So after many years of trying, getting a fibroid removed and clearing up a bacterial issue DH and I are trying our first assisted cycle. I am picking up my clomid to start on cycle day 5(Monday) and am scheduled for my first check on cycle day 12. We are both really excited, but a am a little nervous stepping into the unknown. I would love any advice or recommendations, like about the side effects to expect while on clomid, is the IUI uncomfortable, does taking clomid mess with your morning temps, or will I still have a thermal shift like normal after I O. I am currently regretting loaning my TCOYF book out to a friend cause I have lost my reference source.
Thanks,
Amy
me(31)DH(32) TTC#1 since 8/08
Chemical preg 1/10
http://www.tcoyf.com/members/AmyTeets16/charts/1.aspx
Hi AmyTeets16,
I took Clomid for my first IUI, and fortunately I did not have too many side effects. The only one I had were night sweats, where I woke up during the middle of the night/early morning completely sweaty and hot! Otherwise, I didn't feel a thing.
However, the side effects of Clomid vary from woman to woman...other women have told me that they become very moody and short tempered while on Clomid, or that they felt nausea, etc. My doctor also said that Clomid is different for everybody. But don't worry, Clomid is the "gold standard" fertility drug that's been prescribed for decades, so it should be safe to take in general. Of course, if you do have uncomfortable side effects call your doc/nurse right away.
IUI itself is not that bad -- it's very fast (5 minutes?) and the beginning feels like a pap smear. They insert the speculum without lubrication to avoid interaction with sperms, then they put in a catheter in you and inject the sperm. Personally I felt some mild/medium cramping while the sperms were being injected...that was the most uncomfortable part for me, but overall it was sill okay. The first IUI I had cramping for a few hours afterwards, but my second IUI I barely felt any cramping. You might get a bit of spotting/blood right after the IUI, but that is normal according to my nurse.
Check your local library for TCOYF book -- it's a popular book so your library should have it.
Good luck!
TTC#1 since September 2010 Me: 33 DH: 35
DH: Varicocele Grade 2, low counts, morph, motility...taking Chinese herbs. Holding off on surgery for now.
Me: Short Luteal Phase, Retroverted Uterus...getting acupuncture and Chinese herbs
IUI # 1: (Dec. 2011) - Clomid, Ovidrel trigger, 3 follicles, Prometrium - BFN
IUI #2: (Jan. 2012) - Letrezole, Ovidrel trigger, 2 follicles, Prometrium - BFN
IUI #3: (Jan. 2012) - Letrezole, Ovidrel trigger, 1 follicle, Prometrium -- Implantation Spotting?? -- BFN
Hi there,
I've been on Clomid three times and had one IUI. Ditto what the PP said about every woman reacting differently to this drug! Personally I felt ok on it, maybe a mild headache during the days I took it... Yes, my temps DEFINITELY were higher while on it (CD5-9) but then would drop down again CD10 until O day. I took it for just one cycle two years ago (first time ever on it) and we conceived my son that cycle, no issues. But then I took it again a few months ago (TTC #3) and it really messed with my lining (thin), CF (barely any), and gave me some huge cysts. Those are standard "issues" with Clomid, but remember - it is also the most popular fertility drug so despite the cons, it can definitely work! (and it did give us our son so I'll never bash it, ha) :) If you find that you don't react well to Clomid, ask your doc about Femara - I've been on that for three cycles now and LOVE it. No side effects... Women who don't respond well with Clomid tend to do far better on Femara. Good luck!
Oh and my IUI experience was similar to what the PP said. Though I will add that I was very bloated/crampy for several hours after the IUI (once I got home). Totally gone by the next day.
Liz
Me (39) DH (41)
TTC #1 for 5 cycles, 5w3d, got PG with DD 6 weeks later born Jan 2008 @ 37w3d
TTC #2 for 4 cycles, got PG on Clomid Challenge test cycle born June 2010 @ 38 weeks
TTC #3 since July 2011July: (chemical) - first try!Aug: learned I have DOR - clock's ticking!Sept: Clomid 50mg - BFNOct: Clomid 100mg - cysts, bad CF, BFNNov: Femara 2.5, IUI #1 (poorly timed) - BFNDec: Femara 5.0, IUI cancelled, BD'd on O day only - BFNJan: Femara 5.0, IUI #2 (perfectly timed!) - BFP! (chemical/ectopic - most bizarre cycle ever...)BENCHED until April - cysts Late April: injectibles, IUI #3
I will second what everyone here has said about Clomid and IUI in general. I will add that I would not temp while on Clomid - it messes with your temperatures and you might be unnecessarily anxious because your temps don't act as you expect them to. I assume they will be monitoring you with ultrasound, so they'll be able to tell when you are about to ovulate, etc. Take a break this month. :)
DH (34) Me (32), Married since August 2009; TTC since November 2009
Ovulate on my own, no MF issues, infertility unexplained. Failed Treatments: 3 rounds of Clomid (1 IUI); 2 rounds of injectibles (2 IUIs), and one IVF - all with great response but BFN. FET # 1 (November 2011) - 3 5-day blasts transferred (also doing acupuncture) - BFP! It's twins! (Betas: 9dp5dt - 371; 11dp5dt - 726)
Make a pregnancy ticker
Thanks, This is all kinda happening so fast and the first time always makes you a little nervous.
I agree with everything previously posted. I had very little side effects on Clomid. I was a little anxious while on Clomid and I'm not sure if it was me being me or a side effect. Clomid did not mess with my temps except that I finally got to see a real thermal shift. I agree that you shouldn't temp especially if you are being monitored. You don't need the extra stress/anxiety... with that said I did temp all 3 Clomid cycles because I just couldn't stop. I stopped temping when we started injectables.
IUI procedure wasn't any worse than a pap smear. Some cramping but nothing severe and its over really quickly. I spent each IUI day hanging out trying to relax but that was only for my piece of mind. DH and I BD'd in that evening each cycle.
me (29), hubby (32) married my best friend October 2008
Chart
TTC #1 since May 2010
IUI #1 Sept 24th (Clomid/Ovidrel) - BFN
IUI #2 Oct 21st (Clomid/Ovidrel) - BFN
IUI #3 Nov 20th (Clomid/Ovidrel) - BFN
IUI #4 Dec 17th (Gonal F 75u/Ovidrel/Prometrium 200mg) - BFP - chemical pregnancy
IVF #1 ER 3/22, ET 3/25 (2 grade A little ones!), 13 retrieved, 9 fertilized, none to freeze - BFN
IVF #2 Stims to start 4/30 planned ICSI
The only side effect I had from Clomid was minor spotting the day after I stopped it. The doc said that's normal. I also took estrogen with my second Clomid cycle, because it can thin the lining. Wowsers were there side effects - but in a good way. I had the libido of a 15 year old! I didn't temp until three days after I stopped Clomid, but I took it days 3-7, rather than 5-9. I did digital OPKs rather than monitoring.
The IUI was easy. The speculum part is as uncomfortable as always, but the cervix is dilated so you don't even feel the tube go in. I didn't have any cramping and went to work right after.
Aryn - 38
IUI 10/19/10, BFP 10/31/10, 7 weeks, D&C 12/13/2010, Repeat D&C 1/21/2011, methotrexate shot #1 3/2/2011, methotrexate shot #2 3/18/2011, hemorrhage 4/6/2011, mri 4/29/2011, methotrexate shot #3 5/6/2011, methotrexate shot #4 5/27/2011, HCG finally below 2 6/21/2011
BFP #2 (natural conception) - 11/6/11, EDD 7/12/12
My charts
Thanks everyone, I am on clomid for cycle days 5-9, I am also still temping, but more because it is the first thing I do when my alarm goes off, and second cause I think I would be more preoccupied and stressful not temping, then if i go ahead and do it and then dismiss any weird ones. I am noticing an uptick in libido, but also seem to have more CF then usual this early in the cycle. I have been have a wet, lube feeling and noticed shiny cf when I wipe. Is there anything where clomid will cause you to O really early?
Hi Amy,
this is my first IUI, too. I'm doing clomid-estrogen-trigger shot-progesterone gel, and I just finished the clomid, days 3-7 (I have an earlier cycle, so they adjusted). I'm excited to get to my midcycle ultrasound on Monday, 1/16, when they tell us which day we'll have the procedures. The clomid made me more and more irritated, as the days progressed, but I managed not to snap anyone's head off...thankfully. Today, I have the estrogen patch on, and so far no side effects. I heard that the procedures is very quick and very little discomfort. If it is anything like the procedure I had where they shoot the dye into the uterus to see if all the channels are clear, then it will be very little trouble.
I'm interested to see what people did right after the IUI. Are you supposed to go home and stay horizontal? Are you supposed to avoid exercise during the TWW?
Molly
I go in for my ultrasound Monday too. I am not on estrogen but will be doing the trigger shot, and progesterone since I have a fairly short LP. I swear I can feel my follicles growing while on clomid, just little twinges on either side a couple of times, I am very excited to see what the ultrasound says.
Hi Amy, Molly: I am starting my first Clomid-trigger-IUI cycle this month too if things work out. I took my 3rd pill last night and definitely woke up in the night sweating! But otherwise I haven't had other negative side effects. I am not slated to take estrogen or progesterone, which may be because I have only had limited bloodwork done. I do have an acceptable LP length (13ish days). Hoping my lining is good enough. I am taking B-50 complex, prenatal, red raspberry leaf tea... I was taking Vitex and Welcome Womb but didn't start those again this cycle b/c I wasn't sure of taking them with Clomid.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your stories, it's comforting. My ultrasound isn't until Sunday the 22nd, so if you care to post more about your experience, I'd love to hear about it. :)
Best of luck!!
Me: 36, DH: 34 ttc #1 since January '11
pregnancy #1: m/c 3/2011 at 11 wks
pregnancy #2 chemical pregnancy 12/14/2011 at 5 weeks
IUI #1 Feb 2012: BFN
IUI # 2 April 2012 (unmedicated): BFP!!
betas: 11dpo - 60; 14 dpo - 360; 16 dpo - 960 Praying for a healthy, sticky bean!
Hi Tracy, welcome to a little group of first timers, it is definitely comforting to know that there are people going through the same worries and fears as me.
Had my ultrasound this morning, I had two good sized eggs, she didn't give me specific sizes. Said I have a nice size one on the right and one that looked ready to pop on the left. So I got my trigger shot this morning and my husband and I are scheduled for our IUI tomorrow morning. We are thinking of taking the whole day together, and maybe going to see a mid-day movie. I am finding it very comforting to know that I will be release only 2 eggs at most, but have at least 1 good one ready. Right now I take Vit. D 5,000iu, Pre-natal, Vit. B complex, and extra folic acid (all told about 2,000/daily) I also drink at least 1 cup of green tea daily and have cut out caffeine from liquid sources i.e. I still eat chocolate.
Good luck and
Good morning everyone, I had my mid-cycle ultrasound today and there is 1 follicle that is ready. So, I gave myself the trigger shot and I'm scheduled for the IUI tomorrow at 10:30am. My DH is heading to the men's fertility clinic at 8am. It's exciting, and I'm looking forward to catching that egg.
Good luck to everyone, and keep us posted!
Hi there!
This is also my very first time on Clomid and IUI. I took Clomid days 3-7 without any side effects whatsoever.
I had u/s on cd10 and cd12. I started having ovulatory pain on cd11. On cd12 both the follicules sizes and the bloodwork showed I was ready, so we did the trigger shot on cd12 at noon.
I am due for the IUI today at 10am.
I am excited and also curious to see what's become of the three follicules this morning. Ovulatory pain is very strong this morning, also my temps started rising.
On the u/s we saw three mature follicules - a 37mm and a 24mm on the right side, and a 19mm on the left side. The uterine lining was 8,4mm. They said that it looked really good. Nobody expressed any concern about the 37mm follicule, which from what I've read sounds very big. The 19mm and 24mm are just fine, especially since they would have continued to grow one more day.
Bottom line- Clomid had no side effects, the hCG trigger shot just puts things under way, hence the ovulatory pain. I can't yet comment on the IUI itself, as it's happening for me today.
Ditto everyone else about the IUI being easy. I took clomid days 3-7 and had no real side effects. I continued to temp and didn't notice anything different, but then I don't usually start temping until around day 7-8 each month anyway.
I had 3 good follicles. I didn't do the trigger shot because I ovulate on my own and my doc said it would be better to just let my body do that naturally. I did have to go in daily starting on day 10 for bloodwork though so they could determine when my LH surge was starting. Fortunately I only had to go in for a few days - on day 12 I got a call in the afternoon saying that my surge had started and we would do the IUI the next day.
Because I was temping, I was able to see that I ovulated the day of the IUI, which was perfect. As you can see in my signature, it worked!
38 years old
TTC #1 for 20 cycles + IUI #1 March 9 2010 = DD Alice born December 6 2010.
I just got home from the doc after my IUI. It took like 2 minutes and was less uncomfortable than a pap smear. Totally easy, and then I lay there for 30 minutes. Good luck to everyone!
Thanks so much for the stories! So glad it's painless and to hear there's hope for even the first IUI!
So, I am ovulating on my own as well, but the RE wants to Clomid and the trigger. They are pretty aggressive and like for O to be earlier - I naturally O between CD 16-18. We will see if my follicles are large enough on Sunday... We leave for vacation next Weds so we may not be able to IUI this month. But then we will start next month!
Lots of baby dust to you ladies!
I had a good experience this week, U/S Monday with trigger shot, IUI Tuesday, very proud of DH, we BDed on Sunday and he was worried about his count, but the sample came back with 16 mil. so yeah sperm. The IUI itself was as easy and painless as everyone here said it would be. Though I will say that I appreciate that I have a curious DH, he had never seen a speculum before, and his reactions and questions were a bit comical. I felt myself ovulate later on in the day Tues. This morning my temps rose and went in for a confirmation u/s and they confirmed that both follicles ovulated. Now all we have is the TWW. I go back for bloodwork next Tues to see how my progesterone is doing. I think my progesterone levels should be pretty good this cycle with a follicle on each side triggering production, but we shall see.
Good luck to everyone,
Had my first u/s this morning - four follicles were there (wow!), but the biggest was only 17.5 mm or so. So won't trigger today, probably Tues after another morning u/s. My lining wasn't very thick (the nurse said it was probably a Clomid side effect). So we got a Rx for Estrace (estrogen) pills to use vaginally to help with that. Hope it will show some improvement at the Tuesday u/s. I feel pretty positive having seen four happy ripening follicles that were getting to be the right size. It's also good to know the potential schedule (Tues u/s and trigger, Weds IUI) esp since we're leaving on Weds afternoon for vacation. But still generally overwhelmed with feelings that it will never happen. Trying trying trying to be positive!! Thanks again for everyone else's stories. Hope to hear good news from you two soon!!
Tracy I hope everything goes well for you today, and you can fit everything in before you leave. Maybe the vacation will help you not stress too much about the two week wait.
As for me I got my b/w done yesterday and my progesterone levels are alittle low, 18.8 when they like them to be above 20, so tonight I start suppositories. Was pretty sure that this was going to be a necessary step since I have a short lp.
& to all