# Menopur Injections - Breaking glass vials



## Toto (Jan 14, 2008)

Hi Everyone,

I'm on my first round of IVF and have been spending quite a bit of time on FF over the past few weeks but this is my first post. 

I'm 39 and my DH is 43 and we have been TTC for approx 4yrs.  Started Burselin injections on 7th March.  First scan on 28th March which was OK. Started Menopur 3 x 75 vials on 4th April, next scan this Friday - all being well EC is planned for 17th April and ET 20th April.  We are having our treatment at The Priory in Birmingham.

This is going to sound really dim but I'm having dreadful problems preparing my Menopur injections - I keep breaking the top on the glass vial on the mixing solution - is there a knack to breaking the tops off smoothly? I end up with bits of glass everywhere. Am worried I'm am going to inject bits of glass into myself!  Also, I'm having problems drawing all of the solution from the Menopur vials - am I being really stupid?? 

The Menopur is also giving me the most dreadful headaches - is this usual?? I'm also started to get weird feelings in my stomach - is this normal after four days of stimming?  So many questions but it's really helpful to be able to ask people that are going through and have been through the same treatment - thank you!

Hope I've posted the question in the right place.


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## alegria (Dec 10, 2007)

Hi Monkeys,

Well done for getting this far in your tx !! I just had my et on my first IVF and was on Menopur for the 2nd part of tx too.
I agree with you that Menopur can be very fiddly! Could you go to your clinic and ask one of the nurses to help you to prepare your next dose there? That's what they did with me for my first stab and it was very helpful. Good luck   

Alegria x


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

I opened my thumb with those damn glass vials! Make sure you flick it first to get rid of the liquid in the top. Hold the black blob away from you. Put your thumb in front and snap it (I think it's towards you isn't it?) 

BUT... This time round I got little plastic things to put on top of my vials to snap them off which made it much easier... maybe you could ask your pharmacist for these.  I got mine from Healthcare at Home.


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## alegria (Dec 10, 2007)

Oh, but my clinic gave me these little plastic things especially for opening the glass vials too! They told me not to try opening the glass vials without them!!


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## alegria (Dec 10, 2007)

Sorry siheilwli but I think that once you cover the top with the plastic/rubber protection you then flick it not towards but away from you. MonkeyS - maybe if you take one of the vials to your local Boots and show it to them they might have these plastic/rubber things there for you to buy.


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

You might be right Alegria - I'm not sure now! Is it opposite the black dot or towards it. I think the black dot is the "weak" spot that's supposed to break, so it depends if you're holding it towards you or away from you..... does that make sense?


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## alegria (Dec 10, 2007)

Yes definetely, you place your thumb on top of the black dot and snap it away from you! Poor MonkeyS, I hope we're not making you even more confused... as Siheilwli said, try to get these plastic/rubber little covers from your local pharmacist, it's going to make your life so much easier. And safer too   

Alegria x


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

If you haven't got them I think they're called ampoule snappers! I wasn't given them at all for my first 2 tx, but got them this time.


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## alegria (Dec 10, 2007)

I was lucky that my clinic gave me quite a few of them when they prescribed me with Menopur - and as I said, the nurse showed me how to open and prepare everything there at the clinic on my very first stab.

Good luck MonkeyS


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## Toto (Jan 14, 2008)

Thank you both very much for your replies.  I have the plastic things but I've been twisting rather than trying to snap the tops off...oops! I think I was so relieved that my scan was OK I don't think I was quite with it when the nurse was showing me how to prepare the Menopur.  DH wasn't with me as he had man flu! I will try snapping tomorrow.
Thanks again and good luck.


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## siheilwli (Jan 18, 2006)

Good luck snapping!


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## alegria (Dec 10, 2007)

Yes, happy snapping and have lots of big juicy follies too!


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## Rachel (Mar 10, 2004)

Hi there 

Definately use the ampoule snappers. I used Menopur on one of my cycles and noone told me about them. I ended up cutting myself on the jagged glass   I then found out on here that there were snappers! Seems odd that they come apart in that way but there must be a reason  

GOOD LUCK     

Rachel x


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## Chowy (Apr 12, 2008)

Hi

Now you have started me worrying, I am on Buserelin at mo, had my baseline scan on Tuesday but hadnt come on, but eventually did on Thursday after acupuncturist helped me along, got 2nd baseline scan tomorrow and hopefull Menopur starts then.  

I am also at Priory with Mr Sawers, but as a single person.  In my blue bag of goodies (injections etc) there is a bag of plastic vial openers which they said are for the Menopur vials, havent you got those?

Let me know how things are going as you are a little step ahead of me.  Hope the headaches and tummy pains subside.

Good luck

Chowy


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