Fertility Drugs

[SherryNorth]

I have a friend who recently started on Clomid. Does anyone out there have experience with this drug? How soon did it work for you? Were there any troubling side effects?

[kclay]

I was on clomid when I was trying to get pregnant with my first child. I also did IUI (artificial Insemination) at the same time. I was able to get pregnant on the first try, but I think it was because my real fertility problem was fibroids blocking my tubes which was corrected surgically with a myomectomy prior to these procedures.

I also used clomid to try and get pregnant with my second child. While I was on it, I did 3 cycles of IUI, I did not have any side effects, but I also did not get pregnant. I had decided I would not do in-vitro because of the needles. Of course, as soon as I gave up and we stopped trying came baby number 2. And then I got gestational diabetes and had to use an insulin needle on myself every day anyway... Ha!

[AimeeHeller]

i took clomid. i got preg within 2 cycles of using it. side effects were feeling hot and much more irritable. nothing dire or unmanagable, though.

[revellsk]

I had three cycles of clomid and on the third cycle unfortunately had an ectopic pregnancy. There is anecdotal evidence that clomid may increase ectopic pg, but no research or hard proof. Also, women with infertility tend to have more ectopic pg's anyway, so that could also be the reason.

I don't know if your friend has been prescribed clomid by her ob-gyn or if she is working with a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). My ob was the one who prescribed it. I was 32 at the time. After the ectopic, we did go to an RE and ultimately did IVF, which failed. (Happy ending though, we eventually adopted our beautiful son!)

I also don't know the age of your friend, which may make a difference. If I had it to do over, I would not have wasted time with my OB-GYN and would have gone straight to the RE.

If your friend is young (under 30), it seems to work for some people. But I would not do more than 2-3 cycles before getting a full infertility work-up. But it does work for some people, obviously. I don't think there are any serious side effects. I don't remember anything out of the ordinary on the first 2 cycles.

[AimeeHeller]

juts as a note about clomid being for the young, i was older than 30 when i took it and it worked for me.

good luck to all!

aimee

[Larue17]

I had 3 series of Clomid. It did not work for me. Believe it or not, the same old story, after last round of Clomid, I decided I was too old to have my first child, so I stopped infertility treatments. Guess what? I got pregnant, like right away. Had my first child at 42. One distressing thing happened, I started menopause the next year. I believe, though no one has substantiated this, that the Clomid jump started my menopause.

When doctor told me I was in perimenopause, I laughed, and told him I was still breastfeeding. Well, he was right.

Doctor told me it was a good thing that I "spit" that one out when I did. Doctors can be so odd.

[SherryNorth]

Thanks for all the very informative replies! I'm going to pass on the advice about working with an RE to my friend, as I think she is just working with her OB-GYN.

[cd123]

I'll be starting Clomid on Friday. If I have any side effects I'll return and post. I'm a little concerned because in my younger days and using birth control pills, I had severe side effects from that (temporary, but took me a couple years to figure out it was the birth control).

[AimeeHeller]

i'll be looking for your post and hoping it's all good!

best.

[cd123]

I'm back under another screen name. I took the clomid last week (5 days). I had side effects. A little dizzy after about the 3rd day (still dizzy). Not enough to stop me from anything. I did have trouble working out, so couldn't do more than 15-20 minutes vs the usual 1 - 1.5 hrs 3-4 times a week. Then after finishing the clomid...4 days later had a full body rash, bright red, itchy, etc. Went in the next day and saw the nurse (I can't take benedryl because of allergies to benedryl), talked to the MD that evening. I decided to go ahead with the Ovidril injection that night and insemination the next day. He suggested waiting another month and my seeing an Allergist, but I figured I've already had the reaction and am all ramped up for the insemination so why not finish it. Second insemination is tomorrow.

Rash is receding, but still there. Will deal with the allergist next week I guess!

By the way, because I'm allergic to a lot of medication, I wasn't surprised I had the reaction. Apparently its not common. On my first consult with the MD, I talked to him about my concerns about the chemicals so other than he seemed concerned about my reaction, it seemed more about finding out exactly what component of the clomid I was allergic to (the clomid or whatever might be coating the pill). I've had trouble with caplets lately, so for OTC have moved to gelcaps.