Clomid vs Femara

Rachaeleigh · September 2014

Morning, ladies. I haven't been very active here throughout the last few weeks (months?), but I am always lurking.

So, 3 follistim IUIs proved to be unsuccessful. My previous RE is who started us on follistim rather than oral meds. My response and DHs numbers were always great
My current RE, who oversaw this last IUI, is supportive of us moving on to IVF, but also keeps insisting that we're likely to get pregnant with IUI or naturally if we have it in us to keep trying. However, it's been 2 years since our last pregnancy (loss).

I was adamant that I was not investing anymore time or money into IUI...until I realized that my RE is more awesome than originally thought. He's wanting to code all monitoring as diagnostic, rather than treatment, thus having that paid for by insurance. We also have a significant credit now. So, we can do some IUIs for "free".
He suggested trying clomid or femara to switch things up.
Any thoughts or preferences to either med?

Sorry for the long explanation!

Rachaeleigh · September 2014

Thanks, @DarcyHermione‌ :-)

jennym25 · September 2014

That is great that your RE is willing to help out as needed. I have taken both Clomid and Femara. On Clomid I was very emotional and had hot flashes while taking the medication and a few days after. On Femara I have had one side effect and it's was only on my fist cycle (about to start my third) of a headache for a few day and that was about it. Good luck with whichever you go with.

Rachaeleigh · September 2014

rainbowbridge14 said:
Thats really awesome that your RE is willing to help you like that.

I prefer femara because I had less side effects. Did he have any other rational for switching you from injects to oral meds besides changing things up? Maybe getting fewer follies, reducing risk of multiples? It seems like an odd progression to me is all.

I agree on the progression. He had no other rationale other than to try something different. I'll probably try 1 cycle of oral meds and then switch back if I don't like the way it goes

AnnaClaire256 · September 2014

Your RE sounds amazing. What a blessing!!

I know I'm probably in the minority, but I've taken both and respond MUCH better to clomid. There are definitely some hot flashes that come along with it but I usually get two perfect follies a cycle. Oral meds are so cheap in comparison to injects...if your RE thinks it's worth trying, seems like it's worth a shot! Good luck!

BunnyBerry · September 2014

No matter how awesome it would be for the RE to code differently to save me money for give me a "credit" for treatments, I would want to know his rationale for oral meds making a difference if injects didn't work and you've been trying without a pregnancy for 2 years?

But it seems like no harm in trying. Unless you could use that "credit" to help pay for your IVF, in which case that is the option I would seriously lean toward given the high chance of success. I know that trying injects + IUI a couple times still has higher chances than trying to continue oral meds + IUI after a few (3-6) failures, but I never heard that going the opposite direction has any history of success.

I would also want to know his rationale for using this as an appropriate treatment after your repeated losses. Has he done anything to look into what may be a cause and give you any kind of preventative treatment that might be appropriate? That's what would make me think he was an awesome RE.

Rachaeleigh · September 2014

BunnyBerry said:
No matter how awesome it would be for the RE to code differently to save me money for give me a "credit" for treatments, I would want to know his rationale for oral meds making a difference if injects didn't work and you've been trying without a pregnancy for 2 years?

But it seems like no harm in trying. Unless you could use that "credit" to help pay for your IVF, in which case that is the option I would seriously lean toward given the high chance of success. I know that trying injects + IUI a couple times still has higher chances than trying to continue oral meds + IUI after a few (3-6) failures, but I never heard that going the opposite direction has any history of success.

I would also want to know his rationale for using this as an appropriate treatment after your repeated losses. Has he done anything to look into what may be a cause and give you any kind of preventative treatment that might be appropriate? That's what would make me think he was an awesome RE.

@BunnyBerry‌ I completely understand everything you're saying. Based on all of my previous testing , which is everything under the sun with 3 different REs, there are absolutely no answers for IF or the RPL.
Even chromosomal testing of one of the pregnancies was normal. So, even IVF with PGD wouldn't give us assurance of a successful pregnancy
I think at this point, with minimal cost, he's encouraging us to try a few more IUIs before biting the bullet and investing so much in IVF. Even with more IUIs, the majority of the credit will be left and yes, could be put towards IVF.
He doesn't so much think oral vs injects will make much of a difference, but I think more so was offering them as a cheaper option than injects, if we needed a break from that cost

BunnyBerry · September 2014

Makes sense.

I like Femara for few side effects, but it gets annoying to have exactly one follie each time.

Rachaeleigh · September 2014

BunnyBerry said:
Makes sense. I like Femara for few side effects, but it gets annoying to have exactly one follie each time.

Hmmm, less side effects vs less follies. Damn IF

Autumray · September 2014

I have done 3 rounds of clomid and 1 of Femara.

Clomid made me a huge bitch, cry a lot, Night Sweats, Nightmares, and I just hated it! I was not monitored when I took Clomid (terrible I know bad bad bad me!) So I cant say about Follies (but I didnt get KU soooooo)

This cycle is my first Femara cycle it gave me some of the worst headaches I have had in recent years. This, however, was my only side effect. As for follies I had 2 that were actually growing (at last monitoring they were small 11&13 but I am a late Oer and they tested me on CD12 and CD15)

lisa89760 · September 2014

I feel a ton better on femara...this is my second cycle. I did 4 cycles with clomid (50 mg, 100 mg, and then two 150 mg). I had some bad spotting...like 10 days straight on my last cycle of clomid. I had more follicles on 150 mg of Clomid though. I had 3-4 those two cycles and 1-2 with femara.

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