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!

Oh my goodness @longtermttc - I'm meant to be jumping in the car to work but had to reply. What an absolutely awful year you've had, that sounds absolutely terrible what you've been through with your dad, whilst on honeymoon as well. I'm so sorry to read that you are going through that on top of all this.
And so confusing to know what to do next as well. I think your plan sounds good though - even though IVF is hard, I've read that people like having that level of control after so long of the ups and downs of TTC.
I'm about to turn 37 and am similar to you - I ovulate naturally and theres no obvious reason for it not happening for us. I also had a stressful year (step mum died a few days before our wedding, it was a real shock) and I've wondered if that's it, but truly and honestly we were TTC for a year before that happened and I'm good at yoga, mindfulness, zen stuff. I think sometimes, for whatever reason, the body just doesn't do what we want it to. Where are you in your cycle now?

@HarrietM87 thank you SO much for sharing that article. Just skim read is at I'm off to work but looks really useful - thank you so so much.

@Carleyxo that would be SO good if they could petition the government to give fairer access to treatment on the NHS. The current situation is really unfair. NICE guidelines say 3 rounds yet most people are lucky to get just 1. Fingers crossed it changes things. I'd quite like to get involved in campaigning for that, having experienced it in our borough. How are you?? I forgot to reply to what you said about the gender thing! I've never heard of that before!

Exactly that it just needs to be fair! I definitely would for sure.

I'm all good are you ok? I'm on my high according to clear blue for two days now so waiting for that peak to sneak through.

Yes I've always heard of it, it's just one of those things but I tried to on all my friends and it's right. Obviously it's not scientific but it's just a bit of fun @Sylva123 x

Oh @LongtermTTC I’m so sorry to hear that! Sounds like you’ve had a really awful time. I think your plan sounds good. Fwiw I know 3 people who had unexplained infertility, IVF for first baby and then naturally conceived second (4 if you count Izzy Judd!). I think sometimes your body needs a bit of a reminder of what it’s meant to do.

Sending hugs @LongtermTTC I know this month I've felt a lot better having a break x

So I've been googling again... I just read that if you have TWO mature follicles you might not get an LH surge and that's why they give the HCG trigger shot. I'd never heard that before - has anyone else? Might be just bad Google info and not real science? Would explain my blank opks each month when I've seen eggs in the scan...

@Carleyxo yay for high fertility on the clear blue 🤞🤞🤞

@HarrietM87 that's hopeful about your friends experience of IVF

That's so interesting I've never heard it but it makes perfect sense to your blanks! @Sylva123 x

@Sylva123 I’ve never heard that...and surely that’s how fraternal twins come about so it can’t always be true?! Mine said they give the trigger to make sure that all possible follicles release, which suggested to me that maybe only the biggest would release by itself possibly without it. Definitely one to ask your doctor about!

Yeah it doesn't seem to make sense. Probably just naughty Google. It was here www.inciid.org/forum/showthread.php?48860-timing-for-HCG-shot-and-intercourse which to be fair doesn't look like a very professional website

Also saw this which made me laugh. Just make sure you dtd "in the privacy of your own home" ladies. Love that this needed to be an instruction. No mile high club or al fresco love making for us 🤣. Game over for exhibitionists 😆

Ha ha @Sylva123 I love that 🤣🤣🤣. I really think you should ask the q re the trigger shot - the other things posted by that dr on the link seem legit?! Why weren’t you prescribed the trigger in the first place?

I do get the trigger shot thankfully @harrietm87 and I wonder if this is why. I have unexplained infertility so they've just been chucking everything at me: clomid, then letrozole and the trigger and progesterone. What I've never understood is why I always used to get an LH surge before I started fertility drugs, but when I started taking letrozole I never ever got the surge. Just totally blank opks despite seeing the follicles on the screen. I'll definitely ask my doc next month to see if that is a thing, because that would be a really useful thing to know! My doc rarely tells me things so I wondered if anyone else had ever heard of it. I Google way too much though - it's not good.

Do you get the trigger Harriet? Sorry I forget what everyone's taking 🙈

@Sylva123 ah I didn’t realise you had the trigger. In that case nothing to worry about! yes I do get the trigger, and progesterone for after ovulation. Why do you test with OPKs? I assumed that the trigger was instead of and overrides your own LH surge, and because it’s HCG rather than LH it might not be picked up by the OPKs? I think the trigger makes you ovulate 99.9% of the time so I’m sure you are doing.

I did learn recently (through google!) though that not every follicle contains an egg and they can estimate that by measuring your estradiol at some stage - I saw some people on US forums saying that though they had loads of follicles they didn’t all contain eggs because their estradiol levels were low after ovulation or something like that...maybe also worth asking if your ovulation could be confirmed like that?

It's lil' old me that doesn't get the trigger.
I'm back at the clinic on 25 March so will enquire into it as an option before going down the IVF route.

Hope you're all well. My husband left today for away work - CD18 so I'm hoping we've caught ovulation but haven't had any of my usual symptoms so who knows!

Sorry for the late post - on nightshift!

@HarrietM87 I've been doing OPKs out of habit more than anything. I can usually see the line darken over the month as I get closer to ovulation. Also in December I didn't get the trigger cos of Xmas and I ended up ovulating super early, so I've been using them to make sure I don't accidentally miss an early ovulation. But this cycle I haven't bothered cos they've been blank the past couple of times.
I'd heard that some follicles dont release eggs but had no idea they could measure the estradiol to confirm this! That's so interesting! I really hope that's not what is going on here 🤞

@unknownscot I hope your night shift went ok. Yes definitely worth asking about the trigger - especially with your husband going off for work some months, it can help with timing everything. Good luck, hope you caught it this month!

Guys this is kinda embarrassing but I have some pains "down there" - I don't know if it's cystitis, constipation, ovary pain or something else. I know I should be able to distinguish but I can't. It's like a painful ache. I've looked into hyperstimulation of ovaries but that comes after the trigger, and I haven't triggered yet. Ideas? I'm off to the shop to get cranberry juice...

@Sylva123 is it a burning pain and do you feel like you need to wee? If yes then it’s cystitis or a UTI. If not then it could be ovary pain - I think you can sometimes feel if you’ve got more follicles growing than normal. I’d say take paracetamol and drink lots of water and see how you get on. Good luck!

Sounds like the kind of pains/discomfort I get regularly @Sylva123x

I have a thin bladder and sometimes I don't empty it properly (or something like that 😂) it causes discomfort for a little while but never lasts more than a few hours.

Usually I drink plenty and go for a wee and it's gone.

Also I've had lots of negatives on my cheap ovulation tests but had high on my clear blue but ive stupidly run out now so don't know if I peaked x

I'm starting to believe why consultants don't like
Ovulation tests haha. My monitor said I was high on Friday and Saturday but then I ran out of sticks (thought I had more but didn't) so had to buy a new clear blue stick test and it said negative yesterday (I remember someone saying this can happen) but today is flashing smiley so high. But I've never ever had high detection for almost a week so not sure when my peak will be or if it already has been x

@Carleyxo did you just buy a new insert or a whole new stick? I think the stick calibrates to your levels so you’re supposed to use the same one for the whole cycle - that could be why it seems out?

I’m 9dpo today and testing tomorrow. Had a really vivid dream last night that I did a pregnancy test and it was positive - was so sad to wake up! And not feeling hopeful at all this cycle. I’ve actually had fewer symptoms than previous (bfn) months - just a bit of cramping which will be down to the progesterone.

Is anyone else testing soon?

I used the same stick yesterday when it said negative but that was the day after I used my CB monitor and it said High and then a new one today and today it says high. Bizarre.

Oh what a nice dream and it would be amazing if it was true for you @HarrietM87

I was supposed to ovulate Monday according to app but monitor been saying high since the weekend so I have no idea when I actually did ovulate. Period due 12th March x

Oh that’s weird @Carleyxo...have you been having lots of sex just in case??

How are you feeling today @Sylva123?

I had my period Saturday Sunday and started every otd the Tuesday after that so Tuesday Friday Monday (supposed to ovulate then) and last night @HarrietM87 so fingers crossed x