Prostap and side effects

[Ishret87]

Hi my consoltant has put me on prostap for 6 months to help me have a successful ivf.

Iv had 4 injections so far and im also taking HRT. The first 3 months i must say i was pain free I felt like i was getting my life back.

The HRT has helped me alot with the hot flushes but it’s been 2 weeks and im getting alot of joint pains mainly my knees, hip and back and I feel like my endo pains are coming back.

What are your experiences for those who have prostap injections?

And has anyone had them prior ivf and has it helped?

I would really appreciate if you can share ur experiences and thoughts.

Thank you in advance x

[maaf]

Hi, what’s prostap please? X

[ccsmith in reply to maaf]

It’s a monthly injection that puts your ovaries into menopause. It’s a treatment they give either for fertility or when all other medications have not helped. For me it’s to see if a hysterectomy would help my pain levels.

[maaf in reply to ccsmith]

Thank you 😊

[ccsmith]

I am on zoladex which is pretty much the same. I’ve done nearly a year now but I’m waiting hysterectomy rather than IVF sorry. I have good days & bad days still when I need painkillers etc, there are very unpredictable but significantly reduced than off it. My hubby did say to me that I’m worse at the moment & I do feel the cold is having an effect on me. I seem to have a ‘cycle’ where I feel like I’m going to come on but I don’t! Also I get emotional surges and nausea. My consultant said some people need it more frequently as it has less of a affect.

A friend of mine had prostap during IVF as she had been “overstimulated” which helped.

Sorry I can’t say more than that.

[Elk3]

Hi,I had 6 months of prostap prior to ivf. I took hrt too,my side effects were horrendous mood swings and numerous hot flushes every day but it was without doubt the best thing i've done for my fertility.

Previously I had always taken about a year to conceive and all my pregnancies ended in miscarriage. My consultant told me to prepare emotionally for 4 rounds of ivf because my endo is severe.

I started the ivf injections the day I would have been due my 7th prostap so the endo had no chance to flare up.

My first cycle of ivf worked much to my amazement and I now have an 11 year old daughter who was joined 20 months later by my 9 year old son who was conceived naturally,I still can't quite believe it.

I wish you great success with your ivf xx

[Ishret87 in reply to Elk3]

Hi after how long did u get pregnant?

[Ishret87 in reply to Ishret87]

And at what stage is ur endo at ?

[Elk3 in reply to Ishret87]

I got pregnant with ivf on the first cycle so within a couple of weeks of finishing the prostap. I got pregnant naturally when my daughter was 12 months old.

I can't remember what stage my consultant said for my endo but i'm think a 4. It's on my uterus, both ovaries (plus an endometrioma on my left ovary),bladder,pouch of douglas and bowels x

[Ishret87 in reply to Elk3]

I got stage 4 endo i had it exactly the smae as you i had a excision and ablation surgery last year in June was in alot of pain after my operation. So consoltant recommended prostap.

Iv been trying to conceive for 6 years with no luck we will be going through ivf on the nhs got a appointment in February to be put on the waiting list. I just hope what im going through is well worth it at the end.

[Elk3 in reply to Ishret87]

I feel for you. I had 12 years of fertility issues before the ivf,it feels like you're constantly climbing everest trying to achieve something that comes so easily to some.

Sounds like your prostap treatment may be over before you start ivf. Once you have a rough start date I wonder if you could have prostap treatment again up to the ivf start point to keep the endo dampened down?

I remember that I bought Patrick Holfords optimum nutrition book in prep for ivf too and found it very good. It was 12 years ago so I can't remember specifics but I had a list of vitamins I took 3 times a day (the book has a very long questionnaire to establish which ones you need), I cut out all processed food and followed a wholefoods diet with just a small amount of meat and I made superfood smoothies every day.

I have no idea if it all actually helped but at the very least it made me feel I was doing my best to prep my body for ivf.

[Ishret87 in reply to Elk3]

Im having prostap untill I actually start my ivf treatment. And thank you for your advice i was thinking of doing something to prepare my body for ivf. I will definitely have a look for that book.

If you don’t mind me asking how old were you when you went through ivf?

[Elk3 in reply to Ishret87]

I was 33 starting ivf and 34 having my daughter x

[HarrietC]

Elk3 that is such a relief to hear, I am on month four of my injections and its the night sweats and migraines I've found the worst. Its completely changed my life, I had to changed job so I didn't have to drive to work, less hours, can't eat certain things as they set of migraines which was never the case before.

So I am pleased someone with the same circumstances has had some luck, makes the rest of us hopeful 😊

[Elk3 in reply to HarrietC]

Aah the migraines must be awful. Prostap feels like such a brutal treatment, had my first hot flush 2 hours after my first injection and my periods stopped immediately so nice gradual wind down as with a natural menopause. Definitely worth it for the end result though 😊x