Questions about doseage - Follistim

UncleBen

Hi ladies - I'd like to ask a quick question or two if you don't mind....

for those of you who have used Follistim and got a BFN, what was the protocol for the next cycle?  I went from a 112.5 dose to 225 iu per day this cycle...and my CD8 results (after 5 days of stimming) were a bit different.  I had only one more follicle than the last cycle and they were all much smaller.  Last time they were 14mm, this time they were 10mm.  It seemed odd that the more Follistim I inject, the smaller they'd be? 

Also, has you doctor mentioned anything to you about the doseage and your size/weight?  My doctor made a comment to me today about how someone of my size and weight should not need 225 iu, but that for some reason, I do.  I didn't realize that size/weight would have much to do with it - I just figured that because of naturally occuring hormone levels, some of us might need a boost less or more than others.  But what does weight have to do with it? 

thanks for reading...and hope to hear your stories/thoughts. 

AuburnBride06

How long did you stim for?  How many follicles did you have at the time of trigger? what was your E2? are you still stimming?  With the exception of my 1st cycle, all my cycles on follistim have been pretty much the same.  My first cycle, I started at 150iu and after 5nights I didn't have anything going on. So I was upped to 225iu and had an E2 explosion after a couple days and so I was lowered to 200iu and after a few more days I triggered.  All my other cycles I start and stay at 200iu and stim anywhere from 9-12 nights.  I usually trigger with an E2 somewhere between the high 1000s and the mid to high 2000s. My RE did not make any changes after our one BFN cycle.

I dont really know about the weight in relation to the dosage.  I'm about 180lbs and typically use around 1800-2100iu/cycle.   again staying at 200iu/night every night.

It could be that you may need to stim longer to get bigger follicles.  

erica2573

My first IUI, I did clomid the first 5 days, then follistim (75) for the next 4. I had 3 nice size follies that round but still at BFN. Cycle 2, I had the same protocal and only produced 1 follie (24mm). This current cycle, my RE upped my meds to 150 clomid for 5 days and 125 of follistim for 4 days. This time I have 3 nice follies (24, 20, 20) and my E2 level was 756. 

I am not sure about the correlation between weight and meds. Obviously, I didn't flucuate very much in weight in 3 months but my body responded differently each time.

psychmusetls

i'm on my third follistim cycle.  i have 30 follies + per ovary so they stim me slow and steady.  I stim for about 14 nights.  first cycle i started at 50 and moved up to 100.  3  leading follies between 18 and 24 mm.  second cycle started at 75 and went up to 125.  several medium-large follies but estradiol was getting too high, triggered and ended up releasing 8 eggs (they weren't expecting this or they wouldn't of had me trigger).  this cycle they started me at 100. 

It's a lower dosage than most of what i've seen on here, and i'm a bigger girl.  you can see my pic below, and i've gained almost 40 pounds since ditching BCP.    so i dunno if the dosage has anything to do with size/weight

UncleBen

AuburnBride06:

How long did you stim for?  How many follicles did you have at the time of trigger? what was your E2? are you still stimming?   

On the last cycle, I stimmed for 7 days, 112.5 per day.  I had two follies on each side on CD8 - all 14mm.  My E2 was just over 400 (so maybe 2 good eggs in those 4 follies?).  On CD10 4 follies all 18 mm (No idea what e2 was though...).  Triggered on CD10 - ovulated day 12 (about 36 hours after trigger).  Started AF on CD21.  Doc says that I started early because of the Follistim dose being too low (not sure I get this but I can't get a clear answer from him).  He told me today that I didn't get pregnant because of the medicine, not because there weren't good eggs in there.  He said my hormone levels were "out of whack" - alhtough they never did any bloodwork after I triggered.  I just don't get this doctor and really am feeling a need to find a new one.

So this cycle they increased to 225 iu per day.  I'm doing my 6th dose tonight, and will continue until Saturday (which means 9 days of stimming).  Doc expects follicles to be 18mm by Sunday when I have my next appointment.  He said if that's the case, I'll trigger Sunday night. 

UncleBen

thanks for the comments/responses, ladies.  it is very helpful for me to understand what other women are using.  My doctor stinks and he never shares enough information with me, so this board is just so helpful for me.  If this cycle isn't the one, then I am definitely finding a new doctor!

Good luck to you all and thank you again!