What has two thumbs and doesn’t respond to Clomid?
This girl!
No proof yet, but it’s CD13 and I’m experiencing no twinges, fluids, or body temps that would indicate anything is working. I just “feel” this cycle is a bust…my body still feels shut down (P.S: can I just ovulate ONE FUCKING TIME this year??? Too much to ask???)
So, today I made the first steps towards acknowledging that my problem is bigger (and more expensive) than I or my laid back gyno can figure out. I made appointments with 2 RE’s and will probably make two more tomorrow just to meet with each of them, see their clinics, and figure out who to go with. I’m ready to get this show on the road with someone who can actually make it their full time job to knock me up.
Goal is to have a doctor locked and loaded in November, and then some shit’s going down. Mama’s not playing anymore.
For those of you who have REs, what would you recommend I ask them in our initial meeting? What have you found is important in an RE, or in a clinic that you’re going to? Any advice would be welcome.
Ovaries…don’t MAKE me go Bald Brittney on your ass!
Bitches won’t ovulate with Clomid, 2,000mg of Metformin, and an absurd wheat/dairy/sugar/alcohol/caffeine free diet? I’m one head shave away from some serious cray cray.
Cease And Decyst 
I feel the same way about clomid. The injectables are so much better and have fewer side effects. I’m not a good question person, unfortunately, but I think moving to an RE is a good move!
Can’t wait for the injectables! Never thought I’d say that 🙂
Emailed you a detailed list of questions. Clomid can go fuck itself! It did nothing for me. Injectables will work wonders! 🙂 What I found most important with my RE is that they are timely with appointments, instructions, test results, and information. I loved the warmth and expertise of my RE herself, but her nursing staff was just as important. Try to get a feel for the practice and how efficient they are. Having unreturned phone calls when you are in the middle of hormone hell is the worst!
Got the email. You’re the bessssst!
Ummm, the fact that this picture popped up in my blog reader made me so. happy.
Yay for lots of appointments!
I like mine simply because he spends sooooo much time with us and is super-duper thorough.
Eternally grateful for that referral. I’m going to see if I can get in there for a consult.
Clomid sucked. Femara sucked a little less. Now onto injectables.
I’m thinking of bypassing Femara all together. Something tells me I’m going to need “the hard stuff”.
Peace out, Clomid. You suck ass.
I would suggest telling your doctor you are clomid-resistant and then ask what protocol she would suggest in stimulating your ovaries. If she says Clomid you can run out the door. Some REs are stuck on that drug, and that type of doctor is not for you. I’m glad you are moving forward with an RE! Progress!
Sunny?!?!? That just sucks. But it ain’t over yet. When is your u/s? I never had any physical indication that Clomid was working, but was always pleasantly surprised when I went in for monitoring.
Also, I would like to share my personal motto with you: If Britney Spears could survive 2007 then you can survive today.
Ultrasound is on Friday w/ my gyno, BUT I’m actually seeing an RE on Friday as well, and she may do an ultrasound as well. I freaking LOVE this motto.
The only part of my body that responded to clomid was my hair. And by that I mean it made it fall out and left me with a big bald patch which is still not fully filled back in. /sucks/
I agree it is time for a new RE. What I loved about my new RE is the amount of time he spent discussing new developments in PCOS treatment. He casually, not pompously, sited things he had learned at a conference last year, meaning he stays up-to-date on trends and technology, which is something that is SO important. For us, Dr. B never pushed for two embryos, he respects my concern over the health of my body and autoimmune disease, and he is active in my treatment – meaning he does my ultrasounds not a technician. Even more importantly, I find him incredibly soothing, which is something this ball of stress needs more than anything!
I don’t know if that helped at all… but I’m glad you are moving on to the next step!
All of your anecdotes help, Belle. Thank you! I have not experience hair loss with Clomid, but considering what a bitch this drug is, I’m not surprised that that would be a side effect.
I clicked over here from The Barren Librarian and, as a fellow PCOSer, am planning on staying for a while. 😉 Plus, you’re fricking hilarious.
I never did Clomid. My RE doesn’t prescribe it for PCOSers as protocol because the results can be so mixed (everything from no reaction to over-stimming) so we went straight to injectables (Follistim). With that (the regular u/s and the ajustable dose) we were able to figure out a protocl that worked and I was lucky enough to get pregnant on our 3rd IUI+injects. When we return to the RE this fall we’ll follow that same path.
As for what to look for in a new RE, I’d ask about suggested protocol of course and recommended testing. There are certain base tests that most REs want to run to rule out any other issues before proceeding with more spendy IUIs and injectables. (Forgive me if you’ve already run them!) I’d also ask about their opinions on alternative/supplementary treatments as I think that is a good indicator of how “open” and flexible the good doc is.
Finally, I’d take a look at (and certainly ask the REs about their opinions on) taking a dietary supplement of myo-inositol. I’m no doctor and certainly no expert on the matter, but I started taking it (recommended by my RE) 7 weeks ago, got my first natural period in a looooong time about 5 weeks in, and have seen marked improvement in my hormone levels. (I posted yesterday on my results if you’re interested in seeing more: http://nobabyruth.wordpress.com/2012/09/25/an-update-on-the-hormones-now-with-numbers/)
Good luck!!!!
Ok. I love this comment on many levels. First, thank you!! I love new people! I’m going to check out your blog. Second: Your RE sounds like everything I had been TRYING to tell my gyno when he was prescribing me Clomid (um, excuse me sir…but Clomid actually has a really bad track record with us PCOS-ers.) I’m absolutely going to push whichever RE I see to bypass Femara as well. If I’m going to do this, I’m going all in. The fact that this worked for you gives me much hope. I love your thoughts on myo-inositol. How much are you taking? I already take Metformin, which is insulin sensitizing, so I don’t know if I should take both, but the studies I’ve read seem like it really helps the PCOS.
Re: Clomid, EXACTLY! I thought the injectables were a good way to go since they’re so customizable and nobody reacts the same (even my 3 cycles on them were all different).
I take 4000mg/day of the myo-inositol. It’s in a powder form mixed with folic acid (the equivalent of the American brand Pregnitude – I live in Spain so it’s called something else but I think it might even be the same manufacturer) and I take two packets in a half-liter of water every night. I’ve never been prescribed met because I have a GI disease anyway, making me more susceptible to the side effects. When researching the supplement initially I came across the abstract of this study comparing it to met: http://naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?edition=1§ion=3&article=326 Worth checking out… I’ve also seen a number of women on forums and a facebook group I belong to who take both so I don’t THINK there’s an issue there, but obviously I’m no doctor… although I like to play one on my blog. 😉