Letrozole first cycle

[ChipAndDip]

Hi ladies,

I’m due to start taking letrozole next cycle for the first time, just waiting for my period to start. I’ve got some spotting so reckon it will be in the next couple of days.

I wanted to see if anyone else is at a similar stage and wants to join me on the journey? Or if you’re already taking it I’d love to hear your experiences!

I’ve been reading all about the side effects so I’m a little anxious, but generally just excited to give it a try! My cycles are very irregular, and although I always get a peak OPK recently this hasn’t happened until around CD32, so I have a lot of waiting to do! Really hope the letrozole speeds things up 🤞

Hi everyone!

Here to give an update!

It was my first cycle of letrozole- 5mg. I had 3 follicles measuring 14/14/13mm on day 10.

8dpo got a BFP. Over the moon.

After TTC for 3 years and nothing working- hopefully I can give you hope that it can happen.

Also have a low AMH. Xxx

@Ellierose666 congratulations – that’s wonderful news, yes definitely gives hope for the rest of us 😊 Let us know how you get on and how many of those follicles turned in to babies!

@ceruleansky where are you at with taking Letrozole? How have you found the pills so far?

@Daisywillow17 yes the TWW feels like forever! I am right behind you.

I am currently CD12 – ovulation test flashing positive this morning so my levels are starting to rise. So I reckon ovulation will be Wed/Thu this week.
I had a scan this morning – only 2 of the follicles have grown full size to 20cm, have one more at around 10cm which the doctor says has between 30-50% chance of containing an egg.

@AnnieStar12
I just completed my clomid cycle. My follicle didn't grow until my last scan which was cd16 so I don't know if I've ovulated this month tbh. I'm just waiting for AF, due in 10 days.
After that I'll start my first Letrozole cycle on day 2. So I haven't had it yet! I'm taking progesterone right now, I'll stop that after AF shows up. After ovulation, I also take something that helps with implantation.. but really none of it matters unless I have follicles..

Good to hear that you have some good mature follicles. How many do you usually see every month? Which cycle are you on? What has your experience been?

@Ellierose666
Oh my!! Congratulations!! I hope you have a wonderful journey with your little one.
Girl, you've given me too much hope. But i needed that. Thank you.

@ceruleansky I am on cycle 2 of Letrozole. I had 2 follicles last month as well but did not conceive. I have found the process physically okay, didn't have symptoms or anything. But mentally and emotionally have found it quite tough.

I had been TTC since Feb and apart from a chemical pregnancy in April, I haven't had much luck. I have got kids already, which were conceived without any issues so it's a mystery why this time it's not happening, apart from the fact I am getting older!

I know I ovulate each month but I do have low AMH and my partner's sperm results weren't brilliant, so we are doing Letrozole as part of medicated IUI as a first step in to the world of fertility treatment. If it doesn't work we will consider ICSI. But defo would like to avoid it if possible.

We are having our IUI procedure tomorrow or Thursday depending on blood test results looking at my LH levels.

@AnnieStar12
You're right, it can be so tough mentally. Man, I did not know what infertility would feel like, and just like you said, my husband has a motility issue.

Age definitely is a big factor but so is diet, fitness and activity.. I think 2 years of the covid lockdown definitely made my health decline since I wasn't moving much. I've been asked to do at least 30 minutes of intense activity every day.

Good luck for your procedure! I hope this is the round you conceive!! How is the IUI though, I heard it's really painful.
Did you also do the test to check your tubes?

Hi everyone,

Just joining in here, 32 and been trying for #1 for about a year. We had private fertility tests and I was diagnosed with PCOS and prescribed letrozole.

I'm going to start taking it next cycle but I'm worried about the side effects. Great to read some success stories on here giving me some hope.

@Daydreaming91 hey lovely! How exciting!
everyone is different with the side effects. Some people don’t have any!

I personally did and they were hot flushes/ horrendous mood and I had very bad anxiety. It’s very bizarre how it can have this effect!

but it’s only for 5 days so you have to remind yourself that it will pass and it will be so worth it ❤️

Thanks for replying.

I just worry as we haven't told anyone about our journey that I'll have to try and hide feeling rubbish if I have any side effects. Did yours wear off pretty quickly after the 5 days?

It will definitely be worth it if it works!

@Daydreaming91
Hello! I'm in the same boat as you. Also 32 ttc #1 with PCOS. Maybe we will be cycle buddies! We haven't told our families about the treatment..
I wish you the best of luck!!

@Daydreaming91 hello and welcome! The only side effect I had was a dull headache. Took paracetamol and that sorted it out. We haven’t told anyone what we are going through either! It can be difficult sometimes pretending to be okay in front of everyone when you know deep down what you’re going through is one of the most difficult things you’ve ever faced! Fingers crossed the Letrozole works for us!

Thanks both.

Fingers crossed for us all, it's really helpful to know there's a group here to talk too and that I'm not alone.

Update from me: not good news unfortunately, looks as if I have an insanely short luteal phase. I started spotting last night 4dpo and it’s turned into a full blown period this morning. Done some research and it could be that I haven’t got sufficient progesterone, so fingers crossed the clinic can give me something to help with this. Another hurdle I need to overcome. This journey is absolutely relentless. Feeling despondent right now!

Onto cycle two I guess…

Oh that's crap.
I'm on letrozole this is the first cycle and I'm also spotting (a fair amount) I was hoping it was implantation but maybe it's the letrozole. I've never had this spotting before a period - I'm 8dpo.

I just don't know what's normal for me anymore.

@Daisywillow17 Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you can get the progesterone. My period came super early last month (which was first medicated cycle) but my doc put that down to the trigger shot rather than Letrozole, but who knows really.

I had my IUI procedure yesterday managed to do it on a natural cycle without trigger shot this time. Only 2 out of the 3 follicles developed into eggs. So I’m now 1DPO just entering the dreaded 2WW!!

hope everyone’s doing okay.

Hi everyone, just a little update post.

Letrozole cycle 1 wasn't a success - scan showed no follicle growth at all. Waiting for AF so can start an increased dose of 5mg, fingers crossed that stimulates ovulation. CD31 now, if AF doesn't show by day CD35 it looks like i'll be back to inducing with Northisterone (was hoping I wouldn't need to as they gave me more side effects than the Letrozole...).

Hope everyone is ok - keep smiling, there is always hope.

@Anngin how are you getting on lovely? Do you think it was implantation bleeding?

@AnnieStar12 how’s the TWW going? Hope you’re coping okay!

@hopeanddreams this journey is absolutely relentless isn’t it. One blow after another. I hope your period arrives soon so that you can start the 5mg.

The doctor has advised me to do another round of Letrozole and if I have another short luteal phase to go in and speak to them about further tests and treatments.

I have started to take vitamin b6, vitamin c and zinc as I’ve heard this is good for increasing the luteal phase.

Hello!

I'm on cd2 and I'm going to start my first cycle today.
I'm PRAYING this works the first time because I only have 2 cycles before I go on to injections.

@hopeanddreams good luck with round 2! Hopefully 5mg is what you need. Seems a lot of people go straight to 5mg, but my doc also started me on 2.5.

@Daisywillow17 good luck with round 2. What stage are you at now?

@ceruleansky hopefully you’ll be a first time success!

I’m now CD20 of 2nd round of Letrozole, and 5DPO so almost middle of TWW. I’m probs gonna start testing in the next few days as I’m too impatient to wait the full two weeks, haha!

@AnnieStar12
Thank you!! I hope you have good news at the end of your tww!!

@Daisywillow17 got a bfn today at 13dpo so I'm out now, there's no chance of a bfp.

The spotting must be from the letrozole as I've never had that before.

I was started on 5mg straight away.

Without sounding silly, is it the higher the dose the more likely you'll ovulate?

Does everyone/ anyone have lots of 'peak' opk's on letrozole? I had about 4 peak days which I've never had before.

Okay this is my first time on this pill and I haven't had too many side effects yet but last night I was woken up by my HEAVY period bleeding. So that's new.

@Anngin
Sorry to hear that but you aren't out until AF shows up right?
My first cycle I was put on 5mg so hope it works for us. Good luck!!

@AnnieStar12 Wishing you all the best for a positive outcome with this TWW!

@Anngin I think with higher doses it’s more likely a follicle will develop. Are you having monitoring scans to check your follicles?

@ceruleansky fingers crossed this works for you!! Not sure what the heavy bleeding is all about, how are you now?

I’m now on CD7, I’ve got a monitoring scan on Monday to check my follicles. I’m not convinced this round will work as I had such an early bleed last month (5DPO). If that happens again the doctors have advised I have more tests to see what’s going on. Relentless journey!!

@Daisywillow17
I'm hoping the flow reduces by tomorrow, as it will be day 4.

I see that you're on round 2, did you notice a short luteal phase on your first round as well? And before you started on Letrozole? Good luck on your scan, I hope you have good follicle growth!

Im now 11DPO and today got a BFP! I can’t quite believe it as I’d been having cramps all weekend which I thought was my period coming early.

Obviously, it’s very early days as AF not even due until Friday so I’m trying to not get ahead of myself incase this ends as a chemical pregnancy or miscarriage. But still allowing myself to feel some joy after so many months of disappointment.