Clomid Buddies (moved to LTTTC board)

[LoveCousar]

9dpo - nasty dye run right??

 

[Ask4joy]

Love - I've never had a dye run with wondfos...hard to tell because it's kinda blurry but there is definitely color there! Test again in the morning! FX!!!

 

[LoveCousar]

Oh Ask I just caught up on the thread. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It def may be a progesterone thing. Will you go to your doctors this week as well?

 

[sarah2211]

Ask, I had bleeding like you're describing when I MC at 5w2. I would ask your doctor to run a blood test to check to make sure you're ok to start Clomid. I would be very wary or taking vitex if I was you Ask. You definitely can't take it with Clomid but if you have regular cycles it can mess them up. There are lots of stories online about people having crazy irregular cycles after having normal cycles on Vitex. I've heard doctors won't investigate until your third MC/CP but hopefully your doctor will look into it a little more.

 

[Ask4joy]

Thanks, Sarah. I'm wondering...if my progesterone IS low, what can be done? I often spot for several days before AF but my OB told me progesterone supplementation won't prevent miscarriage.

A recent study backs that up... https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/9829-201606229829

 

[LAR83]

Thanks, Sarah. I'm wondering...if my progesterone IS low, what can be done? I often spot for several days before AF but my OB told me progesterone supplementation won't prevent miscarriage.

A recent study backs that up... https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/9829-201606229829

Really? I didn't know that. One of my friends had PCOS and a hard time conceiving. She was prescribed progesterone since hers was low, and it seemed to help her because she has two kids now. Although that is just one person and not an entire study.

Here is another study I found: https://time.com/4629589/miscarriage-progesterone-pregnancy/

Perhaps evidence is inconclusive, but it couldn't hurt right? Didn't you say your doctor wouldn't test your progesterone either? Would you consider getting a second opinion?

 

[Ask4joy]

Thank you for sharing that LAR - it looks like a very recent study, just published this past January. I am going to show it to my doctor.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Can you go to a private Lab and get your own p4 drAwn? That's what I do. $50. No script. No Dr. No insurance. It's like a labcorp type place.

Progesterone sups won't stop a mc if it's going to happen.

Let's say someone has 50 but they are going to lose the baby anyway..giving them sups doesn't matter.
Vs
A level of 5 when they were 25..sups can raise the level and prevent a loss.
--------------
I know its early but i have a feeling the 25mg isnt going to work and ill have to up it to 50. I was hoping i wouldnt have to but it is the starting point 90% of the time for a reason....

 

[Nita2806]

Ask - I don't know if Prog supplements will help, but having your progesterone levels tested 7 - 10 dpo will atleast tell you if it's high enough to sustain a pregnancy, and if it's normal, then you know atleast if/if not that is the problem.

Before we knew I took the test too early(2/3dpo) my result was 14.8nmol/L and my doctor told me however I have ovulated, that won't be enough to sustain a pregnancy.

I agree with OnEarth - if your doctor doesn't want to get your progesterone tested can you do it at a private clinic/lab?

Low Progesterone levels can cause spotting and a shorter LP.

 

[sarah2211]

Ask, all I know about progesterone is that it's a measure of whether you've ovulated or not. So when I had my progesterone measured not on Clomid, it was low because I didn't ovulate. But when I was on Clomid and I ovulated, my progesterone was high.

For women with PCOS, even when they ovulate, often their progesterone will rise but drop quite suddenly, which doesn't help when you want to sustain a pregnancy. On the cycle I conceived my progesterone was 34 I think. At 12 DPO it was 80 something and it rose again at 15 DPO. So thankfully, I didn't need progesterone.

I think we can conclude that you ovulate Ask, your progesterone must be high enough then. But perhaps it drops quickly after? You can buy natural progesterone cream which is meant to help.

I don't know if that's any help. For me, progesterone makes my PCOS worse. During my TWW (on Clomid) I always felt rubbish and I can definitely tell throughout this pregnancy when progesterone is high (and estrogen is low). If your doctor won't test it, either find a new doctor or maybe try natural progesterone.

A side note, please be very careful about taking Vitex when you have a normal cycle. It can make things worse and you may even stop ovulating or develop very irregular cycles.

 

[sarah2211]

And from my understanding, most miscarriages unfortunately happen because of genetic abnormalities with the embryo. I have heard of many women being put on progesterone to prevent miscarriage but if the embryo was not meant to be, unfortunately, progesterone won't prevent that. But how do you know? In most cases, they won't/can't test to find out why you had a MC.

Also, if you do take progesterone in your TWW, you'll need to continue throughout your first trimester. Stopping it too early can cause a miscarriage too.

 

[ttc126]

I agree with Sarah. I've had every single test that can be done and there's literally zero answers for my losses. I'm on progesterone as a precaution and baby aspirin for same reason....

 

[Ask4joy]

Thanks everyone for all the input - I'm definitely going to get my progesterone checked. If my doc won't do it I'll go to a private lab. My luteal phase seems to be 12 days but I'm a slow riser most of the time and sometimes it dips and goes back up. Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually ovulating later than I think and we've been missing the window. This month was the first month I didn't temp or use OPKs and we kept going through cd 22. I've had a couple of cycles where I started spotting nearly a week before AF but generally it's a one to three days before (10-12dpo). I tried natural progesterone cream a few months ago after I confirmed O but maybe I wasn't taking enough.

One change I've noticed in my 30s is that my breasts always hurt and swell pretty significantly from O through the first couple days of AF, with the worst being about halfway through my luteal phase until the day before AF. I've read that it can be a symptom of both low and high progesterone. When I was on clomid they didn't hurt until right before AF.

Sarah - I was weary to try vitex but I figured I'd give it a try before doing IUI or anything else. I can't help but wonder if it helped me get pregnant. I started taking half the dose the first two days after my BFP then didn't take anymore. I've read stories of women who miscarried when they stopped cold turkey...it can increase progesterone and any sudden drop can cause miscarriage. I'm definitely not going to take it this month.

 

[Ask4joy]

So my HCG was 6 on Saturday when I had my blood drawn. I can't believe I was still getting faint lines yesterday. Going in this morning to be RE-checked (obviously it was a CP) and see what I should do next.

 

[ttc126]

Ask, I've had positive tests with super low hcg too! It was odd to me but my OB says first hcg is released into your blood stream then into your pee. It leaves your bloodstream first and filters through your pee last. So it makes sense.
I'm really sorry you had this happen. It's awful.
About the sore chest....so mine always hurt from day of ovulation to 2nd day of AF like you say. I read it's a sign of estrogen dominance...never asked doc. The RE said I was possibly having a low quality ovulation. Even on progesterone supplementation they did that. I did notice on clomid they didn't hurt until well after my bfp. I do wonder about that!

 

[BelleNuit]

I noticed femara made my bbs hurt far more than normal. They started hurting at about 6 dpo. Normally they only hurt a little a couple days before AF. Makes me wonder how the meds are changing things up for me!

 

[Ask4joy]

Interesting, Belle. Sounds like it's changing something! Maybe giving you a stronger O and increasing P!

So my OB wasn't even in the office today. I just gave blood and asked to talk to the physicians assistant. She said she will call me later today or tomorrow morning with results and as long as they are down I can start clomid tomorrow. What do you all think? Should we do clomid/IUI this month or keep trying naturally?

 

[BelleNuit]

Ask I think its entirely up to you and DH! It doesn't sound like there is any harm in starting clomid this cycle so I think its your choice. Are you feeling up for IUI? Or would you rather a break?

 

[ttc126]

Ask I think you'll get a gut feeling either way.... but I'll say if it were me, I'd do it. A lot of women have successful pregnancies coming off a chemical!

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

If IUI is fully covered, id go for it. If not, then wait.