Buserelin - Delay in next cycle!? :(

[IVFGotThis05]

Hello,

So I had a phone call today from the nurse in my clinic to book me in for my 2nd round of IVF and egg collection is booked for OCTOBER ... :(

I feel like that is so long away ! All because they are struggling to get hold of Buserelin, apparently the company they use aren't doing it anymore!? I didn't get the full story!

Is anyone else in the same boat? Have you heard anything about it?

@Welp1988 I am aiming for a similar timescale, I am due to start meds at the end of the month to induce a bleed. I am lucky that I can delay that if needs be. Having said that, I am way past the comfortable point of not having a bleed any any description (90 days) so I am also needing to get going ASAP for that reason too.

The last update I had was that they were still aiming for Mid Aug for restock. That was on Monday.

Currently, there are no other alternatives - for my personal situation. I am unable to ahem the nasal spray as it's not strong enough for trigger and Decapeptyl is also the same - dosage isn't available in the UK for trigger alone. My clinic are in talks to get this changed though for an alternative non-hCG trigger as they do use it alone (not dual trigger) in Canada.

Let's hope we get started ASAP! Are you antagonist (short) protocol too? My AMH is crazy high, so I only usually stim for a very short period. This is my second attempt, I was hyperstimulated last round, luckily avoided OHSS. Stim to trigger last round was 14 days apart.

Oh I feel you, it’s so frustrating. Did they give you any idea of when it may be arriving back in stock or could it be months? x

@CriCril no one actually knows, they are all going by (mostly) hearsay with the odd email thrown in from the manufacturer saying Mid-August, but no commitment to date as of yet. So it's an unknown length of time that we will need to wait.

The medication is also used for prostate cancer (and endometriosis) so I expect that they won't keep it at bay for too long. Or I at least hope!

I just received an emil from my clinic saying it's been pushed back to sep 1st. I called them now crying saying I will start stimming in September no matter what, I really cannot wait. Absolutely distraught.

@Welp1988 Oh no! Is that the date for next lot of Buserelin? Or are they delaying for any other reason?

I am so sorry, I know how horrible it is to have everything pushed back.

This was the email they sent, completely inconclusive obvs:

"We have had an email advising the manufacturer has pushed back the anticipated date for Buserelin arrival to the UK from mid-August to the 1st week of September. We are hopeful that the next update will bring better news"

The only thing I can think of doing is making myself an absolute nuisance until they offer some alternative, I don't even care about the OHSS risk at this point.

@Welp1988 Yeah, I expected that to be the case! Especially as it was due in by now and we haven't heard anything about stocks being replenished.

It is frustrating, it is hard with delays. I have had one thing after another crop up and this is me still waiting when I was supposed to start in February! I don't believe there is an alternative at the moment, unless there is anything new since when I spoke with the clinic last week. That's for the trigger, anyway! I understand your frustrations, just one day at a time. It is out of the clinics hands too.

Oh gosh, Feb. It's been May for me, when I had a miscarriage. Then I got covid which delayed things. The issue is more that because of my line of work I'm out of action from September-December. I can't seem to deal with the uncertainty and delays in the necessary stoic way. I just want to smash things right now. But I'll get used to it, we all have to. My silly DH thought we could manage 3 or more cycles a year, at least I'm not that naive.

@Welp1988 I have been waiting since my last miscarriage too! Seems we have an awful lot in common.

I have never been good at the waits and have stressed myself out to high even for the last few months with the constant waiting and blood tests to see if I can go again. I was initially very annoyed about the buserelin, but for once I know that this I not the clinic being obstructive or not necessarily as helpful as I would like. It is just not their fault. So I have now taken this one on the chin as it is what it is to save the extra stress! It is hard though.

That is very sensible, any added stress right now is just counter intuitive for the success of the next cycle. So sorry about the miscarriage, and the infuriating wait. A day-by-day approach has helped me in the pasy. And just eschewing any commitments to future plans. I'm not so mad at the clinic, but it seems ridiculous they have no plan Bs given shortages have been occurring on and off for years now?!

@Welp1988 that’s exactly it! I have enough stress from other aspects of my life, so I have learnt to control what I can!

Thanks, it’s okay. I can’t change any of it now, so I have accepted it as a part of the process which all gets me one step closer. Or at least how I try to see it!

Yep, I’ve had to do that too! I’ve cancelled one trip, and potentially one in February I won’t be able to attend it I end up with a freeze all and FET (or a fresh fail and subsequent FET).

I don’t know that there are any alternatives. That’s the problem! I have spoke in depth with my clinic about it and it seems every stone has been turned looking for an answer for us. We need the pharmaceutical companies to develop a back up/similar meds which we can use in place of Buserelin.

I have now been given dates. Stork have got buserelin back in stock - just as an FYI!

Yep I got a call from my clinic today! If only my period hadn't come early. Will have to wait for end of September to start stimming but at least meds are in the post now, even if with another hefty price tag. Beans on toast is a decent IVF diet, right?!

@Welp1988 I’ll be stimming end of Sept too!

Oh amazing, good luck and let's keep in touch, whatever the outcome 😊

@LetstalkaboutBruno oh yey! thanks for updating. I haven't heard from my clinic, but think they're sticking with short for me as they've already given me the meds (waiting to start stims after CD1).

@Welp1988 absolutely!

@Tinkerbell098 possibly! Although, I have seen so many posting about the shortages still, so doesn’t seem to have reached everywhere yet? Not sure! Good luck with your cycle, when will you start?

I think I will give my clinic a call ! I'm due to start Buserlin on the 19th of this month ! Maybe no news is good news as not heard anything yet ! I got given my medication schedule so long ago!!

Definitely call, they should have it but you have enough time anyway

So I eventually gave the clinic a call and they have said they still don't have buserlin injections so when I start on the 19th it will be nasal spray for me !

Not sure how I feel about that but I'll take it, I'm just pleased they didn't delay my cycle ! :)

@IVFGotThis05 that's great you can still go ahead, at least they have an alternative.

@LetstalkaboutBruno I started stimming on Monday. Have you also started now? Just starting to feel a bit bloaty!

I've finally been to collect my prescription and I actually got the Buserlin injections ! They ran out of nasal spray 😂

Happy stimming @Tinkerbell098, I remember the bloat ! Hope it eases for you !

@IVFGotThis05 oh great to hear they're back in stock now. That's amazing. Glad you can finally start!