IVF - which stimming drugs are/were you on?

[jumpingjackhash]

Hi there, about to meet with consultant following unsucessful first round of ICSI and to discuss next steps (a second round). One of the things I want to discuss is the stimming drug I was on (I got 10 eggs at collection), as I recall seeing on a board on here one beginning Mer... (can't remember the full name), which was meant to have demonstrated stronger results in some recent tests.

I appreciate it's not a case of one drug suits all, and every case it different, but I just want to ask the question and feel like we're giving ourselves the best chance.

What stimming drugs were/are you on, and how did/are you finding them?

Thanks in advance.

Just remembered, it's Menopur I've heard about... (I was on Gonal-F, btw).

Any experiences or understanding of the pros/cons still welcome!

I was on Menopur and got 21 eggs, 19 mature.

Hi jumping hope you are doing okay and glad that you are preparing for another go xx.

I've had one cycle on gonal f and one cycle on menopur. I've got high(ish) FSH and low AMH so my responses were always going to be poor.

On gonal f (450iu, long protocol,) I got 3 follicles and 3 mature eggs. However they were rubbish quality. On menopur (300iu, long protocol, down reg-ing on the pill and then 'microdoses' of down regs) I got 3 big follicles, 2 smaller ones (so there was a tiny bit more 'action'!) but still only 3 mature eggs. However, this time they were top quality.

So the menopur was probably better for me but in terms of response there was little difference. The key difference was quality and there seems to be mixed evidence about which drugs give better quality. Plus it's very possible that the differences in quality were nothing to do with the drugs - after all, with so few eggs each time it's difficult to get a good idea of my egg quality - or the responses might have been different due to protocols and the gentler down reg-ing of my menopur cycle.

Generally, I think menopur is given to those ladies who need a little bit extra help as it contains both LH and FSH - gonal f is just FSH. Dr Google suggests that the LH might damage egg quality and that it might not be a good idea if you have PCOS and elevated LH - but I've also read that menopur improves quality (and perhaps it did for me) so who knows!!

I think if you do a short 'flare' protocol then you are more likely to use Menopur but it's worth taking through with your consultant whether this is the best option for you. Our consultant persuaded us to have one more go at long as you have more control and I did respond to the stims the first time.

From a practical point of view if you've had gonal-f pens then mixing the menopur does feel like a real faff but you do get used to it by the end.

I would ask plenty of questions about different drugs and protocols and whether there is evidence they would offer improved responses for your situation etc.

Wishing you all the best with your next go x.

Thanks both - good to see some of the 'old names' again (I've not been on the old waggle-dancing thread since Oct).

We had a great chat with the consultant today and I asked him about this, he seemed surprised when I was citing all sorts of reports and studies (I swotted up on the way!) but happily answered. He said there's little difference in the results between the two, but the team at Menopur are doing a lot to prove it's 'as good as' Gonal-F, so there benefits of one over the other depend on the individual and in my case, I may as well stick with Gonal-F from the convenience factor of the pen, as the drugs themselves would likely get similar results. He's happy for me to pick whichever I want, but I'm happy to go with their reco.

Having said all that, we have a frozen embie from the first round and the odds of that defrosting well enough to be transferred are high enough that we've decided to go for FET, so no stimming for me!

We're going to wait until the New Year while my body returns to normal (not had a period since the mc yet), but we're more positive now than we were a few weeks ago!

Hi jumping and teds! Good news re your frozen cycle jumping. We will start again in jan at a diff clinic. I will be on menopur again for long protocol. No idea why but I got 15 eggs last time so hoping it will do the job again. I think if it works, stick with it!
If you need a high dose though, you have to mix a lot of vials and possibly give 2 injections each time so that might be a drag. I only need a dose of 225 which is 3 vials in one injection, but I think the dose can go as high as 6 or 8 vials in 2 injections. Maybe see you on a new thread in the new year when we're obsessing again!!