IVF cycle (egg donor) - can I ask you about my symptoms?

[EmmaBemma]

Hello there. I hope it's OK for me to post here; it just seemed like this was the most likely place for people who have had experience of the IVF drugs I'm on.

I'm some days into a cycle of IVF treatment for egg donation. I've been on Suprecur nasal spray since 21st Oct and I started Gonal F injections two days ago.

In the last week or so I've been suffering with heartburn/indigestion for the first time in my life ever - but I can't seem to find much online about whether this is normal. Has anyone else had it? It's pretty unpleasant. I was wondering if it was the suprecur or lingering effects from mild gastro bug I've had. I've also been having a bit of general abdominal aches and pains. Don't get me wrong - it's not the worst thing in the world, but if I can blame it on the drugs I can relax about it because it'll be over in a couple of weeks.

Since I started the Gonal-F though, I have been quite bloated in the evenings. Last night was so bad I had to go and lie down, and this morning - apologies - I have been trumping like a trooper since I got up. Is this normal? Will it just get worse until egg retrieval?

Also - does anyone know if the Gonal-F might mitigate some of the emotional symptoms of the suprecur? (which I'm continuing at same dose) - I just wondered, as have been pretty irrational and emotional for the last two weeks.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi Emma

I have undertaken a cycle using gonal f and I had to say I has no symptoms what so ever. I didn't notice any difference toy cycle using menopur. However I am pretty lucky in that I don't tend to get any effect from stimulation.

Perhaps a combination of the illness you mention, or perhaps the nasal spray. I'm sure others will share heir experiences with you too :-)

Hi! Thanks. You know what, I actually felt a bit better yesterday - still slightly bloated, but nothing terrible, and I'm fine today. I think it maybe was the gastro bug! I'm three days into the Gonal-F now, seem to have mastered the injections - they are nowhere near as bad as I thought - not painful, and the pen is pretty straightforward.

Will you be attending your clinic for monitoring?

Bloating is a normal side effect, but as you've said you have had a gastro illness it could also be that. If the bloating is caused by the Gonal f then I would say it'll be with you for the duration. If you drink plenty of water it'll reduce your symptoms.

Heartburn - I've never heard of this before but I'm sure it's nothing to be concerned about.

The emotional symptoms will reduce as you reduce your nasal spray but Gonal f can also cause emotional symptoms!

Call the clinic and they can put your mind at rest. I find IVF drugs can cause all sorts, and they all settle after tge treatment.

thanks Goandplay. No, I'm not being monitored - my next appointment is a scan on Friday to see how my follicles are looking, but nothing till then and to be honest the information and support from the hospital hasn't been all that brilliant in general. For example, I do a lot of exercise usually and I've only just found out through my own online research that I should be taking it relatively easy until egg collection in case of "ovarian torsion".

Appreciate your response - it's good to know it should all settle and you're right, I should really phone them if I'm worried about anything else.

See how you get on and call them if you're concerned. A scan on Friday sounds normal, maybe you're having a quick response, they may lower your dose on Friday.

If you have a slim build you'll probably actually feel the effects earlier I would have thought.

I think when you're having any sort of treatment you can scan your body for any signs. I experience digestive problems when I am due on my period due to hormones. I was really uncomfortable after egg collection once and it passed but I remember feeling really concerned.

Good luck. If you remember let me know how you get on.

Thank you - I will do!

Goandplay - just updating you, as requested!

Went for my scan this morning. Really disappointed - have five big enough eggs/follicles in left ovary, and five less than 10 mm. The right ovary doesn't seem to have responded to the drugs; I think it had five eggs in it that were all less than 10 mm.

Now they're deciding whether to do egg collection on Monday or Tuesday - Tuesday would give the other eggs in the left a chance to grow more, but she doesn't reckon the ones in the right will do much.

I don't know whether I've only ever had one decent ovary and have only just found out - if that's the case, I feel even more grateful for my two little girls - or whether there's some reason it hasn't responded so well to this cycle. Either way I'm just hoping that something amazing happens over the weekend and the rest of the follicles get a fricking move on.

Obviously the clinic deems the chances of getting a couple of embryos from maybe five eggs (assuming they can all be collected) big enough to go ahead with collection at this point, but I so wish I could have grown a few more.

I might ask about doing another cycle, but am 35 next year. Maybe I just needed a slightly bigger dose of Gonal-F. (have been on 150 IU/day for a week)

Don't be disheartened! One of my ovaries responded poorly and at the first scan I think there were only three reasonable sized follicles and some smaller ones on the other one. Things must have stepped up as I ended up with seven eggs at collection, all of which were good enough quality for insemination. Of those two got to blasto stage, one of those resulted in a bfp and the other has been frozen.

Ps You're doing a bloody amazing thing

ah, thank you for your encouraging words Devilforasideboard (love your name! misheard lyrics FTW). Good to know things can still change - how lovely you got your bfp.

I echo Devil. You never know what will happen over the weekend and it only takes 1.

Good luck Monday/Tuesday. I hope it all goes well.

Also just thought, I had cycles where it seemed like I had a stronger ovary but next tine it all changed.

You are doing great.

Hi Emma

There is still time and you might just be surprised :-)

If you do go for an other round of donating, then they may perhaps consider using menopur. I always stimulate really easily with this (I'm 34) I had a gonal f round as round 2 and actually I got 9 instead of my usually 15-20 eggs - i put this down to cycling to soon but it could be I respond to the menopur better. Worth a thought!

Also the gonal f needles are the bluntest needles I've vet used, so well done you for not complaining about the injections. Gonal f can make you sting after injecting I found!

It sounds like you're doing a great job :-)

thanks Goandplay and Luckystarfour. Good to know that one ovary not responding needn't mean there's anything wrong with it. I will ask about Menopur next time Lucky - it's reassuring to know that the number of eggs can fluctuate so much between cycles, so maybe next time I'll have better luck if this cycle isn't that productive. I think I'll also pay much more attention to trying to eat the right things and get plenty of rest too (which hasn't been an option this cycle) - see if that makes a difference!

Heard from the clinic yesterday - they've decided on Monday, so fingers crossed.

Thanks so much for your posts - it's been very helpful to offload on here. I'll let you know how it goes.

hello! just to let you guys know, egg collection was this morning. They only got four, which is a bit :(, but everyone was v. kind about it and the gynaecologist said they're probably four really good ones. It was much sorer than I was expecting - she had to footle about a fair old bit to get to the ovary.

I did ask about why they didn't wait longer before collection to give all the smaller ones a chance to grow, and she said it was because the biggest two would be suppressing the growth of the smaller ones, and if they'd have waited much longer the bigger/better ones would become post-mature, so best to get them out now.

She also agreed that when I do another cycle they'll try me on a higher dose of Gonal-F - though I did have plenty of follicles so they don't want to risk overstimulating.

Chilling on the sofa now, about to max out on crappy daytime telly!

Well done you! Be kind to yourself now and take it easy. Make sure you keep dosed up on painkillers, it can creep up on you a bit

Well done. It only takes one embryo to make a baby. Make sure you drink lots of fluids.

If you do another cycle take vitamin E, Co-emzyme Q10 and Evening Primrose (I followed Zita West's advice on vitamins and seemed to increase the quality).

Brilliant work! Sorry it was painful. :-( enjoy the chilling time now!

thank you guys. feeling back to normal today I think. Thanks for the tip for next time Goandplay; I will definitely buy those and read up on anything else I should do too. I am really going to get serious, and bust out some premium quality DNA!