Letrozole/Clomid Autumn 2022

[IWillBeWaxingAnOwl]

Hello all, hoping to find some buddies on letrozole or clomid.

My history:
33yrs old, TTC #1 for 2.5 years.
Conceived once in Sept 2020 but fetus died at 11 weeks, MMC at 12 week scan and had ERPC surgery. No cause found (all tests apart from genetics done).
Assessments - AMH, bloods, semen analysis, hycosy, scans X3.
Results - v high AMH, not ovulating alone, tubes are clear, not quite enough cysts to get a PCOS diagnosis, DH semen is great.

Journey with letrozole (since Feb 2022):
2.5mg didn't work
5mg worked for a single cycle (ovulated) then didn't work
Now waiting out one natural cycle (CD35 and nothing happening) then will start 7.5mg

Also trying to lose a little weight to support fertility, stay in range for IVF

Hi, I'm just about to start Letrozole. 27 years old, trying for a bit more than a year, PCO, cycles between 65-70 days long, took Inositol and got them down to 35-50 days but seemed to revert to longer cycles again. Tubes are fine, Partners sperm is above the required threshold.
I have a prescription of provera to bring on a period, which I can start on cycle day 16 and then Letrozole with blood tests during the first cycle to see if I ovulate. I'm currently trying to figure out if I might be able to start taking the provera a couple of days earlier cause I'm worried that if my period doesn't start soon enough after, my letrozole cycle dates will put the day 28 bloods right into the only 5 days this year that I won't be in the country and can't have the blood test.

Hello @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl I have had a few cycles trashed by being out the country - it's hard to have a life and TTC struggling with infertility! However, even if you go out of country you'll know you've ovulated if your cycle ends at a reasonable point eg 30 days not 60.

@Omgdnswv - accidentally clicked my own name in paragraph above and it won't disappear, this message is for you!

Hi I’m on day 12 of my cycle currently taken 5mg of letrozole they found a good follicle size in my scan, I’ve been booked in for my day 21 bloods.
I’ve had ivf before I’ve got no embryos left I’ve been through a loss at 20 weeks then conceived my lo just want a sibling for my lo. I’ve tried clomid years ago which never worked. I’ve got pcos.

Hi @Sweet211 welcome and good luck for this cycle - sounding like ovulation is bang on time! Letrozole is now thought to be much more effective for PCOS than clomid. So sorry to hear you had a loss at 20 weeks

Hey everyone. I’m currently on day 3 of my first Letrozole cycle at 2.5mg. I’m 36 and we’ve been trying for our first for over a year. My ovulation tests and scans look like I do ovulate but my blood results didn’t back it up. I think that’s all the relevant information. I’m currently trying to find the line between being positive and not getting my hopes up too much.

How soon can you ovulate after taking letrozole?

No idea @Sweet211 . They aim to get the dose so that if you take it days cd2-6 then you ovulate around day 12-16.

Did you get any symptoms when ovulating?

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl what stage are you on now?

@Sweet211 my info is all in the first post! I don't have many symptoms no, but we have only got it to work once.

What's your story?

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl my story’s on previous post too. I’ve got pcos I’ve got long cycles so don’t know when I’m ovulating I’ve spent £s on ovulation kits and they give false results specially when you have pcos

Sorry @Sweet211 I've got myself all muddled up! I see your post up thread now. I'm cd38 of this junk cycle so just waiting for cd 40. Then will take norethisterone to start period and start 7.5mg letrozole

Hi all, I’m 37 ttc no1 for a year now. Recently diagnosed with pcos and have started metformin which seems to be regulating my cycles better. (Similar to OP, I have very high AMH, scan showed ovarian follicles and typical bloods of high lh:fsh ratio and high testosterone, cycle ranged from 7-70days with heavy bleeding causing iron deficiency anaemia but GP wasn’t really interested in helping)

paid for private infertility consultation and was prescribed letrozole 2.5mg but told to take it all on day 3 (not one a day). I’m waiting for my period to start to try it so fingers crossed 🤞🏽

good luck to everyone trying.. I’ve never found waiting for something so bloody hard!

@Sweet211 I agree LH tests / OPKs are useless with PCOS because your body tries multiple times to ovulate so you either get tonnes of positives or loads of almost blank ones with no clear peak.

@Slicacakeandacuppatea it is a long frustrating road. Your GP should be referring to NHS fertility services now that you've been trying a year

Welcome @Slicacakeandacuppatea How come they telling you to take all tabs on day 3? I took mine from day 2-6 2.5mg didn’t work so I had to take 5mg a day so 2 tabs. Have you tried accupunture/cupping suppose to balance hormones.

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl do you get periods naturally? Accupunture/ cupping really help to regulate periods hope you get your periods soon my cycles are so long like you to 42 days.

I get dry down there does anyone use any lubricants when having intercourse. Sorry to asks personal question. 🙈I’m using ky jelly at the mo

@Sweet211 I haven't used any myself, but there are fertility lubricants that supposedly help the sperm move. Maybe that could be something? I don't know if normal lubricant helps or hinders sperm

@Sweet211 very rarely get a period naturally. 50-161 day cycles. Can't really afford regular accupuncture! I would use preseed if I was you, think normal lube can hinder sperm

@Sweet211 at my appointment, he said he got the same/better results doing it that way so to take all the tablets together. Just checked and it’s 20mg so equivalent to 5mg/day for 4 days. Everyone does things a bit differently don’t they!

I was referred by my gp after 6 months of asking and was told it was another 6 month minimum wait to be seen so I paid for the initial appointment privately. I just wanted the prescription and to start ovulating (I’m 38next month so felt like a time bomb was being held over my head).

He did a hycosy on the same day too and thankfully tubes were fine. I’m very glad I did go private otherwise I’d still be waiting with no medication

I haven’t tried complementary therapies yet but that’s more because it’s hard to fit around my work pattern. My consultant did say lots of people found things like acupuncture/reflexology really helped so i will have a look into that as well and see if I can find a weekend appointment.

@Sweet211 i’ve just ordered some preseed, we’ve also used conceive plus in the past. As this is our first cycle with letrozole I’ll try anything to try to help it work. I’ve also bought a fertililly cup

is anyone taking any supplements?

Thanks @Omgdnswv &@Pixiedusted im looking In to buying the preseed just hoping my day 21 bloods are ok. I’m only on folic acid, vitamin d and the pregnacare conceive plus vitamins.

@Slicacakeandacuppatea fingers crossed 🤞 don’t worry about age it’s a number I know so many ladies who are over 40 and trying I had reflexology done Aswell as a massage sometimes you don’t realise when your body is tensed.

Hello just joining :) 30y/o TTC for 3yrs. Blood tests, scans, confirmed PCOS. Husband has had semen analysis and came back all ok. I was on metformin for +1yr but it didn’t do anything for me so I stopped.

Last apt with GP she asked for me to go for 21day bloods but I am still waiting for my next cycle and they are so long (4months+) that it makes the whole process rather slow.

So taking matters into our own hands, have an appointment with fertility clinic in 1wk for fresh set of scans and bloods then go back 1 wk later for results/ consultation. Hoping for the plan to involve letrozole as have heard good things. I am overweight and hope that I will be offered it still. While I am aware they have guidelines to follow I am assuming private not as strict with BMI as NHS would be, does anyone know?

@Hedgehugs NHS is BMI below 30, private below 35 for IVF. Not sure if there are any for letrozole (if there are, they didn't check them!)

Why not NHS fertility clinic?

Hi @Hedgehugs!

just to let you know- you can ask for a medication (norethisterone) to induce a period like bleed so that you can have your bloods rather than wait 4 months for a period. This was one thing that delayed my own nhs referral and I wish I’d done it earlier (I actually had a 3 week period that wouldn’t stop and they gave it to me for that but when I saw my fertility doctor to start Letrozole i mentioned I was scared I’d have to wait months for a period to start and he offered it to me again then; sometimes you have to ask if it’s not freely given!)