TTC & Taking Clomid &/0r Metformin ~ April 2007

Hey Penny!
That is excellent news about the positive OPK....sending you lots of baby dust.

Update for me....when I saw the Dr the other day and told him about my AF starting after I had started the Clomid he wasn't very optimistic :( He did a scan anyway and there was a 10mm follicle on my left ovary. He said that it might be growing?? ANd said to give it 3 weeks and if I hadn't got AF to do a HPT and if it was a BFN then I would have a laparoscopy and hysterscopy done and then start injections and IUI.
I have started acupuncture too so hopefully that will help this little follicle grow so I don't have to have the lap and hyst and then the injections and IUI.

Hope everyone is having a good day.
SAM :)

Hi Girls
Sorry i havent dropped in for a while!
I didnt 0 last month (50mg) but i did off the same amount the previous month anyone else had this?

Af decided to show up today cd36 very late for me so im on to round 4 taking 100mg's this time i start the clomid tomorrow cd2-6 again so im hoping for better luck this time.Im moving to we have decided to move into Mums for a while so i can work full time and we can save to buy another house and if we need to go down the IVF path we can and clear some debts etc so it should be ok all our animals are coming too lol poor mum and we can help out with my 6 year old brother so im looking forward to it but im scared we are making the wrong choice too but you have to try to find out anyway

Hope all you girls are doing well
Any BFP's ive missed???
Take care
Kristie

Hey Kristie, I hope the 100mg works for you :)

How is everyone else doing? We have been quiet in this thread lately!

As for me....Clomid is a bust for me :( I just booked in to have a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy on 12th July. Then I will move into injections and IUI.
I will keep having my acupuncture in the mean time too.

Hope everyone is well.
SAM :)

Hey Sammy,

We have been a bit quiet!

Clomid was a bust for us also. We are having our preliminary tests at Monash in June and will then decide the best way forward.

Good luck with your Lap and then the IUI

How are you finding the acupuncture?

:D

I'm sorry to hear about the clomid not working for you. My very best wishes for you on the next leg of your journey ATT

Hey ATT,
I am enjoying the acupuncture. It is very relaxing. And I really like the lady I go too. I have my fingers crossed that it will kick start something!
SAM :)

Hi everyone. Took my first clomid tablet today, so it seems a good time to introduce myself. I was about to start on it earlier this year when I discovered I had managed to fall pregnant - unfortunately that one didn't work out. My sister is pregnant after a couple of years of TTC - she was on clomid for a few months and it did the trick, which gives me hope. My FS says i should do IUI next cycle due to DH's lowish sperm count (confusing, because the brochure she gave me said it's not useful in cases of low sperm count).

I've been lurking in the Long Term TTC forums for a bit and I notice people seem to have their cycles monitored when taking Clomid. My FS isn't doing this (except, I guess, when we do IUI). How do you guys know if/when you ovulate? I do temping but I imagine clomid might mess with this a bit.

Here's hoping for very sticky BFPs for all of us.

Welcome, mgm. I'm very sorry to hear about the miscarriage.

When it comes to clomid - your temperature chart will still show when you ovulate, and OPKs will still show when you're about to. Your temperatures may go a little bit crazy while you are on the clomid tablets, but afterwards everything should still work as normal. Good luck with it! Clomid didn't work for me, but I'm using a drug - letrozole - that works in a similar way, my temperatures are much higher overall, and take a bit of time to come down after I finish taking it, but I still get a nice, clear thermal shift. I'm being monitored this time with blood tests, but I'm having a FET cycle with IVF so they need to.

You'll find that IUI is ok when sperm count is a little low, but not when it is severely low.

Once again, welcome and good luck!

BW

Hi mgm,
Welcome!

Sorry to hear about your miscarriage :(

When I was taking Clomid my FS sent me for BT to see if I had ovulated. ANd I also asked to have scans to check if any follicles were growing. So if you wanted to have some scans or a BT or both, you could just ask your Dr.

I really hope that Clomid does the trick for you.

SAM :)

Afternoon Ladies,

Sammy - Glad to hear that you are enjoying acupuncture, I have been having it for a couple of months now and I really enjoy it. :D

Hayseed - Thanks for your well wishes - I will keep you posted. How have things been with you, you have been fairly quiet of late, hope you are ok.

MGM - A big welcome, sorry to hear about your loss.
Unfortunately this board is particularly quiet at the moment, some of us have graduated to the pregnancy forums, and others like Sammy and I have had no success with Clomid and are now seeking alternate routes.
The only monitoring I had during my cycles on Clomid were day 21 tests, and in hindsight I wish I had requested more monitoring.
Best of luck with the Clomid, I hope your BFP is right around the corner :crossfingers:


Have a nice night

Thanks for your replies girls. I think I'll just monitor my temps for this cycle and see how i go - next appointment with FS is a month away and I'll ask her about monitoring then.

Good luck to you all. :)

Hi everybody,

Ive been posting on the LTTTC threads also. I'm on my 1st cycle of clomid at 50mg this month, I see my FS for an ultrasound on wednesday, can't wait.!! I have unexplained infertility, as I have a 2.5 yrold son who was conceived naturally first shot.
Anyway, best of luck to everyone here, and it's good to know that people are getting pregnant and moving into the pregnancy threads, it's very hopeful...

Kazz

http://t2.lilypie.com/xW8op10/.png:goodluck:

Hi Girls - Ive never posted in this thread before but just wanted to drop in with some news.

Weve had 12 IVF attempts in 4 years - 9 of them Full stim & for some time now have been asking my Doc for Metformin. he reluctantly agreed to put me on it last cycle and I had a terrific result. Not only did I have 22 eggs at EPU but 11 fertilised successfully. All 11 grew to Blast stage - 9 were frozen and 2 were tfd last Friday so I am now in the 2ww. All Embies were great qualityh according to the scientist.

This is the first time I have ever had more than 1 or 2 to freeze, and even then theres only everbeen a total of 4 the entire IVF journey.

So full praise for Metformin - (not the horrible, nauseating side effects! - but its worth it)

Hi ladies,long time since I've had nothing to report until now and I have a few questions that I'm hoping you can help me with.
First I'm still not O'ing not even after 150mg of clomid I'm on CD41 today and started provera to kick start me again however doc also put me on Metformin 500mg for a week 2nd week 1000mg then starting my 3rd week 1500mg. My question is how do I take clomid too? Do I take it? Will it be safe to take it? I have 2 refills I could get done either 100mg for 5 days or 150mg for 5 days. What exactly does the metformin do? Is it safe to take clomid with the metformin? I'm just full of ?'s as I want a baby so badly and I'm willing to do anything. SO....if anyone has been in my place I'd love some info please!My doc didn't say anything about the clomid just wants me to start the metformin. So I'm just asking what you all think. I know some take them both so I figure what will it hurt? Right???? Help me please!

Thanks alot girl's!
Hugs!!!!!!
TR-8/31/06 right6cm-left5cm
cycle 3/1/07 100mg clomid=bust
provera on CD54 to get period.
cycle 4/25/06 150mg clomid=bust
today CD41 started provera to get period again and also 500mg metformin.
been TTC since Oct.06 No luck any suggestions? Doc says since I'm a little on the "heavy" side he was putting me on metformin. 5'8" 235lbs.I'm a big boned girl..:redface:

Penny, the metformin is completely safe to take with clomid. It helps reduce the insulin resistance that causes PCOS. For some women it is enough by itself to get ovulation happening. Wasn't for me... but then clomid didn't work either. Only tried 50mg, the side effects were so bad I wasn't going to even think about trying a higher dose.

If you're really worried, ask your FS. He may want you to just take the metformin for a while and give it a chance to work and then try clomid again.

Even if clomid doesn't work, there is still hope! I'm currently using a drug called letrozole (brand name is femara) which works in a similar way to clomid, but uses a different mechanism in the body. It's not very common here yet, but seems to be much more common in the US. It has worked for me, worked really well in fact.

Good luck with everything!

BW

Hi everyone,

Saw FS other day and he did an internal ultrasound and he saw one large follicle ready to go any day now... feeling hopeful, no positive OPK yet, maybe later today or tommorow! Will check progesterone levels in a week and a half, I'm praying they are high enough, otherwise he will upgrade my dose of clomid.
Positive vibes for everyone.....:bluedust:

Kazz

http://t2.lilypie.com/xW8op10/.png:goodluck::pray:

Hi,

I am on my 2nd month of Clomid 50mg. I am currently seeing Mark Lawrence in Bentleigh but i am finding his quite frustrating in regards to getting answers to my questions. Does anyone else use him? Are you having the same problems? Maybe i am not asking the right questions?

I just want some feedback on good fertility specialists......

Thanks.

Hi Shell,


Sorry I cannot help you with the doctor thing as I am up in Cairns, but I think most doctors are a bit like that (elusive), it's rare to find one that will actually explain everything in detail. My doctors about midway - he tells me stuff and I just follow it up with the internet. I think it also comes down to a time thing - how busy they are!!!!!

Anyway I'm 2 days DPO and have everything crossed!!!!!:stickyvibesgirl:

Good luck to everyone....

Kazz

http://t2.lilypie.com/xW8op10/.png:goodluck::pray:

Hi there everyone,

I'm hoping somebody can help me with this query, I am 4 days DPO, on my first cycle of clomid at 50mg. Yesterday at 3 days DPO I noticed some brown streaks in my CM when I wiped and I also had to urinate many times during the night which has just come out of the blue....I urinated heaps when I was actually taking the clomid on days 3-7....but not since, until last night. Along with this I feel really hungry. Again I found brown streaks in my CM this morning. The thing is that it has all happened at once. Is it an effect of the clomid? Any suggestions!!!!

Kazz

http://t2.lilypie.com/xW8op10/.png:goodluck::pray::)

Shell76 - I was also seeing Dr Mark Lawrence and found exactly the same thing! I am now going to Dr Peter Lutjen in Brighton and he is fantastic! I can highly recommend him.

I am taking my first round of clomid this month (25mg). Fingers crossed for everyone!

BW - just noticed your BFP on your ticker. Congratulations!!!!

Thanks, Belinda! It's been a tough road - metformin, clomid... all failed... then IVF and not to be able to transfer on the fresh cycle because I was badly hyperstimulated... and then our first FET worked!! It's still not real to me yet...

I hope more of the lovely ladies from here will be able to join us in PALTTC very soon.

BW

Congratulations BW, such exciting news that you are preggers.....I am finally in the second half of the TWW and get my progesterone results tomorrow...:crossfingers:
S many BFP's this month :stickyvibesgirl: for the rest of us...

Kazz

http://t2.lilypie.com/xW8op10/.png:goodluck::pray::)

hi gals, just a question about metformin and pregnancy. i have pco, not the syndrome and after trying unsuccefully for months++++ and then suffering a miscarriage my gyn started me on metformin 2000mg xr. At the time he told me to take this whilst trying to get pregnant and then for the first 12 wks of pregnancy to help lessen chance of misscariage. Has anyone else been told this??? i was googling some further info on met formin and came across various articles that had different opinions on whether it should be taken when pregnant. Sometimes there is too much info out there, but i would hate to stop taking if it helped with misscarriage. My Fs is overseas on hols and i am sick of bombarding his receptionist with questions at the moment. I am due to HPT this week..... fingers crossed

wrights

I have heard the same thing regarding metformin... it does help reduce the chance of miscarriage and it quite safe to be continued up to 12 weeks.

I'm 5 weeks today after my first IVF transfer... and I'm sticking with the metformin!

One of my oldest and closest friends is an ob/gyn registrar - she checks all my meds for me against current literature and I'm assured that it's all ok... and my FS agrees.

BW

thanks BW, i think its best to keep taking it too, it can take sooo long to get pregnant i would do everything i could to make it stick!!! thanks for the reassurance and a HUGE CONGRATS on you successful pregnancy - wishing you a very healthy and enjoyable 9 months - thanks again

Wrights - BW is correct. The doctors are definitely recommending that you continue to take the metformin throughout the first trimester.

I attended the POSAA National Conference in Sydney last year and Dr Warren Kidson gave a lecture on "metformin & pregnancy". Some of the statistics that he provided in the information we received were:

-Vitamin B12 levels should be checked if taking metformin during pregnancy and you should generally stop taking metformin at 14wks, however if a GTT returns high it can continue to 24wks.

Results from the following study:
Gilbert C, Valois M, Koren G: Pregnancy outcome after first trimester exposure to metformin: a meta-analysis. Fertil Steril. 2006 Jul 28: 8 separate studies included for analysis.
- Metformin taken in 1st trimester gives 57% protection compared to pregnancies without Metformin.
- Malformation rate in the disease-matched control group was approximately 7.2%, statistically significantly higher than the rate found in the metformin group 1.7%.

Hope that helps.

Hi there everyone,

Congrats to everyone for there BFP's this month, it's a fantastic result. :confetti:
Can anybody tell me if they have had a period come really early on clomid...I'm on CD 27 and am starting to bleed and had mild cramps yesterday....This means my cycle would have only been 26days which it's never been in my life!!!!!I've deducted that I would have only had a luteal phase of 12 days!!!! WTF......My cycles before the clomid were 30-33 days long. I don't know whats going on.....

Kazz

http://t2.lilypie.com/xW8op10/.png:goodluck::pray::)

Hi Gals,

I'm officially embarking on my second round of clomid this month as my AF showed up today......remaining positive, nurses told me to stick to 50mg...thank god, I don't think I could have done a double dose....

mgm, where are you......???? What's happening

Kazz

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]
http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt...k/b4e6/ttc.png

Hi Kazz

I guess the clomid must really be working if it shortened your cycle! The great thing about shorter cycles is that even if you don't get a BFP, you can get on with the next round sooner.

My cycle seems to be going in the opposite direction - on day 33 today. Did an HPT Friday because I was seeing my FS that day: negative. If I go over 35 days (which it never did before my D&C) I have to go up to 50mg clomid. Either way I'll be having an ultrasound next cycle so I at least know what's going on. I'm pretty sure AF is about to arrive, though, as I've had lots of cramping.

What does your FS think about a 12 day luteal phase? Can clomid really shorten it? Weird!

Good luck with this cycle - hope it's the one. :)

hi girls

i am new to bb and ttc have been for about 6 months now after getting off the pill. i have had lots of test done and recently found out i was not ovulating. so the dr has prescribed me clomid and this is my second month taking it.
i would really like to get to know you all and chat as we all seem to be ttc

love ally

Hi ladies,

I wanted to say hi, im a newbie also like ally...I have been hovering in the wings listening to everyone and trying to get the hang of bb site and I must say you are all amazing and help to keep my dreams alive.:pray:

We have been ttc for nearly a year, af hasn't visited for at least 6 months, I have a slight variation of PCOS and I have just had the results for 1st clomid month cd 21test , which showed that I hadnt ovulated. Feeling a little deflated.....but must get ready to start again. sorry I realise failure after the first attempt seems a pathetic, but its taken me this long to convince the docs there is something wrong :wall:

But i have a few questions...can anyone tell me if clomid doesnt work the first time, will it work the second or am I just being pessimistic!!!!And this may sound stupid but can I do anything to help it along.

Lis xx

Welcome, ally & lis. I'm sorry for your TTC troubles, but it's nice to have some new people join us in this thread and I'm sure you'll find plenty of support here.

Lis, I've just finished my first clomid cycle and like you, i've had my pessimistic moments. But even under 'normal' circumstances, the chances of conceiving in one cycle aren't so great, so I figure I have to give clomid a decent run before I start despairing! If you don't get a BPF on whatever dose you're taking your FS will probably up it to the next dose in a few months' time.

Actually your situation sounds a bit like my sister's. She has PCOS, started off on 25mg clomid but it didn't regulate her cycles and was bumped up to 50mg - it was successful, and she's expecting her first child in a few months.

I really hope we can all have similar successes very, very soon! :)

Kazz - AF arrived yesterday, heavier than usual, after DAYS of excruciating cramps! Now for round 2... How are you doing?

Hi mgm, thanks for the support its nice to know I will have someone sharing the same journey at the same time....i hope the bfp finds its way quickly to you

Ladies Should I be concerned that my gyno told me that I didnt need af to start the next cycle, (given its been awol for 6 months and I havent o'd its doubtful it is gonna make an appearance) but he told me to just wait until my nominal day 5 again based on 28d cycle. I keep reading that a lot of you were given Provera!!!

Lis xx

Hi to all the new members in this thread, it's great to have support and links to people in similar situations, it gives us all the strength we need to keep aiming for our final goal :babygirl:

mgm, sorry to hear AF arrived.....My luteal phase ended up being 14 days in the end...
So I guess the positive about this clomid is that it seems to have regulated my wayward cycle and hormones...I don't feel as strange this time round...but still get the light headed thing and what seems to feel like a flash of feeling a bit off every now and then. 3 more tabs to go and then its down to some serious business of making a baby.....:bluedust:

Kazz

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]
http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt...k/b4e6/ttc.png

Kazz - my cycle always got shorter when I was on clomid too.

Hi all,

Hello to everyone im new to this thread so i dont really know anyone yet... But I am very happy 2day because after 2 years of ttc and seeing many doctors. We finally have found one that truly wants to help and after being sent for all the tests she had prescribed me metformin which i start tomorrow. So i guess i was just wondering if anyone could tell me what to expect from it and does it really work.
P.S i have pcos thats y the need for fertility treatment

Kristie, metformin does work, but it may take some time. I have one friend where metformin was all they needed to be able to conceive, another where it was metformin and clomid, and there's me who still needed IVF but had fantastic egg quality when I was badly hyperstimulated and egg quality would normally be very bad. It does work, but it may not always be in the way you first expect.

The only other thing I can suggest is that it is important that you start slowly. The side effects can be pretty horrid. Start with one tablet per day, and when your body can cope with that, increase it by another tablet, and so on until you have reached the dose your doctor has prescribed. You may also need to switch to slow release metformin if the side effects are really intolerable.

It's also important to remember that metformin isn't a magic bullet. It works best when combined with a low-carb, low-GI diet (this will also help with the side effects, from what I've found) and regular exercise. It's not just a matter of being able to sit back, take some pills, and have them fix everything without putting in a bit of effort yourself.

Good luck!

BW

Thanks bw its all a bit confusing at first when you are starting things like this but your helpfull information and tips were greatly appreciated. I've started this morning so hopefully i dont get any nasty side affects.

hi girls i hope you dont mind me popping in i have been ttc for about the last six months and have had lots of bt done and i havent been ovulating. my gyno has now put me on clomid one month on and one month off lets hope this help my tc.
i was having a look in all your posts and it seems like luck is coming for some of you and others have had a bad time. i know its hard i get down every month when i get my period its so fustrating. but we are all going to get our little bubs one day soon.
it would be nice to get to know you all and chat.


love ally