Downregulation
There is no drug that is absolutely safe and completely free of side effects but with the doses of drugs we use you should notice few. Buserelin or Synarel are used in almost every fertility unit in Western Europe and a similar drug in nearly every unit in the USA. Buserelin is designed to stop your ovaries working temporarily and so has an effect rather like that of the menopause ('the change'). This means that you might get hot flushes or night sweats. Some women get a dryness of the vagina, or they get headaches. Some women have mood swings. Most women get few or no side effects and all the problems disappear when the fertility injections start and your ovaries begin to work again.

Fertility Drugs
With all fertility drugs the biggest worry is that they will do their job too well and produce an enormous response. This sometimes happens but is rarely the cause of anything more than some pain and discomfort in the abdomen. However there is a condition known as Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) which is when too many eggs are produced in one cycle. These eggs, especially if you become pregnant, can steal fluid from your general body fluids and cause you to become ill. This is usually accompanied by a feeling of ill health, abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting. Although this is a potentially life threatening disorder, the chances of it occurring are extremely rare. We will endeavour to ensure that should you start developing OHSS, it will be detected at the earliest possible time and you will be monitored and treated accordingly.

IF YOU FEEL UNWELL IN ANY WAY DURING OR FOLLOWING TREATMENT, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE UNIT IMMEDIATELY ON 0151 702 4123/4249 DURING THE HOURS OF 8.00AM - 5.00PM. OUT OF HOURS, CONTACT THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THIS HOSPITAL ON tel:0151 708 9988.

Should you attend any doctor or hospital during the course of your treatment, it is important that you inform them of the drugs you are receiving.