TTC w/Clomid

IwannaBAMomma

I started the clomid pills 9 days ago, took them for 5 days, then we were supposed to do nothing for 5 days after that, then do the BD for 5 straight days after that, then every other day for 5 days. Well, DH and I both had a hard time waiting that long, so we ended up fooling around the day after the last clomid pill was taken, then the day after that. Is that going to affect our chances of conceiving? Anybody familiar with the clomid pill regimen? We were told we get 3 months to get this to happen, or else, we're going to have to have more tests done to determine what else could be causing infertility. Just wondering if there's anyone out there that is doing the same thing right now, or if you have done the clomid regimen and found it worked regardless of waiting the 5 days after the pill before doing the BD? Any helpful feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Mysterious_wife

Who prescribed you the Clomid? Are you being monitored? You post sounds dangerous.

IwannaBAMomma

Okay, first of all, my OBGYN prescribed me Clomid. He was the person that told me to take the Clomid pills for 5 days starting on the 5th day of my period. So I started then. He said, after the 5 days of taking Clomid, refrain from sex for another 5 days, then have sex 5 straight days after that, then every other day for another 5 days. What is dangerous about this? I also forgot to mention, I have been using the First Response ovulation test kit since my period ended. The result line was null for the first 7 days, day 8 it was darker, then today is day 9 and it's null again!

joanithegreat

Mysterious_wife:

Who prescribed you the Clomid? Are you being monitored? You post sounds dangerous.

I agree.  I have never taken Clomid, but the advice you have been given just seems odd to me.  
Has your husband had an SA, because Clomid won't help you if his swimmers aren't up to snuff. 

DebateThis

IwannaBAMomma:

Okay, first of all, my OBGYN prescribed me Clomid. He was the person that told me to take the Clomid pills for 5 days starting on the 5th day of my period. So I started then. He said, after the 5 days of taking Clomid, refrain from sex for another 5 days, then have sex 5 straight days after that, then every other day for another 5 days. What is dangerous about this? I also forgot to mention, I have been using the First Response ovulation test kit since my period ended. The result line was null for the first 7 days, day 8 it was darker, then today is day 9 and it's null again!

What's dangerous about this is that you're clearly not being monitored while taking a drug that can have some serious, even life threatening side effects. The fact that you've blindly taken a drug from a doctor that can have deleterious consequences without so much as reading the package insert is concerning, for a variety of reasons.

Secondarily - you need to have at minimum CD3 ultrasound and bloodwork, CD10-12 ultrasound and bloodwork, and 7dpo (NOT cd21)  bloodwork to see if the clomid is even working and not thinning your lining too much or creating too many follicles or creating OHSS, among other things.

And finally - why are you even taking clomid in the first place? What's your diagnosis? Has your husband had an SA? Have you had an HSG? These are all questions that need to be answered and tests that need to be run before you take this drug.

Mysterious_wife

DebateThis:

IwannaBAMomma:

Okay, first of all, my OBGYN prescribed me Clomid. He was the person that told me to take the Clomid pills for 5 days starting on the 5th day of my period. So I started then. He said, after the 5 days of taking Clomid, refrain from sex for another 5 days, then have sex 5 straight days after that, then every other day for another 5 days. What is dangerous about this? I also forgot to mention, I have been using the First Response ovulation test kit since my period ended. The result line was null for the first 7 days, day 8 it was darker, then today is day 9 and it's null again!

What's dangerous about this is that you're clearly not being monitored while taking a drug that can have some serious, even life threatening side effects. The fact that you've blindly taken a drug from a doctor that can have deleterious consequences without so much as reading the package insert is concerning, for a variety of reasons.

Secondarily - you need to have at minimum CD3 ultrasound and bloodwork, CD10-12 ultrasound and bloodwork, and 7dpo (NOT cd21)  bloodwork to see if the clomid is even working and not thinning your lining too much or creating too many follicles or creating OHSS, among other things.

And finally - why are you even taking clomid in the first place? What's your diagnosis? Has your husband had an SA? Have you had an HSG? These are all questions that need to be answered and tests that need to be run before you take this drug.

What she said.

And stop being defensive. You asked a question and I was trying to help

IwannaBAMomma

Wow, okay, thanks for this information. Kind of made my heart skip a beat. I do read the inserts to the Clomid I was prescribed, but DH and I had been TTC since last October, then when I went in for my annual in August, I told my OBGYN about how we had been TTC naturally since last Oct, and he asked me a lot of questions about how often I have a period, if I have any pain, etc. I have always had irregular periods that could be spaced between 6 months to almost 10 months apart. We did do an ultra sound of my uterus and overies a couple of years ago, but not recently, and nothing irregular or alarming showed up according to him. He said based on my cycle, he hypothesized I may not be ovulating or only ovulating irregularly and it would be impossible to predict when I would be ovulating to increase our chances of conceiving. So he suggested I start the clomid pill regimne this month with the instructions I already posted for you all to see in my first response, and he said if there are any side effects which we already went over, to give him a call and we can try a different approach. I did ask him if my husband should be tested too, but he said because of my history of very irregular periods that he didn't want to have us go through a bunch of other tests when he predicts that this is our main reason for not being pregnant yet. He said normally he'd wait to prescribe the Clomid a full calendar year, but because we started last Oct, and the following Oct was less than 3 months from my annual exam, that we could give it a try. Are you suggesting I should not start TTC on clomid tomorrow which is our first day we're supposed to start?

MsCraftsy

IwannaBAMomma:

Okay, first of all, my OBGYN prescribed me Clomid. He was the person that told me to take the Clomid pills for 5 days starting on the 5th day of my period. So I started then. He said, after the 5 days of taking Clomid, refrain from sex for another 5 days, then have sex 5 straight days after that, then every other day for another 5 days. What is dangerous about this? I also forgot to mention, I have been using the First Response ovulation test kit since my period ended. The result line was null for the first 7 days, day 8 it was darker, then today is day 9 and it's null again!

Then you aren't being monitored and you are taking a drug that you know nothing about. I agree wholeheartedly with debate and MW. Why are you taking it to begin with? What was your diagnosis? How long have you been trying? 

Nm. she just posted. I still think its shoddy and they both should be tested and she should be monitored. Your doctor sounds lazy, op. I personally wouldn't mess with clomid unless I was being monitored and I had the blood work. I clomid can be dangerous.

joanithegreat

IwannaBAMomma:

Are you suggesting I should not start TTC on clomid tomorrow which is our first day we're supposed to start?

Well since you have already taken the clomid this month you may as well TTC this month, but be aware there is always the chance of multiples.

If I were you I would not use Clomid again without further testing and if you do try Clomid again make sure that you are monitored in the way Debatethis explained. 

joanithegreat

bump burp. 

IwannaBAMomma

Fair enough. But I did go in to the OBGYN with a huge list of questions that he answered prior to get started with Clomid. I asked why we didn't have other tests done first before starting this pill, and he said every doctor approaches infertility differently, but due to what I've explained to him about my own medical history, and the fact that I've been seeing this OBGYN for almost 5 years now, he said he feels it's safe for us to take this approach. I'm supposed to call him if I have any issues with the medication, but so far, no issues. I'm also supposed to follow up with him at the end of the month if I don't have a period but the pregnancy test shows up negative so he can explain what to do to start the process over again. If I believed my Dr was lazy, I would not continue to see him. I've seen plenty of OBGYN doctors throughout the past 15 years, and none of them were as thorough or attentive to me as a patient as my current Dr. I will give him a call today and mention all of your concerns though, and see what he has to say. Thanks for the heads up and concern. I most definitely want my body to be safe and healthy while TTC and during pregnancy. Who wouldn't?!?

PrimRoseMama

https://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/37115533/ShowThread.aspx?MsdVisit=1

https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/64391126.aspx

It is very very dangerous.

Mysterious_wife

:head desk: your doctor is lazy. He should have never given you a RX for Clomid. It needs to be monitored. You can get horrible side effects and it won't work if you have blocked tubes. Do you chart? Is it possible you are missing your fertile window? Did you take birth control prior to Oct.?

heather_09_15_07

IwannaBAMomma:

Fair enough. But I did go in to the OBGYN with a huge list of questions that he answered prior to get started with Clomid. I asked why we didn't have other tests done first before starting this pill, and he said every doctor approaches infertility differently, but due to what I've explained to him about my own medical history, and the fact that I've been seeing this OBGYN for almost 5 years now, he said he feels it's safe for us to take this approach. I'm supposed to call him if I have any issues with the medication, but so far, no issues. I'm also supposed to follow up with him at the end of the month if I don't have a period but the pregnancy test shows up negative so he can explain what to do to start the process over again. If I believed my Dr was lazy, I would not continue to see him. I've seen plenty of OBGYN doctors throughout the past 15 years, and none of them were as thorough or attentive to me as a patient as my current Dr. I will give him a call today and mention all of your concerns though, and see what he has to say. Thanks for the heads up and concern. I most definitely want my body to be safe and healthy while TTC and during pregnancy. Who wouldn't?!?

That's great. The thing is, OB's are not experts in infertility. Reproductive endocrinologists are. I'd ask for a referral to one before doing another clomid cycle. There is quite a bit of testing that should be done before you are prescribed that drug.

 

DebateThis

IwannaBAMomma:

Wow, okay, thanks for this information. Kind of made my heart skip a beat. I do read the inserts to the Clomid I was prescribed, but DH and I had been TTC since last October, then when I went in for my annual in August, I told my OBGYN about how we had been TTC naturally since last Oct, and he asked me a lot of questions about how often I have a period, if I have any pain, etc. I have always had irregular periods that could be spaced between 6 months to almost 10 months apart. We did do an ultra sound of my uterus and overies a couple of years ago, but not recently, and nothing irregular or alarming showed up according to him. He said based on my cycle, he hypothesized I may not be ovulating or only ovulating irregularly and it would be impossible to predict when I would be ovulating to increase our chances of conceiving. So he suggested I start the clomid pill regimne this month with the instructions I already posted for you all to see in my first response, and he said if there are any side effects which we already went over, to give him a call and we can try a different approach. I did ask him if my husband should be tested too, but he said because of my history of very irregular periods that he didn't want to have us go through a bunch of other tests when he predicts that this is our main reason for not being pregnant yet. He said normally he'd wait to prescribe the Clomid a full calendar year, but because we started last Oct, and the following Oct was less than 3 months from my annual exam, that we could give it a try. Are you suggesting I should not start TTC on clomid tomorrow which is our first day we're supposed to start?

All of this is why OB's should not be providing clomid and should refer all fertility patients to an RE.

First and foremost 11 mos TTC is still in the range of normal, so what you're experiencing could very well be nothing worrisome at all with no need for clomid. That said, yes, there are a LOT of things that should fall into place prior to being prescribed a medication like this. Many people have perfectly good luck with it; many people have side effects with it (cysts, thinned lining, etc) that can actually make it harder to conceive.

This is going to be long but bear with me.

Your DH should first have an SA. In terms of invasive testing and side effects, the SA is the only one with no side effects (except an orgasm, lol) and no intrusion into your person.  It's estimated that nearly 40% of infertility in couples is MFI (male factor infertility), so it's not like its a small sample of the population that has issues with their sperm. It's a huge deal and is super cheap to test compared to the rest of them so you might as well get it done.

Next, your OB should not be "hypothesizing" that you are not ovulating. There are very specific tests (with just a simple blood draw and transvaginal ultrasound on specific days of your cycle, as I mentioned before) that can determine this with near certainty. Second,  if you are having periods somewhat regularly (under 60 days between Day 1 to Day 1 of your cycles) then you ARE ovulating. It might not be regular or strong enough or any host of other reasons, but you are ovulating. It is not impossible to figure out when you're ovulating, either - basal body temperature charting or OPKs can go a long way toward pinpointing ovulation.

The most common diagnosis for lack of ovulation/weak ovulation/ is PCOS. There are a number of criteria that need to be met in order to be diagnosed with that, but again - you need to have the tests run. If PCOS is what is causing your ovulation issues (if you have ovulation issues at all) taking clomid, especially unmonitored, can cause ovarian cysts to grow out of control and potentially even cause irreversible damage to your tubes. This could all be a moot point if you don't have PCOS, but you need to rule that out first.

Last, you need to rule out that you aren't having any structural issues with your ovaries, tubes, and uterus that could be impeding conception. This is done via HSG (hysterosalpingoram - an ultrasound with radioactive dye injected into your uterus). It checks for tubal blockages and uterine abnormalities. All the Clomid in the world won't get you knocked up if your tubes are blocked or if you have a uterus full of fibroids or polyps.

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you might have.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

ellephunt

IwannaBAMomma:

Wow, okay, thanks for this information. Kind of made my heart skip a beat. I do read the inserts to the Clomid I was prescribed, but DH and I had been TTC since last October, then when I went in for my annual in August, I told my OBGYN about how we had been TTC naturally since last Oct, and he asked me a lot of questions about how often I have a period, if I have any pain, etc. I have always had irregular periods that could be spaced between 6 months to almost 10 months apart. We did do an ultra sound of my uterus and overies a couple of years ago, but not recently, and nothing irregular or alarming showed up according to him. He said based on my cycle, he hypothesized I may not be ovulating or only ovulating irregularly and it would be impossible to predict when I would be ovulating to increase our chances of conceiving. So he suggested I start the clomid pill regimne this month with the instructions I already posted for you all to see in my first response, and he said if there are any side effects which we already went over, to give him a call and we can try a different approach. I did ask him if my husband should be tested too, but he said because of my history of very irregular periods that he didn't want to have us go through a bunch of other tests when he predicts that this is our main reason for not being pregnant yet. He said normally he'd wait to prescribe the Clomid a full calendar year, but because we started last Oct, and the following Oct was less than 3 months from my annual exam, that we could give it a try. Are you suggesting I should not start TTC on clomid tomorrow which is our first day we're supposed to start?

Your OB is completely guessing on what's going on. Run away! He should've done some CD3 bloodwork, HSG, Semen Analysis before starting any meds. And you can chart your cycle and that will tell you exactly when or if you are ovulating so it's not impossible to check for that. You aren't quite at a year yet but if you are having irregular cycles (longer than 60 days) I would suggest finding a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Although if you give charting a try for a couple months to see what's going on that could give some great insight too.  

IwannaBAMomma

Thank you very much. I was actually wondering about the risk of tube pregnancy, but because of the ultrasound a few years ago that they did, he didn't think I was a high risk for it. I called the OBGYN and am supposed to call back at 1:30 CST today. I will ask about this monitoring business. I just didn't know. I'm so glad there are so many people that can give me more information about what I need to do to take the best care of myself during the TTC phase! Thank God for you people. Thanks!

DebateThis

IwannaBAMomma:

Thank you very much. I was actually wondering about the risk of tube pregnancy, but because of the ultrasound a few years ago that they did, he didn't think I was a high risk for it. I called the OBGYN and am supposed to call back at 1:30 CST today. I will ask about this monitoring business. I just didn't know. I'm so glad there are so many people that can give me more information about what I need to do to take the best care of myself during the TTC phase! Thank God for you people. Thanks!

Look, I've been on TB a LONG time. I've been TTC a LONG time. I am not just being distrustful of OBs and fertility treatments for shyts and giggles. The vast, vast majority of them have no business even answering your questions about fertility except for "this is out of my realm of experience; here's the number for an RE".

At this point you need to make decisions for yourself. Stop ASKING your OB for permission for monitoring. TELL him that you will be monitored and if he refuses, find a new OB or move to an RE (Which I think you should do anyways, but I know that's not always an option). Your reproductive health (and your wallet - if you wound up with twins + from unmonitored clomid or wound up in the hospital for tubal surgery or OHSS) depend on it.

IwannaBAMomma

What is CD3? Everybody is mentioning it and I want to be sure I understand it before I talk to the dr. this afternoon.

joanithegreat

IwannaBAMomma:

What is CD3? Everybody is mentioning it and I want to be sure I understand it before I talk to the dr. this afternoon.

Cycle Day 3.  The first day of your period is CD1 (or cycle day 1) 

joanithegreat

IwannaBAMomma:

What is CD3? Everybody is mentioning it and I want to be sure I understand it before I talk to the dr. this afternoon.

Cycle Day 3.  The first day of your period is CD1 (or cycle day 1) 

earychener

Just wanted to give my 2 cents...

I'm a Nurse Practitioner that works with a RE...

FYI, to all PP's, many OBGYN's do unmonitored CC (clomid) cycles, it's actually pretty common. If you review ACOG guidelines, this is somewhat "normal" starting point for couples TTC that are having difficulty.

Many of our new patients come to us having done 3-6 cycles of unmonitored CC.

It is not "ideal" though, as PP's have said, you have no idea if it is working well, or if you are at risk for multiples. We like it when they are at least monitored with day 12 u/s to see what is growing. Blood work is not necessary, and we don't even do it when we are monitoring a CC cycle, unless we are suspecting other issues. 

 I'm assuming her "diagnosis" would be anovulation, as she had stated she spoke with her OBGYN regarding her very irregular cycles. An HSG and/or S/A are NOT necessary to start treatment, and with younger couples that have problems like OP above, it is MOST likely an ovulatory problem.  Our office will routinely allow a few cycles of OI (ovulation induction), and if we get a good follicle response with no pregnancy, then we start testing s/a or HSG to make sure nothing else is wrong. S/A is cheap, but if insurance doesn't pay for HSG, it can be upwards of $1,500, and with OP's history, there is no reason why she shouldn't try 3-6 cycles of OI before requiring further testing.

Once again, just my 2 cents

HTH!

DebateThis

IwannaBAMomma:

What is CD3? Everybody is mentioning it and I want to be sure I understand it before I talk to the dr. this afternoon.

CD3 = cycle day 3, where cycle day 1 is the first day of full flow of your period. You should have a panel of bloodwork for hormone levels plus an ultrasound to determine resting follicles and lining thickness at this state.

Then midcycle (cycle day 10-12) you should have more bloodwork and another ultrasound to see how many follicles you've produced, where your estrogen levels are (to indicate if you're about to ovulate) and if Clomid has had any negative impacts on your uterine lining.

Then 7 days past ovulation (7dpo) you should go back for more bloodwork (progesterone) to check how well the clomid worked - if your progesterone levels are good, it means your ovulation was strong and clomid did its job. 

But again, you need to have the preliminary fertility testing done before you do ANY of this. HSG, sperm analysis, full fertility workup.

https://www.advancedfertility.com/evaluate.htm Read this. It'll explain a lot more than I have time to type.

 

ellephunt

earychener:

 I'm assuming her "diagnosis" would be anovulation, as she had stated she spoke with her OBGYN regarding her very irregular cycles. An HSG and/or S/A are NOT necessary to start treatment, and with younger couples that have problems like OP above, it is MOST likely an ovulatory problem.  Our office will routinely allow a few cycles of OI (ovulation induction), and if we get a good follicle response with no pregnancy, then we start testing s/a or HSG to make sure nothing else is wrong. S/A is cheap, but if insurance doesn't pay for HSG, it can be upwards of $1,500, and with OP's history, there is no reason why she shouldn't try 3-6 cycles of OI before requiring further testing.

HTH!

I'm completely side eyeing this. What do you mean an SA and HSG aren't required. I saw 2 RE's and both needed to do all the initial testing before taking meds. They need to know the full picture to know how to proceed.  

DebateThis

ellephunt:

earychener:

 I'm assuming her "diagnosis" would be anovulation, as she had stated she spoke with her OBGYN regarding her very irregular cycles. An HSG and/or S/A are NOT necessary to start treatment, and with younger couples that have problems like OP above, it is MOST likely an ovulatory problem.  Our office will routinely allow a few cycles of OI (ovulation induction), and if we get a good follicle response with no pregnancy, then we start testing s/a or HSG to make sure nothing else is wrong. S/A is cheap, but if insurance doesn't pay for HSG, it can be upwards of $1,500, and with OP's history, there is no reason why she shouldn't try 3-6 cycles of OI before requiring further testing.

HTH!

I'm completely side eyeing this. What do you mean an SA and HSG aren't required. I saw 2 RE's and both needed to do all the initial testing before taking meds. They need to know the full picture to know how to proceed.  

Yeah, ditto.

Also - as I said in a PP - the primary cause of poor or lack of ovulation is PCOS. Throwing clomid unmonitored at someone with PCOS can be super dangerous. Without the testing and monitoring, she won't know.

And, thanks, but I would rather the OP not literally quadruple her chances of multiples (which carry their own inherent risks) just bc an OB doesn't feel like monitoring her properly.

earychener

All RE's are different. ACOG does not require s/a or HSG to start fertility treatment. We offer it to all of our patients, but if they do not want to have it done, we are not going to refuse treatment.

They just have to understand that if they choose not to do the testing that we may be missing something. If someone has no history that would indicate a tubal problem, and they have very irregular cycles, we would allow them do do OI withought an HSG.  It's not ideal, but we won't refuse a patient b/c they can't afford a HSG. 

And as I stated, many OBGYN's do unmonitored CC cycles, not saying it is ideal. However, if the OBGYN does not go over risks of unmonitored cycles, I would definately side-eye them.  Usually an OB would not prescribe CC to someone with PCOS unmonitored, and I would assume (although I probably shouldn't) that they would know her dx before prescribing it. If not, shame on them.

Mysterious_wife

Are you charting? And how irregular are we talking?

Shayliz

earychener:

All RE's are different. ACOG does not require s/a or HSG to start fertility treatment. We offer it to all of our patients, but if they do not want to have it done, we are not going to refuse treatment.

They just have to understand that if they choose not to do the testing that we may be missing something. If someone has no history that would indicate a tubal problem, and they have very irregular cycles, we would allow them do do OI withought an HSG.  It's not ideal, but we won't refuse a patient b/c they can't afford a HSG. 

And as I stated, many OBGYN's do unmonitored CC cycles, not saying it is ideal. However, if the OBGYN does not go over risks of unmonitored cycles, I would definately side-eye them.  Usually an OB would not prescribe CC to someone with PCOS unmonitored, and I would assume (although I probably shouldn't) that they would know her dx before prescribing it. If not, shame on them.

If someone can't afford an HSG, they should wait to do treatment until they can. 

 OP's doctor is GUESSING what her issue is - all the standard IF workup (CD3 bloodwork, FUS, HSG, 7dpo b/w, SA for husband) would lead to a set diagnosis - not just a guess and some theories. 

Why waste Clomid cycles if your tubes are blocked? Or your husband has severe MFI?  Most doctors who are handing out Clomid aren't even doing any testing prior, so I highly doubt they are sitting down and saying "well you can't afford the HSG, so we'll do Clomid anyway to save you some money but if you have blocked or compromised tubes, you could have an ectopic or this couldn't work. Here's your Rx, see you CD21 for your progesterone draw!"  

DebateThis

This is actually another very important point. 

earychener:All RE's are different. ACOG does not require s/a or HSG to start fertility treatment.

ACOG might not "require" it but the three most widely known, oldest, and well respected groups of infertility experts ALL recommend no clomid or other fertility meds until a complete infertility workup.

This is from INCIID (International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination), and the ASRM and SART recommendations are nearly identical:

If you are not seeing an RE and your OB/GYN does not have the facilities to conduct these routine tests, you should seriously consider switching to a doctor who does. Minimally, a doctor treating fertility patients should have the following:

Availability of staff and technicians seven days per week. If your doctor or clinic does not offer weekend and holiday hours, you are clearly not in the hands of someone whose priority is helping you get pregnant. Transvaginal ultrasound equipment. You should not undergo treatment with Clomid or injectable fertility medications unless this equipment is available for routine monitoring. Though many OBs prescribe Clomid without doing this monitoring, it is in your best interest to have periodic ultrasounds to ensure that the Clomid is indeed stimulating ovulation and that the follicles are releasing the eggs. Under no circumstances should a patient undergo treatment with injectable medications, such as Humegon, Repronex or Follistim, without ultrasound monitoring. If you are using intra-uterine insemination (IUIs), ultrasounds are required for accurately timing insemination with ovulation. An on-site, certified lab to do semen testing and prep for IUIs and post coital tests, as well as facilities to do E-2, blood HCG beta and progesterone tests.
See also: How to Chose a Clinic

 

https://www.inciid.org/printpage.php?cat=infertility101&id=262

And all this, of course, is AFTER OP/DH have been tested.

ellephunt

I was 100% OOP for all of my IF testing and treatments. Instead of doing the HSG at the RE's office who would've charged more I shopped around. I ended up doing it at the local hospital who gave me a huge discount for not having insurance coverage. I also did all my CD3 BW through my OB's clinic. Handed it all over to the RE and we went from there. And I would run away from any RE who said "Well if you can't afford the HSG we'll just move ahead."

Ya Never Know

IwannaBAMomma:

Okay, first of all, my OBGYN prescribed me Clomid. He was the person that told me to take the Clomid pills for 5 days starting on the 5th day of my period. So I started then. He said, after the 5 days of taking Clomid, refrain from sex for another 5 days, then have sex 5 straight days after that, then every other day for another 5 days. What is dangerous about this? I also forgot to mention, I have been using the First Response ovulation test kit since my period ended. The result line was null for the first 7 days, day 8 it was darker, then today is day 9 and it's null again!

Do you have a male factor issue? The only reason I could see a doctor wanting you to wait until closer to your ovulation date is to let sperm build up. Other than that, I see absolutely no point in waiting.

Ditto what other PP's said about Clomid though. You should be monitored. I took it for four cycles, all monitored by my RE.

staycee

IwannaBAMomma:

, and he said if there are any side effects which we already went over, to give him a call and we can try a different approach.

 really?   REALLY?   the ONLY side effect I had on clomid was thinned uterine lining - meaning even if an egg was fertilized it WOULD NOT implant.    Guess what, the only way to find this side-effect is an Ultrasound around CD10 or CD12.

IwannaBAMomma:

,  I did ask him if my husband should be tested too, but he said because of my history of very irregular periods that he didn't want to have us go through a bunch of other tests when he predicts that this is our main reason for not being pregnant yet. 

he "predicts" huh?   with not much to base it on.  Hell, I could be a doc if that's all it takes

bancbev

I am currently on cycle 2 of clomid.  I went for my monitoring ultrasound on Tuesday and guess what?  I have a 2+ inch cyst on my left ovary.  It's bigger than my actual ovary.  It could possibly burst and there is the risk of having to have my ovary removed.  And I WAS monitored.  Clomid is some serious sh*t you don't want to mess with.

BallSox

Honestly, I'm not going to waste my time reading the other responses and although I'm 100% sure the points have already been made, I'm going to make them again.  Mostly because I'll feel better KNOWING they have been brought up and also because this is the Internet and everyone repeats themselves. 

1) Clomid is not candy.  It should not be given without the appropriate testing prior and monitoring during.  This testing and monitoring should be done by someone who is trained in the endocrine system and all of it's nuances.  This person is called a reproductive endocrinologist.  I would never trust someone who catches babies with something as delicate as my endocrinology system.

2) Clomid is not a miracle drug.  It can't make your eggs burst through a closed/scarred fallopian tube or cause your spouse/SO to produce enough healthy sperm to make a baby.  Once again, this involves testing that your OBGYN can't do.  

3) The people in this board (for the most part) are wise.  You have probably close to 100 years combined TTC and IF experience from the people who have given you advice and are regular (and long-standing) members of this board.  Listen to them and save yourself a lot of heartache.

ktpaladino

heather_09_15_07:

IwannaBAMomma:

Fair enough. But I did go in to the OBGYN with a huge list of questions that he answered prior to get started with Clomid. I asked why we didn't have other tests done first before starting this pill, and he said every doctor approaches infertility differently, but due to what I've explained to him about my own medical history, and the fact that I've been seeing this OBGYN for almost 5 years now, he said he feels it's safe for us to take this approach. I'm supposed to call him if I have any issues with the medication, but so far, no issues. I'm also supposed to follow up with him at the end of the month if I don't have a period but the pregnancy test shows up negative so he can explain what to do to start the process over again. If I believed my Dr was lazy, I would not continue to see him. I've seen plenty of OBGYN doctors throughout the past 15 years, and none of them were as thorough or attentive to me as a patient as my current Dr. I will give him a call today and mention all of your concerns though, and see what he has to say. Thanks for the heads up and concern. I most definitely want my body to be safe and healthy while TTC and during pregnancy. Who wouldn't?!?

That's great. The thing is, OB's are not experts in infertility. Reproductive endocrinologists are. I'd ask for a referral to one before doing another clomid cycle. There is quite a bit of testing that should be done before you are prescribed that drug.

 

These were my exact thoughts while reading through all of your posts. It is very odd to me that an OB would be playing around with Clomid. Usually a reproductive endocrinologist handles this situation and prescribes Clomid AFTER the SA and HSG have been performed if necessary. He should have reffered you to a specialist. I don't agree with your OB that infertility can be handled in different ways there is an exact sequence of things to go through before Clomid should be prescribed. He's making it sound like he's doing you a favor by not putting you through the testing, but in reality, he's gambling with your health and doing you more of a disservice by not covering all the bases before throwing the meds at you. I'd go to the nearest fertility clinic in your area ASAP.

Twinkie0612

earychener:

 

 I'm assuming her "diagnosis" would be anovulation, as she had stated she spoke with her OBGYN regarding her very irregular cycles. An HSG and/or S/A are NOT necessary to start treatment, and with younger couples that have problems like OP above, it is MOST likely an ovulatory problem.  Our office will routinely allow a few cycles of OI (ovulation induction), and if we get a good follicle response with no pregnancy, then we start testing s/a or HSG to make sure nothing else is wrong. S/A is cheap, but if insurance doesn't pay for HSG, it can be upwards of $1,500, and with OP's history, there is no reason why she shouldn't try 3-6 cycles of OI before requiring further testing.

Ok, I am just starting fertility testing with my OB/GYN and he won't even consider any treatment without bloodwork, SA, and HSG.  His view is why waste time, effort, and money on a treatment that won't work because you have a blocked tube or MFI. 

I'm in a little bit of a different place than OP, since based on charting I seem to ovulate regularly.  I haven't discussed treatment options with my doc yet and I imagine that I won't until we finish all of our testing, but after all of the research I've done over the last year on fertility treatments, I will not take any fertility drug without proper monitoring.