# Just starting out - help!!!!



## Mind (Mar 3, 2010)

Ooh hullo. I'm new to all this. Based out in Dubai and a week into my IVF treatment. I'm being injectected with a BFN (big fat needle) once a week with Pregnyl and have no idea why. For the past three months I've been on DHEA, which seem to have been ok as I was scanned last week and now have five eggs. If I sound like I know what I'm talking about, don't be fooled, as I have NO CLUE! I'm also on some kind of CP (contraceptive pill) for ten days now called progiluton. And on day one of my period I take Deceptyl AKA Lupron, CIH & Purigon. I'm just trying to get my head round it all as they don't tell you much out here! was wondering if anyone else is going through the same?  Also wondering when I start going through the moodie bit. I feel better than ever right now, so crossing evrything (apart from me legs, though it's a bit late for all that. And it doesn't work!) Bye for now M


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## Momito (Nov 16, 2009)

Hello Mind

Everyone´s protocols are different, but you should pester your clinic, the nurses and doctors to explain why and what they are giving you and to explain the protocol of your full treament. Sometimes they forget that us poor patients don´t necessarily know what is going on!  If they are not willing to give you any info...hhhmmmm.  And culturally there can be huge differences in how doctors behave.  We live in Spain and went to a clinic near where we live...the doctor never enlightened us on anything, didn´t seem to think it was our concern and so we soon dumped the clinic.  The doc even made us abandon our cycle, despite producing a few decent follicles, he never measured them once and was only interested in pushing us into using Donor Eggs.

Some people take DHEA to help improve the quality of their eggs...some people swear by it, others find it makes no difference...it could just be that yet again, different people respond differently.  You sound like you´ve done ok on it!  Your body can also respond differently from month to month, I´ve had cycles where I have had no response at all, and others that have looked reasonably good.

When I have been put on the pill it is called down regging...basically quietening down the ovaries so that once the treatment begins your ovaries will hopefully respond more fully.  

I looked up Pregnyl and it said:  

"This medication is also used in women to treat fertility problems. It is given after finishing another medication (menotropins) to cause the release of an egg (ovulation). It should not be used in women whose ovaries no longer make eggs properly (primary ovarian failure)."

Are you on the pill and on the pregnyl at the same time, or are you stopping the Pregnyl once you start on the pill?  I wasn´t quite clear from your post.

Unfortunately I am not familiar with the other drugs that your clinic has prescribed either...sorry!  Some people do feel good on the drugs...others feel moody, tired, bloated...again, we are all different.

But I think you should really badger your clinic to explain why they have given you your protocol and what they are hoping to achieve with it (may sound obvious...a pregnancy...but as so many of us fertility birds have different issues, we like to know what hurdles we are trying to get over to get there).  It will also make you feel more confident that you are on the right protocol and that you have some sort of control during this process.  Don´t feel hesitant to ask...you have a right to understand!

Good luck with everything...

Momito
xxxxxx


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## Zaffa (Sep 22, 2009)

Hi Mind,

You sure do sound a bit confused by all the drugs! 
I would aggree with Momito - start asking LOADS of Qs. They should be giving you some sort of protocol written down and should go through it with you. 
Also get hold of a book called the complete guide to IVF by Kate Brien (?sp) or any other book about IVF for patients and start reading. Its a v good intro and helps you get your head around whats going to happen.
DHEA can often falsely lower your FSH and its prob not wise to take it whilst cycling with all your IVF drugs as it could mess up your blood results. Thats what it did with me!
Dont know what you would be taking pregnyl every week for... its ususally once in a big dose to make you ovulate before egg collection.
Sounds as though you are starting with the pill to cue your monthly cycle for when they want it before start on the lupron to down regulate you body so you dont produce any of your own hormones. Then you will start to stimulate your ovaries to produce egg containing follicles with the puregon. When you have enough big ones  seen on the scan they will do egg collection after an injection of HCG (pregnyl).

Dont hold your breath for any symptoms! I was really worried as I had heard all sorts of stuff (as you do) about women having IVF going totally mental with the drugs. I really didnt have any side effects to speak of and only the unfortunate few really suffer.

Where are you from? Are you just living in Dubai?

I wish you lots of luck with your treatment...remember IVF is a partnership between Dr and patient. Its really importaant for you to be clear and informed all the way and to make sure you know whats going on!

MrsMe


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## Mind (Mar 3, 2010)

A huge thank you to Mrsme & Momito. 

You don't even know me, yet you've both taken the time help. People surprise you in all sorts of ways in life and you have both done that. Thank you!
I really appreciate your feedback, comments and ideas. You're quiet right - I shall ask more questions. I'm back on Wednesday for another dose of Pregnyl, so I'll wait and see the Dr. I'm actually from Yorkshire but have lived in Dubai for 2 years now. Most local woman here don't ask questions, so I guess that culturally, it's not the done thing.

Yes I am on the pill & Pregnyl at the same time. I guess I have to trust that this is what's best for me. There are not so many options for fertility out here and at 46, there aren't so many options full stop!

So am I right in thinking that the Lupron is what people refer to as stims and stimming?

Anyway ladies, thanks for all your guidence and restoring this ones faith in human nature.

Mind xxxx


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## Momito (Nov 16, 2009)

No probs Mind...FF is a Godsend on the roller coaster ride that is fertility treatment, and I've found it especially helpful on the emotional front but it has also acted as a great educator!  You can pick up lots of useful bits of info but also learn loads from other people's experiences.  I used to work in the Middle East for many years, not living there but working closely with clients and travelling a lot and think you are right, questions are not particularly encouraged!  There is quite a hierarchy.

Also wanted to mention that I've been attending a clinic in New York called The New Hope Fertility Center...at 40 I am considered young there so take a look at their website.  What I have found on my long and winding fertility journey is that the most important thing is to understand your own needs and then find a clinic that caters to those needs.  And I've been through a few (not to mention a lot of disappointment)!!

I've never heard the term Lupron before so unfortunately can't illuminate you on that one.  Stims and stimming refers to the drugs that are administered to stimulate your ovaries to get them to produce follicles from which the eggs are extracted.  In my case I have what is known as low ovarian reserve, so a lot of clinics don't want to treat me as I won't produce many eggs and so they think I'm a bad bet.  The clinic in New York uses a minimal stimulation protocol, called mini-IVF, using much softer stimulating drugs (clomid or femara, sometimes combined with menopur), which is much gentler on the body but also with the aim of producing a few good follicles and eggs rather than a whole bunch.  Their approach is all about quality over quantity, that it only takes 1 good egg to produce 1 healthy baby.  As we get older our reserves diminish, and quite dramatically from 35 onwards, although some women will be worse than others.  So long as you are still ovulating, there really is no reason why IVF can't happen, but so many clinics get fixated on their stats and on numbers instead of working with what the patient actually has (at the New Hope, you can do your monitoring at a clinic near home, sending the results from sonograms and blood tests to NY for analysis so that they give you your protocol, and just go over for egg extraction and then on another cycle transfer.  As the clinic uses clomid a lot, it can thin the uterine lining and so transfer can't happen in the same cycle as extraction, so they vitrify (fast freeze) the embryos once fertilised.  Most clinics perform extraction and transfer during the same cycle).

But do ask your clinic why you are on the pill at the same time as Pregnyl and what their planned protocol is for you, what you can expect during the course of your treatment and what potential side effects you may suffer.  Also, ask them about the level of drugs you are being administered, sometimes it is higher, sometimes it is lower, and why.  

Sorry Mind...I didn't mean this to turn into such a "me" post, but just wanted to exemplify that we often have to end up investigating what is best for us ourselves, and that also there are lots of different approaches out there.

If you have any more questions, ask away...although as you can see can't promise I'll know the answer!

Momito
xxxxxx


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## Zaffa (Sep 22, 2009)

Hi Mind - You are very welcome!
Infertility is one heck of a thing to happen to lovely ladies such as ourselves   and it its made soooo much more bearable when there is a forum such as this where you can express how you feel, get ideas and most of all not feel like you are the only one in the world going through this horrendous journey and you are most definately not alone!

Not sure if you have already seen or not, but there is a Dubai section under the international listings. You will be able to meet others from Dubai who are on the same drug regemin or even the same clinic. Check it out if you get a moment - you wont regret it!

I think your puregon is your stims and prob your lupron is your down regs but sound it out with the others on the Dubai forum as different countries often have their own drugs they prefer to use!

I aggree with Momito, def get a massive list of Qs together for your clinic and insist on answers - especially as I assume you are paying hamsomly  for the treatment!

Good luck my dear!

MrsMe


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## Ceri. (Sep 6, 2004)

MIND and welcome to Fertility Friends 

Sorry for the delay in welcoming you to the site (hugs) 
Please have a good look around the site and feel free to post in any area, and make yourself at home. Fertility Friends is such a huge support. There are many who are on their TTC journey, and others who have been fortunate to have little ones with assistance. You will soon discover that our members are very encouraging of one another and offering advice or just simple hugs. There's a vast amount of information here for everyone, so start reading, posting and getting to know others. You will make some great friends too (add them to your buddy list in your profile!), lots of members often have meet ups locally too, for chats, coffee, shopping or even nights out! You can share conversations with one another freely, simply because we all understand each other. It's hard when family and friends don't fully comprehend what this journey entails and the emotions that go with it. That's where we come in!

Here are some links which you should find really useful at the moment&#8230;&#8230;

*What Every New Member Needs To Know (includes a list of common abbreviations) ~ *   CLICK HERE

*Peer Support (for asking fertility and treatment related questions of your fellow FFers) ~ * CLICK HERE

*Complimentary, Holistic and Spiritual Approaches ~ *CLICK HERE 

*What can improve egg quality and quantity ~ * CLICK HERE

*Questions for your first cycle consultation ~ (use the ones that apply) *CLICK HERE

*A Rough Guide To IVF ~*CLICK HERE

*IVF General ~ *CLICK HERE

While undergoing treatment, you might find it useful to join other ladies having treatment at the same time. The Cycle Buddies threads are just for that. You will find a thread, usually with a funny/inspiring name for this year's buddies. Just pop along to the appropriate month and say "Hi" when you are ready to start treatment.

*Cycle buddies ~ *CLICK HERE

*TTC over 40 ~ *CLICK HERE

Dubai boards ... http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=366.0

You can also chat live in our chat room. We have a newbie day in the chat room every Wednesday where you can meet one of our mods for support, meet other new members and get technical support with navigating the site and using all the functions available here.  CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON NEWBIE CHAT 

You can also "meet" and chat with people in your local area through the *Location boards*. This is especially useful to find people who may be using the same clinic and or in the same PCT area. It's a small world!

Wishing you lots of luck    and 
Keep in touch
Ceri xx

PS I have also sent you a pm (private message)


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