Difference between Gonal-F and Follistim?

Re: Difference between Gonal-F and Follistim?

• Jezebell26 member

  June 2012

  My understanding is one is name brand, gonal f, and the other is generic, follistim. I have used them both. I find follistim much easier to deal with dosage wise. Gonal f for me was in vials and had to be mixed where follistim was in a pen. GL!

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• maggie2324 member

  June 2012

  They are the exact same drug and do the exact same thing. Both work just fine! Good luck!

  

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• Enndea member

  June 2012

  My RE indicated that they are the same thing, but made by two different companies.  

  TTC #1 since 2/2011. Me: Age 36. Stage III Endo and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.
  IUI #1 March: BFN, IUI #2 April: BFN.
  IVF #1: Started stims 7/30--CANCELLED.
  IVF #1.2: Stims start 10/8/12, ER: 10/20/12; 11R/8M/4F, 5DT: 10/25/12, transfer of a 4AA and 3AB Blast. BFP on HPT 10/31/12; Beta #1: (16 DPO) 954! Beta #2: (18 DPO) 1968! First U/S: TWINS!! A/S: TWO BOYS! EDD: 7/13/13
  PAIF/SAIF Always Welcome.
  
  
  
  

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• Edwina.McDunnough

  June 2012

  https://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/64845576.aspx

  For clarification. Pease know that those that are pregnant move to the P/SAIF boards and many don't check back. Ladies here are still TTC, so if you are looking for success stores that end in pregnancy you should ask there. If you want to know if these meds resulted in ovarian hyperstimulation with multiple mature eggs per cycle, then yes, both worked for me, often along with other meds. Good luck!

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• chicagobride_07 member

  June 2012

  Gonal-f also comes in a pen.  I used it for 4 IUI cycles, stimulated appropriately, but no BFP.  I was told these meds do the exact same thing.

  
  DOR and AMA
  2/12-5/12: 4 IUI cycles = all BFN;
  7/12: DE IVF # 1 (with ICSI)- 20R, 16M, 14F, 5DT of 2 blasts; 6 frosties = BFN;
  Lupus anticoagulant initially high, then found to be normal on hematology consult;
  Follow up testing in September all clear;
  Started synthroid for "high normal" TSH;
  FET # 1- late October 2012- BFP on FRER; beta # 1- 21(low), beta # 2- 48 (still low), beta # 3- 132, beta # 4- 1,293; beta # 5- 5,606; last beta- over 100,000. First u/s 11/21- heard heartbeat
  12/12- Officially an OB patient!
  Level 2 ultrasound at 20 weeks shows vasa previa and VCI
  Referral to MFM and mandatory c section for delivery
  Beautiful baby girl born at 34 weeks
  Finally home after 15 day NICU stay!
  Trying for sibling: FET # 2- May 2014; beta 5/31, BFN
  FET #3, early July 2014; beta 7/14, BFN
  DE IVF # 2- August 2014; 14R, 13M, 11F, 5dt of 2 blasts (3 AA), 5 frosties = BFN
  FET #4- December 2014, yet another BFN

  Dr. KK work up shows borderline uterine blood flow, elevated NK cells, and MTHFR mutation (homozygous for c677t)

  Added baby aspirin, prednisone, supplements, Metanx, and intralipids

  Switched to large clinic for final attempt; had endometrial receptivity testing in January; FET March 2015 = yet another BFN

  Likely OAD- NBC

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• Stretchad member

  June 2012

  They are the same thing. I wouldn't worry too much about that :-)

  My Food Blog - Dinner Delish
  TTC since Oct '09
  Missed miscarriage 3/24/10 @ 16 wks, Partial Molar Pregnancy
  Began our IF journey in May '11
  Asherman's Diagnosis (cervical & uterine scarring) - Surgery 8/17/11
  IUIs #1-#5 & 1 canceled IUI, IVF #1, 2 FETs - all BFN
  IVF# 2 December '12, BFP 1/13! EDD 9/21 

  Complete Previa and Short Cervix. C-section scheduled for 9/3

  Delivered 8/5 @ 33 weeks, 4lbs, 6oz. 

  4-week NICU stay, home 9/3

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• hmz819 member

  June 2012

  Thanks ladies.  I went with the Gonal.  Hopefully that will be my biggest stressor in the process!  (One can dream right???)

  TTC#1 since April 2011
  IVF#1 July 2012 5R, 3 made it to blast, sET c/p
  FET#1 Aug 2012 2 blasts transferred BFN
  IVF#2 Oct 2012
  16R/6M/6F/2-8 cell grade 1 transfer
  Beta 1-237.9, Beta 2-566, Beta 3-8657
  US 6w3d shows one baby w/ HB 115
  US 7w1d no more heartbeat/ D&C 11/30/12 normal karyotype
  IVF#3 Mar 2013
  6R/4M/4F 1 compacting and 2-8 cell transfer
  ectopic pg MTX given 3 month break from TTC

  IVF#4 Sept 2013--BFN
  IVF#5-7 Apr 2014, Jun 2014 and Aug 2014 banking embryos for CCS testing. Praying for normals!

  http://i61.tinypic.com/34zll06

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• Ecarabeo217 member

  June 2012

  To clarify....they are slightly different drugs...it's semantics, really but there are some slight differences.  Gonal-F is follitropin Alfa and Follistim is the beta version. They are reported to have the same clinical effect, but there have been recent studies to show slightly higher pregnancy rates with Gonal-F than Follistim.

  My RE has told me she has seen some women respond better to one medication over another, but it's often trial and error (as it seems to have been, unfortunately, with me). Women using Follistim tend to haver higher estradiol levels which may also increase the risk for OHSS. 

  At the end of the day, I think you ended up with the "better" drug anyway

  Best of luck! 

  Married 2007
  3 Clomid IUIs -- BFNs
  IVF #1 never made it to transfer
  On "egg health" cocktail DHEA/CoQ10/FRC/Pregnitude/Melatonin
  Starting IVF #2 for Feb 2013
  Follistim/Menopur/Ganirelix
  Cancelled mid-cycle due to high P4 levels early on.
  OCPs again for IVF 2.5 mid-March. IVF 2.5 transferred two "gorgeous" 5-day blasts and BFFN. Even REI is baffled
  On indefinite hold until a huge stroke of serendipity led me to IVF 3 May 2014
  Testing found positive cardiolipins/APS, now on lovenox and intralipid infusions
  Transfer of 2 5-day blasts and (FINALLY) BFFP!! 1st ultrasound shows two sacs and two HB, but one is sluggish, almost expecting vanishing twin Subsequent ultrasound confirmed vanishing twin, but my other Little critter looks fantastic!
  "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it."
  -- Margaret Thatcher
  
  
  
  

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