THE TRIGGER INJECTION FOR OVULATION | SIDE EFFECTS

As I said in a previous post I had to have an ovulation injection (Ovitrelle) on Sunday 11th July specifically at 9.30pm. This was 36-38 hours before my planned egg collection to ensure that ovulation was triggered at the correct time. 

As far as side effects go I didn't really have any other than slightly sore nipples. This is a side effect that hasn't gone but isn't bothering me in the slightest. 

In terms of having the drug itself, my finance administered it via an injection in my stomach which didn't hurt at all. However, I was left with a tiny bruise which is to be expected when you have so many injections in the same place. We stuck to the stomach throughout IVF as that's where I have the most fat (compared to my thighs which was the other suggested area to inject).

Have you had Ovitrelle before? If so, did you get any side effects?

Jess. xx

GONAL-F SIDE EFFECTS | MY EXPERIENCE OVERALL

As yesterday was the last day of taking Gonal-F I thought I would share what I think of it overall. So, one positive is that I haven't felt the injections - those are nothing to worry about at all. The negatives are that it made me feel a bit flat, incredibly tired and just generally not myself. My fiance thinks I might be reacting to it in a way that's a bit back to front. Because we were advised that the Buserelin might make me feel a bit flat (along with lots of other possible side-effects) but by the time I get to the stims stage (e.g I start taking Gonal-F) I should perk right up. However, my reaction has been the total opposite!

Still, just like with the Buserelin I feel like I've got off pretty lightly when it comes to side-effects. If anyone asked me what do I think of my experience so far having gone through (or going through) IVF, I would say it's actually quite bearable. It's not been easy feeling crazy tired all the time but it's not unbearable either. However, I believe it's been made better for me because I work from home. I'm in a great position where if I want to sleep I can sleep and work later, or even just take the day off. That's def helped a lot. 

Going through IVF is a real game in itself and the truth is none of us know how we are going to react. Personally I would say the emotional side of it is much harder than the physical. (So far touch would - don't forget I've still got my EC and (hopefully) ET to go! 

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 32 | BUSERELIN INJECTION #32 & THE OVULATING INJECTION

Yesterday I had the last Gonal-F injection (so I had it for 10 days in total). Yay! I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. I feel like I got on really well with Buserelin, having had barely any side-effects. Buserelin seems to make me very tired but far more chilled than normal. I'm quite an anxious person at times and it was nice not to feel like that for a change. Although feeling so tired that you don't trust yourself to drive isn't ideal, I definitely enjoyed being more relaxed. Gonal-F seemed to change that feeling and I was on edge sometimes. But I also had no energy at all. 

Today was also the last day of Buserelin injections too so there's now only one more injection to go! That's the ovulating injection (Ovitrelle) which I'll be having at 9.30pm tonight. I have to have this 36-38 hours before my planned egg collection which is Tues morning, so stay tuned to find out what happens with that!

Today I'm feeling: Happy and pretty alert if I say so myself! High five to no more injections. I def got off lightly as far as side effects go and none of the injections have hurt at all (maybe the odd little prick here and there but nothing noticeable). My fiance has been brilliant at giving them. 

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 30 | GONAL-F INJECTION #9, BUSERELIN INJECTION #30 & PROGRESS ASSESSMENT 2

We had our second progress scan today. Egg Collection is going ahead as planned on Tues. Some of you might remember they found 16 follicles on Wed. Well I now have 5 that are 14, 15, 15.5, 16 and 18mm and 2 that are currently 12mm. The rest are below 10. I don't know what to think, but have to stay positive as good quality eggs are what we are aiming for rather than lots of follicles.

According to the consultant, they are looking for follicles that are 14mm at least, so I currently have 5. It doesn't seem like very many to me, however we still have 4 days to go and it only takes 1 egg. 

Today I'm feeling: A bit flat. Trying to remain positive.

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 28 | GONAL-F INJECTION #7, BUSERELIN INJECTION #28 & PROGRESS ASSESSMENT 1

Time seems to be flying by really fast now. We had our first progress assessment today and the consultant said things are looking good. As usual I had to have a transvaginal ultrasound which took a little bit longer than before as they had to count how many follicles I have. 

They found 16 altogether. 3 are very good. 2 are okay and the rest need to grow. So I've had to up my dosage of Gonal-F to 450 IU (previously I was on 300). As we don't have enough of the drug I'm having an urgent delivery some time tomorrow morning. According to our consultant this result is spot on as we don't want anymore than 20. That's when you're at risk of getting OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome). Let me tell you, there isn't anyone in the world that's going to be wanting that. It sounds awful!

My next progress scan is on Friday so be sure to check back here and I'll tell you all about what happens with that. By this time next week I should have had my eggs collected (under general anesthetic) and be waiting for implantation if all goes well!

Today I'm feeling: Alright! I was tired. Had a 1 hour sleep in the afternoon and was pretty good after that. I definitely struggle to think when I'm taking this stuff though. I had to write something this morning and what should have taken me 15 mins took me about 2 hours! I honestly don't know how people get on when they're employed and can't choose when they want to work. Still, I guess everyone reacts differently?

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 23 | GONAL-F INJECTION #2 & BUSERELIN INJECTION #23

Good morning! Today's injections went well. There was no leakage like yesterday. My fiance changed his technique slightly and made sure he let go of the skin once the needle was in. That seemed to make a big difference.

There's no doubt that the Gonal-F is working as I started getting period-like pains about 5 hours after the first injection. I'm getting them again today too. Yesterday I felt so tired that I had to go to bed for 2 hours at about 1.30 in the afternoon! It's currently 10.30am and I had my injections at about 8am. Again, I can feel myself getting really tired. My eyes always seem to feel stingy from tiredness too. 

I've been working in the evening more these days as I seem to perk up a bit around 5pm. It's a good job that I work from home! Last night I didn't finish until midnight. My sleep patterns are a bit messed up now. I think I went to bed at 2am. 

Today I'm feeling: Tired and I have mild pains. I think this is a good sign that my body is making those eggs! Yay. : ) Let's stay positive on what can be an incredibly difficult journey! 

Jess xx

BUSERELIN SIDE EFFECTS | MY EXPERIENCE OVERALL

Although I'm still on Buserelin my consultant said that once I start the stims stage (superovulation with Gonal-F) any side effects such as low mood etc should get better. So as I'm on day 1 of stims I thought this would be a good time to reflect on my experience of using the drug.

The long and short of it is that I feel like I've got off very lightly. The only side effect that I've really had is tiredness. That said it's been quite bad, where I've pretty much felt like a zombie at times. For about 4 hours after taking it I'm not on the ball enough to drive. As it happens I've had no reason to go anywhere so I haven't driven for 22 days now! 

Other than the crazy tiredness (which isn't always bad everyday) I don't think I've had any side effects at all. I experienced two headaches which may or may not have been down to the drug. One day where I cried for no reason (I think that was the drugs!) and yesterday I felt a little bit down. But my nan has just passed away so it could be that.

Have you taken Buserelin? If so, what side-effects did you get?

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 22 | GONAL-F INJECTION #1 & BUSERELIN INJECTION #22

It's day 1 of stims which means a double dose of injections every morning when I wake up. Today the Buserelin injection went well as usual - I didn't feel a thing. The Gonal-F injection didn't hurt either, however when my fiance pulled it out I felt liquid on my stomach and we could both smell the drug. He seems to think some of it came back out of me! Now I'm wondering whether I should be concerned or not?

I've asked some of my friends on the Fertility Friends forum to see what they think. If they feel that I should be concerned I'll ring the hospital to ask for advice. My gut feeling tells me that there's nothing to worry about though. Talking of FF, if you're someone going through IVF you should check it out here. I'm quite active on the Cycle Buddies June/July thread and the ladies there are lovely. 

Today I'm feeling: A little bit tired. Other than that, there's not much else to report.

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 20 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #20 & THE BASELINE SCAN

After Saturday's crying episode I thought my week might get a bit better. How wrong was I? Sadly on Sunday night my nan passed away. I'm heartbroken. She had cancer and Alzheimer's so we knew it was coming at some point soon. Still, that doesn't make it any less upsetting as we were really close. RIP my beautiful nan.

On a more positive note, I had my baseline scan today (which was a transvaginal ultrasound) to check that my ovaries are not active and that the lining of my uterus is thin. The consultant said it all looks good and couldn't be any better. This is great news for us as it means we now get to go onto the next stage - superovulation.

Superovulation is a process that aims to make the ovaries release more than 1 egg and it means I'll be having an extra injection each day. They say I may experience tender breasts and low abdominal discomfort or a dragging sensation as the ovarian follicles develop. 

So on Thurs I'll be starting Gonal-F injections as well as continuing with the Buserelin. They estimate I'll be on Gonal-F for about 10 days. Next week I'll have 2 progress assessments which include more transvaginal ultrasounds to check the response of my ovaries to the stimulation and to assess the development of the lining of the uterus. After these visits they might have to modify my treatment by altering the dosage of drugs. They'll also be able to tell me when my last Buserelin injection will be.

It's going to be really interesting to see how many eggs I manage to produce. When reading other people's stories online I can see that it varies a lot! Anyway, I'll keep you all posted with how I get on!

Today I'm feeling: Exhausted from crying and not sleeping that well because of what's happened to my poor nan. I miss her already! Going through grief and the IVF process is hard. : (

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 17 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #17

Well today was fun. After a bad night's sleep I woke up, took about a million years to get ready then cried my eyes out for absolutely no reason whatsoever! I didn't know what to tell my fiance other than 'it's the drugs'. I guess that's the truth. It must be. 

I don't know why but I've been feeling flat over the past couple of days. Today I woke up frustrated and then I became bored. Frustrated because I can't drive. Bored because I had nothing planned. My fiance said he was thinking about going out with a mate and that was it - I cried. It was all very out of context. I think he quickly realised that maybe he needed to take me out to get my mind off all of this. 

We went out for lunch and bought some new garden furniture and all was well after that! What can I say? The doctors warned him that the drugs might make me like this. I guess after getting off lightly for 15/16 days the hormonal side effects have finally kicked in! 

Happy days!

Jess. xx

Today I'm feeling: Alright now! Tired, but I'm okay. Today has gone by in a bit of a blur if I'm honest. I feel like I have brain fog!

IVF BLOG DAY 15 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #15

Wow, I've just realised I haven't blogged for about 6 days now. There hasn't been anything to report. Everything's still the same. I still feel really tired. I still haven't really had any other side effects. So I guess that's good?

Feeling like I can't drive is proving to be a bit of a pain at times. It's silly things like wanting to go to the hairdressers or pop out to pick up a parcel that's getting to me. I've lost my independence a bit. 

Another thing that's bothering me is that a friend has asked if I would like to go away to a spa for the night. I would love to as spas are my thing. But she can only go within this two or three month time frame which starts the week after I would have had the embryo implanted. 

In other words I may well be pregnant. Then again I may not. Now I'm all up for going but how on earth do I get around not being able to go in the hot tub or sauna etc? It would be far too early to tell her that I'm pregnant. If I'm lucky enough to be pregnant that is. 

Sometimes I feel like I've spent years planning around a pregnancy that never happens. Its a nightmare at times, but what can you do? I've learnt to just live my life. I guess I'll just tell her I'll go and deal with whatever happens at the time.

Jess. xx

Today I'm feeling: Like I haven't got any get up and go. Thank goodness it's nearly bed time!

IVF BLOG DAY 9 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #9

Day 9! Where did that time go?

My routine has become pretty much the same every day:

7.30/8 My fiance gives me my Buserelin injection

(He's really good at it too!).

I feel really tired to the point where my eyes sting so I work on my laptop in bed!

11.30/12 I start to feel a bit more normal again. I get up, have a shower and then work some more.

For the first 6 days I was having my shower straight after the injection but it wasn't working out well. I was so tired I was sleeping in the afternoon. This new routine is much better, even if it does feel very lazy of me! Still, I have to prioritise and think of the end goal.

Other than tiredness, side-effects have included two headaches and feeling dehydrated. I'm blaming both on the drug but I'll never know if it's that or not.

Jess. xx

Today I'm feeling: Happy, ready to get up and get on as it's now 11.30am. Yay! The best time of the day!

IVF BLOG DAY 8 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #8

Hey guys. I've come on my period as expected this morning. It's good news as I believe down reg can be extended if there's a delay. Luckily for me I've always been as regular as clockwork, coming on every 28 days. That's pretty much all I have to report so sorry this is short and sweet!

Today I'm feeling: A bit drowsy. It's currently 9.45am and I have my injection at about 7.30/7.45am. This side-effect usually lasts for a good few hours. 

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 7 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #7

I'm feeling so much better today! Nowhere near as tired as I have been since I started these injections. I honestly think my tiredness has been down to worry and lack of sleep more than the injections themselves. Last night I made a conscious effort to go to bed much earlier and it's done me the world of good. Thankfully I haven't ended up sleeping in the day like I have been since starting Buserelin. It was getting silly. Some days I would be in bed for 3 hours or so. It was really messing up my schedule.

Maybe my body is getting used to the drug now or perhaps it was lack of sleep affecting me. Either way, today is all good! Yesterday was a different story though. I was exhausted and I actually felt the injection for the first time. It wasn't that bad at all but there was a little bit of blood and it left a bruise. 

Today I'm feeling: Great in myself. Perfectly happy. Not tired. 

Jess. xx

IVF BLOG DAY 5 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #5

I've been having these injections for 5 days now and so far so good. I'm not really getting any side-effects other than tiredness (touch wood!). The tiredness is pretty bad though. It makes me a little less on the ball than usual to the point where I don't think it would be safe for me to drive. That said, I'm not getting enough sleep at the mo so this could be a contributing factor.

A few weeks before starting Buserelin I started getting nightmares every night. It's because I have anxiety and worry to much.  I'm still having the nightmares now but there seems to be a lot more of them! 

Have any of you guys had nightmares whilst taking Buserelin?

Jess. xx

Today I'm feeling: Tired. (Not much change there then!). 

IVF BLOG DAY 3 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #3

Another day, another injection. I got my fiance to change sides this morning. I felt it a tiny bit more than usual but barely. I still liken it to the feeling that a fly may or may not have landed on you! It's just it might be a slightly bigger fly. 

I'm only a UK size 10 but I don't workout as much as I should (or at all at the moment). So I have quite a podgy belly and I tell you what I'm really grateful for it right now. Because I'm sure it's making the injections less painful! 

Last night was a bit of a weird one. I woke up at 4am after having a nightmare. I felt fine. Then after about a minute or so I started to feel a bit panicky. I ended up being awake for about an hour Googling random stuff like 'Buserelin effect on pregnancy'. That seems to be the new worry now. For once I don't actually want to be pregnant in case I am and this drug effects the baby.

I know IVF is stressful, but why can't I just relax?

Jess. xx

Today I've been feeling: Tired. I don't think I'm getting any side effects from the Buserelin yet. Unless the tiredness is one? But that could just be down to lack of sleep.

IVF BLOG DAY 2 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #2

As with day 1 the injection didn't hurt at all. I've been trying to think of a way to describe how it feels. The only thing that comes to mind is that it's like a really small fly may or may not have landed on you. As you can barely feel it you can't be sure. Another thing is that I can't feel the Buserelin going in. For some reason I thought I would.

Yesterday I felt really happy. Almost ecstatic, but I don't believe it was down to the drug. Maybe it was, but surely day 1 would be too soon to start feeling symptoms? I had a really successful day work wise so maybe I was super happy because of that? Also I'm not sure feeling happy is one of the symptoms. I think it's more likely to be the opposite to that!

Are you taking Buserelin too? 

What side effects do you get?

Jess. xx

Today I've been feeling: A bit tired. Happy enough when busy working, yet it seemed to take more effort than usual. By 8.30pm I felt a little grumpy and it's now 9.30 and I'm in bed writing this. I just want to watch TV then go to sleep. I don't usually go to bed this early on a Friday! Normally it would be between 12 -1.

I'm suffering from what feels like mild period pains too. As I'm on day 22 of my cycle I guess it's that. But it's hard to tell!

I've also been worrying that I might be pregnant. There's no reason than I would be, I mean it's not like I ever am. But what if I was and now I've been taking Buserelin. Would that have an impact on my child? My consultant says it's perfectly safe so I should believe what he says. But my anxious mind led me to Google it. Probably the worst thing I could do as there's mixed thoughts online.

IVF BLOG DAY 1 | THE BUSERELIN INJECTION #1

Today my fiance gave me my first Buserlin injection as soon as I woke up. I didn't feel a thing. Deep down I knew I wouldn't as the needle is so tiny. Yet it didn't stop me from feeling anxious all night. I kept waking up wondering if it was time yet. Silly really.

I've had no side-effects at all. Not that I'm expecting any this early on. However you never know what could happen when trying out a new drug. That said I think the risks are pretty low. 

I'll keep you all updated!

Jess. xx

Today I've been feeling: Tired from not sleeping that well and relieved that the first injection is over! Tomorrow is going to be so much easier now I know what to expect.