A beautifully tailored protocol just for us

The last (and only) time my FSH level was tested, we were told it was elevated. This generally indicates a low number of eggs left in the ovaries. However, the FSH level can vary from cycle to cycle as Jonny pointed out in his last post. Since there is nothing you can do to make more eggs, our best chance to get pregnant would be to start the treatment in a good looking cycle (lowish FSH, good lining and a few follicles) and use a different drug protocol.

Or rather, the cycle selection method forces us to use the antagonist protocol instead of the most commonly used agonist protocol. Since the GnRH agonists surpress the GnRH surpressors, it cannot be used during cycle selection. Or in layman's terms: the most commonly used IVF meds mess with the hormone levels necessary to determine when to start the stimulation.

Agonists are given before starting stimulation and antagonists let you start stimulation without suppression. Although they work slightly differently, the outcome is the same. They both stop the pituitary gland from making LH. LH prevents ovulation. Meaning it prevents all the carefully stimulated follicles to pop and flush away before the puncture. Antagonists do this in a matter of hours, whereas the agonists take a week or so - they make it the pituitary gland overproduce, then it shuts down.

The antagonist protocol permits a simplified and shorter treatment cycle than agonists. That is the good news. During a good looking cycle, I'll stimulate for a few days and when the LH starts to rise, we'd add the antagonist to the daily injections. Done and dusted in just over a week. All we need now, is to get that good looking cycle! Bring it on, body!