Community post

You almost always will do a trigger shot when you do injections because you will almost certainly mature more than one follicle on injectible stims - don't want them hanging around and turning into cysts, the trigger shot makes sure they all rupture.

essemkey but do you always get injections when you do HSG shot?
or Clomid and HSG?

So this is what I will be getting next cycle if this one does not work:
- Follistim injections
- Ovidrel
- Progesterone supplements after I ovulate

anybody familiar with those?

basia_ follistum is the stimulating drug, ovidrel is the trigger i believe. my trigger was pregnyl but i think i remember ovidrel as one of the drugs that is also a trigger.

Follistim is FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) - it's basically the same thing as Gonal-F (different manufacturer) and Bravelle (non-synthetic). Commonly called a "stim" - this is what makes you grow follicles that will hopefully each contain a mature egg.

Ovidrel is HCG (pregnancy hormone) - basically the same thing as stuff that's just called HCG or Pregnyl or Novarel. Commonly called a "trigger shot" - this is what makes you ovulate. HCG is very similar structurally to LH (lutenizing hormone), which is why OPKs can pick up both LH and HCG (but HPTs cannot pick up LH).

Progesterone supplements are super common in any medicated cycle. Since you cannot have too much progesterone, it's a bit of a panacea for a host of luteal phase or lining issues.*

Clomid also makes you mature follicles, but in a different way. Clomid is an estrogen blocker, so it tricks your brain. Normally, when a follicle is maturing, it puts out increasing levels of estrogen (E2)*. Clomid makes your body think estrogen isn't rising, so your body pumps out more FSH on its own to try and make the follicles grow.

*after ovulation, the ruptured follicle becomes a "corpus luteum" which is what produces progesterone - it's basically a cyst that fills back up with fluid after ovluation. Anyway, if there's not enough progesterone, your lining won't stay nice and fluffy and ready for implantation

**side note, when estrogen levels reach a certain number (about 200-300 typically), your body goes "AHA! Maturity!! Bring on the LH surge!" Your LH surges, which speaks to the egg inside the follicle and tells it to cleave it's chromosomes in half and separate from the follicle wall so that it's ready for ovulation and fertilization. Woo hoo!

Whew! Didn't mean to write a book! And I've way oversimplified a ton of stuff. Anyway, what I meant to say is "follistim/ovidrel/progesterone is a very common and terrific protocol. Good luck!" :)

Thank you girls. That was helpful :)

Good Morning Ladies,

Tubal - good luck on your ER today! Sending good thoughts your way. Let us know how it went when you are feeling up to it.

Opal - I am so sorry :( hopefully the next IUI will be a success.

Basia - I think essemkay seems to know what she is talking about. I think they always do the trigger with the other injections, but they can also di a trigger with clomid. Before we had gotten the results of my husbands SA and headed down the IVF path, the plan was clomid and a trigger shot. So I think triggers can also be used with clomid. Maybe that's what they do for women with higher LH levels? I don't know.

Essemkay - I really appreciate your explanations. Thanks!

AFM - nothing too much to report. Been really crampy. Yesterday was pretty bad. I'm thinking it might be the crinone gel they have me on. I thought yesterday it might've just been my uterus was angry with me and cramping but by last night it had gone away. Then this morning a couple hours after the crinone I started cramping again. It comes and goes but some of them are pretty bad. Been weighing myself and monitoring for potential OHSS symptoms but the only symptom I have is the cramping. It feels like really bad menstrual cramps. Has anyone else ever experienced that?

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hi guys! Had my retrieval this morning.. WOW was it painful.. they gave me a shot of pain meds 1/2 hour before, then put me on an IV, but STILL was horrid! they gave me 5 more shots throughout the process, and I cried through most of it :( The doc left a few of the smaller follicles because he had to stab through my ovary 3-4 on each side, and we already had 31 when he decided. I think he said 23 were mature.. I should get a call tomorrow to find out how may fertilize. can barley walk... have slept some, hoping tomorrow is better.. sure didn't think it would be this bad.. I am SOOO bloated.. but haven't gained any weight... but my E2 levels the day of trigger was 4509.. not sure what I should eat or drink besides what you girls have said here and that's protein? any other suggestions? I'm supper worried about how uncomfortable I am.. hoping it's normal :(

tubalrevsalttc30, were you awake for retrieval?? My RE does twilight sedation, so it's like you start counting down from 100 (I think I got to maybe 99) and then you're wide awake in the recovery room.

Beef jerky and gatorade are what people (not my doctor, they didn't tell me anything to eat) told me. Did they give you any pain relievers? Mine gives pain meds, which are super helpful.

Awesome egg count! I can't wait to hear your fertilization report.

I hope you get some pain relief and feel better soon!

essemkay, yup awake and watched the whole thing.. doc knew i'd feel it too cause he kept saying "okay, you'll feel a little jab here" each time he had to break the skin to my ovary! they gave me Demerall and then another one through the IV that was supposed to possibly knock me out, maybe I fought it, idk.. just know that is NOT what I was prepped for this morning lol and no pain relievers.. told me if I was uncomfortable to take Tylenol.. sure hope it's better tomorrow! thanks for the tips! will update tomorrow once I have a number.. am hoping at least 10 good fertilized.. I would be okay with that, any more and I'd be thrilled!