Synarel - what to expect?

[Jaxi]

Hi Ladies. I have just started my first IVF cycle. I have fairly regular natural cycles with a short luteal phase but DH has a low sperm count with poor motility and so our assisted journey begins. I am now on day 3 of synarel and am supposed to go for a BT and scan next week to check whether my levels are supressed before commencing the purgeron(??sorry probably spelt that wrong) injections. Should I expect AF while on synarel?

My FS started me on CD22 and I would normally expect AF around CD31 which would be just about when they want me to come in for BT and scan to determine when to start the injections. I would have thought they wouldn't want to start stimulating my ovaries until I have had AF? They obviously know what they're doing but I don't

[dd0207]

Hi Jaxi

I'm no expert but I am currently in the middle of my first IVF cycle - had egg pick up yesterday so thankfully finished sniffing that dreadful stuff. Synarel won't affect your AF and they won't start you on Puregon injections until you get it, so don't worry. I assume the BT is just checking that Synarel is working and your natural hormones are being supressed - not sure why they are scanning you though. If you have any concerns, call your clinic or hopefully someone on BB has a bit more expert information to give you.

I wish you the very best of luck and hope your first cycle brings you your beautiful bundle of joy. Take care x

[Jaxi]

Thanks dd. I checked the plan my FS gave me and there is no scan so my bad. There is only a blood test so I guess they are just checking on the progress of Synarel as you said. Now I just want AF to arrive so I can start the Puregon injections!!! Never thought I'd be willing AF or injections to come but I can't wait to get the process well and truly underway.

How was the pick up? I hope they managed to get lots of good eggs that will produce top grade embryos for you. Wishing you the best of luck for your cycle. May the first cycle bring you what your heart desires. Please keep me updated. I'll be walking in your shadow so I am eager to hear more about your whole experience.

[dd0207]

HI Jaxi, you will be on Synarel until your trigger injection so a few more weeks to go yet.

I hope you get AF soon, then we want the her to stay away for 9 months! I couldn't wait to start injecting! I felt I was doing something productive, rather than just sniffing that awful stuff. How do you find it? I used to gag every time that liquid hit the back of my throat - the taste is just vile. I found the injections a breeze though - not hard, and not painful - just many bruises on the tummy!

I stimulated too quickly on Puregon 150ml so they had to move my egg pick up date a few days earlier for fear I would over stimulate and have to cancel my cycle. I only had 7 injections when it's generally around 10-12. My scan last on Monday showed so many follicles that my clinic was so surprised I wasn't doubled over in pain. I had about 10 follicles over 18mm that day with about 20 around 13-15mm. There were also quite a few that were much smaller so not in the running. So because of these numbers and very high estrogen levels, they moved pick up to Wednesday when it should have been today. Stimulating too quickly meant most of the follicles just blew up but were not viable.

So, I had 13 eggs collected on Wednesday with 6 fertilised. I am praying so hard most of them make it to beautiful strong blasties and at this stage, transfer is on Monday.

I guess the first cycle is always going to be trial and error as they don't know how our bodies will react to the drugs. I am praying very hard that you are successful this cycle and hold your much longed for baby in just over 9 months time.

I would love to share this journey with you! Keep me posted on how you go hun x

[Jaxi]

dd thank you for sharing all of that with me. Your first cycle sounds like it's been a real success so far. 6 fertilised is a great start! I really really hope you get your beautiful strong blasties for your transfer on Monday. I will be thinking of you and keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I'm also due to start 150ml of Puregon once they give me the green light. I was worried it would be too low but maybe not! I have to keep reminding myself that the first cycle will be a bit of an experiment to see how my body responds. Can I ask - Do you suffer from PCOS? I was speaking to the nurse about my chance of being overstimulated and she said it would be unlikely with me as I don't have PCOS and am at a healthy weight. Apparently it's more of a concern for women with PCOS or those who are underweight. I'll be interested to see what the 150ml does for me.

I'm finding the synarel ok. It does leave a vile taste and yesterday I had this burning sensation in my nostril after using it for a good hour which was awful. I've also developed a bit of a sore throat and just generally feel blah and so lethargic. I'm on day 4 today so not sure whether I can attribute these to synarel or whether I have a bit of a bug!? I'm also drinking lots of water as I understand it helps with reducing chances of hyperstimulation and also helps with any side effects from the synarel. I feel like I'm running to the bathroom to pee every 20mins though!

So, the synarel spray it is for me for a while still. boohoooooo I'm SO impatient! Have my BT next Thur and I guess I'll know more from then. Will keep you updated and will be hanging to hear your progress after Monday. Wishing you the best of luck!!!!!!!!!

[Baby Dreamtime]

Hi ladies, just dropping in to say GL, and also confirm that yes, sometimes it is a bit of trial and error to get your FSH dose right, my first was 225 and I heavily over stimmed, cycle cancelled. Number 2 was 125, still over stimmed, but went to EPU but no ET. Third was at 75 but they had to up the dose after 8 days of stims and I ended up stimming for an extra 2 days on 100 FSH. My last cycle was FSH 100, this seems to be perfect for me. So yes, lots of trial and error for me.

Re my first EPU, my E2 levels were 22,000 on day of trigger, they retrieved 19 eggs, 15 fertilised, and froze them all. I did 3 x day 3 FETs with these. In hind sight if I could go back I would have grown them all to blastie and frozen the best. Because of the very high E2 levels, I believe that my embie quality was compromised, they were slow growing and moderately fragmented, the best day 3 embie I had was a 7 cell, the rest were all 5 or 6 cell at day 3, all with fragmentation.

Just something to keep in mind. Best of luck, and please join us over in the LTTTC TWW thread. https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ry-2009-a.html

[dd0207]

Hi Jaxi, yep I guess I'm pretty lucky so far. I was close to having my cycle cancelled so can't complain about the number of eggs they retrieved considering.

The clinic called today to say out of the 6 fertilised, 4 are dividing really well, 1 is still at 4 cells but may keep dividing, and the last one is a little fragmented but may right itself. So am praying and praying all make it so I can at least freeze a few. Here is a prayer for each one!

I have had polycystic ovaries for years but never had the syndrome, so basically never suffered the symptoms of PCOS and always had regular periods. However when I lost my little boy, it seems it has turned into the actual syndrome as I have very irregular periods now and have gained quite a bit of weight. AAAAAGGGGRRRR

Synarel didn't really effect me so maybe the symptoms you are having could be a little flu or bug. Ask your clinic if you're not sure hun. I see you're in Sydney, can I ask what clinic you're with? I'm with IVF Australia at Westmead. Look forward to hearing your progress, please keep me posted!

Hello Baby Dreamtime, thanks for popping in and telling us your story. It's always great to hear about other people's experiences, especially when it's your first time. Sounds like I have had a similar experience to you in terms of embryo quality but I've been told my OHSS is mild, yours sounds like it was a lot worse. Trial and error...

Can I ask you how they determined not to transfer any and freeze all? I realise it was due to OHSS but what were your symptoms like for them to make that decision. I ask because I am still in so much pain from my EPU and not sure whether this will impact their decision to transfer on Monday. Mostly, the pain I feel (sorry TMI on it's way ) is near my backside especially when I put a bit of pressure to go to the loo but it also hurts when I walk, when I cough (recovering from bronchitis atm), when I sit, stand... basically ALWAYS! Did you feel this when you over stimulated? I asked the nurse but she said it shouldn't be anything to worry about, but of course I am!

Great to hear your clinic tells you levels and how many cells each of your embryos are at. Mine only say they are doing well or are/are not dividing.

I wish you the very best of luck for your FET in March. Please keep me posted. I am sending a truck load of baby vibes your way and praying that is your month

[alioops]

Jaxi - Welcome back hun!!

I am looking becoming an ED once Miss L weans (Unless DH decides that he does want 4 kids), so I have been doing lots of research. One of the things that I have noticed coming up regularly is to have an orange after the Synarel to get rid of the taste.

Good Luck hun, and don't disappear without letting us know again!!

[nic]

One of the things that I have noticed coming up regularly is to have an orange after the Synarel to get rid of the taste.

Yep, as someone who spent 3 months sniffing Synarel, I would try to have a lolly/chocolate/mint afterwards, anything that would take away that nasty taste.
Jaxi - I couldn't see if you wrote down if you were sniffing once or twice a day? Are you doing it on both sides or just in the one nostril all the time? If you are only doing one side, then that might be causing it to be a bit irritated. I would switch sides, so I would sniff on the left side in the morning and the right side at night. Gave my poor nostrils a tiny break before they were irritated again.

Goodluck with everything Jaxi, hope all runs smoothly and we are hearing some BFP news from you soon

Nic

[Bengal]

Hi girls :

Wanted to pop in and say HI and good luck with your cycles girls

Baby Dreamtime, I read that the clinics like to freeze a larger amount at day three, as day three's defrost better than blasties, just a little note to add, so you dont have the in highensite feeling

DD : I can relate to the syptoms you are describing to a T. I was so scared to sit on the toilet, and I couldnt have done number 2 for all the tea in china, after my last egg pick up of 16. My best advice is to take some pain relief and rest all you can, Monday is an exciting day my love, I had a lot of pain at ET as well, but FS still went on, so best of luck with Monday

The Syneral is the worst, I found I had to have a bottle of extra sweet cordial to gulp and then continue to sip after every sniff, I am not sure what I have done here, I cant read which one of you ladies had to sniff for 3 months - I would of gone insane ..... you deserve a medal

We should start a " I hate Syneral thread"

[dd0207]

Thanks wouldloveabubba. Good to know this pain is fairly normal and they will probably go ahead with ET. You have gone through such a difficult journey yourself and I am hugging you very tight to say how very sorry I am for your losses.

I love the idea of "I hate Synarel" thread I can't believe a little sniff can cause so much hatred! I would rather have injected myself 10 times a day than use that dreaded, awful stuff.

Are you doing another cycle? Best of luck on your journey hun x

[Bengal]

DD, how thoughtfull and caring of you to think of me and my angels when you lost a precious angel yourself. My heart goes out to you and how devastating your loss was for you and dh.

My best advice to you, is to let nature take its course, on Monday, you are out of control, there is nothing you can do, you may not have blasties, but that doesnt mean you are not going to achieve your dream. In my last cycle's I placed too much emphasis on egg numbers, and cell numbers, and blasties etc etc, and ended up crying my eyes out in the chair at embryo transfer. Never again !!!

Rest all you can, and focus all day tommorow on creating a warm environment for your embryo's, let the experts do their job and breathe, that is what I am doing on our next cycle. It is out of our hands my love.

By the way, I rang my FS, and asked for an alternative for syneral (lip curling at the thought of it) and thier substitute is an injection..... of course it will cost us an extra arm an leg to not suffer the consequenses of syneral.......

Is thier a "we should win powerball, b/c we need to pay for IVF syndicate anywhere that I should be aware of"

[Jaxi]

dd, I'm seriously praying for you hun. What an exciting/nerve wracking time for you!!! Sorry you're feeling so sore. So, this is what I'm in for?

I'm with others on the loss of your little one. At 21 weeks that would have been devastating. I admire your strength and really really hope this is it for you.

Well, the nasal/throat irritation has turned into a full blown cold. Boohoo! At least now I know I'm not really suffering any bad side effects from the synarel. I was just coming down with a cold. Nic, I've been alternating nostrils to give each one a break.

Anyone know if I can take decongestants (demazin, codral or sudafed capsules) while on the synarel? I tried calling my clinic yesterday but they were already closed by the time I called. There is an emergency number to call but this is hardly an emergency! I don't want to be that annoying patient in my first week of this.

dd, I'm at Fertility East. So far they've all been great. Very positive atmosphere which is just what I need.

Ali, thank you hun! Sorry I disappeared without leaving a note. I just became all too overwhelmed at one stage and needed to stay away from everything baby/pregnancy/ttv related. Now that we've finally begun IVF I'm feeling positive again. Thank you for caring so much. Hope you're doing well

[dd0207]

Thank you wouldloveabubba and Jaxi, losing Sebastian at 21 weeks was so absolutely heart wrenching for us and I think of him and yearn for him everyday.

wouldloveabubba, you poor love, I can only imagine how difficult ET is as that's it, there is nothing more you or your FS can do and it's all up to the little cutie to implant. You really make me laugh with your new thread suggestions I think we'd have enough prize money to share around if we got all the IVF-ers on board to play! It sure is very expensive but hey if we get our dream in the end then I'm sure we would mortgage our soul. So when do you start? I'm cheering you on from now!

Jaxi, I caught a really bad cold while using synarel too which actually turned into bronchitis. My FS said I could take Keflex antibiotics which is very very safe and Bisolvin cough medicine. Do not take codral or anything like that hun. Go the doctor and get a prescription. I assure you it is absolutely safe - the GP and pharmacist even looked them up on some database to confirm. Basically, during your cycle, you can take anything that you would be allowed to take if pregnant. Drink plenty of fluids, rest as much as you can and get well soon hun.

[nic]

Jaxi, I had a cold after starting the Synarel as well. I felt funny calling my FS or clinic too, so went to our local chemist who checked up on what I could take while sniffing. He ended up giving me a saline solution thingy to sniff lol!
Hope it clears up for you soon

[Bengal]

Hi girls, hope your Sunday is going well

Jaxi, oh thats all you need, I hope you can rest up as much as you can, and get well soon

DD: I am in a natural TWW as we speak, hoping but not getting too stressed, apart from checking every time I visit the loo for an implantation bleed. If and when af arrives, we will start another cycle then...I started taking my temp, and I think I ovulated a few days ago, which would of been CD 19, so I have been way off with the whole, you ovulate at day 14 routine ... Time will tell ..

Wishing you the best of luck for tommorow, I will be thinking of you xx

[dd0207]

Oh wouldloveabubba I am sending you a truck load of baby dust for this to be your month Hope you kept getting some lovin' after day 14 I always had a 33 day cycle and ovulated around day 19-2 so I'm no 14 day ovulator either. Makes the cycle sooooo long.

Jaxi, hope you're resting and feeling a bit better hun

[Jaxi]

Thanks dd, nic and wouldloveabubba I've been taking it very easy today, drinking lots and lots and think I might just give myself the day off work tomorrow. I guess it's good practice for pregnancy right?

wouldloveabubba I also ovulate late in my natural cycle - around CD21 and then have a short LP of 9 days so I know how you both feel. I'm hoping I wont have to wait so long this cycle with the help of all the drugs.

dd, will be thinking of you all day tomorrow so please report back as soon as you're able to. Wishing you all the best.