What would TTCAL do?

paisleybaby33

So as most of you know, I had my kidney surgeries about a month ago. Before we knew that this was going to be a problem we started on our first medicated cycle back after our loss - 50 mg of Clomid. This is the dose we originally got PG with. I took all five pills, days 3-7, but at the urge of both my OB and urologist, we had to TTA for the entire cycle due to fears of issues if I did get PG from the anesthesia, high doses of pain meds, etc. Well, after all that I was going through, I stopped temping, did not use a single OPK, no monitoring, nothing. So I have no idea if I O'ed, or what. Then, to boot, I never got a period. I am currently on CD 42, and tonight will be my 9th pill of Provera - one day left. The hope is I will get AF by this weekend. So here is the question ---- I talked to my OB last week and she indicated that she did not want to up my Clomid dosage to 100 mg this month, because she felt that the reason I didn't O was due to the stress my body was under, all the meds I was on, etc. But I'm just worried thinking that if I didn't O because my body didn't respond to the 50 mg, then this whole cycle will be a waste, and then I will have to do Provera all over again, and then we're talking about another 50 day cycle. Would you ladies trust your doctor, hoping that she knows what she's doing, or push to have her increase the dosage to 100 mg?

I just feel like we've wasted sooooooo much time since the m/c and I have not had one flucking cycle that we could try to actually get a BFP. I've waited 3 1/2 months for this chance and I don't want to waste it.

funny bunny

I personally have no experience with these issues, but if your Dr. has been reliable and knowledgeable (read: Correct) up to now, I would tend to go with her recommendation. 

*FX*

LSzwaya

I don't have any experience with Clomid but I can understand what you're saying and worried about. If you feel  the 100 is the right decision in your gut, that's what I would push for. 

KDS1987

Please don't take this the wrong way, but 3 1/2 months is not THAT long. It feels like an eternity, and I know you are worried about the prospect of another long cycle. Personally, mine are 40 days ish anyways so 50 doesn't even seem too long either. The reality of it is that M/C can throw your body off completely on its own and you had the lovely opportunity to add in other health problemes on top of that. But I do know where you are coming from and I know it is frustrating. Here is my two cents, if you trust your Dr then follow their orders. If you don't, find a new Dr and get a second opinion. You need to have someone that you trust 100%. Either way, you should do what makes you comfortable. And try not to stress about wasting time, it is hard I know, but that is something you have zero control over.

paisleybaby33

KDS1987:

Please don't take this the wrong way, but 3 1/2 months is not THAT long. It feels like an eternity, and I know you are worried about the prospect of another long cycle. Personally, mine are 40 days ish anyways so 50 doesn't even seem too long either. The reality of it is that M/C can throw your body off completely on its own and you had the lovely opportunity to add in other health problemes on top of that. But I do know where you are coming from and I know it is frustrating. Here is my two cents, if you trust your Dr then follow their orders. If you don't, find a new Dr and get a second opinion. You need to have someone that you trust 100%. Either way, you should do what makes you comfortable. And try not to stress about wasting time, it is hard I know, but that is something you have zero control over.

You are absolutely right that 3 1/2 months is not that long. I agree completely. However, I do have PCOS and do not ovulate AT ALL on my own, so estimating a 50 day cycle is me taking into account 35 days of waiting to see what happened, taking Provera and then waiting for AF. If I waited for my body to do its own thing, I would probably be on CD 150 and still waiting. Hehe. But you are right about having zero control over things. I think because I have been told that we have to have some form of fertility treatment to get PG that I convince myself into thinking I have control over it, but in all reality I don't. Thanks for the little kick in the butt!!

DebateThis

If you ovulated and got pregnant on the smallest dose, then that's what you should go back to.

I am more than a little concerned that you are taking Clomid again but that you don't know if you ovulated or not. Your doctor should be doing bloodwork and ultrasounds throughout your cycle and should be able to tell you exactly how many follicles you had and when you ovulated and what your hormone levels were. You don't need a higher dose of Clomid - you need a doctor to do his job.

paisleybaby33

DebateThis:

If you ovulated and got pregnant on the smallest dose, then that's what you should go back to.

I am more than a little concerned that you are taking Clomid again but that you don't know if you ovulated or not. Your doctor should be doing bloodwork and ultrasounds throughout your cycle and should be able to tell you exactly how many follicles you had and when you ovulated and what your hormone levels were. You don't need a higher dose of Clomid - you need a doctor to do his job. 

The reason nothing was done this cycle in terms of monitoring, FYI, was because I had to have two emergency kidney stone surgeries during the cycle. We all decided that figuring out my TTCAL'ing was a second priority to getting my kidney back to working function after it had shut down from hydronephrosis. It was a decision that was made by myself, MH, my OB and my urologist. And why wouldn't I take Clomid again? As stated in previous posts, I have PCOS and am completely annovular.

DebateThis

paisleybaby33:

DebateThis:

If you ovulated and got pregnant on the smallest dose, then that's what you should go back to.

I am more than a little concerned that you are taking Clomid again but that you don't know if you ovulated or not. Your doctor should be doing bloodwork and ultrasounds throughout your cycle and should be able to tell you exactly how many follicles you had and when you ovulated and what your hormone levels were. You don't need a higher dose of Clomid - you need a doctor to do his job. 

The reason nothing was done this cycle in terms of monitoring, FYI, was because I had to have two emergency kidney stone surgeries during the cycle. We all decided that figuring out my TTCAL'ing was a second priority to getting my kidney back to working function after it had shut down from hydronephrosis. It was a decision that was made by myself, MH, my OB and my urologist. And why wouldn't I take Clomid again? As stated in previous posts, I have PCOS and am completely annovular.

Sorry, my wording was unclear - I think a) if you got pregnant once on a low dose of Clomid, that you should be going back to that treatment plan and b) that you don't know if you ovulated or not since you weren't monitored due to the kidney problems this cycle. It's not safe to assume that it was an annovulatory cycle since you said yourself that you did not have any monitoring and you didn't use OPKs. It's entirely possible that you DID ovulate with the current clomid dose but that the anesthesia just delayed AF/made your LP too long. Adding in MORE Clomid when you've had success before at that dose (and you don't know what happened this cycle) could be a recipe for disaster - too many follies, thinned lining, OHSS, etc. I think it's a very good thing that your doc is being conservative with your dosage.

I've got a kidney defect too and last year I had surgery for it - the anesthesia, pain meds, etc screwed with my cycle that month in a big way.  We had to TTA for five loooong months while they figured out WTH was wrong with me and we waited for surgery approval and some special product and a pediatric surgeon (yes, for me) to become available. It was such a PITA.

paisleybaby33

DebateThis:

paisleybaby33:

DebateThis:

If you ovulated and got pregnant on the smallest dose, then that's what you should go back to.

I am more than a little concerned that you are taking Clomid again but that you don't know if you ovulated or not. Your doctor should be doing bloodwork and ultrasounds throughout your cycle and should be able to tell you exactly how many follicles you had and when you ovulated and what your hormone levels were. You don't need a higher dose of Clomid - you need a doctor to do his job. 

The reason nothing was done this cycle in terms of monitoring, FYI, was because I had to have two emergency kidney stone surgeries during the cycle. We all decided that figuring out my TTCAL'ing was a second priority to getting my kidney back to working function after it had shut down from hydronephrosis. It was a decision that was made by myself, MH, my OB and my urologist. And why wouldn't I take Clomid again? As stated in previous posts, I have PCOS and am completely annovular.

Sorry, my wording was unclear - I think a) if you got pregnant once on a low dose of Clomid, that you should be going back to that treatment plan and b) that you don't know if you ovulated or not since you weren't monitored due to the kidney problems this cycle. It's not safe to assume that it was an annovulatory cycle since you said yourself that you did not have any monitoring and you didn't use OPKs. It's entirely possible that you DID ovulate with the current clomid dose but that the anesthesia just delayed AF/made your LP too long. Adding in MORE Clomid when you've had success before at that dose (and you don't know what happened this cycle) could be a recipe for disaster - too many follies, thinned lining, OHSS, etc. I think it's a very good thing that your doc is being conservative with your dosage.

I've got a kidney defect too and last year I had surgery for it - the anesthesia, pain meds, etc screwed with my cycle that month in a big way.  We had to TTA for five loooong months while they figured out WTH was wrong with me and we waited for surgery approval and some special product and a pediatric surgeon (yes, for me) to become available. It was such a PITA.

Thank you so much for your clarification. Everything you just said has been super helpful and because of this I can honestly say that my nerves (as godd*mn silly as they may have been) are calmed. I feel that you are right that it is good that my doctor is being conservative and as much as I want to jump on the crazy train of "do anything you have to to get me KTFU now!!!", I now have some sense knocked into me. So sorry to hear about your own kidney issues. It makes me feel better (in a weird way) that you too had your cycle screwed up with all the anesthesia, pain meds, etc. and that 1) I am not just another exception and that 2) my doctor wasnt pulling crapola out of thin air. Thanks again.