Previous experience with Letrozole/Femara

meg_koole

I am in the middle of my first IUI cycle with 5mg of Letrozole/Femara.  I am wondering if anyone can tell me what their experience was as far as follicle results.  I took the drugs Day 3-7 and had follie check yesterday on day 10.  I had 1 follicle and it was only 11mm.  (We are checking again on Friday to see if it, or any others, mature, but can't do IUI because my clinic isn't open on weekends and I have to leave town on Sunday night for the whole week for work ... )

 So, here is my question.  What were your results/doses/days?  If you needed to do a second cycle and you used Letrozole again, were the results any better? 

Any experience/stories would be helpful.  I know we are all different, but it is good to know how others reacted.  I specifically am wondering if it is one where maybe the first time around you don't respond as well, but you could respond better the next...

 

SNB2B

Hi Meg. I just started Femara 5 mg yesterday. So, I don't know how i'll react to it but I'll let you know! Keep me updated on your cycle as well!

meg_koole

Sounds good!!!!!  Like I said, I did 5mg days 3-7 and didn't have a very good response.  I am going back in on Friday to see how the 11mm follie progressed, but at that point it is too late to do IUI   They told us that if it is big enough they will trigger me and we can "do it the old fashioned way" so at least this cycle isn't a complete waste, but my DH sperm count was quite low, so not holding out a TON of hope.  But, hey, we finally get to try, so I will take it!

I am sending you tons of good follie vibes   When do you go back in?

ronatxtx

Hi..not a regular poster , but I've taken Femara several times. My first experience for days 5-9 resulted in one 14mm follie day 12. Four days later it reached a 20mm which is when they triggered me. Each time since then, I have had two follies.

This is my last try with it (5th IUI). 

Good luck! 

meg_koole

Ronatxtx,

Thank you for your feedback.  It seems like the Femara takes a little longer to work and works better over several cycles (at least for you). 

lad to know it, just would have liked to have that info ahead of time from the clinic so I could have re-arranged my work schedule.  Urgh.  They seemed fairly confident that I would come in, do my follie check (day 10), trigger that night, then IUI on Day 12 so I wasn't too worried about going out of town on 5 days later.  Oh well.

Again, thank you!

Mrs.LizzieD

As you can see from my siggy, I've done 5 mg femara cd 3-7 three times- twice I had three mature follies, and the second cycle was canceled due to having 6.  I don't think that my response is typical, however; most women will produce fewer if they respond well.  All in all, I guess you could say that my responses were: good, better, too good.

  If you don't respond well to any drug once, I don't think you should assume you never will.  Good luck!!

meg_koole

Perfect!  Thanks Mrs.LizzieD.  That is what I was wondering.  I don't want to give up on the Letrozole, but I also don't want to waste time on it if responses don't improve, you know what I mean????

GL to you too!!!

georgiagirl1212

Sorry, Mrs.LizzieD is my old nest name and I was signed in under that...my siggy is actually in this response   Glad I could help!

halfnhalf

i had an okay response to femara - not fabulous but better than clomid.  anyway, i didn't have much going on around cd11ish.  for me, it took until about cd18 or so to actually show a mature follie and triggered around then too.  i have heard it tends to be a slower response more often than not, but it sure did make it hard to plan around because you just never know.  i hope your trip doesn't interfere and that you have a better response at your next scan!

meg_koole

Thanks halfnhalf!  Really appreciate your response/sharing your experience!

I just wish that they would have given me a heads up that it could/prob would take longer.  When I talked to them on Day 3 they seemed pretty confident I would be ready this week. 

I feel more confident now going forward hearing that people had slower responses and better responses on cycles after the first one.

lindsaymaea

This is my 2nd cycle taking it. The first time I took 5mg days 3-7 and had no mature follicles. this cycle I took 7.5mg days 3-7, on day 12 I had one 14mm. I went back today (day 14) and it was 19mm and was given trigger. IUI is scheduled for tomorrow.

Good luck!

meg_koole

Lindsaymaea, I didn't realize they could go any higher on the dose, so that is helpful.

I think my clinic is just bringing me in too early.  Doesn't seem like anyone has anything usable at Day 10.  I am OOP so it would be nice if we could do as few U/S as possible...

Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences, VERY helpful and reassuring!!!!!!!!

jennype

This is my first cycle on femara.  I took 5mg cd3-7.  I went in today for cd9 ultrasound and had 3 follicles @12/13.  I go back Monday for another ultrasound.  I usually o @ day 14/15.