A few questions about down reg

[Bluedestiny]

I’m due to start buserelin on day 21 of my cycle my protocol says I’ll be on down reg for 14 days but I’m aware this could be longer. How long have people been on buserelin before stims start? Also should I expect a period in that time, obviously I would usually but will I still have one? And my protocol says I’ll take 0.5 per day and the vials are 1mg/ml x 5.5ml does that mean I’ll get 11 from one or does it not work like that? Sorry just confused as it says I need 4 but surely I don’t need 44 days worth? Any help appreciated as always xx

[cloud_user]

normally, you continue to buserelin even as you start your stims. It prevents you from ovulating. So i did two weeks of buserlin, then continued the buserlin but added in menopur up till trigger, that may be why you have so much.

[Bluedestiny in reply to cloud_user]

Hi cloud, thanks yes that’s the same protocol and meds as mine. I just thought that if I take it for the 14 days plus however long with stims, say possibly another 14 days that’s 28 so have I been prescribed too much or is that not how the measurements work? I’m not sure as some things are ml or mg or iu very confusing 😊 thank you for your help x

[Purpledoggy]

You will do downreg usually for 2-3 weeks before starting stims - usually you have a scan at 2 weeks and if you aren't quite there eg not had a bleed then they will do another week and rescan. You should have a bleed and it is expected from about 7 days of downreg but exactly when it happens can vary depending on when you ovulated the previous round. My first round I had a bleed on day 7 (or 8, can't remember), the second was day 15 but I knew I had ovulated late that cycle.

Once they are happy you have downregged (thin lining, quiet ovaries) you will probably then reduce the dose and keep taking it every day you are doing stims up until triggering to prevent premature ovulation, and stims can be anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks or even more if the ovaries are sluggish (I think average is about 10-12 days). So, if you were unlucky you might be on it for 6 weeks, though I think that is pretty unusual (side effects from it mostly go once you start stims, don't worry 🙂).

4 vials does sound like quite a lot! You are correct that a vial should give 11 doses of 0.5 mL, although they almost always give more like 13 or 14 due to a bit extra in the vial (so don't panic if you find after 11 days you still have a fair bit left!). On my 2 rounds I was given 2 vials for each and did not finish them. Round 2 ended up being the longer with 3 weeks of downreg and 14 days of stims, so was on the buserelin for 5 weeks total.

xx

[Bluedestiny in reply to Purpledoggy]

Thank you so much purpledoggy that’s really helpful. And I can’t tell you how much you have reassured me about the medication being left over, I worried so much on my first cycle (short cycle using menopur) I always had more left when I thought I should have used the whole thing but the amount in the syringe was always right. IVF makes you doubt EVERYTHING even my ability to count apparently 🤣 and I work in finance. Thanks again I just don’t want to buy more than necessary obviously don’t want to be short but it’s expensive enough as it is without adding extra expense if it isn’t needed xx

[Purpledoggy in reply to Bluedestiny]

Unopened vials should last a while so if you do, and I hope you don't, need another round you should be able to use the unopened ones. You could also query it with your clinic - my first round they did not prescribe me enough progesterone to take me to OTD and it was just an error. They may have meant 2 instead of 4! xx

[MomaJoni]

Hey, I started Buserelin on 31st May and had my bleed on 12th June. I then had my baseline scan and continued Buserelin until 2 days before egg collection which was on 5th July.

[Bluedestiny in reply to MomaJoni]

Wow thanks Moma that’s good to know I don’t think I’d anticipated how long the down reg cycles last, really helpful thanks xx

[MomaJoni in reply to Bluedestiny]

Mine was a week longer than expected as I did not have the bleed between 7-10 days.