Letrozole/ Femara

[humbags]

I am just about to start a letrozole cycle having convinced my doc to proscribe that for me instead of Clomid. I am 35 years old, diagnosed with PCOS 2 months ago and ttc 11 cycles :/
Does anyone have any tips or experiences with this that they could share?

I'd take it at night to minimise any side effects you might feel.

@humbags how are you doing? I am in a similar position to you

[quote HT1335]@humbags how are you doing? I am in a similar position to you[/quote]
I am in the 2ww of my 3rd letrozole cycle, no luck so far :( currently scheduled to have my first IVF consultation in a few weeks.
Massive good luck to you

@humbags oh fingers crossed for you. I’ve just had my last letrozole tablet so will get a follicle scan next week. The clomid didn’t help at all so I’m hoping this one does. Pcos is rubbish j am
Overweight, full of acne, thinning hair.. I wish there was an answer to treat all of the symptoms and side effects from having this awful diagnosis.
Good luck to you aswell! 🤞🏻

I got pregnant on my 4th letrozole cycle, if that encourages you any.

[quote HT1335]@humbags oh fingers crossed for you. I’ve just had my last letrozole tablet so will get a follicle scan next week. The clomid didn’t help at all so I’m hoping this one does. Pcos is rubbish j am
Overweight, full of acne, thinning hair.. I wish there was an answer to treat all of the symptoms and side effects from having this awful diagnosis.
Good luck to you aswell! 🤞🏻[/quote]
I had two big follicles when I had my monitoring scan with Letrozole but never ended up in a BFP yet :( I'm sorry to hear you've been suffering :( PCOS is such a frustrating diagnosis, I totally feel you. I have had incredible success getting my PCOS symptoms under control with Kym Campbells PCOS diet support and 30 day challenge, honestly it's been amazing. Still working on conception but since adopting a new lifestyle in terms of eating habits my cycles are more regular, my acne is gone, my anxiety and depression is massively reduced. I highly recommend looking into it for PCOS sufferers. Good luck.

@Yutes

I got pregnant on my 4th letrozole cycle, if that encourages you any.

That is encouraging! tho my FD only wants to give me 3 cycles on it before trying something else. I'm in the 2ww of my 3rd cycle so definitely feeling a bit nervous about what's probably next

Fingers crossed for you!

@humbags oh that sounds interesting re the diet plan etc I have started eating healthier but there’s so much conflicting advice so that sounds good I’ll check it out!
@Yutes that’s really positive to hear too and gives me some hope! I’ve got cramps today so I’m
Hoping that’s a sign that it’s starting to work 🤞🏻

Hi ladies. I'm 36, have been trying for 14 months now, and was recently diagnosed with PCOS. I have started Metformin, and have just been prescribed Clomid (likely to start my first Clomid cycle in September).

@humbags can i ask why you pushed for Letrozole over Clomid?

@Kay00

Hi ladies. I'm 36, have been trying for 14 months now, and was recently diagnosed with PCOS. I have started Metformin, and have just been prescribed Clomid (likely to start my first Clomid cycle in September).

@humbags can i ask why you pushed for Letrozole over Clomid?

Yes - the doc initially prescribed me Clomid but I did a lot of research and Letrozole is newer and thought to be a more effective treatment for women with PCOS. It has a higher live birth rate and it's less likely to cause thinning of the endometrial lining, which Clomid is known to do. So I pushed for Letrozole and my doctor agreed. Here's an academic paper on the topic! www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4175743/

@humbags thank you! I will give it read

@Kay00 I’m 36 and recently diagnosed pcos too I had to try clomid initially as that was the option I was given at my fertility clinic but after 3 rounds it didn’t work and was making me bleed heavily so they gave me letrozole to try for 6 months
@humbags that’s good I shall have a read as it’s hard to find any information online
I have just had my first letrozole round so I don’t know if it has worked yet, I’m hopeful that it will and I can avoid the ivf route 🤞🏻

Hey everyone.
No success story here (yet)… but we appear to be on the same path as I am also in the TWW of my 3rd (and potentially final) Letrozole cycle. NHS would only monitor me for 1 of the 3 cycles - which was last month, as I didn’t bother the first month. NHS won’t cover me for IVF due to my very poor AMH.
We had an encouraging outcome last month on Letrozole… here’s the background…

TTC for 20 months with DH
AMH 0.6 pmol/L in May 2021
FSH 16 day 1 in Jan 2021
AFC always around the 5 mark
Cycles every month, ranging 28 -32 days
Clear tubes and lining, following HyCoSy
No other issues identified

I am due to see a private clinic in London for initial consultation on Monday 9th Aug (next week). I am pending results from a second AMH test with them, following 3 months of fertility diet, supplements and Letrozole (no DHEA).

So… Last month during my NHS AFC scan, unbeknownst to us, I had just ovulated within 24 hours prior - they could see the shells from the cells of the eggs, along with the deflated Follicles. There was an egg released on each ovary. I can’t be certain if it was the Letrozole - because no one has ever scanned me after ovulation to see if eggs are released or not, but my gut-feel is that Letrozole did the deed with maturing my follicles and as such, there were 2 eggs and not just 1.
We had a very faint line on a FRET, but AF arrived 2 days later, so likely a chemical. Sadly neither of those eggs took, but it was a large step forward - so my point is that Letrozole may work for you - it may not, but I believe it does something, as my cycles became like clockwork, and would certainly give another 3 months a go - even if I have to pay for it via the private clinic.

Sending luck and baby dust xx 💕

@humbags Good luck with the 2WW love 🤞🏼💕

@HT1335 Hope this round works for you!! 🤞🏼💕

@LuLuN3T thank you! And that’s positive to hear. The clomid didn’t make me ovulate at all my follicles continued to measure small and I got slot of bleeding so i really hope that I have a better experience this time and that one of these rounds works for me!
I hope that you get another chance with the letrozole isn’t it weird how different areas of the country operate in relation to fertility options.
I’m getting bleeding again when I’ve finished the letrozole and AF should be gone by now, but I’m trying to remain positive that it’s not going to be a repeat of what happened with the clomid
🤞🏻 For us all

Hi all, I'm on first cycle of letrozole but on top of list for ivf (pcos, endo MFI). Got awful side effects I wasn't expecting the whole time I took it (was only on 2.5mg!) and thought it had brought ovulation forward.....it hasn't and still waiting on the later end of my normal. My body can take up to 10 days of showing signs of trying before it manages to pop an egg out!
Apart from ewcm not starting from cd7 as usual and headaches less severe I haven't noticed much else, bbt been just as erratic as usual just feel it won't work. Be 2 years ttc September and just so fed up although ivf clinic appt mid Sept for paperwork and plan.
Just feel so all over right now, not very hopeful/positive in general and worried about ivf and arranging work around it (nurse in charge at a baby unit).
How has it been for you, any success ladies?

@kerrym87 sorry to hear you’re feeling like that it’s such a frustrating journey isn’t it. I’m only on my first round of letrozole I should be ovulating around about now but I don’t really check as I find it too disheartening. Hopefully you will feel more positive at your ivf appointment
I am the same we’ve been ttc for 18 months with no success and it’s very hard to stay positive
I hope you get a good plan and some answers. If it helps I have been referred to occ health in relation to my appts etc and it’s made a big difference

No PCOS here but TTC a year, wasn't ovulating, Clomid unsuccessful and Femara produced twins almost immediately. They're 3yo now, hope it's as successful for you.

has anyone found it delayed ovulation? took letrozole and my cycle is the longest its been in 5 months....still waiting to ovulate.....

@kerrym87 Hi!
For me it did the opposite - made me ovulate really early - from CD 16ish down to CD12. I almost missed it the first month because it was so early. Are you doing OPK’s? X

Hi ladies, I’d like to join here this thread. I’m on my first cycle of a monitored Letrozole cycle (5mg) + ovitrelle trigger with my private clinic. So far I had no side effects at all, which is good, I guess? They think I have PCO and I had one 22mm follicle on Friday so we had to do the trigger last night. Not much hope of it working (we have mfi too) but it’s nice to seem some success stories further up.