TTC w/Clomid

[KaliLily]

Is there anyone here who has (or is) TTC with Clomid? I have PCOS (diagnosed in 1996) and have taken Clomid before, and have very bad memories of it. It made me ovulate, but I was so hormonal and sore I didn't want anyone to touch me. (Productive, huh? :P). In all fairness, I was under an extraordinary amount of stress back then which I'm sure exacerbated the side effects. It's because of that stress that we decided to stop the treatment and TTCing.

I'm much more relaxed now (in my life and in my TTC endeavors) and am hopeful I won't have as severe a reaction. However, just incase I find myself losing my grip on reality... Does anyone have any tips for getting past the side effects? I was thinking of getting back to my aerobic workouts, as it has helped aleviate PMS symptoms. Any other suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!

~Kim

[jennylou]

Hi Kim,

Clomid can be an awful thing! I only got hot flashes from it, though others have complained of being overly emotional.

You might want to join the Still At It thread over in the All Things Family Groups section. We've got ladies who have experiences with everything from charting, to clomid, to IVF.

[KaliLily]

Thanks, Jennylou! I'll check that forum out.

Overemotional? Let's see...I broke down in tears in my backyard because the mower wasn't working, then stormed into the house, stompted up the stairs and flopped onto my bed crying like a 4 year old. Yeah, I'd say I was overemotional. :D

[Scooter]

Kim, I felt the same way on clomid. This last year I was on it for 5 cycles, and it was getting more & more hellish. It got to the point where anything that went wrong would make me cry or feel rage. And I was feeling anxious & depressed, too. Besides all the physical symptoms, like constant nausea for 3 weeks out of the month.

I never did find anything that helped. I let my RE know each month about my side effects, and she decided to switch me to Femara (Letrozole). It's very similar to clomid, a pill that you take just like you would clomid. The difference is there is an even lower chance of twins & triplets, and it works differently in your body so it doesn't produce such out of control emotions. I have some of them, but it's nothing compared to the clomid. So I'd suggest discussing that option with your Dr; clomid isn't for everyone.

Good luck, and check out the SAI thread Jenny told you about. There's a link in my sig. :)

[Suzlywoozly]

Kim- I took clomid for 10 or 11 cycles and by the last cycle on it, I thought I was going to go out of mind! I'm not sure I have any advice on how to get through the side effects any easier. Like Jenny said, come join us over in the SAI thread.The ladies over there have so supportive and really helped me get through the ups and downs of infertility. Is there anyway you can try Letrozole? I know there are a few girls over in the SAI thread that are on it. It works similar to the clomid without all of the crazy side effects. I know Scooter is taking it and I think the side effects have been better for her. Hope to see you over in the SAI thread :D

[KaliLily]

I'll talk to my DR about Letrozole if I find Clomid turning me into the crazy lady again. Thanks!

See you all on "Still At It"

[Suzlywoozly]

Ha, Ha! Scooter & I posted at the same time. Her ears must have been burning! :D

[JennH]

I found the mix of Metformin and Clomid to be very hormonal for me...sad or angry...I could change on a dime.

[KaliLily]

I found the mix of Metformin and Clomid to be very hormonal for me...sad or angry...I could change on a dime.

I'm on Metformin, too. Do you have PCOS?

[sunshineab622]

I have PCOS, I am on 850mg of Metformin twice a day & I'm on my 2nd cycle of clomid. The only side effects from the clomid that I've had were hot flashes and occassional mood swings (not horrible though).

Good luck to you

[Sparkles P]

I was on 50mg of Clomid from Cd 5 to 9. Unfortunately during the 8 cycles I took it, I did not see a BFP. I took it at night time, around 9:30 pm, which is when I use to take my BCP. I had no side effects, lucky me.

Now hopefully this will post

[Lucy Van Pelt]

I did one cycle at 50mg and didn't have any side effect. However, they bumped me up to 100mg and I got some pretty bad headaches. I may have been a bit more emotional...but I am pretty up and down anyway so I can't blame that on Clomid! LOL

I didn't have any follicles at 50mg, but I had two on my recent cycle of 100mg. I'm praying for a BFP in the next 10 days or so!

[KaliLily]

Do you take Clomid in the AM or in the PM? Why?

[love6598]

Question for anyone still in here: I am on 50mg of clomid this month (my very first month) and have 2 eggs that have emerged. My problem is lack of good CM. I am a few days from Oing but usually have great CM by now. Has anyone in here used preseed to help things along??
__________________

[Eloo]

We used Preseed on our first round of Clomid and it worked for us! Good luck!

[pocahontas]

We used Preseed the cycle we got pg (although I can't say that's the miracle trick since we've used in several times in the past with zero results) but I'm sure it at least helped (and for CM issues it certainly can't hurt!)

[Eliezrah]

Do you take Clomid in the AM or in the PM? Why?I took it in the PM the night before (CD 2-6 instead of AM CD 3-7) my last time (all 3 kids are Clomid kids) because of the hot flashes. The first 2 times I'd get the hot flashes throughout the day and they were hard to deal with. When I took it at night, I got the flashes at night and it was easier.

Question for anyone still in here: I am on 50mg of clomid this month (my very first month) and have 2 eggs that have emerged. My problem is lack of good CM. I am a few days from Oing but usually have great CM by now. Has anyone in here used preseed to help things along??
__________________I used Preseed every cycle when we were TTC #1 and possibly #2 (I don't remember for sure) but definitely not for #3. The last one we got PG on the first cycle and the others took longer, but I'm sure it had nothing to do w/ the preseed

[Twylla]

Question for anyone still in here: I am on 50mg of clomid this month (my very first month) and have 2 eggs that have emerged. My problem is lack of good CM. I am a few days from Oing but usually have great CM by now. Has anyone in here used preseed to help things along??
__________________

We did use pressed when on clomid, but it didn't do the trick for us. But this is one of the suckiest side effects of clomid. In the end, we didn't get pregnant until I was off clomid. Good luck!

[love6598]

question: This is my 2nd month on clomid. The first month I was on 50mg of clomid and had 2 follicles. I took that on days 4-8. Obviously BFN. Onto this month, I got bumped to 100 mg of clomid. This time on days 3-7, does any one know if there is a difference in day 3-7 or days 4-8. I am sure there must be a reason he switched it and I should have asked why, but ofcourse didn't!! LOL

[pocahontas]

What I have heard/read is that the earlier you take it the greater your chance of developing more follies (i.e. if you only produce one, you have a better shot of getting 2). But since you got 2 already I don't think it'll make much of a difference in that case.

[polkadot]

What I have heard/read is that the earlier you take it the greater your chance of developing more follies (i.e. if you only produce one, you have a better shot of getting 2). But since you got 2 already I don't think it'll make much of a difference in that case.


I agree with Pocahontas, or maybe it has to do with the dosages also...I took 50mg days 4-8 and when they upped my dosage to 100mg it was days 3-7, so maybe the dosing could have something to do with it... Good luck no matter what :D

POCAHONTAS!!! I just looked at your sig...CONGRATS!!! H&H 9 months to you...

[pocahontas]

Thanks. :D

[Tara07]

Congrats Pocahontas!!

I know this might be a dumb question but my doctor has prescribed Clomid for me to start taking and also I am supposed to take my temperature.

I have never taken it before so I am curious when am I supposed to take it. Do I take it right away or am I supposed to temp first for a few months. The reason I am asking this is because my doctor didnt go into it with me in depth.

[Scooter]

ready for a long answer? :p

Well, that totally depends on your doctor. First of all, it sounds like you're not seeing an RE, right? You're seeing a regular OB? REs aren't going to make you spend a few months charting before you take clomid. OBs might want you to.

If it's an OB, I'd call the office to clarify. Also, the standard of care for clomid cycles is to have a baseline ultrasound on day 2 or 3 of your cycle, to make sure you have no cysts and everything is ok for the cycle. Many OBs skip that step, so if yours is skipping it, you need to seriously think about seeing an RE. If you had the baseline u/s, then I would assume you should be taking the clomid this month. Have you had your cd3 bloodwork, too? That's a check of your hormone levels, and is also standard before giving out medications. If you're taking clomid, it;'s also standard to have at least one ultrasound (follicle check) to see how your ovaries are responding to the clomid. Usually that happens between cd10-13. Has that been scheduled yet? Is the OB going to do that monitoring? Are you going to have a cd21 / 7dpo bloodtest to check the progesterone level? That is also standard when you first start clomid. If none of this sounds familiar, you really need to call your doctor and ask some questions until you are comfortable with the care you are receiving. Some OBs give this stuff out like candy and it's really frustrating because it is a serious medication. It's already a difficult enough step for couples to take, and not informing the patients or giving proper care is just not cool.

As far as taking your temperature, that needs to be done in conjunction with tracking other fertility signs as well. Those would be cervical fluid, cervical position, OPKs, and/or a fertility monitor. There is a ton of info in the Charting to Avoid (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37176&highlight=tta) thread, and you can always join the TTC with Charting (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45548) thread to ask questions and get support. There are a ton of charting experts on these boards! And if you need help with any specific questions when you get going, there is the Interpret my chart! (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3119) thread in FP, which is useful. You'll probably pick up a ton just from looking through those 3 threads. Oh, and be forewarned--clomid can affect your temps so much that it can make every chart look like a pregnancy chart, so try not to pin too much hope on the temps. Just use them to confirm ovulation, and OPKs to predict ovulation. Clomid tends to dry up cervical fluid, so that's not necessarily a great predictor of ovulation in this case.

[Tara07]

ready for a long answer? :p

Well, that totally depends on your doctor. First of all, it sounds like you're not seeing an RE, right? You're seeing a regular OB? REs aren't going to make you spend a few months charting before you take clomid. OBs might want you to.

If it's an OB, I'd call the office to clarify. Also, the standard of care for clomid cycles is to have a baseline ultrasound on day 2 or 3 of your cycle, to make sure you have no cysts and everything is ok for the cycle. Many OBs skip that step, so if yours is skipping it, you need to seriously think about seeing an RE. If you had the baseline u/s, then I would assume you should be taking the clomid this month. Have you had your cd3 bloodwork, too? That's a check of your hormone levels, and is also standard before giving out medications. If you're taking clomid, it;'s also standard to have at least one ultrasound (follicle check) to see how your ovaries are responding to the clomid. Usually that happens between cd10-13. Has that been scheduled yet? Is the OB going to do that monitoring? Are you going to have a cd21 / 7dpo bloodtest to check the progesterone level? That is also standard when you first start clomid. If none of this sounds familiar, you really need to call your doctor and ask some questions until you are comfortable with the care you are receiving. Some OBs give this stuff out like candy and it's really frustrating because it is a serious medication. It's already a difficult enough step for couples to take, and not informing the patients or giving proper care is just not cool.

As far as taking your temperature, that needs to be done in conjunction with tracking other fertility signs as well. Those would be cervical fluid, cervical position, OPKs, and/or a fertility monitor. There is a ton of info in the Charting to Avoid (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37176&highlight=tta) thread, and you can always join the TTC with Charting (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45548) thread to ask questions and get support. There are a ton of charting experts on these boards! And if you need help with any specific questions when you get going, there is the Interpret my chart! (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3119) thread in FP, which is useful. You'll probably pick up a ton just from looking through those 3 threads. Oh, and be forewarned--clomid can affect your temps so much that it can make every chart look like a pregnancy chart, so try not to pin too much hope on the temps. Just use them to confirm ovulation, and OPKs to predict ovulation. Clomid tends to dry up cervical fluid, so that's not necessarily a great predictor of ovulation in this case.

Thank you so much Scooter! I actually spoke with my dr. yesterday and he told me that I need to start clomid this cycle and also temp as well. He told me that if I dont get pregnant this month then i will have to have a clomid check next month. He really didnt go into it that much. Also this might sound stupid but what is an RE?

[Scooter]

An RE is an OB who specializes in fertility. A "fertility doctor." It stands for reproductive endocrinologist. Obs focus on treating pregnant women, but REs have the training and up-to-date knowledge about helping women get pregnant. They make sure you have had all the tests done before treating you. OBs often jump into treatment without doing testing and giving you a diagnosis. There have been many people (including on here) who were told by their OB that they have "expertise" or "special interest" in infertility, but when those women eventually end up at an RE they find out the OBs were not following the standards of care or making sound decisions.

It's really up to you and where you are emotionally. If you're ok with trying out clomid for a certain amount of time before getting a referral to an RE, and very possibly not following a treatment plan that is going to work for you, then it's ok (but please ask for monitoring for your own safety!). If you are feeling more like you're tired of waiting for this to happen, your doctor isn't giving you enough information, or you'd be more comfortable getting a diagnosis before treatment, then going to an RE sounds like the better plan right now.

There are some things to understand about clomid. Here's a thread from a few months ago for someone else who was in this kind of situation that might help you. Check out post #7, because I wrote summary list of things that people getting clomid from their OB should know, IMO. Clomid checks? (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45531)

[Tara07]

Thanks Scooter!! I will have to check out if there is an RE in my area. I dont know if my insurance covers it, but the good thing is that my hubbys insurance doesnt require a referral so I can just go to see one without having to deal with the OB's office.

[Tara07]

How fast does it usually take to conceive once on Clomid?

[pocahontas]

You will find such varied answers to that question that there is no "one size fits all". For example, NEVER is my answer (as well as at least 2 other friends I know). I was on Clomid 4 months and didn't get pregnant once. One of the 2 friends was on Clomid EIGHT months and never conceived ('til after she got off). But someone else will come along and say it happened on the first try. *shrug*

[Scooter]

Ditto, Poca. It also depends on your diagnosis. Clomid doesn't work for everyone, and for some people isn't the best place to start at all. There are several different medications and they all seem to work slightly differently on your body chemistry, so it's really about finding what's right for you.

Clomid just increases your chances of conceiving a little. So if for example your chances each month of conceiving on your own are 2-3%, clomid would raise that to 10%. (Sorry,can't remember the exact percentages, but it's in that ballpark.) Clomid with an IUI would be closer to 15%. Injectable medication with an IUI would be 20%, which is the same as the average couple's chances each cycle. So it really depends on if you're in that group of women for whom clomid addresses whatever the issue is and doesn't cause enough negative side effects to counterweight that. And if your chances are 10%, it may take a couple cycles to get a result, because your odds are still lower than the average couple. Hope that makes sense!

[Twylla]

[b]One of the 2 friends was on Clomid EIGHT months and never conceived ('til after she got off).

I was a case like this as well. Clomid has a lot of side effects, and those are what prevented me from conceiving (in my opinion, no doctor actually confirmed this for me). I was so dry by the time I was taking enough clomid (100mg a day for 10 days each cycle) that even though I was finally able to ovulate, we still weren't successful.

I know it's so hard to jump into ART. Just keep doing what you're doing and read everything you can, ask questions, and hang in there. Good luck!

[jennylou]

Why are you on clomid?

I've taken it twice. The first time, 50 mg worked the first time. The second time, I was bumped to 100 mg and it took five cycles.

In my case, I have PCOS (though, it's in pretty good control while I nurse - I actually ovulate and have gotten pregnant while nursing). If you don't ovulate, than clomid is a great starting drug for you.

[Tara07]

Why are you on clomid?

I've taken it twice. The first time, 50 mg worked the first time. The second time, I was bumped to 100 mg and it took five cycles.

In my case, I have PCOS (though, it's in pretty good control while I nurse - I actually ovulate and have gotten pregnant while nursing). If you don't ovulate, than clomid is a great starting drug for you.

I also have PCOS. I finally just got AF after not having it for over 100 days. I also had finally gotten health insurance through hubby's new job so I was able to go see a dr. He started me on Clomid 50 mg for my first cycle and then he wants to do a Clomid check next month.

[Twylla]

I also have PCOS. I finally just got AF after not having it for over 100 days. I also had finally gotten health insurance through hubby's new job so I was able to go see a dr. He started me on Clomid 50 mg for my first cycle and then he wants to do a Clomid check next month.

This sounds very similar to what I went through. The monitoring while on clomid is VERY important. I still had super long cycles on low doses of clomid, but because of a lack of what I would consider proper monitoring, my gyn didn't acknowledge that I still wasn't ovulating. My advice is to make SURE you're monitored, and keep track of things on your own as well (charting, write down all of your symptoms once or twice a day). Something else you may want to research and talk to your doctor about is a drug called Metformin. It's relatively inexpensive, and as far as my case went, a miracle drug! ;)

[Tara07]

This sounds very similar to what I went through. The monitoring while on clomid is VERY important. I still had super long cycles on low doses of clomid, but because of a lack of what I would consider proper monitoring, my gyn didn't acknowledge that I still wasn't ovulating. My advice is to make SURE you're monitored, and keep track of things on your own as well (charting, write down all of your symptoms once or twice a day). Something else you may want to research and talk to your doctor about is a drug called Metformin. It's relatively inexpensive, and as far as my case went, a miracle drug! ;)

I was on Metformin for about 8 months last year until I lost my insurance. I actually got restested a couple of weeks ago, and all of my blood looked really good. He had ordered a 2 hr glucose which came back normal and I also had a Prolactin, Testosterone, TSH and of course a HSG, The HSG was because I hadnt had a peroid since April 30th. I just barely got AF on August 13th after having a progesterone shot on Thur Aug 6th. He told me that I didnt need to be on Metformin, so I am hoping that the Clomid does the trick. We are looking forward to being parents and I am just hoping we conceive soon. I am also temping and charting. We have been trying of and on for a year, but actively since Feb. We still havent got pregnant naturally. Sorry so long :o

[Tara07]

Well I went to the doctor today because I was complaining of extreme pain on the left side of my low abdomen. The dr. did a vaginal ultrasound and said that that my left ovary has doubled in size and my right ovary had blood in it, I guess this indicates that I have ovulated. Well according to the dr.'s calendar I ovulated on the 27th, which would have been the day hubby and I BD. I am feeling some symptoms of pregnancy, but I am really to early to tell. I have very sore nipples, nauseasness and blue veins in my breasts that are more pronounvced, frequent urination and tiredness more than usual. So I am not getting my hopes up.

Also my dr. said that my ovaries were over stimulated with the Clomid at 50mg. So is going to consult with and Infertility Dr. to find out what our next step will be. My next appt with him is Sept 14th. So hopefully the pain goes away soon and I get some answers from the doc.

[Scooter]

Tara, good luck! Clomid can cause you to have just about any pregnancy symptom you can think of, so don't be surprised by lots of new symptoms in the 2ww. As for being overstimulated, that's most likely from the PCOS. It's good your OB is consulting with an RE, because PCOS is an endocrine issue and that is the "E" part of their specialty. ;)

[Tara07]

Tara, good luck! Clomid can cause you to have just about any pregnancy symptom you can think of, so don't be surprised by lots of new symptoms in the 2ww. As for being overstimulated, that's most likely from the PCOS. It's good your OB is consulting with an RE, because PCOS is an endocrine issue and that is the "E" part of their specialty. ;)

Yeah that is why I didnt want to get my hopes up. We have been trying for a while and I am over it. I just want it to happen already!! LOL!! I am glad that he is doing that. I am also charting but I cant really see a pattern and my temps are so all over the place that I dont know when I really ovulated. I even had a dream that I could hear the babys heartbeat last night, but it could be from me thinking about TTC so much!! Thanks Scooter!!

[Twylla]

Yeah that is why I didnt want to get my hopes up. We have been trying for a while and I am over it. I just want it to happen already!! LOL!! I am glad that he is doing that. I am also charting but I cant really see a pattern and my temps are so all over the place that I dont know when I really ovulated. I even had a dream that I could hear the babys heartbeat last night, but it could be from me thinking about TTC so much!! Thanks Scooter!!

I eventually gave up charting because I was so frustrated with the lack of any pattern for all my hard work. ;) I'm sorry you're going through this, I know how hard it is to be patient. It's reaslly great that an RE is being consulted. I stayed with just my gyn for way too long. He wasn't referring me and I finally had to bring up a fertility clinic I was interested in before he said he'd refer me. :rolleyes: Good luck!

[Tara07]

I eventually gave up charting because I was so frustrated with the lack of any pattern for all my hard work. ;) I'm sorry you're going through this, I know how hard it is to be patient. It's reaslly great that an RE is being consulted. I stayed with just my gyn for way too long. He wasn't referring me and I finally had to bring up a fertility clinic I was interested in before he said he'd refer me. :rolleyes: Good luck!

I am so happy he is consulting with the RE too. There are none in our area, they are all about an hour away from me, so I was glad that I didnt have to be referred to him. By the way, does insurance cover an RE?

[Twylla]

I am so happy he is consulting with the RE too. There are none in our area, they are all about an hour away from me, so I was glad that I didnt have to be referred to him. By the way, does insurance cover an RE?

Our RE was an 8 hour drive away. :eek: But worth it in the end.

Our insurance did not cover an RE, but I wass covered for any medications used, up to a lifetime limit of $10,000, which we didn't come close to reaching. Every plan is different, but it's definitely worth a phone call to your provider to find out what you're covered for now, so that you know when you find out what the RE has to say.

[Tara07]

Well I ended up not being pregnant this first cycle of Clomid, but boy did AF come with a vengance yesterday. This morning I almost told my hubby to take me to the hospital because my cramps were the worst I have had in my life. I was reading online and a lot of people were saying that heavy heavy bleeding after taking Clomid is normal. I just feel so crappy. I have an appt on Monday so hopefully my Dr. will figure out what he will do next.

[Twylla]

I'm glad you have an appointment. Just make sure he monitors you really well while on clomid, and stay positive. Remember that just because you're taing clomid, it doesn't mean an instant baby. I know it's soooo hard. And go take something for those cramps now that you know you can. (I do wish you were dealing with m/s and unable to take anything though! ;))

[Tara07]

I'm glad you have an appointment. Just make sure he monitors you really well while on clomid, and stay positive. Remember that just because you're taing clomid, it doesn't mean an instant baby. I know it's soooo hard. And go take something for those cramps now that you know you can. (I do wish you were dealing with m/s and unable to take anything though! ;))

I know, I am trying not to get my hopes up to get pregnant. I just thought we did everything right this time and I was kind of sad when we didnt get pregnant this cycle. So I have appt. today and I just was taking Tylenol to get these fierce cramps to go away. Thanks Twylla!!

My original doctor is out of the practice right now because he is having surgery, so I saw a new dr. and he is wonderful I like him much better and he seems to have his head together better than the other one.

[Tara07]

Well I went to the Dr. today and my ovaries have drastically decreased in size. He said that everything looks good so far. He also said that I ovulated around day 21 so we completely missed the BD day. Hubby will finally be done with training so we will get to be able BD a lot more.

The doctor told me that he wants to me to cool it with the Clomid this cycle. He said after having it overstimulate my ovaries and trigger a lot of other problems he said that we are going to wait it out this month. He also wants to see me in 1 week to check my follicles to see how they are progressing. At that time he is going to check my cervical mucus and do a pelvic and ultrasound. He also said that at time he will decide whether to give me a HCG shot or not.

He also wants hubby to go to a urologist to get his sperm count checked, and he said that the urologist may be able to put him on Clomid to up his sperm count, so we will see.

[Twylla]

Well, this doctor sounds much better! you're quite likely to miss the "right" BDing days if you're not properly monitored, and you've just found. To deal with that, as long as your schedules permit ;), start BDing on CD14 and keep going every other day until AF shows up or you get a BFP!

This new doc is right on cooling it with clomid. I can't remember, but did the first doc do a lot of testing ahead of time? The first doc also said no need for metformin, right? It could be something to bring up again with the new doc. Of course, first lots of tests, and for DH too!

Clomid for your DH though??? Why does he need to ovulate? ;) But a urologist could sort things out if there's a problem. There's no point in you taking one drop of any drug if your DH carries some sort of trouble too, right? Good luck, good luck, there are many on here who know how terribly frustrating this is. Keep us up to date...

[Tara07]

Well, this doctor sounds much better! you're quite likely to miss the "right" BDing days if you're not properly monitored, and you've just found. To deal with that, as long as your schedules permit ;), start BDing on CD14 and keep going every other day until AF shows up or you get a BFP!

This new doc is right on cooling it with clomid. I can't remember, but did the first doc do a lot of testing ahead of time? The first doc also said no need for metformin, right? It could be something to bring up again with the new doc. Of course, first lots of tests, and for DH too!

Clomid for your DH though??? Why does he need to ovulate? ;) But a urologist could sort things out if there's a problem. There's no point in you taking one drop of any drug if your DH carries some sort of trouble too, right? Good luck, good luck, there are many on here who know how terribly frustrating this is. Keep us up to date...

Well hubby had a SA done about 1 month ago and his sperm count was 14.5 million per cubic centimeter. The Dr. said that it was low, so that is why they referred him to the urologist, they also said that Clomid will help with his sperm count if taken every day.

I also forgot to mention that the Dr. says he saw a good follicle in my ovary and he wants to monitor that so that we can hopefully get pregnant this cycle. I am just so relieved that this dr. is taking the time to help me out and get my body straightened out as well.

When the first Dr. ran all the tests he said that all of my numbers and everything were normal and that the Metformin wasnt needed at this time. But what I dont understand is why I didnt have a period for over 100 days and all my bloodwork came back normal and I still have PCOS. I guess I will bring that up with my Dr. on Monday

[Twylla]

Hunh. I've never heard of clomid to improve sperm count. Go figure.

Yeah, I'm not sure why he took you off metformin either. It treats the PCOS, and could still help you!

Good luck for this cycle though... I'll think of you Monday!

[Adaya]

Hunh. I've never heard of clomid to improve sperm count. Go figure.



Just chiming in on the clomid for men. My doc just mentioned that last week and I was kind of taken aback. But she said it's being a bit more common and pretty effective in improving sperm count. She hasn't decided what to do yet, but it is on the table.

[Twylla]

Just chiming in on the clomid for men. My doc just mentioned that last week and I was kind of taken aback. But she said it's being a bit more common and pretty effective in improving sperm count. She hasn't decided what to do yet, but it is on the table.

Will the miracle of modern medicine never cease? lol. I hope it makes the difference if your DH uses it!

[Tara07]

Well hubby had his appt on Friday with a Urologist and the doctor checked everything and said hubby is good, his SA was a little abnormal but they ordered him to do another one. Hubby doesnt have any blockages. Dr. said he is good to go. He didnt think that my hubby needed Clomid so I guess it all boils down to me and my problems:(. I just dont know. I had an appt on Monday the 21st and he did another ultrasound, that was CD12. He checked my CM at that time but nothing was really there. So I have another appt tomorrow on the 28th. So hopefully I ovulated sometime within that time. Dr. has also told me to stop taking Clomid this month since it overstimulated me way to much. He also told me to stop temping as well. Kind of to take a break. I also have a small cyst on my left ovary. So I guess I am having a feeling that I am letting my hubby down because I have so many problems and that I am not getting pregnant as soon as we had planned. I just want to give him a child!!

[Twylla]

I know how hard it is to be patient and wait, and I'm certainly not going to tell you to "just relax".... but I will tell you it's a good thing if you can distract yourself. Obviously, continue seeing your doc and getting things dealt with. But do you best not to focus just on that. This isn't your fault, and while medically there may be something happenning to prevent you from becoming pregnant easily, it's not your fault, and you shouldn't let yourself feel guilty, okay? As long as your DH is supportive, and it sounds like he is, there's no reason for you to focus on guilt.

So in the meantime, do things you won't be able to with a baby. Read some, shop a bit ;), watch lots of guilty pleasure tv, do things spur of the moment. Anything to help some of those cycles go by with more fun than just seeing a doc and getting an u/s. Hang in there.

[Tara07]

I know how hard it is to be patient and wait, and I'm certainly not going to tell you to "just relax".... but I will tell you it's a good thing if you can distract yourself. Obviously, continue seeing your doc and getting things dealt with. But do you best not to focus just on that. This isn't your fault, and while medically there may be something happenning to prevent you from becoming pregnant easily, it's not your fault, and you shouldn't let yourself feel guilty, okay? As long as your DH is supportive, and it sounds like he is, there's no reason for you to focus on guilt.

So in the meantime, do things you won't be able to with a baby. Read some, shop a bit ;), watch lots of guilty pleasure tv, do things spur of the moment. Anything to help some of those cycles go by with more fun than just seeing a doc and getting an u/s. Hang in there.

Thank you Twylla!! I am really not trying to think about it, but you know how hard it is not too. I am attending school right now and I am trying to focus on that. I will definately take your advice and I will do some fun things to get my mind off of all this baby mumbo jumbo. I have an appt today so hopefully I may have more news.

[Tara07]

I just got back from the Dr. and so far I haven't ovulated and it doesn't look I am near ovulating at all. My LMP was 9/10/09. Dr. said that if I do not have a period by the 13th of Oct. then I need to take Provera and then start on a 1/2 tab of Clomid for 5 days. Then I have to come back in for a check-up Nov. 9th. If I still don't get pregnant then the dr. is going to send me out to another dr. for a possible IUI. I had a break down with hubby this morning. It just makes me so mad. I hate that my body doesn't want to cooperate.

[Twylla]

The breakdowns are rough. You're not alone, I promise. :(

[Tara07]

The breakdowns are rough. You're not alone, I promise. :(

Thanks Twylla, I appreciate the support you have given me!!

[Scooter]

Tara, I'm sorry you're going through this. :( I just wanted to say that you mentioned having a cyst...clomid can cause cysts and they can get large enough to produce hormones that affect your cycle. Hearing that you have a cyst and now that you are not ovulating is no surprise to me. That actually happened to me after most of my medicated cycles. I usually O'd around day 35 or so on cyst cycles, and then was able to do a medicated cycle after that. If you do a round of Provera and start AF, if you still have a large cyst it can either disrupt your upcoming clomid cycle or the taking the clomid can actually cause it to burst. If you haven't had an u/s, that might be something to discuss with your Dr. It also means that you should continue temping/using the monitor/taking OPKs/whatever you're doing to watch for O, because you actually could ovulate even if you haven't gotten AF by the 13th. Hope that's helpful to you, wishing you luck. :)

[Tara07]

Tara, I'm sorry you're going through this. :( I just wanted to say that you mentioned having a cyst...clomid can cause cysts and they can get large enough to produce hormones that affect your cycle. Hearing that you have a cyst and now that you are not ovulating is no surprise to me. That actually happened to me after most of my medicated cycles. I usually O'd around day 35 or so on cyst cycles, and then was able to do a medicated cycle after that. If you do a round of Provera and start AF, if you still have a large cyst it can either disrupt your upcoming clomid cycle or the taking the clomid can actually cause it to burst. If you haven't had an u/s, that might be something to discuss with your Dr. It also means that you should continue temping/using the monitor/taking OPKs/whatever you're doing to watch for O, because you actually could ovulate even if you haven't gotten AF by the 13th. Hope that's helpful to you, wishing you luck. :)

I know that for the last month the Dr. has been monitoring me every week, ever since I came in because my left ovary was enlarged due to the Clomid. He has been monitoring the cyst and checking it weekly. As of the last two weeks the cyst has remained the same. I was speaking to my mom about it yesterday and she was asking me why they dont remove them. She said that back in the day they used to remove the cysts. I also think that due to the PCOS issues that I am having like the ring of pearls on ovaries that is also preventing me from ovulating. Hubby and I are trying to BD every few days but since the appt I just havent been up to it, thinking what's the use I probably wont get pregnant anyways. It is amazing how much this can control your mind if you let it(which I have).

Thanks Scooter!! You have been helpful in explaining it to me!!

[Tara07]

I am just bumping up this thread.

I finally got AF after about 2 months of not having a period. My last period was on Sept 10th, and it finally arrived on Nov 23rd after being put on Provera for 7 days. I now just completed 5 days of taking 25mg of Clomid, and I have also been taking Vitex and Guafinesin to help with CM and Ovulation. We are hoping to get pregnant this cycle.

I did not like the mood swings that I got with the Provera. I was very moody and emotional. My gyno told me that if we dont conceive on this cycle then he is going to refer me out to a Dr. that deals with IUI.