Confused on Clomid—Multiple Days of Positive OPKs

Fenderbot

Hi lovely ladies! I lurk 99.9% of the time, but I really need some advice about OPKs…well and really any other insight/advice you can offer up based on my situation. Sorry in advance for this really long post. Here’s a little background first…

DH and I have been TTC for 1 year 3 months. Since going off of birth control last year, I’ve had very irregular periods (including 2 instances of 60+ days between periods.) My OB/GYN ordered blood work which showed normal levels across the board (her words.) She said that she’s leery of putting me in the PCOS category because I’m a healthy weight, active, and show no other symptoms other than anovulation. I completely trust her, so I had no reason to doubt anything that she’s saying or prescribing.

She then prescribed me 50 mg of clomid for last month and said that she wanted to do that for 3 months and if it didn’t work, then she would refer me to an RE. (Please read on before getting upset that I’m taking clomid unmonitored prescribed from an OB/GYN.)

I took clomid last month on CD 3-7. Then I started lurking more on this board and found that I REALLY should not be taking clomid unmonitored. I called my OB/GYN panicked and spoke with two nurses who basically told me to calm down and to stop reading the internet. And that my OB is very familiar with clomid and they prescribe it all the time to women who are unmonitored and have no issues. And that they don’t do monitoring like that at their clinic.

I was just so confused and didn’t know what to do, so I just kept going on with it. I did get a positive OPK on CD16 and fertility friend detected ovulation with a BBT spike. I got a BFN for that clomid cycle. When I got AF, I called my OB to check in and she said that since I ovulated that month, she didn’t want to change the dosage and told me to do everything the same.

So I started the Clomid again on November 5 (CD3) – then talked to a friend who strongly encouraged me to go above the OB/GYN and get myself to a fertility specialist. Due to my insurance, I’m limited with fertility clinics (they have to be centers of excellence) – so I don’t have my first appointment with an RE until December 1^st which is the earliest day they could fit me in. I’m very excited to go to an RE and to FINALLY understand what’s going on. Right now I’m just feeling very confused because I’ve obviously already done the Clomid damage by taking it again this month unmonitored (hanging my head in shame.)

I’ve been tracking my BBT and doing OPKs…which brings me to my current confusion. I’ve had flashing smiley’s (high LH level) for the past 5 days. I did online research and found out that I shouldn’t take OPKs until 3 days after my last day of Clomid – it would have been nice if my OB told me that! So I’m scraping the flashing smileys on CD8-10, but I had flashing smileys on CD 11 and CD 12 (today.) No solid smiley yet, which indicates "peak" LH surge.

I just don’t know if I should keep taking the OPKs and also what about BD—we’ve BD every day this week since Monday because I don’t know what to believe with the OPK… I’m just so confused about every part of this…everything. This whole process is just discouraging and stressful. Thanks for any insight you can provide.

And I don’t know how to attach my FF chart…I’ll take easy directions if anyone wants to see itJ

Fenderbot

Thank you so much for the responses! I really appreciate you taking the time to read my story and provide me insight. 

I read that Chlomid can cause false positive OPKs but I didn't realize it would do that throughout the cycle, not just on the 3 days after the last pill.

I'll be very happy not to play the guessing game anymore. Like I said, the damage is already done for this month...but I won't be taking Chlomid again unmonitored. We have not done a semen analysis - I totally agree putting my body through Chlomid without knowing all of that information is pointless. That's why I'm just so happy that I'm going to an RE soon. I'm just sad that I've wasted 2 Chlomid cycles because of this, but oh well...I can only get smarter from here!!

LindseyM2012

I'm so glad you're going to see an RE! Based on what you've said, I'd just keep having sex all the time and hope for the best this cycle. If it works, great. If not, do not return to that ob/gyn until you get released from your RE with a healthy pregnancy. As I'm sure you know from lurking, the RE is going to do an SA for your husband and an HSG for you. Those are the two HUGE pieces of information you're missing right now that can make ovulation-inducing medications a moot point (hopefully not, but it is possible).

Good luck and I hope Dec 1st comes quickly for you!

coaster102516

Your story is almost exactly like mine! I took clomid/femara from my OBGYN who did ultrasounds and one round of blood work. I too wised up and went to see a RE for proper tests and monitoring. My blood work was also normal except for a slightly AMH level that was a little elevated if I remember correctly. I have no other signs of pcos but pcos ovaries and one abnormal blood test.

From my experience, I would suggest your partner to do a SA and before you do any more rounds of Clomid, check to see if your tubes are clear. Clomid won't help if tubes are blocked. That is the one test I'm so glad I did.

Also, if your RE is willing, do the ovidrel shot in addition to clomid to induce ovulation. Takes the guess work out of ovulation. I found temping an opks were stressful and hard on us. Good luck!

BunnyBerry

I'm so sorry for what your OB has put you through.

You might not want to hear this, but...

I highly recommend putting yourself on a BD schedule of no baby dancing right now. Without monitoring, for all you know you currently have 6 follies ready to mature and O. It's not worth the risk to have sex when you're undergoing ovarian stimulation and cannot ascertain how many follicles are developing.

I thought about it long and hard before suggesting that, but I believe I would do the same thing, just stop the BDing for this cycle (since Clomid messes with temps and you can't confirm when O occurred, unless you get progesteron bloodwork), and hold off on any more meds until the Dec 1st RE appointment.

DharmaChick

I am glad that you will be seeing an RE soon. I have a great OB/GYN too, but they are simply not the experts when it comes to infertility.

Fenderbot said:

She said that she’s leery of putting me in the PCOS category because I’m a healthy weight, active, and show no other symptoms other than anovulation.

I don't fit the "typical" PCOS profile, either (in fact my primary care doctor didn't believe if when she saw it in my records) but I've never had a regular cycle, my hormone levels definitely show that I have PCOS, and my follicles are in that telltale circle or "string of pearls" layout.

I'm not a doctor, and I'm certainly not telling you that you have PCOS, but figured I would share my situation.  Your RE will help pinpoint the cause of your anovulation.

I also mention this because my RE recently mentioned that OPKs can be also unreliable for someone with PCOS.

Fenderbot

Thanks again to everyone. BunnyBerry, as much as it pains me...I'm going to follow your advice. Here's to my RE appointment on December 1st!!