Scared of fertility drugs?

[Anonymous]

I am terrified of them and I'm thinking of bypassing IVF and going straight to adoption. Can anyone share their experiences, good or bad, with fertility drugs? TIA.

[Anonymous]

What makes you afraid of fertility drugs? The injections? The side effects? Links to cancer and other issues?

Fertility drugs are not as bad as you may think. I was so anti ivf and scarred just like you but found that once I got used to the injections and how they made me feel, I was ok. Not 100% comfortable but I survived (childbirth is WAY MORE PAINFUL) My biggest complaint about IVF honestly was not the medicine but how many Dr appointments I had to go in for! Such a pain to get out of work for me or to get up on a Sunday for a 7am appointment but totally worth it in the end. I don't have any experience with adoption but my gut tells me that IVF is a quicker, easier and cheaper process. I could totally be wrong (so please everyone don't yell at me for not sounding like I am pro adoption!) This is just my two cents.

[Anonymous]

Meds were fine for me - minimal to no side effects, injections didn't really hurt at all and we got our darling baby girl out of the process. As PP said, can you articulate more what specifically concerns you?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the responses. I am mostly worried about the links to cancer. I think you are right about IVF being easier than adoption, though.

[Anonymous]

I didn't do IVF (only did IUI) but I found that adoption was much easier than fertility treatments. I did do injectibles and the anticipation of shooting myself in the stomach almost made me literally pass out. But once I did it, it was fine- not nearly the big deal I had thought it was. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, I shared your concerns about cancer because both my parents and two aunts died young of reproductive cancers. I chose natural cycle IVF mainly for this reason and we were successful on the 3rd try.

[Anonymous]

I was worried about the links to cancer and did some research into it. Most of the links have been found to clomid -- not the injection drugs. The injection drugs are much safer, even though they seem scarier. Also, pregnancy and breast feeding lower your chances of breast cancer, so there is always that positive side if the IVF does work... Good luck!!!!

[Anonymous]

Many women, including me, gain 10 to 15 pounds from the drugs. Not easy to lose pounds.

[Anonymous]

OP, I used the drugs for IUI and IVF, I like the lighter doses I got with IUI vs. IVF. I gained some wait with both, and asked hubby to give me the shots so at least, I am not the one doing it.
Cancer is a concern but ONLY if you regularly use them which is not the case with you.

[Anonymous]

I have a few side effects with clomid (hot flashes and weight gain) but no side effects with injectable follistim. I had my husband do the injections for me-I really didn't feel them at all. I'm about to start my 2nd round.

[Anonymous]

From what I've read, you need to do Clomid for more than a year to increase your risk of cancer. And so far, there is nothing showing a link with the other drugs. I still have a small concern in the back of my mind about everything I put in my body, but figure that my healthy lifestyle and the fact that I breastfed for over a year should counteract any potential increase in risk.

[Anonymous]

I had pretty bad side-effects from clomid- basically I was pretty much a crazy bitch to everyone around me. I had almost none from injectibles. However, I did gain 20 pounds. But, I lost them almost immediately in the first month after I gave birth. I was scared about cancer too, but I felt comfortable with the risk after doing the research and discovering the health benefits of actually giving birth.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the cancer risks are well founded. Cancer risks are probably higher from lots of other stuff you do in your life.

IVF was way easier than adopting. The shots are nothing. Even it if IVF was 10 times worse than it is (or 1000 times worse) if you have a baby it is worth it.

I have no doubt that adoption is also worth every bit of pain, dollars, hassle and day of missed work. But, anytime someone said "why don't you just adopt" i knew thay had done neither IVF nor adoption --they greatly overestimated the time, pain, etc of IVF and seemed to think adoption consisted of walking downtown to the orphanage and picking out a cute baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have no doubt that adoption is also worth every bit of pain, dollars, hassle and day of missed work. But, anytime someone said "why don't you just adopt" i knew thay had done neither IVF nor adoption --they greatly overestimated the time, pain, etc of IVF and seemed to think adoption consisted of walking downtown to the orphanage and picking out a cute baby.

Amen, sister!!!