IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

I am seriously considering pushing to start with injectibles instead of 150mg of Clomid. I had no response to 50mg and 100mg and my gut tells me Clomid just isn't for me.

How do they injectibles work? What is the medication called and when do you take it?

Anyone have success with it?

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

Here's how my first IUI/injectable cycle went:

Basically, you're going to have a baseline sono to make sure that you don't have any residual cysts or anything like that. Then you'll start on a stim like Gonal-F or Follitism. After a few days, you'll start to go in for bloodwork and ultrasounds to check your progression. Then, you might also start something like Cetrotide or Ganirelix which is supposed to stop you from ovulating prematurely so that all of your follies can be the same size. There's no set amount of time to stim... it all depends on how your body reacts. Then you'll trigger (probably with Ovidrel) and then have the IUI.

10/31 - CD 1 - Gonal-F, 75 IU

11/1 - CD 2 - Gonal-F, 75 IU

11/2 - CD 3 - Gonal-F, 75 IU

11/3 - CD 4 - Gonal-F, 75 IU. B/W: Estradiol = 71

11/4 - CD 5 - Gonal-F, 75 IU. B/W: Estradiol = 91. Ultrasound - number of "committed" eggs is unknown (still too small).

11/5 - CD 6 - Gonal-F, 75 IU

11/6 - CD 7 - Gonal-F, 75 IU.

11/7 - CD 8 - Gonal-F, 112.5 IU. B/W: Estradiol = 92. Ultrasound - numerous follies on each side, but still no "committed" eggs!

11/8 - CD 9 - Gonal-F, 112.5 IU (I did this one myself!)

11/9 - CD 10 - Gonal-F, 112.5 IU

11/10 - CD 11 - Gonal-F, 112.5 IU, Cetrotide. B/W: Estradiol = 354! Ultrasound - 1 committed egg, 1-2 others that could be also.

11/11 - CD 12 - Gonal-F, 112.5 IU. Cetrotide .25 mg.

11/12 - CD 13 - Gonal-F, 112.5 IU. Cetrotide .25 mg. B/W: Estradiol = 604! Ultrasound - 2 committed eggs!

11/13 - CD 14 - Ovidrel trigger in AM

11/14 - CD 15 - IUI

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

Well, okay you see how we started with 75 IU and got 2 follies? That was our first cycle - BFN.

The next cycle, they upped me to 150 IU and I ended up getting 18+ follicles! So we were told that we could cancel or convert to IVF... so we converted.

So I don't really have a good idea about whether or not IUI/injectables would have worked for us.. but my guess is no because our first IVF and first FET didn't work either.

Many people have great success with them though! And it gives you a good idea about how your body responds to injectable meds which would also be used in IVF if you ever got to that point.

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

I did 6 IUIs. 2 on Clomid; 4 on injectables. I was on Follistim. While it scared the heck out of me, the injections really weren't too bad.

I was unsuccessful, but I wasn't a great IUI candidate to begin with. I have only one fallopian tube and we have slight MF issues.

We had to do 6 IUIs before our insurance company would pay for IVF. Our problems were bad enough for IUIs to not work but not bad enough to convince the insurance company to let us skip them.

I didn't do anything on Clomid, but became a champion follicle maker on the injectables. Good luck!

We were successful on our first IVF round though.

ETA: I did the injections nightly for about 10 nights before the trigger shot and then the IUI. I also had less side effects on the injectables than I did on Clomid. On Clomid I had hot flashes and terrible mood swings. I was okay on the Follistim.

Message edited 7/4/2009 10:51:50 AM.

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

I had success with injectibles/iui. We did 4 rounds of clomid and then switched to injectibles. I was on Follistim - 100iu. I was also really nervous about the shots, etc. - but it really wasn't that bad. I don't know about Gonal, but Follistim uses a pen that is really easy to use. Good luck to you!

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

Thanks everyone for your response. I am really at a loss for whether or not I should try the 150mg of Clomid or go right to injectibles!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

It is a hard decision - you never know the extra 50mg could make a difference. The injectibles are definitley a little more involved, more monitoring, etc., but totally doable. Good luck in your decision.

Re: IUI with Injectibles - how does it work?

i had no success with injectibles.. we did 3 rounds.
i used Follistim.

i was on the lowest dose of 75 , then we upped it the last 2 times. and created 3 eggs.