# Goldie girls!! Need your help re long/short protocol!



## yonny (Mar 5, 2005)

Hi girls,
a quick question!! 
For people of our tender age (!!!!!!!) are we better off on the short or the long protocol??
Am off for my follow up appt tomorrow after a failed IUI so it will be IVF now and i want to have all my facts straight!
Any opinions very gratefully received!
All my love
Yonny x


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## nuala (Jul 13, 2005)

Hi Yonny,

I had a long protocol both times.  The first I responded well for my age with 6 follies from which they got 4 eggs but BFN.  Second time I responded really badly only 2 follies so switched to IUI again BFN.

I too asked the question at the time of other girls and it appeared that some clinics believe a short or flare protocol is better for those over 40 - I understand it is something to do with not switching off your system too much so as to get the best results at our age. Hope this helps.

Nuala


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## Essex Girl (Apr 3, 2005)

Yonny

I am a short protocol girl as the first time I was done on the long protocol and made no eggs at all!  The down-regging was too effective!  I'm just starting out on my 3rd and final short protocol IVF - the first one i only made 3 follies so we converted it to IUI and I got a BFP followed by AF the next day.  The second one I had 8 follies (after massive doses of stimming drugs) and 6 embies, 3 grade 1, but still no PG.  In my case that was blamed on a fibroid which I have since had removed, so fingers and toes firmly crossed this time.  I have my first scan tomorrow and will see how many there are this time.

As Nuala says, older women tend to be done on the short protocol becuase we don't respond so well to stimms, but it varies from clinic to clinic.  You don't say how old you are, but they may suggest more IUIs with stim drugs (wsa yours stimmed or natural?) beofre proceeding onto the more invasive and expensive IVF.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask

love Essex Girl


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## Ginger (Jul 17, 2003)

Hi Yonny

Our 3rd attempt at IVF was on the short protocol - after 2 poor responses on the long protocol the clinic thought it was worth a try but sadly the response was no better. Opinions vary from clinic to clinic and I felt confident that my clinic did the right thing for me.

Good luck for your follow up - I hope you get the info you need to make your decision.

Ginger xxx


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## NixNoo (Aug 19, 2005)

Please may I jump in ladies, I'm about to start my first short protocol.  Only ever done longs before but had a 7 year break and last year went back to IVF and did our usual long and responded very poorly - I'd always had a really good response before but I guess due to my age etc...  I start Gonal F jabs probably Friday (if AF appears tomorrow - should have been today).  I'm really finding it hard to be positive as our last cycle was abandoned.  Appreciate any info or just shoulders!  Thanks
xxx


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## yonny (Mar 5, 2005)

Hi girls,
thanks for you replies!!! very much appreciated! 
Went to see con today and have been put back on long protocol, I did ask why and its simply because Im on day 8 today so its too late for short protocol unless I want to wait another month!!!  No Ta!!!!!!!
So, start the jolly old sniffing on day 21 and off we go again!!!  
Essex girl, thanks for your info, Im 40 and my IUI was very unexpected so the con told me today it would probably be straight to ICSI now for us!
How was your scan today hon??
Nixnoo, hi honey, have you looked on the april/may cycle buddies for girlies going through exactly the same as you??
I'll gladly be a pair of shoulders for you although as Im long protocol we might differ on dates and things......dont be on your own though! Are you on the IVf thread??
Or just stay here and chat! 
Ginger, Nuala, it does seem to differ from clinic to clinic doesnt it? 
My con today told me we are still taking the same stimming drugs for the same amount of time no matter what protocol we get put on so w'll just have to wait and see!!!!
Much love to all of you!!!!!
Will keep in touch with you around here somewhere!
love
yonny x


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## NixNoo (Aug 19, 2005)

Yonny

Thanks for your reply & support, I've not been on here since last year when our cycle was abandoned so this is my first post on any thread here.  I'll nip over to april/may buddies and have a look.  All the best
Nix
x


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## Essex Girl (Apr 3, 2005)

Hi Nixnoo and Yonny

Thanks for your support.  I had my scan on Weds but my cons could only find 1 small follie, and that took some finding.  That is despite being on 600 iu of Gonal F a day for 5 days.  he has changed me to 2 different Stimm drugs and I hvae my next scan on Monday.  If I still respond badly, we will be looking at IUI fertilisation when the time comes.  To be honest, I'm not too bothered if we do, becuase I did this once before and got a faint BFP, and fertilisation hasn't been too much of a problem for us up to now,  plus it'll save money and hassle.  I'm really not looking forward to the prospect of another EC/ET.

Nixnoo - I know just how you feel.  After abandoning the last attempt, you're bound to approach this one with mixed feelings.  I am very much in 2 minds about this one - I really can't believe it's going to work, but can't bring myself to give up just yet.  Let me know how you get on.  I'm looking for cycle buddies, especially among the Goldies, when we have the extra issue of time not on our side.

Good luck Yonny with your long protocol.  I think most clinics do the long unless there is a reason not to - that is certainly the way my clinic approaches it.  There must be some reason why the long protocol is generally preferred, but I'm not sure what it is.

Good luck also to Ginger and Nuala - an inspiration to us all being PG naturally at 45!

love Essex Girl


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## jess p (Sep 25, 2004)

Hi,

I have high FSH & had NO down regging for my 1st ICSI at ISIS, Colchester, had 400iu of Puregon - produced 4 follies but only 3 of good size but got all 3 eggs & all fertilised with grade 1 & 2 embies - still BFN.

This time I had short protocol at James Paget, NHS 450iu of Gonal F - produced 5 follies but NHS failed to see 3 of these (!! ) abandonned me, so had to whizz back over to ISIS who found all 5!  Think the stress made the EC v difficult.
Still got 2 grade 2 embies & now on 2ww - yippee!!

I think no down regging or short is so much less hassle & I think I need to accept I will have limited egg production  - but what I do have still seems to be good quality - thankfully!

Jess xxx


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## anita.e.t.p (Nov 11, 2005)

Hi Everyone,

I am about to start my first ivf cycle,do not know what my fsh is since it was only tested yesterday,although this was day 5 and i thought it had to be tested day3 

But i will start down regging on day 21.  I had asked my clinic about a short protocol which i had heard was better for us "oldies" but they do not like to do this 

I also had yesterday an ovarian scan,which apparently is only done in three clinics in this country and gives you an indication of how many follicles you are likely to have.  In my case it is 11, is this good?.  I know not all will have an egg and not all will fertilize or will be o.k and we were hoping to have some frozen

Hoping on good quality,

thanks anita


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## Ellie.st (Mar 11, 2005)

Dear Anita
I think your FSH can be tested on Days 2-5 so you should be fine.  I've done two long protocol IVF cycles  at ages 40/41.  My clinic also prefers the long cycle as they say it is easier to manage than the short version. My first cycle produced nine eggs of which five fertilised and we had two good embryos to put back.  The second cycle produced eight eggs of which five fertilised and we had four good embryos.  Results seem to differ from person to person, and from cycle to cycle but as people on this site keep saying - it's quality, not quantity, and it only takes one! 

Good luck

Ellie


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