me, the BCP were actually the worst.  I was moody as ALL get out.  I hadn't taken BCP in years... since before I conceived my first DD.  I don't know if it was just a shock to my body or what.  The Lupron, I didn't really notice any side effects.  Maybe a few more headaches then is normal for me.  The stims, I only noticed the bloating.  I felt like I was carrying a couple golf balls in each ovary - I could feel it when I walked!  None of these shots were very difficult or painful.  The hcg shot was very sore for me at the injection site the day after I gave it. (adbomen)  I was terrified of the prog shot - the needle is much larger and has to go into muscle.  It was not a big deal.  I ice the injection site for 15 mins and don't feel it going in at all.  It makes the injection site (your butt) kinda sore.  the side effects... so far I have been on that for 4 nights and I feel like I am pregnant.  (I haven't even had my embryo transfer yet!) My boobs are huge, sore, and I am still bloated - not sure if that is the progesterone.  I've been a little more irritable than usual.  The anesthesia from the Egg Retrieval gave me constipation which took a few days to clear up.  I have given all these shots to myself (I'm a control freak and couldn't let DH do it - haha).  I go in for the embryo transfer tomorrow Friday 8/29.  All in all this experience has been totally do-able, but pretty intensive.  I hope to not have to do it again.. but if I had to I absolutely would.

Hope this information helps and if I can answer any other questions let me know. :)  Good Luck and welcome to the board!  Again, I am new, but everyone here is sooo nice!

Pru

1. i used lupron. i had no bad side effects.  i did injections.  i dont know much about the nasal spray.  i was on them for 2 weeks before stims.

2.i took gonal f and menapur mixed.  i continued a low dose of lupron while on them.   i again had no side effects

3. yep. lh makes you ovulate.

4. i did vaginal 2x a day and injections 1x.  no side effects for me.  

my doc picked my protocol.   good luck to you! 

Thanks for your replies Prudence and KatesDreamGirl.  Sometimes, I think that I am a little crazy with this IVF PGD idea for our little girl.  It's like I don't want to invest all my hope into something that may not be successful - the whole process would be even worse if the IVF drug process is really rough.  Thankfully however your posts give me hope that it isn't quite so bad.

 How did you feel when you had to give yourself your first injection?  Is it easy to conceal this?  Did you at any point feel that you were using IVF and PGD for some selfish reasons?

 Lol,

 DSP

 it was a bit hard to give myself the first shot.  but after the first one it is easy.  it would be easy to conceal in the bathroom.  i just did it after the kids were in bed.  

it was my dream and my husbands dream for a daughter.  i was fulfilling our dream, while giving my boys the greatest gift-another sibling.  of course, i felt guilty about the  money, but i feel guilty when i buy a coffee from starbucks.