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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Letrozole first cycle

325 replies

ChipAndDip · 24/06/2023 09:06

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 🤞

OP posts:
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AnnieStar12 · 18/09/2023 22:05

Congratulations!
What great news, and gives hope to the rest of us!

bstrong0805 · 19/09/2023 10:29

@Obione1 massive massive congrats !!! Hope the pregnancy remains smooth and you feel good 😊
I did my mid cycle scan today and there are two big follicles - own dominant at 18mm and another at 13mm. Keeping fingers crossed this month.

graceinc22 · 19/09/2023 10:30

Hey everyone. Had a miscarriage at 11 weeks 6 days. Heartbroken. My bleeding has now stopped and I’m testing negative again (3 weeks post miscarriage) and I will be getting back in letrozole. Just checking in as I’ve been away from this thread for a while x

Original poster
ChipAndDip · 19/09/2023 13:17

@bstrong0805 great news about your scan! So many multiple follicles happening on the this thread, I’m getting a bit nervous now 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
ChipAndDip · 19/09/2023 13:21

@graceinc22 so so sorry to hear about your miscarriage 😔 I had one last year, it really does suck doesn’t it. Go easy on yourself xx

OP posts:
AnnieStar12 · 19/09/2023 13:38

@graceinc22 so sorry for your loss. That’s really tough. Look after yourself! And wishing you all the best for this next round of Letrozole.

hopeanddreams · 19/09/2023 17:25

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me jumping on this thread. I stumbled across when looking for people's experiences of letrozole.
I'm just taking progesterone at the moment to induce a bleed so I can start taking my first cycle of Letrozle - so nervous and excited at the same time!

AnnieStar12 · 19/09/2023 20:19

@hopeanddreams good luck getting started! I’m just doing my first round now, have finished taking the pills and now monitoring follicle development - have my next scan tomorrow morning and hoping to have IUI procedure on Thurs or Friday this week.
Totally understand you feeling excited and nervous. It is all an emotional rollercoaster as I’m assuming we’ve all struggled in some way to be at the point of doing medicated cycles. So helpful to have this chat where everyone can share the ups and downs..

Lovemusic2015 · 19/09/2023 22:14

@bstrong0805 great news about your follicles. I’m hoping this is your month 🤞🏻

@graceinc22 im so so sorry to hear about your loss. There are no words, life is so cruel sometimes x

@AnnieStar12 hope slll goes well for you this week & wishing you luck for the IUI 🍀

Sierra26 · 20/09/2023 07:32

@graceinc22 I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. This process can be so cruel. Look after yourself this week, and we’re here when you need to chat xxx

Welcome @hopeanddreams , let us know how things go for you!

@bstrong0805 great news about your follicles, fingers crossed for good news!

Im CD14 and pretty sure I’ve ovulated as had temp rise yesterday and today (although still getting EWCM and a moderate OPK line). Hoping I’ve realised from both the mature follicles to increase our chances! We DTD twice in the window and really struggled for the first time since all this began (we actually tried 4x). If we don’t have positive outcome this cycle I’m seriously going to look into the pot and syringe option as I don’t want this ruining our love life 😂😭. Now on to the TWW…

PS anyone had loads more EWCM on letrazole?? 😳😂

Ellierose666 · 20/09/2023 10:35

@hopeanddreams when do you stop your progesterone?
I stop tomorrow and it’s my first cycle! Is it the same for you? X

hopeanddreams · 20/09/2023 10:41

Thanks everyone.

@Ellierose666 It's exciting isn't it! I took my last one last night so expecting CD1 to be over the weekend... Have you had any effects from the progesterone? I'm feeling extremely tired today!
Do you start letrozole on CD2 or 3? I see different clinics advise differently, I've been told CD2 and to contact them to arrange monitoring scan for around CD10-12 x

Ellierose666 · 20/09/2023 10:43

hopeanddreams · 20/09/2023 10:41

Thanks everyone.

@Ellierose666 It's exciting isn't it! I took my last one last night so expecting CD1 to be over the weekend... Have you had any effects from the progesterone? I'm feeling extremely tired today!
Do you start letrozole on CD2 or 3? I see different clinics advise differently, I've been told CD2 and to contact them to arrange monitoring scan for around CD10-12 x

Oh so we’re almost on the same timings then!! I’ve felt SO rubbish on the tablets honestly.

do you not have to do a baseline scan? If you fancy going ok the journey together we could WhatsApp! X

hopeanddreams · 20/09/2023 10:54

@Ellierose666 Yes same timings!

Nothing has been mentioned about a baseline scan - been in the NHS system 2 years but been some complications and delays along the way which is why only now starting treatment! Not feeling overly well supported, it was more an email to say can start Letrozole, here's a leaflet and your prescription is ready to pick up... So I'm filling in the gaps myself.
It would be great to have someone to chat to on the journey! Whatsapp sounds great. x

bstrong0805 · 20/09/2023 14:53

@AnnieStar12 we might be on the same cycle - I might also have the IUI Thursday or Friday - another scan tomorrow am to confirm follicle size. My bloods didnt show a LH surge yet so they didnt want to trigger or do the IUI. I also dont have ewcm, and in general @Sierra26 I have had less ewcm on letrozole, but dont know why!

@Ellierose666 and @hopeanddreams I didnt feel bad after the letrozole but the trigger and then progestrone made me feel terrible in the tww.

All the best to everyone this cycle!

AnnieStar12 · 20/09/2023 17:43

@bstrong0805 Oh, that's exciting were on the same cycle! Good luck tomorrow, let us know how you get on.

I had another scan this morning, I'm CD9 - the 2 follicles have grown to 17mm and 15mm, one on each side and a small third one has developed too! It's only 5mm so they don't think it'll mature enough, but you never know! I was really hoping I'd have three chances..

I am now waiting for my LH levels to start rising naturally before doing trigger shot & IUI. So it's just a waiting game now - so gruelling how much waiting is involved in this process. I find the mental side much harder than anything else. I have another monitoring scan on Friday so at least having regular scans gives me something to break up all the waiting and prevents me from getting too anxious.

@hopeanddreams sorry you aren't feeling supported. It is hard, I am with a private clinic which I do really like, but even then I still find it all so complicated trying to navigate what everything means.

Lovemusic2015 · 20/09/2023 17:52

Hi ladies, I’m so glad to read you have had ill effects from the trigger & progesterone. Honestly I feel like I’m constantly tired between the whole lot…
@Sierra26 we are on a similar cycle 3dpo here & yes more cm on letrozole!

Ellierose666 · 21/09/2023 21:22

@ChipAndDip how have you been getting on? When are you due to test? X

bstrong0805 · 21/09/2023 21:40

We had our second scan and the follicle has grown to 20mm so they gave me the trigger shot - IUI tomorrow. Trying to relax tonight and be in the best possible mood and health for tomorrow !

AnnieStar12 · 23/09/2023 10:15

How is everyone getting on?

@bstrong0805 how was the procedure yesterday? How are you feeling.

I had another scan yesterday, 2 follicles now full size around 20mm but for some reason they still want me to wait for my LH to naturally go up (which it hasn’t yet) before doing the trigger so I’m finding that really stressful as I thought the whole point of the trigger was to take control over your cycle 🤷‍♀️
So they’re now saying IUI more likely to be Monday which will be CD14. Im getting paranoid they’ll miss the window with all this waiting.

bstrong0805 · 23/09/2023 11:05

@AnnieStar12 i guess you can keep trying at home anyway over the weekend ? we had the IUI yesterday but doctor told me to keep trying at home tonight and tomorrow night also. Fingers crossed !

Sierra26 · 23/09/2023 11:11

Hi all

@AnnieStar12 that’s frustrating they aren’t triggering you yet! I wonder what their logic is.

Can I ask you both how you ended up with IUI, are you via NHS? My doctor told me they don’t fund it. And we’ll only have funding for one round of IVF if we get there. Seems a lot less generous than some areas.

If we don’t have success this month we’re going to think about a private IUI cycle while waiting for NHS IVF. As well as asking for progesterone support if they’ll allow it. Just trying to rule out as many things as poss as still no idea what the issue is.

I’m 4 or 5DPO, CD15. It’s gonna be a long old 2WW!

AnnieStar12 · 23/09/2023 11:13

@bstrong0805 We have to be abstinent for at least 48 hours prior to the IUI to ensure best quality sperm, so sadly can’t try at home beforehand. But defo plan to do what you’re doing and try again afterwards for another couple days just to be sure! Can I ask what CD you were yesterday when they did the IUI?

bstrong0805 · 23/09/2023 11:22

@AnnieStar12 oh yes I forgot about the 48 hours, you are right, we were told the same. I was CD13 and I think we went a bit early but my clinic doesn’t do IUI on Sunday so they went with it - sperm lives for 3-5 days so they preferred going early and not later. I had one dominant follicle at 21mm, others 12-13mm.

AnnieStar12 · 23/09/2023 13:28

@Sierra26 good luck with the TWW. I’ll be right behind you! Seems a few of us on here all have similar timings so hopefully they’ll be some BFPs in a few weeks 🤞🤞🤞

I think my doctors logic is to keep it as close to my natural cycle as possible as I do ovulate regularly. To be fair, they are staying in touch over the weekend and have said they would open the clinic on Sunday to do it if they need to. I’m just a bag of nerves and paranoid we will miss the window, so would have preferred them to trigger me and be done with it!

In answer your question - we are doing IUI privately. I have an appointment at an NHS clinic in November, but I already know the rules in my area mean they won’t fund treatment for us as this isn’t our first child. So we went straight to private as didn’t want to waste time (biological clock is ticking!). Our doc suggested we try a few rounds of medicated cycle IUI before IVF because we have conceived naturally before so this might be the helping hand we need to conceive again. If it doesn't work we will move to ICSI.

What area are you in? If you’re in London, or in easy reach, and you do go private then I would recommend the clinic where we are - they are a lot cheaper than all the others because it was originally set up as a charity to make fertility treatment more accessible.