Clomid and femara success

Hi all, I've looked at a ton of hunger games results throughout this process and figured I'd throw mine in as well. I also love details so I tried to include everything even potentially relevant.
Results 20ish follicles 15 retrieved 14 mature 11 fertilized with ICSI 7 blasts frozen (2 day 5s, 4 day 6s, 1 day 7)
Context We have been TTC for 3.5 years with no pregnancies. Treatment history includes 5 medicated TI cycles and 3 IUIs (all with letrozole).
My spouse had low T discovered 1.5 years ago and has been successfully medicated with clomid and anastrozole for low sperm count. Motility is good but he consistently has 0-1% morphology. My RE defaults to ICSI for any MFI (zymot was not mentioned).
My usual AMH is around 0.8ng/ml and my AFC is around 10. A few months ago my AMH was randomly 1.8ng/ml and my AFC at baseline for my ER was zero after 3 weeks on birth control. My RE hoped for 5-8 eggs from this cycle.
Protocol My RE insisted 0 AFC was not a problem to move forward and started me on 300IU follistim and 150IU menopur for the first 5 days. On day 6 of stims, they saw 24 growing follicles which was a huge surprise.
Added ganirelix that day and dropped to 225 follistim and 75 menopur; further dropped follistim to 150 on day 8 when they counted around 20 follicles.
Last monitoring appointment and doses of follistim/menopur were on day 9 and we triggered with 10,000IU HCG the following night (shout-out to my husband for jabbing that huge needle in my butt at 1:00am on Mother's Day lol).
Continued ganirelix daily through ER and the following week. Also added letrozole and cabergoline to prevent OHSS. Had a standard course of antibiotics (doxycycline).
Symptoms and side effects On stims, my biggest side effect was feeling crazy emotional. Everything had me crying or raging. The constipation hit me like a truck on stim day 9 and lasted a week after ER.
That whole week I was bloated and uncomfortable and it took a few days for my ovaries to calm down. I drank a lot of electrolytes, took my prescribed meds, and did not develop OHSS.
Genetic testing and future plans PGT-A was a complicated decision but we ultimately decided not to test. We are hoping for one child and do not plan on another ER at this time.

2 months ago i had my first semen analysis and it showed only 3 million/ml with very poor motility and morphology. Testosterone was borderline low, but prolactin, FSH, and LH were all normal. Dr. Recommended clomid to boost the testosterone and also tested me from y chromosome microdeletion and klinefelters. I had recently been to our local hot springs and figured the low sperm count was due to exposure to wet heat. Then, the day before starting clomid, i decided to do another semen analysis (only like 3 weeks after the first test) and it showed 0 sperm! Wtf! I went into a panic. The day after that my genetic test revealed AZF-C microdeletion….i cried, panicked, googled the whole web on anything i could find, came back with “atleast its not an A or B deletion”. Started clomid. Its been a month. Redid blood work. Testosterone (free calculation) has been boosted big time from a 63 to 188 pg/ml LH jumped up from a 3.6 to an 8.1 iu/L but still in normal levels, FSH jumped from a 10.3 to a 19 iu/L which is technically abnormal but likely expected due to the clomid. Definitely been feeling the benefits of the clomid within as few as 3 days. Taking 50 ml every other day. Waking up with morning wood a lot more often, had not even realized that my sex drive had taken a toll. Im 37 and my wife is 34. Definitely not putting off having kids any longer. Did a 3rd semen analysis today (waiting for results) and although the dr said there is no need, i requested that the andrology lab bank anything they find. $200 to bank it and $300 for storage per year. This is at the university of utah. Im not messing around…nothing scarier to a man than being told you have zero swimmers in your semen. Fingers crossed the semen analysis looks way better. Hope this helps anyone going thru this. Hit me up if you want to chat further. Im learning this as i go just like u guys. Good luck out there! Would love to hear more success stories and any treatment that worked for you with y-chromosome microdeletion!

For context, my husband and I are now on cycle 15 and I thought the one year mark was going to be the worst for me...but this past week getting my period, and I have literally just been crying non-stop for days now. Usually I'll cry for two days max, and as little as an hour when I get my period...but I don't know why, this cycle is just sending me over the edge. It's made me lose 100% hope, and I can't even envision it anymore. I'm just really sad, depressed, and very angry. Maybe I should pick up boxing to get my anger out, but my god it is so frustrating. I don't want to be around anyone. I don't want anyone to see me like this as it's visible that I am just not myself, and it's bringing the worst out of me so I just refrain from anything social these days. Also, I am seeing a therapist but transparently, I don't see it helping me much.
We've run all the tests at this point, have my first HSG this Wednesday which I'm anxious about. All my tests came back normal except my FSH was a little high at 16, doctor said nothing to worry about with my normal AMH and ultrasounds. My husband's SA is normal too per the doctor, although what I'm seeing on the test says moderate sperm agglutination and 3.5% morphology. These appear to be pretty concerning problems and reasons why we haven't been successful yet, but doctor insists it's normal... This past cycle I was on clomid for the first time and doing timed IC, felt a little glimmer of hope as I had 3 mature eggs. Started last week off with awful cramping leading up to my period finally 4 days later. Just devastated. Went in for the next ultrasound, and the clomid gave me a huge cyst already, so they've switched me to letrazole. Going to check me again next week, and depending on if the cyst is gone or not, may skip doing anything this cycle by them (we were considering IUI this cycle to get things going).
Outside of fertility issues, the past 4 years have been probably the toughest in my life personally. From ending a decade long career with a company due to a toxic work environment, moving across the country on the same day finding out my father has caught COVID and has a 50/50 chance of surviving and being intubated in a hospital (they told me I better get to his state ASAP as they didn't think he'd make it), starting a new job but getting laid off only months later and only 3 months after we just bought a house in the new state big enough to start a family, and now this. I feel like I cannot catch a break, like I'm being punished in my life. I understand this is all perspective, and people have it worse and I'm lucky, I agree. People die in wars, or people don't have access to the amazing fertility benefits my job offers. I understand how despite it all how fortunate I am...but I am just tired. I wish all of these traumatic events weren't just jam packed back to back. I just want to breathe a little.
I know what I'm feeling is normal and natural, and I'm at the angry stage right now. At what cycle # did it get easier for you, or you saw yourself being more accepting and your more usual self, going out and being social again? What got you there and helped outside of therapy?
Thank you in advance. This journey is so lonely and no one understands unless you've gone through it. I feel the most reprieve of my misery when I hear others in this community and talk to people here. It is much appreciated you've even taken the time to read what I've had to say.

I had a relatively successful first cycle: 5 eggs, 4 mature and fertilized normally with ICSI, 2 blasts, 1 euploid, pending PGT-M. I am 41 with low AMH (1.24, was 0.61), AFC was 9 last year.
This cycle, I had so much hope. At one point I had 10 follicles. In the end there were only 5 eggs, 4 mature, only one fertilized and did not make it to blast. What's worse, my PGT-M team needed more embryos from this cycle to build the probe to test my only euploid blast. I don't know if this one arrested embryo will be enough.
Protocol this time was:
Luteal start 5 days estrogen priming
CD 1-5 150 Menopur 225 Follistim 100 Clomid
CD 6-10 150 Menopur 225 Follistim (started Ganirelix CD 8)
CD 11 150 Menopur and 150 Follistim
CD 12 150 Follistim, triggered with 80 units Leuprolide and 250 Ovidrel. Ganirelix in the AM.
CD 14 Retieval
I only have one more cycle covered by insurance, and my parter has already said he's done after this as it's "too stressful." I'm considering paying out of pocket for an egg freezing cycle in hopes that they could try fertilizing those eggs plus whatever I get from my ER from my final IVF cycle.
I just feel so lost and a failure. I waited way too long to have my fertility checked and am now paying for it. I always wanted to be a mom and it just feels like it's slipping away.
Does anyone who has gone through something similar with age and low AMH have suggestions on protocol? I think part of the problem this time my follicles were such a large range that the doctors aimed for the best "group" and missed. I know I will never have big numbers. I'm just hoping for one or two more embryos so I can have a chance at a transfer or two.
Thank you for reading.
Edit: spacing for readability

I recently completed 4 month of 50mg Clomid. My wife is now pregnant. I’m concerned about pregnancy success and how the sperm health is impacted by Clomid.
Long version and history:
We conceived in 2019 with no intervention or fertility support. In 2022 I started using TRT to improve my overall feeling.
In April/May of 2022 my SA had my concentration at 40 M/ml. And total sperm count at 133 M/ejaculation
This wasn’t to treat any condition but instead I found an organization that provides TRT doses to men. My base line testosterone- 445 ng/dL. I was prescribed 1mg cypionate testosterone and 250 of HCG. I took HCG knowing we wanted to get pregnant. I took weekly injections from December 2022 until October 2023.
We had one ectopic pregnancy in May of 2023 and began seeking infertility help. We discovered (not from our doctors) that my sperm count had deducted to zero around October. I sought a urologist and he prescribed me 50mg of Clomid. From October to March I took daily and early March we found out she was pregnant.
I want to encourage others that Clomid can work. And I also want to know if anyone has had a successful pregnancy to term while on Clomid? Were there any health issues with the child? Did I just mess up potentially by doing this? I’m nervous and perhaps just being paranoid.

Does anyone have a similar story to mine?
TW: chem.
I’m really hoping to find someone who went through something similar to get some advice for success.
I’m 27 and have been TTC for 2 years. I will list all my information down below pertaining to my situation. My husband had his swimmers checked and they’re great. I feel like I have tried everything under the sun except IUI and IVF. I’m trying hard to conceive naturally or find the problem so I don’t have to go through all this when we want to have another baby.
My info.

• I had an IUD for 6 years and started trying the month after. (Skyla)
• everyone in my family is fertile Mertyl so it’s not genetic.
• I have been diagnosed and then undiagnosed with PCOS so I don’t know what’s going on there. I have clockwork cycles and ovulate on my own but I have the facial hair and mild polycystic ovaries.
• I am borderline low on vitamin D and B6/12 (fixed with supplements & injections)
• I tend to run low on progesterone (fixed with 7.5mg Femara AND progesterone suppositories)
• 2 chem pregnancies prior to the surgery.
• Vaginal ultrasounds every month & a HydroUltrasound to rule out scar tissue/fibroids prior to the surgery.
• I had a laparoscopy in February ‘24
  • one tube was blocked. Both are clear now and stage 1 endo removed.
  • Salpingitis Isthmica Nodosa / diverticulosis of the Fallopian tube on both tubes

Everything has been checked by a fertility specialist and I’ve been directed to try for 4 months after my surgery then we have to talk about IUI because he can’t find any problems. I’m now on the 3rd month and trying to pull out all the bells and whistles to help me.
The past dozen cycles I’ve used the following:

• Inito hormone tracker
• OvuSense BBT tracker
• Femara
• Progesterone suppositories

My Inito charts look textbook, so do my bbt charts. We also “try” on prime days at night and sleep with the “delivery” undisturbed.
This month I’ve added Pink stork fertility supplements, tea, and the 40:1 inositol vitamins. I’ve also added black cohosh, PreSeed, and the Frida Conception Cup.
Like I said, I’m getting desperate and impatient and trying to find a “oh my story is similar and I tried “abc” and it helped”

Does anyone have a similar story to mine?
TW: chem.
I’m really hoping to find someone who went through something similar to get some advice for success.
I’m 27 and have been TTC for 2 years. I will list all my information down below pertaining to my situation. My husband had his swimmers checked and they’re great. I feel like I have tried everything under the sun except IUI and IVF. I’m trying hard to conceive naturally or find the problem so I don’t have to go through all this when we want to have another baby.
My info.

• I had an IUD for 6 years and started trying the month after. (Skyla)
• everyone in my family is fertile Mertyl so it’s not genetic.
• I have been diagnosed and then undiagnosed with PCOS so I don’t know what’s going on there. I have clockwork cycles and ovulate on my own but I have the facial hair and mild polycystic ovaries.
• I am borderline low on vitamin D and B6/12 (fixed with supplements & injections)
• I tend to run low on progesterone (fixed with 7.5mg Femara AND progesterone suppositories)
• 2 chem pregnancies prior to the surgery.
• Vaginal ultrasounds every month & a HydroUltrasound to rule out scar tissue/fibroids prior to the surgery.
• I had a laparoscopy in February ‘24
  • one tube was blocked. Both are clear now and stage 1 endo removed.
  • Salpingitis Isthmica Nodosa / diverticulosis of the Fallopian tube on both tubes

Everything has been checked by a fertility specialist and I’ve been directed to try for 4 months after my surgery then we have to talk about IUI because he can’t find any problems. I’m now on the 3rd month and trying to pull out all the bells and whistles to help me.
The past dozen cycles I’ve used the following:

• Inito hormone tracker
• OvuSense BBT tracker
• Femara
• Progesterone suppositories

My Inito charts look textbook, so do my bbt charts. We also “try” on prime days at night and sleep with the “delivery” undisturbed.
This month I’ve added Pink stork fertility supplements, tea, and the 40:1 inositol vitamins. I’ve also added black cohosh, PreSeed, and the Frida Conception Cup.
Like I said, I’m getting desperate and impatient and trying to find a “oh my story is similar and I tried “abc” and it helped”

Does anyone have a similar story to mine?
TW: chem.
I’m really hoping to find someone who went through something similar to get some advice for success.
I’m 27 and have been TTC for 2 years. I will list all my information down below pertaining to my situation. My husband had his swimmers checked and they’re great. I feel like I have tried everything under the sun except IUI and IVF. I’m trying hard to conceive naturally or find the problem so I don’t have to go through all this when we want to have another baby.
My info.

• I had an IUD for 6 years and started trying the month after. (Skyla)
• everyone in my family is fertile Mertyl so it’s not genetic.
• I have been diagnosed and then undiagnosed with PCOS so I don’t know what’s going on there. I have clockwork cycles and ovulate on my own but I have the facial hair and mild polycystic ovaries.
• I am borderline low on vitamin D and B6/12 (fixed with supplements & injections)
• I tend to run low on progesterone (fixed with 7.5mg Femara AND progesterone suppositories)
• 2 chem pregnancies prior to the surgery.
• Vaginal ultrasounds every month & a HydroUltrasound to rule out scar tissue/fibroids prior to the surgery.
• I had a laparoscopy in February ‘24
  • one tube was blocked. Both are clear now and stage 1 endo removed.
  • Salpingitis Isthmica Nodosa / diverticulosis of the Fallopian tube on both tubes

Everything has been checked by a fertility specialist and I’ve been directed to try for 4 months after my surgery then we have to talk about IUI because he can’t find any problems. I’m now on the 3rd month and trying to pull out all the bells and whistles to help me.
The past dozen cycles I’ve used the following:

• Inito hormone tracker
• OvuSense BBT tracker
• Femara
• Progesterone suppositories

My Inito charts look textbook, so do my bbt charts. We also “try” on prime days at night and sleep with the “delivery” undisturbed.
This month I’ve added Pink stork fertility supplements, tea, and the 40:1 inositol vitamins. I’ve also added black cohosh, PreSeed, and the Frida Conception Cup.
Like I said, I’m getting desperate and impatient and trying to find a “oh my story is similar and I tried “abc” and it helped”

I was able to have my daughter naturally. When trying for our second however, has been not been so easy. After a year we went to see a fertility specialist. My husband’s side all looked good. I do have low AMH 0.885. We are both 32.
My first iui just failed. I was on clomid 100mg and the trigger. I did grow three follicles 23,19 and 18.
We are going to have a second IUI. Looking for anyone with success with IUI with a similar situation or if you moved to IVF?

Hi everyone,
Me (F, 33) and husband (M, 33) have been TTC for ~3 years now, 1.5 years with IVF treatment. Never conceived/got pregnant yet. I have been quietly lurking in the subs here and some of your posts/comments have been helpful in many ways. This is my first post here.
History/tests done and results for me so far: Normal TSH, DHEA-S 294.8 ug/dl, AMH 1.21 ng/mL (low for my age?!). Have PCOS. No abnormal gene carrier, normal karyotyping results, no Lupus, no Anticardiolipin Ab, no HBSAg, no autoimmune diseases. HyCosy/HSG/MRI revealed left fallopian tubes was blocked and had adhesions along with the left ovary. Also learnt through the IVF cycles that my left ovary doesn't do much - barely any eggs retrieved from the left ovary, most eggs are coming from my right ovary. I also had surgery to remove polyps and uterus septum before any IVF cycles. I also had low Vit D for ~3 years, at normal levels now with taking regular supplements. Now I am actively trying to lose some weight to see if it helps (??!!) - weight in March 2024 was 196 lbs., current weight is 182 lbs. (height is 5'3"). Trying to lose more weight - walking 10K steps a day, focusing more on protein intake, low carb, clean eating no junk.
History/tests done and results for husband so far: 1 out 3 tests showed slightly abnormal sperm morphology. Sperm DNA Fragmentation Assay (SDFA) score 19 (borderline between 'normal odds' and 'reduced odds' of success). No abnormal gene carrier. Normal karyotyping results. No autoimmune diseases.
Supplements/medications I am taking: Prenatal, Vit D, Vit C, CoQ10, Omega3, Alpha lipoleic acid, Seed probiotics, Metformin.
Supplements/medications husband is taking: Multi-vitamin, Vit D, CoQ10, Omega3
IVF retrieval and transfer history/timeline:
1st retrieval in May 2023: Used GonalF 375 IU, MenoPur 150 IU, Cetrotide 0.25 mg. Trigger with 10,000 IU HCG. Retrieved 10 eggs, only 1 of those could be frozen after PGT-A. Used ICSI for this cycle.
FET in July 2023: Used oral Medrol, oral and vaginal estradiol, crinone progesterone vaginal gel once a day and PIO every 3 days. Transferred 1 PGT-A tested Day 5 embryo (4BB) - ended in chemical pregnancy.
2nd retrieval in end of Sept 2023: Used Clomid flare, GonalF 450 IU, MenoPur 150 IU, Cetrotide 0.25 mg. Trigger with 10,000 IU HCG. Retrieved 10 eggs, only 3 of those could be frozen after PGT-A. Used ICSI, Zymot for this cycle.
Fresh transfer in Oct 2023: Used only Crinone progesterone vaginal gel once a day. Transferred 1 untested Day 5 embryo - No implantation.
FET again in Nov 2023: Used oral Medrol, oral and vaginal estradiol, crinone progesterone vaginal gel once a day and PIO every 3 days. Transferred the remaining 2 PGT-A tested Day 5 embryos (4AB and 5AA), also used embryo glue - No implantation.
Doc suggested removing my blocked left fallopian tube -- had laparoscopic salpingectomy surgery in Feb 2024. Took uterine tissue biopsy samples during surgery - normal results, Doc mentioned no endometriosis.
3rd retrieval in April 2024: Used Lupron 10 IU, GonalF 300 IU, MenoPur 300 IU. Trigger with 10,000 IU HCG. Retrieved 8 eggs, 2 of these made it to blasts, none frozen. Used PICSI for this cycle. I was also on Dexamethasone.
Fresh transfer in May 2024: Used only Crinone progesterone vaginal gel once a day. I was also on Medrol, baby Aspirin and Doxycycline. On top of this, I added Pepcid, Claritin, Benadryl. Transferred 2 untested Day 3 embryos - No implantation (got beta result yesterday, also got my periods right after the blood draw in the morning, was devastated).
I have also tried eating pineapple core, beet+pomogrenate juice, McD fries, sex the night before transfer - all of it.
I am at a loss, I do not know what to do now. I am sitting and sobbing here as I am writing this. Thankfully, my insurance covers most testing and procedures, except PGT-A and my medication has copays. But this process is so emotionally draining. My husband is super supportive and tries to keep a positive vibe all the time, but I feel bad for us. Also, it is so hard to keep a nice face at work - no one (family, friends, colleagues) knows we are TTC with IVF.
What are we missing here? I feel like I have implantation issues? Any more testing? What else can I do?
Please let me know what worked for you, what more can be done in my case to have a successful pregnancy. ANY help is appreciated. TIA.

Infertility treatment options vary depending on the underlying cause of infertility, the age of the individuals involved, and their preferences. Here are some common infertility treatment options:

1. Fertility Medications : — Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) : Stimulates ovulation in women who have irregular or absent ovulation by blocking estrogen receptors. — Letrozole (Femara) : Another medication that stimulates ovulation, often used when Clomid is ineffective. — Gonadotropins : Injectable hormones (FSH and LH) that stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, often used in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

2. Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) : — Sperm is washed and concentrated before being placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation to increase the chances of fertilization.
3. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) : — Eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the uterus. — IVF can involve various techniques such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is injected into an egg, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), which screens embryos for genetic abnormalities before transfer.
4. Surgery : — Surgical procedures such as laparoscopy or hysteroscopy may be performed to correct structural issues in the reproductive organs, such as blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids.
5. Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) : — This term encompasses various advanced techniques used to achieve pregnancy when other methods have failed. It includes treatments like IVF, ICSI, and embryo freezing.
6. Donor Eggs or Sperm : — In cases of severe male infertility or diminished ovarian reserve, using donor eggs or sperm may be an option.
7. Gestational Carrier (Surrogacy) : — A woman carries and gives birth to a baby for another individual or couple using their embryo through IVF.
8. Lifestyle Changes and Alternative Therapies : — Making lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and managing stress can sometimes improve fertility. — Alternative therapies like acupuncture and herbal supplements are sometimes used in conjunction with medical treatments, although their effectiveness is not always supported by scientific evidence.
It’s crucial for individuals experiencing infertility to seek guidance from a reproductive endocrinologist or fertility specialist to determine the most appropriate treatment plan based on their specific circumstances. Additionally, counseling and support groups can provide emotional support throughout the infertility journey.

I asked my OBGYN office about trying Clomid without doing the actual IUI procedure. This was their response but I don’t quite understand it. Has anyone done Clomid with IUI procedure? How did you ask your OBGYN? Any insight? Thank you!
Response:
Good morning, you may trial clomid, however the chances of success may not be very high as IUIs are recommended due to male factor infertility (by trying to bypass the cervis and put the sperm directly where its supposed to go). We would like to prevent any delay of care from trialing options that may not provide success due to the issue being related to sperm. We are able to try 3-6 rounds of clomid here with us before we refer out to a REI specialist for further management. If you would like to proceed with clomid, we also schedule follow up sonograms at certain cycle days since we are stimulating the ovaries for ovulation we provide close management to prevent any overstimulation.

Hi everyone! I have been part of this sub for years and it’s been great info! This is going to be long but I hope it helps! My husband and I started trying in November of 2021 and after a couple months we did an at-home sperm analysis where my husbands results were far below average.
We saw a fertility specialist and were told we’d only be able to get pregnant through IVF. We honestly did not know much about MFI and the urologist we were recommended did not have much to tell us.
We went right into our first retrieval and I retrieved 19 eggs, 12 were mature and only 4 fertilized even with ICSI. We ended up 2 day 7 blasts that were both genetically abnormal. We were incredibly frustrated and disappointed since we went into knowing we were dealing with MFI. It felt like our fertility specialist really disregarded that.
It took us a few months to get an appt with a new urologist who diagnosed my husband with a severe varicocele. We debated and then decided to move forward with the surgery in June 2023. He was also taking clomid. Surgery was a success and then we waited about six months to see if/how he would improve. In January he got great results across the board (ex. Sperm count went from 9M to 35M)
We decided to do another retrieval in March this year and our results were 21 eggs retrieved, 14 mature and all 14 fertilized with ICSI and the symptoms chip! We were in shock. 8 made it to blasts and we now have 7 euploids. I could not have imagined these results were possible!
Now we are hoping to do our first transfer next month. I’m typing this all out because I remember when I was looking for info about varicocele, I didn’t see much so I wanted to show one good case! & to reiterate how important it is to get a second opinion.

Hi all - I was diagnosed with PCOS after going off birth control and realizing my periods were fairly irregular (30-60 days). I have no other symptoms outside of irregular periods and cysts confirmed via ultrasound and my labs have been fairly normal (normal testosterone, normal insulin, normal glucose). BMI of 21 so I am technically in the “lean PCOS” category and have been athletic/eat healthy most of my life. I also have hypothyroidism and have been taking levothyroxine to keep my TSH levels within the normal range also, my RE says the irregular periods are most likely only caused by PCOS and that the hypothyroidism is a nonfactor since my TS has been consistent.
I am not currently TTC but am planning to soon and have been wanting to understand all potential options to regulate my periods prior to trying. My RE recommended 2000 mg myo-inositol daily and 600mg n-acetylcysteine daily as a potential supplement to regulate periods, but that I would most likely need some sort of ovulation stimulant like clomid/letrozole when we are actually TTC. I wanted to ask the PCOS community if anyone has had success with these supplements? Recommended brands? These seem branded as a diabetes medication - How does this supplement actually support ovulation in women with lean PCOS?
My RE said that I most likely am not ovulating if my cycles are long especially up to 60 days, and that if we did start trying now that there is a potential that I could be ovulating but that the long cycles could mean a reduction in egg quality… more risk of miscarriage etc… I interpreted this as “wait to start trying until your cycles are closer to 30 days”… any ideas on this?

Hi all - I was diagnosed with PCOS after going off birth control and realizing my periods were fairly irregular (30-60 days). I have no other symptoms outside of irregular periods and cysts confirmed via ultrasound and my labs have been fairly normal (normal testosterone, normal insulin, normal glucose). BMI is 21 and have always been athletic/eat healthy. I also have hypothyroidism and have been taking levothyroxine to keep my TSH levels within the normal range also, my RE says the irregular periods are most likely only caused by PCOS and that the hypothyroidism is a nonfactor since my TSH has been consistent.
I am not currently TTC but am planning to soon and have been wanting to understand all potential options to regulate my periods prior to trying. My RE recommended 2000 mg myo-inositol daily and 600mg n-acetylcysteine daily as a potential supplement to regulate periods, but that I would most likely need some sort of ovulation stimulant like clomid/letrozole when we are actually TTC. I wanted to ask the lean PCOS community if anyone has had success with these supplements? Recommended brands?
My RE said that I most likely am not ovulating if my cycles are as long as up to 60 days, and that if we did start trying now that there is a potential that I could be ovulating but that the long cycles could mean a reduction in egg quality… more risk of miscarriage etc… I interpreted this as “wait to start trying until your cycles are closer to 30 days”… any ideas on this?

Hi friends, I’m back with the daily dose of anxiety and pestering you guys with my questions!
I’m 35, AMH 0.86, AFC 7, in my first stim cycle. I went in for my monitoring appointment this morning (stim day 10, have completed 9 days of Follistim and 5 days of Ganirelix, also took Clomid).
Here is my progression. These are my follicles and measurements in millimeters:
•Today, stim day 10, right: 24, 18, 14, 14, 11, 11, 10
•Today, stim day 10, left: 16, 11
•Monday, stim day 8, right: 19, 15, 11, 11, 9, 8
•Monday, stim day 8, left: 13, 9
•Friday, stim day 5, right: 13, 11, 8, 7
•Friday, stim day 5, left: 9
They’re expecting the 24mm on the right to not be present once it’s showtime. They’ll let me know later what the plan is, but my nurse is guesstimating that I’ll trigger tomorrow night and retrieve Saturday (today is Wednesday).
Does anyone else have any success stories with these types of numbers? I know the nurse was trying to curb my expectations, but she said she was thinking I’d probably only have 4-5 eggs to retrieve, even with these numbers.
Thank you all, and I wish you all lots of luck with whatever stage you are in!

I am 28 years old and I have had 2 miscarriages in the last year. I just got a recurrent loss blood panel done - waiting 2 weeks for the results. I have PCOS so was getting ready to start clomid before I got pregnant the second time. Both loses were around 6-7 weeks. My doctor told me to wait to start trying until we receive the blood test results. Although she said there is only a 50% chance that we will figure out why I can't hold a pregnancy. I am wanting to start trying as soon as I get my cycle back so we can get to the bottom of this and not waste time. Any advice or success stories? Struggling to stay positive.

This was created as a place to feel welcome, and to discuss and talk about all things TRT in Australia.
We have an influx of clinics opening up here, with an influx of new people to TRT, and it's only growing
(did you know GP prescribed testosterone has risen over 500% in the last 10yrs worldwide...)
Below is a breakdown of TRT, clinics and bloodwork.
TYPES OF TRT
There are a few methods of TRT in Australia and the world.
Injectable testosterone -- this is the standard type of TRT method with the most amount of research and usage to date. Typically injected Intra-Muscularly, but with more data showing that SubQ injections are just as effective and could potentially have lower side effects due to the slower release
Testosterone Cream & Gel -- Topical ointments can be great due to not having to inject weekly, daily etc, just apply and carry on, but, with topicals, especially Gel - the risk of transfer to other people is very high, you also don't know how much is actually getting absorbed into your skin, and generally you aren't allowed to swim for 6hrs post application
Enclomiphene & Clomid -- This tablet form of TRT has some popularity as it doesn't shut down your natural production and helps to raise it instead, it is also one step even easier than topicals but the overall effectiveness and long term use aren't fully understood and anecdotally seem to be less effective over time and may stop working.
HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) - another injectable form of TRT but instead of replacing the bodies natural production with an exogenous source, HCG will instead stimulate LH production, almost "forcing" the body to produce naturally -- HCG is often used alongside injectable testosterone to maintain testicular function and natural production
** Some people have success with all forms of TRT, but anecdotally, injectable TRT is still the king of testosterone.
CLINICS
If you are looking for a reputable clinic, below are some clinics that are recommended by Aussies;
PHC - Performance Health Clinic * No yearly or ongoing fees, a pay as you go service, with a more hands off approach + bloodwork every 3mths + cost of medication
EMC - Enhanced Mens Clinic *$1000 yearly fee + bloodwork every 3mths + cost of medication
Primal Zone *$350 initial consult, $100 bloodwork review + cost of medication
The Functional Doctors - over 40s clinic * Bloodwork every 3mths ($300 panel must be done) + $300 consults every 3mths + cost of medication
XY Theraputics - Over 40s clinic * Byo bloodwork or $210 in-house panel. Start up; $299=consult and blood tests $150=consult plus BYO bloodwork - ongoing costs $92 consult and review
TRT Australia * Yearly $860, Quarterly $240, Semi-Annualy $480 - Includes medication, bloodwork review (BYO blood), check-ins
PRIVATE BLOODWORK If you have a good GP that will do bloodwork, that can be a lifesaver, but if not, these companies are trusted and can usually have results within 24hrs.
iMedical * Recommended tests to get before starting your journey are Sports BB2 $172, BB3 $186, BB4 $248
RoidSafe * A smaller set of testing compared to iMedical, but for $50, you can get a snapshot of your bloodwork. This is perfect for patients who know how to read bloodwork and just want to monitor.
Things recommended to check before starting TRT or the journey to TRT;
Semen analysis - It's important to check your sperm health and count before starting as testosterone, sex hormones and your sperm all work closely together - and if you want to have children in the future; you absolutely need a baseline
Sleep study - A very large portion of men have sleep apnea that is directly linked to low testosterone levels, it's important to rule this out as it could be a large contributing factor to how you feel and what your levels show
Full blood panel - You're not just checking testosterone levels, you're checking everything, Vitamin D, Thyroid, Testosterone, Prostate. You need a full panel to be able to tell a full story. And even then, your lifestyle can tell an even bigger part of the story to what's on the paper in front of you.
It's important to remember that TRT can be life changing for a lot of men, but changing your life even the smallest bit can help just as much, as low T symptoms can be caused by a plethora of other illnesses or issues and you need to rule out everything you can;
TRT is generally a "for life" dependant medication; meaning if you have low T and you want normal testosterone levels, you will need to be on TRT for life. You can come off at any time, but you will go back to the original baseline levels you had before starting, and in some cases, go back lower than baseline.

Hello,
I am curious if anyone has been in this position?
History: put on trt at age 22 due to low t @280 and very symptomatic. Rode trt for 4.5 years, came off and started clomid to have baby. Successful baby and came off clomid. Flash forward to still training 4-5 days a week lifting, tracking my diet, sleeping best I can with a toddler that has issues for the last year.
Current blood work was 425 fasted and 360 fed at 12:30 pm. Free t is 8.0 on 8.7-25.1 scale, DHEA-S 180 on 138.5-475.2 scale, estradiol <10 on 7.6-42.6 scale.
Current stats are 6’1” 219.5 12-13% bf, caloric deficit of 2400 calories and eating plenty of veggies and good stuff.
My symptoms are tired af and caffeine dependent, sex drive is good if not better than when on trt. I’m a little moody sometimes but nothing that feels unnatural. Fat loss might feel hindered compared to past cuts but I get compliments all the time still. Idk y’all I’m just curious what y’all are thinking.

Anyone used clomid oral as a protocol for egg freezing? If so, would like to hear your experiences- the good, the bad, the indifferent. Did you have better, worse or no difference in results?
My first egg freezing cycle was successful without any priming assistance so don’t understand why they want me to take clomid for my next egg freezing cycle. I ovulate regular and I thought don’t fix what’s not broken, right?