Femara for IUI (low reserve)- does it shorten the time for ovulation?

KLake42

I just finished my second round of femara, gearing up for my second IUI.  Today is CD 10.  

More background-- I tested for low reserve, just turned 38, and TTC for the first time in my life.

By my best guess, in the last few months I've O'ed (or at least maybe O'ed, based on timing of LH surge) around CD 16, 15, and 14.

Last month, my first month with femara, I think I O'ed on day 13 (the day before the IUI).

Today, my RE did an ultrasound, is pleased with the size of my one juicy follicle.  Since I had a very faint lint on the OPK this morning, she ran a blood test for LH, and she decided to schedule my IUI for tomorrow morning.  I'm not even using the trigger shot this week.

So, it sounds like she thinks I'll O all on my own on CD 11.  That feels really early!

I'm not second guessing her (though I'll keep charting my temps and using the OPKs to monitor), but for those of you using IUI-- does femara speed up your cycle, so you ovulate earlier than you might otherwise?  I know it increases your chances of actually ovulating (for those of us who might not ovulate every month).  But does it also speed things up?

And as long as we're talking about femara-- it really made my joints ache this time around, especially my hands and feet.  I don't want to complain, since some women take this long term for a very serious reason.  But have any of y'all had to deal with that?

przemosbabe

Sorry I have not taken letrozole before for ovulation. I did take if as part of a successful frozen embryo transfer while being suppressed with Lupron and I did not have this joint pain you speak of, I do know that stimulation medications can push forward hour ovulation, but that shouldn't matter. Best wishes,

KLake42

Thank you!

As it turns out, my LH did surge, and my temperature shot up, so I'm hoping that meant I really did ovulate, even though it seemed so early.

amazeballz

I've been taking femara and it didn't alter my schedule. Maybe different people may respond differently? The first time I took it I had really bad body aches. Thankfully these last 2 times I didn't. Good luck!

tpete12

I took Femera in January. From what the pharmacist told me I should have ovulated on the 28th from it, but according to my ultrasounds, it made me ovulate very quickly after taking it. I also had no side effects to it - sorry to hear that you did.