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Follistim vs Bravelle?
I am waiting for AF to come and ready for my second IUI. For my first IUI I had Bravelle - just one egg, BFP but turn out chemical pregnancy. Break for 4 cycles, accupunture 2 times a week. Now before my period I am on Ganirelix shots every other day. As my cycle starts dr wants me to put on Fillistim 900 iu. Does anybody did that before? Is follistim better than Bravelle or Menopur? It is much more expensive...But does it mean is bettter? I don't have insurance.
This was the first month I was put on follitism, trigger and IUI but I've never used Bravelle. The two previous months I was on clomid, no IUI. On Clomid I had two mature follies and on Follitism I had 3 mature follies. I think I would have had more but the dr said I was responding pretty well so he continued to lower my dosage. I started out at 150 and decreased 25 point increments and the last 2 days I was on 25. I just had my IUI on Saturday, 6/11 so we'll see... Sorry I can't compare Follitism to Bravelle, but my body seemed to respond well to Follitism and I wasn't as bloated and moody like I was on clomid.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I hope it will work for me too...Scan showed 2 on the left 14 and 16mm. I have to lower the med dose tonight. Next scan tomorrow morning. If they grow enough until tomorrow then triger shot and iui on Monday. I also have to go for acupuncture just before and right after iui. I pray that this time will be succesful.
Sorry no real stores for you. I only used Bravelle and started out with only one folli on the first cycle, then 2 on the second and 3 on the 3rd. (funny how that worked out) My dose of bravelle was doubled for the last two tries. for me that did the trick I guess b/c try #3 worked. Plus DH's swimmer count went up each time, too. I sure that had something to do with it as well.
Thank you for the info!
I was hoping for real stories...
I started Follistim 6 days ago. First scan showed 2 follies. With Bravelle I had just one.
Tomorrow dr will decide what to do next.
I was hoping for real stories...
I started Follistim 6 days ago. First scan showed 2 follies. With Bravelle I had just one.
Tomorrow dr will decide what to do next.
This is what I found on a google search. Hope it helps.
Pergonal was the first “FSH” containing product released for ovulation induction (stimulation of egg development within the ovarian follicles). Pergonal was a “natural” product being derived from the urine of postmenopausal women. After menopause, the level of FSH rises because there are no viable eggs. Pergonal had equal amounts of FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH). Urinary derived products today that are similar to Pergonal include Repronex, and Menopur. Bravelle is also a urinary derived product that has been highly purified to remove most of the LH. These products contain varying ratios of FSH to LH (or LH activity that can be mimicked by chorionic gonadotropin [hCG]).
Newer FSH products include Gonal-F and Follistim which are derived from genetic recombinant technology using mammalian cells. Essentially the gene responsible for human FSH is cloned and placed in mammalian cell cultures which then begin to manufacture FSH. Large quantities of these cells are produced to provide the commercially available products.
For many years there has been an ongoing debate about the need for small quantities of LH in the FSH stimulation cycle. Many physicians use pure FSH alone in IVF and stimulated IUI protocols whereas others add one of the urinary derived products. Clinically there appears to be little difference between these two protocols except in certain patient types like the polycystic ovarian syndrome patient or when patients are using products to suppress the pituitary (in order to prevent premature release of the egg) such as leuprolide acetate (Lupron®) or a GnRH antagonist (Ganirelix® or Cetrotide®).
Other physicians prefer to use the natural urinary derived products because they are often less expensive than the genetically produced products. Ovulation induction drugs are a major contributor to total treatment cost.
Clinically all of these products stimulate follicular development and have varying effects on endometrial development. Whereas Pergonal was administered intramuscularly using a large, long needle, all of these products can now also be given subcutaneously (small short needle).
Pergonal was the first “FSH” containing product released for ovulation induction (stimulation of egg development within the ovarian follicles). Pergonal was a “natural” product being derived from the urine of postmenopausal women. After menopause, the level of FSH rises because there are no viable eggs. Pergonal had equal amounts of FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH). Urinary derived products today that are similar to Pergonal include Repronex, and Menopur. Bravelle is also a urinary derived product that has been highly purified to remove most of the LH. These products contain varying ratios of FSH to LH (or LH activity that can be mimicked by chorionic gonadotropin [hCG]).
Newer FSH products include Gonal-F and Follistim which are derived from genetic recombinant technology using mammalian cells. Essentially the gene responsible for human FSH is cloned and placed in mammalian cell cultures which then begin to manufacture FSH. Large quantities of these cells are produced to provide the commercially available products.
For many years there has been an ongoing debate about the need for small quantities of LH in the FSH stimulation cycle. Many physicians use pure FSH alone in IVF and stimulated IUI protocols whereas others add one of the urinary derived products. Clinically there appears to be little difference between these two protocols except in certain patient types like the polycystic ovarian syndrome patient or when patients are using products to suppress the pituitary (in order to prevent premature release of the egg) such as leuprolide acetate (Lupron®) or a GnRH antagonist (Ganirelix® or Cetrotide®).
Other physicians prefer to use the natural urinary derived products because they are often less expensive than the genetically produced products. Ovulation induction drugs are a major contributor to total treatment cost.
Clinically all of these products stimulate follicular development and have varying effects on endometrial development. Whereas Pergonal was administered intramuscularly using a large, long needle, all of these products can now also be given subcutaneously (small short needle).
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