Orgalutran (antagonist) cycle vs OCP Down Reg cycle

Hi there,

After 1st cycle (OCP down reg) cancelled due to overstim my FS has now put me on antagonist cycle using Orgalutran. All sounds reasonable to me, just wondering if others had similar experience or can offer any advice? I know it sounds shallow but am a little nervous about the size of the orgalutran injections vs gonal f pen (which obviously will still be having as well). Found gonal f fine after first injection - the pen thing doesn't really seen like a real injection. Any tips appreciated.

Thanks in advance :)

I'm told antagonist cycles are better for those who overstim. But despite me overstimming quite badly twice, my FS kept me on down reg cycles, because they are a little harder to control, and I walk a very fine line between no response and too much response. Something about it not being possible (or harder) to change the dose of FSH, and I've always had to have my dosage cut back, but it needs to be high to get a response to start. I did have a down reg cycle where orgalutran was added (three injections per day - puregon, lucrin, orgalutran, fun!) to try to help keep my levels down.

As for the orgalutran injections... they are smaller than the trigger shot, so not the worst thing you are going to face in that department! Unfortunately, the orgalutran needles are quite blunt. I found that I couldn't get them in with a quick jab like the others, but they needed a bit more of a slow jab. It may help to numb the area with some ice before injecting, and make sure that you do the actual injection (pushing the drug in, not pushing the needle in) slow. I'd push it in slowly and pause briefly if it started stinging before resuming.

I hope that all helps, and good luck with the cycle!

BW

Hi Aleenta, I too was using Orgalutran/Peregon on my first IVF cycle.
However this was not due to any overstim, as I suffer from sinus the FS gave me this option.

As BW said the needles are a little blunt however very much the same as Trigger.
The only issues I had with them were after the injection I got a little rash.

I started a thread https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...cycle-ivf.html
Maybe this can help with any questions as well.

All the best on your journey

Hey BW and Nicole - thanks heaps for the info - very useful and it's good to know what I am in for - already visualising jabbing those blunt needles :)

Aleenta - I used Orgalutran for my last IVF cycle but still ended up with OHSS so its not a guaranteed solution but apparently it is meant to help. We chose this option as it is a much shorter cycle= fit more cycles into a year and less impact on my work.

As BW said, the needles are quite blunt and I had a reaction to one of them where the injection site blew up a fair bit and turned a nasty colour. It only happened the once, but I made sure I chose a different area to inject the next time.

Hi Bec,

what dose did you have? They are going to start me on 75iu gonal f this time so I am hoping no OHSS, but you are right - who knows there is certainly no guarantees. Good luck with your frosties and your transfer this month.

I understimulated in my first IVF, then did two rounds with 150iu (But that was IVM, so slightly different), and then was bumped up to 225iu gonal-f but hyper stimulated from that. It's so hard to predict what your body is going to do on the drugs!