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I did not have IVF, but instead did a cycle of injectables with IUI's and I was put on the suppositories. My progesterone level was great in the beginning. but started to go down at one point, so the doc added Prometrium (oral prog.). That combo worked well for me. I still have to say that I think the shots are your best bet after doing IVF though. With the money that is spent, it's not worth risking the numbers dropping. My doc does the shots only with his IVF patients, and saves the alternatives for clients doing IUI, etc.... I'm sure others with more experience will post and help you out. I just thought I'd throw in my two cents for what it's worth. Good luck to you!

Amy hey its Robyn (obviously) 1st congrats on starting IVF. 2nd come over to the Jan/Feb ivf thread i think one girl is doing the pio suppositories instead of injection. But someone on there might have the answer.

Amy i looked around a little on the internet i noticed that they say the injection puts out higher serum levels of the progesterone that the suppositories dont which the injection can increase the chances of better success but like i said there are a couple of girls going this route. I asked your question on the ivf thread to see if someone might know.

Hi Amy - I am starting my 1st IVF cycle in Jan/Feb. I am currently on lupron (easy shot) and will be finishing the BCP's this sunday. Right now, I am not feeling much but I am sure I will soon. The lupron shot is pretty easy it's the others that I am worried about esp the projesterone. The DR said no porg suppositories as the shot is much more successful. What meds are you taking and what timeline are you looking at? If all works well for me, I should be having my ET around Valentine's day. I along with Robyn are on the Jan/Feb IVF thread with a lot of good info. Good luck to you! Tracy - how are you? When are you due - I think May or so. Hope all is going well with you!

Hey Amy several girls have responded to your question on the thread come over there

Hi Amy- I am on the same schedule as DCL below---i started lupron already and will start stim shots Feb 4th......my RE has presribed the PIO for me and I WILL do them. he said they will hurt and will be a pain, but he said they are the absolutely best way to get the progesterone. He is one of the top 10 RE's in the country. after dishing out $11k-$12k for IVF (insurance doesn't cover for me)----there is no way i am going to rush anything or adjust what my doc says is best for me. I am going to follow it to the letter. this might be my one and only chance and I am not going to screw it up. I'll walk around naked sticking myself 10x a day if that is what it takes. so for me, doing the suppositories wasn't an option. My RE said the shots were best, so that is what I am doing. If i ended up getting a BFN or m/c......i would never forgive myself for not following his lead and doing the shots. i know it might be rough with your DH on the road- but i've had a friend, relative or neighbor give me shots before. do you have a neighbor you could count on? I have heard of people doing them themselves and i think i could totally do that too. again, i'd do whatever it takes to get my BFP. good luck!

DCL..... I am well, thanks for asking! I am almost 24 weeks PG now. Can you believe how time has flown? I am due May 20th, but have a sneaking suspicion that I will go early (or hope so). My belly is just ginormous!!!! I wish you all lots of luck and have to say, never give up, the hellish road is worth the end result!

Wow! So nice to hear from all of you...Some familiar names! Thank you for all the information. My doc said it would be fine to mix...do the shots on the days when husband is home and the suppositories when he's gone. I might do that. I do need to look into it more, though. I just got home from work and I have to run some errands but I will check out the Jan/Feb IVF thread for sure. I will be starting my BCP's in a week so I have a little time to think about this. My nurse also told me that they stopped giving shots and gave suppositories at the clinic for 4 months and they watched their success rates plumet. I don't know what my protocall will be as I am meeting with them next week to discuss that. Are there any medicines that are better than others or any I should try to avoid? Thanks again, all!

Amy when you say medicine do you mean over the counter. Once I started taking the bcps i decided no better time than to completely cut out everything. From caffiene to Tylenol PM that i was addicted to go to sleep everynight ( i was working midnites). So the only safe thing i took was Tylenol extra strength. I think thats the only med you will be allowed to take safely after the retrieval and transfer and pregnancy. No advil, or ibuprofen those are definite no's.

Amy- the mix sounds like a perfect solution for your situation. and if your RE is okay with that, go for it. I think that is great you got a solution that works for you and the RE. good luck!! ;)

No, I mean...What different injection shots? Are they basically the same? Brand names? Also, how long do you take the BCPs and how long after my AF do i start them? I'm waiting for AF to start (no I'm not pregnant) and get this show on the road! Meeting with the doc again next week to discuss my protocall.

Amy as for taking the bcps you will start them as soon as you get AF then around 21 days into taking the pill you will start Lupron (if thats what your doctor prescribed) then about 5 days later go in for your baseline u/s to make sure everything is ok. Then once the bcps are done i got my period around 4 days later. You go in for another u/s and they will tell you probably that night to lower the Lupron dosage and start the stimulation cycle. I did Gonal F and Menopur about 300 on gonal and 300 on Menopur its was 4 viles that we were able to mix together to make one injection then a couple days later went in for another u/s depending on how you are doing they will increase or decrease or keep you where you are at. Not everyone takes the same meds its whatever your doctor feels will work better for you. Though alot of us are on the same meds. Just different dosages. its really confusing to write all this down it will make more sense when you go to your RE and he explains what you will be on and then you order everything and see what your getting. Its very overwhelming when the meds come but once you start them its like part of an everyday routine.

I live in England and was given the progesterone suppositories for our ICSI treatment - just until week 4 then nothing after that. I got pregnant on our first attempt and gave birth to a baby girl at week 37 so they were fine for me. We had male factor i/f. Maybe your clinic could test your progesterone levels to see what they are like and decide based on that. The success rate (live births - pregnancy rate is higher) at my clinic was about 21% so not that high though.

Robyn, thanks for the info. My doc is going to discuss my protocall this week when he meets with the other docs and let me know what I'll be doing. Justine, thanks for the info. That's interesting that you got pregnant the first time with the suppositories. Also interesting that the success rate of your clinic was 21%...You were lucky! My doc told me that you guys don't use shots in Europe and that when my clinic tried to stop using shots, their success rates fell quickly. (Success rate for my age group at this clinic is currently 67%.) I guess it depends on the individual and the reason for the infertility. I, like you, have a make factor problem so I'm wondering if the suppositories would work just fine for me also? I am really not looking forward to the shots. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Amy - 67% is a great success rate. The success rates in the US seem to be so much higher than here in England - 21% is fairly average here. I was glad to have the suppositories not the shots (not an option here) and fortunately it worked anyway. I did a fast cycle so just had 2 weeks of injections in all using Puregon and Cetrorelix. You pay a little bit extra but it shortens the cycle by 3 weeks. We had male factor infertility only too. I think in the US they test your progesterone level with a blood test, maybe they could do this and see if its a good level anyway then maybe you could just use the suppositories. Though if the shots have a better success rate maybe you should do that, otherwise you might wonder what if I'ld done the shots if you get a BFN. If you've ever had a miscarriage I'ld do the shots as I think they are given sometimes to help maintain a pregnancy. I spoke to a girl before in the US with m/f infertility - her clinic insisted she use the shots not suppositories but they did agree to give her shorter needles, which would lessen the pain. Her first cycle was cancelled after egg collection due to OHSS then she got pregnant with a girl on the 2nd cycle. Hope it works first-time for you.

Also if you get a choice of drugs - we do in England - success rates are higher for Puregon and Gonal F than Menopur and another one beginning with M. We were given all the data to take to the doctors. Its only a few percentage points in pregnancy rates difference but every bit helps!