Dr Wants me to take Clomid...

Spruce14

Hey ladies... 

first of all I want to say i hope you all have a fantastic weekend. DH and I just booked a last minute trip to Jamaica and we will be back Thursday so i won't be around much.

I just got off the phone with my doctor. I had my progesterone tested at 6dpo and it was 12.3. He said that is good but said im ovulating too late...even on day 17 (which used to be my typical day) he thinks it's too late. SO he wants to put me on clomid this cycle (if AF shows) to correct it. I'm taking the perscription on vacation with me and will probably have to start it while im there. 

I have heard discussions on here about doctors throwing clomid around casually. It's making me nervous. Can i get some opinions? Thanks 

delino

Hmmm...I don't really get why he would put you on Clomid.  You ovulate regularly and your progesterone is good.  CD17 ovulation is NOT abnormal.  I O between day 14 and 18.  Also, I'm no Clomid expert, but it's my understanding that there should be some level of monitoring while on it.

moosegal

Agree with the above, especially that you should be monitored while on Clomid. Is your DR planning on doing that?

Have fun in Jamaica!

megemoney

Are you just seeing an OB/GYN, or are you seeing an RE?  I don't know how I feel about taking Clomid just because he thinks you are ovulating "too late."  I was ovulating between days 19 and 21 and my GYN told me the same thing.  Thank goodness I was referred to an RE before I let her craziness try to treat me.

Anyway- Regardless, if you are going to take it, you really need to be monitored.  Will you be back for ~CD10-12 for monitoring?  Or is your doc just telling you to take it without monitoring?  If so, I would asked to be referred/monitored!

VikingQueen

I don't have any experience with Clomid but I just wanted to tell you to have a fun trip!

AngnShaun

cd17 is NOT too late. 

Bizzy80

I agree with Delino and don't understand why he would put you on Clomid.  Ovulating on day 17 doesn't seem too late to me.  Have you had a complete infertility workup done or just the progesterone testing?  Will you be monitored on the Clomid?  This is very important because you can have some serious side effects if not monitored.  My opinion on Clomid is that many OB's prescribe it like candy.  You should be seeing a RE if you are going to take it.  I experienced this first hand with my OB after having been trying after a year.  She did no testing on me whatsoever and no monitoring the first cycle I took it.  I later found out how dangerous this can be and promptly switched to a RE who did the proper testing and monitoring.

Bizzy80

Oh, and I forgot to say have fun on your trip!  Sounds like alot of fun.  Can you fit me in your suitcase

Laurakat81

I think its a little weird he wants to put you on Clomid too. But hopefully he has good reason...although I'm not sure O at CD17 is reason enough. And 12.3 at 6dpo is pretty good for progesterone. 

My doctor did a CD12 ultrasound to check follies and see how many were mature. I know some doctors check even earlier. But I think you're fine to be out of the country while you're taking it. But schedule an appointment for monitoring between CD10 and 12 just to make sure you don't have a gabillion mature eggs or something else crazy! Plus there is always that chance it just won't work and there'd be no point in continuing it.

Good luck! 

 

ETA: Oh yeah, have fun in Jamaica! DH and I went to a Sandals resort in Negril for our honeymoon. It was beautiful!  

Spruce14

I used to o on 17. Last cycle it was 21 and this one 24. I told him that and he said wit looks like I'm out of whack from the mc and even prior 17 is late. Ugh I'm so confused 

DebateThis

Spruce14:

I used to o on 17. Last cycle it was 21 and this one 24. I told him that and he said wit looks like I'm out of whack from the mc and even prior 17 is late. Ugh I'm so confused 

Um, no. He's wrong and I would not take a clomid prescription from someone displaying that level of carelessness and lack of knowledge about your cycle.

 

HopingforChange

If it were me, I would wait on the Clomid until you can get your questions answered.  Just ask your doctor why, besides the stupid CD 17 objection, he put you on Clomid and what his goal is.  If you don't agree, just don't take it.  You are in control of your body. 

Plus, Clomid made me SUPER cranky.  I would say, leave it alone this cycle and just see what happens.  Enjoy your vacation without Clomid and the associated irritability, hot flashes, bloating, etc...  You can work all this out next month, KWIM.

shellyco

Spruce14:

I used to o on 17. Last cycle it was 21 and this one 24. I told him that and he said wit looks like I'm out of whack from the mc and even prior 17 is late. Ugh I'm so confused 

From reading the other replies, this is going to be a UO, but I have read up a fair amount on "late" ovulation and a lot of sources (admittedly, not scientific journals or anything really reputable, so take this with a HUGE grain of salt) that a "late" ovulation as early as CD16 is too late for some.  One source even went as far to say as if you notice you ovulate on CD16 or later consistently, don't even try to get pregnant that cycle because it WILL end in miscarriage eventually.  I rolled my eyes at that one, but the belief is out there.

  I do sort of believe that later ovulation has something to do with lowered chances (not necessarily miscarriage), from my own experiences and from my irreputable sources. 

Now I would be interested to see which CD everyone ovulated on their BFP cycle(s), out of curiosity since we all had losses. 

ETA: I just realized I didn't even touch the actual question of clomid.  Another UO, but I wouldn't be opposed to it if you go to an RE and you've been trying for a year.

big_noise

I'm trying acupuncture before jumping to something like Clomid. Something to consider. My OB was all for it and said she'd try something like that herself before jumping to drugs if it were her. I've been O'ing about CD21 post 2nd m/c (CP). The cycle I got a BFP with my 1st m/c I O'ed sometime CD24-CD28. My egg could have been considered geriatric at that point. Interestingly, the BFP I had with DD, a successful pregnancy, was CD17. I personally don't think CD16 is late but there might be other factors your Dr. didn't mention.

kristina_1016

shellyco:

Spruce14:

I used to o on 17. Last cycle it was 21 and this one 24. I told him that and he said wit looks like I'm out of whack from the mc and even prior 17 is late. Ugh I'm so confused 

From reading the other replies, this is going to be a UO, but I have read up a fair amount on "late" ovulation and a lot of sources (admittedly, not scientific journals or anything really reputable, so take this with a HUGE grain of salt) that a "late" ovulation as early as CD16 is too late for some.  One source even went as far to say as if you notice you ovulate on CD16 or later consistently, don't even try to get pregnant that cycle because it WILL end in miscarriage eventually.  I rolled my eyes at that one, but the belief is out there.

  I do sort of believe that later ovulation has something to do with lowered chances (not necessarily miscarriage), from my own experiences and from my irreputable sources. 

Now I would be interested to see which CD everyone ovulated on their BFP cycle(s), out of curiosity since we all had losses. 

ETA: I just realized I didn't even touch the actual question of clomid.  Another UO, but I wouldn't be opposed to it if you go to an RE and you've been trying for a year.

 

Spruce-- no clue on the Clomid, but just wanted to say have fun in Jamaica! We stayed in Ocho Rios for our honeymoon and want to go back so badly!

 

And Shellyco, I have wondered this too. I always ovulate on day 13 or 14 and the cycle we conceived I ovulated late (day 21 or 22) and it ended in a miscarriage.

Spruce14

 His real concern is that this and last cycle were very late, 21 and 24 and my LP is now only 10 days when it used to be 11 (we are assuming AF comes tomorrow because of my temp drop and because I feel it...) I am supposed to call him and tell him when AF arrives...then he will instruct me on taking the clomid or not. I guess depending on my LP. 

He said in his experience, fixing an LP defect needs to start with regular ovulation. He said the chances of us extending my LP other ways are probably slim but that it is my decision if i want to wait.

The clomid would be from day 5-9 of my cycle then he wants me on prometrium after I O.

I have mixed feelings but my gut tells me to trust him. Although he isn't an RE, he is one of the most highly regarded high risk OB's here in NY.  

AquaFlowers

CD17 is normal.

buckeyebaby814

My RE likes to see O before CD 20, so I would think you're within normal range with great progesterone too for a non-medicated cycle.  

IMO, I would not take clomid while on vacation.  You really should have a baseline u/s before starting so they can really monitor your response (they need to check for cysts and this also enables them to discern follicles vs. cysts before O, around CD 12).  Also, there's always a risk of OHSS, which could begin later on, once you're home but does not happen to everyone (but still a risk).  

In short, if you're not being monitored, I wouldn't take it.  You only get a certain number of chances to take clomid before it begins to lose effectiveness.  If you waste your cycles on unmonitored cycles, you may not have a good response and need a higher dose, but you'd never know if you're not being monitored= wasted cycles.  

I know not all OBs do monitoring (and in Canada I've heard it's difficult to get monitoring too) but if you can push for it and get at least 2 ultrasounds (sometime near CD 2-4 and then again around CD 11-3) you will have a good idea if you're on the right dosage and things are working. 

buckeyebaby814

Spruce14:

 His real concern is that this and last cycle were very late, 21 and 24 and my LP is now only 10 days when it used to be 11 (we are assuming AF comes tomorrow because of my temp drop and because I feel it...) I am supposed to call him and tell him when AF arrives...then he will instruct me on taking the clomid or not. I guess depending on my LP. 

He said in his experience, fixing an LP defect needs to start with regular ovulation. He said the chances of us extending my LP other ways are probably slim but that it is my decision if i want to wait.

The clomid would be from day 5-9 of my cycle then he wants me on prometrium after I O.

I have mixed feelings but my gut tells me to trust him. Although he isn't an RE, he is one of the most highly regarded high risk OB's here in NY.  

Now ^^this^^ makes sense to me.  My OBGYN and RE felt the same about Oing that late and having short LPs.  Clomid did correct this problem for me.  Like Hopingforchange mentioned, clomid can give you nasty s/e's (mood swings, hot flashes, bloating) all of which I would not want to experience while on vacation.