New to TTC

laughlovelive2011 · July 2014

Hi all!
This is my first time visiting the TTC website, and boy, is it overwhelming. This board is filled with acronyms and treatments that I've never heard of!

My husband and I have been TTC for 2 years. After our first year of unsuccessfully trying (monitoring with LH surge), I visited the obgyn, did blood work (day 3 and Day 21), and HsG and was told that all the testing came back normal & healthy. Husband's analysis was normal as well. The doctor put me on 50 mg Clomid (even though the blood work showed that I ovulated) and the follicle scans showed that my follicles were either too small or too large, and out of fear that my large follicle might rupture, she advised for me to use the same 50 mg for the next round, which I will start in a couple of days.

For those of you who have been trying for longer than I have and have tried more treatments, do you have any advice? I'm a little confused on why the doctor put me on Clomid and why my follicles were too small. Does anyone else have issues with their follicles being too small and what worked/didnt work for you? Not knowing much about other treatments, I'm considering visiting a fertility specialist for an IVF...are there any other options I should consider before visiting with a fertility specialist?

Thanks in advance!

Steph
30 yo

Married since 2011
TTC #1 since August 2012 - Met with obgyn 8/2013
Initial ultrasound/ bloodwork/ hcg: normal
DH: SA = Average motility, Good count.

Starting cycle 2 of Clomid 50 mg

Hopeful1222 · July 2014

If you are able to, I'd make an appointment with a Reproductive Endocronologist (RE) soon. Could you have had cysts? My body doesn't respond at all to clomid so seeing a specialist as soon as you are able would be advice. Good luck with everything and welcome!

shirleymaeby · July 2014

First of all, welcome! Sorry you have to be here but hopefully you can get some answers or help soon.

Secondly, Let me be the first (of probably very many) to tell you that if you're seeing an OB you should get a referral to an RE. I wasted entirely too much time with my OB and got nowhere. They don't always run all the tests they should and they don't always know how to read the results of the tests they do run. Definitely see a specialist.

ebliss444 · July 2014

Hi Steph,

Welcome. I recently joined this board myself. Like you, our tests have some back normal/good. I went in to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) recently and would definitely recommend that as others did, if you aren't seeing one now.

Even though my tests seem to indicate that I ovulate, she also put me on 50 mg Clomid and my understanding is that it will help increase the chances of one or more follicles maturing and producing eggs (e.g., if you get two mature follicles you may be upping your chances that one of them implants.) My response the first time was OK so she actually upped my dose to 100 mg this cycle and liked my response.

With both of those cycles I also did IUI procedures, which an RE may or may not recommend for you. If I go another Clomid/IUI cycle without success, we're moving on to IVF, per her recommendation. I am just starting to learn more about IVF, but my understanding is that it takes some time for that process (beyond one cycle if you want to do any chromosomal testing, etc.).

Good luck!

laughlovelive2011 · July 2014

Thanks everyone. This process is so overwhelming and I'm so glad I'm finally in a place where I can seek advice and support!

After hearing all your thoughts, I will definitely schedule my appointment with a RE tomorrow. Any thoughts as to whether is it best to go in for an initial evaluation first, or should I go ahead and start my 2nd round of Clomid on Saturday and schedule a follicle scan as my first visit?

My OBGYN told me that I was in the "unexplained infertility" category. I am clearly ovulating but not producing a dominant follicle. From my limited (and very naive) understanding after the follicle scan and follow up bloodwork, I'm wondering if it is possible that I was not getting pregnant each month because I only release small wimpy follicles each month that could not get fertilized? Is that possible, and if so, is there a name for that condition?

Ebliss444: Thank you for your explanation! I had tried researching Clomid's functionality and all I could find was that it helped women ovulate, but I was never able to find information on Clomid's function for women who already do ovulate.

Daydream Sam: From what I understood from the ultrasound technician (I didn't actually see the dr the day of the follicle scan), she said that my largest cyst was about 20 mm, which is why she did not want to up the dosage. My right ovary had one large cyst, while my left had 3 small immature cysts and I had 0 dominant follicles

KT416 · July 2014

Welcome to the board! I don't have much advice but I would I would hold off on the next round of clomid until your consult with your RE! They may want to do more testing or even have a different protocol.

BunnyBerry · July 2014

Welcome! So sorry you have to be here, though.

I'm glad you are going to see an RE soon. I can't imagine that an "unexplained" diagnosis from your OB means very much...I would wait on the RE and see what they want to test. There are a lot of hormones that interact and sometimes being slightly off can put a wrench in the works.

If your OB is still afraid your large follicle will "rupture" on a higher Clomid dose this cycle, that makes me think that it is actually a leftover cyst that she is worried about rupturing. But you want to take a break cycle from Clomid to let a cyst resolve if it is too sizeable. I would call the OB's office and ask for clarification on her concerns about rupturing, before starting the Clomid. I would also check with the RE's office when calling for the appointment to see if you should start this medicated cycle.

lebradford · July 2014

Welcome! I agree with the other ladies. Definitely see a RE. I'd hold off on the Clomid until you meet with him/her. Also, you might be relieved to know that there are probably many other things you can try before you'd have to do IVF. Good luck!

catlover790 · July 2014

Everyone already covered the advice so I'll just say welcome! I hope you are able to meet with a RE soon, and good luck!

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