# New to clomid!



## honeypot31 (Mar 8, 2005)

Hi Everyone

Finally reached the clomid board, started this month one more tablet to take tomorow and i will be glad when its over ive had a cracking headache 3 days solid!  
Im only on 50mg cd2-6...
Im not feeling very positive at the moment and feeling groggy, ive been taking the pills in the morning, any suggestions on reducing the side affects, or what i can take to help with the headaches?

Also my cycles are usually 32-35 days and the consultant said i should exspect a 28 day cycle now, when should i hope to O, should i go on a 28 day cycle or whats normal for me?  

Good luck to everyone!!  

L.xx


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## Cath68 (May 29, 2005)

Hi Babycakes ( love the name !)
Sorry that the side effects are getting you. I'm on my 4th month of taking them and have had a different experience each month really - I mainly get hot flushes - but they seem to be getting less frequent as the months go by. Best piece of advice I was given form the Clomid ladies was to take the pills at night, so that the side effects work through your body through the  night.

Hope this helps and good luck !

Catherine x


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## honeypot31 (Mar 8, 2005)

Hi Cath

Thanx for replying..

I will try taking them in the evening next month hopefuly that will help, ive been getting hot flushes too, they dont last long though.

L.xx


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi there

Taking the pills at night is definitely sound advice...that's when I've been taking them & it does seem to have helped somewhat with reducing the side effects. I'm now into my 5th cycle on 50mg which I take to "boost" as ovulate naturally.

Also, regards your cycles becoming regular 28 day cycle...that's not exactly true for many of us...I used to have regular cycles of 28 days but then since Jan of this year, alternate months started to become irregular with the ones in between remaining 28 day...since being on clomid not one of my cycles has been the same length...I always ovulate on cd14/15 but have a longer luteal phase (from ovulation to AF) up to about 17/18 days (it's a myth that luteal phase is always 14 days & is apparently quite normal for it to be shorter or longer, although they don't like them to be less than 10 days long).

Anyway, it will be difficult to say when you'll ovulate but it is usually between 5-9 days after taking the last clomid pill...although we are all different so some may be later (occasionally maybe even earlier !)

Are you having follicle tracking (scans) to see how many follies are maturing (not everyone has these !) ? Has it been suggested you have progesterone blood tests to confirm ovulation (these need to be done 7 days past ovulation) ?

Perhaps you could use OPK's to detect the LH surge & then you should ovulate about 36hours later. Other ways of detecting ovulation are checking your cervical mucus (which should be clear & stretchy - egg white cervical mucus - at your most fertile time, it will usually be creamy/lotiony/watery before & after ovulation). You can also check your cervix which should be high, soft & open at ovulation.

Anyway, sure I've typed more than enough...I wish you loads of luck with your 1st cycle...
Take care
Natasha


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## honeypot31 (Mar 8, 2005)

Hi Natasha

Thank you so much for your reply, i found it really helpful...

Im not having any scans or blood tests for monitoring, im going back for a follow up appointment march next year  then i will be refered to fertility clinic.

The last scan i had a few months ago i had ovulated so i must ovulate just not every cycle, i usually get bad O pains though.

Thanx again, and good luck to you too!

L.xx


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## flowerpot (Jan 20, 2005)

Hiya Babycakes and welcome to the wonderful world of clomid  

I'm currently on cycle 8 at 150mg as 50mg and 100mg haven't worked for me.

Do try and take the tablets before bed, I've done this for 7 months but the only problem I'm now having is that they give me a restless night's sleep. I think trial and error is the only way as everyone is different.

There is no reason why your cycles will not stay slightly longer, pre-clomid mine were anything from 4-6 weekly but have now regulated to 31/32 days in length.  I ov day 17/18 and get a postive opk on day 16/17.  I actually get the ovulation pains a couple of days before ovulation actually takes place. Starts with a low down ache centrally moving over the ovaries, low back ache, feeling sickly and peeing a lot!  

Good luck and stick around, we all help each other through everything.


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## honeypot31 (Mar 8, 2005)

Hi Flowerpot

Thanx for the info, i guess i will have to order some opk's.

Ive been a total b!tch today, managed to upset my mum, break a digital camera, drive dh to bed early alone! 
And then started crying about it all!  

So glad todays the last one until next month.  

L.xx


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## wiggi (Oct 7, 2005)

hi flowerpot ur not alone with the side effects thats 4 sure im now waiting 4 my 2nd scan an i have always been 28 days last mth i was 35 i never realised i could be so nasty my dh went to bed early yest an i rung my sister up at 1 in the morning lucky 4 me she had fertility treatment 30yrs ago an has 3 boys an 3 grand children good luck an u will have all the support on these sites


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## Witchie Poo Cat (Aug 12, 2005)

Hiya

Just wanted to add my tuppence worth.  I have to say Im starting to feel quite lucky since the only side effect I get from 100mg of Clomid is a face full of acne twice a month!  I used to get outbreaks but these are chronic! lol  

Im on my 11th cycle of Clomid out of 15 in total and have to say I take my tablets at any time of day, whenever I remember actually, and I still O but seems to make sense to take them at night if side effects are a problem.

If the headache is bad try taking a painkiller with codeine which is ok to use.  If you dont want to take a painkiller try rubbing some heat lotion into your temples and/or the back of your neck which can provide great relief from bad tension headaches.

Best of luck on Clomid.  

Hugs

Witchie Poo Cat


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi Witchie 

I'm interested to hear that you've been told that codeine is ok to take during the 2ww (and pregnancy  )...it's just that I get severe migraines & am prescribed strong medication for them - I have one I should take every day (Pizotifen) which is supposed to prevent them (I've actually not taken this since I started ttc over 2 yrs ago as advised not to) but I also have another prescribed (Zomig - Zomitriptan)...however, when I've got a migraine during the 2ww my consultant & also the pharmacist at our hospital told me I shouldn't take the Zomig & can only take paracetamol as apparently I should treat myself as if I was pg during 2ww. I was told anything stronger than paracetamol was a "no no" but as you can imagine they don't even touch a migraine !

Is codeine safe during 2ww & pregnancy then 

Take care
Natasha


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## Witchie Poo Cat (Aug 12, 2005)

Hi Natasha

I dont take a preventative like you as I dont suffer migraines really, its a differnt type of headache I have, but I do take Zomig.  I have been told I can continue taking them as I dont take them that often but if I dont take Zomig during a bad attack the pain would just never go away.  When I first had this diagnosed I basically was in chronic, excrutiating agony 24/7 until I got put on the anti inflammatories, hypertension drugs, anti depressants, painkillers and migraine tablets - yeah what a cocktail eh?  When I told my GP we were seriously ttc she said to slowly come off the anti inflammatories and the hypertension drugs but when she checked the indications on Zomig and my anti depressants (which are taken for pain relief) these were ok.  Also, although you shouldnt take any drugs during pregnancy in an ideal world its quite often necessary to take them for certain conditions.  I was told I cant just stop my painkillers anyway, they are 60mg codiene so stopping suddenly will cause agonising rebound headaches.  I was worried about it so I have done a lot of research and I cant find any indication about codeine in pregnancy, only asprin and ibuprofen.  I have even checked my pregnancy books and again only Ibuprofen and Asprin are mentioned to avoid, no mention of codeine at all.  If its was to be avoided you would think it would be somewhere in these books.  You cant take asprin or ibuprofen as anti inflammatories cause a problem in the valve that opens spontaneously when the baby is born allowing it to breath.  These drugs cause a defect which can stop that valve from opening (so my GP told me).  

My sister has 5 children and apart from her first pregnancy she has been very poorly through all her pregnancies.  During one of them she contracted the viral form of meningitis and was prescribed dihydracodeine for weeks.  As its in her system it flares up every time she is really stressed which basically means at some point in all her pregnancies she has had to take these, and many other, drugs.

According to my GP the problem with most drugs is that there is no research.  How many pregnant women would volunteer for drug research?  I wouldnt thats for sure.  So, quite a lot of drugs that come under the umbrella of "dont take while PG" are actually drugs for which there is no or little data. Of course, there are some drugs which are definitely not recommended for use during pregnancy such as the anti inflammatories I was on before (although GP did say some 3rd trimester problems can result in women being prescribed it and the resulting baby is unharmed!).

Its a bit of a minefield really but since I take these painkillers daily to manage my condition Im certain my GP would have said if there was a strong contra indication to their use in pregnancy.  Also, each of my prescription codeine tablets has 30mg of codeine, solpadiene contains only 8mg per tablet, 12mg in the stronger ones, so there is a huge difference there too.

I see my GP next Thursday so I will ask her about it just to triple check.  I'd hate to think Ive been on these drugs for 5 years, ttc for 7, that neither she nor my gynae would have mentioned it,.

Will keep you posted.

Hugs

Witchie Poo Cat


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## Witchie Poo Cat (Aug 12, 2005)

ps...

sorry forgot to say, last week I read (for the first time!) the manufacturers leaflet inside my codeine/paracetemol prescription drug box for contra indications for pregnancy and there was no caution listed.  In fact, its use in pregnancy was not even mentioned so assume must be ok as there is always a caution if the drug is to be used with care or medical supervision.

Hope that helps

Witchie Poo Cat


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Thanks for your reply Witchie...if I get another severe migraine (get them about every 1-2 months, sometimes more...they're hormonal migraines but are really spiteful  & always located in my right temple...nausea, blurred vision (my eye right eye actually goes bloodshot & kinda goes tired/droopy if you know what I mean  not literally the muscles if I had a lazy eye but sort of closes up) & generally feeling unwell. It started when I was put on the mini-pill after years on combined...I thought they'd go when I came off pill to ttc but no such luck so I'm convinced something triggered it with the mini-pill as I rarely even got "normal" headaches before that ! Since the advice of consultant/pharmacist, I've actually read that you shouldn't take Zomig during pregnancy (or at least avoided if possible)....I will have to ask my consultant again as paracetamol are just no good when I get one of these !!

Anyway, thanks for all your info...really was a help, as always 
Hope you're doing ok & have a good weekend
Take care
Natasha


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## jocole69 (Dec 19, 2004)

Hi BabyCakes,

I remember chatting to you on NES    I'm still having no joy on the TTC front so will be starting Clomid in Dec (see my fertility spec then). So, I will be following your journey with interest (if thats ok!)    I get lots of headaches and migraines and find that codiene actually gives me a headache    My Dr has just recommended Paramax soluble which is Paracetamol and another ingredient. I keep getting horrendous PMT and migraine 10 days before AF      CD26 today!).  I am really worried I will get migraine when I go onto Clomid as im so prone, but have to see.  Well wanted to say Good Luck really, sending you lots of baby dust..... JO xxx


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## jocole69 (Dec 19, 2004)

Oh Yeah...Witchie Poo,

I was wondering which Anti D you are on, cos i have been on Citalopram (Ciprmil) for 3 years and even though I ony take 5mg every other day now, which is hardly anything, i do worry if it's ok whilst TTC. Obviously, if i do ever get pg than i would gradually come off the rest. It is an SSRI.

I think you are right about the pharmaceutical companies and the advise re: med's - they dont really know the effects so they cover their backs by recommending not to take things during/trying to get pg!
I have looked up loads of meds and stuff on the net and it's all very vague (except NSAIDS).
My GP knows i am TTC and even said if my migraine gets too bad, ie sickness, tingling, blurred vision etc.. then i can take Ibuprofen with the Paramax  

Thanks. Jo xx


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## Witchie Poo Cat (Aug 12, 2005)

Hi Jo

I take Amitriptylene which is a tricyclic SSRI, 75mg at night.  Originally I took it as an antidepressant many many years ago and never got around to coming off it.  Then when i got my headache condition they said to just stay on as tricyclics can help ease chronic pain but reduced it from 100mg to 75mg.  The thing is, even before going on the drug I was a terrible insomniac.  I usually am awake for 48 to 72 hours then sleep for 18 hours then awake again for 2 - 3 days and sleep for almost a whole day etc etc.  The Ami's have a side effect of bad drowsiness which is just enough to tip the scales for me and send me off to sleep so I will probably always be taking it even though its not addictive.

Yes, I agree, the manufacturers just cover their backs.  My GP was the one who explained about the NSAIDs and why I must come off the one I was taking (which some reports even said stopped ovulation).  I think for the rest of the drugs you need to weigh up if the benefit to be gained from taking it is worth the risk.  When I get a bad attack the pain is so severe I cant move, blink, anything, it feels like Im dying actually.  So, there is no way I would NOT take the tablet, its just not worth it.  I take so few of the Zomig that I would take the risk. 

I run my own natural health business and although I am taking some natural remedies my particular condition doesnt respond completely so will always have to take some kind of medication unfortunately.  Mind you, I have managed to cut down a lot and cope on my natural stuff so something is working!

The things we women have to go through in order to have a family, its not fair sometimes!

Hope you had a nice weekend

Hugs

Witchie Poo Cat


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