Can anyone advise me on Lentogest Injections

[purplerain2000]

Hello everyone, I have just returned back from Cyprus doing my first DE cycle and have been given a prescription for Lentogest (progesterone Injections) Unfortunately I am struggling to get these injections in the UK? I have tried Fertility2u but they do not accept prescriptions from my clinic? I have also tried the recommended chemist in London and they only stock 25mg vials of progesterone which would mean administering 2 x IM injections daily ouchhh..... can anyone help and advise me where to go as I am really stuck and need the injections by next week??? Thank you.

[Poppy_2018]

Hi I'm a pharmacist. From what I can see lentogest is hydroxyprogesterone caproate which a progestogen structurally related to progesterone. I've checked one of the resources I have and it seems this preparation is no longer marketed in the UK which is perhaps why you might be struggling to get hold of it. That said, medicines can be imported from abroad if necessary. I get my IVF medicines from a company called stork so you could try them and I've heard others say asda is good (not sure how the prescription process works from abroad though as only had treatment in the uk). Would your clinic be able to prescribe a progesterone injection that is readily available in the UK? Hope you manage to get it sorted, its stress that I'm sure you could do without. Good luck with your cycle.

[purplerain2000 in reply to Poppy_2018]

Hi there Poppy, thank you so much for taking the time to get back to me. Like you say, medicines can be imported from abroad and I have found Proluton which is available in 500mg vials but this is in America and it will take approximately 2 weeks to get here if I am lucky. I will try stork however the prescription is proving to be a difficult one as no one will take it??? I do have a clinic that I have been going to for all my pre IVF bloods and scans and they will convert the prescription to private for me, they charge £35 and it's also a 4 hour round trip journey in the car? I just need to to find somewhere that stocks the progesterone? I will check with my clinic and see if they can prescribe an alternative medication but they did say the Lentogest is what I should be getting. It is a real stress for me I have 4 other friends in the same position and everyone is really stressed. Half way through the 2ww??? Thanks again xx

[Poppy_2018 in reply to purplerain2000]

That sounds like a complete nightmare. Maybe others here can advise on the prescription issue as it seems quite a lot have done treatment abroad so hopefully they can help.

Could the clinic you are working with in the UK send a prescription to a designated pharmacy to save you having to go collect the prescription (if you can find a pharmacy that has it)?

A 4 hour round trip doesnt sound great but if you can get a new script and find a pharmacy with supply then it might be the best option then at least you know it would be sorted.

I've seen others managed to find supplies in Asda previously so they would also be worth a try.

Hope you and your friends manage to find a solution asap. All the best with your 2ww xx

[purplerain2000 in reply to Poppy_2018]

Hey Poppy, it is a complete joke to be fair, it is the first time I have cycled abroad and it has been great apart from this??? I have emailed Stork see what they come back with and my friends have tried, Superdrug, Asda and Lloyds none of them stock either Proluton or Lentogest. Yes the clinic will definitely send over the prescription by first class post, again its the time involved? I am happy to drive just and pick up the prescription but only if I know where to take it?

Like you say hopefully others on here that have been abroad, may well be able to help and point me in the right direction.

Thanks again for you advise. xx

[Poppy_2018 in reply to purplerain2000]

So sorry you are having all this stress and hassle, it's difficult enough as it is without having this on top. Sounds like you and your friends have had to put in so much effort to try and sort this out.

Perhaps whilst trying to source it here, you should also contact your clinic abroad and explain the difficulties you are having and see of they can recommend a similar drug that you can get more easily in the UK. They may just have prescribed this as that is what is commonly used in Cyprus.

Also when I googled it, crgh come up and seem to have a self injection guide for lentogest. This suggests that perhaps they use it (or maybe did in the past) and so might be worth a call to them to see if they know where it can be sourced from???

I really hope you get it sorted xx

[purplerain2000 in reply to Poppy_2018]

Ooohh thats interesting, crgh? where are they and if I type that into google will that come up as it is? Sounds promising if they have a injection guide.

Yes I have dropped the clinic an email and asked for alternative medication so hopefully they can come up with a good alternative? I went to 28 pharmacies in Cyprus for the proluton and could not get it anywhere they have stopped doing it? So its been a pretty mad mission to hunt down medication as you can imagine. Lets hope we get this sorted soon.

Thanks for having a look for me Poppy. xx

[May37 in reply to purplerain2000]

Crgh is in London. That all sounds like a nightmare .hopefully they will Have it

[Poppy_2018 in reply to purplerain2000]

Crgh is a fertility clinic in London. If you Google them they should come up.

Cant believe you couldnt get the medication in so many pharmacies in Cyprus either, that's crazy!! Sounds like the clinic might need to review their protocol.

Xx

[purplerain2000 in reply to Poppy_2018]

Hi Poppy, I contacted crgh and they only administer medication if you are a patient having treatment, it was worth a shot though so thanks. Yeah the clinic are recommending 50mg vials of progesterone IM injections that you administer daily? Apart from the discomfort, that would only get you 350mg a week as opposed to 682mg of Lentogest a week that they are advising or 500mg of proluton. So you would be short on your recommended dose? It does not make sense as the numbers do not add up? If you only need 350mg then that's fine however there is a big difference to the 682mg of Lentogest ?? Not sure now what dose I should be taking on top of 600mg daily pessaries???

[Poppy_2018 in reply to purplerain2000]

Hi Purplerain, shame about crgh but worth a shot as you say!

I'm not an expert on progesterone (far outside the scope of my pharmacy practice) but I'm not sure that the daily progesterone injections are equivalent to the doses of lentogest, which is hydroxyprogesterone. Perhaps if the clinic are saying 50mg of progesterone daily then that will be ok, or maybe they can give you reassurance of the doses of the new recommendation?

Could you also get your progesterone levels checked to be sure they are high enough?

It's so difficult when changes have to be made to your treatment protocol because I think it adds to the anxieties of it all, especially when you are left with unanswered questions.

It seems that every clinic is different as well. I had a fresh cycle recently and only used cyclogest pessaries 800mg daily, but for my upcoming frozen cycle I have to use cyclogest 800mg daily plus lubion 25mg daily.

[purplerain2000 in reply to Poppy_2018]

Hi Poppy, when I was in Cyprus I was advised that I needed 500mg of proluton and we then got told that most pharmacies in Cyprus no longer stocked the proluton. So the next change was 50mg of progesterone daily, then when you get back to the UK you get the 341mg of Lentogest and take 2 a week? So none of the doses match up? The clinic are very relaxed about the whole set up and have stipulated it is okay to take 350mg, 500mg or 642mg I am not sure and feeling a little confused with the whole process?

I will be getting my progesterone levels checked this week and hopefully that will give me an indication of what I should be doing???

I have also sent the clinic an email to confirm recommended weekly doses???

All clinics are different, I was having treatment up in London at harley street and I was on 600mg daily pessaries and 500mg of progesterone injections and my levels dropped so I am happy to keep within that remit or even higher ? What do you think?

[Poppy_2018 in reply to purplerain2000]

I'm not completely sure, although not sure that the weekly doses of progesterone and hydroxyprogesterone should be the same as they are not quite the same drug.

When you took 500mg progesterone before what drug/brand was that with?

It's all very complicated, sorry you've been left stressing out about it and feeling confused and worried. I've been having similar feelings about my upcoming FET cycle as we had to make some changes to my protocol and as I dont fully understand it I'm now questioning whether it will be as successful! Its not a nice feeling!

[Hidden]

Hi Purplerain, I've also been struggling with meds this week and usually go to Fertility2u but they told me they didn't stock one of the items (although turns out they did) so I also tried Stork. If you can get hold of from a chemist you may need to get somebody to write you a private prescription because I don't think they except EU ones, I have my treatment abroad and the place I go for my scans in UK write private prescriptions for a charge. Good luck

[purplerain2000 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Clairenix, yeah I am getting my clinic here in the UK to write me a private prescription so hopefully either fertility2u or Stork will accept. I will also be checking with local chemists to see if they stock what I need. My friend goes to Superdrug and surprisingly they do stock most of the IVF medication, Asda are very good and are reasonably prices also. Hope you get sorted. xx

[Kari55]

Hi purplerain2000, I got Lentogest from Stork Pharmacy without any problems. I was with CRGH and they use Pharmasure but the prices are much higher than Stork. Best wishes xx

[Poppy_2018 in reply to Kari55]

This sounds hopeful, good luck purplerain, hopefully stork or pharmasure will come through for you and alleviate all your anxieties and stress over this!! x

[purplerain2000 in reply to Poppy_2018]

Yeah Poppy, I am thinking either one of these pharmacies should be able to provide the lentogest based on Kari55 comments. xx

[purplerain2000 in reply to Kari55]

Hi Kari, that sounds great, I will call Stork and Pharmasure tomorrow to check, I have emailed Stork although I'm running out of time now so fingers crossed. Thank you for the advise at such a stressful time. xx

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

Stork sometimes take long time to answer emails or phone so just be persistent. They are very nice and can do next day delivery but you would need to post an original prescription to them. I realise how stressful this can be so try to reach them first thing in the morning so you still have time to post your prescription tomorrow. Good luck xx

[purplerain2000 in reply to Kari55]

Okay thanks, will they want the UK converted prescription or will they be happy to take the prescription i brought back from Cyprus? I have to do a 4 hour round trip car journey to pick up the prescription in the morning? So that will slow things down somewhat?

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

I’m not sure as I had UK prescription. They open from 8am so try to get hold of them asap. When do you need to start Lentogest?

[purplerain2000 in reply to Kari55]

Yes I will do, I need to start the Lentogest on Wednesday??? only a few days to play with hence why I'm happy to drive tomorrow to pick up my prescription. xx

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

That is a bit tight. If you can get the the prescription to Stork on Tuesday they will deliver it on Wednesday AM. Are you meant to take them AM or PM? You will be ok as long as things go to plan xx

[purplerain2000 in reply to Kari55]

Oh yes can you remember how much the Lentogest was?

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

Let me check

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

£16

[purplerain2000 in reply to Kari55]

Okay thanks is that for one injection?

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

Yes

[purplerain2000 in reply to Kari55]

Thank you Kari, I was reading your profile so you got a BFP 2 months ago? was that a singleton or twins?

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

Twins 🤭

[purplerain2000]

wow that's amazing, congratulations how lovely xx

[Kari55 in reply to purplerain2000]

Thank you, life is certainly full of surprises! Best wishes to you, I hope you sort out your Lentogest on time. Xx

[purplerain2000]

Just wanted to thank everyone who gave me advise regarding Lentogest medication and places to try. I finally got hold of it today, my clinic that did all my pre IVF tests transcribed my prescription for a fee of £35 and sent over a digital prescription to Fertility2u who happily administered my medication. Yipee result...thanks guys xx