Anyone done or doing Clomid/ovidrel/IUI?

[Snowdog37]

Would love to hear from anyone taking this route ttc. I'm DOR and dh has low morphology but an amazing count and motility. So whenever af shows up in two weeks or so I'm starting Clomid, then doing a hcg trigger injection and then IUI. Hoping for success getting 2-3 good eggs to drop and putting the swimmers practically next to them!

Hey thomasina the pomegranate juice is supposed to help thicken lining!

I guess trigger is to make sure you definitely ovulate - OPKs detect a surge but the surge might not be strong enough to make you ovulate - do you temp? I think this (and blood tests) are the only way to be sure you have ovulated.

Great news you got your first smiley though and IUI is going ahead tomorrow - I wish my hospital / clinic was open at the weekends! I'm praying I won't get a smiley this weekend so I can have IUI on Monday! So far I've had empty circles but my big follie is due to pop!

thanks Maple. Have bad tummy pains and feel really unwell following this trigger shot. Anyone else had the same?

My first shot made me feel awful too. I think it's because it's meant to make you ovulate and also has such a high hcg content you feel really rough with nausea too. It'll pass in the next day or so. I felt fine the second and third day onwards. The first day and night was the worst.

Hi everyone. I've been lurking for a while on this thread now taking in all the great advice & tips. I feel I need to join in now as our journey lengthens.

We have been TTC no 2 for 16 months.

Fell pregnant with DS after HSG & he will be 2 this month. We've never not been trying for no 2 as I have PCOS without the cysts - acne, weight problems & irregular cycles - so knew it'd be a lengthy process - DS took 2.5 years.

DH SA is fine so I am 5DO from our first round of unmonitored 50g clomid. Got my first ever positive opk but I know thats not always 99% with clomid. I was so excited though to see those 2 blue lines but I know AF is on route as my backache is the same every month in the lead up to the witch.

The overall plan is 4 rounds of 50g clomid with metaformin on the last 2 cycles if necessary. After that I don't know.

I don't think I could mentally or physically handle much intervention for number 2 - had cancer b4 falling pregnant with DS & my HSG was so horrific its left me with post traumatic stress disorder. I truly know how lucky we are to have one lovely little boy but another child would just be the icing on the cake & a buddy we so long to give him.

So here I am with you all, look forward to getting to know you all on all journeys & I hope we are not here too long.

Hi bird sorry that you find yourself here but welcome! I'm not surprised you wouldn't want too much intervention after what you have been through - it is very stressful despite the "just relax" advice we are all given I'm surprised you are unmonitored on clomid, have you been on it before?

Today I had my peak smiley (I always skip the flashing smiley) so left a message for the clinic. They won't call me back till tomorrow morning - hoping they can squeeze me in for IUI to catch the egg - DH annoyed me as he said he can't just leave work as he has a meeting but he hasn't been told when the meeting is he just gets called in I know it's work but equally can't help but feel this is more important and be pissed off his work won't set a time!!

Still worrying about lining too - really hope it's reached 8mm!

Welcome Bird. Really hope this time is easier for you. Sounds like you have had a really tough time. I too am trying not to let my expectations get raised too much and just be grateful for the amazing children we do have. As you say, it would be the icing on the cake and we will be very sad if it doesn't happen but not the end of the world.

Maple, I really hope you catch that egg! We had our IUI this morning and I am now stressing that it was too late! The OPK I did on Friday at 6pm was positive which should mean I ovulate anytime between 6pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday. Blood test predicted ovulation in the early hours of Sunday am so scheduling the IUI for Sunday am seemed perfect as apparently the egg needs time to come down the fallopian tube and meet the sperm. However, I then did the trigger shot (still not sure why) and felt awful all afternoon on Saturday so wondering if this made me ovulate early, i.e. Saturday night, which means we could have missed the window (just) if the egg only lives 12 hours. Does anyone know how long an egg lives on average and the minimum time? I also got the temperature raise this morning confirming that I did indeed ovulate yesterday. I guess the Dr knows what he is doing but still worried we have spent all this money and missed the critical time!! Guess we'll find out in 2 weeks!

Thomasina the timing sounds right to me then if you had the temp rise today! If think maybe the trigger makes you feel rotten, although I haven't had to do it yet so I wouldn't know!

Also makes sense about the egg taking time to come down the tube - I think I read it can take the sperm 15mins to reach the tubes so try not to worry too much about it! I think the egg lasts 12 to 24 hours.

Hey ladies, have been (and will be for a while) a bit AWOL as have exam coming up and am trying to figure out if DH and I can buy out dream home . Feeling a bit pre AF, but keeping fingers crossed she doesn't turn up for a couple days so first IUI doesn't clash with my exam.

Keeping fingers crossed for your IUI Thomasina

Hi all. Hope your all well.
Maple, good luck with the IUI! Do you always skip the flashing smiley? That's what happened to me this month, but I thought the Clomid increases the oestrogen so I thought that was a bit strange . I'm dreading trying to time IUI with work commitments. My DH works in the NHS so its not going to be easy.

Snowdog, I'm really glad you got some good follicles, it's a shame that you couldn't do the IUI but you never know.

Snowy, good luck with the exam and house purchase. The 2ww wait is always quite costly for me too, I like to book mini holidays to make me feel better. This month I've been contemplating getting another pet haha.

Hi Greybird, sorry for all you've been through.Good luck.

Thosmaina, my fingers are crossed for you also.

I'm currently on cycle day 25, my blood test are due back today. I've had really bad cramps hence the reason i'm awake at such a silly time. I'm also full of a cold and a sore throat. I'm back to checking the post 3x a day waiting to hear from the fertility clinic. Have a good week everybody.

friends123 I did that last year as well, got a second dog

Good luck with your blood results today friends. Could the cramps be a good sign?? How long are your cycles normally? I can't remember, did you take Clomid this cycle or ditch it after the side effects last month? Fingers crossed for you.

Thomasina, I think the timing was spot on. As maple says, the egg lives 12-24 hours so anything up to 12 hrs after ov is good. Good luck for the tww!

Good luck with your exam snowy. Let us know how you get on this cycle.

Maple, have you heard about your iui? Grr about your partner's meeting, really hope it doesn't scupper things!

Welcome bird, so sorry for what you've been through. I hope you get a bfp soon and with as little intervention as possible.

Welcome Bird, you're very welcome, sorry you find yourself here.

I'm due AF on Wed (CD30)/Thurs/Fri, depends on what cycle length I get this month. Don't feel pregnant. I'm being referred to the gyne but I could be waiting two months. Gp prescribed another month of Clomid 50mg.

I think I'm ovulating too late, always day 18-20/21. Anyone know if taking Clomid a certain day can make you ovulate sooner. I've taken it on 3-7 and 2-6. I don't hold out any hope for next month, don't think 50mg is doing anything only giving me hot flushes and making me crazy.

Snowy good luck with tour exams and the IUI! Keep us posted when you can!

Friends ive only used the OPKs twice and both times I skipped the flashing smiley - I have thin lining so I'm convinced I'm lacking oestrogen anyway! My consultant said clomid might give you more oestrogen if you have more follicles growing but then it also thins lining.. Hmm!

Julia I think clomid makes people ovulate later but then as long as your Luteal phase is long enough it should be ok - if you usually ovulate day 18 and get AF day 30 that should be long enough - I think they want over 10 days Luteal phase...

IUI booked in! They want DH at 1:30 (thank goodness as he can pretend he's having a late lunch and meeting finally confirmed for 4pm!) and then I go in for 2:45pm. They said they may still get me in to scan me but would let me know. Eek feel a bit scared about lining but also excited!

Good luck with the iui maple! Delighted the timing worked out for both of you.

Hope period stays away for you Julia. Can you request some scans to determine whether Clomid is having any effect on your follicles?

The gp wouldn't do those. I got the blood test to check I ovulated and that came back very good. I think once I'm under the gyne I'll have more info and scans.

Hey Star,
My normal cycle is 28 days. Last month Clomid lengthened my luteal phrase by 3 days mind.
My cramps are down one side so it's different but probably not a positive sign. Well my bloods confirmed ovulation, 61.1. However I'm a bit disappointed. It's normal that without the stuff and i've felt horrendous all month. Its dried up all my CM and stole my estrogen for no improvement. I suppose I won't feel guilty next month when I don't use it. How are you feeling? Any different for four eggs on the go.
Julia, I wondered why people get told different days, mine was 2-6 on a 28 day cycle. I'm not sure if it makes you ovulate any earlier maybe it just corresponds with your natural cycle?

Maple, good luck with the IUI, fingers crossed. I always have at least 4 days with the estrogen, last clomid cycle I had 7 days of it. Hopefully when i do the IUI they will try me with something else instead.

Snowy, My DH is far too sensible to get another dog. I'm trying for ducks!! haha.

I think my gp prescribes days 3-7 for most people. I need to research it myself as to what days might pull my ovulation back a bit. I am definitely ovulating because my blood result was one of the highest she'd ever seen, so I think it could be to do with the late ovulation. Then again Dh's sperm could be the problem but gp reckons not as we have one dd. We will be getting that tested under the gyne though just in case.

I'm 36 now so maybe it's my age. :(

Thanks all. I really hope it has worked but just so used to getting BFNs that I can't help feeling that it won't and am already trying to come up with a plan. We had always said no way to Clomid due to the risk of multiples (we already have 2 kids each and really really just want one more) and now I am scared about how rough I would feel given my reaction to the trigger shot BUT, Clomid must increase the chances a lot as more eggs. DH said he would rather do IVF than Clomid but I am not sure. Think we will give the IUI two more gos. I read somewhere that 90% of successful IUIs happen in the first 3 cycles. I suppose that means if it's going to work then it'll work then although part of me thinks surely you have to get lucky at some point if you just keep going with IUI? Our only problem seems to be age in which case hopefully a good viable egg will come along at some point. Or am I oversimplying things?

I thought I heard that clomid can increase egg quality too? Maybe nonsense!

I'm not sure about risk of multiples thomasina what stats did they give you? I was obviously told there was a risk but can't remember what the statistics were exactly! Do you know the max no of follies they allow?

Well I've just been inseminated! They kept me waiting for ages! Sperm count was low (12million post wash and they like to see 14million) but everything else was really good - quality not quantity I guess! The procedure was not very nice but it's done now. They never scanned me so no idea what lining was like - can't help but feel it was a wasted effort but I guess I can push them for oestrogen for the next cycle!

Mmm, I heard it makes egg quality worse. So much conflicting information around. You read one thing then something else that directly contradicts it. I think they said something like a 7% chance of mulitples.

Good luck Maple! We are literally on the same schedule!

Maple, Snowy, can you tell me a more about medicated IUI? Already trying to get a plan B if unmedicated IUI doesn't work. Do they give you just clomid and the trigger shot or anything else? Is there a milder drug than clomid they can give or lower dose of clomid to reduce risk of multiples? Did you have any side effects? Also, what is the difference betweeen clomid and gonal F?

I was told it improves egg quality and then possibly an extra egg, I never had a trigger and my progesterone level stayed roughly the same. I may well be wrong but I thought that if you didn't use the trigger then generally the other follicles would just go back down and the bigger one would be released. I also got told a 7% chance of multiples, but it's something like a 3% chance without it anyway. I wasn't monitored with scans on the clomid either, well apart from day 21 bloods. I ovulate well on my own so really that was a bit pointless in my opinion. Do you have MFI Thomasina?

maple, that's interesting about the optimum count, my DH didn't get that pre-wash .My doctor's phrase was "that it only takes one" I hope this works for you both.

So I've received the funding for IVF from the CCG. Is the stage that everybody is at using the NHS?( but trying IUI first ) I'm going to ring them to check but my DH thinks that they will class IUI with the IVF, I'm not so sure.

Thomasina I was put on 50mg clomid and because of the weekend (clinic not open) I never got the trigger as I had a solid smiley on Sunday. But if I hadn't they would have done a trigger. If this doesn't work, and because lining was thin, they said they would either give me half dose of clomid (so 25mg) or injectibles.

I had no side effects with clomid - I took them at night before bed.

Gonal F and clomid work in different ways. From what I know, Clomid blocks the oestrogen receptors and causes the body to release LH and FSH - so more eggs / follicles develop.

Gonal F is an injectible - I think this contains FSH so stimulates egg production but doesn't affect oestrogen ie doesn't thin lining.

The less you take the number of follies would be lower but then again everyone reacts to medication differently! 50mg is the usual they start people on I believe and they should monitor you with scans.

Friends I haven't applied for funding yet - have to have been trying for 2 years - I was referred to the clinic by my doctor after 12 months of trying (I was very lucky) and then saw the consultant at the clinic at 13 months. After all the tests they concluded they would do 3 Medicated IUI cycles. If these fail then I presume they would move onto IVF and would apply for funding then.

Thanks Maple and Friends, very helpful. Maybe we will try medicated IUI but think we will give unmedicated at least one more try.

Friends, we don't have MFI. DH's sperm count is excellent (260 million at the first SA) and when we did IUI on Sunday it was 66 million pre-wash, all other stats excellent. There don't seem to be any issues with me either - regular periods, ovulating normally, clear tubes (had Hycosy) a few months ago. Our only apparent factor is that we are both a bit long in the tooth. I turned 40 last week and DH is 46. We have been trying for 9 months (this is the 10th month) and nothing. Both of us conceived our previous children (2 each pretty much immediately). In a way I wish there was an issue so we could at least address it. I am hoping that statistically we will hit upon a good egg at some point but seems increasingly unlikely.