# are they just fobbing me off?!



## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Has anyone else been prescribed clomid when they have no problems with ovulation?

feel like they are just offering me the cheapest treatment! we've been on this journey for four years and have done clomid before with no bfps. feel like they are just wasting my time in order to save money. 

Maybe I've got it wrong and there is more to clomidthan ovary stimulation?anyone know?
please share if you have any similar experience. Pulling my hair out. 

thanks in advance

x


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## spookster (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi Waterlily01, 
I've had the same thing. No evidence of ovulation problems but put me on Clomid to " see what happens" ( not a lot happened!) It just made it impossible for me to tell when I was ovulating which was a real pain as my DH works away during the week! Made it hard to plan. I've now been referred for IUI but definitely felt that Clomid was a cheap interim stop gap. 

You've been trying TTC a lot longer than us so I'm surprised that you haven't been referred yet!

You never know, maybe it will work a charm for you this time!

S x


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## staceysm (Nov 18, 2010)

Hi,

I just wanted to say that I agree with you ladies totally.  It does seem a waste of time if blood tests show you are ovulating.  I was on clomid because I had stopped ovulating.  Perhaps they think that if you release more then one egg then you have a better chance of getting pregnant?

Definitely speak to your Dr's again if you are unhappy.

Good luck to you both.

Stacey
x


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## mooers (Feb 19, 2011)

I agree too. I ovulate fine, and had to waste 6 months on clomid, then tamoxifen, and it didn't do anything that my body wasn't doing naturally anyway. I think they just have a set treatment plan that everyone has to follow, regardless of what your own specific problem is. Clomid works wonders if you don't ovulate naturally, but I'm yet to see a BFP on here for anyone who was put on clomid when the ovulated naturally. 

Sorry Waterlily, that probably hasn't helped has it!   I just got really annoyed when I was on clomid (you can tell!). Like Stacey says, I'd go back to your GP/fertility clinic and see if you can get moved on to IUI if clomid hasn't done anything in the first 3 months of taking it. Hopefully you'll get lucky on it though, you never know!


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## keldan89 (Dec 14, 2011)

Hi,

I'm in sort of the opposite situation to you! The consultant wanted to refer us straight for ivf (iui not funded in our area ) but I was so shocked this was his 1st response & I hadn't prepared for it. I thought they'd do more tests 1st etc. I want to get pg as naturally as possible & ivf seemed such a big jump with so many people getting involved it scared me   so I asked to me put on clomid before being referred. I'm annoyed with the hospital cos they haven't bothered checking I do ov regularly or even if I am now I'm on clomid ( I know I am atm tho cos I'm charting as requested by my acupuncturist). I was given the impression ivf was the easiest option for my consultant as he really didn't seem like he could be bothered. We waited 1 hour for a 10 min appointment! 

I've read somewhere that clomid can also help with implantation & improving progesterone levels. Not sure how true this is tho. Hope everthings going ok for you xx


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## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

Hi Waterlily,
you may also find this link to the Clomid thread of use too: http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=34.0

Best wishes 
Sheila


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## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks so much for your replies ladies!!
Am definately going to protest at taking clomid again unless they can give me a tangible reason for taking it. Partly because I don't want to waste any more time, and partly because when i took it before i had awful side effects.

keldan89 i find it very strange that you have been referred for ivf straight away!? they've done no investigations? no blood tests? no semen analysis on your other half?


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## keldan89 (Dec 14, 2011)

Hi waterlily

Sorry maybe I wasn't clear-we had bloods, SA, scans, hysteroscopy etc done back in 2008 & were told there's nothing wrong just relax & it will happen!   Went back to doctors this yr as nothing has happened & they did another SA, internal scan, bloods etc & we have unexplained fertility. Got referred to fertility consultant & he said right let's get you started on the ivf route at our 1st meeting! Was very shocked!  just thought they'd try something else 1st

Kel xx


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## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Sorry kel, my fault didn't read your little pink info footnote thingy!! Well they obviously think they have all the info they need which is great news for you. Am v jealous. wish my drs were so proactive! hope your bfp is just round the corner. let us know how you get on. good luck x


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## elli78 (May 22, 2011)

hi waterlily. Hope you dont mind me joining in. I ov naturally but woz still given 12mnths of clomid. I only did 8 cycles tho as it made me feel so horrid & i didnt see the point if i ov. My consultant said it woz 2 increase dh swimmers of hitting a target if there was more than 1 egg. Didnt work, i have an appt 4 iui nxt month x


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## Cay23 (Jan 12, 2011)

Hi Waterlily, I'm the same. I was ovulating (according to 10 months of charting), just had irregular cycles, and was prescribed Clomid. After 6 months of BFN's I went back and was given another 6 months worth. The reason I was given was that my PCT won't give IVF to anyone who has unexplained infertility unless they'd been ttc for 3 years - ridiculous as im going to be 39 in March and guess what, our PCT refuses IVF if your over 40 so my time is now limited   It might be worth checking out the fertility policy for your area to see what their IVF criteria is.


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## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks cayenne and elli!!

where can i find out whar my PCTs policy on ivf is?


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## elli78 (May 22, 2011)

i thnk u can google it or call ur cons secretary. My pct hav reviewed their funding. My dh has a daughter frm previous marriage but thankfully they hav now changed the criteria this year. Yipee as we wudnt b able 2 afford it otherwise x


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## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

Cayenne
I think many PCTs policies are very similar.... I went through my first treatment at the age of 39 - and our gp's won't refer you unless you've been trying for 2 years.... we went to our drs initially after trying for 3 years, and were fobbed off - I just wished I'd have been more pushy.
Best wishes
Sheila


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## Cay23 (Jan 12, 2011)

Sheila - I totally agree with being pushy. When I found out my AMH was so low I was so cross that I'd wasted a year and a half on Clomid and OI. It certainly made them move a bit quicker with my IVF referral! 

Waterlily, you might want to look at http://www.infertilitynetworkuk.com/?id=5228 which gives info on pct guidelines. Not sure where you are, but my pct is part of the East of England and its policy is here: http://www.eoescg.nhs.uk/Libraries/Policies_Docs/Fertility_Services_Commissioning_Policy_Final_June_2011.sflb.ashx

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites


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## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks again girls,

just checked out the link and guideline says after 6months of clomid the next step is iui. will be showing this document at my next app.

x


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## elli78 (May 22, 2011)

hey waterlily. Thats good news, def take it 2 ur appt. & fingers x ull hav a bfp soon. Im goin 4 an appt 2 discuss iui nxt month. Eek x


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## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Good luck elli and thanks everyone for your comments. am off for a hycosy tomorrow eek! will post when i find out about the clomid situation, but that will no doubt be in several months huff x


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## elli78 (May 22, 2011)

hey waterlily good luck 4 tomor, let me know how u get on. Big hugs x


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## Katie4 (Oct 21, 2007)

Just had to pop on as my very good friend has had two bfps with clomid after being diagnosed with unexplained IF so this may give some of you hope if you've not "been there and done that"

However, like many of you I was confused why clomid and iui were suggested to us when I ovulated but I think it was just a cheap option to increase the number of eggs while we waited for icsi but we were v lucky.... 

Sending strength to push forward and lots of baby dust to you all x x


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## Cay23 (Jan 12, 2011)

I think the general (but not necessarily medical) line of thinking is that if you have 3/4 unsuccessful rounds of Clomid, it's unlikely that any more rounds will work (although not impossible)  . Clomid just enables you to predict more accurately when you will ovulate, and so time intercourse to meet the egg. If, however there's a yet unknown reason why things aren't happening (for me a low no. of eggs - AMH - not diagnosed until after 11 rounds of Clomid and 4 rounds of injections, and then only because I asked for the test) unfortunately no amount of perfect Clomid cycles is going to give you a BFP. 

IUI with Clomid/injectables is the middle step before IVF/ICSI, financially, mentally and physically, and I believe it's a good middle step IF you have the time (ie. you're not up against pct age restrictions for IVF, you have a good no. of eggs left). It allows the best quality sperm to get closer to the tubes and so makes it easier for them to meet your egg. I strongly believe that we should be offered an AMH test as part of the process so we are aware of how much time we've got. That way we can go down the less physically, mentally and financially draining route (clomid/injects/IUI) if we can, or move straight on to more invasive procedures (IVF/ICSI) if the result is low.


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## mooers (Feb 19, 2011)

I definitely agree with Cayenne on the AMH test. I paid for one privately, as I hadn't been offered one on the NHS (still haven't) and was concerned as my Mum had early menopause. Luckily mine came back OK, but I wish it was offered routinely.


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## waterlily01 (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks. Hycosy went ok today. it was painful though. the dr said ovaries didn't look polycystic and thinks the tubes are open but the dye took a long time to seep into them so maybe they were in spasm? Now just got to wait for next appt with cons.


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