Clomid: time of day and side effects?

reinstone · October 2011

Hi everyone. I think I know a lot of you from TTGP, but I'll post a proper intro later today when I'm at a computer

I am starting on Clomid today (which is surreal), and I have a couple of questions. First, what time of day is best? The NP told me any time but the same time every day, but I wasn't sure if anyone had an opinion or experience with a better or worse time of day.

Second, do I need to take it with food? I'll read the bottle when I pick it up!

And last, what side effects can I expect? I've heard about the hot flashes and mood swings - anything else I should prepare myself for? TIA!

RobinR91 · October 2011

Hi there! I remember you from TTGP too. I take clomid at night, to minimize me feeling the side effects. I didn't take it with food, per se, but I'd eat dinner around 8, and take my pill around 11. I would definitely recommend drinking a lot of water all month. The biggest complaint I had was bloating (like, my pants won't button bloating) which unfortunately is normal. I've read that clomid dries up CM, and I'd say that was true for me as well.

The most important thing you can do while on clomid is get popper monitoring (u/s mid cycle...I went in CD10, but I've read others are later, CD 14 or so) to be sure the Dr knows what he's working with. Also, if this cycle isn't it for you, don't take clomid again until you've receive a baseline U/S. On my monitoring day 3 appointment they foiund two huge cysts (another clomid side effect). If I continued to take clomid, they only would have gotten bigger. Monitoring monitoring monitoring.

I know what you mean about it feeling sureal to be on Clomid. I know it can be scary, but try to keep in mind how many thousands of babies are born becaAUSE of it. Its the next step in the process for us. Good luck to you!

Gregermis · October 2011

Awwwwwwwww... i know you reinstone... sorry you are starting to make your way over here. My RE recommended taking it in the evening so you were sleeping through the worst of the side effects. I always took it with a little snack just cuz and I was find.

I had basically no s/e 1st round, but they have steadily gotten worse. The mood swings weren't bad for me... mostly it was the hotflashes... those sucked!

ETA: while it didn't try up my CM too badly (definitely some)... it made sex uncomfortable. Sad That issue went away on our natural cycles and came back each time I took clomid so I"m pretty sure they are related

Shayliz · October 2011

I took it at night so I could try and sleep through most of the side effects. I did not take it with food.

My side effects were hot flashes, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, and headaches the next day on my first cycle. 2nd cycle was hot flashes, insomnia, and headaches.

tombomb84 · October 2011

I always take it at night, which was my RE's suggestion.

I don't believe you need to take it with food, but you do need to drink a LOT of water. I found that this helped to alleviate some of the s/e.

As for s/e, I really didn't find them to be too bad but I was only on 50mg. I had hot flashes and moodiness mostly.

Good luck!

Edit: I forgot to add that the clomid did affect the quality of my CM and after 3 abnormal post coitals I had to have IUIs.

nursemama2be · October 2011

I take my clomid at night. I did get some pretty intense hot flashes, moodiness and I was really tired. To help with the decreased CM I did acupuncture, took robitussin and drank a ton of water. Good luck!

emu0013 · October 2011

I tried both morning and night because I had really bad insomnia with it. Literally up all night long, which in turn may have made me slightly grumpy. Also, I had head aches and bloating with it. Good Luck!

2have2hold · October 2011

Hey Rein, I recognize you from TTGP, sorry you have to make your way over here. Hopefully though your stay will be short Smile

I was lucky in that I didn't experience any of the crazy s/e of Clomid. I did get occasional hot flashes but I barely noticed them. I also took the pills right before bedtime.

GL!

limpetfan · October 2011

I remember you, reinstone! I'm so sorry you're having to move over here, though.

I was told to take Clomid at bedtime, so I'd sleep through most of the side effects. Even taking it at night, I still had hot flashes and moments of over-emotional-ness. Nothing that was unmanageable.

Good luck!

buckeyebaby814 · October 2011

Hi & welcome! I remember you from TTGP! I am at the end of my first clomid cycle and the only s/e's I experienced were hot flashes (worse the first couple of nights) and mood swings with some anxiety thrown in there. Otherwise it was ok. I took my pills at night to hopefully help keep away the side effects.

Near O, I was extremely bloated and could feel every twinge of O pain and the day I O'd, it was all gone by the time I went to bed. Other than that, it wasn't too bad. Good luck to you!

ETA: I took mine a couple hours after dinner, no food at the time of taking it since I was going to bed!

KdgTeacher · October 2011

My RE says to take it between 6-9PM. I take it at 9. I had more side effects on 25mg than I did this round with alternating 50 & 25mg.

marianj79 · October 2011

I started Clomid this cycle with 100 mg doses. I had only one side effect: sleeplessness. I had a ton of trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Good luck!!