Six lifetime cycles of Clomid, right?

FraggleChic · June 2011

I've done four. So does that mean I only have two left for the rest of my life? The doc agreed to switch me to Femara next. How many cycles of that does your RE let you try? Since it works similarly to Clomid will I be allowed to try it for more than two months?

I know these are questions to ask my RE but I won't be seeing him for a few more weeks for my next follie check. The last RE I saw (I see someone different almost every time since I'm seen at an Army hospital) does not like to do injectible + IUI cycles because of the risk of multiples, having to cancel cycles due to overstimulation, etc. I'm going to talk to them more about this though. We are on the list for IVF for July of 2012 and I'm just trying to figure out what our plan is going to be between now and then.

tootlebug · June 2011

a lot of times prolonged use of clomid can cause thinned lining/bad cervical mucus, etc. that is why they say no more than 6 consecutive cycles, and some say no more than 3. but it doesnt mean you cant do it again ever. you could take several months break and then do another round of it im sure. if i chose not to move forward with IVF, will probably be alternating with a few months of natural cycles, then a couple months of clomid, then back to a few months of natural cyles.

eponine7682 · June 2011

Good question. Not sure, I was also wondering if Femera was included in that maximum?

pennylanehd · June 2011

I asked this question a few months back and didn't get a definitive answer. The consensus was that it varies but that most REs won't do more than 12 lifetime and some stop at 6. I hope you never have to push against any of those limits, though!

BeeBee08 · June 2011

My RE will not do more than six in a lifetime. However, she doesn't like clomid at all so that may just be her way around using it. I don't believe Femara is included in the lifetime max. Although it's similar to clomid it stimulates different hormones and does not have the same negative side effects, but I don't know if there is a maximum with it.

I'm surprised your RE doesn't like injectibles. The way it was explained to me is that injectibles are actually easier to control because you start your monitoring earlier and you can increase and decrease the dosages daily depending on how your body is responding.

I still have hope for this cycle for you though!!

tootlebug · June 2011

my RE wont do injectibles either. and he doesnt have a "cap" on lifetime clomid maximums.

Toni79 · June 2011

This is how I understood it too. Although I haven't asked my RE specifically about his limit. He feels that if you try a particular protocol 3 times with no luck it is time to move onto a more agressive protocol.

Toni79 · June 2011

FraggleChic:

I've done four. So does that mean I only have two left for the rest of my life? The doc agreed to switch me to Femara next. How many cycles of that does your RE let you try? Since it works similarly to Clomid will I be allowed to try it for more than two months?

I know these are questions to ask my RE but I won't be seeing him for a few more weeks for my next follie check. The last RE I saw (I see someone different almost every time since I'm seen at an Army hospital) does not like to do injectible + IUI cycles because of the risk of multiples, having to cancel cycles due to overstimulation, etc. I'm going to talk to them more about this though. We are on the list for IVF for July of 2012 and I'm just trying to figure out what our plan is going to be between now and then.

July 2012!?!?! I'm so sorry that that is so far away! Is that because yur DH will be away? Or are IVFs that low on the priority list at military hospitals?

I'm so sorry that you are constantly seeing differant Drs. That has got to be tough as differant REs have differant approaches.

Between now and then, will they let you do more IUIs? Either with clomid or natural (and timed)?

Even though your not meeting with your RE for a few more weeks, can you call and talk to them or a nurse? Just to get some of these questiones answered.

I am also Unexplained IF, and it sucks! Sometimes I just wish they knew what was wrong with me or DH. Because once you know what's wrong, you might have a better chance at "fixing" it (or not). But isn't knowing half the battle!

GL! I'm curious to hear what your RE says!

FraggleChic · June 2011

Toni79:
July 2012!?!?! I'm so sorry that that is so far away! Is that because yur DH will be away? Or are IVFs that low on the priority list at military hospitals?

I'm so sorry that you are constantly seeing differant Drs. That has got to be tough as differant REs have differant approaches.

Between now and then, will they let you do more IUIs? Either with clomid or natural (and timed)?
I

There are only like six military treatment facilities in the U.S. that do IVF and we're lucky enough to be near one of them (for now). Most MTFs don't even have REI clinics. The military pays for virtually nothing ART related. Our IUI procedure is out of pocket (and done off post) but since our post has a REI clinic on post all my monitoring/drugs come from the MTF. The waiting list is a year long, which is why we can't do IVF until July 2012. The good thing is that it will be about 50% of the cost of going off-post. All of my monitoring and some of my meds will come from the MTF but the actual ER and transfer will be done off post. It's kind of confusing, I know!
If we were stationed somewhere that didn't have an infertility clinic we would be 100% OOP now because we're doing ART. As of right now, we are planning to continue to do a few more IUIs. The doctor told us that with each IUI our chance of conceiving decreases statistically so after four or five there's not much point in continuing.

lena0210 · June 2011

I did 5 rounds of Clomid and had every side effect in the book but I was producing 2-4 eggs each month. I'm on my third round of Femara right now but it has been lackluster in producing eggs, they keep upping the dosage, and seriously messing up my ovulation times. Not sure about only six a lifetime. Plenty of women use it for a few cycles to get pregnant again and then need to do the same thing for their next pregnancy as well.

Toni79 · June 2011

FraggleChic:
Toni79:

July 2012!?!?! I'm so sorry that that is so far away! Is that because yur DH will be away? Or are IVFs that low on the priority list at military hospitals?

I'm so sorry that you are constantly seeing differant Drs. That has got to be tough as differant REs have differant approaches.

Between now and then, will they let you do more IUIs? Either with clomid or natural (and timed)?

I

There are only like six military treatment facilities in the U.S. that do IVF and we're lucky enough to be near one of them (for now). Most MTFs don't even have REI clinics. The military pays for virtually nothing ART related. Our IUI procedure is out of pocket (and done off post) but since our post has a REI clinic on post all my monitoring/drugs come from the MTF. The waiting list is a year long, which is why we can't do IVF until July 2012. The good thing is that it will be about 50% of the cost of going off-post. All of my monitoring and some of my meds will come from the MTF but the actual ER and transfer will be done off post. It's kind of confusing, I know!
If we were stationed somewhere that didn't have an infertility clinic we would be 100% OOP now because we're doing ART. As of right now, we are planning to continue to do a few more IUIs. The doctor told us that with each IUI our chance of conceiving decreases statistically so after four or five there's not much point in continuing.

Got ya! I'm so sorry to hear that it seems like the military hospitals give you the run around! I can only image how much more difficult that makes everything!

My BIL is career army. He can actually retire I think in a year. Although he's spedning his last year deployed!

DH was in the army too. Did 4 years active duty and 4 years nat guard (while he went to school). He's a cop now. Although when he graduated from college his "plan b" was to reinlist in the army if he didn't get accepted into a police department. At that time we had only been dating for about a year. I was so happy that he got offered a police position. I wasn't sure I was cut out to be an army wife. I give you much props for what both you and your DH do! GL!

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