Ghost, why d/r for so long wiv no scans????

[Welshgirl38]

Hi Ghost,

Long time no speak - hope u are keeping well xx

Ive just started IVF#2 on March 24th and im D/Regging for 38 days!

When i asked my clinic why so long (as last time it was just 21 days) they told me that as my schedule is worked out in advance (obvisouly) that the only time to fit me in for EC was 14th May - so i have to D/R for this long!

Im not happy about this (as u can imagine) im dreading the side effects, and normal cycles are bad enough for 21 days - but im doing an extra 17 days - im gonna be hell to live with! Im bad enuff now lol!

Here is my schedule:

24th March - Start D/Regging (by injection)
30th April - Start Puregon (with pen) (Without scan for lining)
6th May - First scan
12th May - 2nd scan
14th may - EC
16th May - ET
29th May - Pg Test


Is it safe to D/R for this long - does this mean i will get 2 AF's (as i am due one 2day, and still have 4 weeks of d/r left)
And only 2 scans in this cycle - is that right too???

Any info will help Ghost (or ladies) thank you

Becky Xxx

[Ghost]

Hi Ghost,

Long time no speak - hope u are keeping well xx

Ive just started IVF#2 on March 24th and im D/Regging for 38 days!

When i asked my clinic why so long (as last time it was just 21 days) they told me that as my schedule is worked out in advance (obvisouly) that the only time to fit me in for EC was 14th May - so i have to D/R for this long!

Im not happy about this (as u can imagine) im dreading the side effects, and normal cycles are bad enough for 21 days - but im doing an extra 17 days - im gonna be hell to live with! Im bad enuff now lol!

Here is my schedule:

24th March - Start D/Regging (by injection)
30th April - Start Puregon (with pen) (Without scan for lining)
6th May - First scan
12th May - 2nd scan
14th may - EC
16th May - ET
29th May - Pg Test


Is it safe to D/R for this long - does this mean i will get 2 AF's (as i am due one 2day, and still have 4 weeks of d/r left)
And only 2 scans in this cycle - is that right too???

Any info will help Ghost (or ladies) thank you

Becky Xxx

First off, hello again!

I have no answer for such a long down regulation. We never do that, as we almost never use Lupron for down regulation (we routinely use antagonists (like Ganirelix or Cetrotide instead). If we do use Lupron, then 21 days is pretty standard.

2 scans is pretty minimal.

[Welshgirl38]

Thanks Ghost,

I thought it was strange!

Im down regging with Superfact (same as last time) im still waiting for AF to arrive (she was due yesterday) im concerned that if im late - it means that my next one will be late too and might run into egg collection, or at least the week before - what will happen then? Does this mean that i wont be ready for ET? Im getting really concerned now!

xxx

[Ghost]

Thanks Ghost,

I thought it was strange!

Im down regging with Superfact (same as last time) im still waiting for AF to arrive (she was due yesterday) im concerned that if im late - it means that my next one will be late too and might run into egg collection, or at least the week before - what will happen then? Does this mean that i wont be ready for ET? Im getting really concerned now!

xxx

I don't know what this is about. We never do it this way.

I'm not sure there would necessarily be a "next one" once you are on the Suprefact (buserelin, a GnRH agonist similar to Lupron and others). You would have already had your LH surge for your current cycle, so menses should arrive shortly. But your next cycle should be incapable of a surge while on the buserelin. Perhaps that means no menses for a long time. Of course, they can induce ovulation if they choose to with a dose of hCG, and they can bring on menses in late April according to their schedule if that is what they have in mind. I don't have a clue, as I have never seen such a long cycle before.

You make it seem like their schedule this far out is absolutely rigid. Is that really the case? They won't adjust for circumstances over the next two months? My clinic is pretty flexible, and we let the follicles and embryos set our schedule.

[Yellow]

I'm no expert, but I was on Lupron for 4 weeks with my first cycle in 2005. I was pretty freaked about it. The reason was that the clinic was moving to a new location. That seemed like an awful reason to me. I was not happy.

But then, I got pregnant with my beautiful, healthy DD. I'd nearly forgotten that I was on lupron for that long until I saw your post.

Just sharing my experience. I hope things work out for you!

[Alchik]

It seems weird to me because I'm not diong any Lupron at all.
Today is Cycle Day 4 and since yesterday I was on Gonal-f 150 at night and Menapure 75 in the morning. They also said that I will be taking Centrotide at some point.
This seems like a very different protocol from yours.
Maybe it's because of my PCOS?

[Welshgirl38]

I don't know what this is about. We never do it this way.

I'm not sure there would necessarily be a "next one" once you are on the Suprefact (buserelin, a GnRH agonist similar to Lupron and others). You would have already had your LH surge for your current cycle, so menses should arrive shortly. But your next cycle should be incapable of a surge while on the buserelin. Perhaps that means no menses for a long time.

Of course, they can induce ovulation if they choose to with a dose of hCG, and they can bring on menses in late April according to their schedule if that is what they have in mind. I don't have a clue, as I have never seen such a long cycle before.

You make it seem like their schedule this far out is absolutely rigid. Is that really the case? They won't adjust for circumstances over the next two months? My clinic is pretty flexible, and we let the follicles and embryos set our schedule.

Hi again Ghost

Thanks for ur input: They gave me the dates when i went for my pre-appt (learning how to do injections etc) and i asked why i was down regulating for so long, and the nurse told me it was because (wait for it) they are only scheduled to do so many Egg Collections per week/mth, the only time they could fit me in for mine was - May 14th - they were fully booked up before this!! I asked what will happen IF im not ready for EC on that date (Ie: I havent responded too well) and she said, that they would make sure i respond by giving me more Puregon should i need it!! So, the schedule is, as far as im aware rigid (they did say - if everything goes to plan these are ur dates)

As we are having this go 'free' on the NHS (UK) i cant fight my case too much, as this is what the goverment allow them - so looks like i have to down regulate for this amount of time I am not looking fwd to the side effects one bit! And injecting for a total of 65 days!!!

I found another site (oooo im a trator i know lol) that is UK based, and other women on there too have down regulated for longer than me!!
Its just as well i aint paying for the drugs isnt it!

Still no sign of AF either - im sure she will arrive soon tho - as u say, i prob wont get another one while down regulating, cos i know they wont bring my AF on at the end of April - i dont actually go back to see them untill my first scan on may 6th.

Yellow: Thanks for letting me know about ur cycle - tell me - how did u cope down regulating for 4 weeks? I feel kind of ok at the moment - a few hot sweats (mostly in the morning when i wake up) i had sore gums/mouth but they seem to be getting better - my hair is really greasy - all those symptoms i can cope with - im just worried about the more complicated ones!

Alchik: Im sorry, but i dont even know wot a cd4 is or have never heard of ccentrotide! Maybe it does have something to do with ur PCOS ...

[Ghost]

It seems weird to me because I'm not diong any Lupron at all.
Today is Cycle Day 4 and since yesterday I was on Gonal-f 150 at night and Menapure 75 in the morning. They also said that I will be taking Centrotide at some point.
This seems like a very different protocol from yours.
Maybe it's because of my PCOS?

It just might be related to PCOS. Maybe.

Cetrotide (a GnRH antagonist) works quickly, unlike Lupron (or Buserelin, Triptorelin, or Synarel, the "GnRH agonists"). That's why you don't need to start it until around the time that an LH surge is threatened. If you tried that with a GnRH agonist, you'd have an LH surge immediately. However, high reponders and PCO patients who have high risk of OHSS have an interesting option when using GnRH antagonists (like Cetrotide or Ganirelix) for pituitary suppression. They can use an agonist (Lupron, Buserelin, etc) and the resulting LH surge will finish maturing the oocytes, The advantage of this method is that severe OHSS seems to be impossible even in extreme high responders.

That might be what your doctor has in mind.