[A*LOT*OF*HOPE]

I got the results back from my progesterone blood work and unfortunately I didn't O like the opk's said!! My Dr says there is no point in doing another clomid cycle because it is obviously not working!! He wants me to go on Femara!!! I have no idea what it is, other what I have heard some ladies talk about!! Any advice?? Maybe someone could tell me how it works, or why it is better than clomid?? If after 2 cycles, if the Femara doesn't work, I will be refered to an RE 3 1/2 hours away

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

I know MJ's done cycles w/ femara so she should be able to help ya out! I hope it works for you and you don't have to wind up driving all that way and going through more stuff!

[Lash]

What Does the Research Say?
Several small studies have looked at Clomid vs. Femara for the treatment of infertility. Some of these studies showed that Femara is more effective than Clomid, while other studies showed that they are equally effective. A few studies have suggested that Femara may be effective in cases in which women have not ovulated while taking Clomid (these women are said to be "Clomid-resistant" or "clomiphene-resistant").

There is some thought that Femara may be less likely to cause negative effects on cervical mucus and the thickness of the uterine lining, compared to Clomid. Although Clomid is usually effective at causing ovulation, it can also cause problems with cervical mucus and the lining of the uterus (which may explain why some women ovulate on Clomid but do not become pregnant).[/b]

Well I LOVE Femara since it gave me my baby boy! Here are the pertinent points:

Both Clomid and Femara block estrogen production to trick the body into ovulating: Clomid does this by binding to estrogen receptors, and Femara (letrozole) does this by inhibiting an enzyme used to make estrogen.

Femara has a shorter half life then Clomid so it is out of your system sooner (in a matter of hours rather then days like Clomid).

Studies have shown Femara to be more effective then Clomid in women with PCOS.

Women tend to report less side effects on Femara compared to Clomid.

Femara will produce BETTER quality eggs and has a lower risk of multiples. Clomid does NOT produce better quality eggs.

Femara tends to not dry up cervical fluid and to not thin uterine lining like Clomid does (and let me say, if you are not being seen by an RE your lining could be really unproductive for implantation after being on Clomid. It really takes a trained specialist to make that call and I think a lot of OBs think someones lining is good enough when it really isn't due to Clomid use. jmo. Though I know right now you just want to ovulate!)

There was one study done a few decades ago linking birth defects to Femara. This is erroneous b/c in the study they gave it to pregnant women. You will not be pregnant when you take Femara, and it is out of your system in a matter of hours after you stop taking it. One reason that doctors are still prescribing Clomid first is that not all women respond to Femara (just like Clomid) and it is not FDA approved as a fertility treatment yet, only as a breast cancer drug (b/c it is an estrogen inhibitor).


And my personal experience: Out of 3 Clomid cycles I only ovulated on 2 (and I do ovulate on my own). Both times I had multiple follicles. My lining was already looking iffy at the third cycle of low dose Clomid (50mg).
I then did 2 cycles of Femara, and both times my lining was excellent, and was even better the second Femara cycle (my preggo cycle). I also ovulated sooner on Femara then I ever had, and had very good follicle development bot times I took it, producing one mature follie each time.

Well, let me know if you have any more questions. I am rooting for the Femara to get you to ovulate asap!

(((((Huggles))))) I hope this works for you.

[IamMom]

Oh Morgs - bummer! I hope the Femera works for you - I've read many stories on JM of it working for women when clomid did not....like Michelle! Good luck hun!

[soImarriedAnerd]

OPKs don't say we ARE going to Ovulate they only tell us our body is gearing up to POSSIBLY Ovulate. The only thing that tells us we o'd is three day temp rise or blood work.
Good luck on the Femera...I hear better things about about that then clomid!

[freesiangel]

Good luck with the Femara!!

[*Mrs.J.2011*]

On March 12 I am going to my first RE appt and I will be asking about Femara for myself. The clomid didnt work for me either! The info that Lauren (Lash) posted is just about the same as what I have read. and since Michelle was able to get pregnant with her son, well that just gives me more hope about it! I hope that it works for you so that you dont need to go 3 1/2 hours away!!

[♥Ashley♥]

Well, after reading Michelles success story with Femara it sounds like it will be a great thing!!!! Good Luck Morgan I really hope it works for you too!!!

I only know of two other women on JM that took Femara (I am sure there are more though) and both got pregnant. One, Lindsey a TTC#1 grad, had her baby boy last month after a bfp on her first femara cycle after a year of TTC with no success (they had unexplained infertility I think). The other woman had tried multiple drugs first. So there are some great stories out there, and I hope both you and Kaleigh are one of them!

[Mars]

I don't really know anything about this but wanted to send some hugs. I hope the Femara works.

[chellerenee]

I know of a couple girls who used to be on JM when I first joined who got pregnant on Femara too. I think this might be just what you need. Good luck!

Michelle

I've always heard good things about Fermera, I sure hope it works for you! Maybe it's exactly what you need

[A*LOT*OF*HOPE]

Thank you so much ladies!! I hope it works for me!! Michelle, you made me smile and for the first time, you really made believe it is going to work...thank you!!!

[Lash]

If we have to go to meds, I"ll probably ask for Femara over Clomid just from stories here

[LaLaRose3]

I so hope the Femara works for you! I have heard great things about it, and there are lots of JM success stories!

[ShannonMVT]

I have heard great things about Femara as well!

I actually wanted it because I had heard it was better as far as less side effects and not thinning out your lining. My RE wanted to try Clomid first.

I hope it does the trick for you. I have read several success stories on JM about women who used Femara.

I hope it works out well for you Morgan!!!

[Garfieldbear]

I'm sorry that Clomid didn't work for you sweety.......injections worked for me, so you still have many options