Any Synarel side effects?

I've now been taking synarel for three days for my first ever IVF cycle. The first day was fine, the second day I started to get a little headachey and now today I just feel awful.

Twice, I've come over all funny - feeling nauseous and dizzy, and if I'm up and walking around when this hits, I feel like passing out. I haven't actually been throwing up, but I think I may feel better if I only could. I'm feeling hot and generally not with it at all.

I didn't get much information from the clinic in terms of side effects of the synarel, but I do know that the headaches are coming from it (my acupuncturist warned me they would come), but I'm wondering if the rest of it is from the synarel as well. I take it at 7am and 7pm, and the first time I felt like this was 3pm, and then again at 10pm, so it's not like there's a pattern forming and it's the same time after taking each dose.

Do things get better with time? I'm not sure I can cope with feeling this awful for the length of time that it looks like I'm going to be on it - 22 days if I'm reading the protocol correctly, and that's assuming I respond to the injections properly straight off.

Is lucrin a better option? I know I'm terrified of the injections, but if it's easier to tolerate than synarel... Do the other drugs get worse? I really don't see how I'm going to stay functional as we go through this process! :cry:

BW

BW, Sorry to hear you are having a bad time with the synarel. :hugs: Some of the common side effects are mood changes, headaches, and hot flushes. Rare to be reported are muscle weakness, double vision, neurologica symptoms and hair loss. Lucrin also has the same side effects.
It will get better! Are you drinking at least 2 litres of water a day? This is supposed to help with the process. Those particular sypmtoms shouldnt last too much longer, Perhaps ring the clinic when you can, just to let them know how you are feeling. I sure suffered with those symptoms too, but it will subside, but as i mentioned, please see your doc if it becomes worse. xxoo

Thanks, Ally.

I know I'm not drinking enough water. I've been so good with it for the last four weeks (FS has had me recording everything I eat and drink as part of getting better insulin levels with my PCOS), but once I got the all clear to start I've been very, very slack. I shall start guzzling the water again. I'm also majorly short on sleep - a few late nights and some early mornings, and that usually contributes to me feeling generally yucky and dizzy, so I think I'll get myself to bed pronto.

It's good to know that it does get better, I don't think I could have coped if it were to get worse! I'll certainly call the clinic if things get worse. I suspect you are right, though - if I'm properly hydrated and getting enough sleep I'll probably feel 100% better.

Thanks again!

BW

No probs, glad I could help in some way.
I too get quite dizzy and feel out of sorts when I dont get enough sleep. Some anxiety could even be contributing to it aswel. The water helps prevent Hyper Stim of the Ovaries...Cant remember the exact name of it sorry! And helps with S/Effects.
Good luck with your cycle, :goodluck: I will keep my eyes posted for some great news soon ;)

BW, I had a few headaches at first but they definately settled down after a little while.

Hope yours settle down soon.

Hi there BW

I was just thinking that there's something wrong with my syranel intake because at yet ( and now that I say this I'll start getting side affects) I havent had ANY side affects. Which is getting me kind of worried that there's something im not doing right!
I suppose Im a little headachie but Ive usually got a dull headache on a daily basis anyway! I probably going to cop it big time when I hit the injections. As when I went on gonal F for my IUI's I was only on 75 and I was nauseus and bloated so I expect being on a much higher dose of it for IVF- im going to suffer big time!

PAIN RELIEF QUESTION:
For those who have used syranel or been through IVF. Can you tell me what PAIN RELIEF you can use? The nurses said panadol and panedeine are OK to use. But Im worried about the codeine in panedeine? I know anti- inflam are out! Can anyone enlighten me?????

Kim, after my epu I used panadol but it didn't do anything to relieve the pain/discomfort so I switched to panadeine. I only took it a few times because when you're that sore and bloated the last thing you want is to end up constipated! But it worked much better than the panadol.

These are the only two things my clinic/the nurses in recovery told me i could take. Anything else I'd check with your clinic.

I was given the same advice, Kim. Paracetamol and codeine are safe, NSAIDs are not. Between the arthritis niggles from the storms we're having here and the synarel headaches, I've been consuming panadeine on a daily basis! A friend who is an OB has given the same advice - paracetamol and codeine are safe during pregnancy. Stick with the paracetamol if that will deal with things, but don't be afraid to take something a bit stronger (with codeine) if you need it. My clinic even listed panadeine forte as safe to have, and that has large amounts of codeine in it in comparison to the over the counter pain medications!

Another thing with side effects, not everyone will get them the same. Some people will be badly effected, while others won't notice it at all. I'm virtually side-effect free with metformin while others can't tolerate it at all, but the side effects I get from clomid are such that I'm never going near it again (apart from the fact that it didn't work!), while others find it perfectly ok.

I've had a bit more sleep today (although I was rudely awoken by my "take synarel" alarm!), and so far I'm feeling a little better. I'm going to make an extra special effort to ensure I drink enough water today, and hopefully I'll be feeling heaps better on Monday.

BW

I dont drink enough water either! I was thinking to myself this morning that if Im spending this much money then I should put in as much effort as Ive got! and im not! I think im either in denial or I just dont want to go OTT and I want to try and lead a realtively normal life! BUT i'm going to go and buy my big bottle of water when I get my latte (and I only have one a day so I feel that this is ok????/)

My DH is coming back from o/s today so Im going to cook him a lovely dinner and Im going to suprise him by picking him up from the airport! aren't I a nice wife!:cryinglaugh:

I guess in some ways, living healthier has been a little easier for us. Scary blood test results and a four week wait in order to get healthier before we start IVF has meant we've had quite a while to switch over to eating lots and lots of fresh fruit and veggies, and I've been very conscious of my water intake for a while now. For some reason, when I started synarel, I slacked off a bit. I couldn't imagine coping with the diet/lifestyle changes on top of starting the drugs!

Hopefully we can encourage each other on the water intake, Kim.

BW

BW, I had some terrible headaches on synarel and generally just felt lethargic and I was quite moody. I did experience a couple of nasty hot flushes as well.
The good news is that when you start the injections your hormones will level out and I felt great on that.

BW I had pretty awful headaches with the synarel too.

Don't worry too much about starting your injections hun. I was terrified of the thought of doing them myself, but I honestly found it was a total breeze, and much easier than trying to sniff something without sneezing and then having it run down the back of your throat tasting like poison or run back out of my nose again lol.

Synerel changes your hormone level, and you will find that this change is what is causing the headaches. Once you hormone level stabilises, they should subside. You may find that when you start jabbing that you get them again for the same reason.
Syneral puts you in a state like menopause - hence the hot flushes, drynesss, etc.

as for pain relief no ibprofen or nurofen type drugs. But anything paracetamol based are fine. Obviously use as weak as you can, but if it gets hard core you can use Myersondol or even panedine forte- as long as they are paracetamol or codedine based

also when you start injecting your next stage, try giving the injections late at night, and that way any changes that will occur, will happen overnight, and lesses the effects you feel during the day.

HTH and good luck!!!
odette

just jumping in, you mentioned being able to take myersndol, I didn't think this was allowed, anyone else taking it?

I would stick with the day strength mersyndol, which is just paracetamol and codeine, and avoid the regular mersyndol with the muscle relaxant. I don't know for sure whether it's safe or not, but in the absence of instructions from a specialist/clinic, I would be playing it safe.

BW

BW, I didn't have any probs with Synarel because I was only on it for so short a time, but the headache thing doesn't surprise me. One morning, I accidentally gave myself a double dose and I thought my sinuses were going to explode. It does seem true that there is wide variation in the experience of symptoms. I haven't used Lucrin.

The injections are very easy. Are you using Puregon? The Puregon pen is a dream to use and because you are injecting into adipose tissue, you don't feel anything. The symptoms during stim are much different and you will probably feel a little bloated and like your abdomen is filling up with fluid which it kind of is in a way. If you have any problems though, or feel that your symptoms are a bit extreme, just ring the clinic right off, day or night.

Good luck ... thinking of you and wishing you all the best.

Thanks, Mel.

I think this whole process would be massively overwhelming with BB and contact with and support from women who have gone through it all before. I believe it is puregon, with a pen-type contraption. One thing I do appreciate about my clinic is that they don't do everything at once. I picked up synarel on Thursday, and when I go in next week (it's a week today!) for a blood test to check how the synarel is working, then I pick up the next lot of drugs and get taught how to do the injections.

I made a huge effort to drink more water yesterday, and I did feel immensely better. I still get the odd headache and the sinus pain from the synarel (I'm glad it's only one puff so you can alternate sides!), but I feel much more normal. Of course, I'm also constantly running to the bathroom, but it's a small price to pay!

BW

I'm glad you're feeling better. The water will help. I drank more than I needed I think but if it keeps you feeling a bit better that's a good thing.