How did Clomid affect you?

[milletpuff]

Hi again

I am probably going to end up taking Clomid next cycle. How did it affect you? I remember hearing that it thins your lining? Anything I can do to make up for that? Help! Basically just nervous about side effects and wanting to prepare.

Thanks

[babygrey]

Hi.
Sorry, I can't help you with the sperm question, but can offer my experience with Clomid. The FWIW disclaimer, every woman is so different and the effects can be so varied, that you might not want to read too much into it...
So, this is my first cycle on Clomid. I took it CD5-9 (today is CD10, so take that for what it is worth).

I took it at night, and the first night I sort of felt like I was coming down with the flu. Nothing terrible, tho. However, the next few days, I discovered a weepy, crabby, moody personality in me that I didn't know existed FE: we saw the movie Babies on my 4th day taking it and I cried the whole way thru. It is not a sad movie.

Physically, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared- some hot flashes, a little bloated, some pretty bad insomina, and super frequent urination- but mostly it was the emotional roller-coaster stuff that got me.

Oh, one interesting thing- IC you chart. It spiked my temps A LOT. I mean, it looks like I have a thermal shift from the Clomid. Here if you wanna look

On the lining issue- I'm taking evening primrose oil and baby asprin. You probably want to ask your HCP re: the baby asprin before jumping into that cuz it is kind of controversial.

Best to you and yours.

[milletpuff]

Thank you! How cruel, I already feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster - I hope it doesn't get too much worse (and so does my partner, I am sure!).

Wow, that's such a pronounced temp jump! That was not really mentioned to me at all.

Are you doing other monitoring? I am only having a single US on CD 3, then no other monitoring.

One big question I forgot to ask in my initial post: did it have any effect on your O day? I generally O on CD 17 so we are flying our donor here based on that (he's quite remote). If it's going to change it much I kind of want to plan. I asked the REs office and they said sometimes it makes you O later, sometimes earlier, sometimes it doesn't change anything.

[bella99]

I took Clomid a total of 7 times!

All 50 mg, cd5-9 for 6 cycles, cd 3-7 for my 7th and final cycle, before I moved onto injectables.

I got pregnant once and m/c with Clomid with my 3rd cycle.

My first cycle using it I had the most side effects. No moodiness, but some hot flashes and migraines. Subsequent cycles I always took it just before bed and slept through whatever side effects I might have had.

Clomid also dried up my cervical mucus. But it did not affect my uterine lining.

[nintendork]

I have taken Clomid for 4 cycles now. The first cycle I took it in the morning was weepy and angry ALL DAY LONG. After that I started taking it at night and generally woke up on the wrong side of the bed but was a normal person again by noon and that was on 100mg.

My doctor mentioned that it can thin your lining so he is making me take next month off.

[milletpuff]

Thanks for the replies. Oh joy, sounds fun. Well, I guess the getting pregnant part is fun, right? Hopefully no one will have to be on it long!

Did any of you O on a different day than normal though?

[lifeguard]

I don't o on my own, so I can't answer your question there.

I'm on my 3rd cycle (once for ds & second time ttc #2). For the most part the moodiness, insomnia & hot flashes are the worst part. The moodiness I find ok to deal with 'cause I know it's the clomid & so when I find myself feeling terribly irritable or irrational I just take a deep breath & accept it & remind myself the feelings will pass. The insomnia & hot flashes I just muddle through as best I can.

No problems with cm for me.

[babygrey]

Originally Posted by milletpuff

Thank you! How cruel, I already feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster - I hope it doesn't get too much worse (and so does my partner, I am sure!).

Wow, that's such a pronounced temp jump! That was not really mentioned to me at all.

Are you doing other monitoring? I am only having a single US on CD 3, then no other monitoring.

One big question I forgot to ask in my initial post: did it have any effect on your O day? I generally O on CD 17 so we are flying our donor here based on that (he's quite remote). If it's going to change it much I kind of want to plan. I asked the REs office and they said sometimes it makes you O later, sometimes earlier, sometimes it doesn't change anything.

My DP told me today that he's glad I'm done with the Clomid. He said he was glad for me, but I know he meant so he didn't have to deal with moody me

It IS a impressive temp jump, right? That's why I mentioned it to you- bc no one mentioned it to me and I freaked out and thought I had both O'd and taken Clomid. I called my RE and did some googling and found it happens for some women.

Wish I could help you with the O date thing, cuz I can image what a stress it must be to try to plan around O with an OOT donor... but, like Lifeguard, I don't really O on my own.

What about using the CBEFM or Ov-watch or Ovacue to have a bit more advanced warning? (actually, I know Clomid can mess w the CBEFM, so you might want to check about the others)

Or can your donor just make a week out of it?

In terms of monitoring, I only had a baseline US (tho have had a recent HSG as well). It is a sore spot for me, honestly. It seems to be standard around my area (I called every RE in a 6 hour radius) to do 1-2 unmonitored cycles before moving on to monitoring. Ethically, I really want monitoring, but it would be a major financial and time investment that, practically speaking, in my situation, would be better saved for more advanced ART later down the road.

[nintendork]

I didn't ovulate without it either but with it started ovulating around day 17/18. For me, by the time we got to the fun part of making a baby all of the side effects were gone.