# What is the next step after Clomid?



## beckyshutts (Jan 17, 2013)

I have been on clomid now for two months, and both times there has been no signs of ovulation in my day 21 bloods (I also had day 28 to check and that was negative too), I was wondering what comes next?
I have my next hospital appointment next week and would like to discuss with my consultant what our next options are, but have no clue and google doesn't seem to be much help. It would be nice to hear from some ladies who have been in this position before?

They have been speaking about doubling my clomid, however I have concerned about the consequences / side effects from doing this.

I have no less than 9 friends who are currently expecting, with two others having just given birth, and I know I shouldn't let it get to me and I should be happy for them, but I feel really desperate at the moment, and am finding it difficult to keep up the positive charade.

Hopefully some of you will be kind enough to reply, as I never seem to hear back from anyone on here. If not I will move to another forum.

X


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## danielle1370 (Dec 4, 2012)

Hiya hun

Well the next step for us is IVF, but that's due to my 3 mc. I do ovulate on Clomid but they've stopped me taking it now as last month I got horrendous headaches which they were concerned about. My situation is probs slightly different to yours so im probably not much help but didn't want to read and run. Hope you get some answers off other ladies in your position, there may well be some other drugs they can try before ivf.xx


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## Flips (Jul 12, 2012)

Hi Becky,

I've been told it's 3 rounds of clomid for me, then the next step for me is IVF, but that's because they don't know if my tubes are blocked or not, and because of my history they can't do the tests (and everything else is fine, so chances are quite high it's my tubes that are the problem, but my consultant thought clomid was worth a shot just in case).

I know how hard it is when everyone around you seems to be having babies with no problem, I hope you get good news from your consultant next week.

x


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## beckyshutts (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi ladies,

Thank you so much for replying, it means so much to talk to others in a similar boat. Especially when I am sure family and friends are probably bored of me talking about all this stuff by now! Also, it is hard I think for others to understand the turmoil when they have not been through it themselves.

Danielle - do you know why you are having problems conceiving? I have PCOS but without the syndrome so there is nothing which I can do to help things along like other woment eg. losing weight etc. I was told it was mild and should be fine, but we are now in our thrid year and nothing is happening still.

Flips - What round of Clomid are you on now? Have you had a hysterosalpingogram to check your tubes? I hads this and it came back fine, but things still are not working down there.

Were either of you offered hormone injections? Or was it straight to IVF? This may sound silly, but is IVF a step further than AI?

XXXX


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## rs1984 (Dec 5, 2011)

will they increase the clomid dose ie from 50mg to 100mg? I didn't respond at all on clomid but a higher dose can sometimes do the trick. For us we went straight to IVF/ICSI. try not to worry too much - you have options.


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## tams1981 (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi becky,

For me I had the dose increased and metformin also as I have pcos.

Then after that not working as I had one child nhs discharged me and I had to go private. If I didn't have one child already on nhs in my area would have had 3 rounds of iui and then onto ivf. But different post codes are different.

I am now at a private clinic about to embark on my 2nd ivf in a few months.

Good luck xx


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## Flips (Jul 12, 2012)

beckyshutts said:


> Flips - What round of Clomid are you on now? Have you had a hysterosalpingogram to check your tubes? I hads this and it came back fine, but things still are not working down there.
> 
> Were either of you offered hormone injections? Or was it straight to IVF? This may sound silly, but is IVF a step further than AI?
> 
> XXXX


I'm just about to start my first round of Clomid, so I'm a total newbie at this. A hysterosalpingogram isn't suitable for me due to previous pelvic infection (my appendix burst) - they attempted a laparoscopy and dye but it wasn't successful due to scar tissue from my previous surgery, so my tubal patency is completely unknown! I've been told the next step for me will be IVF, but I'm not sure if this is unusual, due to my previous infection I'm not really a straightforward case!


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## Alvy (Jan 14, 2013)

Upping the dose  in steps to max 150 should be the first step. What side effects are you exactly having from it? I think I was quite lucky as I experienced nearly no side effects, at least with the 50 mg.  If this brings on too much side effects they can consider to put you on injectables like Gonal F. At least this is the common order in The Netherlands when it comes to PCOS. After that it is usually IUI and then IVF.


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## Sho Po (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi Becky

I imagine it all depends on what your PCT are prepared to offer but after initial goes with 50mg of clomid I was put on an increased dose, eventually up to 150mg but this did nothing. I had to have some uterine polyps removed so they did ovarian drilling at the same time. Back to the clomid but still no ovulation so we moved on to hormone injections (menopur in my case). I was only offered three goes at this but all three cycles were cancelled as I responded a little too well and produced too many follicles (I too have PCOS) to be allowed to continue to ovulation so it was on to IVF.

HTH
Shona


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## beckyshutts (Jan 17, 2013)

RS1984 - they have said about doubling the dose, I am currently taking 500 mg metformin three times a day plus 50 mg clomid on days 2-6. 

Tams1981 - Where abouts in UK are you? did you have a child inbetween treatment or before you started? Good luck with your IVF, hope it is positive for you!

Flips - good luck with your clomid, I hope it works for you. I have heard a lot of success stories with women getting pregnant on their first go. I think that is maybe why I feel so dispondant, it is great to hear the success stories, but it just hammers it home again I am not one of them.

Alvy - I am on 50mg currently, and they are talking about bringing it up to 100 mg combined with the metformin. In terms of side effects I have had headaches, and turn in to the b***h from hell for a few days, and I get really bloated, but otherwise it has been ok. I am concerned that it would get worse if they did increase the dose, which is another reason why I want to consider other options. I had heard that injections are the next step, so I am hoping my doc will consider it, do you know anything about side effects?

Sho Po - How are you getting on with IVF? Or have you finished this? I didn't realise you could respond too well, is that along the lines of being the new octomum? lol

I think I find IVF really scary, and it feels that if I don't respond to the Clomid when they increase the dose, that this could be the next step. How did everyone find it? I never imagined in a million years I would be 26 years old and unable to conceive a child, the whole scenario frightening. I fear it is also making me bitter towards the ladies who do get pregnant just like that....must think positive thoughts more!!!!

Thank you so much for responding! I really do appreciate your advice xxxxxx


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## tams1981 (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi becky, 

Firstly don't feel bad about being bitter I feel bitter a lot of the time when I see people who just do not care about their kids. It isn't fair how things work out and I feel for you as when I was a lot younger just took it as a given could have a big family. 

I live in South Wales and I no that most areas do not allow nhs for iui and ivf if either you or your partner has had children.

I have what they call secondary infertility. As I've got older my pcos have got worse and now I do not ovulate. So I was very lucky in 2007 to catch naturally on holidays after trying for 18 months.

I didn't no I had a problem at this point and we started trying for a second straight away. There's 16 years between me and my sister and I didn't want that for my child as I was very lonely untill my sister had children which were closer in age to me than my sister.

Sorry about life story lol.

With regards to IVF there is nothing to worry about. Emotionally it's hard but at least after all the waiting you feel like you are doing something. The injecting is fine and once you've got passed the first one its fine. The egg collection and transfer is also fine. I found the worst bit the 2 week wait after egg transfer. It drags and every little sign makes you think your pregnant.

Good luck to you and rember you have time on your side. You have found out early and can now do something about it. 

If you need me to answer any questions about ivf or anything feel free to pm me xx


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## Alvy (Jan 14, 2013)

Doesnt seem too bad with the side effects then. On 50 mg I only had head ache for like 3 days around ovulation. I didnt really have any mood swings. I had 6 rounds of 50 mg and then my final round was 100 mg, but I didnt have any more side effects than on the 50 mg. I too was worried at what it would do, but I think only way to know is by tryin. It wasnt nearly as bad as I expected it to be. On this 7th and last round with 100 mg I got pregnant. It is said injections are less harsh on the lining, which Clomid might do after longer use in higher dose. I never had trouble with it though. Injections I never used, didnt get that far. About other side effects I am not sure, maybe others can inform you about that.


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## beckyshutts (Jan 17, 2013)

Tams1981 - I was talking to my husband this evening, rarely do we get a chance to sit down and properly talk about the baby stuff, he has hurt his back so is laid up on the sofa and couldn't get away from me! Its not that he doesn't want to talk about it, but I think he wants to stay away from it all becoming too clinical and starting to control our lives. I don't think he fully understands how much this is on my mind, every day seems occupied with it in my head. But, anyway, I mentioned IVF, and I think he is concerned about having a multiple pregnancy and ending up with 15 babies in one go. Did this ever concern you?
How does your other half find it all?

I feel lucky that we have decided to try for children early on, and as there is a problem we are on the right path, and like you said early enough that time is still on our side. I think it is something that as a woman you take for granted, planning how many you will have, names etc lol, but never planning on what happens when it doesn't happen on its own.

Alvy - no I don't think side effects have been too bad, although my other half would disagree, he asked if the Clomid was the one that turned me in to a banshee today!! Congratulations on your pregnancy (is it now, or do you have a bouncing baby already)....how did you keep sane when waiting for the clomid to work month after month?

XXXX


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## Alvy (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks for the congratz. I am 8 weeks this week and it is my first if it works out,  I had 3 chemical pregnancies over the last 2 years, of which 2 were on round 1 and 3 of Clomid. I never doubted Clomid wouldnt work in my case, never given thatt much thought because the first round went well right from the start. Eventhough that ended in a chemical I was quite certain it would work agan, by giving it time. Sure I felt same as many do ending up in all this treatment, and when round 3 had the same outcome I decided to try and be less emotional and more scientfic on the matter. I did round 4, then took a 3 month break being determined to find the cause of 3 chemicals. I read tons and tons of material, books etc. Then demanded a bunch of test and gave myself some time to heal. Moved onto another clinc that to me were more open to think outside the box, since in Netherlands treatments in hospitals are generally very conservative. With these doctors, who had been in the business really decades already, I set up a plan and was allowed to bring in own ideas. Because of all I read about it and studied, relying mainly on research articles etc, they thought I became a doctor myself almost lol. But it was good to have knowledge and being able to know every bit a doctor talks about. I think it helped me greatly.

This last round, the 7th, I didnt count on anything anymore and I tried to foresee a future without kids. That, if it would never happen, would life really be so bad? Also, I knew I read and had done all I could and knew pretty much all there was to know, so I found some peace in that. I managed to take some distance because I also didnt wanna feel the jealousy, envy and sometimes plain hatred anymore towards others who got babies/pregnant and to me werent fit for that. Live and let live, sorta. I kinda accepted it was the way it was, in the beginning I only fought myself, asking why me, and how to fix myself. I just let go, no more counting on things or expectations,.. and then it happened.


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## tams1981 (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi becky, 

No multiple pregnancies do not bother me in fact I was hoping for twins.  I choose to have to embies put back in but you can choose just one if your worried about multiples. Obviously there's still a chance of them splitting and ending up with twins etc.

My husband goes with the flow with it all really anything I suggest or say he goes with. It was easy for me to approach the subject as when I was discharged from nhs after 6 months of chlomide in which one month I ovulated we knew we had to do something else as if I could only ovulate 1 month out of 6 with drugs then I knew there was a very slim chance of anything ever happening natrually.

So I came home rung him and said the nhs as suggested this private clinic not too far away it's £195 consultation and I'm booking. We managed to get some of the consultation money back through my husbands private health care but that's all we could claim for.

We then used hubbies bonus to pay for iui but unfortunately the first round of drugs didn't work so wasted £400 just on drugs Nd still had no eggs. At this point I was glad I'd gone down this route as I was thinking if drugs can't stimulate my overies then there's no chance I could get pregnant natrually. Any second round drugs were tweaked but still bfn. But I felt at least I was trying.

We recently had ivf where it appears I've had problems with the drugs again and hopefully they can tweak them for the next round il probably be starting in April/may. xx


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## MayUK (Jul 30, 2012)

Hi
I'm only on my first clomid cycle but woke up today to a day 11 bleed - went to the clinic and they said they're not sure why and went ahead with my day 12 scan. The follicles are small, so I might have already ovulated, but the lining looks good. They said to get on with it this weekend in case I OV later - but if I'm bleeding DH is not gonna go for that. 
Anyhow now I've abdominal pain and am emotionally drained.  This time the nurse said she wasn't sure why I was on Clomid, as I ovulate on my own (although not in a totally regular way 32-38 day cycles, and possibly not good enough quality every time). 

I have to go back for another scan on Monday, and a blood test then or Wed. Then she said if clomid doesn't get me preg in 1-2 cycles we can try injections. So there seems to be a step between clomid and Ivf. We're not suitable for IUI due to low motile sperm count. 

It's all so confusing and I totally get that the family/ friends have heard enough and presumably think we're being rather dramatic about it all.


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## beckyshutts (Jan 17, 2013)

Hey ladies,

Thank you for all your support in the run up to my appointment this morning. I had some fabulous news, that I ovulated for the first bloody time!!! My levels were 58 in the 4th week of my cycle, I am over the moon, and so was my consultant.

I feel like I have been given a fresh burst of life with this all. We have been swapped from Clomid to Tamoxifen, hopefully they should make me less of a psycho (my husbands words not mine!!). My consultant has said that my ovarfies seem to have 'woken up' but I am ovulating really late so need to keep that in mind for when me and the hubby are bonking!

You guys gave me loads to ask her too, so I feel alot more informed now. And hopefully the next three month cycle will be the one for us!

XXXXXX


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## rs1984 (Dec 5, 2011)

Awesome news - I was pregnant within 2 months of ovulating again. I really hope it works out that way for you too.


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## tams1981 (Feb 6, 2012)

Yey, that's great news. I'm back to chlomide as my last cycle of ivf was unsusseful so just waiting for af so I can start chlomide again. As my eggs were immature it is likely that they won't respond well to future treatment so I'm back to where I was 3 years ago. 

Good luck for next month hope you get bfp xx


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