Regular Ovulation, Clomid and Multiple Pregnancies & Success Stories

beanieb

Think its standard to try clomid first off. But its not always suitable for everyone to take even if there are (as in my case anyway) ovulation problems.

However, if there is definitive proof that you are ovulating regularly through blood tests and ultrasounds and they still want to try this then I would ask why.

I would also ensure that you have both been adequately investigated to date particularly if there is still no diagnosis. Sometimes tests can get missed out.

It is possible to have a HSG - this is a tubal x-ray done whilst you are awake. This can tell the person whether your tubes are patent (open) and is a useful test to have. It can give information not usually accessible by other methods.

Beanie - you're in the UK, aren't you? I am, and my fertility guy has done a load of other checks (still ongoing), following which we will be doing clomid with monitoring and maybe IUI. From hanging about on the conception threads it looks like a pretty normal course is (i) blood tests and sperm test (ii) HSG (and sometimes a scan) and maybe hysteroscopy, and then, if all of that indicates that clomid is the way to go that is what they try, sometimes with artificial insemination if there is a problem with the sperm that suggests they need some help getting where they need to be. My experience is that doctors like doing tests since it arms them with the fullest possible info so I can't imagine that any doctor would not want to check that your plumbing was working first.

The tests can (as you might expect) take a bit of time because they need doing at the right point in your cycle. For example, I had my first appointment in October, an HSG in December and am having a hysteroscopy later this month (following which I may well have to take a short break from ttc), but at least things are moving in the right direction...

ssn my GP mentioned the sperm washing (spinning) thing to me so hopefully we will be offered that too.

I have been trying over a year so am relieved I now have an appointment to see a specialist.

also, my gyn first tried the dye test, then the Clomid, and she says our next step would be considering having hubby do his thing in a cup and they spin it around or something and they insert it into the cervical area.

My hubby was sent for the sperm analyses first thing too.

Problem is, most doctors won't give Clomid until you've been tryign for a year. I had a gp for the first 10 months of trying until I got my referral for the obgyn. Maybe she would've prescribed other things first, but perhaps due to my longer time trying, she went straight to Clomid.

It's just that I am 39 next year and if the first thing they try me on is clomid and that doesn't work then I will be a bit annoyed, specially if they don't find out if I have other things wrong first. I really want to have my tubes tested and they say they can do a post-coital test to see if my CM is fighting off my OHs sperm.

I am running out of time. This time last year I assumed that by now I would have my baby in my arms and I really don't want another year to go by with no success.

I am happy to try Clomid but not if it's the first thing they suggest as I think there are a whole lot of other things they need to rule out first.

oops. Yes, I was put through the dye test before my ob gyn would even consider Clomid. If your tubes are blocked partially, I think it would be dangerous to be forging ahead with trying to conceive, as the egg could (just my hunch) get blocked from continuing to the uterus after a successful sperm got past the partial block.

The dye test has to be done at the start of your cycle to avoid aborting a successful new pregnancy. (as per my obgyn) And I read online that if pregnant and get dye test, baby can be viable and there doesn't appear to be any side effect on the baby. But it is a flush, so it'd likely abort...

I've learned that Clomid can be prescribed for many many issues, including short luteal phase, PCOS, low sperm count, properly 'aging' your eggs prior to release (eggs don't mature quickly enough), assisting in regulating a period.... There's more too, but those are off the top of my head.

So I would think that unless you've been tested for everything that Clomid can affect, it may still help.

Clomid is only for short term use too, as I've read that long term, it can cause uterus linings that are not so baby friendly. I belive the manufacturer recommends taking a break after 6 months, likely for that reason.

Best of luck to all of you.

AttilaTheMeerkat if, at the end of January after seeing the fertility person, they suggest putting me on Clomid even though I ovulate regularly and my OH's sperm is fine (he has had tests and they came back good) - should I question them about it?

Am also wondering - will they/should they try all the other stuff (Dye in tubes, sperm washing (?) etc) before prescribing Clomid, or is it now standard practice to just prescribe Clomid first?

And I should have mentioned it; sorry I didn't. I have no medical background. I've only been surfing the net on this topic for many months now and I've come to conclusions based on that and my own experiences with charting my temperature and spending hundreds of dollars on otc ovulation predictor kits over the last 14 monrha.

ssn

Are you under the care of a gynae at a subfertility unit?.

Has your H seen a urologist, there may be a medical problem causing the motility. Think the outlook is better generally speaking if there are primarily motility problems; the outlook is poorer if the sperms are poorly formed (morphology).

I would also question being given clomid if there is definitive proof that ovulation is happening regularly - it can have the reverse effect. Also if you are not monitored at all there is no way of knowing whether its actually working or not.

BTW laying on your back post intercourse is not necessary.

Hi everyone. Re the question about will your doctor prescribe clomid even if you are ovulating... Yes. Mine did. She said it was a good option because my conception 'issue' is my husband. I love him so much and it breaks my heart as I know he is very bothered by it. He has a very low sperm count and the sperm itself has low motility (has to do with direction of travel), although the sperm move at a normal rate. We bd every 2 days, to deal with the low count issue, as I believe it takes more time to build up the supply when the counts are low. The clomid simply gives better odds that one of those little swimmers will make the journey. We've been ttc for 14 months now. Not a long time, but long enough to get frustrated. I'm on day 18 and took 100 mg of clomid days 5-9. (Last month I was on my first round of it at 50 mg/day.)
We also ensure that after bd, I lay on my back for at least a half hour, to make sure no swimmers fall away. Generally at night is good, that way you can fall asleep and give em a bit of a head start. I do that, hoping that will aid the motility issue.

Anyway, good luck to you all. I hope you don't mind my long winded interruption to your discussion.

Good luck Bucky!

Hey Bucky2008 I have just been given my first course of clomid - due to start af on friday so will begin clomid on saturday - eeek! Hope your first cycle of it went well and have a happy new year [frgin]

Hi everyone,

beanieb i hope you get sorted out in your Jan appointment. If Af hasnt arrived by then am sure they will do blood test, if they prescribe clomid they will give you something first to get AF going, think its callled PROVERA but not sure,

I just finished my 4th cycle of clomid and had some pink smearing yesterday. Thought we'd done it this month as got all way to CD27. Have managed to convince gynae for one more cycle while waiting for fertility specialist app, which has come through for 12th Jan.

I used to have to spotting from about cd24 and when they did the blood tests even if i oved progesterone was too low hence the clomid, wouldnt mind the twin thing, just would be happy to be having healthy pg and baby.

Good luck everyone and happy new year

I ovulate naturally, but after 5 failed attempts at IUID without Clomid, I gave in and had 3 months on Clomid and it does give you more eggs. The first time I got two, the second time 3 and the third time two large and 3 smaller ones. Nurse told me it improves the quality of the egg as well as quantity, but not sure what evidence she had to back that up.

The information leaflet my clinic gave me stated that you are 8 times more likely to have twins on Clomid (one in ten chance instead of one in 80 naturally), which is why I initially resisted. Although if you're using frozen sperm that decreases and my clinic has never had a case of twins with IUID.

Sadly didn't work for me and I'm now sat here next to IVF referral papers.

Good luck and hope it works for you all.

Oh yes, my guy also said increased chance of multiples but I figure I would rather have two babies than none and am pretty healthy (although less than you I think) so should be physically able to cope with a multiple pregnancy.

Apparently clomid is a pretty standard treatment for people like me with one tube even when they ovulate regularly, just because of the improved odds thing, so I guess there must be a fair few ovulating women who take it.

Let's hope it does the trick, hey?

Hello Bucky my love

As you know I will be starting clomid (all being well) in a couple of months.

I do ovulate regularly and my doctor's rationale is precisely that which you've said above: more eggs = more likelihood that one will be picked up by the tube, be fertilised and make it to implantation. Obviously my circumstances are a little different because of the one tube issue but still it is all about improving the odds. Reproduction seems so ridiculously hit and miss I guess a little chemical help does not go amiss from time to time.

Oh, one thing I have heard is that clomid dries up CM, so it might be worth ordering some pre-seed just in case.

Me !

I conceived naturally twice v. easily (1st or 2nd month) but lost the second baby (have a dd who is nearly 4). I then couldn't conceive - had all the preliminary investigations which were all clear, I had about 4 different day 21 tests all of which said I was ovulating and I have no reason to think I wasn't. Went back to consultant who gave me the option of a laproscopy or trying clomid for 3 months and she said 'I don't think Clomid will work because you ovulate etc'. Conceived first month on clomid. Currently 28 weeks pregnant.

Am not entirely convinced it was the drug itself but maybe a change in mental attitude. Who knows ?

I'm bumping this thread as I'm interested if anyone knows more about this

It's funny - I've been here about a year and never really read up about Clomid so I know nothing about it, but am starting to wonder if it might be what they prescribe. It's quite scary ...Might go and do some reading incase I need to prepare myself [smile}

I have a short LP so I am guessing they will prescribe Clomid for me if they can't find anything else. 4 days is really short

Clomid makes your body release more than one egg at a time sometimes?

Hiya
I ovulated regularly and was on Clomid and conceived my DD on 100mg. I had a very short LP and the clomid lengthened my LP from 4 days to 14 days. We were told that there was the same risk of multiples as normal clomid cycle for those not ovulating.