Gonal-F smell?

adoruhbul · June 2011

OK please someone tell me they've noticed how bad it smells? I was switched from Follistim to Gonal-F, the weird thing is Follistim had no smell to it and Gonal-F has a very strong smell!

Have you noticed the smell? I wonder why Follistim doesn't smell if it's suppose to be the same thing, any ideas?

I so overthink everything LOL, have a good weekend girls!

punkymama · June 2011

I've used Gonal-F and it had no odor at all.

I agree wtih LGL, I wouldn't inject myself with it. It's better to be extra cautious in this situation.

Jezebell26 · June 2011

LGLDVM:

As far as I know, Gonal F should not have an odor. Did you say that you bought the meds from someone online? I would be concerned. Can you call the company? I would not inject something that had a foul odor. It could be dangerous.

Maybe someone can chime in here, but I really don't think you should be smelling anything.

Ive used Gonal F 2 times and just ordered more for my next IVF cycle. Ive never smelled anything at all. MH does the mixing and even he said he can't remember, which leads us to believe if it did smell, we'd remember that. I strongly caution you not to use this medication. Call your RE right away and try to contact wherever you got it from. How is it packaged? Is this a pen? Mine comes in powder vials with a prefilled syringe of water to mix it with. What color does it look? It shouldnt be really cloudy, or milky looking or anything like that.

Wishing you the best of luck and hope this works out for you. Good Luck!

adoruhbul · June 2011

I actually got this case from the pharmacy! It's the RFF pen not the reinstituted powder. I got the Follistim online...no odor! A few people on google complain about the smell, but I figured it would be all of the vials.

adoruhbul · June 2011

I'm waiting for the pharmacy to open in a few minutes and calling. I should mention on second read LGL, it wasn't actually a foul odor, it was more like hmm like band-aids or silly puddy, almost hmm like a sugary alcohol? It was a nice small almost, reminded me of being a kid, but with zero smell from Follistim, I thought hm, maybe I should ask others.

From online research Insulin "pens" have the same smell, I googled injects+odor and quite a few people mention a band-aid smell, so I'm assuming the RFF pen isn't using bacteriostatic water, it's probably some kind of polymer, but I'll get the pharmacists advice, and call Gonal-F on Monday, unless I find a 24 hour help line, and post the update, in case someone else runs into this. I seriously thought it was my alcohol hitting the rubber at first, but it only happens when liquid comes out.

Sorry girls, I know I've been asking too many odd ?'s.

AmyD583 · June 2011

adoruhbul:

I'm waiting for the pharmacy to open in a few minutes and calling. I should mention on second read LGL, it wasn't actually a foul odor, it was more like hmm like band-aids or silly puddy, almost hmm like a sugary alcohol? It was a nice small almost, reminded me of being a kid, but with zero smell from Follistim, I thought hm, maybe I should ask others.

From online research Insulin "pens" have the same smell, I googled injects+odor and quite a few people mention a band-aid smell, so I'm assuming the RFF pen isn't using bacteriostatic water, it's probably some kind of polymer, but I'll get the pharmacists advice, and call Gonal-F on Monday, unless I find a 24 hour help line, and post the update, in case someone else runs into this. I seriously thought it was my alcohol hitting the rubber at first, but it only happens when liquid comes out.

Sorry girls, I know I've been asking too many odd ?'s.

I hope it's okay for me to post here, but I was first quite concerned. After you describing the smell, I wanted to give my input. My initial reaction to the gonal f pen was that it smelled like insulin, which to me is a very distinct smell. My mom is diabetic and I grew up around that insulin smell, so when I opened the gonal f, I found myself associating it with my mom until I put 2 and 2 together.

Good luck this cycle!

adoruhbul · June 2011

AmyD583:

I hope it's okay for me to post here, but I was first quite concerned. After you describing the smell, I wanted to give my input. My initial reaction to the gonal f pen was that it smelled like insulin, which to me is a very distinct smell. My mom is diabetic and I grew up around that insulin smell, so when I opened the gonal f, I found myself associating it with my mom until I put 2 and 2 together.

Good luck this cycle!

Thank you for posting! Glad you did actually, I was starting to think I was crazy or the pharmacy actually gave me bad meds. Congratulations, glad that injectables gave you your BFP, I'm praying it will be my answer as well. I hope you have an easy and uneventful rest of your pregnancy, and thanks again for hoping over and responding!

girlofsummer78 · June 2011

I don't have the pen. I have to mix my Gonal F and it has no smell at all. Hopefully the pharmacy can answer your questions!

jwhitfield · June 2011

I'm a bit late to this thread but I never have noticed a smell, but I also don't get close enough to smell it. My DH injects me while my face is covered with a pillow so I never smell anything. I am sure my DH would have told me by now that it stinks. I would call the pharmacy just to be sure. Good luck. I hope this gets you your BFP!

STL34 · June 2011

I have used gonal-f numerous times and it doesn't have a smell. I've used it from vials and from pens. I'm not sure which type you have. But, I would worry if any of mine had an odor.

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