Clomid...Hoping 3rd Times a Charm

[beaglemom]

Today I am starting my 3rd cycle on clomid 50 mg on CD 5-9. I really hope this one takes. My dr does not plan on letting me do clomid longer than 3 cycles. We recently found out my husband has a low count (12 million). He has an appointment on the 4th to get further testing. My dr originally put me on clomid hoping to boost my eggs. I O on my own before the clomid. I really do not want to move on to IUI & IVF, but will if that is what it comes down to.

I have placed a call in to my dr requesting an increase this cycle to 100 mg. I have also asked about progesterone. I usually spot a few days before my period & I have read this could be a sign my levels are not high enough. I heard taking it cannot hurt, so I would rather be safe.

Anyways, looking for more clomid users to get through the month of December with me.

 

[moni77]

I'll join you over here since the other thread seems to be slowing down. I started clomid with the first IUI cycle - they like to increase the follies to increase the chances when doing the IUI. My hubby has low count, motility and morphology. Before the IUI they wash the sperm and only put the good ones in. I was hoping it would work first time - but not that lucky - it still is only a 20% success rate. IVF is a much higher success rate but is not covered by my insurance and is very expensive - so we opted to try the IUI for a couple of cycles. We'll see where we are next year - hopefully pregnant!!

Anyways, I start the clomid again wed and take day 3-7 and then a trigger shot when the follies are good to go with the IUI 36 hours later! Then starts the dreaded 2ww.

FXed the clomid works on its own and we both get Christmas miracles!!

 

[beaglemom]

Is this only cycle 2 for the IUI?

My insurance (as it is now, who knows about 2014) has a $5,000 max for fertility treatment. I am not sure about the overall health of my husband's sperm...got the sheet, but I don't know how to interpret it. So I hope to get some answers after his appt on the 4th. I def need more info on IVF before moving on. I know some clinics offer guaranties on some sort. I just hate the idea of going through all this & putting all these hormones in my body.

I hope to get some folks on here with us. I was part of another thread...I keep up with it, but most of them are starting the TWW. I don't really do much on the SMEP...not really following it anymore. Since I found out about the count & based on my dr recommendation, we are doing every other day during the fertile window.

 

[moni77]

Yep - this will be my second try at it. Then might take a cycle off for the holidays and start again in January. My insurance doesn't reset until May. I am on a high deductible plan and after the first $5000 will have to pay the next $5000 of covered items (which does not include IVF).

Hopefully we'll get some others on here with some more insight.

 

[beaglemom]

I am using the clear blue monitor. 1st month on clomid i had a normal ovulation on CD 15 (well intense because of clomid, normal timing). Last cycle I ovulated on CD 11 & started getting highs on my mnitor on CD7. So today I was very anxious. The monitor says LOW! I am actually happy about this. My husband is on 3rd shift, so getting sex in can be hard & not so sexy. Anyways, with the way things are going, hopefully I will ovulate on his next set of days off! Plus I was a little nervous about having such an early ovulation last month. Also it was not intense like month 1. I did still have regular ovulation signs, but the 1st cycle I was on the couch for a whole night from cramps & back pain.

Just out of curiosity, do you know your husband's count? I have no clue how to read the motility & all that. My husband is actually very excited to have his doctor appointment next week. Hopefully we will get some positive info.

 

[moni77]

His count was 14.7 - average is above 60, subfertile is below 20 (this is in millions)
Motility was at 49% - normal is above 50% so not so bad
Morphology was 9% (normal 30%) and 3% (normal 14%) depending on the scale used.

I use the clear blue monitor as well. I had my day 3 blood work done this morning. They will call me this afternoon to give me the all clear to start the clomid tonight and make the appointment for a scan next week.

Trying to have hope this cycle!!!

 

[beaglemom]

Well I may go buy OPKs as a back up...I was so lost last cycle with the early O. But the monitor has been spot on in the past lining up with cm & other symptoms. But last month I got an early peak along with symptoms...we did our thing...then cm started showing back up...My husband has some performance anxiety as well...so we did not do any back up sex. But I told him this month we are going to keep at it & try to have more fun. We go every other day during fertile time. I wanted to be doing every 3 days when not ovulating, but he got all messed up last night Anyways, low on the monitor but the cm has started today & my back just started hurting & a slight headache. Those could be anything. He takes some pick me up pills so he shoud be ready for me tonight. If not, I am off tomorrow so we will have more time & it will be less stressful. It is so much easier when he is off because we have more time to give it another go if the first attempt fails.

 

[moni77]

I have never used OPKs - just the monitor. Hope the timing works out this week. Hubby is out of town next tues and wed - which is prime fertility time - but I think the IUI will be thursday - and they usually like at least 36 hours of abstention before that.

I hope the timing works out this month anyways!!

Happy Thanksgiving?

 

[moni77]

Well my estrogen on the day 3 labs was high - which means no clomid and no IUI this cycle afterall. Is it odd that this news devastated me more then the BFN last week? I little cried after I hung up the phone. I felt like this was going to be the month and now I have no shot. I guess I will take this month for me - try to get back into a regular routine at the gym and enjoy the holiday season.

So onto the new year for me...

 

[beaglemom]

what does it mean when it is too high? are you able to try naturally?

 

[moni77]

It means that a cyst developed which usually takes a cycle to reabsorb - so I can't take the clomid and I am pretty sure they wont do the IUI without it. We can still try naturally but I don't have any hope of that working. I was looking forward to a bday/Christmas BFP.

I go back on Monday for a scan to see the state of the cyst and they will make a decision then about what to do for the rest of the cycle.

 

[beaglemom]

well I hope you can still try...and if you can't, maybe it will be nice to have the month off no stressing about it...then start fresh in the new year

But I know how bummed you must be feeling to just be at the beginning & think this cycle is garbage...but I hope that's not the case.

 

[ERosePW]

Hi girls! Hope you don't mind me popping over! Beaglemom, how many days behind you am I? Today is cd1 for me now. I'm hoping everyone is right and that the third time is be a charm. Starting my third round of clomid in a few days. My dr did up my dose, but since I was so low before, I just feel like I'm finally at the normal dose! I'm feeling good about this being the month for us.

Moni, sorry about your blood test. Let us know what you find out at your next appt! I hope it's better news. If not, like you said, take this month for you, and enjoy the holidays while you try naturally. You never know, I've heard some stories of women who get prego during exactly that type of cycle.

 

[beaglemom]

Today is CD 9 for me...still low on my clear blue monitor...but it looks like that means my husband's schedule will fit great with O day!

 

[alicarr74]

Today I am starting my 3rd cycle on clomid 50 mg on CD 5-9. I really hope this one takes. My dr does not plan on letting me do clomid longer than 3 cycles. We recently found out my husband has a low count (12 million). He has an appointment on the 4th to get further testing. My dr originally put me on clomid hoping to boost my eggs. I O on my own before the clomid. I really do not want to move on to IUI & IVF, but will if that is what it comes down to.

I have placed a call in to my dr requesting an increase this cycle to 100 mg. I have also asked about progesterone. I usually spot a few days before my period & I have read this could be a sign my levels are not high enough. I heard taking it cannot hurt, so I would rather be safe.






Anyways, looking for more clomid users to get through the month of December with me.

Have they not tested you on Cd 20-24 for your levels? I am wishing you luck, but I think you may want to get a second opinion. I was told that clomid was solely to make you ovulate, that it had nothing to do with eggs. I got pregnant on my first round, but the baby couldn't attach so I miscarried, I am on my fifth cycle, and I am a day late with brown bleeding...hoping this is not another chemical! If I did not get pregnant this time I will be in the same boat getting DH tested this month!

 

[beaglemom]

No it is not just to ovulate. It is also used to boost eggs. It has a lot to do with what days you take it. I have seen it a lot online & also on these forums. Doctors do it all the time. I am sure she would not recommend the higher dose since I do ovulate. But I am more concerned with the progesterone. She has not done any monitoring while on clomid which is also common. I am sure she has a plan when I come in after the 3 cycles. I have an appointment on Tues. I was going to cancel it & wait until the cycle is over, but I may just go anyways since they haven't called me back. I have a feeling they just decided to close for the week. Very common in this town for offices to completely shut down during holidays.

 

[beaglemom]

So this cycle of clomid is giving me extreme headaches. I can not see anything else causing it. I had all the lights off last night & my laptop completely dimmed...still had to take tylenol so I could sleep.

 

[ERosePW]

Yup, clomid is also used for better egg quality, more mature follicles, regulating women's cycles, and even the chance of releasing more than one egg (which is a better chance of fertilizing at least one). I was O'ing on my own before clomid too, but I O'd really early. When that happens, the follicles aren't always given enough time to mature, or there's a possibility that if you do fertilize, the uterine lining hasn't been given enough time to thicken so implantation may not be successful. The clomid pushed my O out by a few days, exactly like my doc wanted. And like beaglemom, I am not monitored yet either. Since I was getting a temp rise, my dr felt comfortable that we could do it like this for a few months.

I am, however, seeing my dr on the 11th to discuss getting bloods done next cycle, and make sure my hormones are where they need to be (also thyroid, sugar, etc). But that's just because I want to rule some things out, or if something isn't right, I can go ahead and do what I need to do before wasting anymore time.

 

[ERosePW]

So this cycle of clomid is giving me extreme headaches. I can not see anything else causing it. I had all the lights off last night & my laptop completely dimmed...still had to take tylenol so I could sleep.

Ugh, so sorry about the awful headaches!! I've heard of others getting that too! I didn't have that on the 25m, but we'll see what happens on the 50m. Just what we need, right? Ugh. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[ERosePW]

Also alicarr, so sorry about the CP in your first round. I know that has to be hard. Try not to worry about the brown blood... I seem to read about that a LOT, prior to either AF or a bfp. I had a lot of it a couple cycles ago, and then just brown spotting this last cycle. I wasn't prego, but I've also seen a lot of women who got that prior to a bfp too, and went on to have healthy pregnancies. In fact, seems very common. So don't let yourself worry, although I'm sure that's hard after you had a CP once.