pcos- pregnant from femara

jennibean · #1 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008, 01:24 AM

Hi, ladies!
I wanted to send a post to give you some hope.
I was diagnosed with PCOS in November 2007. DH and I knew we wouldn't be able to conceive because of my very irregular periods (I would only have 3 or 4 a year).
My doctor back home couldn't figure out why, so he just put me on birth control at the age of 16 even though I wasn't sexually active at the time.

When I married, I moved to another city and started going to another doctor. All of my tests with him were coming back normal, so he referred me to a specialist (which turned out to be the best OB/GYN I could ask for!).

She figured out what was wrong with me after 1 ultrasound and blood work... I had PCOS.

She started me on Provera to jumpstart my period and then Femara 2.5mg days 3-7 of my cycle. We did 3 rounds of this with no luck. When DH and I went back to see her, she was upset that I wasn't taking Metformin as she had written it on a script. Apparently, the secretary never faxed it, so I assumed I wasn't to take it.

SO, she started me on the Metformin and bumped my Femara up to 5mg days 3-7. We became pregnant with the first round of this combination. I am now 10 weeks 5 days pregnant!

She explained that there is a higher pregnancy success rate with Femara than Clomid. She also told us how Clomid thins the uterine lining making miscarriages more of a likelihood if there is a success in conceiving.

Now, you can do some research on Femara and you may come up with some reports from 2005 saying it causes birth defects. I'm not going to lie, this IS true. However, in more recent studies they proved that birth defects only occurred in women who were taking Femara WHILE pregnant.

You take this drug at the beginning of your cycle, and it leaves the system quicker than Clomid, so as long as you are taking it properly and getting checked to make sure you are not pregnant before starting the next cycle of Femara, you are safe!

Another benefit of Femara is that it is used off-label as a fertility drug so insurance covers it! It is actually used in post menopausal women who have breast cancer. Who knew it would work for women trying to conceive!!!

Some doctors still do not want you to take it though. Just bring it up at your next appointment and see what they say.

I hope this information helps some of you to conceive! And I hope I didn't sound too much like a drug rep! Hahahah! I'm actually a nursing student who works in medical records at a local hospital... not trying to sell anything!

Good luck to you all!!!!!

momma2drew · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 08:47 AM

Thanks! That really gives me some hope. I am taking 1500 mg of Metformin and start my first round of femara today. Tried the clomid and it done no good for me. I also have PCOS. Seems like its a never ending battle.

jenmcd · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 12:48 PM

Thanks for sharing...my OB also is a femara fanatic. I will be trying it for the 1st time next month if my FreeT is down...so your story gives me hope