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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Clomid journey

24 replies

At88 · 29/10/2021 08:57

Im not sure what I’m expecting from writing this. Maybe I just need to vent, to people who might understand.

I have done 2 rounds of clomid, having been ttc for 2 years prior. I had my recent follicle tracking scan after the second round only to find that there’s been no growth in the eggs at all. I can’t help but feel defeated. It’s a long process, 2 months between the scans and it’s quite scary when it doesn’t do anything for you because it’s like “I can’t have kids naturally and now even on the fertility meds I can’t” everyone around me is telling me “it will be ok” and “keep positive” and “it will work eventually don’t worry” and I get they are coming from a good place but I just want to scream, no it’s not ok!! No I don’t need to be positive! And no it might not actually happen for me!! The doctor told me that they don’t actually know how to make women “like me” ovulate and that these meds are just an attempt so they may not actually work for me. Which is so upsetting and I feel like a huge waste of my time. It’s been 4 months on 2 cycles of clomid and I now have to wait till December for another scan, to be told it’s not worked again? Nobody around me understands how rubbish it feels, after already being infertile, and then the drugs aren’t working for me, it feels like the doors are closing and there’s limited options for me. It’s so scary.

OP posts:
xoJellyBean · 29/10/2021 19:45

❤️❤️ just here for some support. I'm so sorry you're going through this.

YouBoggleMyMind · 29/10/2021 21:02

What dose? Are you taking metformin? Have you tried letrozole?

YouBoggleMyMind · 29/10/2021 21:03

What diagnosis did you have that they prescribed clomid?

At88 · 30/10/2021 01:06

Thank you for your support 🙏🏼

I’m on 2000mg metformin and 150mg clomid.

I’ve not tried letrozole yet, they told me in the doctors it’s not yet being prescribed in uk as a fertility drug?? And I would have to take part in a clinical trial if I wanted it.. which would be blind so I would have either letrozole or clomid but wouldn’t know which i would get until after.. just feels like a waste of time.. if I was to get clomid that is, cause it clearly doesn’t work for me!!

My diagnosis is PCOS. They told me that I don’t ovulate at all as my eggs don’t grow. I’ve always known something was wrong due to little to no periods, excess hair growth, hair loss on my head and excess weight which is a struggle. I know I need to try to be “positive” as people around me keep telling me.. sometimes it’s hard as you are worried your options are slipping away (unlike those who can conceive naturally- no hate, good for them) it’s scary not knowing what your options actually are!! But thank you so much for replying, it means a lot to have someone else there who may understand by going through the same xx

OP posts:
YouBoggleMyMind · 30/10/2021 22:29

On your Dr is talking boohockey. Letrozole is prescribed as a fertility drug in the UK. I've done 6 cycle of it through a UK NHS fertility clinic in the last year.

YouBoggleMyMind · 30/10/2021 22:31

Is there any option for you to go back and push for letrozole or change fertility clinic? Or go private and get some proper answers?

At88 · 31/10/2021 09:55

What!! That’s mental.. can’t believe they told me that. How are you getting on with Letrozole? Did clomid not work for you either? It’s so frustrating how long it all takes. I might have to look into private options now!

OP posts:
thislittlebird · 31/10/2021 15:41

@At88 Yeah definitely push for Letrozole, OP. As the pp said they definitely do use it. I went private for ovulation induction while I wait for an nhs ivf round and most private clinics opt for Letrozole over clomid, but there’s plenty of women I’ve encountered on here with nhs prescribed Letrozole.

YouBoggleMyMind · 31/10/2021 21:53

Clomid eventually worked for me with Metformin and I conceived my Son in 2017.

It didn't work for me at all for baby 2 so swapped to letrozole and although I did ovulate 4 out of 6 cycles, I didn't get pregnant so now doing IVF.

Somatronic · 01/11/2021 11:16

That's very tough to take OP. I'm sorry!

I was on Clomid for 3 months earlier this year. I'm on the same dose of metformin as you. They didn't do follicle tracking and I only has progesterone checked once which indicated that I did ovulate on the cycle but I didn't conceive.

I'm now on my third cycle of letrozole with follicle tracking and a trigger shot. The first month went well, the second was very slow but eventually one follicle grew and I think I ovulated on CD23 but as usual, I didn't conceive. I start the third round of follicle tracking tomorrow.

I'm assuming my next step is IVF, which I will have to do privately. No one has spoken to me about it but logically I guess that's where we go now.

If I was you I would definitely ask for letrozole - it's widely prescribed especially for women like us with PCOS so the information you got there was incorrect.

I hope you get some better advice and support xxx

At88 · 01/11/2021 13:38

I’ve found that they don’t like to discuss the next steps if the meds don’t work.. it’s quite hard isn’t it to prepare for the unknown? I’m sorry you have struggled too @Somatronic and hope it all works out for you in the end. Metformin is hard work at times, with the side effects.

I’m definitely going to push for letrozole at my next appointment, (in December) 😅 I won’t back down now I know others in the UK have been prescribed it!! The prospect of ivf being an option is so scary, I hope you are all okay!!

OP posts:
ladyge · 16/11/2021 13:49

I am in the same boat as you - I have been ttc for over 2 years now. It took me forever to get an appointment with my gyno (waiting list was 6 months + on the NHS)!

I took metformin while I waited and it gave me such bad side effects that I only took it for 3 months.

Finally I met with my gyno and did the recent tests (tubes, ultrasounds etc you name it) .. all tests came back fine.

I have been diagnosed with PCOS and the gyno thinks I don't ovulate on my own. They initially prescribed me 50mg Clomid which I didn't ovulate on. So this cycle they increased my dosage to 100mg. Currently on day 11 on my cycle. Hoping for my positive news soon!

At88 · 16/11/2021 14:37

@ladyge good luck.. it’s so hard waiting to find out!! Hope you’re coping.. I normally take provera to bring on a cycle but this time I’m leaving it to happen naturally (normally 3 months) as I just can’t handle the bad news at the moment & the side effects make it so much worse.. so I guess I’m having a break from it over Xmas at least.. hope it works for you this round! 🙏🏼

OP posts:
ladyge · 16/11/2021 14:49

@At88 I hope so too! I hope it works for us both over Xmas! Maybe having your mind off it will help 🤷🏽‍♀️

I just want to have the good news already 🥺

beansprout55 · 19/11/2021 15:24

Demand letrozole!!! I got pregnant on my first cycle!! Currently 8+4 weeks! Research it xx
It was the first port of call for my consultant!x

ladyge · 19/11/2021 16:39

@beansprout55 congratulations!! I have my 21 day blood test next week. If I haven't ovulated I'll defo ask for this! Thanks for your advice! It's very appreciated.

ladyge · 24/03/2022 09:47

I'm not sure what to make of this 🫣

Clomid journey
beansprout55 · 05/05/2022 00:03

Just saw this @ladyge !!!! How's things?x

TheDaydreamBelievers · 07/05/2022 12:41

@At88 hope you had some luck at December appt. I am currently on letrozole, again by NHS clinic. This is now the first line for women "like me" (you and I have an almost identical profile- hair loss on head, greasy skin and hair, difficult to lose weight, longgggggg cycles/gaps between periods)

beansprout55 · 09/05/2022 10:37

@TheDaydreamBelievers I got pregnant on my first cycle of letrozole! It's amazing! Good luck x

TheDaydreamBelievers · 09/05/2022 11:13

@beansprout55 cycle 1 dose didn't work to induce ovulation but hopeful for cycle 2 increased dose!

beansprout55 · 09/05/2022 11:47

You on 5mg? They started me on that x

TheDaydreamBelievers · 09/05/2022 15:43

@beansprout55 round 1 was 2.5, round 2 is 5mg! Crossing my fingers for 5

beansprout55 · 09/05/2022 19:21

I only had one follicle that grew big enough to ovulate with 5mg! It's common to need 7.5mg so don't be disheartened if it doesn't happen with 5 (although a good chance it will!)

We did that and timed intercourse - so had sex for about 5 days in a row before and after presumed ovulating (I still used the clear blue digi advance OV sticks!)

Also - I was upset at my last ultrasound prior to ovulation as my follicle hadn't grown big enough and she said it won't be mature enough so we'll do another cycle, but what she didn't tell me was that in the last day or two they can grow rapidly - mine obviously did as two weeks later I had an implantation bleed and tested positive.

Please let me know how you get on! Praying for a couple nice follicles for you xx

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