I didn't have any pain with the 10 unit or 5 unit lupron (just itching), nor with the super easy to use follistim pen 75 unit injection. The menopur injection burned like one of the worst pains of my life. I heard it was going to sting but was in no way ready for what I felt. The 75 units of menopur + 1cc of saline dissolved together immediately and was at room temperature. We waited about 5 minutes prior to injecting. We didn't wait for the alcohol to dry 100% but it wasn't sopping wet either. Normally it was a non-issue with the daily lupron injections. I have heard the menopur pain varies for people. Mine was injected at a 45 degree angle into some belly fat. The pain was a burning, shooting sting that is similar to a general anesthesia injection but 10x worse (for me).
Since the pain was so intolerable, I called both my doctor as well as the on-call nurse from the specialty pharmacy for any tips. The nurse at my doctor's office said she wasn't sure reducing the 1cc to half would do anything because she wasn't sure if the sting occurs from. The nurse from the specialty pharmacy said that she has heard women have had success in reducing pain by using 1/2 a cc with the 75 units of menopur. She also suggested ice and confirmed that a 90 degree injection angle is ideal. She said belly fat would be less painful than the outer thigh injection and icing the area 10 minutes before could possibly help.
Night and day difference on the second night since I did the following:
Let the menopur mixture sit for 15 minutes before injecting ice the area 10 minutes before injecting allow alcohol to completely dry before puncturing the skin with the needle inject only 1/2cc instead of 1 cc ensure the injection is done much slower massaging the area after injection
With all of the above taken into account, my pain was not that far off from a flu shot injection. I suppose this solution doesn't work for everyone but I wanted to share because I feel so much better with the info I got. I'm not a doctor and its important to double check with a medical pro before changing up anything even if its just the liquid solution for mixing.
I'm sorry it stung so badly. Glad you found a solution that worked for you. In my experience, it stung much less by the end of my cycle. Of 3 different injections at once, the menopur did suck the most in the beginning and caused the BIGGEST bruises, but like I said, wasn't bad by the end.
I did make the mistake of not drying the alcohol-swabbed area before my very first lupron injection; BIG mistake.
3/20/14 Fetal Demise 20 wks F/L 17 wks D&E attempted 3/21/14 & 3/22/14 Born Still 3/23/14 I love you B.T.
"Sometimes you try your hardest, but things don't work out the way you want them to." –Nani (Lilo & Stitch)
“All I can say is, it's a sort of kinship, as though there is a family tree of grief. On this branch, the lost children, on this the suicided parents, here the beloved mentally ill siblings. When something terrible happens, you discover all of the sudden that you have a new set of relatives, people with whom you can speak in the shorthand of cousins.” ― Elizabeth McCracken
8/2014 FET 8/7/14 Transferred 1 5-day blast (4AA): BFN
TTCAL September Siggy Challenge: Animals in Clothing
***Losses mentioned.*** TTC #1 since May 2012. Me: 37, OH: 41. Ectopic August 2012 => tubal damage. Stage 1 endo removed June 2013. IVF #1 Oct/Nov 2013: Long Lupron with Gonal-F. 7R, 7M, 7F. 2 txfer@3d. Nothing frozen. => M/C @ 8 wks. Selected RPL panel all normal. Very hyper and brittle response to stims. IVF #2 (antagonist protocol) Feb 2014 => Converted to IUI (Perfect conditions). BFN. IVF #2.1 w/ new RE June 2014: Antagonist protocol. 33R, 31M, 30F, 19 blasts to test!!! I made it through without crashing!! Hats off to Dr. Fancypants!! ET of one 5AB blast. BFN. 13 10 CCS'ed snowflakes! FET #1 PUPO as of 7/29 Betas: 8/7@24, 8/9@97, 8/11@334 (etc.) Two sacs on 8/15, one seen on 8/18 after a bleed. U/s 8/25 (6+3) "perfect": 5.9 mm + HB@120bpm! U/s 9/4 (7+6): 15.9 mm + HB@172 bpm! Please, PLEASE stick this time!!!!
I found that letting Luveris (similar to Menopur) sit for awhile definitely helped with the burning! The first day was the worst, but it's been getting better! Glad you're finding the same
Me: 30, DH: 32 My hx: uterus/hormones normal Dx: low AMH 0.5 = poor ovarian reserve hubby hx: low sperm count, poor motility, started on clomid, retest in May showed no improvement, will be on clomid another 3 months, another retest scheduled for August
Started IVF #1: ~BFP Mentioned~
ER (Thursday April 17th, 3 precious eggs).
April 18th: Received news 2 out of 3 eggs fertilized!
Planned 3dt: Easter day, transferred two 8B embryos and received pictures
I've been taking 225iu Bravelle and 75iu Menopur, all reconstituted in 1cc NaCl. I have not had too much trouble with the burning, though it does sting a bit, I also found that injecting at 90 degrees and SLOWLY works best for me. I take a deep breath, stick, and slowly exhale as I inject. Been working great so far!
Similar to pp - inject at 90 degrees, in the belly, and go slow. I think it burned a little but it was nothing compared to the Cetrotide burn / itch. Also I did have bruising with the Menopur.
Slow is the way to go! I was on 175cc of menopur and it burned every single time going in. Centrotide made my skin all red and itchy. It's just all so much fun.
Re: Menopur or Menopure (?) solution to the burning sting and pain!
9/2010 SA=Normal 9/10 HSG Dx Both tubes dilated; Rx bilateral salpingectomy & IVF; 9/2010-12/2012 Financial break
1/2013 Bilateral Salpingectomy 5/2013 Recent SA shows borderline morphology
5/2013 IVF w/ ICSI #1 6/25/13 ER=11R 9M 9F 6/28/13 3dt of 2 embies (8B & 6A-); no frosties: BFN
***Losses mentioned.*** TTC #1 since May 2012. Me: 37, OH: 41. Ectopic August 2012 => tubal damage. Stage 1 endo removed June 2013. IVF #1 Oct/Nov 2013: Long Lupron with Gonal-F. 7R, 7M, 7F. 2 txfer@3d. Nothing frozen. => M/C @ 8 wks. Selected RPL panel all normal. Very hyper and brittle response to stims. IVF #2 (antagonist protocol) Feb 2014 => Converted to IUI (Perfect conditions). BFN. IVF #2.1 w/ new RE June 2014: Antagonist protocol. 33R, 31M, 30F, 19 blasts to test!!! I made it through without crashing!! Hats off to Dr. Fancypants!! ET of one 5AB blast. BFN. 13 10 CCS'ed snowflakes! FET #1 PUPO as of 7/29 Betas: 8/7@24, 8/9@97, 8/11@334 (etc.) Two sacs on 8/15, one seen on 8/18 after a bleed. U/s 8/25 (6+3) "perfect": 5.9 mm + HB@120bpm! U/s 9/4 (7+6): 15.9 mm + HB@172 bpm! Please, PLEASE stick this time!!!!
***EVERYONE WELCOME***
Me: 30, DH: 32
My hx: uterus/hormones normal Dx: low AMH 0.5 = poor ovarian reserve
hubby hx: low sperm count, poor motility, started on clomid, retest in May showed no improvement, will be on clomid another 3 months, another retest scheduled for August
Started IVF #1: ~BFP Mentioned~
Ella Rose
1/17/15 born via IVF w/ ICSI
Spontaneous Twins!
Due January 2016
Follow our Journey
TTC Since 12/2008; DH: 32, Azoospermia me: 33, DX during IVF #4: Low AMH (Normal FSH) / SER due
to IVF Meds (causing failure to fertilize) Recent DX: Hashimoto's, Lupus Anticoagulant, White Blood Cell Disorder
High ANA, ATA, & APA, PAI-1 Heterozygous= blood clotting disorder; connective tissue disorder
IVF w/ ICSI #1 2/2011 IVF w/ ICSI #2 5/2011 IVF w/ ICSI #3 12/2012 *New RE* IVF w/ ICSI #4 5/2013
IVF w/ ICSI #5 8/2013 (Natural Cycle- No drugs)- One follicle->one blast. CCS normal. FET 9/10- 6BB blast. m/c @ 5w
IUI #1 12/23- BFN IUI #2 Cancelled (ovulated during AF) Prep:CoQ10 (300 mg); DHEA (25 mg); Melatonin (3 mg), Folgard 2.2, Metformin 500 2x, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Aspirin 81mg w/ calcium, B12, Vit. D 4000 & Prenate Elite Daily; Cabergoline 1/2 pill 2x week- Cycling: Estrace Priming; Prednisone 10mg, Lovenox 40mg 2x, Femera & Menopur
IUI #2.1 6/30 & 7/1. 1st Beta: 90 (7/15); 2nd Beta: 226 (7/17); 3rd Beta: 766 EDD: 3/23/2015