I thought I would start out by including some information that I have found on Femara. Let me know if you find it helpful.

Letrozole Protocol (Femara)

What is Letrozole?

The new aromatase inhibitor, Letrozole, reversibly, inhibits the enzyme responsible for estrogen biosynthesis. By decreasing the estrogen levels in the body it may release the hypothalamus and/or pituitary from the negative feed back of estrogen on the release of gonadotropins. This will result in an increase in endogenous FSH and LH, which stimulate the development of ovarian follicles. This is similar to the proposed mechanism of action of clomiphene citrate. However, Letrozole may have another peripheral mechanism of action directly in the ovaries. Letrozole is eliminated from the body in a few days after last administration (in contrast to CC which may last up to few months). Also, it does not have a direct antiestrogen action by itself as in CC. So there should be no unwanted peripheral antiestrogen effects on the endometrium, the cervix…etc.

The commercial name of Letrozole is Femara. It is available in 2.5 & 5 mg tablets. It is a drug that was developed to inhibit the estrogen production in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. We are not using it as a chemotherapy drug. It has been tested and tolerated very well when administered continuously for several months.

Who is a candidate for Letrozole?

Patients who meet one or more of the following criteria may be offered the option of trying Letrozole for induction of ovulation:

• Failure to ovulate on clomiphene citrate.

• Ovulation with clomiphene citrate but with very thin endometrium (less than 0.5 cm)

• Ovulation with clomiphene citrate with failure to achieve pregnancy after 6 cycles.

• Severe side effects with clomiphene citrate.


The classical alternative in the above-mentioned conditions would be FSH injections. This option will be discussed with the patient first. Considering the higher expenses and inconvenience of daily injections with possible severe hyperstimulation, Letrozole may be a safe and acceptable drug to try.

What are the possible side effects?

Usually mild in the form of headache, mild gastrointestinal upsets, hot flushes and easy fatigue.
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Reproductive Biology Unit - Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Infertility Journey

A well put together video about the things we suffer through with Infertility and the current journey we are on. Well worth watching but get the kleenex ready.

Femara & Clomid

Plan of Action for Femara & Clomid Protocol

Femara Warnings

"Stimulating the Resistant Ovary"

Femara Information

All info is from various sources found while searching the internet. If you find broken links, please let me know so that I may fix them. If you find something of interest you would like added, please post on a separate thread and I will be glad to add it in.

Thanks for looking everyon!

PCOS Website


Check out this website for those of you who suffer with PCOS.

Found some more interesting links:


The InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination

Fertility Plus

Taken from Alive magazine. See bottom of article for credits.

• Nutritional health
• Smoking
• The health of the reproductive system
• Abuse of alcohol, caffeine, and drugs
• Exposure to environmental toxins
• Glandular function and
• Stress levels.

Smoking can adversely affect a man’s sperm mobility and production, alter a women’s Fallopian-tube function, and damage eggs. Exposure to pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, and other environmental pollutants, which act as estrogen receptors, can impair both male and female fertility.

For women, maintaining a healthy body weight is an important fertility factor. Being either extremely overweight or under weight inhibits ovulation. Avoid using vaginal lubricants and douches which slow down and even kill sperm. The use of a fertility monitor helps a woman pinpoint her most fertile times and maximizes the potential for conceiving a baby.

In men, preventable adult onset or type II diabetes can case erectile and ejaculatory difficulties. Other glandular diseases, such as thyroid abnormalities and infections of the prostate, can affect healthy sperm production and ejaculation. Men should avoid soaking in hot tubs, excessive bicycle riding, and wearing snug-fitting underpants.

Nourishing fertility

Eating a healthy, organic diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients is the ideal dietary approach to fertility. Brigitte Mars, herbalist and author of Sex, Love and Health: A Self-Help Guide to Love and Sex (Basic Health Publications, 2002), suggests and herbal and nutritional supplement program that includes:

• Antioxidants (beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc and selenium)
• 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day (for women, to prevent neural-tube defects)
• B-complex vitamins (with additional choline, niacin, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid)
• Magnesium and calcium
• essential fatty acids (like flax-seed oil)
• GLA (as found in evening primrose oil)
• Amino acids arginine and taurine (for men)

Herbal recommendations include alfalfa, ashwagandha, astragalus, damiana, dandelion, fenugreek, avena sativa, red clover blossoms, red raspberry leaves sarsaparilla, saw palmetto, vitex berry and dong quai, a Chinese herbal remedy made from the root of Angelica sinensis. Dong quai has been called the “female ginseng” because it is a general tonic for the female reproductive system in much the same way as ginseng is a tonic for the male reproductive system.

Stress reduction is also essential. Many couples conceive soon after they reduce stress levels and relax fully and consciously into their loving, conceptual moments.

Lucretia Schanfarber is a health writer and editor living on Quadra Island, BC, taken from Alive magazine, June 2004, No 260

Among the most advanced forms of AI is FAST- fallopian sperm transfer system. This means that your partner's is place directly into each of your fallopian tubes, the site where most natural conceptions take place. Since you should ovulating at the time of your insemination, your will strive to place the sperm as close to your egg as possible, thus making fertilization faster and eaiser. How effective is FASt? Small but significant studies published in the journal "Fertility and Sterility" have shown that when combined with fertility drugs to stimulate egg production, FAST achieves a 40% rate PER CYCLE, as compared with 20% for standard IUI.

Researchers theorize it's because FAST can remove small obstacles from your tubes that might otherwise keep from reaching your egg. What also increases fertilization: location, location, location! Unlike other forms of insemination, in which some is always lost en route to the egg, in FAST, the full volume of available is deposited right next to the egg, so that you get the full benefit of everything your partner has to offer.

Also important: FAST cost about 1/3 as much as standard in vitro and in many instances can offer similar . For this reason many fertility experts now suggest trying FAST before advancing to more complex and costly fertility treatments.

On the downside, (I personally don't see this as a downside) FAST may increase the risk of multiple births , and there is some concern that it may also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy and increased production of antisperm antibodies.

This info I found in "Getting Pregnant"

I hope this little info helps!

(info was supplied by poster Lisa aka lgrimaldi)