CLOMID GANG - the new thread

Oh! I also have that heavy womb feeling. Is that a miscarriage feeling or preg feeling? Why can't I remember??!!

Thank you All for your kind messages. No sign of bleeding, did expect something by now but have cramps and something is happening in that region whether it is uterus getting ready to expel or stretching to accomodate a pregnancy. I remember in my two other pregs for my 2 children that I did have the crampy feeling and with my first so bad that taking paracetamol didn't help but a hot water bottle did, but with my last preg where I miscarried on day 42 I didn't have anything until day 42 when I started to bleed. Took a test today to check HCG as I was not in a good mood and there are still 2 lines on Early Response. Day 35 tomorrow so will use early morning urine and then have blood test on Tuesday. I suppose I just want to know. Went to a friend's son's birthday party today and I told her last week as she knew that I had been trying. Her SIL cngratulated me and I was flabbergasted that my friend had told her SIL (I told her in confidence as I was so blown away that the Clomid had worked first time) and I also felt a fake. I did tell her that it's nothing to get excited about as not looking good and she was so embarrassed!!!

Can any of you remember what early pregnancy felt?

I am still wishing you all good luck this month! As soon as this is over with me I am back on that Clomid!

skbf, how have you been this weekend? hoping everything is okay with you, just wanted you to know im thinking of you
xx

skbf- sorry to hear the news . i will be keeping everything crossed for you for tuesday. xx

SKBY sorry to hear this news, thinking of you and crossing my fingers.

Hugs,
Artoo

SKBF - so sorry to hear this, really do hope that everything is OK for you. Big hugs either way

xx

SKBF - Sorry to read that post, got my fingers crossed for you too.

skbf, im so sorry i cant remember what my results were, it was over 4 years ago,

everyone is different, i hope for you there is still hope, and i guess until they do a repeat hcg test you wont know for sure, hopefully they will be doubling and they are happy with the result on tuesday.

it will be such an awful time for you not knowing, scared to get hopes high incase you m/c, wanting to cling onto a bit of hope incase its good news on tuesday....your in my thoughts and i wish you good news on tuesday, i have my fingers crossed
xx

Thank you bubbly. What was your actual result at the first blood test, do you remember? I rang the clinic today and one of the doctors rang me back and said that they are happy for me to do another clomid cycle straight away but before they prescribe it they would wait for me to start bleeding and then scan me to see if there is still a fetus or not. Was left confused after phone call as I thought that all was lost. Now I am not so sure. Am still going for blood test on Tuesday.

skbf, im so sorry to hear that your levels are low, unfortunately my levels were low the very first time i got pregnant and no one told me the chances were slim so had so much hope built up inside me that all would hopefully be okay, i did end up miscarrying, i just wish someone told me that if they dont double up after 2nd blood test to brace myself!

i wish you all the luck in ttc again, but perhaps wait till your next blood test first and see what that brings, if they are doubling up then all looks good, if not then i am truly sorry and here if you need us...big hugs to you and i was so sorry to read your posting on my thread, thanks for letting me know hun

ps, i had a months break and started my treatment again which resulted in a healthy pregnancy and as a result have my ds whose 3years8mths now.

Oh SKBF, fingers crossed for you - do you think perhapps that HCG low because you are not as far along as you think i.e are you sure your dates are correct? Hugs and thinking of you. Try to stay with the positive thoughts

xxxx

Been off for two days as spilt drink on keyboard and lost internet connection.

Thanks for all your congratulations BUT had HCG and progesterone blood test on Wednsday with results that evening. HCG was 38.4 so low and progesterone 107 so normal (for those who don't know, progesterone sustains the preg so if low they can give a cyclogest pessary). HCG for this time should have been between 50-100 so not looking good and they wanted to do another blood test next Tuesday which I arranged. Anyway, since result felt that its a no goer and am just thinking ahead to my next course of Clomid. This morning have period pains, the usual dull ache so this is the end but while I feel this, I of course am disappointed but I haven't cried, I am looking at my children in wonderment and delight that the ovum from which they were created wasn't blighted otherwise they wouldn't be here, and how therefore lucky I am and on to the clinic 'When I collect my next course of Clomid???!!!'

So onwards and upwards, still a few more hurdles for baby No 3 to get over but am being optimistic. I still feel that Clomid can work and my Ob who I spoke to this morning told me to definitely not give up as 25% of pregs miscarry.

Good luck to all of you this month. Key word: shoulder stand!

Congratulations SKBF! :) I wish you a happy and healthy 9 months :)

Jen, I'd be tempted to test if I were you. I understand the stigma about testing, and the fear of a BFN - but I've now bought myself a pile of cheap pg tests, and I'm going to start using them from 10dpo (which I know is likely to be too early), just to get myself past the fear of the BFN LOL.

Hugs,
Artoo.

Congrats SKBF - wishing you a very happy and healthy pg & beanie!!!

Quick q for you all - does Clomid lengthen your cycle even if your cycle was "normal" (ie 28 - 30 days). It's just that I am now on day 32 of a standard 29 day cycle and have read on here an in other places that Clomid will lengthen the cycle. I don't want to test as I am petrified of a BFN and my hopes are def not up, but I have no AF symptoms at all but no pg ones either!!!

Any thoughts?

TIA
J

UCS should have read UCH!

Naditude, are you talking about the ACU at UCS? That is where I went on my Ob's referral and they were brilliant. Don't feel like you are being a pain with your cons. It's your tax that is contributing to the NHS!!!! The blood test indicates certain levels of hormones -MeersUnite will know the specifics - and can indicate I think the possibility of ov. But scans are really the way to see exactly what is happening. Could you do private follicle tracking at ACU at £400 per month? I can't see the point of a cons handing out clomid (it's cheap) and doing the minimum of monitoring. I read "taking charge of your fertility" last summer and found it very interesting. She gave very good advice but my problem was my age and low egg reserve and my follicles really needed a boost which is what the Clomid gave me.

Thanks shouldknowbyfriday!

Its not waffle - its very interesting! I haven't even thought that i may not be ovulating as i do the test strips every cycle and i always get a line to predict ov.

My cons is not monitoring me due to the NHS budget being overspent and we "could wait for the new financial year and they may refer us to the assisted conception unit". Couples 'like us' don't qualify as I already have a child (but partner doesn't). Anyway - that's waffle!! Bitter ranting!

The only monitoring being done is a blood test at my gp's. I'll go for that 7 days after my test strip shows pos! But not back in to see cons until August!!

Anyway, am now armed with a thermometer, a chart and a copy of 'Taking charge of your fertility' so we'll wait and see!

Thanks Meerkatsunite,

Cons 'suspects' pcos but is always very vague about it. Have had 21 day blood tests last 2 cycles and he seemed pleased with the result. (I presume he would have told me if I wasn't releasing an egg! If this is what is being tested!) ?

But still, unsure of the outcome myself. '50 and 58' were the results. To be honest, my cons always makes me feel like his time is precious and I hate to be a pain! I always come out of there feeling like I am no further forward.

Anyway, I'm being positive now and looking forward to my head stands! Thanks again.

Natitude, who prescribed the Clomid and why aren't you being monitored?

Natitude during the summer of 2004 I was getting long cycles of 46 to 50 something days and of course got excited thinking that this month could be it. I knew that the test I took on day 35 would be accurate so when it was always neg I would then wait for af. I read about cm and eve prim oil and started to take 500mg in the morning and 500mg at night as I didn't know what the max dose was which is actually 1500mg per day. Anyway, by taking the epo I got my cycle down to 32 - 43 days which is what is was before. I did stop the epo for a couple of months thinking it was all in the mind and sure enough the cycles were then 40 something days which I had never had. My consultant told me when I presented him a list of cycles since April 2004 that I probably didn't ovulate during those cycles as they were too long. It wasn't something that I wanted to hear in my first consultation with him but he was prob right. I also did the test sticks for 3-4 months and never got a pos result on them so gave up and became confused but then did get preg after 4months of epo at the end of Sept 2004 only to miscarry in Nov 2004 at 7 weeks. So I think the epo kick started my system and sorted out the long cycles. Obviously that wasn't enough to sustain a preg but it was a start. Was told by the cons about my miscarriage that it prob happended because at my age the eggs are weaker and by taking Clomid it strengthens and matures the egg/follicles (not sure but it does improve quality there) so poss a more sustainalbe preg.
Sorry to waffle, don't give up and seriously consider epo.

Naditude,

Irregular cycles are often caused by hormonal imbalances and in this regard polycystic ovaries or its related syndrome are common culprits.

Do you have an actual diagnosis?.

TBH it is no point using the test strips if you have such a hormonal imbalance and particularly if these measure levels of LH. If PCO is an issue then the test strip will end up reading the excess levels of LH being produced (many women with PCO do produce an excessive amount of LH compared to that of FSH).

You should be monitored whilst on clomid (ideally with blood tests and ultrasounds or at the very least blood tests); there is no way of determining whether its doing what it should or not otherwise!.

Clomid encourages the ovaries to work harder. It may well shorten your cycle but whether you will ovulate or not whilst on it is another matter entirely and not guaranteed (hence the need for monitoring).

Can anyone help?

Am on day 9 and have taken first cycle of clomid. Not being monitored and have irregular or long cycles. Shortest one being 29 days last year, longest 45.

Will the clomid regulate them and make me ov around the 14th? Or will I be waiting (for example) until the 26th day (like last month).

I'm going to start my test strips anyway like I always do, on the 13th day. Some months I can get through a lot of test strips waiting! Just wondered if anyone had experienced irregular cycles before they went on clomid and if anything changed.

Thanks!

Thank you relax. I forgot to say that i also take 500mg x3 of evening prim oil as for me it produces cm so that I know when I am ov and also it is supposed to help create a better enviroment for sperm to swim, although there is less swimming to do if doing a shoulder stand! I did it for 10 mins which wasn't easy so start practising now! I did have trouble staying up but managed to hook feet behind headboard and thought to myself "if this doesn't do it nothing will" while luckily DP was in the bath and totally oblivious to my absurd position. As I lay there on my shoulders, I did think about IUI and how the sperm are just put into the neck of the uterus and there is no gravity used to get them higher. I know that the strongest sperm will get there but if they need help why not give IUI then shoulder stand?
Good luck to you all this month!

brilliant news SKBF Congratulations .
I think it will be headstands all round then .....dont think ive done one since i was at school:)

I am on cd 8 today have finished the clomid for this month and have got a scan booked for next week . so its just a case of having some fun for a bit IYKWIM. Good luck to everyone this month lets hope 'should know by fridays' news is one of many xxx

Thank you natitude and Jodee. This was my first month!! Keep going and yes do a shoulder stand. A friend of mine did one for each DS and got preg on first try both times. That convinced me. She read that tip in a Dr Stanway book.