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:D I had my first IUI this morning at 10AM. We used the HMG injections everynight and I had transvaginal ultrasounds coupled with hormone level draws every 3- 4 days for the past two weeks. I have stage 4 endometriosis and one ovary so my Fertility Guy went straight to the injections. He would prefer to start with IVF but my insurance doesn't cover it and I would like to at least give IUI a try. The injections burned but we found through trial and error that it is not the size of the needle but the amount of the injection. Try to mix the powder or ampule in less than a 1:1 ratio if you can. And if you have more than 1 or 2 cc of fluid to inject split it up and use two sites. You'll thank me. Also let your husband do them. The one time I tried to do it myself I had a huge bruise. Most of the time I had a small knot the next day even when he did it, so rotate the sites, outer thigh, lateral glut and deltoid.

Thanks brittonbrunson for the info. I wish you the best of luck and hope this is the one for you!! Baby dust!

Shansy (Shannon)

I have done injections with gonal-f. I was scared and intimidated by the whole process, but it really isn't too bad. Get hubby to do the injections, don't look, and its over before you know it. Just remember tell him to poke the needle in fast and pull it out fast, but not to inject the solution too fast (this can cause a burning senstation). The needles didn't hurt more than a bug bite.

As for side effects, I didn't have any except for mild to moderate pressure close to O and shortly after because of the swollen ovaries. I certainly didn't have any of the emotional side effects of Clomid.

Good luck!

Hey Shansy.. what dosage of Gonal-F are you on? I did 2 rounds of 1050 Gonal... and I too was really worried at the beginning about giving myself needles.. and in the stomach! But it was surprisingly easy! I was so nervous the first time that I screwed up and gave myself a nasty bruise.. but from then on I just made sure I gave my injection when I wasn't rushed... and that I stayed calm.. had everything ready. I've had to give myself needles for B12 injections before.. so giving myself needles isn't new... but I did find the Gonal-F easy and painless.

Silli-Kittie is right too.. the time around ovulation.. you will get lots of cramping but other than that I had no side effects. Do you also have an Ovidrel injection for the end of your cycle? By the time you get to that needle.. you will be a pro!

Hello!

I will be also starting my first IUI in November, with Gonal-F and Ovidrel. I´m really looking forward to it but at the same time, find it a bit stressful! and would like to share this time with you.

Looking forward to hearing from you! BTW, I am 29 years old and DH is 32. We have been TTC for three years now and finally decided to start with IUI.

Shannon, I would like to be your buddy this month :D and, if needed, the next too!!

Best,
Beth

Hey Beth-

Thanks for responding. I am now debating if I should do the cycle in Nov. I took this past month off of meds/IUI's and wanted to see how my body would react. I just got AF yesterday on day 36- yes, my hopes were up that perhaps I was pregnant on a natural cycle...but oh well. If my Nov. cycle repeats this pattern, I won't be getting AF until the very end of Nov. or beginning of Dec. and then it puts the actual IUI in the middle of Dec.! That is not a good time for us as we are going to Florida for Christmas and I don't think I can handle having my 2ww during that time.

When is your IUI going to take place?? I wish you the best of luck and I will certainly be here to support you if you need it. :) Lots of luck and babydust to you!!!

Hi Baby4Us-

I would be on 1050 of Gonal F and then an Ovidrel shot right before the IUI. I am thinking now that it will be in January that I will be doing this...seems so far away. :-[

Congrats to you and I hope all is going well!!

Hey Shansy.. goo dluck with your IUI in January... and you deserve that vacation in FLA in December.. so enjoy it!

1050 Gonal-F.. that's what I was on... and I think the higher dosage was what helped me.. so I am hoping the same for you.. Baby Dust!

Hello Shansy,

Thanks for the note. I just spoke with my RE yesterday and probably the IUI will be around November 12-15, it depends on the day when AF shows up this cycle. But I am sooo ready for it, I mean, I´ve never wished AF to show up as much as I do now. It all will start on that day.

About your hopes this month, I´m sorry to hear you didn´t get the good news...the same happened to me a couple of months ago and I was excited thinking I was already on day 31 but then, you know... the dissapointment. But don´t worry and keep your spirits high!!

Better think about your Christmas vacations! and January will be here before you notice. The Christmas Season is always soooo nice :)

Talk to you soon!
Beth

Shannon - I never had to stimulate because I use donor eggs. I have to do the progesterone shots with the ivf and I ice my sites before giving myself the shots. Hubby is too nervous to give me them. The shots are painless then.

I am a bit nervous - actually that might be putting it mildly. I start Gonal-F shots tomorrow. My husband already he said he'll do it but I'm still quite scared and I feel silly being scared about that part - it's a little needle right?

My IUI will be approx. 11/5 or 11/6, it will be my 4th IUI but first with inject. and not clomid. After lots of testing we're still diagnosed "unexplained infertility" I'm 26 and DH is 28.

This is all so stressful - good luck to everyone else going through this! Thank you Silli_Kitti for the tips I am giving them to my hubby!

Dear All,
I will be doing iui at Nov. as well. I will do a baseline check tomorrow. My dosage of Gonal-f is 75 . My friend told me it is too low. Could you tell me what dosage is suitable. BTW , this is my first IUI. I had two cycles of Clomid and failed. The 2nd cycle of Clomid caused me didn't have period and my doctor proscribed me Provera to induce period. I got a light period yesterday. Do you have the same experience? Can I do the IUI at the same cycle that I use Provera to induce the period?
Thanks a lot!
Rena

I've read and read and decided to become a new member today - I need the help through all of this! I do become worried that my DH thinks I'm crazy sometimes...

Rena - I am also starting at 75 this month and thought it was too low. We're "unexplained" and they've done tests showing I ovulate on my own so my Dr. said he wanted the first month kept low to see how my body reacts to the drug. He said if I ovulate too strong - 3 or 4 instead of 1 or 2 they might suggest skipping IUI to avoid multiples (I'd likely want to go for it anyway.) So anyway they said that starting low gives them a baseline and a strong ovulation with 1 or 2. If you don't mind me asking - what did they tell you if you asked about 75 being too low? Good luck!

Dear Julie,
Thank you for your response. I am going to ask my doctor tomorrow about the dosage. My friend insisted that I should increase the dosage to 150. She had done iui with Gonal-f for three babies successfully. She started with 150. I am kind of afraid that my ovary will over stimulated and cause any problem. I am 42 years old. There is not time left for me to try and error. But I am very worried about the whole procedure.
Thanks!
Rena

Welcome Julie... you will find you will be coming here everyday for support and to offer support... the ladies here are full or warmth and knowledge..so you came to the right place!

Good luck both Rena and Julie for your IUI's in November. There is most likely a reason why your doc/RE put you on 75 Gonal-F... it might be to monitor how you do on Gonal ... as mentioned... you could become overstimulated... chance of multiple birth etc.

So best to see how your body reacts to the 75 Gonal-F.. and if you are concerned.. to bring up your wish to perhaps move to a 105 Gonal-F... but def. wise to go ahead with your 75 for November.

Good luck both of you.. and good luck with the needles.. you will be a pro in no time!

Keep us posted.. Baby Dust!!!

Hello Julie, Rena and all of you! :)

I am also doing my first IUI in November, I´m guessing somewhere around 11/12- 11/14. And I am also taking Gonal F 75. My RE said he wanted to see how my body reacted to the medicine, somehow the first IUI is a bit of a "test".

I am nervous but excited at the same time. I should start with Gonal in a couple of days and, although I don´t look forward to having all the needles, I guess I´m more excited about the whole IUI starting!!

Good luck to you and lets be optimistic!
Lots of baby dust!

Beth