Letrozole - when to take?

[foreverttc]

Hi all,

I have been prescribed Letrozole to take day 2-6 of my cycle support ovulation. My problem is, I consistently spot starting 4DPO and my period is so light that it is often difficult to distinguish between spotting and proper flow.

I have currently been spotting for 5 days and am "technically" not due to start my period for another 5 days but with this month being important date-wise for Letrozole, I'm wondering if anyone has ever been in a similar situation of not knowing the precise day. If so, could this disrupt my cycle even more? I really don't know how to go about it other than just trying to judge when the spotting gets marginally heavier.

Any advice would be great, thanks!

I remember having to research this as I often get brown discharge a few days before my period starts. The good old internet told me it is your first day of full flow that is classed as the first day of your period.

I would absolutely recommend calling or emailing your consultant's secretary and asking though, just to be sure! Good luck :)

@foreverttc if you are unsure contact your doctor. It might be they proscribe you some provera (progesterone tablets) to kick start your period and that way you know 100% that it is fully your period, and then you can take the letrozole as recommended.

It would also be good to make them aware if they aren't already that your periods are so light, as it could suggest a luteal phase defect which may require you to make cyclogest or similar following your ovulation to make sure your womb is thick enough for implantation to happen.

Thanks both!

@Barnsel yes, I've been told the first day of proper flow but my difficultly is that it's so light I rarely have a "proper" flow...it's so tricky!

@LavenderSweetPea yes, I already take cyclogest for the second half of my cycle and will continue to do so. This is my first month taking letrozole though so just want to make sure I don't miss the date.

Thanks for the replies!

@foreverttc ah that's good you're already taking the cyclogest! In which case it should be less tricky to work out when to take your leteozole. I assume they told you to take the cyclogest for something like 10 or 12 days in a row? Definitely don't take the leteozole at the same time as the cyclogest. Treat the first day of bleeding no matter what it looks like after you stop the leteozole as day one of your cycle and I reckon you'll be good to go

@foreverttc i did multiple letrozole cycles and the guidance was that CD1 is the first day you wake up needing to use sanitary protection. Then letrozole 2-6 but they weren’t worried if I took it starting from day 3 or 4 rather than starting day 2. I assume you’re having monitoring scans to then know when ovulation is and then when to take the cyclogest?