Anyone on Letrozole?

[rubywoo24]

Hi everyone

I have been prescribed 3 cycles of Letrozole and I have just started AF after a very very long few months. So quite excited to finally getting things going!
We're currently away and I do have my medication with me but not the leaflet that came with it. So just want to double check that I am taking it correctly:

• do I count tomorrow as CD1 as AF only started at 9.30pm today
• is there a specific time that I have to take the tablets, I think night time is recommended?
• do I take both tablets together?

Any other help or advice would be much appreciated!

@Sylva123 good luck with your scan too tomorrow! The meds definitely affecting my moods, it’s like I’ve really bad PMS but at the wrong time in my cycle! Might just try next month ourselves with no meds.

We’ve haven’t managed to DTD that much at all cause of the bloody cold sore so feel like I’m out already this month 😩 I’m starting to surge according to my sticks so gonna try for the next 3 days and just have to make do!

Really hope we get some positives this month! I haven’t bought my trigger yet, I’m starting to surge so may not bother this month

@Carleyxo no... I've got two backs of it in the cupboard and every now and then when I remember I chuck some into a smoothie, but very rarely! I take so many potions I think it's one too many! Back on the old cough syrup again this month - totally bonkers 😆. Not sure when to trigger yet, I'll see what they say tmw at the scan. Yes I wish you had it too - they should give it to everyone. Takes away the element of doubt doesn't it.

And yep @afterglow87 that's exactly what it's like for me too. Glad I'm not alone, was starting to feel quite mad. I described it to my OH as having a computer virus in my brain stopping me from thinking straight 🤕! Sorry about the cold sore. Such bad timing! Still time for it to happen if you're surging - good luck! And hope the mood swings pass. They're so intense aren't they. I feel like a totally different person. X

*bags (not backs!)

Sooo many potions.

I've gone wacky thing month with Chinese gender calendars saying the physic told me a girl and everyone my client knows who's seen her and told her months and genders have been correct so I worked out by the Chinese gender calendar it would be next month or the one after because this month would be a boy otherwise 😂 the things we get wound up about haha...

Good luck with your scan let us know how it goes x

Talking of potions, what’s everyone taking? I take inofolic (don’t have pcos but dr recommended anyway), omega 3, vitamins d, B12. I was taking 600mg COQ10, aspirin and vit E pre-trigger but I don’t know whether to take them in the two week wait - anyone know? Plus I’m on thyroxine, omeprazole, prednisolone and cyclogest 🤦‍♀️

Not sure if anyone is watching but right now on this morning is a huge thing coming up next about a Couple getting denied IVF because of their postcode, sounds interesting!

@HarrietM87 it’s fine to take them in your TWW! Regarding the CoQ10 it’s for egg quality so in theory you could stop it if you wished as it’s done the job for this cycle

That's so good to know, so the vitamins like Coq10 work pretty quick then if we only need to take them for a few weeks? X

@Carleyxo ohhh what did they say on This Morning? I've seen a few clips on Instagram where they're following a few couples who are TTC and I know I should have more empathy because we're all in the same shoes & it is really, really good that they're shining a light on it - but for some reason I've found it upsetting! It's a bit like "oh just try this natural deodorant and magic magic a baby will happen". Lol I think I've entered a grumpy phase. I just feel like we've tried EVERYTHING - eaten all the brocoli and pineapple and seeds, chucked out all the chemical beauty & cleaning products, did the acupuncture and reflexology and yoga and meditation and still no magic baby. At some point I've got to accept that it's a medical condition that needs a medical solutions. No amount of seeds is going to fix it now, you know?
Is that the wrong mentality? Probably! Before I was just feeling like I was failing all the time. It is SO good that it's getting airtime though, the more people that understand what it's like the better. My friend saw something about it on TV recently and reached out to check I was ok which was nice. Sat here waiting for the scan now...m

Good luck for your scans today!

Thanks @AfterGlow87 - will get back on the aspirin! And I guess will keep taking the COQ10 too to help next month’s eggs along. Ive been taking 600mg - is that what everyone else does?

Yep certain vitamins like CoQ10 and Melatonin are specifically for egg quality so we would normally only use them until egg collection or before you ovulate. Meds like prednisilone/aspirin you can stay on the whole time! That’s the right dose @HarrietM87

Ugh had my scan, lovely follicle but on the blocked tube side! Lining nice too, we’ll still try but realistically it’s not my month this month. Better to know now I guess than get my hopes up over the next 2 weeks

Oh @AfterGlow87 that’s such a shame. Do you think your body knows that tube is blocked and so the other side could pick it up the way it does if a tube is missing? Do you find your ovaries alternate? My left one seems to love to get involved - seem to have a follicle there every month but right one alternates. Bodies are so weird.

@Sylva123 how was your scan?

Oh no @AfterGlow87 that's such bad luck. I wish they could scoop it out for you and put it on the other side! Really sorry it wasn't the news you wanted. What a shame. Will you still try anyway?

@HarrietM87 mine was good ta. 18mm egg one side, 17mm the other and a nice thick lining, so we're good to go. Having the trigger Wednesday night and progesterone from Friday night onwards.
Had such a long stressy day at work so am off home to relax and hopefully be a bit more chilled tmw!
Also she said she thinks we should have another go of letrozole after this one, rather doing IVF straight away like the consultant said. She said the egg reserves are ok so we have the time. I think we'll follow her advice - she seems hopeful that it could work for us. And it's only one more month, right?

How is everyone else doing? Those of you in the TWW okay?? Xx

@Sylva123 ah thanks so much but so glad your scan was good 😊 2 lovely follicles! Hope your TWW goes fast!

@HarrietM87 yeah I’ve read that can happen alright! I tend to ovulate from each side so was hoping the Letrozole would force the left side more often but oh well 😬

So think we’ll still try but I won’t count it as a real month - might be nice to have a break mentally actually. I was disappointed earlier but look there’s always next month 🤞

@Sylva123 that’s excellent - a perfect result! I think you should try another month too, if this one doesnt work out that is. Seems like you’re responding really well to the letrozole so 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@AfterGlow87 yes there’s always next month! I totally understand the disappointment but you just never know for this month too.

I’m 6dpo today and have moved from the hopeful phase into the dreading seeing a BFN phase. Testing at 10dpo on Friday so will see. I can’t even symptom spot because cyclogest causes all the fake pregnancy symptoms!

@LongtermTTC what dpo are you now? I know you weren’t hopeful this month - do you know yet when you’re planning to test?

@harrietm87 yes cyclogest is the worst for pregnancy symptoms isn't it. If you get BFN how long do you carry on taking it for? I usually stop on cd28 but last month my consultant told me to take them for another week "just in case". Good luck to you - really hope it's a BFP! 🤞🤞🤞

Also does anyone know anything about implantation problems? It's just that every scan I've had over these past 2 years have shown good eggs and good lining (apart from when I was on clomid), so I'm wondering if it's possible that implantation is my problem? Is that a made up thing?!

Hi @Sylva123 I test at 10dpo and if it’s negative I stop the cyclogest (and also the prednisolone) but I’m meant to keep testing and restart if I have a bfp.

There can definitely be issues with implantation. My issue is related to implantation - my body is over enthusiastic about clearing dead cells from the uterus and so ultimately attacks the area where the embryo has implanted. I think most people with this suffer repeated miscarriages (like me) rather than not conceiving though.

I assume your DH has had his sperm checked?

Oh interesting @harrietm87. The weird thing is that I've never got pregnant though, unless I'm having chemicals. How did they figure out that was what your body was doing? And is that why you take the steroids as well as the other stuff?
Hope it works for you this month. Yes, DH had the sperm test twice. First time it was slightly low motality (I think) and 2nd time it was all fine.

@Sylva123 I had 3 mcs in a row so went private for testing (nhs said there was nothing wrong with me) and got diagnosed with elevated NK (natural killer) cells. Some drs don’t believe in it at all so you can’t usually get treatment on the NHS. The steroids I take suppress my immune system to stop the NK cells coming in and sweeping everything away. I know it works because I took them and immediately had a normal
pregnancy with my son, then I got accidentally pregnant again in the summer and because I wasn’t on the steroids pre ovulation had another miscarriage 😢.

I think it’s possible that some people with it never get a positive pregnancy test because it all happens too early. Have a google and see, and happy to answer any questions!

Ohhh I've heard about NK Cells but I had no idea what it was or what it meant. I remember you saying about the miscarriage in the summer - so awful, so sorry you had that.
I'll definitely have a Google and see if it might me something I could get tested for. Thank you. And I'm glad for you that you've found a treatment that works. X

@Sylva123 I found this article explained it quite well - makes complete sense to me:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.newscientist.com/article/2121182-timing-when-you-get-pregnant-could-prevent-a-miscarriage/amp/

I know what you mean @Sylva123 we can't stay positive the whole time - it wouldn't be normal. You're doing everything you can though which is so good and we are allowed to have days where we don't feel great. I'm so pleased the scan is looking good and the reserve is positive!

This morning went into detail about all the petitions they're running to get it to parliament. It's been delayed a little by Brexit (not sure why). X

Sorry I’ve not posted for a while ladies, life’s been busy and I’ve been trying to get my head around everything.

The new consultant seems to think from my previous cycles that I’m ovulating naturally anyway (previous NHS one thought possibly not, hence letrozole / trigger) and I got 56 on my progesterone this month without trigger. So now questioning why I’m on letrozole and trigger and, as they give me bad side effects, I’m undecided whether to take them next cycle or not.

IVF doctor has told me to start taking DHEA and COQ10 to hopefully help egg quality for IVF but now starting to wonder if IVF is the right step too. The last 18 months has been super stressful (my dad fell down the stairs and suffered a traumatic brain injury whilst hubby and I were still on our honeymoon and, despite 9 months in hospital for intensive rehab is now in a care home) so maybe stress is the only reason it’s not happened for us. But my 38th birthday is looming next week so feel the clock is running out and the hope of having one child is feeling more and more remote, let alone the two we had hoped for.

So much to think about and I find myself going around in circles. Still think I’m going to stick to the plan of one more cycle (with or without letrozole) before IVF - hoping at least to feel a bit more “in control” with IVF!

Sorry post has been a long rant all about me, I’ll catch up on postings in a bit but hope you’re all ok xx