Hello,
My name is Katherine and this is the first time I have ever posted on the injectibles post. I have been TTC #2 for 15 months now. The first was conceived after 4 rounds of clomid and on the first round of femara. Now, we have been TTC for 15 months. We have had multiple rounds of femara and tamoxifen. I just had a laparoscopy that showed very mild endometrosis. I went to the RE today and they suggested injectables. They just really scare my husband and me becuase of the risks of multiples. I think I could handle twins but I really don't think I could handle any more than that. What are the risks of multiples? Also, what are the side effects of the injections? They did not tell me specifically which injectables they wanted me to take, but I would appreciate any input you all could give me. We told the RE that we wanted to try one more month of tamoxifen, since they "fixed" the endometriosis for now. I think we may move on to the injectables next month- but I wanted to know what to expect.
Thanks, Katherine

Katherine, How old are you?

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Sweet Baby Max, Nov 3, 27 lbs and 31.5 inches at 1 year

I was a BF baby for 5 months

I am 28

Katherine,

First, you should ask your RE what your risk of multiples is. He/she will give you definitive numbers. If you are so concerned, I would have thought you would have asked the doctor.


I can tell you this. Not every follicle contains an egg and not every egg is fertile at your age. At your age about every 3rd follie contains a fertile egg. So, you can see that you could have 6 follicles with only the risk of twins.

You need to ask every single question you have of your RE. You should have no questions about your medication or protocol. This is necessary so that you can relax, expect success and surround yourself with positivity. You need to know what your goal number of follies will be with injectibles. You need to assert that you are part of any decision to cancell any cycle. You must actively particpate in the medical decisions. For example, many gals will say their RE told them they are "poor responders". It is your RE's job to maniuplate the medication (mine was changed 5 times on my first cycle) to get your body to respond. If you are not producing the agreed-upon number of follies, you should question your RE what thier plan is to change the medication.

So you can see that it takes a very saavy RE to maniuplate the injectibles. Usually REs who are fans of Clomid are not fans of injectibles. THe two are vastly different approaches to ART. Clomid works on your brain to get your body to make more follie-growing hormones. Injectibles GIVES your body more follie-growing hormones. It takes a different kind of RE to properly manipulate injectibles.

You have already been at this over a year. It is probably taking its toll on your patience, your husband, your time and your pocketbook. Injectibles is really the way to go. Gals here have wonderful response to injectibles after wasting lots of time/money/effort/emotion on Clomid.

I had no side-effects to the injectibles. I took Gonal F, Cetrotide, Ovidril and Repronex.

Dive in, Katherine. Injectibles can help you get that baby. Good Luck and keep praying.

If you would like to ask me any questions, just click on my name and send me an email via the link provided.

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Sweet Baby Max, Nov 3, 27 lbs and 31.5 inches at 1 year

I was a BF baby for 5 months

While doing injections you will be monitored more than with clomid. They will be able to tell you exactly how many follicles you have and the size.

Side effects: I got some bruising at the inj. site. I did mine in my belly and thigh. When I just did follistim there wasn't any bruising. The bruising came from the lupron. It's a bigger needle. I didn't have mood swings or hotflashes. I did get too many follies some cycles and had to cancel.

If you decide to do injections listen to your body. If something doesn't seem right it probably isn't. My last cycle I did only 2 nights of injections and I noticed EWCM. I called the RN and she said it is too early to be getting that. I demanded a blood test. Sure enough my e2 was sky high. I had 20 mature follies.

Dani

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Katherine!!
I will try to answer as many of your questions as I can, however, I am no expert. I can only give you the benefit of my experiences. I have been on injectibles for several months. I don't know what the risk of multiples is, but my RE and I had a long talk about that and I believe most of them do not want more than two for any of their patients. They monitor and do bloodwork so that they can prevent that and will even cancel cycles that look like they may produce to many follicles (kind of like an egg sac, where your eggs grow). I do not have many s/e from injectibles. A little bruising, but it's very light. One of my big concerns was the needles. In reality, they are very tiny and you don't feel them much of the time after you get used to giving yourself shots (or dh gets used to giving them to you. For me, injectibles was the way to go, I have a lot more comfort and good results from them.

This is a very hard decision, and I agree that you should ask your questions to your re or ob/gyn. I even write mine down so that I won't forget about them! I wish you the best of luck, and truely hope that this is a decision you won't have to make as you get a bfp this month!! If not, the girls on this site are wonderful as a support group.

Good Luck!

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Michelle
Me: 33 DH 31


Angel in heaven 1/07

DD: Lynsey Nicole born 3/15/08





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