Fertility Medications- Things to know

I wanted to share some facts about what I've experienced on certain medications and provide a place for people to share their experiences as well. If you have info to share please comment below or send me an email @ infertilemn@gmail.com.

Prometrium: (brand name for bio-identical progesterone support- used by some Napro physicians to treat luteul phase defects and sometimes used as progesterone support during pregnancy.

Every month I was on this I got new symptoms. All the symptoms mimicked pregnancy and because they changed each month I always assumed the drug couldn't be the culprit and therefore I must be pregnant. Not fun. Prometrium made me feel pregnant. 

My symptoms, many of which were atypical- ie not the norm included:
- Sleeplessness (progesterone more commonly makes people tired)
- Elevated temperatures
- Hot flashes
- Severe breast tenderness

- www.naprotechnology.com/progesterone

Metformin: This is a drug commonly used to treat Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin resistance in PCOS.

I was put on this drug in September of 2011 by my family practice physician without ever being tested for insulin resistance. My DHEA-S was elevated so they suspected I had PCOS. 1 year later when my DHEA-S levels were tested again they were further elevated. I stopped the Metformin - not because of my DHEA-S levels but because an endocrinologist told me to stop. I later learned through google scholar that Metformin is known to raise DHEA-S levels (WTF?).

Progesterone Injections: These are bio-identical progesterone injections (mine are compounded in olive oil because the sesame oil they normally use irritated me) used to treat low progesterone during pregnancy or during the luteul phase FOR TTC women with low-progesterone in order to sustain a potential pregnancy.

-I take 3 progesterone injections during my luteul phase each cycle to dissolve the LUF I get from failed ovulation each month. My local OBGYN told me I would need surgery to remove LUFs but progesterone gets rid of them just fine.

-While on these shots my progesterone is in the normal range and withdrawl from the progesterone induces a period. Sometimes Napro doctors will prescribe progesterone shots to induce a period in a woman with PCOS.

-These shots are absorbed better by the body (generally) and I get no noticeable side effects from them.

-LUFs and many kinds of ovarian cysts can be painful. Because the progesterone shrinks (and eventually dissolves) the LUF it is supposed to help relieve the pain quickly. I have a noticed an increase in cyst pain following my first progesterone shot in a cycle. The pain usually dissipates by the time I take the 2nd shot 3 days later.

- www.naprotechnology.com/progesterone


Low Does Naltrexone: This drug blocks opioid receptors for a brief period each night, which causes the body to produce more endorphins during the day. Napro physicians have found that women with chronic illness and/or infertility have lower levels of endorphins and often show improvement when on LDN. The drug is supposed to help with depression, anxiety, inflammation and immune support.

I've been on it for about 6 months. The only side effects I've had occurred early one, while I was still working up to my full 4.5mg dose. I had some mild nausea. Some people report vivid dreams and headaches.

Learn more here: http://www.fertilitycare.net/documents/LDNInfoNov08al.pdf

 http://fertilitycare.net/documents/LowDoseNaltrexone13_000.pdf

Neupogen: Most commonly used in patients undergoing chemotherapy to increase white blood cell count, Napro physicians are using this to treat LUFS and implantation problems.

I take 150 micrograms of Neupogen, injected subcutaneously before ovulation each month. The timing of the dose depends on follicle size at the time of a CD 8 ultrasound. When I have a follicle around 1.6cm I am usually told to take the Neupogen and 36-48 hours I am usually instructed to take an HCG trigger shot.

I haven't noticed any side effects with this drug.

neupogen-and-implantation

Misoprostol/Cytotec: I was prescribed this drug to treat my luteinized unruptured follicles. The drug is a prostaglandin and prostaglandins have been proven to play a role in the ovulation process (so never take Ibprofen or other NSAIDs around ovulation- they inhibit prostaglandins!). So far I've found one study online that showed an 11% increase in pregnancy rates for IUI patients when they were given misoprostol following IUI. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/11816531/reload=0;jsessionid=1CrvABZtVcYMiTWJGIx0.20