Would you be my Infertility/Clomid/Follicle tracking friend please?!

[scienceteachergeek]

Hi there ladies

I’m really looking for a ‘clomid friend’ or ‘infertility pal’!

I’m 30, DH is 38. I came off the pill July 2013 to regulate my cycles and ended 15yrs of antidepressants in March 2014 as I’d read that was the best plan if possible.

I’d been having regular 27/30day cycles since I came off the pill but after no positive tests, buying OPKs and the Clearblue Advanced Fertility Monitor, plus charting temps and monitoring my cervix and mucus it quickly became apparent that I wasn’t ovulating. After all the blood tests, sperm analysis, trans-vaginal scans and the HSG it showed that he was fine but I wasn’t ovulating, but there was not obvious reason why.

Fast forward to now, 2yrs since coming off the pill, I have been prescribed clomid and have taken my first 5 tablets. I’m day 12 today and have been having follicle tracking to check if the drugs have worked. My largest follicle was 16.4mm today and have to go back on Wednesday to check it again.

Do any of you know if that’s a good size? Or have any experiences of being further down the clomid path? Or are you in a similar position? I just feel like I’m going out of my mind and could really use a buddy!

Thanks for reading and hugs to you all. Interested in hearing from any of you xxx

Hi science
I've see you about on other threads.
Sounds hopeful with your clomid, I don't know much about follicle sizes but that sounds a good size (from my limited knowledge)!
I'm at a similar stage to you, 22nd cycle ttc #1. Depo injection has slowed everything down. Luckily I have another Dr appointment in a couple of weeks. Problem is, he said last time (March) he would give me clomid but then out of the blue I started ovulating. 4 ovulations later and nothing. I'm worried when I go back to see him and I've ovulated 5 times he won't do anything because I'm ovulating on my own. I don't know what they will do or what they can do if i ovulate on my own. So I'm in that limbo of waiting to see Dr again not knowing what is next.
I wish you lots of luck with your clomid! It sounds like it is doing the trick making you ovulate

Yeah, hi Vap0, I've followed you around too. I guess tomorrow I'll find out how things are going. There were a fair few follicles on each side but nothing really huge and ready to pop. Hopefully at 12.15pm tomorrow I'll go and they'll tell me that some of them have grown. Just hope some of the follicles actually contain eggs as apparently some of them don't! So pleased you're ovulating by yourself. Any idea why you just started being able to do it alone?

Hi

I'm excited to hear about your results from your appointment! Fingers crossed for a good follicle or egg!

I think I just ovulated because the depo injection finally wore off 18 months after it should have done. Or maybe that isn't the reason? Who knows.

Best of luck tomorrow

My 16mm follicle is now 21mm :) got to go back at 8.45am on Friday now to see if it popped off!

Very excited will be DTD tonight!

When's your next appointment? I have read on here that people who do ovulate still can be prescribed clomid. How have you been tracking this month? I bought myself a Clearblue advanced fertility monitor.

Excellent news about your follicle!

I will use opk's any time from Sunday. I'm due to ovulate on Friday next week. Appointment is on 20th July so not too long to wait now! Really hoping I get some good news then! Or at least a time scale of when I can get some help! I have thought about getting one of those clear blue monitors but because the ic's work for me didn't think they were worth the £20 odd. Does it tell you when best to dtd?

Did they say what size follicle was good?
Did they say it looks promising?
It sounds promising

Hi there i stopped having periods about 8 months ago. Been given colmid to take when is the best time to have sex when trying for a baby x

Vap0, yes it does tell you when's best to DTD. I got mine off eBay for £50, I got the 'advanced' one. I had never told me when DTD until this morning!!!! It's certainly looking like clomid has made/is making me ovulate! I had another scan on Friday and she told me it had grown again...to 27mm and to have ANOTHER scan on Monday to see if it pops off!

Yes, she said follicle size was good and it looked promising, but I'm even more sure now that my little clearblue monitor had a smiley face this morning! I had a night away last night in London...I had to get back to Birmingham to my husband so that I could try to DTD!

Afterwards I spent one whole hour with a pillow under my bum with my legs in the air! My feet went ice cold and I couldn't feel them...all the blood had run away from them but the idea was that the sperm could be helped by gravity! I know I'm mental! Hopefully my mad dash from London and having no blood in my feet was worth it!

I struggled with the OPKs, knowing which line was darker etc. Needed something to give me a more definitive answer, which this does.

Donna, on clomid you are supposed to ovulate 5-10days after your last tablet..but I'll have ovulated 12 or 13 days after.

8days until your appointment Vap0....exciting stuff!

science Hi!

This all sounds really positive I don't know if I've heard of a follicle that size! Fantastic news!

How did your appointment go today? Did it pop??? How long until you can test? Is it just a hpt you'll use or do they do blood tests to check when you're on clomid?

I'm due to ovulate on Friday this week. Been DTD every day since Friday and hoping to keep it up until Saturday that way surely we can't miss it!

Never been so not in the mood as tonight and dp was not interested at all. So pleased he is now on the same page as me and knows we just need to DTD sometimes when we aren't very interested.

£50 for your clear blue? That's a lot! Is it just for 1 month? Not sure if I'll go to that length... But who knows!?

P.S. Fellow legs in the air person here

science thought I'd update with my unusual opk from today...
Best + opk I've ever had and it came up super quick.
Fertile window has changed on my app now which pushed it back to staring on Friday last week! Good job we started early!
Is your cb still telling you it's a + or do you just get 1 + in a month with that test? I know sometimes people get + for a few days...

Your OPK looks positive to me! Ace! We've both ovulated, awesome news!

The scan I had yesterday confirmed it had burst and that there was an egg loose around my reproductive system! The woman showed me how she knew it had popped. Luckily no more transvaginal scans...the woman yesterday was particularly rough!

The fertility monitor is reusable. You use it for every month you require it for. You just need to buy new sticks every month and you use it for ovulation and pregnancy...just one gadget.

The machine stayed on 'peak' for 2 days, went 'high' for 1 day after then back to 'low' this morning. I'm ridiculously excited!

Glad you've been hard at it, no pun intended ;)! All the fun seems to have gone out of our sex life, it's so sad. He says he feels such pressure on himself, had a couple of rows over it too. Things haven't been going well at work for him which has added to his stress. Still managed to get sperm out of him four times over the week though!

According to my little computer I can start testing for pregnancy on Sunday! We've got quite similar cycles...fingers crossed for us both. xxx

This ovulation kit... How much are the strips for a month then? How do you use it in pregnancy?

Sorry or all the questions I'm just intrigued as to whether I should try it next month...

I've been there with the stress and arguments. Also dp was in a bit of trouble with his job which made him totally scared of ttc so for months we didn't DTD at the right times, or maybe not not at the right times, maybe just not as often as i would have liked.

Luckily we are both on the same page now and he knows it is just as much his responsibility to be up for DTD as mine so it's not all about me having to get him in the mood this month. It has taken 22 months to get to this point but it's great and actually apart from last night which was a bit of a chore for the both of us sex has been great

Ps I took another test when I got home at about 6.15 and it was pants, see pic attached. So I'm thinking it's all been and gone. Will test again in the morning just to check.

So... I'm kind of presuming o ovulated today at some point or maybe tonight?

When did your egg pop? Yesterday? This kit must be amazing if you can test on Sunday. Will that make you about 6dpo? I want one!

Yes sounds like our cycles are pretty similar. I'm thinking I'll test at 10dpo which will be maybe a week on Friday. I have some ic's which are 10mlu so are a good sensitivity.

We have done all we can for this cycle now. DTD every day since Friday and will DTD tomorrow (just in case) and if this doesn't work then at least I have an appoint mend on Monday 20th.

So when will you know? This is all very exciting

Good luck really hope you have a bfp

Hey!
I love how we have both ovulated! Such great news! My egg was released sometime last weekend. The little gadget is superb. It helps you the whole way through your cycle. There are different sticks for pregnancy and the little machine will start to ask for those as from tomorrow. Period due on Wednesday but as it is possibly the first ever month I've ovulated goodness only knows when AF is due!

The agony I was in last weekend was extraordinary! I suffer with particularly bad period pain but this was totally different. Hope clomid works soon...ovulation really hurts! Even now whenever I lie on my front it is sore and it makes me feel sick.

We fly on holiday next Friday so I hope I know either way by then...if AF arrives I'll have to take my fertility monitor and the sticks you feed it!

Perhaps you should look into them, they are so helpful.

Hope Monday goes well, keep me informed. If you're offered clomid make sure you ask for follicle tracking! You only get it for one month but it was worth it (apart from having to sit in the waiting room with loads of pregnant people)!

xxx

Tell me about it "ovulation hurts"
I totally agree!
In the last 5 months I have ovulated each month
This month is the 1st month I've not had stabbing pains, total exhaustion, feeling sick, aches etc.
Unbelievable!
I couldn't believe how difficult it is for my body to ovulate and how much it took out of me.
This last month though it seemed to come and go with little incident which I'm so pleased about!
I'll be in touch when I've had my appointment...

Ahhhh, I hope the following month is less painful then! Good luck for tomorrow!

Getting nervous about this appointment now!
Really hoping for good news!

So
Appointment update.
Next stage is ivf - nothing in between
They want me to wait another 6 months before then being put on a 3 month waiting list for ivf.
So a 9 wait month in total - although knowing doctors and hospitals (or at least the one I go to) this will mean longer than 9 months if waiting.
Not the best news but I suppose at least I have a timescale now.

Anyway!

More about you....

You must have poas by now?

Any news?

Oh no! Have they said why there are no steps in between?! What's their reasoning behind waiting another 6months? See if you can get pregnant yourself I bet. I remember my consultant saying "I'm sure I won't have to see you again, it'll happen." Then last time I saw him he asked if I was pregnant.....Errrrr, NO, I wouldn't be coming to you today if I was...and as you've told me I don't ovulate then why would I?!! I hope that's not the reason they want you to wait but it seems to be for most people. If I hear, "Just relax and don't worry about it" one more time I'll scream!

Sorry, rant over, I'm just gutted you have more waiting to do!

I have POAS...a few in fact. The gadget only asks you to POAS once a day, which isn't enough when you're desperate!!! I will dutifully check again tomorrow but so far there has just been one line...nothing to get excited about. Second guessing every 'symptom' which either is or isn't related to anything at all! I'm due AF on Wednesday, she's come every 28days now for 2yrs (since I came off the pill) but I guess clomid could have changed things.

Yesterday was awful at the MIL's house. One of my SIL is 'in the loop' after telling her when a little tipsy at my 30th last year. The other clearly knows now, her husband must have told her after my DH confided in his brothers last week when it all got a bit too much for him. Very annoying as I really don't like her and certainly did not want to hear her comments. I want to tell people if I want to, I find it an incredibly personal thing as it's MY shitty reproductive organs and nobody else's. I had a bit of a cry then composed myself!

Right, after reading all of this through I've noted that I'm clearly in a very grumpy mood so I shall get myself to bed. The only good thing about today was that I actually had some 'fun, no pressure to make a baby' sex.

So sorry you have more waiting. Thinking of you

Hi

Nothing in between as there is nothing they can do. As I'm ovulating myself there is no point giving me clomid. I am disappointed although would rather not have extra chemicals in my body if I can do it on my own. And if they had put me on clomid that would have been a 6 month course anyway so in a way at least I know at the end of this 6 months I will get in the waiting list - unless of course we were crazy lucky in the mean time - not holding my breath!

I think it's the male dr's who just have no empathy, I had a lady this time and she totally understood how difficult it was. She was very sympathetic and optimistic, not like the guy from last time who was not pleasant.

So did you test again this morning? Any news? Any symptoms?

Negative this morning. Cramps tonight, finding DH very irritating and craving sugar...the same as every time AF arrives! Due tomorrow. Not holding out much hope but I guess the cramps could be related to implantation. I'll test again tomorrow.

Annoying they won't try clomid...if I'm still not pregnant after 3months on the drug they double my dose, even though they know I ovulate on 50mg. Surely that's only the same as giving you the 50mg? Similar principle! I wish I could be seen by a woman...seen men every time!

You got any symptoms...when will you get the sticks out?!

I know! The men are the worst at this type of thing! They just don't understand! I breathed a sigh of relief when i was called in by the lady and not the man. Why can't there be more female doctors doing this?
I noticed a wall of thank you cards from people to the dr's and nurses for helping them have their babies. I don't feel grateful to my dr's at all, all they ever do is send me away and don't give a sh** about the wait and the emotional toll!
Will poas Friday at 10dpo
Only symptom was a cramp this afternoon for a bit although could have just been a bit of u digested food?! Will have to just wait and see.
How many dpo are you today?

11 days ago the machine told me I was 'peak' and 9 days since my scan which confirmed the egg had been released. I was ever so nervous waiting for the gadget to say 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant' this morning!

Have you been taking folic acid? I bought some a year ago then felt like a fool for taking it so stopped.

I've been taking it for 2 years
Good job it's only a tiny thing!
I'm on my 4th bottle.

Those dates make it sound like you may be 10dpo today then? Perhaps? That's still quite early to get a positive test. I would have thought the clomid will adjust af to not appear until Saturday perhaps (at 14dpo)? As it is supposed to revert you to a perfect 28 day cycle?

What is the sensitivity of the test? I believe it's measured in mlu. I did have a look online to see what it said but couldn't find it anywhere on their pages. It looks like a good device but don't think I'll bother with the investment just yet as the ic opks seem to be doing the job for me at the minute.

All fingers and toes crossed for you for tomorrow morning!

P.s. You have started taking your folic acid again?

Afternoon, loving the school holidays, had my legs waxed, eyelashes tinted and had lunch with friends.

Negative this morning. The only reason I've been testing is because it's day 28 for me today and I usually have perfect 28day cycles. With the clomid not making me ovulate until about day 17 I don't know when I'm to expect AF this month. It really felt like period pain last night, had the back pain too and the usual loose stools (sorry ). Wore a pad last night as I was sure she was coming...but nothing. I wish she'd just let me know either way, we go on holiday on Friday and hoped the period would be over pretty much by then!

I've not started the folic acid again but I feel perhaps I might start today now I know you've carried taking it. My eldest brother had spinal bifida so I guess I should get it in me!

Not sure of the sensitivity of the test but it must be bloody good if it says it can tell me up to three days before AF is due! I'll use one of my cheap tests tomorrow I think, unless AF arrives obviously. So nervous every single time I go for a wee!

You coping ok? Any symptoms?