Menopur dosage lowered after blood tests, any ideas why?

[LSM21]

I had my second scan today after 11 days stimming on Menopur. All looking good and egg collection booked for Thursday. Then for a call from the clinic in the afternoon saying to come for another scan tomorrow and lower my Menopur from 225 to 112 tonight. No explanation why. What would this mean?

[Llizzie]

Hi this just happened to me. I would check with your clinic tomorrow in your scan but I think it’s relatively normal. In my case my estradiol levels were high but my follicles weren’t big enough so they had to reduce my dose (and when it stayed high they coasted me without it). It’s apparently a balancing act and they’ll want to keep an eye on you. I was expecting scans on Friday and Monday but they called me in every day between. Best of luck!

[LSM21 in reply to Llizzie]

I was worried it was something like premature ovulation and everything would be called off! But it sounds like if it’s something like high oestrogen it can be managed and we’d still be good to go on Thursday. Thanks for the reply. Good luck to you too!

[Llizzie in reply to LSM21]

Having just been through it - ask why the dose has been reduced at your scan and what they think might happen. My oestradiol level was 22,000 but managed it get it down to 13,000. They were going to cancel egg collection if it was over 15,000 but you’re still on a decent dose so you can go down a lot more if needed.

I was on 225 of menopur then dropped to 75 for two days then 37.5 for two days and now nothing for three days. And my follicles are finally big enough. It is a bit frustrating not to be told why but they know what they’re doing even if they don’t explain it all the time x

[LSM21 in reply to Llizzie]

I will definitely ask tomorrow. Thank you, that’s reassuring 😊

[McQueeny]

In my case when they lowered it was because they were trying to avoid over stimulation - it’s a balance between stimulating enough so that the follicles and eggs mature, but not too much that they cause OHSS.... it’s good that they’re monitoring closely

[LSM21 in reply to McQueeny]

Yeah I should take a lot of comfort in that I suppose! Fingers crossed all is ok and goes well, and same for you!

[McQueeny in reply to LSM21]

Thank you same to you! 🤞🤞☺️

[EZ01]

I was told not to take a dose as planned prior to egg collection because my levels were very high and they were concerned about overstimulation. I think it’s just about getting a perfect range of readings and they don’t want to push their luck

[LSM21 in reply to EZ01]

Yeah it’s all a balancing act! They seemed happy with the number of follicles I have, about 15 right now between 12-19mm. All seemed fine to go as planned until the blood test results, just annoyed they were so vague on the phone even though I asked why a few times and they just said ‘to confirm if you’re ready for collection on Thursday as planned’. Heading in now so will find out shortly! Hope all goes/has gone well for you!

[EZ01]

Best of luck! I ended up having to have ICSI, 10 mature and I came out with six healthy embryos, I am currently eight weeks and six days. It’s all just another type of waiting game! X

[LSM21 in reply to EZ01]

Aww that’s great, huge congrats! Yeah it’s the waiting that gets me, but I’d rather do this and wait if it’s a positive outcome 😊

[LouKP]

Like a few others have mentioned above, it’s likely that your estradiol was a bit high and they want to avoid OHSS. At my egg collection I was told I would likely need to have a freeze all cycle based on my scans (they told me I was at upper end of stimulation), but when my bloods came back the estradiol was OK, so I had my fresh cycle after all. It does indeed seem to be a bit of a balancing act.

[LSM21 in reply to LouKP]

Yes, it is that! I’m hoping mine comes down a bit and Thursday is still good for us 😀

[LSM21 in reply to LouKP]

And hope all went well with your transfer?

[LouKP in reply to LSM21]

Glad to hear you got a proper explanation. Ah that pesky estradiol! Always causing mischief! My fresh transfer was back in January. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful then, but I’m now 6 weeks with one of our frozen embryos from that same cycle ☺️ Wish you all the very best of luck, and I hope all goes well on Thursday xxx

[LSM21 in reply to LouKP]

Ah that’s great, congrats!! 😊

[LSM21]

So my estradiol has gone from 4000 to 14000 in 3 days, so they lowered the dose to prevent OHSS - as you all predicted! Waiting to see what today’s blood results being and if lower were good to go ahead on Thursday with collection. If not they will coast me until it goes down (max 5 days apparently). I have to take some delightful drug called Cabergoline which the nurse warned me had awful side effects, but it should stop me getting OHSS severely if I’m going to. Any of you ladies taken that?