Human growth hormone (particularly zo... - Fertility Network UK

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Human growth hormone (particularly zomacton but advice on any be grateful) side effects/,did it help/costs thanks

Flora14 profile image
31 Replies

Just wondering anyone who took human growth hormone what side effects you had?? I've been recommended zomacton 4mg every 4 days for 6 weeks before egg collection just wondering what others were recommended dosage wise?

And also how much and where you got it?

And most importantly did it help?

Thanks

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Flora14 profile image
Flora14
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31 Replies
Skittles11 profile image
Skittles11

I was on a different drug, also human growth hormone, called Genotropin Miniquick. I was on 0.8mg a week before egg collection (every day) and this then went up to 1.2mg from the start of stims until egg collection. I don't remember getting any side effects from it.

I was hoping it may help push one or two extra follicles but for me personally it didn't appear to do much, but I do know it has helped others. Seems to be yet another try it and see thing (as are most things with fertility treatments!) Xx

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toSkittles11

Thank you it's interesting how dosing so different with everyone. I would be on it much longer but lower dose and no increase at stims. They seem to make it up as they go along lol. Did you have any side effects x

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toSkittles11

Did you take norethisterone too to time things? Thanks

Skittles11 profile image
Skittles11 in reply toFlora14

No, I didn't take norethisterone

Lamagarden profile image
Lamagarden

I had the one you mentioned and at the same dose in my last round, took it every other day from day 1 of stims up until trigger. We have two frozen embryos but they weren’t ‘good’ enough to biopsy, so hard to say if it has helped yet. My dr said, it’s not certain that it helps quality but might, so we could give it a go. Price wise, it was approx £100 a dose, so kinda expensive! I got it from the pharmacy at our clinic, would be worth checking Asda - might be cheaper there. Best of luck xx

Lamagarden profile image
Lamagarden in reply toLamagarden

Sorry, forgot to mention, I didn’t notice any side effects. Generally the drugs make me feel more emotional and a bit bloated but don’t feel like the GH added any extra side effects.

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toLamagarden

Did you take norethisterone too to time things? Thanks

Lamagarden profile image
Lamagarden in reply toFlora14

I didn’t take norethisterone.

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toLamagarden

Thanks very much everyone does it differently it seems. Cheapest I've found is 100 each per 4 mg so it's going to cost me a grand! Great. It's last attempt at own eggs though x

Football61 profile image
Football61

Hi. I was prescribed Genotropin MiniQuick 0.4mg, to take every night for 4 weeks before my stims - and then they were going to raise the dosage to 1.2mg per night during my stims. Asda charged £48 per box of 7 injections - for the 0.4mg dosage.

Unfortunately, it didn’t agree with me. I took the 0.4mg dosage for 3 nights, and I started to feel really dizzy and sick, with a thumping headache. The side effects stopped when I stopped taking it for a few days. I spoke to my consultant and said that I wanted to give it another try (I’m 44 and need all the help I can get) - but he said that it was his strong medical advice that I should stop.

Am not sure I’ve made the right decision, because I don’t want to look back with any regrets. I guess it is what it is 🤷🏻‍♀️

Good luck!

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toFootball61

Oh no. How frustrating. At least you knew uou tried though that's what I have to know. I'm very sensitive to medication so that could also happen to me and knowing my luck it will! What a waste of a grand that will be if so. We're you able to carry on your egg collection though? Thanks

Football61 profile image
Football61

I wanted to go back and edit my response, as I didn’t want to sound too scaremongering! We’re all different, and respond to medications in different ways - so hopefully you won’t have my bad luck. I’m still in my pre-stims phase - taking DHEA and lots of vitamins. I’m expecting to start my stims the week after next, and then egg collection at the end of the month (fingers crossed). This is my first cycle and I’m also pretty sensitive to medication, so I hope the stims don’t knock me out! 🤣. If you’re going to go ahead with the Growth Hormone, I would definitely contact Asda. They were (quite literally) half the price of my clinic’s pharmacy xx

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toFootball61

Asda can't get it for me. Was it literally the same thing that you got at asda the zomacton? Thanks

Football61 profile image
Football61 in reply toFlora14

It was the Genotropin MiniQuick that I got from Asda x

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toFootball61

I'm surprised you are being recommended human growth hormone already if it's your 1st round.i have had multiple failures. Don't worry I know you are not scaremongering I would rather know it is a bit worrying though as you were On a small dose just for a few days I'll be on 4 mg everr 4 days so that's a much bigger dose in one . Uh oh like 1mg a day. X

Poop84 profile image
Poop84

hi I had HGH zomatcon for 3 rounds of ivf. The first time it helped with follicles I had more eggs than ever used to get like 6/5 but got 9. It didn’t help with quality though because we pgs tested a batch of embryos after all our egg collections.

Hope either way that it works for you :)

Side effects wise I had really bad puffiness and water retention I think I went to a size 18 from a 10/12 so maybe get your tsh levels tested before and during HGH. It made me a little more hairier on my face but only temporarily x

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toPoop84

Thank you oh my God how can you go up that much in size. Where did you gain that everywhere? How long did you use it for I would be on it for 6 weeks? X

Poop84 profile image
Poop84 in reply toFlora14

I do have thyroid issues already so that didn’t help and the high protein diet and hgh! I only used it for 12 days but had 3 cycles using it. At the end of it I did get my pgs normal embryos!

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toPoop84

We're you on norethisterone too to time things? Thanks

Poop84 profile image
Poop84 in reply toFlora14

hi yes but in my prep month not at the same time x happy to share protocol

On here if needed x

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toPoop84

Ahh I see I will be using hgh for total of 6 weeks so would be on at same time. I can't see it being a problem as fo different things but just being paranoid

Poop84 profile image
Poop84 in reply toFlora14

just eat healthy and lots of water xx

Rhubarb5 profile image
Rhubarb5

Hi, I had Zomacton for my 4th attempt and it was my best result. It was about £100 per shot and I took it every other day during stims. I think I got it either from Fertility2U or directly from the pharmacy at my clinic. I don’t remember any significant side effects. For me it was just a case of trying something different. It was my final egg collection and I wanted to throw everything at it. If you are a few cycles in, might be worth trying. Best of luck. Xx

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toRhubarb5

Thank you didn't start it until stims either Which seems to be the case for quite a few people. I'm just worried about it making anything worse x

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toRhubarb5

Did you take norethisterone too to time things? Thanks

Rhubarb5 profile image
Rhubarb5 in reply toFlora14

Not for that particular cycle. I have taken it for other cycles.

LRed profile image
LRed

I used Zomacton for my second round. No improvement on my eggs/embryos. It gave me insomnia, which was a rare side effect I think. So don't worry about it too much. x

Flora14 profile image
Flora14 in reply toLRed

Did you take norethisterone too to time things? Thanks

LRed profile image
LRed in reply toFlora14

Honestly I don't remember if I took it in that particular round. I did take it at some point...

Flora14 profile image
Flora14

Thank you so much for all your responses everyone it seems to be there a lot of people don't start taking it until you start stimulating but I have done some research and it does seem to be that you do need to take it about a month before so it works on the follicles So who bloody knows though I'm just I'm just worried about it making anything worse. I'm just wondering did anyone have a worse round or know anyone or no anyone who had worse rounds on it? Thanks

Ma06 profile image
Ma06

Hey Flora,

Did you have any luck using the growth hormone? My doctor has advised me to use it for a week or six, prior to my next IVF cycle. Curious to hear if it helped. Thanks!

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