Clomid 50mg PCOS

[Rainbowchasing2022]

Hello

I had a miscarriage in March at 8 weeks. Currently on my first period since MC (35 days since start of MC bleed and normally have 29/30 day cycles)

I have seen my GP who has advised she can prescribe 50mg of Clomid over a 3 month period before I have to be referred back to gynaecology (the waiting list is huge! :( )

Has anyone had any luck on 50mg? I believe the cycles won’t be tracked in any way

Thanks x

@Alexis7890 sorry to hear that. Do you have PCOS or unsure what is causing the periods to be absent?

it is a horrible process isn’t it. When everyone around you is getting pregnant too it seems to frustrating.

really hope all your tests go well. I had the HSG etc around 3 years ago as I have endo too and wanted another op due to pain but was told if tubes were clear and fertility wasn’t compromised by the endo they didn’t want to operate as I bled internally during my first laparoscopy so they didn’t want to do unnecessary surgery. Tubes were clear back then and j assume at least one is still clear now given the pregnancy in February was detected in the womb with a HB.

Letrozole seems to have good success rates though if that is an option for you! :) wishing you all the luck in the world xxx

Yeah PCOS 😔 they’ve done loads of ultrasounds blood tests and I’ve just had the hsg which I get the results of on Tuesday. Also found out after the hsg that I’m allergic to the dye so that was horrendous!!

thank you, I really hope the clomid is what it takes for you to get that extra push and have a baby. I know it has worked for a lot of people. Good luck with it!! It will be worth it in the end for you x

Oh my :( no way. Did you have a reaction during? So sorry. The HSG is no fun without having a reaction too. Hope you’re doing okay.

i know of so many women with PCOS who have children. Yet I have a horrible negative feeling it will never be me. I can’t imagine actually having my own baby. I hope I’m wrong though.

if you’ve had all the tests done now hopefully the next step for you is treatment 🤞🏼🤞🏼 Are they going to try clomid first? Xx

the reaction was after when it was in my system so had to go back to gynae and was there for the night in agony, at least the test is done now! Hopefully to never be repeated.

you are wrong, it will happen and be the best day for you when it does

no they don’t use clomid anymore here apparently they use letrozole then if that doesn’t work they use injectables. Did you have any discussions about anything other than clomid?x

Aww bless you ! :( that is so cruel. I doubt they’d repeat it for you anyway if you reacted like that. Apparently they told me that if you don’t have agonising pain at the time, it’s a good sign tubes are clear 🤞🏼

oh really! I have seen clomid isn’t really the preferred option. I was only allowed clomid through my GP as when I was seen 3 years ago and not TTC, they said all they can suggest is that when I was trying to that I try clomid. Based on that suggestion she is able to prescribe 3 months of 50mg untracked before having to refer back to them.

so if it doesn’t work then looks like I’ll be back on the waiting list/paying privately.

I had my LH/FSH etc checked. But on day 12 which I think is completely wrong. Had all other bloods done. Only issue was inflammation which seems to be lingering at low grade even after eating an extremely clean diet.. FSH was 4.1 and LH was 8.2 so not balanced but think it was tested wrong time anyway. Testosterone was slightly raised too apparently they did give my figures but they are in the car now so don’t know them exactly! 🙈

I think I’ll try the clomid and then see what happens. Seems worth a shot. The Gp gave me a prescription and then all local pharmacies told me they haven’t had it in for months 🙈 I had to drive like 20 miles to a chemist that had Chlomephine in generic form not Clomid (the brand). And only one months worth. So not even sure I’ll find anywhere that can give me the next two months 😔 xx

hopefully they are clear, the clinic did say they thought they would be okay as there was no sign of the tubes on the ultrasound and lots of times if there’s a blockage they can see something but who knows, I’ll find out Tuesday. If there’s a problem then straight to ivf but not sure how long that would take to get going or how many rounds they offer on the nhs here.

day 12 is an odd day to do bloods? Mine were all on a random day as I don’t have periods so they couldn’t time them but if you do they should have been able to go for day 21 or an appropriate day.

oh no that’s rubbish nowhere had it, can the gp not give you anything else at all if they don’t have it?

I managed to get one month worth so far but no idea how I’ll fair getting the second round. I assume the GP won’t prescribe until they know round 1 hasn’t worked. And if I have to take on day 2 I’d have hours to find somewhere that has it in stock and that’s if I can even get the GP to do a prescription that day. Not hopeful.

I think they’d have known at the time if your tubes were blocked. Mine told me the dye came straight back out so was no issues. I wish they’d tell people at the time.

she looked it up when I was there and thought that was the best day. Although looking at the internet it’s more like day 2/3 so no idea what happened there! 🙈🙈

I hope you get somewhere and you have the option of trying medication rather than straight into IVF. I know the IVF wait locally for me isn’t worth waiting for it’s apparently years. I’d have to look at private 😔 xx

@Rainbowchasing2022 have you checked the waiting time in your health board or trust for IVF? They have to declare it if it's over a year so if long you'll be able to know exactly how long.

Sorry if I've missed what exact tests you've had but you can pay around 1k to have all done eg semen analysis, hycosy, bloods, ultrasound etc. We did this and it meant we didn't have to wait for NHS assessment

Sorry haven’t been on here in a while but I had the same problem getting clomid @Rainbowchasing2022 when my 1st round didn’t work I was left running around half the country trying to get it before af arrived in full force! My consultant gave me a prescription for 4 more months thankfully, hope you can get the remainder of your dosage🤞🏼 I’m on 100mg xx

@TheDaydreamBelievers I have already had all the testing done thankfully. My GP has just done the full panel bloods. I had ultrasounds following my miscarriage and have had several since finding out at 16 I have PCOS & have had a laparoscopy for endometriosis. Not sure if they would want to redo the HSG but hopefully not given that I conceived very recently.

my GP hasn’t referred me back on to the wait on list yet as she is trying the clomid first. I will definitely ask when I am referred back in though!

@xoJellyBean so bad isn’t it! I was flapping like crazy to try and get it in time and when they were telling me it had been months since they had it last and there wasn’t an alternative I was getting so stressed. I managed to get it at an asda pharmacy but they said they hadn’t had the brand for ages and could only give chlomefine. Hoping they will have it again when needed! I don’t think my GP will increase the dose as I’m not having any tracking scans etc so too risky with OHSS. Are you having tracking? Xx

@Rainbowchasing2022 I would ask for a referral now to fertility to try monitored higher dose clomid or letrozole next. I mean, what's the point in a lower dose not monitored that isn't working? Do they not even do day 21 bloods to see if you ovulated on 50mg?

She didn’t mention them but I’m going to ask about it I’ll contact them this week to enquire about the bloods.

Even if we get referred we will be waiting forever anyway so I think I may as well just try it. If it doesn’t work we will take some time off and not bother with the NHS and just go straight privately.

I’m 28 now so don’t feel like I have time to be sat on their waiting list 🙈

I’m hoping the 50mg can trigger ovulation as I have regular monthly periods anyway so hoping my body just needs a bit of a push in the right direction but we will see what happens. I’m not an optimistic person at all 😂 if the first round of 50mg doesn’t result in ovulation I will probably give up on the clomid anyway as it can thin the womb lining at higher doses and make getting pregnant even harder again. And the OHSS frightens me a little if the success rates are low.

we will see what happens after month 1. Waiting for my period to start next week before I can use it 🤞🏼 Xx

28 is still young, I'm almost 34.

Just double check 1) that they are referring you to the fertility clinic not generic gynaecology. This happened to me and took 8 months for generic gynaecology. The fertility clinic ("assisted conception") offered initial assessment within 2 months! The waitlist for IVF is just under a year but it's not that long for the clinic generally.

I'd still get the GP to refer you now. That way if clomid is not successful, you'll be 6 months further on the wait list.

Clomid doesn't have an amazing rate of success (about 38% of those that take it for 6mo) but it does work for many.

I didn't get referred until 34 so you have loads of time at 28!!!

As with @TheDaydreamBelievers, the wait list for assisted conception is much shorter than gynaecology so be specific about getting referred to ACU. There's no reason your GP can't refer you now. Just be very clear about what you want. The wait for us was around 2-3months? It got interrupted by lockdown but once services reopened, it was very fast.

Also, you dont need to have full IVF to go private. We looked at private when waiting for NHS. and to get letrozole plus tracking done privately at a top central london hospital was going to be around £1500 including all scans, bloods, consultant appointments and follow ups. It would have been the same hospital that did my NHS treatment - you just jump the queue basically by paying.

It's so hard when you are waiting waiting waiting in this scenario, but there are lots of options that don't involve waiting years and having to go through IVF.

@TheDaydreamBelievers that is a very good point I’m sure they’d have just referred to gynaecology if I don’t push for fertility so that’s deffo worth mentioning thank you!

I will definitely try and speak to them this week and see if they can refer now - suppose it is best to cancel the referral if needed than not have one in place at all.

when I had my laparoscopy I paid privately to see a top gynaecologist quote local to me and was willing to pay the operation cost privately too as I was so desperate but he was so nice and transferred me to his NHS list so I jumped the queue there. I am considering seeing him privately again. We do have private health cover so could see him through that I think although can’t have fertility treatment through the plan.

@Sunnyshoeshine thank you I’ll definitely ask. I feel massively pressured age wise. My GP keeps reminding me how fertility declines after 30 as if I’m not trying. My partner is 36 too so that’s another reason we don’t want to leave it too long.

hopefully one day all this will be worth it ! Xx

@Sunnyshoeshine was that just the one round of Letrozole? I know clomid tracked per cycle local to me is around £400 through a clinic xx

@Rainbowchasing2022 at this point is it worth chasing GP? They sound crap...

You're lucky with private monitored ovulation induction if it's only £500 - here is about 1.2k per round!

@TheDaydreamBelievers wow really? What’s the cost on things like IUI there? That is only around £1500 per cycle here!

I have no other way of being referred into the Nhs without a GP referral unfortunately. You can’t even pay a private consultant unless your GP agrees it and can provide you with a letter or they refuse to see you. Must be different in different places x

I cant remember to be honest but i suspect just the one. £500 of that was the initial appt and the follow up appointment. Does the £400 included bloods etc? I'd say thats very good value if so!

An initial appointment with the local clinic is £250 I think unless it has increased since Covid when I checked last. That includes semen analysis an ultrasound and hormone blood tests before a meeting with
them to discuss findings. I think you have to have this done before having any treatment with them.

tben the clomid tracked cycles include 4 tracking scans and the medication. Each additional tablet purchased is 50p per tablet (clomid is very cheap!) it’s the tracking that is expensive. If you were to get trigger shots etc then you’d pay the cost of those but they are all listed on their website.

IUI treatment is as follows:

SINGLE CYCLE IUI - £795

·All ultrasound assessments as required during treatment
·Sperm preparation and Insemination
·Pregnancy scan or follow up appointment
·Screening blood tests (HIV 1 and 2, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis B Core antibodies, Hepatitis C (for both partners if required).
·HFEA fee when using donor sperm
& pre treatment virology screening

It is through CRGW. my sister has PCOS and conceived her little girl on the first round of IUI with them and know several others who have had success using them! :) xx

Sorry @Rainbowchasing2022 I meant to say is it worth CHANGING GP not chasing. I know you are chasing.

Private here: all initial ax apart from hycosy are £500 all in, hycosy is another £500, monitored medicated is 1.2k per cycle, IUI about 1.8k, IVF 10k first round, 4-6 subsequent assuming they got enough embryos.

@TheDaydreamBelievers ahhh I see 😂 I’m not sure if I could change. The other local one to me has an awful reputation and you have to be living within so many miles of your practice here. We may be moving home soon though so that would allow a change of GP !

wow the price difference is insane!! If you have to go down that route could you look at a clinic slightly further away? I’m only like 2 hours from London and the price differences are so big could possibly stay in a hotel or something and still work out cheaper? I think IVF here is around £3500 per cycle. It’s awful it’s so expensive there 😢

I know the HSG test is around £500 here too though! Mine was done on the nhs.

I hate it when people just say “why don’t you try IVF”. As if it is pennies and an enjoyable experience ! Hopefully it doesn’t come to that for any of us xxx

I don’t know where in the country you are but you say 2 hours from London, my fertility referral from the gp was early January and our first appointment was in mid February and we’re around the Bristol area. Just in case you’re near us those were our timescales 😊 and you have plenty of time, I’m 31 and they’ve been really positive about ages. My husband is 41 so we do feel pressure on both of us time wise so I get it x

@Rainbowchasing2022 yes I’m being monitored. I have a scan on CD10 and bloods on CD21. Af arrived for me during the night so I’m starting clomid again tonight :) when do you start? X

I’m in South Wales so not too far. Would be nice if mine was dealt with that quickly. I’m hoping maybe if I do the clomid then if they refer and advise I’ve tried that they may see me
sooner 😬 we shall see! Aww I’m so glad they have been fine about the age! I worry about mine but then panic about my partners too. So it’s really reassuring to hear a good story about it 💕 wishing you all the luck in the world.

@xoJellyBean im deffo going to ask for the bloods at least! Are you doing the 100 again this cycle? Did you ever try 50 or did it not work for you? Xx