Looking for Clomid stories...

[Hope4Baby]

I have been TTC for 18months, I have open tubes and endometriosis. + LH surge every month. I am going to start my first cycle of clomid in 2weeks. I am alittle anxious about it. I just wanted to get some advice on side effects, tips, and how many cylcles it took to get pregnant (if you did get pregnant). Thanks!

[goldfinches]

I was unable to get pg on it, but I'll tell you about side effects. They were awful for me. I was mean, crabby, moody, all around nasty. I didn't feel too bad, it just messed with my personality. So, keep that in mind and try to be yourself

[shellnurse]

I asked the same thing on this board- look at the 8-12-09 "Tell me about clomid" good luck!

[Scalpel]

DP was on clomid and had formed multiple ovarian cysts which in turn made us delay months cycles. We then made the decision to upgrade to the more expensive injectables. After 2 cycles if injectables we became pregnant with our dd. Dp did have 4 mature eggs at that time so we were a bit leary to go ahead with the IUI but everything worked out.

With me we skipped the clomid altogether and went straight for the injectables. On my third IUI with the injectables we became pregnant with twin boys. Although the injectables were more pricey I think it because a time vs money issue for us and we wanted the best bang for our buck. DP and I dont have fertility issues so obviously eveyones circumstances will result in different outcomes depending on what issues one has or doesnt have.

[ErikaG]

Two cycles the first time, and she's sixteen and a half months old. Two cycles the second time, and due in December.

Side effects for me were pretty mild-I had a mild headache which may or may not have been attributable to the Clomid. I had hot flashes for a few day, but because I took the Clomid in the evening I didn't really notice that one much.

[Hope4Baby]

Thank you for replying. I am very anxious about it but to hear other peoples stories it helps to ease my anxiety. Thanks again!

[Hope4Baby]

Originally Posted by goldfinches

I was unable to get pg on it, but I'll tell you about side effects. They were awful for me. I was mean, crabby, moody, all around nasty. I didn't feel too bad, it just messed with my personality. So, keep that in mind and try to be yourself

What are your infertility issues?

[nyteacher]

I am about to start my second cycle on clomid. I only had one side affect, hot flashes at night the first couple days. I produced one good follicle but it didn't work this time.

I have a friend who concieved twice on the first round. Evereyone is different! This drug wouldn't have been around this long if it wasn't effective a majority of the time just takes a different amount of time for everyone.

Good luck

[cristeen]

First time around we got pg on our first round of Clomid + Met. Second time around Clomid didn't work, injectables alone didn't work and we were headed for IUI w/injectables.

As for side effects, think massive PMS (for me, anyway). Crabby, hot flashes, cramps. And each successive month the side effects got worse (the first month they were mild, 2nd consecutive month moderate, 3rd consecutive month moderate-severe, and then we took a break).

[MommyNicoleTX]

I took clomid in December '08 and got pregnant on the 1st try. Sadly I miscarried at 10 weeks in Feb. with no explanation as to why. (tests, bloodwork, scans, showed no reasons).

I was really fertile after that, according to my midwife, and conceived 2 cycles later, naturally. I also miscarried at 6 weeks, in May. It was a blighted ovum.

The side effects of clomid were few and mild for me...hot flashes, thirst, some cramping, sore breasts. And well I guess some may say possibly miscarriage? But I dont definitively see it as the reason for my miscarriages.

Since May I have not ovulated on my own (according to charts & tests) and I am desperate. So I will be taking clomid again, 50mg, along with my natural remedies and vitamins etc.

So my point is...the side effects are not stopping me from trying it. If it is the only way I can ovulate and have a baby then it is worth it to me.

hope thats helpful. best wishes on your baby making journey.

[goldfinches]

Originally Posted by Hope4Baby

What are your infertility issues?

I'm undiagnosed with some symptoms of PCOS, but not diagnosed with it. I had pre-cancerous uterine biopsies, and had to skip to IVF. Did at least 20 cycles of clomid first...

[Manessa]

Originally Posted by Scalpel

DP was on clomid and had formed multiple ovarian cysts which in turn made us delay months cycles. We then made the decision to upgrade to the more expensive injectables. After 2 cycles if injectables we became pregnant with our dd. Dp did have 4 mature eggs at that time so we were a bit leary to go ahead with the IUI but everything worked out.

With me we skipped the clomid altogether and went straight for the injectables. On my third IUI with the injectables we became pregnant with twin boys. Although the injectables were more pricey I think it because a time vs money issue for us and we wanted the best bang for our buck. DP and I dont have fertility issues so obviously eveyones circumstances will result in different outcomes depending on what issues one has or doesnt have.

Not to hijack the thread, but I think that I developed a cyst this cycle from the clomid. I'm wondering if your doctor did anything to treat them? I'm 23 dpo and still getting bfn's. I'm going to call, but if there's not anything they can do, I don't know if I will.

[Masel]

The first time I used clomid was almost 10 years. I didn't get pregnant but I almost liked the side effects. I felt mighty! We used to joke that this was my superhero origin story. (We're kind of geeky at my house.) This time around I was a bit crankier. The only side effect that really concerned me was that it tended to dry out my cervical fluid. The cycle I conceived on (third) I had a cold and used guafanesin and that helped a lot with the dryness.

My issues have to do with PCOS. 10 years ago I wasn't ovulating at all. This time I had been treated with synthroid and metformin for a few years and had my own cycles. My DH has a less than stellar count so the clomid was more to optimize our use of an IUI.

Good luck.

[Hope4Baby]

Thanks for all the stories, keep'em coming!

[Tellera]

It took one month of Clomid 50mg.

I ovulate regularly (at least by LH surge and o pain), but my luteal phase was changing from month to month (11, 15, 12, 17, like that), and we just weren't getting pregnant after 8 months of trying (temping, checking cm, etc.). With my DS and later baby that I lost at 22 weeks along, I had been fortunate to become pregnant on the first month actively trying.

Before doing any tests, the OB I consulted said we should try Clomid before I was referred to the infertility specialist.

She gave me Clomid 50mg days 3 - 8, then estrogen twice a day days 8 - 12 (I can't recall mg of the estrogen). At the 9dpo blood draw my progesterone was low enough that she thought it was not successful and called in my prescription for 100mg for the next cycle. However, I couldn't help myself and was taking pee tests and on 13dpo it came up positive. I am now 18w along with a singleton.

Side effects included a few days of pretty bad headaches. I did not feel moody necessarily, but I did have an odd effect of having a lot more energy and positive mood than I normally did. It was strange, but I liked it.

G/L!

[domenic]

i was on it for 3 months it made me period go from 5 days to only 3 days it made me very dry down there...i got mad hot flashes and sometimes just felt emotional and tearful at times.

[FtMPapa]

Originally Posted by Manessa

Not to hijack the thread, but I think that I developed a cyst this cycle from the clomid. I'm wondering if your doctor did anything to treat them? I'm 23 dpo and still getting bfn's. I'll going to call, but if there's not anything they can do, I don't know if I will.

BTDT. I had to sit out the next cycle, and I did ten days of BCP (progesterone) which cleared up the cysts. Heartbreakingly, it wasn't adequately explained to me that I would be sitting out, I thought it was like take the BCP for ten days, then we start watching for O, assuming the cysts are gone. I recruited two follicles without Clomid that cycle, but couldn't do the IUI because the RE said that the BCP would make implantation unlikely.

However, even with the cysts, I still started bleeding on time.

Call your doc, get a blood test, and find out what they can do.

My Clomid story is that I'll never take that drug again, because of the cysts, and because it didn't work for me. I think I took it to help push follicles along that were developing "too slowly" so I took it during CD 18-21 or something like that because I had these tiny follicles that hadn't grown since CD 10 (I was getting ultrasound monitoring). It worked in that my follicles grew, I ovulated, but then there was the trouble with the cysts.

Clomid is what it takes for some, and it has lots of advantages - it's cheap, it's easy, it's low-intervention. But it has some pointed disadvantages - it can mess up your CM (did for me) but that can be overcome with Clomid+IUI.

One thing that a lot of people miss out on is that you shouldn't take it for more than a certain number of cycles in a row - it escapes me if it's six or three and most REs recommend moving on if it hasn't worked in three cycles, or at least upping the dose (typically, you either take 50, 100, 150, or 200 mg/day, CD 3-7 = more follicles, CD 5-9=better quality, other protocols are rare, but they happen). I also remember my RE saying something about not wanting her patients to do more than 3 Clomid cycles in a row and not more than 12 lifetime.

If Clomid doesn't work for you, Femara is taken the same way (different doses, but in pill form, for the same cycle days), but it's a lot newer than Clomid, which has been around for a very long time.

hope that helps.

[jjnoho]

i am on my first cycle of clomid and plan to do iui. i am wondering how if at all clomid changed anyone's timing of ovulation. i have heard that some ovulate early and some later than usual. this makes it awfully difficult to place an order from the sperm bank!? any information would be great!

[penguintattoo]

I have PCOS and didn't ovulate at all. I had surgery to remove a giant mass and most of my left ovary, took clomid the next month, and am due in November. It made me a little more moody and my face broke out but nothing too terrible. Good luck!

[nyteacher]

jjnoho:

Everyone is different, but an ovidrel trigger taken when your doctor says your follicles are mature enough \makes you ovulate within 36 hours of taking the shot. You may want to ask your Dr. about it since you need to plan it.