Clomid Buddies (moved from TTC board)

[OnErth&InHvn]

If you have tried Clomid, they may switch to FE and if after that, then theyll add trigger and possibly injects, then IUI

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Old blood type spotting/light AF just now! I pray it gets heavier so i can start 100mg Clomid tomorrow!!!!!

" plan":
AF 6/20
Clomid 6/20-6/25
O around 7/5-7/8

 

[babylights]

Hi ladies I'd love to join you all. I'm CD4 and just took my first dosage of Femara last night. We did our first round of Clomid last month, but because my lining was on the thin side I asked to be switched to Femara. I had my second CP last month so I'm wondering if my lining is an issue, although it's more likely that it's an egg quality issue. I also have an HSG scheduled for this Friday. We will be moving on to IVF if we don't get pregnant in the next two months so holding out hope for a miracle.

Anyway, excited to follow along with everyone here!

 

[BelleNuit]

Welcome babylights, I do have issues with thin lining on natural cycles and have never gotten a bfp. I think if your lining was thick enough for implantation to happen twice that there is likely something else is going on. I'm sorry about your CPs and do hope that you'll get a sticky one soon.

I think femara will be a good choice. I am on femara as well and my lining has actually gotten thicker on it (it was 8mm on CD 12 this cycle with acupuncture and on a natural cycle it was only 5mm by CD 15). I also used acupuncture which boosted my lining this round. The cycle without acupuncture and only femara it got to 6.7mm by CD 12.

Can I ask if there is a reason why you are thinking about moving on to IVF so soon?

 

[babylights]

Hi Belle! That's so great that your lining got thicker, I just recently started acupuncture again so I hope I have a good result as well.

We definitely never thought we'd even be considering IVF this quickly, but we've had a couple doctors suggest that route after three rounds of Clomid/Femara because I'm 36 and my FSH is 12.4. Most everyone says it's not for #1, but planning for any subsequent kids we may want to have. My AFC was also on the lower side at 11, so with those two numbers plus the two CP, I really think it may be an egg quality issue and IVF is the option that will give us the best chances and most peace of mind.

We also live in the heart of Silicon Valley so I can't help but feel like people are much more blasé about IVF here.

 

[LAR83]

Hey everyone. AF came and I am going to be taking a break from TTC for a while because in July I'm going on vacation to a country in the caribbean that has Zika. Not sure how long of a break, but probably up to 6 months. I will still check in here sometimes, and may even post every now and then, especially if I see good news. I sincerely hope you'll all be out of here by January, but if you happen to still be here, I'll see you then. Sending out lots of as always to all you ladies!!

 

[BelleNuit]

I hope the acupuncture helps for you! I think that makes sense and like you say you're planning for future kids this way. There might be an egg quality issue going on and IVF really is the best treatment for that!

I wonder if my body kicks out eggs a little too quickly so they're not quite mature yet. On my monitored cycles my LH surge seems to happen when they're about 17-18mm.

 

[BelleNuit]

Lar I hope you will have a lovely vacation and great break from TTC! If I'm still here in January I'll likely be going through IVF so we'll be able to commiserate over that lol.

 

[babylights]

Lar I hope you have the best time on vacation and a lovely break from ttc!

Belle can upping the Femara help with maturing your eggs more quickly so that when your LH surge hits they're further along? Or does it only help with the strength of the surge? Sorry I don't know if that's a completely ridiculous question!

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

FE doesnt help mature the eggs anymore than they will. Thats where FSH comes in.

-----
LAR. Im so sorry. I have a good feeling ill be here in Jan but by then we will be NTNP and cant go further.

 

[babylights]

But doesn't it suppress estrogen such that it increases the FSH response?

 

[BelleNuit]

Femara does work by increasing FSH to create follicles, but I don't think it has much of an impact on the LH surge and I don't know how much it affects how mature the follicles get. I always seem to get the LH surge around the 18mm range, other people might get the LH surge when their follicles are at the 20mm range. Maybe if you take the femara from CD 5-9 you might end up with a single larger follicle? With the femara CD 3-7 I seem to get many smaller follicles. Once you stop taking the femara your follicles start producing estrogen. If you have many smaller follicles you will have more estrogen than if you have one single large follicle. That higher estrogen triggers the LH surge.

 

[babylights]

That's interesting. With Clomid CD 5-9 I had two follicles that didn't release until I triggered CD18, and this cycle I'm taking Femara CD 3-7 so I'll be interested in seeing how many follicles I have and whether I need to trigger. I usually ovulate on my own around CD16.

It's so frustrating that despite all the technological advances it's still such an "inexact science" - ugh.

 

[steph1607]

Oh hi Babylights, nice to see you over here!

Lar, have a wonderfully relaxing holiday. I'm hoping so much that I get a BFP before January, but I reckon I will still be hanging around on these forums either way

Earth, hope AF has arrived properly today?

AFM, CD 45. Counting down the days until July 3rd when we go back to the fertility doctor.

 

[Ask4joy]

Welcome baby lights! It sounds like we are in similar situations. I am 34 and while my fsh is 8, I've had 2 cps in the last year. I am so sorry for your losses. I am going to a different RE this morning for a consult and 2nd opinion. I suspect egg quality is my issue too but have never been told that. The plan is to do 2 more rounds of IUI then move onto IVF...but we will see what this RE thinks.

9dpo today and bfn on a wondfo. Wonder what my ultrasound this morning will reveal. (Obviously too early to see anything in terms of implantation).

LAR - have a wonderful vacation and break from ttc. Wishing you the best! Please don't be a stranger!

Steph - eager to hear what your next step is!

How are you doing Belle? Was the 2nd IUI less painful than the first? That's an awesome post wash count! DHs 15 million at our IUI in April is starting to make me wonder now even though the nurse said it was "good".

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Woke up to nothing. ...dang it! It was enough for a pad, old blood but tapered to nothing after the pool. Does that count as cd1 or spotting since nothing after?

 

[BelleNuit]

Second IUI was a breeze Ask. I actually felt good enough to go out to a party that night lol. The first IUI was horrible, I just laid in bed all afternoon cramping and bleeding and sleeping. I think a count of 15 million is good! Higher counts don't really help for much. DH has always had really impressive counts and we still have never gotten pregnant so I don't think its really doing us any favours.

 

[steph1607]

Glad the second one was much less unpleasant Belle 😊

Earth, I was told to count spotting as day 1, but that's because my periods are essentially non existant so it's kind of a case as just go with what I've got. But I think for 'normal' people, CD1 should be the first day of 'fresh' blood.

 

[rickyandlucy]

Decided not to wait for AF to ruin my day. Sent an appt request to the RE's office. Pretty sure it's just a matter of time before she shows up.

 

[Ask4joy]

Sooo interesting turn of events. Finished up my consult with my new RE. She recommends IVF as next step (no more IUI). The success rates for IUI are still so low and she thinks given our situation and ages our money will be better spent with IVF. (She showed me lots of stats). We both had blood taken for recurrent miscarriage panel and some kind of genetic screening. Next month I'll have my OAR re-done since it's been a year and a hysteroscopy...then it looks like IVF probably in August. We have an informational meeting to attend tomorrow eve. She recommends that we do the genetic screening (PGD) with IVF due to my age and CPs to increase my chances. Eek. Excited and nervous!

Belle - so glad the 2nd time was a breeze! Yay!

Earth - sorry no AF yet but spotting is a good sign!

FX for you still Steph!