Jules, if you are down-regulating you actually start synarel/lucrin before your period. I think they like to time this to start a week before your period, you then continue for another week, and if hormones are low enough you can then start the stim drugs, which will go for 10-13 days depending on how you respond.

Different protocols work differently, though. I have only experienced the long down-reg protocol on a stim cycle, and a "natural" FET cycle. I have to take drugs to induce ovulation, but only at the start of the cycle, and once we get past day 8 everything continues as normal.

BW