I'm sending this out like a message in a bottle praying that it finds someone who can help me...My husband and I have been married for three years and have been unsuccessful at trying to conceive. I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, but all my blood tests came back normal and my husband's tests were also fine. My doctor and I spoke about using clomid, and given my husband's travel for work we sat down with the calendar to try to make everything work like clock work. Today when I called for the clomid, the nurse told me that the doctor wanted me to go on glucophage first and wasn't going to prescribe clomid at this time. Has anyone out there had this happen? I'm feeling emotionally devestated right now that I've lost my window of opportunity for conception again this month. HELP! Anything anyone can tell me would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!

Glucophage alone may or may not work... it all depends on your response.

This is my experience with it and I'll try to be brief.

I did several clomid cycles. After about 4-5 I quit using clomid and did gluc a cycle or two by itself. Then I did the combo and my clomid cycles had mixed results. I had better progesterone levels, but only ovulated half the cycles with that combination. Did gluc help my cycles? Who knows... I felt better and started losing weight though. I quit it after my first ivf cycle, but now that my second ivf failed, we'll be giving it a try again. It didn't seem to change my response much as far as IVF, but now we are going to add diet and exercise and maybe the glucophage will help with that goal and in return I'll get a successful cycle with ivf.

There can be a lot of negative s/e's of clomid such as cm issues and thinner lining issues after several months of use. Perhaps your doctor would like to try the glucophage first because it may work. It seems like doctors will want you to do a few cycles w/o other meds. It was difficult for me to do clomid cycles and ovulate and then stop to give gluc a try. I felt that I was just wasting that month or two since I never knew if I'd O or not.

I understand your frustration. I've had medicated cycles and monitoring etc. for 2 years, but in May it'll be 3 years with no luck. Now my age will start working against me.

What type of testing have you had? Have you ruled out blocked tubes, endo, male factor issues? I would start researching your options as far as insurance coverage, too. I did that before I visited a RE and that was helpful.

Good luck!

__________________

It takes atleast 3 months for the gluc. to be concentrated in your system...maybe because that is how long it takes for your body of blood to recirculate completely. Once it is completely in your system maybe that is when they want you to start clomid. I have a big hunch that is what they are doing.

I myself have clear tests and my dh is perfectly fine. I have been on gluc. for 3 months now. I believe we are going to wait for another IVF until the end of the year. My doc. wants me to continue on the meds. and not get off because he says it is easier on your body to continue them than to quit and get back on them. I don't know if this helps but thought I would try.

Jamie

I had a friend with PCOS who took glucophage and was PG withing 2 months. Don't get to upset it might work! :O) I am just starting Clomid but I think if it doesn't work he is going to try glucophage.

__________________

My Journal

I started the glucophage in August. I had my first real cycle ever in September. That was the only month that the glucophage worked for me. In December I added 50mg of Clomid to the already 1500mg of glucophage. I did not O on this combination so this month they are trying 100mg of Clomid with 1500mg of glucophage. I think doctors like to try all methods they can before going to actual fertility drugs. I was told that sometimes getting your insulin under control convinces the rest of your body to work right which is why they start with the glucophage.

__________________

I never really post here anymore, but I thought I might be able to give you some hope. My doctor had me try the gluc first and it worked but I still wasn't getting pregnant. Then we added clomid for 3 months (I did 7 cycles total and that stuff is awful!) and didn't get pregnant on it. Then we took a little break because we had just built a house and we were getting ready to move. Sure enough I ended up pregnant. I had been taking the gluc for about 8 months at that point. The gluc really helped with my cycles and I lost weight on it too. Now that my baby is 8 weeks old I'm thinking of going back on it just because I felt so much better on it. I really wish you the best and I hope you get your BFP soon. It took us 18 months of ttc before getting pregnant. I thought it would never happen. Having a diagnosis is a great first step. It took almost a year for me to finally figure out the problem.

__________________
Shaila and Matt
Madison-3
Jack-2