Has anyone here taken clomid before?

[Pinkandwhite]

Hi, I'm starting to wonder whether clomid might be the best option for me and I have an appointment with an dr next week to discuss it.

If you've used it, please could you tell me what it was like? Are there many negatives? I'm wiling to put up with pretty much anything in order to have a healthy baby.

I have. I've got pcos and don't ovulate regularly (like, 2 periods a year). Didn't work for me, but I have randomly got pregnant just prior to ivf.

I didn't like it particularly- I had hot flushes at night, nausea and just felt "off". But was manageable.

Why do you think you need it? Having read the literature, I wouldn't agree to it if you ovulate anyway. If docs are recclmending it, it's worth a try.

I'm on Clomid at the moment. If you know you're not ovulating regularly, it might well be a good option for you. Definitely worth asking your dr.

Side effects seem to be different for different plp, but I've had hot flushes and cramps in my early cycle; cramps, headaches, bloating, dizzyness and nausea later on in the cycle. Nothing so bad that it wouldn't be worth it though, if it works.

Main negatives are risk of a multiple pregnancy and I think some increased cancer risk, though I'm not completely sure about the details of that. In theory you should be monitored with scans and blood tests while you're on it, but that doesn't always happen.

There's probably a lot more stuff about Clomid in the conception or infertility boards. Good luck. :)

Me!

I have PCOS. I wasn't ovulating so my periods very light and very irregular/long cycles. After I was diagnosed, I took clomid 50mg. This was monitored by a scan on the first cycle and then on blood tests to check for ovulation on the others.

I ovulated each time and it took 8 cycles for me to conceive. I didn't have any side effects, although I know it doesn't agree with some people. You are only allowed up to 12 cycles because there is a suspected link to certain types of cancers. There is also a suggestion it can thin the uterine lining in some cases.

Clomid is a cheap drug and can be very helpful, but I think there is a tendency to over-prescribe it. Have you and your partner had investigations as to why you are struggling to conceive?

Thanks very much sinky and steel. I know I ovulate because I got pregnant earlier in the year (ended in mc). My GP thinks it is worth me trying it (I really don't know exactly why he thinks that) and has referred me to an ob/gyn to discuss it further. I'm trying to find out a bit more about it before I go to the appointment.

Thanks saidthesloth. No, our GP hasn't been particularly helpful in terms of looking into our fertility issues. I actually conceived really easily back in May (1st month of ttc) but lost the baby in July. I think our GP thinks that clomid will help prevent another mc but there's no evidence of that is there? TBH the GP has left me feeling pretty confused an pd stressed.

I took clomid and got pregnant first cycle, I subsequently miscarried that pregnancy but I doubt the two are related. I had no side effects to speak of.

I do ovulate each month but late in the cycle and then have a short luteal phase. Clomid brought my ovulation forward about 4 days which likely helped.

I was given clomid after being diagnosed with PCOS in the summer. I had one period in a year and doc was pretty convinced not only that I wasn't ovulating but probably never had. I was on the lowest dose, 50mg and I am extremely lucky in that I got pregnant on the first cycle after 18 months of trying.
I didn't notice any side effects at all although I have heard other women suggesting taking the pills in the evening so you can sleep through any side effects you might suffer.
Good luck!

I'm so sorry about your mc missmedusa. Are you pregnant again now?

I took clomid for 4 months after ttc for 2 years. The dr thought I was ovulating already but it was worth a go. It didn't work but I didn't have any horrible side effects either. In fact I couldn't even tell I'd had it! My SIL reckons she went crazy on it like bad PMT and stopped after 1 month though!

Probably worth a try for a few cycles anyway.

Sorry MissMedusa, just seen your post now, hope you're ok?

I have. It was ok, a few hot flushes but nothing too awful. It didn't work for us though - I'm now pg after IVF.

I know really well how terribly frustrating trying to conceive is BUT July through to now isn't that long. And it can take a while for your body to recover from m/c. If you're under 35 the advice is to give it 12 months before you're referred to a specialist; six months if you're over 35.

In my experience, GPs are pretty rubbish at this. So at the appropriate point I'd really push to be referred to someone who knows about sub fertility. I'm not aware of any evidence to suggest clomid prevents miscarriage, other than very very early m/c if, for example, you have low progesterone or a short luteal phase. But we're talking miscarriage around/before 4-5 weeks at most in these circumstances, which it sounds like you got beyond.

Best of luck - I know how soul destroying long-term TTC can be. I hope things work out for you very soon.

Thanks highlove, roozocheeks and the happycamper. I'm 32 and my pregnancy did go beyond 5 weeks. I reckon the specialist will tell me I don't need clomid. I'm just wondering whether I should push for it. As you say happycamper, it could be worth a try for a couple of cycles...

I'm sorry you had a mc. :( I don't think there's any added benefit you get from Clomid if you're already ovulating, and it wouldn't prevent a miscarriage, I'm afraid. :(

I agree that most GPs are pretty rubbish at this, but hopefully the ob/gyn will be more helpful.

I guess my side effects from Clomid have been on the bad side. Like a horrible PMT, yes. But I've tried IVF in the past and the side effects from those drugs were a lot worse, so I'll definitely count myself lucky if I can avoid that again. :) Third cycle at the moment and I've finally ovulated at least.

Thanks steel. How great that you've ovulated now :-). I've been a bit surprised by how little the GP seems to know and also by his general lack of interest in this... Like you say, hopefully the ob/gyn will be better...

Hey op :) I took clomid and fell on my third cycle of it :) 100mg currently 26 weeks with our little clomid baby girl :)

I took it due to pcos -regular period but the cycle length was always different and apparently not ovulating :) it obviously worked for me :) I found the side effects were ok I suffered from hot flushes and my periods were a little heavier and more painful, got headaches and if you ask my dh I'm
Sure he ll say I had pmt from hell! Lol it was mentally that I found it quite difficult, the constant am I aren't I and the disappointment the first 2 months was really hard, but I got the best outcome I could have hoped for :)

I got mine through the fertility consultant at our hospital I was seeing, my gp only did initial fertility tests I was told consultants decided on next course of action which for us was clomid :) he also said something about the eggs released being better quality ones too :)
Good luck Hun :) hope clomid works for you if you if you decide to go for it xxxx