TTC with Letrozole/Clomid

[acaciabluebell]

Anyone else here on Letrozole or Clomid for ovulation induction?

I'm on my 2nd cycle of Letrozole and looking for others in a similar situation.

Info about me:
26 y.o
Been TTC for just over 2 years.
Dosage: 5mg of Letrozole on days 3-7.
Diagnoses: Male factor (0% morphology), low AMH, low progesterone

I'm currently on CD10 and using OPKs to track for ovulation. I'll be taking a blood test on 7dpo to check if I ovulated.

@TheDaydreamBelievers how are you. I'm on letrozole too, perhaps we can share our journey. Have you tried any other medication. Im 35 and have also been trying for 2 years. Due to nhs delays i decided to eeek help privately which im glad i have as ive sinxe been told on an bmi over 30 they cant help me.
Intried clomid for two months increasing the dose ut has cery little effect and so i mived in the letrozole first 2.5 this didnt work and it didnt seem id ovulated. This cycle ive had 5mg. Im in my two week wait. Im really hoping that at minimum ive ovulated. Do you ever have ant signs that you have ovulated? X

@Amz34 have only just begun taking it! Currently CD4. Haven't tried any other meds. Have only ovulated twice in 2 yrs plus TTC. Hope letrozole can help us.

So despite the fact i am being told I'm not ovulating. Each cycle i have sharp pains on only one side (it changes cycle to cycle) and when i test at this time i always get a positive opk which makes me think otherwise. Before letrozole i was getting those pains around cycle day 23 to 26 varying. I would then have around 13days before my period arrives. The past two months on letrozole I've had the pain once on cycle day 15 i was absolutely shocked and then this month cycle day 17 and true to form my period arrived 13 days later. So i definitely think letrozole is helping 🤞

Hi everyone! I hope I can use some advice from you lovely ladies here! I've been trying to conceive since 2.5 years diagnosed with PCOS and on my first cycle of letrozole. I had my first scan today (day 11) and I have two dominant follicles sized 11mm. I've been asked for another scan on day 13/14 and they said they'd like to see it 18mm. Is that possible? Can an 11mm follicle increase to 18mm in 2-3 days? This is my first medicated cycle so there's a lot I'm unaware of. I'm very nervous but reading stories on here has given me some support. Thanks for any advice/tips!

Hi @ttcisexhausting. Love the name. Yes the follicles on average grow 2mm a day so it’s definitely possible? Will you be using a trigger also? Did they check your lining too?

How is everyone else doing?

Hi @Hopefull1981 (love this name too), thanks for your reply :). They did check my lining but didn't give me a measurement just said it's healthy. And for the trigger they've said that I might need one - they'll scan and let me know. I didn't know that there'd be more than one scan also especially as we are private and it's ££ for each scan so that overwhelmed me quite a bit. Also I felt kind of hopeless thinking that because it's a low measurement it might not happen this cycle. The nurse wasn't exactly negative but said she was hoping for a bigger size? I guess that's what put me down a bit..may I ask where are you in this journey?

@ttcisexhausting
I think you have time for the follicles to grow. When is your next scan? We did get pregnant on our first try but sadly it ended in a chemical.

I am based in ireland and one round of OII with letrozole and scans is €200. I have had two rounds and then moved onto IVF. I had my egg collection last week and we have 7 embryos in the freezer. I overstimulated so I need to wait until
Next month to do my first frozen transfer.

@Hopefull1981 oh okay good luck with it, I hope it all goes well for you! My scan is this Friday - let's see what happens. One scan here costs around £180 (unfortunately was not eligible on the NHS) so had to go private. The whole journey is exhausting honestly - the 2WW, the irregular periods, managing your own expectations, saving up for treatment etc. But trying to stay positive and strong. Sending hugs xx

Hi ladies, hoping to join you if that’s ok. TTC #3 for what feels like forever, have 11 year old clomid twins.

Had a polyp removed from uterus in December and a normal hsg early this year. Started on letrozole 2.5mg this cycle, day 6 today (last tablet). Up to clinics for a follicle scan next Tuesday morning. Having been getting awful headaches on letrozole so will be glad to be finished them this evening.

Finding ttc tough going this time round, we were quite open about our struggles 12 years ago but found we were getting a lot of well meaning ‘any news yet’ comments. This time round we haven’t told anyone really with the exception of one or two close friends. The whole thing is just so exhausting at times and definitely seems to bring out the worst in me I think.

@ttcisexhausting I really hope your scan goes well on Friday

@Hopefull1981 I’m also based in Ireland, sorry to hear about your chemical, fingers crossed for your transfer next month

@Wackadoodle84 it's giving me headaches too! @Hopefull1981 sadly 2.5mg letrozole isn't working for me. Day 21 bloods show no ovulation so they will repeat on day 28 (but all my measures say it's a no)

Hi all,

Joining the thread- I am on month 3 of 50mg clomid.

Have had various tests prior which indicated husbands sperm ok, hycosy clear etc. Did two 21 day tests which indicated that I probably did not ovulate that month if the timings were correct.

My BMI is too high at 34 and I’m currently trying to get it below 30.

I have started using OvuSense which has indicated to me that I ovulated this month on CD14 and the temp chart looks pretty conclusive. However temps have now dropped CD28 so just waiting for AF to show.

My main question is expectation of NHS. I have not been monitored or offered to be monitored on Clomid- I have had no advice and I don’t know whether I should be asking for more guidance/ support?

We are also moving home soon and will be changing to a different NHS area so imagine will have to start again.

@GreenPalmTree I would ask for at least day 21 bloods, especially as you think the dose hasn't worked twice! I'm getting day 21 bloods on letrozole till they find a dose that works

Thanks @TheDaydreamBelievers

I haven’t been monitored at all when on Clomid, the two 21 day tests were what resulted in getting it prescribed.

Last cycle OvuSense didn’t pick up ovulation but this time it did. I moved back the day I took my first Clomid dose this month so maybe that helped (from cd3).

I will call the GP next week and perhaps seek their advice or be a bit more pushy.

@GreenPalmTree are you prescribed clomid through GP? That's maybe why..my health board/CCG won't give ovulation induction unless under the care of an assisted conception clinic, and they do bloods tracking. Private clinics usually do scans also

No I was under consultant care - they made the recommendation and then my GP had to do the prescription paperwork. however my follow up appointments with the consultant have been delayed several times so the last time I spoke to them was around September time, next time is at the end of June.

Glad it’s not just me so @TheDaydreamBelievers, the headaches were awful on it, took last tablet last night. Up on Tuesday for a scan so fingers crossed something is happening then. My consult said he will prescribe trigger shot if follicles growing well. Sorry to hear the 2.5 is not working? Will you be increased to 5? Fingers crossed that will do the trick.

@GreenPalmTree, how frustrating for you that they are not offering any monitoring. When I was on clomid which was about 12 years ago think I did day 21 bloods to monitor effectiveness. How are you finding ovusense? Was considering it. I was temping but found it hard to do consistently as I do rotating night shifts so constantly switching back and forth between days and nights

OvuSense (i have the ovucore sensor, not the bracelet) seems pretty idiot proof. I am pleased with it so far- it takes the average temp across the night, so this means it should be less prone to weird / inaccurate readings. I need to give it a few more cycles to build up a clearer picture but yes, I would recommend it.

Hi everyone! Just an update; 2 follicles had grown to 15mm and 17mm. The nurse then gave me a trigger shot and said to time intercourse every other day. She said Sunday is most likely ovulation day but discouraged me from taking any ovulation tests.. we will be DTD weekend everyday. And then it's just a waiting game 🤞🏻

@Wackadoodle84 thank you! Good luck for your scan on Tuesday.

@GreenPalmTree I think most of NHS does offer day 21 blood tests - their fertility booklet says so. You can look for the booklet of your specific NHS hospital and then ask them to test you. Also I think you need to be under a gyne/fertility doctor for them to do this blood work (from what I've heard through friends' experiences). Good luck!

Hope everyone's well xx

Hi,

Hope you don't mind me jumping on, I didnt realise there was a Letrizole section. I'm on my first cycle, 2.5mg CD2-CD6. Just had a scan on CD10 and only one follicle at 17mm. Lots of little ones in my left ovary but they said that's normal for PCOS.

Does anyone have any experience of a 17mm follicle on CD10? Does it mean ovulation in the next couple of days? doctor just said to start doing the deed every day for a while, but we'd normally try for every other day if I know I'm in fertile stage. My cycles are usually 45-50 days though so this is my first experience of possible ovulation so soon. My OPKs aren't picking up anything, so im just hoping they will in the next couple of days.

Hoping my chances are still good with one follicle. Doctor didn't seem concerned but I had been hoping they're would be 2-3 follicles growing at a good rate.

@ttcisexhausting brilliant news! Two follicles is a fab response! Fingers crossed for you 🤞

@HollyD87 17mm on day 10 sounds very promising, I’m not far behind you, currently day 8 on my first letrozole cycle.

@Wackadoodle84 how have you felt this cycle? I was expecting some side effects from taking the Letrizole, but didn't notice anything.

I'm just a bit unsure when ovulation will be now! Hoping it's in the next few days. I can't get another scan, so it's just waiting and hoping for the best.

@HollyD87 and @Wackadoodle84 I'm cycle 1 too! Bloods on wed (CD21) said no ovulation yet, though app thinks maybe on CD22. Our trust don't do scans. Letrozole has given me headaches though!

@TheDaydreamBelievers sorry to hear you've had headaches. It's funny how different trusts can be isn't it. Mine doesn't do blood tests, just the one scan on CD10. They never even really told me much at the appointment, just that there was one 17mm follicle and to start doing the deed. But my OPKs are still very faint, so I feel quite confused!

I had awful headaches too but thankfully they have settled now tablets are finished. I definitely found clomid side effects harder.

@HollyD87 with a 17mm follicle I’d say you will ovulate soon, have they given you a trigger shot? Fingers crossed for a positive opk soon for you

@TheDaydreamBelievers, are you having repeat bloods next week? How long are your cycles normally? Do you think your doctor will increase the letrozole dose for you?

Fingers crossed we all get BFPs this month