Not responding to Buserelin - Any advice/Help

[GoingStirCrazyIVF]

Hi All,

Im quite new to this and don’t have all the lingo yet.

We tried to conceive naturally for 12 months and I wasn’t getting any joy and just felt something was wrong so paid for private scans as I knew from previous research IVF is most successful the younger you are.

Trying to go through IVF ICSI long protocol as husband has Anti Seaman Antibodies, and I’ve been told I have a low egg reserve and low hormones.

I had to loose just over 3 stones for my BMI to be at the right level for private treatment which I managed to do in 14 weeks and I thought that would be the hardest bit. How wrong was I!

Started Buserelin, had a withdraw bleed and felt stupidly optimistic. Went to my scan after injections for 2 weeks and got told my lining was at 5.9 and needed to be less than 5, they also could see a follicle getting bigger which they thought was abnormal. Asked me to try another week and come back.

Had that appointment on Tuesday and got told my lining is now 15! And has grown in size x3 and they think a follicle in each side is growing , so looks like I’m not responding at all. They asked me to go home and inject myself with Ovritelle and to try another 2 week on Buserelin. In the meantime I should get a second withdrawal bleed and see what happens then. This will be me then on Buserelin for 5 weeks.

I wanted to know has anyone else had this problem? And does anyone know if this doesn’t work do I move to a short protocol?

The nurse said they would be further options but they didn’t want to discuss that until I had tried this but I hate the unknown.

Trying to stay optimistic but keep crying.

Hi @GoingStirCrazyIVF

Firstly well done you on being so proactive with your testing and losing weight. I think that is amazing and it is something I wasn't good at, it took me ages to decide to do IVF and i didnt lose any weight which i really should have.
You are already ahead of the game in that way.

I appreciate this is such a difficult time when you go for scans and it doesn't go the way you hoped. But my best piece of advice is to trust your Dr and if they have a plan to change things in your protocol or switch protocol then that will be for the best. If you're not responding as you need to then there's something needs changed. It's not what we want because we want it to go to plan from the first step but I just try to remind myself IVF is the next stage of the process to getting our goal and it can be diagnostic at first.

Just remind yourself you are literally doing everything you can to get to the goal of having your family. I hope you're OK. Just to let you know i think I was on buserilin for at least 5 weeks, maybe more. Xx

@Halsi Thank you for replying.

I think I was so disheartened as they said right we will do this for 2 weeks then your stimulation jabs and then started to give me provisional dates for egg retrieval and implantation. So I got my hopes up and this week should have been my retrieval and it’s not.

Due to my low reserve and hormones I just feel up against my biological clock.

Thanks for your kind words, fingers crossed this times goes better. I just feel like I’ve fell at the first hurdle.

@GoingStirCrazyIVF it is so disheartening. It just feels like another setback after trying so long doesn't it. And I undesllrstand when you say about feeling up against time. Every month can be a punch in the gut. But you are doing absolutely everything you possibly can, you've done your bit and now the docs have to come up with their part.
I hope it works soon for you and you get a lovely little embryo at the end xx

I'm sorry can I jump in. Did they clarify what abnormal follicle meant ?
I'm starting ivf next month but did medicated cycles past few months and two of those months rhey said my follicle was abnormal but no answers as to what that meant

@XStardustX sorry I didn’t men it was an abnormal follicle I meant the fact my follicles growing was abnormal as the Buserelin is meant to put you in a menopause state and stop that happening. Rubbish when they tell us things and don’t explain it well!

Just a little update on my journey.
After 5 weeks on Buserelin, and an emergency jab on ovitrelle they are cancelling this attempt. My body isn’t reacting the way they want to down regulation. I’m awaiting a phone call this afternoon to discuss next options. Assuming based on research this will be a move to a short protocol.

Ah I'm sorry @GoingStirCrazyIVF . It is so dissappointing. I'm hoping the next protocol will give you some precious embryos xx