Med dosage of follistim/gonal-f for ivf?

OCW2010

How does the dosage of FSH compare from an IUI cycle to a fresh ivf?  If this cycle is a bfn, I think we may move on to ivf.  Since we're 100% oop, another injectibles cycle would be ~$3500, and ivf is about $10k before meds.  This cycle I took gonal-f for 8 days, total of 1350iu.  I think I responded pretty well.  How does the dosage on an ivf cycle compare?

 If you would share what you were on for an IUI injects cycle vs an ivf cycle, or even just what you were on for ivf, I'd appreciate it.  I'm just trying to estimate the cost of meds. 

I believe my RE's protocol is to also use Luvaris and ganirelix during an ivf cycle, if needed.  Are these pretty significant costs too?

Thanks ladies. 

madelyn07

I was on 150iu Follistim for inject IUI cycles and 375iu of Gonal-F for IVF. My Menopur dosage actually was decreased for IVF though.

My OOP cost for my meds for IVF was just under $8k. 

Don't know naything about Luvaris but I was on Ganirelix and, yes, it is another expensive drug. 

 

OCW2010

madelyn07:

I was on 150iu Follistim for inject IUI cycles and 375iu of Gonal-F for IVF. My Menopur dosage actually was decreased for IVF though.

My OOP cost for my meds for IVF was just under $8k. 

Don't know naything about Luvaris but I was on Ganirelix and, yes, it is another expensive drug. 

Is 150iu of Follistim equivalent to 150iu of Gonal?

Is it pretty typical for ivf med dosage to be a lot more than IUI dosage?  This is depressing.  These drugs are not cheap.  =( 

UMichGirl

The highest dose I was on for an IUI was 300 units and that was on Menopur. With my IVF I will be started at 225 Menopur and 225 Follistim per day. I will also be adding in Ganirelex too.Basically I'm on double the dose almost of my IUI cycle. Good luck!

OCW2010

UMichGirl:

The highest dose I was on for an IUI was 300 units and that was on Menopur. With my IVF I will be started at 225 Menopur and 225 Follistim per day. I will also be adding in Ganirelex too.Basically I'm on double the dose almost of my IUI cycle. Good luck!

Thanks UMich! 

Edwina.McDunnough

225iu Follistim/day for IUis for 10-11 stim days

IVF1 : 4 gonal + 2 menopur/day + ganirelix for 11 stim days
IVF2+3 : 6 gonal + 2 menopur /day + ganirelix  for 11 and 14 stim days

(ganirelix added after 5 stim days)

IVF1+2: gonal, menopur, ganirelix, medrol, doxy, progesterone
IVF3: above, with vivelle dot and more ganirelix.

There may be more, I feel like I'm forgetting something ...

OCW2010

Edwina.McDunnough:

225iu Follistim/day for IUis for 10-11 stim days

IVF1 : 4 gonal + 2 menopur/day + ganirelix for 11 stim days
IVF2+3 : 6 gonal + 2 menopur /day + ganirelix  for 11 and 14 stim days

(ganirelix added after 5 stim days)

IVF1+2: gonal, menopur, ganirelix, medrol, doxy, progesterone
IVF3: above, with vivelle dot and more ganirelix.

There may be more, I feel like I'm forgetting something ...

Thanks Edwina.

Wow, I didn't realize that ivf entailed so much more in meds than an IUI injects cycle. 

huskerbaby

My IVF cycle was more like 275IU for follistim in the am and 3 vials of menopur in the pm, but I think it was only for 7-8 days. I also used ganrilex- I think one syringe for 3 nights.  Good luck!

OCW2010

Thanks Husker!

Ok ladies I'm off to bed but I will definitely check back  in the AM for anyone else's responses, thanks in advance. 

kimarino13

It's way different, D.  I was on Bravelle, Menopur, Ganirelix, PIO, and some antibiotics and steroids.  Not sure of the costs on them, but IF it comes to that, call Alexander's Twin Pharmacy to get quotes.  I hear they are pretty decent.  (I used Schraft's/Walgreens.)

STL34

Hey OCW.  Your IVF dosage really depends on how you respond and the protocol you are on.  I am a poor responder and I only was on 300 iu of Gonal-F or Follistim per day.  With 75 iu of Menopur (with this my Gonal-F or Follistim was reduced by 75 iu) or Luveris (no reduction in Gonal-F or Follistim because it is just LH).  

You already know the pricing of Gonal-F/Follistim.  Menopur runs from about $79 to $100 dollars per vial (there are 75 ius FSH and 75 ius LH per vial).   You can get Luveris for $25 per vial from Freedom Fertility (it is 75 ius of LH). 

For IVF #1 I was on long lupron.  I did 300 ius of Follistim or Gonal-F (I used some of both) for 5 days and 225 ius for 2 days (a total of 1950 ius).  I did one vial of Menopur on the two days my other stim was reduced (a total of 2 vials).  I was on Lupron for the entire cycle and starting a couple of weeks before hand (it doesn't sound like you will use this, but it only took one 2 week kit).  I was on a bunch of other stuff some of which you might take.  The only one that was expensive was HGH (you probably won't use this one).  The others were PIO, z-pak, Lovenox, endometrin, dexamethasone and ovidrel.  I also did IL.  I think that is it!

For IVF #2, I was on antagonist.  I started 1/2 doses of ganirelix two days before stims and started estrogen supps the day before stims. I did a total of 10 days of ganirelix 8 of them at 1/2 doses and 2 at full doses.  I did 7 days of estrogen supps.  I stimmed for 6 days at 300 ius, one day at 225 ius and one day at 150 ius (total of  2175 ius).  I used two vials of luveris.  I was also on HGH, PIO z-pak, Lovenox, endometrin, dexamethasone and ovidrel.  I also did IL.  I think that is it.

Definitely call around for pricing.  I bought some things from one pharmacy and some from another.  The three pharmacies I used were Freedom Fertility, Walgreens Specialty and the Apothecary Shop.

jlcrane78

I did 300iu of Follistim each day of my stims - once at 7am, once at 7pm.  I think we used 1350iu altogether.

Edwina.McDunnough

Ah, the trigger! Novarel, 10,000 units. I used Ovidrel for my IUIs.

 

weddnplanninfun

depends on yr response  for iui they gave me low doses of folli like 75 then coasted a couple days...they don't want you to overproduce follicles for IUI, but do want you to overproduce for IVF.  The max I did for IVF was 150, then 75 a couple of days, but I produced 20 follicles

missjul61

I don't have advice for you since I'm just starting out but wanted to say thanks for posting this. This is really helpful info for me and I'm sure other new IVF'ers as well! I really hope IUI #3 worked and you don't need to take this next step.

EntropicEpona

This is IVF #1 (and probably only) for us, and so far I've been on Ganirelix and Estrace to suppress, and now I'm stimming with Follistim and Menopur...450iu Follistim in the morning, followed by 150iu Menopur in the evening.

Provided things look OK tomorrow, my Follistim might be dropped a bit, but I suspect not and that I'll probably stim longer than the estimated 10 days. There will be more Ganirelix and a Novarel trigger. Along with PIO and oral medrol, doxycycline, Prometrium supps, and something else I can't remember off the top of my head right now.

ETA: We're $5k into meds right now, but the rate I'm burning through the Follistim, we'll be ordering another $1-2k worth by the end of this week.