Clomid experiences

Beatrice88 · 2023-08-03T16:34:05+00:00

Hello I have just done month 5 of clomid and AF appeared this morning. I have been ovulating since being on the drugs and last semen analysis was fine. We tried for 2 years before our referral for treatment a year ago, then tests and finally clomid prescribed. I’m 35 now. No idea if I’ll have to wait again for IVF if 6 months of clomid doesn’t produce a result. Finding it a bit hard to be doing everything we can and getting nowhere. Do most people get pregnant on clomid? Or have I just been wasting another 6 months 🙁

MoonlightDreamer · 03/08/2023 18:07

Your not alone and I understand your frustrations. I've completed 3 cycles so far and AF is due this weekend. I'm almost certain it's another unsuccessful month

Original poster

Beatrice88 · 03/08/2023 18:08

Sorry to hear that. It’s very shit.

OP posts:

MoonlightDreamer · 03/08/2023 18:40

@Beatrice88 have you had other tests done prior to commencing clomid? Like dye test ?
I started a referral with nhs at aged 33 and I'm now 37 and this is still as far as I've got 🙃
I'm ovulating on the 50mg , and while I knew clomid wasn't going to be a miracle pill , it's still so disheartening when af arrives every month. Did you ovulate at all on your own before clomid?

Original poster

Beatrice88 · 03/08/2023 19:15

Moonlight I don’t know whether I did or not. I used the testing strips for nearly a year and had one peak. I had some cysts over the years but they tended to resolve. I had blood tests anfte 2 years of trying and was referred. Then I waited and had the dye. The consultant said I have PCOS but I don’t have the usual symptoms, I just had a bit of hormonal acne but that was relatively recent. Tubes were fine, all looked good inside so she said six rounds of clomid then IVF. My cycles were very short, presumably because I wasn’t ovulating. How come this is as far as you’ve got after all that time? I thought a year later was bad enough!

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beehappy19 · 03/08/2023 19:17

@Beatrice88 I completely understand why you are frustrated. It’s a stressful time trying for a baby. I was very lucky that I did fall pregnant on clomid a few years ago after 2 cycles. When we started trying for baby number 2 we tried again with clomid but had no luck. We were then given letrozole, so maybe you could try that one? I didn’t get pregnant on that one either though so I’m currently doing ivf. I think clomid is pot luck whether it works unfortunately and depends if there’s other issues.

Original poster

Beatrice88 · 03/08/2023 19:32

beehappy it’s working in that I’m now ovulating so I guess I’m worried there’s something else. I know it can take time even when everything is working but it is an emotional rollercoaster. I really really hoped I wouldn’t need IVF, it sounds brutal.

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MoonlightDreamer · 04/08/2023 12:11

@Beatrice88 honestly , my care with nhs gynae has been absolutely disgraceful. Its just so slow and i feel a complete neglect of care. I'm in the predicament now of not knowing what to do with regards to dosage next cycle as I had to pay for a private blood test which came back that I wasn't ovulating this cycle. I believe I have tho , as I chart BBT and feel AF is on route but I feel I need advice regarding my low progesterone levels and why they are in the grey area. I'd have better chance winning the lottery than getting an appointment at gynae clinic. I've had to ring secretarys over and over , write gynae a letter and complain back to gp before gynae would offer me another appointment last time. Its so exhausting dealing with them. My local gynaes approach is to fire medication at me then wipe their hands off me , regardless of any concerns or problems. I had such a hassle during my first month trying to get a scan and get bloods.
They orginally prescribed clomid to me last june but i wasnt having periods, and I had to file a complaint as I had no instructions how I was supposed to take the medication. It's all just dragged on so long. We only got started this April.
Im in N.I and theres just a huge problem with services. Were on the list to start ivf at the end of this year with fertility clinic but I'm just really hoping it dosent come to that

Gkb90 · 04/08/2023 21:29

Hi, I’m not on clomid but I have just started on letrozole and really don’t know what to expect. This is my first cycle out of 4 trying this, I’m running out of options to try now too. Been TTC for 2 years now, have never fallen pregnant and if these cycles don’t work I’ve been advised that I should look into IVF. I’m really hoping it doesn’t come to that as I’ve seen how much of a toll it can take on someone. Hoping we all can get lucky x

Original poster

Beatrice88 · 06/08/2023 13:10

@MoonlightDreamer that sounds awful, I thought it was bad enough here. Did you AF turn up?

@Gkb90 it’s so frustrating, I was hoping not to have to have IVF also. I rang the clinic and after my 6th month of clomid we might do OI which involves more monitoring I believe.

Fingers crossed for all of us.

OP posts:

MoonlightDreamer · 06/08/2023 14:37

@Beatrice88 No I'm still waiting on AF. I don't think it's going to come today going by my BBT but it's definitely close . I haven't bothered doing a test since I can usually reliably tell when its going to start going by temp. I actually think I ovulated much later this month , I'm thinking 3 days after my peak ovulation test so I'm assuming that's why AF hasn't arrived yet. We didn't cover enough days this month in that case :( we stopped the day after peak but I don't think his swimmers have a long lifespan

Hopingforhappiness1 · 10/08/2023 14:36

MoonlightDreamer · 04/08/2023 12:11

@Beatrice88 honestly , my care with nhs gynae has been absolutely disgraceful. Its just so slow and i feel a complete neglect of care. I'm in the predicament now of not knowing what to do with regards to dosage next cycle as I had to pay for a private blood test which came back that I wasn't ovulating this cycle. I believe I have tho , as I chart BBT and feel AF is on route but I feel I need advice regarding my low progesterone levels and why they are in the grey area. I'd have better chance winning the lottery than getting an appointment at gynae clinic. I've had to ring secretarys over and over , write gynae a letter and complain back to gp before gynae would offer me another appointment last time. Its so exhausting dealing with them. My local gynaes approach is to fire medication at me then wipe their hands off me , regardless of any concerns or problems. I had such a hassle during my first month trying to get a scan and get bloods.
They orginally prescribed clomid to me last june but i wasnt having periods, and I had to file a complaint as I had no instructions how I was supposed to take the medication. It's all just dragged on so long. We only got started this April.
Im in N.I and theres just a huge problem with services. Were on the list to start ivf at the end of this year with fertility clinic but I'm just really hoping it dosent come to that

Hey sorry to hop on here, but I've had the same experience with gynae in england it's honestly awful. I had to wait a year for an appointment, finally got one in January and she sent me away for some tests- the follow up appointment for the test results is in October! I ended up going to my gp and one way or another they moved my app up to July, and was given clomid for 3 months and sent away again. No monitoring, no one to speak to about side effects. We are saving to go privately now because the stress of dealing with them is too much on top of living with infertility!

MoonlightDreamer · 10/08/2023 15:11

@Hopingforhappiness1 its awful isn't it. Their fertility care really needs accessing . Waiting times are atrocious and staff need to be retrained to understand they are dealing with a sensitive matter.
I've been living with infertility for many years, since our 20s and I'm now 37 which is further adding to my anxiety ( tick tock) its been 4 years since my referral. Their lack of care and compassion has honestly been shocking.
I've confided in gps and hospital consultants that I'm mentally overwhelmed. My sleep is massively impacted and I'm an emotional wreck most days and I've never been offered any support along the way. Over the years, I've had some very dark days that I've had to use all my inner strength to pull through it. It's exhausting dealing with the ups and downs of infertility itself and when you factor in trying to deal with nhs on top of it.

I will say tho , we've had consultations at the nhs fertility clinic this year and it's worlds difference from dealing with gps and gynaes. Our consultant there made me us very relaxed and when commencing ivf your offered counselling.
I think it really shouldn't need to come to that stage before men and women are offered some counselling