Switching from Clomid to Femara

Brooke888Wed157297

Getting ready for IUI#3 for my next cycle (CD1 about 9 days away). I've done my past 2 IUIs with 100mg Clomid, and I seem to have responded well with multiple mature follicles, then trigger, then BFN. Anyway, the nurse called today to say that my RE is switching me to Femara. Has anyone switched and what differences did you notice (results, side effects, etc)?

I've googled it but come up with all kinds of crazy studies that are long and drawn out.

 

 

notquiteblushing

I tried Femara after I didn't respond at all to my second round of Clomid.  It gave me a mature follicle right away but my estrogen level was really low so they don't really think it's the best thing for me but I've seen a lot of people have success with it.  Good luck.

Bizzy80

Hi there.  I have had success on both.  I responded well to 50 mg Clomid with multiple mature follicles but it really thinned my lining and made me a hot mess.  My last 2 Femera hybrid cycles I haven't had any of the nasty side effects and have responded about the same as the Clomid. 

chelsmcl

I switched after I didn't respond to Clomid and I've been very happy. Less side effects, the only thing I really notice is I get very sleepy the week after I take the Femara.

tayray1

I took 50 mg of clomid with my first IUI and had 2 great follicles, but my RE thinks clomid contributed to my cysts, so this cycle I used femara. No side effects here, but I also only produced one mature follie. Good luck!

Aurora1181

Yep- I switched. I did 50mg of Clomid, had two follicles, but a thin lining. On 2.5mg of Femara (letrozole), I had one mature follicle, great lining (10mm!), but no pregnancy. I had hot flashes with Clomid, no side effects with Clomid. My RE said that 2.5mg of letrozole was not as powerful as 50mg of Clomid..which was why my lining was better but I had only the one follicle. So I dunno what the equivalent to 100mg of Clomid would be. 5mg? 7.5?

Brooke888Wed157297

Aurora1181:

Yep- I switched. I did 50mg of Clomid, had two follicles, but a thin lining. On 2.5mg of Femara (letrozole), I had one mature follicle, great lining (10mm!), but no pregnancy. I had hot flashes with Clomid, no side effects with Clomid. My RE said that 2.5mg of letrozole was not as powerful as 50mg of Clomid..which was why my lining was better but I had only the one follicle. So I dunno what the equivalent to 100mg of Clomid would be. 5mg? 7.5?

 

Good point! He has me taking 2.5mg of letrozole when I was taking 100mg of Clomid. I will be sad if we get down to it, and I only have 1 follicle. Blegh.

Killer Tomato

I did two IUis on each. I preferred the femara...less s/e (only a tiny bit of nausea after taking it,) and responded the same to both. GL!

MrsPBandJ

Hi, I'm lurking a bit over here, but as you can see in my siggy I've been on both.  With Clomid, I never had any mature follies, but have had 2-4  each time with Femara and have gotten KU twice on Femara cycles. I had no SE with Clomid, but hot flashes with Femara that I find are better if I take it at night.  Also, I'm on 12.5 mg Femara, which I think is the highest dose (I had no response all the way up to 200 mg Clomid). Good luck!

zookbride

I only did one round of Clomid --never again! When the RE suggested Femara, I jumped at the chance b/c I hate Clomid.

Femara was leaps and bounds better. I still got CM (didn't at all with Clomid), I had a nice thick lining and ended up with a nice mature follicle every round. Of course no pg but we have MFI too. I would say 100% go for the Femara. 

 Now, it does make your E2 low... I was freaked out when they said where my E2 was at during a monitoring cycle but I was told not to worry b/c Femara will lower your estrogen. 

As far as dosing my RE put me on 5 mg which is 2 tablets daily.

girlofsummer78

I don't know about symptoms from switching because I was only on Femara for my IUIs.  I didn't have any symptoms from Femara.  I did take my pill at night before bed. My doctor suggested that because, as she said, if I were to have any symptoms (headace or such) I'd get it while sleeping and it wouldn't impact me.