https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 08:25:28 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-1278540 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 22:30:38 +0000 twodoghouse 1278540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LittleLashesToes: Sorry - just saw this! Yes, @Shutterbug: is right - I'm 18 weeks pregnant with twins after doing IVF in August. If you have specific questions about my TTC process, let me know. I'm happy to share any details! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-1278346 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 20:44:27 +0000 CatchAFallingStar 1278346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shutterbug: OH MY!!! So great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-1278306 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 20:28:19 +0000 Shutterbug 1278306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LittleLashesToes: twodoghouse is pregnant, with twins!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-1278128 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 19:09:05 +0000 CatchAFallingStar 1278128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: Looks like we're close to the same age, too!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-1278127 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 19:08:36 +0000 CatchAFallingStar 1278127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: Just found this post. Curious what steps you took next. Are you still trying? I'm kind of in the same boat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-616595 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:20:28 +0000 tequiero21 616595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did 3 rounds of clomid w iui. Unsuccessful.</p> <p>Edit... Then moved to ivf </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-590195 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:49:13 +0000 ladybee 590195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My RE said the first three cycles or clomid or Femara are your best chances, with cycle 3 being the best.</p> <p>Eta: I got my BFP on cycle 3! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-590142 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:06:42 +0000 kentuckygirl 590142@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally, I would try the Clomid a little longer but would try to get monitoring during the pre-ovulation stage. You may know some of this from the IF support thread, but I did three cycles on 50 mg with my OBGYN. Once I moved on to the RE, he questioned why the OBGYN didn't increase my dosage sooner, but I don't think that is typical for OBGYNs.</p> <p>I then did two cycles on Clomid with the RE but although I ovulated, didn't get PG. My RE only recommended 5-6 cycles on Clomid. My RE and I both seemed to rush me onto Femara, so after those 5 total cycles on Clomid, we moved on. I wish I had done one more on Clomid. The Femara didn't work for me at all, so then my only option is injectibles. I have done 2 cycles on injectibles and IUI and so far no luck. I just feel now that my only option will be IVF. I wanted to get more aggressive too, but 6 months after first seeing my RE, I feel like we may have moved too fast through the less expensive treatments and here we are looking a big bucks out of pocket. </p> <p>To summarize, if you stay with Clomid, I would try to make the most of it - get monitoring and try a higher dose before you move on. Again, that is my opinion and I completely understand your desire to move on. Best of luck with your decision! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-589786 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 07:41:15 +0000 swedishfish 589786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did Clomid with an IUI. I would've refused to take the pills without an IUI because there is supposedly a limit on the amount of times you can take Clomid in your entire life. Each doctor's limit seemed to differ. I switched to an RE before starting the Clomid because my OBGYN's office was not open on the weekends. If I ovulated over the weekend, they told me they just couldn't help me that cycle. No, thanks! </p> <p>An IUI is really not a very invasive procedure. Compared to my round of IVF, my IUI was a piece of cake! </p> <p>I took Clomid once at 50 mg and responded with two mature follicles. We had two back-to-back IUI's but I did not get pregnant. My DH has issues of his own so, although my ovulation issues were fixed, his could only be fixed with IVF.</p> <p>ETA - the most important thing I learned throughout my TTC journey was that I had to be my own advocate. I did massive research and wrote down questions to ask before all appointments. I am very, very glad I switched to my RE as early as I did. I might've stayed with the OBGYN'S office for a couple of cycle if I was the only one with issues. I asked for their professional opinion on when I should start researching RE's and they told me now. So I called one and got in the next day luckily due to a canceled appointment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-589715 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 01:46:01 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 589715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3. My RE usually moves on after 3. We did IVF afterward and it worked. We had low morphology and unexplained issues on my side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-589700 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:47:29 +0000 mrsmate 589700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did 6 cycles at 100mg. Cycle 1 resulted in MC, possibly ectopic. Cycles 2-6 failed. I probably should have gone back to the OB sooner but I really wanted to try getting pregnant from oral meds before resorting to invasive treatment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-564020 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:36:25 +0000 ShootingStar 564020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm seeing an RE and she feels that if you don't get pregnant after 3-4 cycles on Clomid, then it likely won't work. I would really recommend seeing an RE because it's not good to take Clomid for a long time (can thin your lining), and to me without the monitoring it's kind of a waste of a chance. If you go to see an RE they might need to immediately go to more aggressive therapies, when Clomid might have worked with monitoring.</p> <p>At first I thought it was overkill, but now I think the monitoring is awesome. I've had a lot of trouble responding to Clomid and Femara, and needed extra doses along the way. If I had been handed an rx for Clomid and left on my own, that would've probably been 6 months wasted. </p> <p>Also, IUI or IVF may not necessarily be the next step. Femara may work for you even if Clomid didn't. And I had a CP pregnancy the first cycle I ovulated, which means we're probably not going to do IUI since the trouble is likely with the eggs, not with sperm, which is what IUI helps with. I'm on Femara now, but again had trouble responding. If this cycle doesn't work out, I'll do a combination cycle starting with Femara and then injectables and timed intercourse.</p> <p>At some point down the road if the injectables don't work (not sure how many cycles), I'm guessing the next step will be IVF. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-564009 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:33:27 +0000 sarac 564009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: I think that's really smart. Lots of people have more than one issue, and fixing ovulation doesn't magically fix it all. You husband could easily have less than perfect motility or morphology, and you might just need a few cycles to find a good one. Lots of people (most?) don't conceive on the first try even when they're ovulating. I'd say give it three or four cycles and then move on to IUI. Maybe get a semen analysis? I was all for less painful/expensive things first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563990 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:25:07 +0000 Mrs. Bee 563990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i did two rounds of clomid. the second round we did an iui and i got pregnant (though i miscarried). if it is an option, i would definitely get more aggressive and pursue an iui. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563980 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:22:03 +0000 BSB 563980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started fertility meds (femera) at the same time as our first IUI. My cycles are kinda long so using Femera shortened my cycle to help regulate it more for the IUI. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563978 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:20:29 +0000 loveletter 563978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: It's going well! We are just completing our homestudy right now do we have a ways to go! Starting the adoption process has brought a lot of hope and healing into my life. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! :) I'm sure you'll be a mama one way or the other :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563852 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:33:54 +0000 twinmama 563852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we had unexplained infertility, but chose to take a more agressive approach. once we started with an RE after a little over a year of ttc, we went straight to femara and iui. we did three of those, then one injectables and iui, then IVF, which worked on the first try. i was pregnant roughly 8 months after we started working with our RE. while we didn't have insurance coverage, we had the financial resources to move forward relatively quickly, and decided that we wanted to do whatever gave us the best odds.</p> <p>whether or not you choose to do iui, i think having the pre-ovulation monitoring is really helpful, especially as you move up in doses, so you can see how you are responding - how big your follicles are and how many. </p> <p>and fwiw, my RE didn't recommend an exploratory lap for me, even though I have a major family history of endo. i did have a diagnosed endometrioma, but didn't have any other symptoms.</p> <p>best of luck to you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563677 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:34:41 +0000 Mrs.VW 563677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: Yes, I had an HSG first and there was some trouble getting the dye to move. Come to find out, it wasn't blocked it's just tightly wound. But I do have some endometriosis. I think it's definitely beneficial to have the lap. It can give a lot of insight I think as far as the shape/open-ness of your tubes. We have decided to focus on our RE for now. The adoption agency we looked at is strongly against doing both at the same time. So we had to choose! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563523 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:38:51 +0000 twodoghouse 563523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Thanks for telling me your story! I would like to get more aggressive as well, but maybe I'm jumping the gun a little! </p> <p>@Mrs.VW: Thanks for the info! Did you have a lap because your dr. suspected endometriosis? My sister is having one done next week because they think she might have endometriosis (our aunt has it, so it's in our family tree). Depending on what they find with my sister, I'm thinking about asking my new dr. about it. I'm glad your RE appointment went well! Are you still thinking about adoption or are you considering in addition to seeing your RE?</p> <p>@sarac: You story gives me so much hope! I guess I was feeling like if Clomid didn't work for me the first two months (even though my progesterone levels looked great) then I was just doomed. You're so right about it taking a while for some people, even if they're ovulating well! I'm going to try being patient this month as we wait to get things going with the new dr!</p> <p>@loveletter: How is your adoption process going? We've been thinking a lot about adoption recently and I've really come to feel at peace with that option. I think if it comes down to needing IVF, we will probably go the adoption route, but we'll do an IUI first if it's recommended. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-563046 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 06:44:48 +0000 loveletter 563046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did 6 rounds - 2 each of 50, 100 and 150. I was just seeing an OB, and I felt the same as you - kind of like I wasting time and wanted to move on to something else, but I finished it out. We ended up choosing to start adoption, but if we hand't chosen that, I think we would have wanted to do an IUI. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-561999 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:16:43 +0000 sarac 561999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My story is similar to yours. I did an initial round at 50mg, and didn't respond. I did consistently respond on 100mg, and did that for 3 rounds. I had an IUI scheduled, but I got pregnant on that fourth round. Even when you're ovulating, most people will still not get pregnant on their very first cycle. I'd really suggest giving it two or three cycles before moving on, although I know that sounds impossible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-561955 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:56:02 +0000 Mrs.VW 561955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: I feel like our story is SO similar to yours! We did 3 months of clomid - with no monitoring, just 'every other day BD'. I ended up having a lap and they wanted me to do 3 MORE months of clomid. I did one and in that time DH and I decided it wasn't working for us and we wanted to change paths. We went to an adoption meeting to feel that out, bc we thought 'either adoption OR and RE'. Well, yesterday we had our first RE appointment and it was great! I'd encourage you to go, even just to talk and see what they would have in mind for you! I wanted to think that my OB could get us PG with just a little clomid, but I feel like, monitoring is just SO important. I"m thankful we'll be having that for our cycles from now on! Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-561599 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:45:13 +0000 sweetooth 561599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would echo a lot of of @spaniellove said. It's frustrating that insurance is yet another hurdle in the already difficult infertility journey. But I think if your goal is to become pregnant, and you're reaching the 2 year mark then you should try hard to get in with an RE. And it sounds like you've already had some luck with that! I hope your consultation goes well on the 26th!</p> <p>I'm on my second round of Clomid right now (50mg each time), with IUI. I'll find out in another week if it was successful. I honestly feel like Clomid/IUI is only a step above having intercourse. Timing still plays a huge part, just like it did when there were no meds or doctors involved. But the negative test results are even harder to swallow because there is money/meds involved.</p> <p>Be only as aggressive as you are comfortable with. And trust your gut. I'm sure after this long, you know your body well and what you are willing to put it through. I know I do, at 19 months of trying with no success. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-561576 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:34:08 +0000 Modern Daisy 561576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did two rounds of Clomid, the first 50 mg without an IUI then the second 50mg stepped up to 100 mg mid cycle with an IUI and I got pregnant that cycle. We wanted to try at least one cycle without an IUI, but the fertility treatments were wearing on us (it had been 4 months of testing, etc. before we got to start trying) so we decided to get aggressive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-561547 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:23:00 +0000 twodoghouse 561547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@spaniellove: Thank you so much for the response! Since I wrote this yesterday, I've called around to a few doctors in town and found a real fertility clinic with an RE on staff! I know it sounds silly to be that excited, but I am. My husband and I are going for a consultation on the 26th and just knowing that we have a new plan in place is helping a lot. We are also seriously thinking about how far we want to go with fertility treatments vs. if we want to consider adoption. Anyway, thanks so much for chiming in!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-561522 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:09:47 +0000 spaniellove 561522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally I haven't done Clomid but wanted to chime in that your gut seems to be telling you to do more, and there is more that should go along with Clomid. You should be getting some kind of monitoring to keep an eye on how many follicles you have and when you're going to ovulate so you can at least time BD, or else the whole thing is a waste, right? And yes, if the ultrasounds show that you're not ovulating (or making enough follicles for Clomid to be useful), you might increase your dosage. Generally OBs aren't great or aggressive about helping you get pregnant. I'm sorry this is happening especially at such a sensitive time. It's awful that insurance companies make it so difficult to get good care, but if you can you might find it worthwhile to try an RE. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-many-cycles-of-clomid-did-you-do-before-moving-to-iuiivf#post-559744 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:28:32 +0000 twodoghouse 559744@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This was my second cycle of Clomid (50mg) and AF showed up late last night. The Clomid was prescribed by my OBGYN, not an RE because my insurance doesn't cover REs (or much in the way of infertility at all) and I can't seem to find an RE in my smallish town anyway. </p> <p>My first month on Clomid, I had testing 7 dpo and my progesterone was at 56. (Prior to Clomid, it bounced around from 6-10). So my dr. said I responded great, here's a prescription for five more months of Clomid and that's that. He said to call if I get pregnant. </p> <p>So, now I have 4 more months of Clomid that I could take, but I'm not sure I want to. I just feel like I'm wasting time and I'm over it. I know this is compounded by the fact February is our 2 year anniversary of TTC and I'm super emotional, but I just want to move to the next step, whatever that may be. My dr does not do anything beyond prescribing Clomid (no IUI, IVF, etc.), but I'm hoping he may have a recommendation for someone in town who will. </p> <p>I'm just wondering what other people did? How many rounds of Clomid did you do? Was it the same dosage each time or did you increase? If you only did a couple cycles of Clomid, did you move on to more aggressive treatment because you weren't responding well to the meds or something else? Was it at the suggestion of your doctor or did you make the decision yourself? Thanks, I really appreciate any anecdotes about this! </p>