TTC Super Ovulation part 2

[suemays]

hey ladies,

There are a few of us who are ttc after mc's, however there will be ladies out there who are also ttc for the first time or second or third without success. If anyone is on, considering or had success on a super ovulation programme then do join us. How long did it take ? Did you try IUI with it.. ? Did you have PCOS?

Kicking this off and hoping some of you will join....

part 1 here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1385998-TTC-Super-Ovulation

Just bought my grapefruit juice; apparently it interacts with some other drugs I'm on, and increases their concentration in the blood, but I'll give it a go just for one day!

I think I'd try anything except grapefruit juice, I just can't stomach the taste :(

Still wondering whether or not to take the letrozole even though this is now a non-TTC cycle due to the anti-bs; I asked Louise and she said not to take it, purely from the angle of not taking medication if you don't need it, which is understandable. I asked about the cumulative effect and Louise said not really with letrozole (gonal-f may be another case), but didn't Mr S tell someone it was? Obviously Louise knows what she's talking about, I trust her! But still wondering ...

Here's a completely insignificant question for you all ... Mr S has advised me to start on gonal-f with my next-but-one cycle (after I come back from Spain, in other words, as I can't get a scan in Spain - which is just as well since I'm not TTC this cycle now) but he's said to take letrozole as well. I'm a bit confused, doesn't gonal-f do the same thing as letrozole, ie stimulate the ovaries, only more powerfully? Why then would I need to take both drugs? kittens You're doing gonal-f and tamoxifen together, is that right? Don't they both do the same thing? Did he mention to you why both?

I took a month off for my hysteroscopy and they told me not to take anything. Now I am on Tamoxifen & Gonal F. Not sure why but there must be a good reason, I suppose. If I hadn't responded last cycle he was going to take me off Tamoxifen and up my Gonal F dose but I had 2 follies so I'm sticking to the same regime.

Only problem with taking a month off is that if you are scatty, like me, you can forget stuff. I went to pick up my Progynova yesterday and the lady said "so, you take this 3 times a day", which was when I realised that I had only been taking one a day last cycle. Mind you, my period was relatively heavy/normal and my lining thickness was fine when I had my scan so I'm not worried that I scuppered my chances of a BFP by making that mistake.

Is anyone on here (sue are you still on this thread?) taking Hydroxy without Pred? I am now doing that and am both excited and nervous. I'm excited to be off Pred after over a year but also quite nervous about not having the pred safety blanket if I get a BFP. Maybe he will just put me back on in when/if I get a BFP. I am really curious to see whether being off the Pred will have any effect on my chances of conceiving.

Ari as I am sure you already know gonal f is generally given for stimming in ivf so is a pretty powerful drug. Sorry but not sure why you take both, maybe they work well together?!

I understood it that it is not the drug that is cumulative but just the more cycles of super ov you do the higher your chances of it working become. I could well be wrong though!

Have my scan at 10:45 tomorrow, desperately hoping it is not going to be to early!

Probably a stupid question, Ari, but you don't think Mr S meant take the letrozole on your month off, then start the Gonal-F the next cycle? I don't know about you, but I often find when I'm talking to Mr S that I've misunderstood something that I need to clarify with Louise later, however well I've prepared for what we're going to discuss. It all goes so quickly. Two months ago when I started the letrozole, we got to the end of the consultation and I said 'How do I give myself the injection?' Neither he nor Louise realised I didn't know how to do it, and there obviously wasn't time to show me as he told me to look it up on YouTube!

Hi Ari I took Gonal F for the first time last month as well as letrozole. Produced 2 good size follies. My big fat AF showed up yesterday but I can tell you I have a repeat prescription for both Gonal F and Letrozole so you do take both. Not sure why. When I spoke to Louise she wanted to make sure that I had a prescription for both of them.

Thanks ladies - yes, Mr S gave me two prescriptions when Imsaw him, one for this cycle that I'd be unmonitored and one for the next. And the letter that he always emails through after the appt confirms he wants me to take both next cycle. I just wondered why.

As for the injection - Mr S didn't ask me if I knew how to do it, in the end I did just as you did and looked it up on YouTube! Do you do the gonal-f injections in the same way, ladies that do gonal-f? (sounds like there should be a club!)

kittens I'm only taking hydroxy, albeit Mr S-unapproved, I'll take it if I should ever get a proper BFP. It does worry me quite a bit that my NK cells are running rampant, but then I hope that treating the hidden C and urea plasma may calm them down a bit? Who knows, I can hope.

pebbles huge luck for your scan tomorrow!!

Well, ari, the hydroxy is supposed to suppress your immune system too, so I guess it serves the same purpose.

The Gonal F is really easy. You just have to screw the needle on, tap the pen to make sure there are no large bubbles (this will be explained in more detail in the leaflet that comes inside the pack), then twist the dose to 75mg and administer in the same way you would the Ovitrelle. Once you done it it goes back to 0 so you just twist it back to 75mg again with a fresh needle the next time.

Best of luck for tomorrow pebbles.

Sorry AF got you abney, always such a blow .

kittens Thanks for the instructions, that sounds exactly the same as the Ovitrelle then. Btw the hydroxy doesn't suppress your immune system - it's an immunoregulator, rather than an immunosuppressant. Which is why I worry, a bit!

How long after their receiving your sample did you get the results from Serum, Ari/anyone else who has had it done? They confirmed receipt of mine yesterday and I coughed up immediately, very begrudgingly as it came the same day as my follicle scan invoice.

Within a couple of days brownstag, it doesn't take long. Know what you mean about the price, I just paid another £116 for the anti-bs :(

Blimey! Is that just yours or for both of you?

That's for both of us. But still ... £££ :(

Sorry about your af Abney, what a bummer.

Well not the best of news at my scan, was a bit dissapointed as only two large follies as opposed to three(I know I am greedy!!) this month. One was 17mm and one around 16mm and my lining was at 7mm. I always worry this is a bit borderline for cd10, wondered what you ladies think?
My main worry is that Mr Gafar (he was very nice incidentally) found some fluid that shouldn't be there. His worry was what was causing it to be there and he thinks it might be scar tissue from the miscarriage back in October. He said I should think about having a hysteroscopy but I have already had two and don't want another one! He said Icould wait another cycle so will see what Mr S thinks When I was having ivf they found this fluid also and nearly abondoned the cycle but when I went back it had gone. I assume that scar tissue can contribut to not getting pregnant? Not having a lunch break today so will have to google when I get home. Why is nothing simple and you are constantly faced with another hurdle to overcome!!

Sorry about the me, me , me post and hope everybody is ok.

My lining was also 7mm twice (well 7 on day 10 and 7.23 on day 11), and each time I was told my lining was 'nice'. How old are you Pebbles?, if you don't mind me asking. I'm 41 and have always worried about my light periods since having DS, so I was pleased with 'nice'. I am also ovulating 3 eggs today, and I can confirm that 2 from one ovary is bloomin' painful! But like you, I shall be disappointed with fewer from now on!

Course I don't mind Brownstag I am 39 in September and never thought I would get to this age without having children. We have been ttc for a long time but as I was quite young when I started didn't worry too much. Silly me!!

Thanks for reassuring me re the lining and good luck this month.

My lining was 7.3mm this last scan and Mr S pronounced that 'fine' - I actually queried it, I said isn't it supposed to be over 8mm and he said no, we look for between 7mm and 8mm. So I guess I have to believe him :)

And pebbles 2 follies is good (I know, I know, I wanted three too :) ), remember that's doubled your chances to conceive and that's got to be good! You have had 2 hysteroscopies already, you say? Did they find anything, or was it just investigative? I may well be going that route, if my med ins approves it, so I'm curious to hear about them!

I'm almost certain I didn't ovulate this past cycle, no ov pains as I mentioned and 13DPO today with not a hint of anything, not even AF, which is a bit odd. Still I'm sure the witch will arrive, although I do wonder, do you still get a 'normal' AF on an anovulatory cycle? And does anyone know, if you only have one working ovary (as appears to be the case with me) I presume you don't ovulate from that one side every month, is that right? Isn't it supposed to be alternate sides? Although I do always get ov pains from my left side, every month (except this one of course), so I am a bit confused. I'm easily confused, me! :)

Well best of luck for your follies pebbles and brownstag, and anyone else that's waiting and hoping! I'm onto the anti-bs in a couple of days (OH wants to wait till we're 'settled in' on holiday) so that's me completely out of the running for the next month.

Thanks Ari; if one ovary isn't working the other one will take over I believe. Of course that doesn't mean you'll always ovulate. My right ovary is covered by an enormous endometrioma and years ago, I used to ovulate from it fairly frequently, and it was always painful. Lately I haven't ovulated from it at all, and I'm always aware of the left one doing its job (at two of my pregnancy scans they commented on the corpus luteum being on the left). Until 7.5mg of letrozole, that is, where I produced one follie in the right (the biggest) and 4 in the left. I think if you have an anovulatory cycle your period is quite light, presumably because there's been no progesterone to thicken the lining.

Yesterday I nearly went to A and E with the pain of my left ovary, 15 hours after ovulation supposedly. It felt like it was going to explode, for about an hour. I was crippled! But fortunately it passed. Anyone else had this?

I'm wondering whether I could have a dose in between 5mg and 7.5 of the letrozole. 5mg only produced one follicle, but with plentiful cervical mucous. 7.5mg produced 5 follies but was very drying, and it got worse towards ovulation, not better. Not to mention the exploding ovaries.

... I'm itching for my Athens results; really hoping they come before the weekend ...

Good luck everyone!

That sounds horrible Brownstag, poor you. Hope it's your month.

I had the ovitrelle yesterday and had lots of little cramps in my right ovary today. Embarrassed to admit what an idiot I am but have realised I should have been taking two letrezole a day! ! I only took one at 2.5mg so explains why there were only two large follicles! Thought it was strange because of the pcos I akways over stimulate if anything. I guess I just have to think two was better than one for this month

Have been googling a bit about scar tissue and it generally just comes up with ashermans syndrome. My miscarriage was natural though, never had a d&c or erpc. Can't remember but was it you Kittens who thought you might have ashermans before you had a hysteroscopy? Am really worried about this scar tissue, has anyone else had this?

Ari they didn't find anything with either hysteroscopy, not even my pcos can you believe?! I had two because after the first one they said nothing wrong and you will get pregnant so tried for a bit then took a break. We then moved areas so when I went back to the new doctors made me have another one as was a couple of years later.

Pebbles, on one cycle of letrozole a few months ago I only took one day's tablet and then abandoned the cycle. I ovulated on day 12, the earliest I've ever ovulated (sometimes up to CD26), and there's part of me that thinks with letrozole 'less is more'. Obviously I didn't have a scan so don't know how many follicles there were but I feel it had a powerful effect with only one tablet. And really, even though I know I am greedy wanting 3 every cycle, 2 follicles is the number they're aiming for, so you had a perfect cycle really. Fingers crossed it turns out to be even more perfect!

Greetings ladies, may I pop on and ask you a few questions?

After 2 years of TTC, a PCOS diagnosis and 5 failed cycles of Clomid, ive just been referred for, what my NHS authority, call Ovulation Induction. It may be known by a different name elsewhere (thanks for that NHS!) but from the literature I have it is daily FSH injections coupled with fanjo cam.

I am currently on the waiting list (no idea how long the wait will be) so wanted to see how others have got on with the treatment. I've been told I'm at a higher risk of over stimulating because I am the "skinny PCOS" type. Is this a common experience?

How have people coped with the injections? I'm not a fan at the best of times!

Finally, we've been told that there is counselling available for those that want it. I'll admit that I haven't coped terribly well since my PCOS diagnosis last year, regular sob fests and very dark moods. Has anyone taken up the offer of counselling?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

pebbles I was first scanned by Mr Shehata's colleague who was concerned about my lining and the scarring from 2 x ERPC and 1 x perforated uterus, he suggested a hysteroscopy to tidy up the scars, but when I saw Mr Shehata the next month he and his colleague decided that I didn't really need it as the scar supposedly looked less bright on the scan so they were happy that it would not affect my lining, maybe see what happens next month with Mr Shehata,

I'm hoping for two foliies this cycle as I'm on 150mgs of gonal f

cavemum I have counselling through work (nhs) and find it really helpful to talk to someone who gives you their full attention, doesn't judge what you say and validates your feelings about it all, its worth a try and if its not for you then you don't have to go back, can't advise on the ovulation induction sorry but I don't mind the gonal f injections, the needle is so thin and as long as you follow the instructions and don't rush its ok.

Thanks Buzzybee that's really reassuring to hear and yes think I will do another super ov cycle next month and see if it's still there at scan and see what Mr S thinks.

Hi Cavemum sorry for what you are going through. I also have skinny pcos but only mildly. I have had ivf and over stimulated a couple of times and got many eggs. As Buzzybee says the gonal f injections are ok as the needle is very thin.
I don't know how long you have to do thd injections for but you should hopefully be fine and not over stimulate with regular monitoring scans.

Have you been given anything for your pcos? After I saw a private doctor I was out on metformin and managed to get my nhs doctor to convert it to nhs prescription. If you are not on it might be worth asking your doctor as it improves egg quality.

I am currently doing super ovulation like everyone on here and we take letrezole day 2-6 of the cycle to stimulate more follicles. I haven't over stimulated on this.

I wish you lots of luck with your treatment.

Hi, all. I've just had my first ovary scan of the first super ov cycle (note it's my second 'go' on super ov after a miscarriage earlier this year). I'm on 7.5 of Letrozole (no messin'), on CD11, and there was only one follicle measuring 15mm. So not great. pebbles, I've just read your results, and they look really good considering you'd have a couple of days for them to grow a bit more as well. My uterine lining was 8mm, which he said was good, like ari said, but I'm sure my first ever scan (last time round) he put me on Progynova when a scan showed 9mm. He says that we'll stick to the same treatment for now, but if the next scan doesn't have two or more good sized follicles, I should start gonal-f injections. So, who can tell me about those? They sound doable, but what effect do they have on one's body? Ideally I'd like someone to tell me I'll lose a stone - ? No?

So it's 'intercourse' tomorrow night and trigger shot, then more shagging on Thursday night. Ho hum.

cavemum I'm sorry but I don't know much about the medication you've been recommended - hence my queries! Sounds like pebbles has got it covered though.

brownstag that sounds like some serious ovulation! We'll be expecting triplets, then? I hope the pain has died down, you poor thing. And I'll be interested in your Serum results. I haven't decided if they'd be good for me to try given my history - are they for conception itself or avoiding miscarriage? Sorry I really should go off and read up on it. Just easing myself back into this whole thing and trying not to stress or let it take over my life.

Jx