Best day to start taking Gonal-F?

[haleiwamama]

Hi Ladies, what is the best day to start taking gonal-f? If you took it, how many days and at what dosage?

Im on 5dpo on my last clomid cycle and if it doesnt work I'll move on to injectables. I'll be buying directly from the manufacturer and will bring my own meds to RE. But it just occurred to me that by the time AF comes (hopefully she wont), it might be too late for me to order... and I do not want to waste my next cycle...

If its like Clomid where you take it Cd 3-5, than I might have to order it before I even know if Im pregnant or not... but it I would only start later, than it might be fine...

 

[Ceilani]

Hi Haleiwa,

It depends...will you be doing only injects, or a combination of oral/injects? I've seen other women do a combo...ie, Clomid days 3-7, then gonal-f days 8-whenever the RE says.

My injects cycles (injects only) have always started on CD2 and gone for between 9-11 days of stimming. But the days you stim and the dosage you take are completely dependent upon how your body reacts. In the beginning of my cycles, I'd go in for U/S and bloodwork (to check estrogen levels) every 3rd day (ie, CD2 for baseline, then CD5, CD8 for follie checks). Then, when I had a follicle hit the double digits I'd be in my RE's office for checks every other day. Dosage-wise, I varied anywhere between 75 IU - 125 IU based on how many follies I had growing, and the dosage was changed up during my cycle to get more or less follies.

As for purchasing meds, if your insurance doesn't cover anything, check out either Freedom Fertility Pharmacy or IVFmeds; they have the cheaper prices. You can also apply for the EMD Serono Compassionate Care Program. That program is income-based and can get you up to 75% off your injectable meds from EMDS (gonal-f, cetrotide, and ovidrel).

Hope this helps!

Edit: As a side note...do you live in HI now? I lived in Mililani for 5 years before coming out to Colorado.

 

[haleiwamama]

Hi Ceilani!

Thank you so much for your input! Yes, I live in Haleiwa!! Were you here when you did your treatment? If, yes, who was your doctor? Im seeing Dr. Fratarelli, do you have any experience with him?

I just want to be more more familiar about the dosages because since male fertility is a factor for us, in addition to my poly-cystic ovaries, I wanted to ovulate at least 2 eggs per month, but my doctor doesnt let me me because he is 100% against twins. So i kida wanted to adjust the dosage on my own since the pharmacy will ship it directly to my house. I did apply for the Compassionate Care Program and got 75% off! I would never be able to afford Gonal-F out of pocket otherwise..

How many follicles did you have at that dose? Your signature says you ovulated early, how big was the follicle?