Scared of the shots.

[Mrs. and Mrs.]

So my doctor has recommended that I start on injectables for my next cycle, specifically gonal-f OR follistem.

I just read the side effects for the shot and I'm freaking out. I don't know if I want to do this.

Can anyone who has done the shots give me some advise? Did you have side effects? Did you feel safe taking them?

Side effects below.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPER USE AND RISKS OF Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™ (follitropin alfa injection):
Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™ (follitropin alfa injection) is an injection Pen that delivers a prescription medicine containing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) used in infertile women to:

help healthy ovaries develop (mature) and release an egg
cause your ovaries to make multiple (more than 1) eggs as part of an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) program
Do not use the Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™ if you:

are allergic to recombinant human FSH or any of the ingredients listed here: follitropin alfa (r-hFSH), sucrose, meta-cresol, di-sodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate, methionine, Poloxamer 188, O-phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide
have ovaries that no longer make eggs (primary ovarian failure)
are pregnant or think you may be pregnant
have uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal problems
have a tumor in your female organs, including your ovaries, breast, or uterus
have a tumor in your brain, such as a tumor in your pituitary or hypothalamus
have abnormal bleeding from your uterus or vagina
have ovarian cysts or large ovaries, not due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Before you use Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™, tell your healthcare provider if you:

have or have had asthma
have been told by a healthcare provider that you have an increased risk for blood clots (thrombosis)
have ever had a blood clot (thrombosis), or anyone in your family has ever had a blood clot (thrombosis)
have had abdominal surgery
have had twisting of your ovary (ovarian torsion)
had or have a cyst on your ovary
have polycystic ovarian disease
have any other medical conditions
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
are taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements
Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™ may cause serious side effects, including:

severe allergic reactions in women who have used Gonal-f®, Gonal-f® RFF, or Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™ in the past. New allergic reactions can occur immediately after an injection. Severe allergic reaction may lead to death. If you have any of the following symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, stop using Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™ and go to the hospital right away:
shortness of breath
swelling of your face
itchy, red bumps or rash on your skin (hives)
ovaries that are too large; symptoms of bloating or pain in your lower stomach (pelvic) area.
ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS); a serious medical condition that can happen when your ovaries produce too many eggs (overstimulated). OHSS can cause fluid to suddenly build up in the area of your stomach, chest, and heart, and can cause blood clots to form. In rare cases OHSS has caused death. OHSS may also happen after you stop using Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™. Stop using Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™ and call your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of OHSS, including:
trouble breathing
severe lower stomach (pelvic) area pain
decreased urine output
nausea
vomiting
weight gain
diarrhea
lung problems; that cause trouble breathing (acute respiratory distress syndrome, atelectasia) and worsening of asthma.
blood clots can cause:
blood vessel problems (thrombophlebitis)
stroke
loss of your arm or leg
blood clot in your lung (pulmonary embolism)
twisting (torsion) of your ovary if you already have certain conditions such as ovarian cysts, OHSS, pregnancy and previous abdominal surgery. Twisting of your ovary may lead to blood flow being cut off to your ovary.
pregnancy with more than 1 baby and birth of multiple babies; Having a pregnancy and giving birth to multiple babies at a time increases the health risk for you and your babies. Your healthcare provider should tell you about your chances of multiple births.
birth defects in a baby born after an ART cycle (IVF or ICSI). Your chances of having a baby with birth defects may increase depending on:
your age
certain sperm problems
your genetic background and that of your partner
a pregnancy with more than 1 baby at a time
ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside your womb). Your chance of having a pregnancy outside of your womb is increased if you also have fallopian tube problems.
miscarriage. Your chance of loss of an early pregnancy may be increased if you had difficulty becoming pregnant.
tumors of the ovary. If you have used fertility medicines like Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™ (follitropin alfa injection) before to get pregnant, you may have an increased chance of having tumors in your ovary(ies) (including cancer).
The most common side effects of Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™ include:

headache
stomach pain
stomach bloating
bruising at the injection site
nausea
These are not all the possible side effects of Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™. For more information, call your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Do not share your Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™ and needles with another person. You may give another person an infection or get an infection from them.

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Also read the Gonal-f® RFF* Redi-ject™ “Instructions for Use” that comes with Pen for information about the correct use of Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject™ and follow all training and instruction provided by your healthcare provider.

Full Prescribing Information for Gonal-f® RFF Redi-jectTM (follitropin alfa injection)​​
*RFF, Revised Formulation Female


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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPER USE AND RISKS OF Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection) and Gonal-f® RFF (follitropin alfa for injection):
What are the uses of Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection) and Gonal-f® RFF* (follitropin alfa for injection)?

Gonal-f® Multi-Dose and Gonal-f® RFF are 2 products that contain follitropin alfa, which is similar to the human hormone follicle-stimulating hormone, referred to as FSH. FSH belongs to a group of human reproductive hormones.

Gonal-f® Multi-Dose and Gonal-f® RFF are used in certain infertile women to help with ovulation (production and release of a mature egg) and pregnancy. Gonal-f® will not help women whose ovaries no longer work because of a condition called Primary Ovarian Failure. Gonal-f® may also be used in women who are in an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) program such as in vitro fertilization to help their ovaries make more eggs.

Gonal-f® Multi-Dose can also be prescribed to increase sperm production in men with a rare condition that affects sperm production.

Both products should be prescribed only by doctors specializing in infertility problems and their treatment.

Who should not use Gonal-f® and Gonal-f® RFF*?

Gonal-f® Multi-Dose and Gonal-f® RFF should not be used in patients who are pregnant or think they might be pregnant, in patients with primary ovarian failure (the ovaries no longer produce eggs), or in patients with allergies to recombinant human FSH products or any other ingredients in the medication.

Patients with cancer of the sex organs or brain, or with uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disease, should not use Gonal-f® Multi-Dose or Gonal-f® RFF. Women with a history of abnormal bleeding from the uterus or vagina or with swollen, enlarged, or painful ovaries should speak to their doctor before starting treatment.

What are the possible side effects of Gonal-f® and Gonal-f® RFF*?

The lowest dose expected to achieve the desired results should be used. A doctor should monitor a woman’s response often to avoid overdose, which can lead to serious side effects, including blood clots.

Women should contact their doctor if severe pain or bloating in the stomach or pelvic area, severe upset stomach, vomiting, or weight gain are experienced during treatment. These could be signs of a rare but serious condition known as Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, or OHSS, which can result in hospitalization.

Use of Gonal-f® Multi-Dose or Gonal-f® RFF by a woman can be associated with fertilization of more than 1 egg. This can lead to complications for the woman and the birth of 2 or more babies.

The most common side effects reported by women were headache, ovarian cysts, upset stomach, and sinus infection. The most common side effects reported by men taking Gonal-f® Multi-Dose were skin pimples, breast pain and growth, and tiredness. Injections may cause some discomfort.

*RFF, Revised Formulation Female

 

[Em260]

Hi, I've taken both Gonal-f and Follistim. Honestly, they are not that bad. My main side effect was fatigue. I used them for IVF so when my estrogen got really high I felt a little dizzy too, but you're probably going to be on a much lower dose. Are you doing IUI or IVF?

 

[MMW430]

I was on both for IVF in 2013. Occasionally I got a bruise, but they weren't really that bad. I think you'll be fine.

 

[waitingongod1]

Just fatigue and bloating here! I hate shots. ..just had a medical person in family give them am counted them down to the last one. Now I got a bfp!

 

[MollyNorwood]

Hi there! Don't be too scared of the shots. I did Gonal F and Orgalutran in March last year and had no side effects at all. Everybody is different there is no way of knowing f you will have any reaction or not, you wont know until you start taking them. You will be very closely monitored (guessing you are doing IVF like I did) so if you start to have a worrying reaction a solution will be available i am sure. Good luck by the way! Its totally worth it. I ended up with my much longed for BFP which is now a gorgeous 6 month old girl

 

[redneckhippy]

I took follistim + a bunch of others for IVF. I was nervous but it really wasn't bad. Honestly I found birth control pill that I had to take for my FET to be worse (I don't do well with BC).

 

[gingmg]

I took gonal f for many many months. I was a bit hormonal- teary-but that was it. My wife forgot seltzer at the store once and I started sobbing over it. I still havent lived that down. No physical side effects though. All in all it really wasn't that bad and I would do it again in a heartbeat for a sibling for my son. At first it was hard to give myself an injection, but after a few times it was pretty easy. Good luck!
Also, if it makes you feel any better look up some pretty well known, well tolerated meds and you will see similar warnings and long lists of scary side effects.

 

[Mrs. and Mrs.]

Thanks everyone! I've calmed down a little bit.

I've been giving myself ovidrel the last four cycles, and it has the same crazy warnings. Since it's just the one shot I haven't stressed about it as much.

The gonal-f or follistim - they haven't decided which one I'm going on yet - will be at a low dose in a hybrid cycle with femara for an IUI. I think she said I'd be getting the 300iu's for my first round.

So I'll be on gonal-f, femara 5mg, ovidrel trigger shot, and 1500mg of metformin with an IUI with frozen donor sperm.

I hope this one works!

 

[Em260]

Ok, with IUI and such a low dose of gonal-f or follistim you might not even have any side effects at all. In terms of giving yourself the actual injection, you are already used to the ovidrel so this will be just as easy. Usually gonal-f and follistim come as a pen so it's super easy. You just insert a cartridge, turn the dial to the dose, and inject. Good luck to you for this cycle!

 

[Mrs. and Mrs.]

Thanks, Em!