# Whats next after Clomid ? Please reply....



## Perla (Feb 20, 2013)

Whats next after clomid? Please reply.... x

Hello, I am on my 6 th month of clomid, first 3 were on 50mg and last 3 were 100mg. I had been having blood tests on day 15 and 21 and never really had a result over 10 let alone over 30!! But last month i went on day 28 and my result was 42 which we were so pleased about, not sure If I had been ovulating all along or not.
Anyway.... We have been ttc for just over 2 years. My hsg was all clear although it was sooooooo painful, I have polysistic ovaries and sperm all good. 
We are due to go back to the hospital next month and I just wanted to know If anyone knows what they suggest next ? Is there another drug, more tests or just ivf ? 
Do any of you use ovulation sticks?
Has anyone got any recommendations ? 
I am not have accupunture done each week.

Appreciate some help/advise.

Thanks


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## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

Hi Perla,

Not sure I will be much help as it is a bit of a minefield out there. I have read other threads that talk about using metformin for pcos, but as I don't have it I can't speak from experience. I have had 7 rounds of clomid all at 100 and I have another 2 left to take when my OH comes home in Dec (he works away  ). I have unexplained infertility, which I believe is a result of years on the pill, but no one will ever commit themselves to agree with me  . OH is all ok, and all my tests have come back ok, so I am among those of us who are   trying to fathom out why we don't have normal cycles, or in my case cycles at all without clomid and a trigger shot!! I have responded to the clomid as I have had scans to show this, but no baby yet  . I have been told my next step will be IVF, but I think this is mainly due to me being 40  

It was never a path I wanted to take, but if I have no other option, then so be it.

I'm just enjoying my little fertility meds break. I have acu every other week and some reiki too. My reiki lady has given me some crystals too, which I carry with me and they go under my pillow at night  , maybe that all sounds a bit  , but I figure what the heck and will give anything a go  

I'm also on a frantic slimming world mission, to get my BMI down ready for IVF. For anyone wanting to shed weight I would strongly recommend giving it a go. I have lost almost half a stone in 3 weeks, and can eat loads  

Sorry I waffled on a bit and wasn't really much help.


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## Butterflies123 (Oct 16, 2012)

Hi Perla

I didn't respond to clomid either. After 3 rounds at increasing doses I still hadn't responded. I'm now on my second round of Gonal F injections to which I am responding well. I have ovulated which is very exciting! Now on my 2ww...

I am not using ovulation sticks anymore because I know when I am ovulating from all the scans, trigger shot and blood tests! That is the only downside of Gonal F, you are at the clinic all the time! 

My HSG was also horrific but came back clear. 

Good luck xx


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## Perla (Feb 20, 2013)

Hi butterflies,
  Thanks for your reply, almost glad you hear someone elses hsg was painful and normal as this still worried me.
Are you private or nhs? I am nhs and I am only offered blood tests to check lh level I have never had any scans but I would like to even If it does mean paying, just gets confusing.
I hope you get there soon it is all such a struggle x


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## Perla (Feb 20, 2013)

Hi Spudlin, 
We keep crossing paths! Thank you for your reply... loved all the faces. No I am having accupunture and I am really into anything holistic, I just seem to be spending a lot on it and also physio for my neck and back.
Well dont to the weight loss why do you have to be a certain bmi for ivf ? I was on the pill from very young as I had really heavy period and so painful I guess I was on it for 8-10 years then I had the patch for a year. Now my periods are so light its worrying. 
I am getting my head around the idea of ivf too, they have not mentioned it but I kind of think If something will work that would be it ?! x


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## Butterflies123 (Oct 16, 2012)

Hi I am NHS but seem to be getting a good service. 

They will have to scan you if you go onto injectables as they need to monitor your response and adjust your medication accordingly. The injections themselves aren't too bad when you get used to it! 

Good luck


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## Perla (Feb 20, 2013)

Thank you for the info on that. x


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## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

Hi Perla, glad you like my smilies   have another.

I was told that for IVF on the NHS your BMI needs to be below 30! So I figured that there must be reasons for this, so I asked and was informed that the healthier you are, the better your chances of success  . Story of my life, cos I've never been thin  . I am probably fitter and more active/eat more healthily than most, but obviously I am just one of those people that needs to go that extra mile.

Slimming world is fab, I had a particularly bad week at work last week and had 2 iced fingers (my downfall, the bakery near work is amazing!!). I still lost a kilo, which I have averaged since I started 3 weeks ago. I am just under half a stone lighter already  

I am quite lucky that I am not a big drinker, especially when my OH is away at work, so I don't have to count that into my syn allowance. More syns for yummy cake and chocolate  

Hope you find a path that is right for you, keep in touch on here, it is the only thing that keeps me sane at times


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## moo84 (Oct 14, 2011)

hi Perla,

I started on clomid last year and did a few rounds on increasing dosages from 50mg to 150mg - and didn't ovulate on any of them.
I was put on Metformin (about 3 clomid rounds in) and tried acupuncture for a few months, which I really enjoyed and found helped me relax, but I'm not sure how much it did for my fertility...

I had ovarian drilling in May of this year and in August restarted the clomid at 100mg - I ovulated, and got my bfp!! I had my 12 week scan on Friday and all is looking good.

The ovarian drilling is done laparoscopically in day surgery. If you want any more details about it feel free to message me. I am now a big fan of it and would recommend you ask your consultant if it would be appropriate for you.

Good luck xx


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## Perla (Feb 20, 2013)

Hello Moo 
thank you for your advise, please can you give me some more info on the drilling? Why did you have it? was it painful etc? 
x


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## Perla (Feb 20, 2013)

Hello Spudli, Thanks for the extra smile!!
You sound like you are doing really well. x


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## ToniBruce (Sep 18, 2012)

Moo!

Reading your story makes me so amazingly happy!!

I have PCOS. I tried Clomid this year, 1st cycle at 50mg, nothing. Another 2 cycles at 100mg, nothing. My nurse and consultant then decided not to continue with the Clomid, as they say you shouldn't have any more than 6 cycles. (not sure what the reason for this is, as I know many women have many more cycles). Anyway, thy have decided that I should try ovarian drilling, try naturally for 4 months, and if Im not pregnant then I still have 3 cycles of Clomid. They seem quite confident that this will work for me. 

I've been looking on here for similar stories to mine, with a positive outcome! 😊

The only thing that I think may stand in my way though is my BMI. It was at 32 web I started all this. It's now creeped up to 34! How did that happen?! 😞
I am working on getting it down. Hopefully it's working, especially as I have my pre op on Friday, if it's gone up any more they will cancel my op!! 😩


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## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

Toni, I think clomid makes you put on weight!! I think maybe in the way that the pill would

I had lost almost 2 stone before I started clomid and have gradually crept back up and prob put about 3/4 of it back on  .

I am on slimming world and it is amazing. So much so that I have just eaten an enormous tea followed by a crunchie and it was all allowed. A crunchie is only 9 1/2 syns and you can have 5-15 every day. I think I have only ever gone over 15 once, but as I am well under every other day I think it equals out. It does say you can be flexible. I have been doing it for 4 weeks now and have lost 4.5kg which is well over half a stone  

I didn't believe how easy it was until I started. Once you get into the swing of planning your meals before hand, it's even easier. I have turned into Delia Smith lol. I even make soup at the weekend for my lunches in work  

Now instead of fretting about dropping my bmi for possible IVF, I am thinking about a lovely dress I could wear for the works Xmas do, which I haven't fit into for years  

(what I do find annoying, when we fret about bmi, is all those enormous women out there who have no issues getting preg, my hideous SIL being one of them  )


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## moo84 (Oct 14, 2011)

Perla, I have just sent you a pm with info re: the ovarian drilling

Tonibruce - I'm certain that clomid makes you put on weight, I put on 1 1/2 stone in the year I was on it, but lost over half a stone in the 3 months after OD before restarting the clomid, and then a further 10lbs in the first 10 weeks of my pregnancy - (I think that's largely due to the nausea!)

Well done on your weight loss Spudlin xx

Good luck to all you ladies, wishing you lots of babydust xxx


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## ToniBruce (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi Ladies.

I think Clomid makes you put weight in as well. Well that's my excuse and Im sticking to it! 😄

Spudlin, do you have to be very organised for Slimming world? (As I am not) Also, I work shifts, on Emergency Ambulane, so my eating patterns are a nightmare, do you think I would struggle?? (I did get very excited for a min there, I read you post as being allowed 10-15 Crunchies a week! 😄😄)

Just waiting to go in for my pre op.... dreading stepping on those scales and having topped my BMI over 35!


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## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

soz for delay in replying, been away for the weekend having lots of none ttc sex   that's my lot now til December lol.

Toni, slimming world takes some thought at the start but then gets easier. I try and plan meals in my head on my days off. I make soup for my lunches in work, but you can take sandwiches, you just have to look at your allowance each day. The 1st 2 weeks I did a food diary (it tells you to do this and I can see why). Then it kind of clicked and now it is really easy. You get to know your naughty food and how many syns they are. I have not done any slimming world this weekend as just wanted to chill and be normal with OH. We ate out 2 nights, had Starbucks for brekky and I even had a massive pancake with cream and ice cream on it, oh and toffee sauce lol. I weighed in this morning and put on a pound, which to me feels pretty justified as I've been pig!!!


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## ToniBruce (Sep 18, 2012)

I think I might give it a go, after my drilling next week 😊

1lb on is not bad bad at all. We all need a bad week every now and then. 

😊


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