Short protocol IVF for polycystic ovaries

[Star15]

Hello everyone

We are booked in for short protocol IVF starting in October. Just wondering if anyone else with polycystic ovaries has done this and would mind sharing their experience? We are due to meet with our consultant at the end of the month to talk about it but it’d be great to hear of how people found it in the meantime.

Thanks and good luck to you all 😃 x

[Loublou1985]

Mine was an unique protocol due to myself not bleeding so I had to take the pill to make me bleed then to start the injections, after what felt like ages I got my bfp 4 ish weeks ok still till this day I don’t actually believe it...well until my symptoms hit me good luck on your journey x

[Jude6 in reply to Loublou1985]

Congrats! What was your protocol?

[Loublou1985 in reply to Jude6]

It wasn’t a short or long but I had to take the pill for 21 days have my period then baseline scan...! It worked so my hospital knew what they were doing. x

[MrsH007]

Hey, I have mild PCOS, been on metformin for over a year and a half. I am on day 3 of my short protocol, I will let you know how I get on. I’m grateful for the short protocol as it means less injections and it’s much shorter xxx

[Jude6 in reply to MrsH007]

What does metformin do? I have lean pcos and was on it for about 9 months but then my doc told me I may aswell come off it because it’s not doing anything for me 🤷‍♀️ I did a round of stims last year and from 22 eggs only 2 fertilised and neither resulted in a bfp so back to the drawing board! Wondering if I need a diff protocol xx

[MrsH007 in reply to Jude6]

That’s lots of eggs! Metformin helps to have regular periods that’s all, our infertility is due to my husbands sperm which we didn’t find out until the regular ovulation with regular periods didn’t work. I’m on a short protocol as they think I am at a high risk of overstimulation, I’m only on two amps of menopur. Hope it does the trick. Xxxx

[Star15 in reply to MrsH007]

Thanks for your reply. How’re things going for you? X

[MrsH007 in reply to Star15]

The short protocol flew over no side effects, really hasn’t been bad at all. Egg transfer today 🙏🏻 eek. How are you getting on? X

[Star15 in reply to MrsH007]

Oh wow, great news that you’ve found the process ok. Best of luck for the egg transfer!

I’m on my last cycle of Clomid, due to ovulate some time over the next few days and scan yesterday showed a couple of decent sized follicles so we are into the last few days of trying then it’ll be IVF in October if no luck. What a journey this is!

Will be thinking about you, hope it goes well today x

[MrsH007 in reply to Star15]

Thank you so much. Try enjoying your trying! ☺️

[AJJ123]

Hi, I’m having IVM in September which basically cuts out any stimulation drugs on my ovaries. The follicles are removed when premature and they are matured in the lab and once ready they will undergo ICSI xx

[Bonita928]

I have POCS, and had the short protocol. My consultant doubled my metformin before I started treatment. I was told I was at risk of OHSS too.

Treatment worked for me, I produced 19 eggs, 14 were fertilised, and 9 made it to day 6. I had one put back in and the rest frozen. BFP for me and currently 29weeks and all going well.

Good luck with your treatment. Xx

[Star15 in reply to Bonita928]

That’s great! Congratulations! I’m going to have the contraceptive pill before I start treatment which I guess does the same job as Metformin in terms of regulating the cycle and giving me a bleed before treatment starts? How did you find the whole process? Was egg collection/transfer painful? Did you need any extra time off work? Thanks for your help 😃 x

[Star15 in reply to Bonita928]

PS do you mind me asking if you had tried Clomid before IVF? X

[Bonita928]

Didn’t use clomid.

The ivf process was exhausting I was really nauseous with the meds. EC was painful for me, mainly due to the number of eggs collected and ovaries being swollen post collection. I had booked 3 days off work but ending up having 4 days off as I could sit as it was still really painful.

Transfer was fine and painless, had it on a Saturday and just rested the weekend and back to work on the Monday.

Feel free to ask any other questions, happy to help if I can. Xx

[Star15 in reply to Bonita928]

Hello! So our last round of Clomid failed (had been prepared for that but negative tests never get any easier...) so will be starting IVF in October. Am on the pill now then will have a bleed then baseline scan. Lots of monitoring scans booked in so lots of juggling coming up! I’ll be having Gonal-F injections then Cetrotide. Really hoping for no OHSS (my AMH is high) as that may mean a couple of cycles out for me... the consultant seemed to think they’d be able to alter the dose as needed after monitoring scans to control this.

Do you have any advice about the protocol, e.g. how you found the injections, anything about diet or any other tips in general?

How are things going for you? X

[Claire_cullen88]

Hi I went through short protocol one time, with only one embryo surviving and can very proudly say my little boy was 2 weeks old yesterday. So very happy, I really hope you get your happy ending. 💙❤️Xx

[lucylob]

I had a unique protocol ... I was put on the pill so I would have a bleed.... then I started injections .... my fresh cycle failed but my frozen was successful and I’m currently 11 weeks 6 days ! I have everything crossed for you 🤞 sending you lots of love x

[Star15 in reply to lucylob]

Thanks for your reply, and many congratulations! 😃 Hope you’ve been feeling ok in your first trimester.

I’m on the pill and will stop in around three weeks so I have a bleed before my baseline scan. It’ll be Gonal-F then Cetrotide I have as injections. What did you have? Do you have any tips about the injections/diet/anything else about IVF? Our October start date has seemed a long way off but is now whizzing round so keen to be as prepared as possible! X

[lucylob in reply to Star15]

It will come round so quick! Make sure you have plenty of sleep , rest and keep hydrated! I didn’t change anything else ! Fingers crossed for you 🤞🤞💗