Starting clomid - PCOS diagnosis

[LethargicButAwesome]

Hello all, am 30, DH and I have been ttc for DC2 for over 2.5 years years now. (After the longest referral ever) I was diagnosed with PCOS so have been given metformin 1500 to regulate my cycle, been taking this for a month now. The progesterone blood test shows I am not ovulating so they are sending out a clomid perscription in the post and I'm due to start on my next cycle. (Guessing some time in the nExt two weeks).

Any advice / experiences to share? Anything that I should do along side to increase my chances? Or someone going through the journey - a little nervous but equally excited too!

[Leodot]

Hi!

I’m also 30 and have been ttc number 1 for nearly 2 years. I’ve been taking metformin since January and have done 2 rounds of clomifene. I had confirmed ovulation after my first round of clomifene which was wonderful but sadly didn’t get pregnant. We missed our chance for the second round as DH was ill with corona virus but thankfully is recovered now so fingers crossed for round 3 in a few weeks.

The only thing I would say about metformin is it can make you have quite an upset stomach. It made me throw up a lot when I first started, I had dreadful nausea and didn’t want to eat anything. That subsided after about 8 weeks and I’m fine with it now. I recommend taking it with food as it is better that way and if you find that the dosage is too much then reduce it until you get used to it. I dropped from 3 a day to 1 a day then increased it gradually back to 3 a day over a number of weeks and that was so much better! Clomifene also makes me feel a little rough but you only take it for 5 days so it’s bearable. I took it at bedtime so I could sleep through the nausea. You might be absolutely fine though and not have a single side effect! I am someone that always gets the side effects 😂.

Good luck with it and fingers crossed it works for you😊.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Sorry to hear the last two cycles weren't great for you, hopefully this cycle will be much better...I've just started my period...so clomophinen tuesday (albeit pharmacy did t have it today, so a bit stressed!)

Metformin was the same for me, luckily we are in isolation as don't think I could have managed having it if I had to stray more that 3 mins away from the toilet. Don't really feel like eating anything either, but on the plus side lack of eating is helping with weight loss!

When does your next cycle start? (I've found metformin has made cycles shorter)

[Leodot]

My next cycle should start on the 30th April. It’s drastically reduced my cycles from around 80 days to around 33 which is amazing. That is stressful with the pharmacy, when have they said they will get it? Yes I found it helped my weight loss as all I could face eating was toast!

[LethargicButAwesome]

Your tww will begin when mine ends...subject to me getting the medication and the amount being enough to cause an ovulation - really praying it does....it's been a long 56 months :(

[LethargicButAwesome]

Be nice to have a clomid buddy ! Success rates are meant to be 85% so big chance for both of us!!

[Leodot]

It will be nice to have a buddy! It can get quite lonely when you don’t have any friends or family who have been through this. I am hopeful about clomid as I’ve heard good things!

[LethargicButAwesome]

Indeed!!

Managed to get hold of some clomid visited the 9th pharmacy I called....everywhere seemed out of stock 😳

So if you haven't stocked up already, make sure you visit in plenty of time!!

[Leodot]

Ah so glad you got some! I’ve got enough for another 4 months/rounds as they gave me a six month/round supply when I first started it. After six rounds I’m supposed to have a review to see whether or not I can have another six rounds. It’s supposed to be the end of August but I think it’s unlikely that will happen somehow 😞.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Hopefully by then the situation will be much better! Actually let me change that to HOPEFULLY BY THEN YOU WILL BE A PREGNANT LADY!

I heard your not supposed to take clomid for more than 6 months as it can significantly increase risks of cancer ?

Your consultant knows best I suppose :/ but genuinely hope you will not need the August review.

I have been given a month, need to chase up to obtain my 21 day blood test form - as one hasn't been sent out to me.

[Leodot]

Ah thank you 🥰 hopefully you will be one too!!

Yes I’d heard that to. I’m not really sure though. I’ve also read on here that you might get given it in combination with IUI but I don’t know how that would work.

That’s frustrating. Can you ring the hospital? How long is it until day 21 for you? My letter said that it could be done as last as day 23 if you weren’t able to get a blood test done on day 21.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Got a few weeks until the 21st yet, plus falls on a Sunday so will have to be 22nd...read a little about IUI but don't know too much about it, we are living in strange times so suppose we'll just have to take each day as it comes!

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Lethargic but awesome

Cloned should be given for a maximum of six months primarily because of the risk of clomid resistance occurring thereafter, not because of an increased cancer risk. It can increase LH levels markedly which can be unhelpful to many PCOS patients too.

Women should be monitored whilst on clomid due to it also being quite a powerful drug. No monitoring is unacceptable also because you will have no idea whether it’s working or not. It should also be given with a degree of caution to PCOS patients also because of clomid resistance.

Some PCOS patients have had more success overall with a combination of both metformin and clomid rather than solely clomid.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Thanks Atilla, I think I read somewhere about an increased risk of uterine cancer but once you are off it the lining builds up again...didn't read too much as didn't want to stress myself out.

Took my first dose yesterday and wasn't too bad, took @leodot's advice and took the pill just before bed, have had a pms type headache all day which sucks...and probs totally unrelated but I had multiple vivid nightmares all night...so random as I don't dream much, or atleast don't remember my dreams much!

[Leodot]

@lethargic

That’s frustrating. I think it said on the leaflet that it can cause headaches. I try not read them otherwise I scare myself to death. 😂

That’s awful about the nightmares. Hope you feel better soon and your headache goes.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Had my fourth pill today and have accepted the headaches as one of the side effects I will have to deal with, just hope they go away after after I finish the tablets! Have read that some people get symptoms all month.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Meant to be at peak ovulation, not doing any test strips, they just stress me out although have a headache again and wondering if it's a sign of ovulation ? Been a nightmare trying to get my day 21 blood test form to conform the clomid dosage was effective for me.

@Leodot your new cycle was about to start around now, all geared up for May to finally be our good news month ? :)

[cosmo30]

Hi, I am 30 and also trying for number 2, been trying for 3 years. I have pcos and finished 6 round of clomid in February. It really didn't agree with me, the side effects for me was headaches, bad hot flushes and terrible rage 🤣
I've been on metformin now for about a month. Due af this weekend and feeling really sad today ! How're you finding the clomid? I was due to have ovarian drilling but obvsiouly it got cancelled until further notice

[Leodot]

Hi @LethargicButAwesome!

I’m good thanks. Due AF tomorrow and I think it’s coming which is good! Yes I’m keeping all my fingers crossed for us for this month! Headache might be a sign of ovulation? Did you manage to get a blood test in the end?

Hi @cosmo30 I’m due tomorrow as well. Sorry you’re feeling sad. ❤️ I’m 30 and ttc my first for nearly 2 years. I feel rough when I take clomid but I’m alright after I’ve stopped. Sorry to hear that your drilling got cancelled. I think they are supposed to be releasing a plan for the next six weeks of how they are going to open up hospitals again. Hopefully fertility will be an area they can open up soon ❤️ I’ve read on the Infertility board that a lot of private clinics are reopening in May.

[cosmo30]

Hi @Leodot I'll be fine just one of those days! The weather doesn't help either it's so miserable. Yeah I started to dread taking clomid as some cycles the side effects stayed around
Sorry to hear you've been trying so long it's a tough journey isn't it! Have you got any underlying issues or is it just taking a long time for you? Yes hopefully all will start going back to normal, I can wait though as it's not an essential and there are more important services the nhs needs to prioritise right now

[Leodot]

Yeah the weather really doesn’t help as you can’t even get out for a walk or anything. Yes it is tough. It’s nice talking on here as I don’t have anyone in real life that has been through this. My friends and family either don’t have children and have never tried or have children and got pregnant instantly. It can be very lonely. People are either insensitive or don’t say anything for fear of being insensitive. It’s such a hard subject.

I have PCOS and either delayed or missing ovulation. I’ve got a cyst on one of my ovaries but they said they were happy to leave it there for now as it’s small. It was a hell of a fight to get a referral but we’re here now 😊

I know. Part of me wondered if we should keep trying but I thought that as I already have problems and I already have enough medication to last until August we should keep going and make a decision then if it’s still been unsuccessful.

[LethargicButAwesome]

Welcome @cosmo30 - sound like we are in a very similar boat. I also have an under active thyroid which sometimes works against me. But am sure at some point the stars will align and allow me to have a little DS or DD for my DS to play with. Sad to hear clomid was such a pain for you and seemed unsuccessful....and I can totally understand the frustration, I mean it feels like it takes absolutely forever to get a referal and appointments in the first place, so to have the procedure pushed out to an unknown date must just be so tough. I can only hope that miraculously you ovulate and have a bub on your own at some point!

@leodot new cycle new start! Really rooting for you :) my day 21 falls on BH, the form came in the post, little annoyed that the secretary didn't follow up on my many many voice messages - even a simple line to say I've popped a form in the post would have given me some reassurance but here nonetheless, also I don't have a second round of clomid lined up yet, which if I'm not pregs this cycle will be an extremely tight squeeze again as chemists don't seem to have them in stock - dunno why they just can't give me a couple of months worth! Understand your decision to carry on trying, we thought the same - that biological clock isn't stopping for Covid-19!!

Best of luck ladies xx I am an peak ovulation apparently so nothing but dtd.

[Leodot]

That is unbelievably annoying. She could have easily contacted you to say the form is on its way. At least you’ve got it though! Yes it is strange that mine gave me a six month supply and said see you in August! Hope you can get hold of some.

So excited that you’re at peak ovulation! Good luck!!! ❤️

[cosmo30]

@LethargicButAwesome thank you! Yes our situation does sound similar, I want the same thing as you another for my ds to play with!
Well i am now pinning all my hopes on the metformin and hyping it helps regulate my cycles. It's so tough isn't it but you sound like you're quite positive 

@Leodot you're right it's very lonely, my friends know about it but tbh don't ever ask how things are going, probably for fear of not knowing what to say but does make me feel alone so it's nice to come on here and chat to others who understand and are going through the same thing.
Do you have any signs of ovulation? Do you use opks? I'd have never known I had pcos if it wasn't for the acne which is just terrible and obviously the irregular cycles, but they've always been irregular since I was a teen. My consultant actually said I've probably always had it and my ds now was just very lucky to conceive.

[Leodot]

@cosmo30 When I first started ttc I tried opk’s but I never got a positive result once and it was a nightmare trying to figure out when to take them as my cycles were 50-90 days long. It got expensive and just felt like a waste of time so I stopped. Since I started metformin and clomifene I’ve been doing bbt and that’s been really accurate for me at showing the thermal shift. I look for cervical mucus as well and that’s normally bang on time for the few days before the thermal shift. It’s nice to actually feel like I know when I might have a chance. It was always guess work before as it could be nearly 3 months until the next AF.

I get acne which is frustrating but coverable and yeah the acne and irregular cycles are the only indicator. I’m probably about a stone heavier than I’d like to be but that’s because I’m not going to the gym and have let my diet slip during the last few months. 🙈

[Wackadoodle84]

Hi folks,

Will join if that’s ok. TTC #3 for the last 9 months. Have DD twins aged 11 conceived using clomid after 4 years of trying.
Half way through my current cycle so will be starting clomid on my next