Clomid w/o monitoring?

ball.and.chain

Due to slightly irregular hormone levels, my midwives have recommended I start 50 mg Clomid next month if this cycle doesn't work.  Unlike an RE's office, they don't do regular monitoring/ultrasounds -- I am just supposed to take the Clomid on days 5-9 and let them know if I have any significant side effects (which they went over with me in detail at my last appointment, both the "normal" ones like headaches and hot flashes, and the more rare, serious side effects that could indicate ovarian enlargement).  I have read a lot of posts on another board stating that it is EXTREMELY dangerous to take Clomid without monitoring, and that you should run as fast as you can away from any provider who recommends you do so.

Which has me a little worried.  But then I remember that the midwives are professionals who do this for a living, and their practice is supervised by REs who are also professionals who do this for a living...whereas the people posting on the Bump are...not.  So it makes more sense to trust the midwives, but the whole thing makes me kind of nervous.  So I thought I'd ask you all if you have taken Clomid with or without monitoring, and what you've been told about it from your providers?

FWIW, I checked the lesbian conception books to see what they say; Brill recommends monitoring (but I don't know if she goes so far as to say it's highly dangerous not to be) and Pepper just says many/most women are monitored while on Clomid but doesn't make a judgment call about it.  I returned TCOYF to the library but I don't remember Wechsler discussing this issue.  I've seen other information that says certain women should be monitored but not necessarily all.

Any thoughts welcome.  TIA.

kendylann

We did three cycles of Clomid with no monitoring. Can't really say whether it was good or bad since we had BFNs all three cycles (like the 11 that came before them) but just wanted to let you know other providers use that protocol as well. Those were our last three cycles before switching from the Nurse Practitioner to the Fancy-Schmancy RE Clinic, but we had our RE consultation between the second and third Clomid cycles and she didn't express the slightest hint of concern about us doing one more unmonitored cycle before officially switching. I feel like she would have said something if that was totally contrary to her professional experience or ethics.

LV1979

We are in the middle of our TWW on our second IUI attempt and our first with Clomid. 

My concern would be that is sped up DWs cycle by about a week and I would worry that you might miss O. 

However we are using a trigger and not waiting for a positive OPK.  She was on 50mg of Clomid from days 3-8 with monitoring on day 12 and 13 followed by back to back IUIs on day 15 and 16.  On day 13 she had two follies likely to go and one trucking along and possible.  We would not have completed the cycle had there been more follies than that even close to mature.  Our first cycle we didnt insem until like days 19 and 20 so it sped it up a quite a bit.

Like I said this is only our second cycle and our first on clomid so we are by no means experts.  That is just the route our RE is taking with us. I do know that my MIL took clomid 33 years ago while TTC DW and she said they did nothing as far as moitoring back then and I know the drug has been around for even longer than that so I would imagine it would be ok anf if you trust your midwives you are good to go. 

Good luck this cycle and happy sticky baby thoughts for everyone!!! 

bluedaisyus

We've always used an RE and none of our Clomid cycles were monitored other than checking follicle size on day 12 or 13, somewhere around there. It's possible it's changed since those books were written, but it's a pretty normal protocol now as far as I know.

ball.and.chain

LV1979:

My concern would be that is sped up DWs cycle by about a week and I would worry that you might miss O. 

This I did hear about from someone else on this board, so I asked the midwife I saw last time and she confirmed that it is likely.  Usually I O on cd 19 or 20 so I will be expecting it earlier, but as long as I start OPKs right after the end of AF (which is pretty much when the package tells you to start anyway), I should catch it.

Two*True

bluedaisyus:

We've always used an RE and none of our Clomid cycles were monitored other than checking follicle size on day 12 or 13, somewhere around there. It's possible it's changed since those books were written, but it's a pretty normal protocol now as far as I know.

But that is monitoring.  The fact that you there were follicle size checks qualifies those cycles as monitored.  When I think of unmonitored I think of no checks at all.  Meaning the person won't know if they accidentally grown 12 follicles. kwim?

 

I took clomid and I was monitored. I personally would not take clomid unmonitored since I had no known fertility problems and we were just using clomid to up the odds of having more than one follie.  

 

2brides

Two*True:

bluedaisyus:

We've always used an RE and none of our Clomid cycles were monitored other than checking follicle size on day 12 or 13, somewhere around there. It's possible it's changed since those books were written, but it's a pretty normal protocol now as far as I know.

But that is monitoring.  The fact that you there were follicle size checks qualifies those cycles as monitored.  When I think of unmonitored I think of no checks at all.  Meaning the person won't know if they accidentally grown 12 follicles. kwim?

 

I took clomid and I was monitored. I personally would not take clomid unmonitored since I had no known fertility problems and we were just using clomid to up the odds of having more than one follie.  

Ditto to Two. I was taking 50mg of Clomid and on the cycle I got pregnant had 5 follicles. Thankfully 3 of them were small, but if they hadn't been and I wasn't monitored, it could have been a disaster.

leapgirl8

I think it comes down to your comfort level. I would not do it without monitoring. Yes, it would *probably* be fine, but if it's not, there are some pretty scary possibilities.

bluedaisyus

Two*True:

bluedaisyus:

We've always used an RE and none of our Clomid cycles were monitored other than checking follicle size on day 12 or 13, somewhere around there. It's possible it's changed since those books were written, but it's a pretty normal protocol now as far as I know.

But that is monitoring.  The fact that you there were follicle size checks qualifies those cycles as monitored.  When I think of unmonitored I think of no checks at all.  Meaning the person won't know if they accidentally grown 12 follicles. kwim?

I guess I don't think of that as monitoring because if we hadn't been triggering we wouldn't have had that U/S. If we had been on a Clomid+OPK protocol we wouldn't have had it, from what I know of others who have used the same RE--although it's certainly possible I'm mistaken about that since it wasn't our protocol.

jeannkerricotober09

I did 3 unmonitored clomid cycles and got pregnant on the 3rd.   I was really nervous about it but both my ob/gyn and my RE (big Boston clinic and not affiliated with my ob) said it was normal to do so, on such a low dose and with no fertility problems.  I wouldn't have done it if I had a history of cysts or.. (drawing a blank..).  When I got pregnant and had my first internal and my uterus was 'large' and my OB said she 'wouldn't be surprised at all if there was more than one' I nearly fainted and had a *very* anxious few weeks until my first u/s (I was picturing a basketball team).  Thankfully there was only one (and a forward tilted uterus).

While I didn't have anything happen but I don't know if I would recommend it.  It was pretty nerve wracking but we had been trying for a year with no known problems so I was willing to try anything.

ball.and.chain

Thanks, all -- I really appreciate everyone's input.  I have lots to think about.  Switch to RE?  Take December off?  Go ahead with the unmonitored Clomid?  Not sure how I'm leaning, to be honest.  Just hoping this cycle is a success, because then I don't have to decide.