# Norethisterone for non-existant periods



## BettyNoir

Hi everyone

I don't ovulate, which our Dr has put down to me not producing enough of the right hormones; a scan of my womb showed my womb itself to be "normal" and they could see some folicles trying to grow, so the Dr told me i probably need a bit of a push. She is going to refer us on for IVF, but wants me to have a bleed first, as my periods are non-existant. She has given me 2 months supply of Norethisterone and Clomid, with instructions to take 3 x 5mg Norethisterone for 7 days, then when bleeding starts, take clomid from days 2-6 of my cycle.

I stopped taking the Norethisterone 3 days ago, and have not had my period yet. My Dr didn't actually say how long it should take to have a bleed, and the information leaflet in the box doesn't actually cover absent periods. It does say if you're taking it to delay a period, that you should get a normal period within 2-3 days of stopping the tablets. What is everyone else's experience of this? I've been getting _very_ fleeting cramping in my tummy for a few days, and constantly feel hot. Not being used to having any periods I don't really know if this is normal or not? I've been very stressed out for the past few days as well, which probably isn't helping.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Betty


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## Shellebell

Hi


Some of the girls have had similar problems and have had to go back to their clinic  who seem to px another round of noreth. What I can't quite remember is how long they have left it, I think it was 5-7 days they were told to call back to them if AF hasn't showed


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## Kaz1979

Hi BettyNoir

Im on Norethisterone right now to encourage AF. Im on day 37 of cycle today 2nd cycle of clomid. This cycle hasnt worked at all and didnt even ovulate . 
im only on day one of the norethisterone today tho. Ive used it before but to stop bleeding not make me have a period!

Kaz x


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## BettyNoir

Thanks for your replies, this is the 4th day now and still nothing, so i'll give it until tomorrow and then see if I can contact the clinic. It's good to know, actually, that I'm not the only one that this has happened to! A few years ago they gave me a progesterone pessary for the same thing, and that actually worked. Maybe I should ask them if I can try a pessary instead of tablets next time.

Thanks
B


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## BettyNoir

Hi Kaz 

I also wanted to ask - you say you weren't ovulating, how did you know? were they monitoring you or were you using those ovulation kits. My Dr told me not to bother with ovulation kits, and as for monitoring, they pretty much just chucked a couple of months worth of tablets at me and told me to come back in October. Should I be asking them to be monitoring me a bit more closely if they want me to take clomid?

Thanks


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## Kaz1979

Hi Betty

Are you prescribed your clomid by Gp or Hosp?

First cycle i was scanned around ovulation to check that i wasnt overstimulated. That cycle worked fine so Fertility Nurse gave me form to have bood taken on day 21 for progesterone level which was 2 so that shows i didnt ovulate.
So for third cycle I will be scanned again as they've doubled my clomid so need to check again that I don't overstimulate.

Ive not used the OPK sticks since on clomid, a few of the girls have said they arent reliable. I have appointment to go back to Consultant in 2wks the ways its going ill be lucky to see Af by then! Keep me informed and ill do same to you.

You definately need to speak to someone. Call your consultants secretary or if you hosp has one the fertility nurse??

Kaz xxx


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## BettyNoir

Hi Kaz

I'm being seen by hospital now. I was referred on from my GP, they did a few basic things like a semen analasys for my husband, then hormone & thrombophilia screen for me, plus a scan of my womb to see if I had PCOS, which I don't. The registrar didn't say much about my hormone level;, previously though I've been told I produce too much oestrogen & not enough LSH (?) She says we need IVF to conceive, as my husband has a low sperm count. Originally I was only prescribed 1 month's worth of progesterone & clomid to give me a bleed which I was reluctant to take due to a history of blood clotting disorders in my family. She has persuaded me it should be ok, and prescribed another month's worth of tablets so we can "try on our own" for 2 months, then we'll go back in October if I'm not pregnant and she'll just refer us on to the Priory hospital in Birmingham for the IVF itself. The clinic only operates on a friday, so I was thinking I could maybe go see my GP on friday and tell her that the progesterone hasn't brought on a period and maybe she can contact the clinc for me, or prescribe me some more progesterone. I'm quite dissapointed in the sheer lack of interest from the hospital to be honest. I see other people on clomid being properly monitored as if they are going through IVF itself, and my hospital are chucking tablets at me and leaving me to get on with it without even giving me any clear instructions about what I should do, which seems wrong to me.

Betty. xx


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## Kaz1979

It's odd you've not had any monitoring at all but I have heard of it before. You must be fairly local I'm near Bham too. Any sign if AF for you yet?? I'm on day 52 of this cycle now, soo frustrating! Never wanted period to arrive so much in my life! 

Kaz xxx


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## Kaz1979

Any sign of anything for you Betty Noir?? Im day 49 today and still nothing!!!! only 4 days off the Norethisterone so still got 3-6 days and it might happen. Hope you well.

Kaz xxx


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## BettyNoir

Hi, sorry not had chamce to get back to you!

yeah, so finally had my AF about 7 days after I stopped the progesterone, was quite crampy and painful, took the clomid from days 2-6, and day 6 was 7 days ago.

As I said we're not being monitored so I have no idea whether any of this is "working" the Clomid didn't exactly come with instructions and the hosp didn't tell me anything so all we can do is try and hope I've ovulated. I keep getting sharp stabbing pains where I assume my ovaries are, and have been feeling a bit bloated, but that's wearing off. I've been left with instructions to have BMS at least every other day, and if no AF after 5 weeks from my last one to take a pregnancy test and start the norethisterone again if it's negative. 

Feeling a bit rubbish today and just had to let rip on the venting thread. 
Yeah I'm not too far from B'ham, we're in Bromsgrove so we're being seen at Worcester at the mo,  hope you are well! x


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