Advice and questions about Clomid & Metformin?

[SallyJ]

Hi, we have been ttc #3 for almost 12 months (since a m/c early last year) and I am beginning to wonder if we need to go down the ac path.

Some background:

DH & I are both 41 (I turn 42 in April) so you can see we don't have much time. Some background - the pg we had last year was achieved while actively not ttc (ie using condoms from about CD10 onwards) so it seems there's probably not much wrong with his swimmers. Most likely my eggs have started going off. We have 2 older kids, DS was conceived on our 7th cycle of ttc and we were lucky to get DD first try.

I am definitely ovulating and have a pretty regular cycle, 28-29 days. (was charting, stopped as didn't seem much point due to regularity.)

I gather clomid can make you ovulate more eggs, what does metformin do? Do you need to go to obgyn for clomid script, or could I see my GP and get one? Do you think clomid is something I should be looking at? We are trying Preseed this month as I have heard all sorts of miracle success stories with that.

[butterfly_warrior]

Metformin is used in women with PCOS to reduce the insulin resistance that results in the hormonal problems associated with PCOS. If you do not have PCOS, then it really won't help you at all.

Clomid can only be prescribed by a specialist (gyn/obs or FS), in cases where you are already ovulating, it can be useful in order to ovulate "better" or "stronger" - increasing the hormone response, lifting progesterone levels after ovulation above where they would get to naturally. Clomid can also help to increase luteal phase length by increasing hormone levels after ovulation. It won't necessarily guarantee ovulating more than one egg, but it can do this some times. I doubt very much that a specialist would prescribe clomid without having done tests to determine whether it will help or not (day 21 blood tests to check levels of progesterone at a minimum).

Considering your age, it's probably worthwhile heading off to a fertility specialist sooner rather than later. They usually suggest that in women over 40 who are wanting to conceive, that six months is long enough to try naturally before seeking assistance.

As for whether clomid or preseed will help - beyond my level of experience, I'm afraid. I think you'd need to have the tests done on in order to determine what will or won't help.

Hope this helps.

BW

[SallyJ]

Thanks BW! You see things being discussed on forums, but not sure exactly what they do.

Not sure that DH would agree to going the FS route - last year's pg was unplanned, and even though he's happy to try, he doesn't have the same strong urge to have another one that I do.

[*Belle*]

Sally

There are new reasons for using Metformin now. My OB says it has recently been proven it has shown to be used as a TTC medication for women not having PCOS.

I took both Metformin and Clomid together to concieve Julia.

I would recommend seeing a OB/GYNO for the recommendations on what to use, or a Fertility Specialist. They will give you the correct medication after doing blood tests to work out what is best for you.

Bel
xxx

[cg66]

Hi there,

My partner and I are the same age as well 41, I will be 42 in June and my partner will be 42 in August.

I have been to Repromed Fertility Specialist. I did my CD21 test, but my partner hasn't or is hesitant to do his sperm test. At the moment we are TTC naturally, but get disheartened every month when it doesn't happen. So I have to put my foot down and if I don't fall pregnant this month, we will be visiting Repromed even if I have to drag him there. You know men, they think it's nothing wrong with them etc, it's to do with pride hey.

Good luck, I hope everything works out for you.