Last updated on September 17, 2021
This is one of those posts where, if you’re here for travel stories, you might want to head over to the travel section instead. However, lots of people have written to me expressing interest in my fertility journey. I struggled to find stories when I was going through all of this, so I’m sharing mine with you. So, here’s the personal and somewhat technical story of how I came to be pregnant. It also explains why our trips were so last-minute in 2017! The first part is about the journey, and the end gives my advice for people going through something similar.
I always knew that getting pregnant might not be easy for me. My periods were slow to start as a teenager and have only ever been regular when I was taking the pill. Like my Mum, I have polycystic ovaries, which means my ovaries contain lots of fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs.
Despite the name, they aren’t cysts, but under-developed sacs where eggs develop but then struggle to be released. That results in irregular periods, which can in turn result in difficulty getting pregnant.
No-one knows how many people have PCOS, but the estimate is as high in one in every five women in the UK. You also don’t necessarily have PCOS if you have polycystic ovaries: they tend to diagnose you when you have two of three symptoms: irregular periods, polycystic ovaries or excess androgens in your body.
PCOS and fertility
Not everyone with PCOS struggles to get pregnant, but it does tend to make things more difficult. One of the hardest things is knowing when you might be fertile. Steve and I had a year of trying before we started treatment, and as my periods were so irregular, it was hard knowing where I was in my cycle.
That raises two issues: first, you don’t have the advantage of being able to optimise when you have sex at the most fertile times; and second, you can’t be sure if/when you’ve ovulated, so there are periods of time where you have no idea where you’re at: pregnant, waiting to ovulate, about to get your period, or in the middle of a cycle where you failed to ovulate at all!
The not knowing is difficult, but we remained pretty relaxed about it for that first year, travelling often, staying healthy and trying not to get consumed by it all. During that time, I had six periods, so even though we were trying for a year, in reality we only had six chances rather than the 12 that one would normally have.
Temperature tracking and OPK sticks
One of the things I tried during that time was tracking my temperature to map my ovulation. Your basal body temperature (BBT) rises slightly after you’ve ovulated, so by taking your temperature as soon as you wake up each morning, you can, in theory, track when you ovulate. The problem is, this doesn’t always work if you have PCOS. On some months I could see a pattern, whereas other months I couldn’t. In the end I decided to stop as looking for a non-existent pattern was somewhat crazy-making!
I also tried using ovulation predictor sticks, which are meant to tell you when you’re having an LH surge (a hormone that peaks just before ovulation). However, these tend to be unreliable for people with PCOS, and I definitely found that to be the case.
I did, however, try both of these things again when I started fertility treatment and I was able to see patterns and positive OPKs then.
When we decided to get help
As soon as Steve and I started trying for a baby I went to my GP to let her know and she referred me to a pregnancy specialist immediately, which is quite unusual. The specialist did an ultrasound, confirmed I had polycystic ovaries, but that everything else was okay. They said to try naturally for about a year before going to a fertility specialist for treatment. In that time, I also saw the hormone (endocrine) specialist who said that despite my polycystic ovaries, my hormone levels were in the normal range.
So, after a year of trying unsuccessfully, we went to the fertility specialist. Straight away I was prescribed Metformin, which is a drug often given to women with PCOS. It’s primarily a diabetes drug, but women who have PCOS also often have insulin resistance, so it’s used to control the symptoms.
I didn’t notice a tangible difference for the three months I was on Metformin alone, but I stayed on it until I got pregnant as it’s recommended alongside the other treatments. It’s well known for having side effects, but I only felt a little nauseous for the first month of taking it, or if I ever took it without eating first.
The fertility tests
At that first fertility appointment, we were also sent for tests: Steve for sperm tests and I for a series of blood tests, mostly testing my hormones. Steve’s were normal and the only one that was unusual for me was the AMH test, which measures your ovarian reserves (how many eggs you have left). Mine was sky high, which is typical for people with PCOS, and meant that any fertility treatment I did would need to be gentle so I didn’t get overstimulated, releasing too many eggs and being at risk of a multiple pregnancy.
Fertility supplements
While going through our fertility journey, we both took a supplement called Proxeed (here’s the one for men and the one for women) which was recommended by our doctor. Steve also took CoQ10, which is meant to be good for sperm count, again recommended by our doctor. And finally, we sometimes used Preseed fertility lubricant (afraid I don’t know if we used this on the time we were successful!).
Our treatment journey
Clomid story
Other than trying Metformin for a few months, the first course of action prescribed by the fertility specialist was to try clomifene, a drug also known as Clomid. Clomid encourages monthly ovulation, so, if it works, it gives people with irregular periods more chances to conceive.
You take it for five days, from day 2-6 of your cycle, although some doctors vary this slightly. You then have to go in for regular ultrasounds from about day 11. This is so that the medical team can monitor how many follicles are developing. If more than two start to mature then the cycle has to be cancelled as you are at high risk of having a multiple birth, which is dangerous for both the mother and babies.
If you have just one or two follicles, they monitor you until one of them reaches around 20mm. At that point, they say that ovulation is imminent and send you off to do your business and hope for the best. It’s also possible to get a HCG injection at that point, which stimulates the follicle to release the egg, meaning you know for sure you’ll ovulate in the next couple of days.
I did six rounds of Clomid in total and had different experiences each time. Here’s a summary of what happened. I started on 50mg of Clomid per day.
Cycle one
For my first cycle, I went for three scans, every other day, starting on day 11. On the first scan, my biggest follicle was 14mm, and on the second scan, I had two big ones of 17mm and 18mm. For the final scan, even more follicles had developed/grown, and I had four measuring 18,19, 15 and 14. It was deemed that all four follicles could potentially release eggs, so the cycle was cancelled.
Cycle two
I also had three scans for the second cycle, with a dominant follicle appearing at the second scan, measuring 19mm. By the third scan, I had three follicles: one at 23mm and two at 17mm. A different doctor was on duty this time and they said that it was highly unlikely the two 17mm ones would release, and they gave us the go ahead to try. But we didn’t get pregnant.
Cycle three
The third cycle was odd. I only went for two scans, an the biggest follicle at the second scan measured 14mm. The doctor was happy with this as that was the only dominant follicle, so said I didn’t need to come back for more scans and could continue with trying that cycle. I used OPKs throughout my Clomid cycles, and on this one I never got a positive result and my temperature didn’t rise. My period was also very light, so I’m not sure if I even ovulated for this cycle. Whatever happened, I didn’t get pregnant.
Cycle four
Cycle four was the worst. When I went for my first scan, there was already a follicle measuring 29mm, which was more than likely a cyst, potentially created by a follicle that didn’t release in the last cycle. I also had two 15mm follicles, so had to cancel the cycle as the risk of multiples was too high. I was pretty fed up at this point and booked a last-minute trip to Iceland!
Cycle five
Cycle five was another bad one to start off with. Because of the situation last time, I had to go in for a scan on day four to check that the cyst had gone. Unfortunately, it was still there, so I couldn’t start taking the Clomid and was told to go on the pill for three weeks to make it shrink. We were fed up again so this time we went to Lapland!
Happily, on day four of my next cycle, I went for the baseline scan and the cysts had gone, so we were able to take Clomid again. This time they reduced my dosage, so I alternated 50mg with 25mg for five days. I went for two scans on day 11 and 16. On day 11, there were no dominant follicles, but by day 16 there were two juicy ones measuring 20mm and 17mm. I was given the HCG trigger injection and given the green light to try. But alas, no pregnancy
Cycle six
My final cycle of Clomid was the most straightforward. I went for one scan on day 15 and had a 19mm follicle already, so they gave me a prescription for the HCG shot to administer the next day at home. My OPK showed positive for ovulation and my temperature went up – but no, I didn’t get pregnant.
Some thoughts on Clomid
The plan was always to only do six rounds of Clomid. I could have opted to do more, but I found the whole process pretty draining, especially when I kept getting overstimulated and had to cancel a cycle or when I got a cyst and had to go on the pill. I also found the side effects quite tricky as it tended to make me very emotional for the five days I was taking it and for a few days afterwards. It was manageable but unpleasant.
While monitoring the size of your follicles on Clomid, they also measure the thickness of your womb lining. I noticed that mine was getting thinner with every cycle, which isn’t a good thing as you want it to be nice and thick for the egg to implant. A thin womb lining is a common side effect of Clomid.
Does trigger shot release all follicles?
One question I often wondered about is does the trigger shot release all the follicles and what size do they need to be? Can a 14mm follicle release an egg? According to my doctors, all the follicles are released by the trigger, but what size they need to be is a more complicated answer and the doctors seemed to vary on their opinions. While all the growing follicles may release an egg, the egg needs to be mature to be able to fertilise. Generally, doctors want the follicles to be around 18mm or more to be considered mature, but I found this varied depending on the doctor.
Transferring to Bristol
All of my Clomid cycles were done at Kings Hospital in London as that’s where I was living when I started treatment. However, I moved to Bristol half way through, so had to travel up to London for cycles 4-6. Most of the time I was able to time it with other appointments in London, but when I couldn’t, it meant a lot of time and money spent on trips to London.
I could have transferred to Bristol at any time, but I knew that would mean a disruption to the treatment. The hospitals aren’t joined up, so I’d have to start again with the investigations and so on. I decided to do all six cycles in London and then transfer to Bristol.
I started the process of transferring while I was still in treatment in London as I wanted to try and avoid any long breaks or delays. This involved getting a referral to Bristol’s fertility centre from my GP, waiting for an appointment with the specialist and then doing all the tests again. It took about six weeks. So here’s what happened in Bristol…
Gonadotropins
I was given the option of continuing with Clomid for a few more cycles or trying another type of of treatment called gonadotropins. Interestingly, in London, they had intended to move me straight to IVF after Clomid, so I was pleased to hear there was an intermediary option.
Like Clomid, gonadotropins stimulate ovulation. They are the same hormones (LH and FSH) that stimulate ovulation naturally, and they’re also used at the start of an IVF cycle to stimulate egg production. Gonadotropins are given via an injection, which you do yourself at home, and the one I used was called Gonal-F.
I went for four scans during this cycle, ever other day from days 8-14. By the fourth scan, I had two follicles measuring 17mm and 21mm, and my womb lining was 8.4mm, which was thicker than it had ever been when I taking Clomid (on my last round the womb lining was 6.5mm). I was given the HCG injection that day, and as before sent home to try and hope for the best.
A positive test! A gonadotropin injections success story!
The HCG injection is the same hormone that you produce when pregnant, so if you do a pregnancy test in the two weeks following that injection, the test will show up positive. That means you have to try hard not to test too early. I failed on that account and tested on day 13 after the injection. I couldn’t wait!
But, of course, when it then showed positive, I couldn’t be sure it was the real thing. I got Steve to buy a less sensitive test and that one showed negative. I then used the less sensitive one the next day, and this time it showed positive! I still couldn’t believe it, so had to double check for the next few days, but each time the line got stronger. It had actually worked – I was pregnant!
Early scan and pregnancy care
If you’ve been in fertility treatment, you can go for an early scan at seven weeks to check everything is okay. All we could see was a little pulsating blob, but it was probably the to exciting thing I’d ever seen. There was the beginning of our baby! Following that appointment, we were discharged from the fertility clinic and from then on, we followed the same protocol as anyone else who gets pregnant, visiting our community midwife and having scans at our local hospital.
I also have hypothyroidism and a few digestive issues, so had to see a consultant a few times, and as I’m writing this, I’m 34 weeks and waiting for an appointment to find out if I should have a c-section. But other than that, the pregnancy so far has been straightforward. I can write more about that side of things in the future.
Some thoughts on my fertility journey
As you can see from this post, it took us about 20 months to get pregnant and at times those months were slow. But in the grand scheme of things, we were lucky. For some people it takes years, and for others it doesn’t happen at all. Sitting here, 34 weeks pregnant, it’s been interesting to revisit the journey that got me here, and I feel immense gratitude for where I am.
It’s hard not to get consumed by the desire to get pregnant and the disappointment of so many negative tests. That day when you see your period appear is the saddest one of all. And when things don’t go to plan with treatment, it’s difficult not to lose hope.
A lot of people say it puts a strain on their relationship, but I don’t think this was the case for Steve and I. We made sure to keep in good communication throughout the whole thing, talking through our fears and concerns. We also kept ourselves busy, continuing on with all the other parts of our lives, so that becoming pregnant didn’t become our only focus. We tried to keep the perspective that even if we couldn’t have children, our lives were still full and happy.
Telling other people
For me, I think it also helped not to talk to too many people about what we were going through. It’s certainly a good idea to have some key confidantes, but I found that when I told too many people, I started to feel the weight of them waiting for news.
Some people also say the wrong thing. I had one friend who instantly asked if I’d thought of surrogacy, which wasn’t helpful as it’s kind of akin to telling someone you’re going through some relationship issues and them saying ‘Have you thought of meeting someone else instead?’. You want encouragement and understanding that what you’re trying to do might work out, rather than a suggestion that implies no hope.
Travelling during fertility treatment
Travelling during our Clomid cycles was a challenge. If we could have known exactly when our scans would be happening then it would have been much easier, but I ovulated on different days with every cycle. Plus on some cycles, we also had to have a baseline scan (to check for cysts) before I started taking the next round of Clomid, and that was dependent on when I got my period, which was another unknown factor.
This meant that during that period of time, our trips were all last-minute. We booked and planned our Iceland trip just five days in advance after finding out our cycle had been cancelled. With Lapland, we had a little more time because the cycle was cancelled right at the beginning, so we knew we had four weeks that were free of scans. We booked that trip three weeks in advance.
And for our road trip in Europe, we made a gamble and booked it for the two-week wait (the time after ovulating and getting your period), desperately hoping that I I wouldn’t ovulate too late or my period wouldn’t come early! Luckily it worked out, and I started my gonadotropin treatment the day after we got back.
If you’re interested in how we travelled once pregnant, I’ve written a post about our various babymoons.
Second pregnancy
I’m adding a quick update to this post to say I now have two sons, the second one (Arlo) also conceived with help from ovulation induction.
With Arlo I did four rounds of gonadotropins (three in Bristol and one in Barcelona). I did one round at Fertty in Barcelona, purely because I wanted to go on holiday, but also didn’t want to miss out on a round of treatment!
I had planned to only do three rounds before moving onto IVF but decided to try four in the end, and it turned out to be fourth time lucky!
This is what happened for each of those cycles:
Cycle one
Started on low dosage like before (25-IU but upped to 50-IU on day 9 as follicles not growing. Day 11, follicles still smaller by lining was thickening (6.5mm). Day 13: one follicle at 12mm. Day 16, one follicle is 19mm so triggered that night.
Cycle two
Dosage started on 25 I-U again and increased to 50 I-U on day 10 as lining was still thin and no dominant follicles. On day 12, one follicle was 14mm. And by day 15 it was 20mm. Triggered that night.
Cycle three
Started on 50 I-U at the beginning. On day 12, two follicles of 14mm and 13mm. Day 14 had two 18mm follicles, one on each ovary. Told to trigger that day
Cycle four
On day 10, I had a 13mm, and two 11mm follicles, then by day 12 had one 18mm follicle. I was told to do one more dose of ovaleap that night and then trigger the following day (an extra boost compared to the last cycle). Pregnant 2 weeks later!
Let me know if you have any questions
If you’re going through something similar and have questions to ask, I’ll be happy to try and answer them. Fertility is a personal journey, so what works for one person might not be good for another, but I can answer general questions you have. I’d also love to hear your own fertility stories. And good luck to everyone going through this.
This was eerily timely for me, I’ve been following your blog for a few years now but was only diagnosed with PCOS last Friday. I have had none of the other classic symptoms, so it was quite a shock (especially seeing as I’m 37). Reading this has given me so much hope and some great information for my onward fertility journey (14 months and counting!). Thank you and a big cuddle to Otis x
I’m so pleased this was helpful! Good luck on your fertility journey. For me there were lots of ups and downs but the final prize was worth it a thousand times over! Al my best x
Thanks so much for am encouraged ….Have my first child on clomid and am trying for the second one now for almost 1year now
Victoria, thanks for sharing your wonderful posts 👍. You are doing great work! I had the same prob as Janet. Me and my husband tried to have 2nd baby for about 5 years. I didnt have any problems getting preg with our 1st child. So happy 😊 I found ‘Clo4mult’ in Google and got Clomid. I took clomid 50 mg for 5 days and I ovulated and found out 3 weeks latter I am having a baby and recently at 8 weeks along I found out I am having twins ❤️.
Congratulations! That’s wonderful 🙂
This is such an inspiring post, thanks so much for sharing something so personal!
Wow, so many ups and downs lady, I know it was tough on you guys to have that uncertainty month after month. I didn’t know that last part, that it was the medicine switch that finally made it happen. I couldn’t be happier for you that Otis was the prize — it’s just not possible to have gotten a sweeter one than that tiny man. <3
I know this was written some time ago but today I was searching for something to give me hope. I have pcos (which was only confirmed in July this year following 10 years on the pill) and I’m currently undergoing treatment with Letrozole. Last month I had three follicles above 12mm and the nurses kept telling my most likely they will have to cancel the cycle but on day 16 I went in for a scan and one follicle had decreased in size. They let me go through with the cycle and I also had IUI. I was unsuccessful and so disappointed and sad. This cycle has been met with a similar struggle but I’m less optimistic. I today found out I have three follicles above 15mm. I go back in a couple of days to see if one has decreased otherwise this month will be cancelled. Feeling quite upset as I feel like it’s a month wasted. How did you keep positive? I keep feeling like I’m the problem and even though I know it’s not my fault, I just seem to be feeling down. I’ve tried to speak to a close friend and my mum about it but they both don’t understand and my mum just wants to be a grandma so I now feel like I’m letting her down.
Hi Heather, Sorry to hear things aren’t straightforward for you. I know how hard that can be, especially when cycles have to be cancelled. It can be very disheartening. It is hard to stay positive, but I think the key is to try and find patience with the process (I found this very hard!). Remember it often takes a while for people to get pregnant naturally, so with stimulated cycles, it can also take time. For us, it took seven cycles. There are a lot of factors at play when trying to conceive and it’s definitely not all on you. It’s also not your fault you have PCOS. I think the main way I stayed positive was to always look forward and not dwell too much on the cycles that didn’t work. I always found the time during the scans and then the two-week-wait to be the hardest part as I didn’t like all the not knowing and waiting. Whenever I had to cancel/got my period, I went back into action mode and focussed on the next cycle and the hope that comes with that.
I hope that helps in some way, and good luck with it all!
I’ve been struggling with PCOS and hirsutism since my teenage years. It’s been quite a journey already. I’m starting to think about kids now and reading stories like yours is so encouraging! Thank you so much for sharing your story!
Hi I’ve just read your story which was very interesting to read. You have been through so much. I’m on cycle 11 now. We only have 2 more shots and then we have to look at the ivf route :(. My consultant hasn’t mentioned anything about a HCG injection. I’ve just been told to take clomid on day 2-6 starting from your 1st proper bleed day. All my tests and my partners have come back clear, I’ve just been rested for laparoscopy but that was clear, we don’t understand what we are doing wrong? X
It’s such an emotional journey. But definitely don’t think about in terms of you doing something wrong. You’re not doing anything wrong – you’re trying what you can. Sometimes it just takes a lot of patience and persistence! Sending you all my best for your journey x
Wow so interesting this is fe every women who want to give up encouragement strengthen so never give up keep trying
Thank you Victoria xx
Hey! Thank you for your post! I’m very happy for you that it all worked out! I’m on the same boat now. After 10months of trying naturally, I just got an appointment at the fertility center, it’s in a month from now, my gyn suspects PCO as I have 8-12 follicles per ovary, although my cycles are not really irregular. I’m typically 28-31 days but I have three odd cycles per year when they last up to 36-38 days. He also took my blood already so the fertility center will receive the results directly and we can start immediately with a plan. Let’s hope it will work xxx
Good luck! It can be such a rollercoaster, trying to get pregnant!
Hi I have tried clomid alone.
I am wondering exactly from period do you start the hcg injection and how many days for ? That cycle please ??
I started my hcg injections on day 3 of my cycle, but I think it depends on the clinic you’re at, plus your medical history.
Hi! I chanced upon your blog as I am also in the ‘trying to get pregnant’ journey. Thank you, your story is inspiring and easy to understand. I too, have history of PCOS and removed my right ovary 10 years ago as it grew too big. I have tried conceiving naturally for 3 years and only recently me n partner are seeking for fertility assistance. Partner did a semen analysis n result is abnormal/normal with his sperm form a little below the range and he was prescribed profertil. As for me, I did 3 ultrasound (no meds) n gynae told me that my follicles are growing slowly but growing and he gave me a few OPK to test for ovulation on my 3rd scan when 1 dominant follicle is 17mm. The next day my OPK showed the line and I called up my gynae. He gave me the ‘go’ sign so I raped my partner for the next 3 days.
I pray that I be blessed with a baby on my 1st round.
Hi,
I am trying from last 4 months but didnt conceive.
Me and my husband are 33 y.o.
My amh test came slightly low. Please suggest should i go to fertility specialist now. I sm very tense.
Thanks
Hello, I’m afraid I’m not qualified to give medical advice.
I know it can be a stressful time, but take heart that four months isn’t very long to have been trying (even though I know it feels like forever!). I wish you all the best
Your story has given me a lil hope. My fourth cycle failed and I decided not to go back to my gynae until am ready again. Want to take a break and maybe try again afterwards. Very exhausted n my heart breaks every time I see my period. I hope and pray that I wd conceive then.
Your post make me smile again. I took 10 Min before reading , my first 2 pils of clomid.whole day I was worried becouse my housband will be abroad whole next week and doctor told us that It could be the poblem…
I have the same ( i was thinking that actually you were speaking about me) psoc problems etc.
We are Italians and all blogs about fertility here in Italy are realy sad.
We are on the 1st cycle of clomid today,after 1 year and half of trying to have baby in all ‘natural’ ways. Am starting to feel a bit frustriate after whole this months ,but we will keep trying on and on…
About telling to other persons, you are compleatly right! I told to many persons and now I feel some kind of responsability to update all of them and hear every day: oh you have to be Just relaxed .
Thanks for your post and sorry for my broken english. It was such a big pleasure.
Lidija
Really useful information I’m married but not able to get a baby for the last 7 years I have been to many doctors but none of them could help me with good advice
Hi Victoria,
Tanx for the encouragement, my eggs are not growing fast am in my day 10 and second cycle of my clomid , hope it favors me this time
Been trying for 2years and 8 months now
Hi Vic, thanks for sharing. May I know what was the daily dosage of your gonal-f treatment? I think my problem is similar, very high amh but others hormone test results normal (but I didnt test progesterone). I have tried 3 rounds of clomid, one seemed effective but not successful, the other two rounds no effect. Tried gonal-f at 75IU a day but just found out it was not effective too 🥴. Doctor suggested higher dosage next cycle, but the meds are expensive! TT
My daily dose was 37.5 the first time round, but it really varies from person to person. I’m actually trying for a second baby now, and my dose has had to be increased to 50 this time round with a couple of days of 75 too. They increased/adjusted it throughout the cycle.
Good luck on your next cycle!
Hi! I find your story so reassuring, thank you once again for sharing it! I posted here a while back that I was referred to a fertility specialist and I thought I will leave a short update. After all the tests, me and my husband are fine, everything works as it should. I started clomid this cycle to boost my ovulation and on day 10 I have 4 follicles, exactly the same as you did your first round. I will know tomorrow if I can undergo insemination on Monday, they will just punctuate two extra follicles and leave me with two if I don’t ovulate on Sunday, that is. On top of it all my uterine lining is super thin so the doc said they won’t give me clomid for more than two cycles. I honestly don’t know how to feel anymore but disappointed. I thought maybe someone who is struggling as well will see my post too and feel reassured
I thought I could never find someone like me on the net… I have been failing for 1 year and two months of trying… Gave up many times. Left a month or two of trying and am now getting Gonats… Clomid didn’t work for me either and even depressing that I have been under pcos treatment for 5 years now 🙁 maybe I’m just not blessed.
Hi Vick, thanks for sharing your story. Have been married for almost 4yrs and this is equivalent to how long my hubby and I have been TTC. Realised I have PCOS last yr. I opted for fertility treatment just last week after been amenorrheic for 3months and hoping it was pregnancy.
Was on a 5day course of clomid and the scans conducted afterwards showed 8mm and 6mm follicles which aren’t good enough. My ob/gyn has started me on a 3day FSH injection. Today will be the third day. I hope and pray this ends up a positive one for me.
I honestly do not want to be on medicines for so long, maybe ‘coz I am a pharmacist.
Your story has inspired me and I am looking forward to a very BFP result in due time.
Thank you for sharing. My husband and I have been trying for 11 years since my miscarriage in 2008. It’s an awful experience when you have to go through the the same tests over and over again. I have been referred by my GP to a private Obgyn and she has started me on 100g Clomid for 5 days with my next menstrual cycle. I don’t wanna get too excited but hoping for the best. 🤞
Hi !! So good to hear that all you went through worked for you. 😊I have one question regarding the gonadatropin injection . I hear that the trigger shot can lead to multiple pregnancies meaning chances of having twins or more. Is that true ?
Hi, the gonadotropin injection and the trigger shot are two different things. The gonadotropins encourage the follicles to grow and then the trigger shot triggers ovulation. As far as I know, the trigger shot has no bearing on multiple pregnancies (but I’m not a medical expert). However, ovulation induction can increase the risk of multiples. That’s why you have to go for the scans, so they can monitor how many follicles are developing. That’s why a few of my cycles were cancelled (I had too many follicles developing so the risk of multiples was too high). Hope that helps! Although I’d strongly recommend consulting a medical professional as I am not a medical expert.
Hi Vick thanks for sharing the difference. I think I got confused 🙂 I am given second round of clomid and the trigger shot. I did few scans before the shot and there was only one follicle which is all I need. But ever since I have taken the trigger shot I feel sick and am getting cold now. Wonder how should one try when they are sick. Anyways I emailed my doctor she says that it is due to the trigger shot which is temporary. Hoping for the best😊
Hi Victoria
Congratulations and I’m so happy your fertility journey ended in success! 👶🏼🎉
You mentioned testing too early. I took letrozole for the first time last cycle and my official test date is this coming Tuesday 5 Nov but I actually tested much earlier using an early detection kit on Wednesday 30 Oct. It was negative but I’m just hoping and praying it was too early.
Do you recall having any early pregnancy symptoms before your positive test like swollen tender breasts or spotting?
Hi Faith, I didn’t get any symptoms until after my positive test – although I was always looking out for them (it’s easy to drive yourself a bit crazy doing that – I certainly did at times!) Good luck with it all and I do advise trying to hold off on testing. I’m trying again at the moment and recently got a false positive because I tested a day early – it really wasn’t worth getting my hopes up only to get my period the next day.
Hi I saw your story really good :). I am a little confused, i have PCOS and taking this treatment from a month of HCG shot , on 18th Oct i have taken 10,000 units and on 4th Nov i have checked my pregnancy test which is positive and also on 5th Nov its positive. Is it my own HCG level has raised and i am pregnant or is it coz of the HCG shot ?
I did had a scan with the doc , yet not that confident where my ET is saying as thick.
I’m afraid I’m not a doctor and am unable to give medical advice. Sorry not to help. Good luck with your journey!
My hubs and I finally saw a specialist and I was diagnosed with hypo hypo PCOS, where anovulation is occurring- obvi because no pregnancy.
Day 2 of my period I was given Femera (Letrozole) and took it from CD 2-CD7. Anyone else do this?!
Then I went in for a scan and was told the two follicles on my left “looked beautiful” and to trigger (HCG injection) that afternoon! She forewarned me that there was a chance of twins! But we moved forward with it anyways.
That night my LH skyrocketed and has slooowly dipping and we are CD 19.
We baby danced the next day after the injection. and every other day since.
My heart races every morning. I was to Google every article about these medications. I want to know success rates. I want Dec 7 to be here! I’ve been journaling my prayers and thoughts as I have found peace in sharing my story and hope to never forget it, even if I tell myself sometime “why her and not me?”.
Thanks ladies, I’m glad we’re all in this together.
Good luck Ashley! Sending all my best wishes.
Hi All,
Just to share, I am also struggling to conceive. We have been trying since 2016, and it became apparent that I had PCOS. I started on Metformin for a year and its didn’t really help, then I went onto Clomid this year, been on it 5 months and still no baby.
They issued me an 8month trial so I feel quite lucky there. I recently went for a scan and they said I am looking at IVF after but they felt my chances were high.
I am really struggling with my emotions, whether its the Clomid or the frustration of the situation, I don’t know. I’m finding it all such a chore and feel I can’t go on much longer like this. Should I conceive also the thought of doing this all over again for another child, oh my word I can’t stand the thought.
It is nice however to feel I’m not alone and others are going through the same thing.
xx
I am glad your journey led to pregnancy. I hate the 2ww and scans. It is stressful. I did 2 clomid cycles timed intercourse. 1 femara. Then started to go to a diff. fertility doc. And hoping for the best and a miracle. I had one unsuccessful cycle with iui using femara. Sec. Cycle on femara now doc increased the dose but follicles were not far enough on CD 11. I had 4 follicles all ranges from 11 mm to 12.8 mm.
I will use gona f injection for 3 nights then go back for another follicle check. I hope this will work because I have no more money & energy to invest in this. So frustrating.
You will deprive yourself from many things, my husband is very upset with results because he only wants the baby because I want it. He hates to see me frustrated and suffer due to failed cycles. I just hope this cucle would work.
Hi,
I’m currently on my 6th round of clomid but I think I’ve become clomid resistant and my womb thickness isn’t great. I’ve been told I’ll be going on to 3 rounds of gondotrophins before IVF. Just wondering if you had any side effects during the injections? Were you on metformin too? I am and I have lean pcos. Any tips of staying hopefull whilst seeing the looming potential ivf?
*I did get pregnant on clomid but it was chemical and then I had a natural blighted ovum… Which I’m now thinking may be because clomid affected the womb thickness…
Hi Em, I didn’t have any obvious side effects while on the gonadotropin injections. I was a bit emotional but I think that was partly due to the stress of it all! And yes, I was on Metformin too and I have lean PCOS. All I can say regarding staying hopeful is that despite 6 rounds of Clomid not working for me, I got pregnant on my first round of gonadotropins and now have a two-year-old son. I’m also currently six months pregnant with my second child, and this was after four rounds of gonadotropins. It’s really hard to stay hopeful after unsuccessful rounds, but I’m proof that it can work, so there definitely is hope! Also, if you move onto IVF, your chances of getting pregnant go up with that method, so that’s a positive too. Good luck with it all!
Hi Victoria, Thank you for sharing. When you say your amh was sky high, can you kindly share the exact level it was? Cos Mine is abnormally high (144pmol/l) and I am freaking out.
Hi, thanks for writing your experience. Going through same things and looking forward to that day we get our rainbow baby! Can you please tell me if you remember what was your uterine thickness while starting clomid each cycle. Appreciate your response. Thanks