Ok, posted this already elsewhere but here goes..

[PJS1982]

Clomid risks?

We've been TTC #4 for a year with two chemicals during that time. I had a visit with my dr yesterday and after a cervical exam she said she doesn't feel anything "stuck" (one of my worries after 2 cesareans -adhesions) but wants to do an u/s and test my AMH. She said it was to see if I had low ovarian reserve. I am 31 and DH is 32 and we conceived 2 and 3 in less than a year without any mc's. She said if my results aren't great, she might start me on a low dose of clomid. It makes me a little nervous. I've never taken any prescription drugs besides percocet after my c-sections.

My biggest fear is that if I AM ovulating on my own (which she believes I am, my BBT chart last month showed O and I get positive OPKs, fertile CM etc) can clomid actually HURT me? or my chances of getting pregnant? I know there is a low risk of multiples, but the risk isn't high enough for me to feel it's actually there (watch me eat my words ) but I've heard of the hyper stimulated ovaries syndrome and was wondering if that is a significantly high risk, especially if I do ovulate on my own? What would be the purpose of clomid if I am ovulating? Does it improve egg quality as well? I've been taking vitex, royal jelly and red raspberry leaf for 6 months, and never stopped prenatals since my DS2 was born 20 months ago. (BFing) I am hoping my egg quality is good. If anyone can answer my millions of questions, I'd be forever grateful.

I want to get all the info I can before I go back in two weeks for my tests and u/s. I don't want to be staring at a prescription debating on whether or not to fill it, you know? I want to have my mind made up and be as informed as I can.

 

[pandi77]

It seems strange that she would want to give you clomid if you are ovulating to me of course I'm not a doctor. If you are ovulating and your OH has quality sperm then perhaps the eggies aren't making down to your uterus? Did you say that they checked your tubes when they were testing you? I found out through an hsg test that one of my tubes was blocked and was able to get pregnant after years of trying once it was cleared up. I can't say much about clomid because like you I used vitex when I wasn't ovulating and it did the trick but I hear good and bad things about it from those who have. Our friend had to go off clomid because of hyper stimulation of her ovaries and it was pretty bad. However there are tons of women on here who have had lots of success with it.

Good luck and hope the path you take leads to a bfp!

 

[PJS1982]

She didn't do any testing yet. She wants to do an ultrasound and check my AMH in two weeks and then decide whether or not to go ahead with the clomid. I did ask about blocked tubes and she said she didn't think that was it, but if I want her to do more testing, she'll refer me to an RE. I'm not sure about why she suggested clomid, unless it is a "time is of the essence" issue? If I do have low ovarian reserve? I'm not even sure, which is why I'm trying to get answers. I was a bit overwhelmed when first speaking to her yesterday and wasn't sure which questions to ask, as it took me a bit by surprise. I want to research all I can so I can bombard her with questions when I go in for labs and my u/s.

when your friend had the hyperstim'd ovaries, was there surgery needed to fix that? That is a HUGE fear of mine with the clomid. I'm wondering if there are any less aggressive meds that I can try first before clomid...

 

[Palladium]

Clomid is generally given for 1 of 2 reasons:

1. You aren't ovulating
2. You are ovulating but not very well.

Clomid is often given to women who do ovulate on their own as a way of improving the quality, it acts by encouraging the production of estrogen which can help kickstart ovulation and result in better quality follicles. I don't think there is anything 'less aggressive' because clomid is actually pretty mild already. And clomid is a tablet, whereas the other drugs they can try are injected, so clomid is usually the easiest thing to start with.

I'm currently on my third round of clomid. I do ovulate on my own, but I sometimes have an anovulatory cycle, and my tracking tests showed that I wasn't getting the best follicles. I'm on a very low dose (25mg on days 2-6) which for me seems to be just enough to get a better follicle without resulting in multiples. No luck yet, but I'm hopeful we'll get there soon.

As far as I know, clomid can't hurt your chances if you already ovulate, but it could help if things need a boost. It doesn't always work and you may need to go on to other treatments, but most docs like to try it first if they can't find anything else wrong. You should always be started at a low dose and monitored to reduce the risk of mulitple follicles, and it's only about 10% anyway (according to my fertility specialist).

I hope this helps, good luck!

 

[PJS1982]

Clomid is generally given for 1 of 2 reasons:

1. You aren't ovulating
2. You are ovulating but not very well.

Clomid is often given to women who do ovulate on their own as a way of improving the quality, it acts by encouraging the production of estrogen which can help kickstart ovulation and result in better quality follicles. I don't think there is anything 'less aggressive' because clomid is actually pretty mild already. And clomid is a tablet, whereas the other drugs they can try are injected, so clomid is usually the easiest thing to start with.

I'm currently on my third round of clomid. I do ovulate on my own, but I sometimes have an anovulatory cycle, and my tracking tests showed that I wasn't getting the best follicles. I'm on a very low dose (25mg on days 2-6) which for me seems to be just enough to get a better follicle without resulting in multiples. No luck yet, but I'm hopeful we'll get there soon.

As far as I know, clomid can't hurt your chances if you already ovulate, but it could help if things need a boost. It doesn't always work and you may need to go on to other treatments, but most docs like to try it first if they can't find anything else wrong. You should always be started at a low dose and monitored to reduce the risk of mulitple follicles, and it's only about 10% anyway (according to my fertility specialist).

I hope this helps, good luck!

Best info! Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was needing to know. Glad to hear there are lower doses than 50mg. Everyone I've seen talking about clomid said they were on a "low dose of 50mg". Your explanation makes so much more sense than what I was coming up with in my head! haha thank you!!!!! And good luck to you, as well!

 

[Palladium]

You're welcome and thank you!

I'm taking half a tablet a day. My RE really wants me to avoid multiple follicles because I'm overweight and the risks are higher, so since I can ovulate in my own she started me at 25 even though you usually start at 50, just to be safe. A lot of people don't find any improvement at lower doses, so they usually bump you up each month until you respond well, usually it goes 50, 100, 150, 200 and they stop when they hit the right dose for you. And as I understand it you're not likely to have significant hyper stimulation with clomid, it usually takes the drugs they give you for IVF to get that.