[~Suzanne~]

Hi everyone-
Well, my test results (thyroid, FSH, CBC) came back fine so my doctor wants to start me on clomid next month. The conversation was very strange though. I really think I need to find another doctor. From what I know about infertility ( and it isn't much) it doesn't seem he is doing even the basics to determine if I have a problem! I saw him on August 1st. He did the ultrasound to make sure everything "looked alright". That was fine. He ordered blood tests but only a minimum (thyroid, FSH and CBC??? no progesterone or hormone panel). I FINALLY got the results this Wed. after 3 phone calls. He said everything was "normal" so why don't you take clomid? I said ok and asked for more details. He said he'd call it in to my pharmacy and I should take it from CD 3- CD7. I asked him what dosage it would be... 100 mg. That was it. ???? No other questions or any information about taking it... what I should expect... do I go for follow up?? Seems to me that it should be more involved than just him calling in a prescription!!! For all he knows my SO could be STERILE! He never asked me if we had a SA done. Just.. take the clomid, good luck, have a nice day. hmmmm.???? I am going to start looking for another doctor I suppose. The problem is that most likely I will have to drive to New Haven or Hartford to find someone and I already take enough time out of the work day for appointments!!!!

So, I am turning to you ladies for some practical advice about what to expect and if your doctor provided more "follow up care" while you were/are taking clomid. I thought I would be monitored to make sure I ovulated??? Should I be taking progesterone AFTER I ovulate???

It is frustrating having to TELL the doctor what I need. Isn't that why he is getting paid the big bucks?

I should be ovulating within the next few days, so hopefully I will get a BFP this month and won't need to even take the clomid! With my luck, that isn't likely, but here's hoping. My SO wanted to wait yet ANOTHER cycle to start the clomid, but I convinced him that the clock is ticking (I'm 39) and I don't want to wait any longer! My insurance cuts me off at 40!!!

Hope all of you are having a good week and have a succesful month in getting your BFP!!!

Thanks!

[Celry]

It sounds to me like your doc isn't doing his job. I highly suggest your DH get an SA done before taking clomid. Clomid can be great and is prescribed to women whose DH has fertility issues. I don't think it should be prescribed before knowing what's going on. Before my doc put me on it, she wanted to see multiple months of charting, she checked my thyroid, progesterone, FSH etc. Basically a full work up. I Od super late and had extremely low progesterone and a short LP. I've taken 3 rounds of clomid itself without any progesterone. My LP is still a little short, so this is the first month I'll be adding progesterone in after I O.

I don't go in for monitoring because I already Od on my own before starting Clomid. I do have to send my doc my chart each month and we talk about my dosage before I start my next round. I had my progesterone checked the first round of Clomid. It was much higher than it had been, but could have been a bit higher.

I also think it's a bit off you're starting at 100 mg. Most docs start patients at 50mg and up the dosage if need be. The clomid can cause problems that will make it harder to get pregnant, so you want to use the smallest dosage that works.

[~Suzanne~]

It sounds to me like your doc isn't doing his job. I highly suggest your DH get an SA done before taking clomid. Clomid can be great and is prescribed to women whose DH has fertility issues. I don't think it should be prescribed before knowing what's going on. Before my doc put me on it, she wanted to see multiple months of charting, she checked my thyroid, progesterone, FSH etc. Basically a full work up. I Od super late and had extremely low progesterone and a short LP. I've taken 3 rounds of clomid itself without any progesterone. My LP is still a little short, so this is the first month I'll be adding progesterone in after I O.

I don't go in for monitoring because I already Od on my own before starting Clomid. I do have to send my doc my chart each month and we talk about my dosage before I start my next round. I had my progesterone checked the first round of Clomid. It was much higher than it had been, but could have been a bit higher.

I also think it's a bit off you're starting at 100 mg. Most docs start patients at 50mg and up the dosage if need be. The clomid can cause problems that will make it harder to get pregnant, so you want to use the smallest dosage that works.[/b]

I forgot to mention that we had gone to my previous OBGYN to have the SA done. We had to have it repeated twice as the first time they didn't check the morphology. All is good with the SA... although, from what I have read there are additional things they can look for other than count, motility, pH, and morphology. Apparently, not all labs check for the fructose levels for sperm "energy".

If the clomid comes in 50mg pills, should i just start with the 50 mg instead of taking 2 100 mg pills? I don't want to create additional problems if I can help it!

[snsgirl336]

I think Cel made some really good points. I don't know much about clomid, but it seems like your Dr was pretty quick to put you on it without doing a lot of testing to make sure that's what you need! I would try to find a new Dr and get a second opinion. Good luck!

[caseyb]

I have the exact opposite problem! We are in the process of having MORE than enough bloodwork done (for both DH and I), and Dr said regardless of whether there is as prob or not, we have to wait until the 1 year mark to start any prescriptions like Clomid. That's one year from last miscarrisge, not from initial time we started TTC. Frustrating!