Anyone else do Clomid, HCG & IUI?

[Leslie in Chicago]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site, and I'm just speechless over the amazing content and genuinely kind and gracious posts. I'm in a position I never expected to be in, and I'd love to hear from women in similar shoes.

My husband and I have been TTC for two years. I've been charting the whole time (Toni Weschler's book rocks). My husband's sperm test was fine; I have regular periods and an obvious thermal shift. After two months of testing, we've been diagnosed with "unexplained infertility." I'm 36, he's 34.

The RE prescribed 100 mgs. of Clomid for 5 days, followed by the HCG injection and IUI. Now I'm a very natural, holistic, crunchy-granola kinda gal, and as much as I want to have a family, I'm just a tiny bit freaked out by this level of intervention.

Has anyone else taken this path? What were your experiences? Is there any research about health impacts on the child conceived with this kind of tweaking? I welcome your responses.

peace & dark chocolate,
Leslie in Chicago

[Velveteen]

Welcome Leslie!
I'm also in a position I never expected to be too, I'm suffering from secondary infertility.
This month is my first month of Clomid, so I can really relate to how your feeling.
I'm also a holistic, natural kind of gal, and this just goes against the grain. I've been trying 1 year.
I did read that the amount of birth defects with Clomid was nearly the same as the general population.
I haven't done any IUI or hcg shots (yet) so I haven't looked up info about that.
You might want to wander over to the 30+ and ttc board on the main fertility board. There is a group of us there that are having a more difficult time getting pg, and we like to hang out together.

[Leslie in Chicago]

I'm not alone!

Hi Velveteen,

What a welcome bit of good news you are! Thanks for getting me into the right room; I'll check out the 30+TTC thread.

The best part of all this is finally feeling normal. I'm also taking a Yoga and Fertility class (lots of stretching and support-group chat) which helps ease the I'm-not-a-freak sensations.

See you in the other thread!

Leslie

p.s. I'm on day 4 of Clomid and so far, so good. No huge mood swings or other side effects. yay.

[Laurel]

I found that the side effects of Clomid kicked in later in the month, not when I was actually taking the pills.

I'm about to go back to the dr after years of being away (we took time off to adopt), and am also going reluctantly after months of trying more natural remedies. At first I said I would go back to the dr but no way would I go on clomid again. Now I'm saying that maybe I'll be open to it. I also have regular periods and an obvious temp shift. I am thinking it will be clomid, hcg, and IUI too--so in a month or so I may be right there with you.

[waiting4baby]

Hi Leslie in Chicago!!

I'm right where you are in the TTC journey!! I'm turning 33 next month, dh is 37, TTC 2 years, all tests came out fine (both mine and dh's), charting for nearly a year, regular periods, obvious thermal shift, yadda, yadda, yadda. I had one mc in 11/03 and have been on progesterone for 3 cycles (my progesterone level is on the low side of "normal").

Just went to my doctor today. She is referring us for an hsg dye test, but says that if my tubes are fine she wants to refer us to a fertility specialist for clomid and IUI. I'm pretty holistic and a little freaked out about this option, but it seems to work. As she explained, at this point in TTC (i.e., 25 cycles and all tests normal except for a bit low on progesterone) doctors don't usually know quite WHY a woman is not conceiving naturally. So, they just treat the symptom of infertility and go the aggressive route with Clomid and IUI.

I'd love to hear from others here and you about the treatment - especially about the hcg shot (which I wonder about since I m/c). I'm usually on the 30+ TTC 1+ year board in the "fertility" site too - it's a great group of women!!

[MeganCatheline]

Hi!
I'm in the same boat... We have been ttc for over 2 years, and have had one m/c and one ectopic pregnancy. All tests have been normal.
We have decided to do Clomid for 3 cycles, then go to IUI the first cycle of the new year.
I am also very holistic, and this intervention reallly freaks me out.
I never in a million years thought that I would even consider these treatments, but now we are even talking about IVF.
I am scared to death of the implications of all this intervention, but even more scared that without them I will never have a child.
I'm glad to know I am not alone!

[AdinaL]

Same place here...

Gone thru 3 IUI's to date....hopefully going to do another soon (only if this cycle off ever ends....) Clomid on all of them, no HCG trigger though on any of them.

Had the HSG, all clear. All test have returned normal at this point.

Dh and I are talking IVF, but wondering how to afford it, insurance covers nothing.

You are in good company!

[Laurel]

So does anyone know what's the point of the hcg trigger? Is it just to be able to have O be on a particular day, or does it also create a stronger O? I'm just curious and would like to know the pros and cons as I get ready for my consult.

[AdinaL]

I don't know the actualy point....

I always thought it was for a specific ovulation, so they could pinpoint even closer.

No one has ever brought it up to me so I don't know...

[Designeratheart]

I'm lurking in this forum, having dealt with IF for the last 11 years, and just thought I'd answer your question about the HCG trigger. They do the trigger so they know exactly when you ovulate. That way they can time the IUI with more accuracy. Good luck to all of you!

[Leslie in Chicago]

Hi Laurel, Adina, MeganC, Waiting and Designer!

I'm giving you all a virtual group hug....this thread is better than chocolate. Designer is right (as far as I know)--we were told that the HCG shot triggers ovulation. Sometimes, though somewhat unusually, women will develop follicles and have a thermal shift but no actual ovulation. I was beginning to suspect that might be the case for me; if so, the HCG will hatch the egg, so to speak.

Here's my update: Clomid for 5 days, no problem. A little inclined toward the teary perhaps toward the end, but that's nothing new for me. Certainly no big mood swings or rants or depression stuff, thank God. I'm on CD12, had my ultrasound this morning and found four huge follicles--very good sign. Had a blood test and will find out later this afternoon where we go from here. It could be as quick as 'come in for the IUI today' or wait for later this week.

Really good sign: my RE's office is incredibly caring and kind. This is the second office I've gone to, as the first place was cold, sterile and really off-putting. My regular doc switched my referral before any procedures and I'm so glad. It was surprising to me, and at some level really touching, when the assistant this morning said that I shouldn't bring in a 'specimen' for the IUI--I should bring my husband. They expect him to produce at the office and be with me for the IUI--and STAY IN THE ROOM WITH ME FOR A HALF HOUR AFTERWARD (while I'm laying down)!! Talk about respecting the process. I haven't heard of anything like this from other friends--have you? I really appreciate the fact that my RE's office understands that this is more than a science experiment.

best to you all,
Leslie

[carey21]

IUI without HCG Trigger

Hello,
I just stumbled on to this site and I hope people are still posting here. I have been TTC for 1 year. Have been on Clomid for 8 months. Tests show I am ovulating on Clomid. Got PG in April had miscarriage and D&C in JUne. Last month I had my first IUI with Clomid. My doctor did not monitor my follicals by US or give me a trigger shot. I just did a OPK to see when I had a LH surge then went to the office that day for IUI and the next day too. I would like to hear from any of you on your thought on the trigger shot.

Carey

[mweb]

Did Clomid, HcG trigger and IUI - now pregnant after try #2. So I recommend it! I was lucky to have no nasty side effects from clomid, and really was surprised to find that HCG trigger shot was no biggie at all - the world's tiniest needle, I just took a deep breath and plunged it into my abdomen (very squeamish DH). As for the IUI, it would've been nice to bring DH and not just his sample - as it was I had to keep the specimen cup warm on the subway (giggling like amadwoman the whole time!). Did IUI in the morning, had sex that night, so we of course are choosing to believe that it was the natural loving that did it.

I just really can't see it as the same level of intervention as IVF. To me, this all just regulated and helped (i.e., the sperm washing before the IU) nature. I totally support women who do IVF, but for me, that would've been a whole different, and much more seious, issue. HTH!

[kathipaul]

It took me exactly two years to conceive. During that time, I took clomid for 12 mos and did four IUI's as well as numerous tests. Nothing worked until my fertility doc went on sabbatical and the new doc suggested testing my thyroid. He said that it needed to be near level 1 for ovulation to occur. I went off clomid and on thyroid meds and conceived by the end of the next month.

Have you asked about thyroid?

[lynchmon]

Lurking a bit. DH and I both have fertility issues. DH has low sperm count sleepy ones to boot. I have old eggs and one of my ovaries doesn't work so I only ovulate once every other month. I did 5 rounds of Clomid and IUI with no luck and luckily no side effects. We finally had to do Gonal shots with a HCG chaser and IUI. The shots made my ovary produce three follicles. Only one took though and I was able to get pregnant! DS is healthy, strong and beautiful. We want another in a couple of years and will have to go through the same thing. I hope that my ovary will be able to produce more eggs by then! I will be 34.

Good luck to you!

[amfurore]

Hi! I'm infertile in Chicago too.

This is the path my doctor has me on too... maybe we have the same doc. I start my first cycle on Monday or Tuesday of next week. CD3 bloodwork and baseline US, Clomid for CD5-9, Monitoring CD11-?, HCG shot when the follicles are the appropriate size, then IUI for the next two days. It sounds aggressive, but if it works than it'll all be worth it. I don't ovulate on my own, so agressive is fine by me. They also follow with progestrone tests following the IUI to make sure every thing is okay.

[CDS]

HI .... just lurking here ... I took Clomid 150mg on CD 5-9 and did nothing else and was able to get pregnant 2nd month after first month which leaded to MC. We've been TTC on and off for 4 years. Can you research more and see if you can take specific medications without getting the Injections? I do not know the full case history but it worked for us ... we wouldn't go farther and doing IUI, or IVF

[waiting4baby]

Posting again . . .

I'm back . . . as I mentioned above TTC 2+ years, all tests with dh and I are normal (including prolactin and thyroid), temping shows a definite thermal shift, yada, yada, yada. Since I last posted in 09/04, I have also had the hsg and it shows my ovarian tubes are open. So, I was referred to an RE at Virginia Mason's Center for Reproductive Technology. Long waiting list, so we were not seen until this month.

Here's our RE's plan of action for clomid/hcg shot/IUI (I also understand the hcg shot is to trigger ovulation since some women develope good follicles and have a thermal shift, but don't release an egg):

* Clomid cd3-7 (no sex after cd10 until after IUI)
* Ultrasound cd12
* Hcg shot on cd12 to induce ovulation if there are good follicles, if not, wait a few days and do second u/s and then hcg shot
* IUI day after hcg shot/ultrasound
* Sex all you want after that (o.k., I made that up)

I finished my first round of clomid and my u/s is on Saturday. Like Leslie's RE's office, Dh is expected at both appointments - the u/s and the IUI. He is expected to show up at the office, give his sample, be present during the IUI, and to wait with me while I lie there for 30 minutes or so. VERY nice!!!

[annmari757]

Anyone else do Clomid, HCG & IUI?

Hi, I've ben ttc 8 yrs after 3ds 9, 11 and 12. I am on my first round of Clomid 100mg, HSG shot with IUI. My husband actually has to go with me to a center for a "sperm washing". He has to produce there. They will wash it somehow and then we drive to my RE and have the IUI. Has anyone else had something like this? There is a two hour window between the washing and IUI. The meds round is pretty much standard from what I have read here. I'm having sad times, but not sure if that is the clomid or just emotions. I never thought that I would be going through all of this, but here I am too. I'm just glad that I found this site and that I'm not alone in all of this.

[murray&me]

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