Can someone explain the Gonal F (injectible) process?

[blueyezz4]

Okay, so I'm new to these injectibles and I'm just trying to figure out how the whole injection process works. The REs office gave me an information paper on it and a DVD on how to give myself the injections, but cycle process seems very vague so i was wondering if someone out there could explain how the whole thing works...ie. when you normally get U/S done, when the injections usually start, how long you take them for and what not...... I realize that all RE practices are different so mine might not be the exact same, but at least it will help me to figure out what might be going on in 2 weeks if AF shows up. : she doesn't, so I don't have to even go there!!!!!!! TIA

[poetgirl]

Originally Posted by blueyezz4

Okay, so I'm new to these injectibles and I'm just trying to figure out how the whole injection process works. The REs office gave me an information paper on it and a DVD on how to give myself the injections, but cycle process seems very vague so i was wondering if someone out there could explain how the whole thing works...ie. when you normally get U/S done, when the injections usually start, how long you take them for and what not...... I realize that all RE practices are different so mine might not be the exact same, but at least it will help me to figure out what might be going on in 2 weeks if AF shows up. : she doesn't, so I don't have to even go there!!!!!!! TIA

:: I begin follistim in a few days.

[skydancer]

Trying to remember...

I seem to have blocked so much of it out (not because the shots, etc. were so horrible-just the whole ttc/infertility was stressful).

If I remember correctly, I think I started with the Gonal F injections on cd 5(?). I also did another injection that prevented me from ovulating on my own (ovidril?). I did both of these nightly and began going into the clinic on cd 10 for blood draws and ultrasounds to check follicle size. I would usually go every other day until they saw follicles that were nearly mature. For me, this usually happened between cd 14 and 18, but I'm sure it could vary. Once the follicles were mature enough, the Dr. told me to administer the hcg trigger shot. That was the last shot for the cycle. We did IUI, so we usually went back the day after the trigger shot for that. Then I would take progesterone and baby asprin until they did a blood draw to determine if we were successful or not.

To the best of my recollection, that was how it worked for us. The shots were no big deal for me and I didn't have any side effects that really bothered me. I was certainly hormonal, but I think the whole IF experience was more of a cause of that than the injections.

Good luck!

[cincynana]

I did gonal f and its pretty easy. I would go in for a baseline ultra sound on cd1, 2 or 3. I started my shots on CD3. I would usually do 3 days of shots then go in for another u/s and for b/w, so usually 3 appts before the iui. I almost always triggered on cd12, or pretty close to there, and then go in 36 hours later for iui.

Good luck! I hope this works for you!!!

[by-the-lake]

Hello- I am currently in gonal-f land. We have a baseline u/s and estrodial draw cd2 or 3, letrazole cd3-7, gonal f days 8&9, u/s on day 10 with estrodial draw. Last month I triggered on day 10, IUI day 12. The estrodial draws gage egg maturity (usually) Hope tht helps.

[blueyezz4]

Skydancer, Naturalmom and Cincynana thanks for your responses. I'm surprised there aren't more people out there using injectibles??!! Who knows... I'm just kinda excited to be trying something else since nothing has worked thus far. I've got all my hope in this for now. So Skydancer said she really didn't have many side effects from the shots, but did you cincynana and Naturalmom? I really never had any troubles with clomid so i'm hoping this will be the same, but with better results. Thanks again for sharing your experiences. Take care.

Naturalmom - what is the the letrazole for? I don't think that is part of my regimen. Sorry this stuff is all new to me. I was just starting to get used to the clomid and now we are changing it up.

[blueyezz4]

Naturalmom - oh, i think i answered my own question... the letrazole is the same as clomid right?? so you are doing something like clomid plus the gonal F correct??? Did you always do it like this or did you do your first one with Gonal F only and now for the 2nd one they bumped you up to both?? Just wondering.... TIA

[by-the-lake]

Letrazole is a drug similar to clomid. My doc likes to start with it, and finish up with gonal-f. He likes letrazole because it does not thin the uterine lining like clomid. As for side effects, the first cycle with gonal-f resulted in tons of ovary pain, so much my doc saw me a day early for the u/s. I think it hurt me so because it resulted in 3 good size follies, and I'm extra sensetive to any hormonal drugs. Also- hot hot hot, and dizzy. But despite all of this, I like the approch and will keep doing it this way. The things we go through for our kids!!! I hope you do well and get your BFP. Hope I answered some questions

[cincynana]

I didn't have any side effects like I did on clomid. I did have the ovary pain, but I'd take that over the lunatic I became on clomid. I was pure evil while on clomid! KUP on your cycle!