If you’ve started taking Menopur injections for fertility treatment, but You are wondering about the fertility medication you’re taking is actually working or not? and You’re probably looking for signs that the Menopur is doing its job to stimulate ovulation. After knowing the signs that Menopur is working gives you clarity and reassurance your treatment is progressing in the right direction.
In this blog post will walk you through the physical, emotional, and medical indications that Menopur is stimulating egg production and maturation or not. From hormone changes to ultrasound monitoring, you’ll learn the most common signals that Menopur is effectively supporting your fertility journey.
By understanding the signs Menopur is working, you can feel confident that your treatment is progressing in the right direction. So Let’s explore all the signs you can identify and track Menopur’s effectiveness on your way to building a family.
Contents
- 1 What is Menopur and How Does it Work?
- 2 Common Physical and Emotional Signs Menopur Is Working
- 3 Menopur Medical Tests to Confirm Menopur is Working
- 4 Real-Life Examples of Successful Menopur Treatment
- 5 Signs Menopur Is Not Working
- 6 What to do if Menopur Is not working?
- 7 Related FAQs of Menopur’s Working and Effectiveness
- 7.1 What is the success rate of Menopur?
- 7.2 What mood changes may occur when taking Menopur?
- 7.3 Does Menopur Stop Your Period?
- 7.4 How Long Does It Take For Menopur To Work?
- 7.5 How Long Does Menopur Stay In Your System?
- 7.6 Can Menopur interact with other fertility medications?
- 7.7 Does Menopur Make You Emotional?
- 7.8 How does Menopur make you feel?
- 7.9 Why Use Gonal-F And Menopur Together?
- 7.10 What side effects may occur when taking Menopur?
- 7.11 Should I change my diet or exercise while using Menopur?
- 7.12 What physical signs indicate Menopur is stimulating ovulation?
- 7.13 Best Time to Take Menopur
- 7.14 What blood tests can confirm Menopur’s effectiveness?
- 8 Conclusion On Effectiveness and Signs Menopur Is Working
What is Menopur and How Does it Work?
Before we dive into the signs Menopur is working, it’s important to understand what Menopur is and how it works. Menopur is an injectable prescription fertility medication that has been used since the 1960s to treat infertility in women.
It works by mimicking the FSH and LH hormones that are naturally produced by the pituitary gland. These hormones stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs during a menstrual cycle, which is crucial for procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF).
So in summary, Menopur helps promote ovulation by providing an extra boost of the hormones needed for egg production and maturation.
Common Physical and Emotional Signs Menopur Is Working
When Menopur starts exerting its hormonal effects, you’ll likely notice some physical and emotional changes. Being aware of these common signs can give you reassurance that the medication is working.
Physical Signs Menopur is working
Once Menopur starts stimulating your ovaries, you may notice some physical changes and side effects. Common physical signs that Menopur is doing its job include:
- Changes in menstrual cycle: You may notice changes in the length and flow of your period. Your cycles may be longer, shorter, lighter or heavier than usual. This occurs as Menopur stimulates your ovaries.
- Breast tenderness: Many women experience breast soreness, tenderness and fullness when taking Menopur. This is due to rising estrogen levels.
- Bloating and abdominal discomfort: As your ovaries swell with developing follicles, you may feel bloated. Your abdomen may feel full, heavy or achy.
- Headaches: Hormone fluctuations can sometimes trigger headaches in women taking Menopur. Stay hydrated and rest if needed.
- Increased resting heart rate: Your heart may beat faster due to higher estrogen levels. Contact your doctor if palpitations or a racing heartbeat occur.
- Ovarian follicles developing: Your doctor will track the growth of ovarian follicles via ultrasound. Multiple follicles indicate Menopur is stimulating ovulation.
These physical effects occur as Menopur causes your hormone levels to rise and ovarian activity to increase. Stay in close contact with your doctor and report any severe side effects, but otherwise view them as reassurance that Menopur is taking effect.
Emotional Changes That Signs Menopur is Working
In addition to physical effects, the hormone fluctuations caused by Menopur can trigger some emotional changes as well. Many women inform the following moods-related signs Menopur is working:
- Anxiety or feeling on edge: Many women notice increased anxiety, worry, or feeling “keyed up” while taking Menopur. Hormone changes can trigger these effects.
- Irritability or moodiness: Fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels often cause irritability, mood swings and sensitivity. You may feel up and down.
- Difficulty concentrating: Changes in your hormones can make it hard to concentrate or focus while on Menopur. Mental fogginess is common.
- Fatigue and trouble sleeping: Despite feeling worn out, many women struggle to sleep soundly. Hormones again are the culprit.
- Weepiness and emotional sensitivity: Sudden tears or feeling emotional are very common. Hormones amplify our feelings.
Don’t be alarmed if you experience emotional sensitivity, weepiness, or mood swings while on Menopur. These are normal responses as your hormone levels rise and fall. Be kind to yourself and prioritize self-care activities until the symptoms subside.
Menopur Medical Tests to Confirm Menopur is Working
In addition to tracking symptoms, your doctor will also monitor your progress with Menopur using medical tests. These tests provide concrete evidence that the medication is stimulating ovulation appropriately:
- Blood tests measuring hormone levels – Rising estrogen and progesterone indicate developing follicles.
- Ultrasound monitoring of ovarian follicles – Seeing multiple follicles is reassurance Menopur is working.
- Tracking endometrial lining thickness – A thickened lining means your body is preparing for implantation.
- Confirming ovulation with a progesterone test – An ovarian progesterone surge proves ovulation occurred.
Seeing positive results from these tests will give you confidence that Menopur is doing its job to support fertility and optimal egg development. Stay in close contact with your doctor to discuss your progress and any needed dosage adjustments.
Read Also 7 Good Signs That Gonal F Is Working?
Real-Life Examples of Successful Menopur Treatment
Reading about real women’s experiences using Menopur can help give you insight into what signs to look for. Here are a couple success stories:
Sarah, age 38, struggled with low ovarian reserve. After 3 failed IUI attempts, she began IVF with a Menopur protocol. On Menopur, Sarah experienced breast tenderness, bloating, and mood swings – all signs the medication was working. Ultrasounds showed 5 mature follicles and bloodwork revealed elevated estrogen levels. After her first IVF cycle using Menopur, Sarah became pregnant with twins.
Julie, 36, was diagnosed with PCOS and irregular menstrual cycles. She took a combination of Menopur and Folistim during her IVF cycle. Julie developed multiple follicles, had high estrogen on blood tests, and experienced symptoms like headaches and irritability. A progesterone test confirmed ovulation occurred. After years of trying unsuccessfully, Julie finally achieved a healthy pregnancy and delivered a baby girl.
Signs Menopur Is Not Working
While most women respond well to Menopur, it unfortunately does not work for everyone. Signs that it may not be effectively stimulating ovulation include:
- Not experiencing common side effects like bloating, breast tenderness, or hormone-related mood changes
- Ultrasound monitoring shows no follicle growth in the ovaries
- Blood tests reveal low or stagnant estrogen levels
- Lack of progesterone surge to confirm ovulation
- No thickening of the endometrial lining
If you are not seeing physical, emotional, or medical test signs of progress on Menopur, discuss adjusting your dosage or exploring other protocol options with your doctor. Don’t lose hope – there are still many paths to building your family.
What to do if Menopur Is not working?
If you and your doctor determine Menopur is not stimulating ovulation for you, there are still steps you can take:
- Get your Menopur dosage adjusted. Increasing the dose or frequency may improve your response.
- Add or switch to another fertility medication like Folistim to use in combination with Menopur.
- Explore IVF techniques like ICSI to improve fertilization chances once eggs are retrieved.
- Consider using a gestational carrier if it appears you may have difficulty conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy.
- Seek emotional support from your partner, friends, family, therapy, or support groups. This process is difficult both physically and mentally.
- Research alternative protocols or medications by getting a second opinion from another fertility specialist.
- Take time to process feelings of disappointment before exploring next steps. Allow yourself to grieve before pushing forward.
The most important thing is to remain hopeful. Work closely with your medical team to optimize your chances for success, even if Menopur alone did not do the trick.
Related FAQs of Menopur’s Working and Effectiveness
What is the success rate of Menopur?
The success rate of Menopur varies case by case, but studies show around a 10-35% birth rate per IVF cycle using Menopur. Your individual odds depend on factors like age, diagnosis, egg quality, and protocol. Work closely with your doctor to give yourself the best chances possible.
What mood changes may occur when taking Menopur?
Common mood-related side effects of Menopur include irritability, anxiety, trouble concentrating, fatigue, emotional sensitivity/weepiness, and sleep issues. These occur as your hormone levels fluctuate.
Does Menopur Stop Your Period?
Menopur can delay your period during treatment cycles, but it does not permanently stop menstruation. Your normal menstrual cycles will resume once you discontinue using Menopur.
How Long Does It Take For Menopur To Work?
You should start noticing physical signs of Menopur working like breast tenderness, bloating, and follicle growth within 1-2 weeks. However, it takes approximately 10 days to achieve full egg maturation and ovulation. Response times vary.
How Long Does Menopur Stay In Your System?
The half-life of Menopur is around 30 hours. It will generally clear your system within 1-2 weeks after your last dose. Always inform doctors of any medications you’ve recently taken.
Can Menopur interact with other fertility medications?
Yes, Menopur can potentially interact with other ovulatory stimulating agents like clomiphene or gonadotropins. To prevent issues, inform your doctor of any other fertility meds.
Does Menopur Make You Emotional?
Menopur commonly causes increased emotional sensitivity and mood changes like crying spells, irritability, and anxiety due to hormone fluctuations. These side effects are usually temporary.
How does Menopur make you feel?
Common feelings while taking Menopur include breast tenderness, bloating, abdominal discomfort, headaches, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, trouble concentrating, fatigue, and emotional sensitivity due to hormone changes.
Why Use Gonal-F And Menopur Together?
Using Gonal-F and Menopur together provides both FSH (Gonal-F) and FSH + LH (Menopur) to more closely mimic natural ovulation. This “dual stimulation” approach may improve egg quality and maturity.
What side effects may occur when taking Menopur?
Potential Menopur side effects include breast tenderness, abdominal bloating, headaches, mood changes, injection site reactions, hot flashes, nausea, and rarely ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Should I change my diet or exercise while using Menopur?
There are no dietary restrictions with Menopur, but intense exercise may impact ovarian response. Avoid over-exercising and maintain a healthy diet. Check with your doctor before major diet/exercise changes.
What physical signs indicate Menopur is stimulating ovulation?
Signs Menopur is working include breast tenderness, bloating, abdominal swelling, changes in menstrual cycle, headaches, increased heart rate, and multiple ovarian follicles seen on ultrasound.
Best Time to Take Menopur
Menopur is usually administered in the evening around the same time each day. Timing depends on your specific protocol. Follow your doctor’s instructions for optimal results.
What blood tests can confirm Menopur’s effectiveness?
Blood tests that can confirm Menopur is working include estrogen level, progesterone level, LH level, and hCG tests. See your doctor to understand your progress.
Conclusion On Effectiveness and Signs Menopur Is Working
I hope this guide has helped shed light on the mystery of whether or not Menopur is working its fertility-supporting magic within your body. I know it can be frustrating dealing with the physical and emotional rollercoaster while playing the waiting game. But try to view those side effects as reassurance that changes are happening!
Remember, only you and your doctor can determine if Menopur is effective for your specific situation. But tracking common signs like breast tenderness, mood changes, follicle growth, and rising estrogen can provide clues that you’re on the right path.
Lean on your loved ones for support and be kind to yourself throughout the process. I know it’s easier said than done, but try to exercise patience each step of the way. With an open dialogue with your doctor and the right protocol, the signs will show themselves. Wishing you the very best of luck and sending you positive thoughts!
Sources: Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov