PCOS and Clomid

[Bambinochino]

Hello lovelies,

I have been looking for Clomid/ PCOS threads but there are not many recent ones that i can see on the internet and I am feeling a bit lost and a little bit alienated.

I am hoping if there is anyone going through something similar we can support each other

So this is my story so far...My partner and I have been TTC our first for a year now.
I was recently diagnosed with PCOS with multiple cysts on both ovaries. I do not have any of the outer symptoms of PCOS, I'm a healthy weight and I do not have dominant testosterone hormones - only the multiple cysts and very irregular cycles.
It was discovered that I do not ovulate on my own and I was prescribed my first round of 50mg Clomid last month.

I was told to take the Clomid days 2-6 of my cycle after a Northisterone induced bleed and I found I suffered no notable side affects at first until around 'ovulation' time (CD14) when I started getting a very heavy bloated feeling in abdomen and hot flushes. Since then I have had lots of stabbing pulsating pain in the left side, and a strange bruise appeared on my hip at around CD 22.
I had lots of 'symptoms' I do not usually get on my cycle; tingling BB's, night sweats, heart burn and pains in my back and legs. I wondered if maybe I had conceived and did a test on CD25 but it was BFN. I thought it might be too early so I thought I would wait until my period due date CD29 to test, but I started AF yesterday on CD27.
I have also done another test just to be sure, and again BFN.... And AF is definitely here as the cramps are getting worse.

The funny thing is my left side is still painful with stabbing pains every so often and I am worried I have developed an aggressive type of cyst or something. I'm feeling very deflated and emotional, especially with Christmas coming up. I thought maybe this would be our time at last. Quite a few of my friends are expecting at the moment and although I'm so happy for them, I just feel like it will never happen for me although I know this is only my first round of Clomid and I certainly am not giving up.

I cannot start another round of Clomid this cycle as my doc wants to see me to discuss my 21 day bloods results and my BF's SA and if he suspects I didn't ovulate on the 50mg he wants to give me a higher dose.
I'm quite scared in case I get even worse side effects on the higher dosages or that it might cause more damage to my ovaries and make things even more difficult for us, but I don't know what other options I have.

Has anybody else been through anything similar? I feel like I have no one to talk to who really understands

Thanks xx

 

[snowbee]

Hi and welcome. There is a clomid thread right below this one if you want to join other ladies who are currently on clomid.

Do you normally have a regular cycle? If not and you have just had a 27 day cycle then the clomid most likely made you ovulate.

Have you had any follicle tracking scans? I highly recommend getting them done, that way you can see how you are responding to the clomid and if you are on the correct dose. If you aren't offered them on the nhs you can get them privately (my closest place charge £180 for a whole cycle of scans). You would also see if there was a problem with developing/aggravating and cycts. Some ladies do overstimulate on 50mg, Phonix on here was one and she ended up taking a lower dose. I did 6 cycles at 100mg and one at 125mg, which was the cycle we conceived on. I had a few pains and twinges on the clomid, I assume because it was actually making my body do what it was supposed to and release those eggs!

 

[Bambinochino]

Hi Snowbee ,

Thank you for your helpful message.

My cycles are normally very irregular, I usually have a period every 3 months or so. I was wondering if maybe the Clomid had worked and made me ovulate, and that that could have caused the pain I felt in my ovary... I had 21 day progesterone blood tests taken so I should find out when I see my doc in a couple of weeks.
I am not being monitored or have planned any tracking scans, only the 21 day bloods to check progesterone levels as mine were always very low. I think it might be a good idea though, I will look into this and discuss with the OH.

Congratulations on your successful cycle, you have given me hope
What kind of pains/twinges did you get on the higher dosages and did you ever get them on your AF?

xxx

 

[snowbee]

I felt ovulation very clearly on every clomid cycle I did apart from one, where I think I ovulated overnight. I don't really know how to describe the feeling in that area before and after ovulation, other than it just felt different from normal. I was hot at night in the run up to ovulation and I was moodier and more prone to over emotion during the whole time I was taking it (my husband was unamused!).

My AF on clomid wasn't that much different to usual, I tend not to have too painful periods so just a few cramps. I've always had a very light flow too, so we were worried that clomid can thin this further and leave nothing to implant into but it didn't seem to be a problem in the end.

I did ovulation testing and temping on my clomid cycles, just to check things were going as planned. I had the tracking scans on my first cycle and as I responded ok to it I didn't have any more afterwards.

On my clomid cycles I was ovulating between CD17 and CD24, so doing testing also enabled me to get my blood test done on the correct day (it needs to be done 8 days after getting a positive opk for most accurate results, so for me that is never on CD21!).

Hope that helps and you have your clomid BFP very soon

 

[Bambinochino]

Thank you Snowbee, your post has helped me a lot. I will take your advice and speak to my doc about the tracking for my next cycle. The pains are getting progessively worse, so I wonder if the Clomid is overstimulating.

xxx

 

[Clare80]

Really hope clomid works for you.

I have pcos and am the same as you in that I don't have any of the usual outward signs. I conceived my daughter on our 4th cycle. We did two at 100mg and 2 at 150mg. Having tracking scans is standard under the consultant I was with. I had similar side effects to yourself, night sweats were bad in particular. I could feel very obvious and strong pains at the time of ovulation during my clomid cycles, I haven't experienced this at other times.

 

[Bambinochino]

Hi Clare80,

Thank you for your reply, it sounds like we share similar symptoms with the night sweats and pains, which could be linked to our PCOS.

Please can I just ask what your ovulation pains felt like, because I’m wondering if maybe I have ovulated on my first dose of 50mg but maybe it was later than I first thought. I had very strong pulsating, almost like a burning feeling in my left side from CD20 onwards until about CD23 when these feelings started to fade. I also had bad heartburn those days.
I got AF on CD 27 but it has only lasted for 1 and a half days…very strange. Hardly any heavy bleeding certainly not enough to fill a liner over the 2 days. I was thinking could it be implantation…. but I doubt it as It was very red fresh bleeding and I have heard that it’s usually more brown (sorry if TMI).
Also my OH and I only managed to spend one night together that week so the chances of conception are pretty slim but then again we had thought my fertile window had already passed.

Today would be CD31 (If I assume the bleeding I had was not a proper AF) and the only feelings I have at the moment are a heavy feeling abdomen with the odd fluttery feeling every so often. No breast tenderness or bleeding anymore. I'm feeling very confused, roll on 2 weeks when I can see my doc.