clomid and PCO

[Anonymous]

please share some happy and successful clomid stories - i'm so sad today.

TTC for 4 months now after coming off BCP. We have a DS that's 2. I have PCO. I'e been temping and using OPKs and knew I wasn't ovulating.. went to see the RE and he put me on a round of clomid. Took it. Went in today for a post-coital and sono (Day 15). i was very dry - very little CM from the post coital and looking at the sono he didn't think I was going to ovulate this month. Told me to take another round of provera to induce my period and then upped my clomid dosage for next month.

i just really had hoped that bang, clomid would do the trick and we'd be set..

[Anonymous]

Hi there. Sorry to hear about your clomid troubles!!

Like you, I went off BCP and did not get a period for 5 months while first TTC. My OB put me on clomid for about 4 months, and it did not help. I eventually went through more advanced testing did get pregnant through IVF at Shady Grove Fertility (on my first attempt).

A couple of things to think about:
-given your PCO, are you on metformin? That will help with some of the symptoms related to annovulation (or lack of ovulation). I would definitely reccomend the ER kind (extended release). After being on that for about 1 month, I started ovulating on my own.
-the clomid makes your cervical mucus dry up a bit, so that's one of the draw backs. I am not surprised to read that you were very dry after your post coital. Try a supplement like pre-seed. Some women have tons of success with that.
-I would not mess around on clomid forever. Give it enough time where you feel comfortable, but there are other more sucessful options, such as injectables. They are of course more expensive, but they increase your chances for success.
-check out www.soulcysters.net. It's a great website for women with PCO. Others may have advice, and there is an entire board for people who are TTC on clomid.

GOOD LUCK! !!!

[Anonymous]

op here - thanks!

i did metaformin (or glucophage -sp??) years ago -- made my stomach really awful. went off and mainly thru diet and exercise (avoiding carbs really) got pregnant three times (one birth). i'm thinking i am going to look at diet again and see if that helps.

thanks for the pre-seed advice -- i can't believe my doc didn't mention it... he didn't even mention the clomid could be the cause of the dryness -- he seemed to indicate i was dry b/c i just wasnt' goint to ovulate. i think medically he may know what he is doing but he doesn't always share the steps and though process he is going thru -- it's just about getting you there and not really explaining along the way,....

congrats on your pregnancy. the thought of ivf and all the drugs really really freaks me out.... but we shall see

[Anonymous]

First of all, 4 months of TTC is really not long at all, but if you don't ovulate at all, that's a problem. I agree with 20:05, it's worth exploring Metformin (=glucophage) again.
For the preseed, it's normal that your Dr. has not mentioned it b/c it's not something that's really scientifically/medically proven. Also, Robitussin helps with dry mucus: see http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/cm.html.
Also, you might want to think about seeing a different RE, I agree with 20:05 it's stupid to do a post coital test when on Clomid b/c Clomid makes you dry so of course the result of the test will show that you are dry, I am not sure your RE is that good. Maybe find a better one?
Also, please remember that you are very fortunate to have a DS so don't feel sorry for yourself, you already have a child...

[Anonymous]

" Also, please remember that you are very fortunate to have a DS so don't feel sorry for yourself, you already have a child..."

I am not the OP or PPs, but as a regular contributor to this forum and someone who is struggling with secondary fertility, I have to say that this is a truly awful thing to post and I hope that you refrain from doing so again.

Having one child does not mean that I'm not going through hell and back, emotionally and physically, trying to conceive another; that I don't feel that my body is failing me; that I don't feel that my life is out of my control; that I don't feel that I'm a failure because my body is not doing something that it should be doing. Having one child does not mean that my husband won't feel pain if he doesn't get the family he dreams of or that my parents won't feel the pain if they don't get the second grandchild that they dream of. Having one child does not make any of it less painful.

Until you walk in my shoes, do not judge my life.

[Anonymous]

To PP: Sorry if I hurt your feelings that wasn't my intention and maybe my choice of words wasn't what it should have been. My intention was to make OP feel better by telling her to focus on the positive things in life: the fact that she already has a DS. I know how hard TTC is and feeling miserable does not help, if you can have a positive attitude, it makes everything better.

[Anonymous]

OP here --PP == yes, totally agree also that I am VERY lucky to have DS.. every day I tell myself that. BUT thanks 1117 -- I am TOTALLY there. I blame myself for not jumping in sooner to seek medical attention - I feel like I've been "wasting time" and wasting my husband's efforts, I feel guilty that my kids (if we do have another) age wise are getting farther and farther apart, I do question my doctor (although, his credentials are steller...), I feel bad that I can't just set my mind to it and make this happen..... all of this and more.

This whole baby making process really is incredible -- no two women are alike exactely and no two pregnancies for the same woman are exactely alike.... as much as we all know about the process -- we still no squat... and that's why it truly is the miracle of life!

[Anonymous]

I have PCOS and did not ovulate. I did 5 months of clomid (some with IUI), which made me ovulate, but I did not get pregnant. The clomid reduced my CM a lot, which may have been part of the problem. I then went to injectibles and was pregnant the first month of using them. Hang in there. For the most part, women with PCOS will get pregnant - and the fact that you have been pregnant before is a great sign that you'll be able to do it again!

[Anonymous]

I have PCOS also. I tried clomid alone and with IUI. It did not work so I moved on to injectibles with IUI. I became pregnant and unfortunately miscarried. PCOS presents issues with becoming pregnant, and it also presents egg quality issues. Like some previous posters, I would lean toward moving on to IVF where lowe quality eggs are basically weeded out. I did that eventually and had a successful pregnancy. In retrospect, I wish I had not wasted my time with clomid and IUIs. If you don't have insurance coverage for anything beyond clomid, I would suggest giving metformin another try. I had issues with it at first, but gradually built up from 500 to 1500 mg per day. I built up to this amount over 3 months or so and my body eventually acclimated (for the most part). If you can tolerate it, it's worth considering continuing it throughout your pregnancy. I did not do this and was basically unable to breastfeed because my milk never came in; another unfortunate side affect for some (but thankfully not all) people with PCOS. I wish you luck - PCOS is such a difficult issue.

[Anonymous]

Just thought I'd post a positive story, since all of the ones above seem to be negative.

I went off the pill in April 2007, was diagnosed with PCOS in July 2007, and started Metformin in August 2007. Metformin did not cause me to ovulate. RE wanted to start me on clomid, but first gave me provera to induce a period since I hadn't had one since going off the pill. Provera did not induce a period so we just started clomid (while continuing Metformin). On my third round of clomid (100 mg) + IUI + HCG trigger, I got pregnant (January 2008). Unfortunately, I had a blighted ovum at 8 weeks and had to have a D&C in February 2008. I started another round of clomid in April 2008 and got pregnant. I'm happy to report that I am currently 30 weeks pregnant.

Best of luck to you. I know how emotionally draining fertility treatments are, but don't lose hope. It may just take a little more time!

[Anonymous]

Another positive story ....

After TTC for several months, I was diagnosed with PCOS and put on clomid. I didn't ovulate during the first month, so the doctor changed the dosage of clomid. I got pregnant during my second cycle on the new dosage of clomid and now have a happy, healthy 3 year old. In TTC baby #2, I again didn't ovulate during the first month using clomid. The doctor upped the dosage again and I got pregnant the next month. I'm due in 3 weeks. I never had to use metformin, IUIs, etc -- clomid did the trick for me once the dosage was changed.

So don't give up hope. I know thats easier said than done, but hang in there.

[Anonymous]

THANKS for the postive stories!!!

OP here -- start my second round of clomid with an upped dosage tomorrow... fingers crossed!!!

[Anonymous]

Pregnant with second round of clomid here. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to post another PCOS success story. Mine was with metformin ER. My Dr sais ER was easier on the stomach, so maybe you could try that one. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP here -- In good news (and oh my gosh now what news...) I went to the RE today and I have two good size follicles on the right and another on the left! Great but oh my gosh!! This is my second round of clomid -- i didn't respond at all to the first with 1 pill so he upped it to two. he said if I don't get pregnant this month then next month we will try a pill and a half a day! crazy.....

I feel soooo big today -- just totally bloated and it's a bit crampy too.

i'm SO hoping to be pregnant this month!!! Oh my gosh and then the next set of worries begins... keeping it.... YIKES!