Your experiences of IVF / side effects of meds ? ... Im a bit clueless

[LizzeyBenett]

Hi all, I'm currently waiting to start IVF its going forward in October, and I'm going to spend this time leading up to it getting healthier and trying to lose the excess weight I'm carrying. Im 36 and infertility is unexplained. No kids and 1 previous MC. Im just wondering if anyone could give me feedback on your experiences, side effects of medication any and all information is appreciated as I'm a bit clueless.

My medications will be:
Pergoveris 450IU s/c/ OD X14/7
Cetrotide 0.25 mg s/c x8/7
Ovitrelle 250 mg once sc
Cyclogest 400 mg p/v BD X 4 weeks and repeat if pregnant
Norethisterone 5 mg p/o BD X 13 days
Cetrotide 0.25mg
Ovitrelle 025mcg

Hi @LizzeyBenett I was absolutely dreading the side effects of the drugs but it was so much better than I had anticipated.

My first cycle I was on short protocol with Ovaleap and Ovitrelle trigger, no side effects at all. After egg collection was the progesterone cyclogest pessaries and they gave me bad stomach pains/spasms. I was on 400 x 2 a day, inserted rectally. It was a negative cycle and stopped them on OTD, stomach pain went.

My second cycle I went on the long protocol and was on norethisterone (no symptoms), Buserelin (only symptom was minor hot flushes) and then Meriofert (no symptoms) and Ovitrelle again (no symptoms) but as soon as I went on progesterone pessaries again (this time 3 x a day) although I had a lot less stomach pains then las time, the bloating was unreal! I looked 6 months pregnant in my 2ww.

Are you on long or short protocol?

I have no idea what protocol I'm in I'm so new at all of this that it's extremely foreign to me. Have yet to sit down with doctors to go over it all was just sent my prescriptions and told we would be having IVF in October .

I'm on day 7 of my first IVF cycle and I really dreaded the thought of the meds and injecting but it's been nowhere near as bad as I thought. Mine is mild, I'm on 225 bemfola, 0.25 cetrotide and a trigger, which I haven't done get so can't comment.

Cetrotide is the only one we are both doing so my tip on that would be do the injection slowly, with all injections just an ice pack (I got one of the gel eyemasks from the range/body care 99p) and put it in the freezer in a ziplock bag - although defo run it under a tap for a second first and pat dry to make sure you don't get cold contact burn to your skin - I stupidly did that and had a red mark for 2 days.

Side effect wise, defo bloating - I'm a size 16 so visually can't see it as much on me as you would a slim person, my hip area feel tender and sleeping on my side is becoming uncomfortable now, I get a very brief headache after the injection and my concerntration is lacking, also more visits to the loo - bowel and bladder. Bladder is likely due to the amount of water I'm drinking and that my ovaries are bigger so less space before bladder feels full.

I get this is a long list and sounds alot but please don't let it scare you, how I feel overall is no worse than the day after having a big too much sugar/a glass of wine - you know that body meh feeling but not a hangover. Only way I can explain it.

Overall I'm more tired than normal but I think that's the build up to finally starting IVF after the long wait and the worrying about injections etc. Make sure you take care of you during the entire cycle.

Good luck for October x