What is it for?

Patty says:
Clomid is an ovulation drug given to women who don't ovulate on there own, or women who do ovulate but have a shot luteal phases, or lack of progesteron. Some women take it if there DH has a low sperm count to help them produce more eggs, and give them a better chance. (I'm sure theres more reasons, that I don't know of).

Carolyn (aka MrsCC) says:
I started clomid because my cycles were 40-42 days which reduced the chances I have to get pg.....I was ovulating every cycle, but just wanted to shorten my cycles down so that it didn't take so long.

Sparki however warnes:
Whatever you do, DON'T let them give you Clomid to hyperstimulate you if you have good EW and you know you're ovulating. I let them do that to me, and boy, was I sorry. My OB/GYN, a local fertility expert (no REs in my town) insisted on 3 rounds of 50 mg. Clomid before he would refer me to an RE...first cycle, I had hot flashes and my CM disappeared. I went on strike, but between dr. & DH didn't have a choice and did two more rounds. No CM...then no O at all! Finally finished up on cycle #13, and my CM still wasn't back to normal for #14 (which is why AF is no surprise for me).

I have to see my PCP dr. before I can see the RE I have picked out. He's an hour away, but he has done some studies with CM and he believes he can tell not only if a woman can get pregnant by her CM but whether or not she can sustain a pregnancy.

BonnieB found this interesting web site:
http://www.ihr.com/bafertil/articles/clomiphe.html

and teylyn found this more interesting web site about Clomid Use and Abuse:
http://www.inciid.org/clomidberger.html


 


 

Where do you get it?

Patty says:
Doctors prescription only!!!


 


 

How much do you use?

Always check with your doctor.

Patty says:
Most women start with 50 mg a day for 5 days...If that isn't working, it will be increased to 100mg, I think it can go up to 200mg a day.


 


 

When do you use it?

Always check with your doctor. Personnaly my doc asked me to take it days 2 through 6.

Patty says:
Either days 3 through 7 or 5 through 9.


 


 

Side affects?

Patty says:
I'm currently taking clomid for a short luteal phase (this is my first month)...I'm on 50 mg days 5 thru 9, Ovulating on day 17, I had a few side affects, alittle cramping, head aches, and hot flashes. Clomid is known to dry out CM so it's a good idea to take robitussin and B6.

Carolyn (aka MrsCC) says:
I have experienced hot flashes, tearfulness, sore ovaries, but nothing too uncomfortable at all.

Andi says:
CONSTIPATION! Suffering BIG TIME here. I had no idea it was a side effect. But of course it makes sense, if your CM dries up then your intestinal mucous will too. Anyway, if you haven't started already, I highly suggest you take steps to prevent this. It's very uncomfortable - to say the least. Drink LOTS of water, decaf tea, prune juice, and eating some dried apricots (about 5 a day) will help.


 


 

Clomid and Multiple Births?

Linda (aka lindavicki) says:
Because clomid helps induce ovulation, sometimes more than one follicle matures or you can ovulate on both sides, producing more viable eggs - increasing the chances that at least one takes....


 


 

Ladies's experiences

teller (Mary) says :
One, you can take Clomid up to 1 year at a time, then your body needs a rest. That is why I opted not to take Clomid while I am waiting for David's SA in March...because taking the Clomid is not going to do us any good if David's sperm simply are not there, so why torture my body and use up the precious few cycles that I can take it.
Yes, Clomid can cause ovarian cysts, but I have heard only at high dosages for more than 6 months...again that's why I am not taking it.
Let's see what else....The four cycles that I took Clomid...days 3-7 and I o'ed btwn days 17-19. My RE said the same thing, that I should O about 5 days after the last pill, but it just doesn't happpen that way! So don't get excited if you don't O in five days...its more like 10-12 days. Now, my luteal phases got longer, which was the purpose of the Clomid for me. Now, for you, depending on how long your cycle is, yours may shorten (your whole cycle that is).
As for side effects...I had massively terrible headaches...worse than any tension headache that I have EVER had, and I get some doozies for tension headaches. So I was perscribed Cataflam, anti-immflammitory drug to be taken a day before I start Clomid until the day after taking it...otherwise days 2-8. Another thing that I had problems with was the first cycle of Clomid, I was nauseous for the 5 days of taking the stuff. That never bothered me again. You also have to look out for ovarian pain like you would never believe when you are about to O. I could barely walk when I started getting O pains while on Clomid. This makes it real fun to BD when you are supposed to, also...LOL! What a paradox....you are supposed to BD right around O, but you are so sore that you do not want to be touched! AAACCKK!
Clomid definitely dries up a lot of cervical mucus...I barely had any, matter of fact it took two cycles past my last cycle of Clomid before I got any back. But that is just me. I did not do anything for it, except Robitussin, but it did not work!
The last thing I could tell you is that OPK's were practically useless for me while on Clomid. I got a + for LH surge 6-7 days in a row, or I would get a + on something like day 12, then would not see another until day 17, then my temps would finally juump on day 20...or something like that. So how you interpret those, i do not know! So don't waste your money, or at least don't even use them on the first cycle, until you know what's going to happen. Or if you want to, don't test until at least day 15, or you will be buying several kits for one cycle!

Linda (aka lindavicki) says:

I was put on clomid the first time, because I wasn't ovulating all the time. My doc had run a 7dpo progesterone test & it came back 0.5, so we knew I didn't ovulate that cycle. Consequently, she put me on 50mg of clomid for days 3-7 of my next cycle. Unfortunately, this cycle was really wacky... Took the clomid, started the OPK's on day 10, got a + on day 10, and everyday there after for a total of 8 positives in a row! this was NOT good... I also had u/s on days 10 & 12 that showed some growing follicles, and an u/s on day 17 that showed nothing - zip, nada, nothing there... no sign that I ovulated, either... On day 21 - I started AF again-- so I did not ovulate that cycle, and I have yet to find a doc or anyone who can explain to me exactly what happened here.....

Anyway, after waiting many moons to get an appt. with my new RE, he wanted me to go on clomid again to see if it would work. I told him the troubles of the first time & he had no great points of wisdom either. So, I took clomid (50mg) on days 5-9 -- maybe this made a difference, dunno? and had a perfect cycle!!! Started the OPK's on day 12, got a definite neg on days 12,13, & 14... day 15 the OPK was REALLY close, but still was neg (but not by much!) On day 16, the positive nearly jumped off the stick!! In fact the control line was so light I had to look twice to see it was even there.... a very definite positive. We didn't inseminate this time, since it was an observation cycle.... My progesterone at 7dpo was 25.6 - which is really good - should be over 14 at least to know you ovulated. My LP was 14 days exactly & AF showed up right on time.

123lynn says:
I used clomid twice, the first time I was on it 7 months 150 mg. and then went off, they no longer would allow me to take it (only usually let you 6 months and then break from it for 6), anyway the very next month I got pg. They think it was residual.

The second time I was on it and got pregnant 150 mg. again at 7 months of use. But here is my BIG SUGGESTION, the first time I refused to buy the generic serophene, and then the it got expensive so I finally used it for that 7th month and got pregnant. The second time the same thing, and then finally remembered that I had used the serophene so I used it again and got pg. I talked with the pharmacist and he said that this happens quite frequently because there are different innert ingredients that react better with most people. Try it and see if it helps!!!


 


 

Describe the procedure!

MFS describes it:
Typically, the man is asked to ejaculate into a special container after abstaining from sex for 3 days. Don't worry, the container is pretty big compared to how much semen is released. Then, he or you can take the sample in to the lab, keeping it warm (our lab had us transfer the sample to a smaller container - easier to keep warm), by tucking it in your bra, or he can tuck it next to his skin under his belt. The sample should be in the lab within 1/2 hour. Then, you wait for results.


 


 

Interpretation of the result.

MFS says:
Suggested "norms" in semen analysis:

  • Volume: 3 milliliters (2 to 6 mL range considered normal)
  • Concentration: 20 million sperm or more per milliliter
  • Motility: 50% of sperm still active after two hours
  • Morphology: 60% of the sperm
  • Viscosity: ejaculate normally liquefies within an hour
  • pH: 7 to 8


 


 

To improve/preserve a man's semen quality

MFS suggestes:
Stop smoking. Smoking is linked to low sperm counts and sluggish motility, and recent findings suggest a 64 percent increase in miscarriage when both partners smoke or when just the man smokes.

Ease up on intense exercise. Men who exercise excessively may be reducing their sperm count due to the heat that builds up around the testicles during strenuous exercise.

Wearing boxer shorts rather than briefs will also reduce heat.

Up your C. Low vitamin C levels may cause sperm to clump together, rendering as many as 16 percent of all men infertile.

Check into your antibiotics. Some groups of antibiotics have been shown to affect sperm quality temporarily by decreasing count and motility. These groups are nitrofurans (nitrofurazone or nitrofurantoin) and macrolides (erythromycin).