Premarin - this pill is estrogen. It's stops your ovaries from ovulating. I was put on this prior to treatment to give my ovaries a "vacation". Since I have made this site I have learned where premarin comes from. It is made from pregnant horse urine. If you or someone you know is taking premarin please check out this site "for the truth", about the horse slaughter, and talk to your doctor.

Estradiol - this pill is estrogen. It works just like the premarin, except no animals were abused to produce this estrogen.

Provera - this pill is taken during the last ten days, while your taking premarin. It makes you have a period.

Drugs requiring injection:

There are two types of needles used to inject

1. "Pincher" - (a.k.a. subcutaneous injection). This type is the lesser of the two. It is a very small needle in width and length. You grab a chunk of your thigh, pinch it, insert & inject the syringe. Most of the time the only thing I feel is myself pinching my thigh. This type just shoots the stuff under your skin. This is good.

2. "Oucher" - (a.k.a. intramuscular or sore ass injection). This is one that you dread. It is a longer, thicker needle that goes into your butt. It has to be inserted into a muscle, hence you feel pain. This is not so good. However, my sister who has been through this and has my nephew says "I can't even remember the pain". Since it goes in your butt, you need to have someone else give the shot to you. You cannot do it yourself.

The key to the "Oucher Shot" is DO NOT put any weight on the muscle you are getting the shot in. If you are getting it in the left cheek, put all your weight on your right foot. Or better yet, lay down on a bed, face down. I have had a shot both ways and speak from experience. Don't have pressure on that muscle!!

Lupron - this is a "pincher" shot and you get it everyday in the morning. It is the drug that stops you from ovulating. You have to keep taking it everyday otherwise, you will lose all your eggs.

Gonal-F - this is a "pincher" shot and it makes you produce eggs. You take the gonal-f to make eggs. At the same time, you are taking the lupron, which stops them from being released.

Heparin - this is a "pincher" shot and it helps to prevent blood clots. I have took this daily after the retrieval. They told me to give it to myself in the abdomen. This area was more sensitive than where I was getting the shots in my thighs.

Pergonal - this is an "oucher" which makes you produce eggs. You can take the gonal-f or the pergonal. They both do the same thing.

Profasi - this is an "oucher" which makes you ovulate. It also makes your eggs mature. You usually have one of these shots at the end of your treatment, right before retrieval.

Progesterone Oil - this is an "oucher" which builds up the lining in your uterus. This lining is suppose to make the fertilized eggs stick to your uterus. Kind of like making your own personal fly paper. This actually hurt less than the "pincher" shot in the abdomen. It looks like vegetable oil in the bottle and takes longer to draw into the syringe than the Lupron.

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The information above is purely a personal opinion. It is not in anyway meant to be medical advice. I am not a doctor or health care professional. But I do feel as having been on the receiving end, qualified to voice my own definitions, of each one of this drugs.