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Fertility Drugs
What You Should Know About Medications That Could Help You Conceive
By Michele St. Martin
Dr. Lisa Erickson, a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) in practice at the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Minneapolis, says she recommends no more than three Clomid cycles before moving on to the stronger injectible fertility drugs.
Although Clomid is generally the first fertility drug a woman takes, its side effects can be powerful. Gail Simons of East Hampton, N.Y., took Clomid for two cycles. "I had severe hot flashes and extreme depression," she says. "I refused to take the Clomid for a third cycle, because it made me feel so awful I was literally crying all the time. I have never felt that depressed and pessimistic in my whole life." Simons moved on to an injectible drug and experienced no side effects.
Like Simons, Katie Mosher had severe side effects with Clomid, which she took for seven cycles. In addition to hot flashes, Mosher suffered from "very bad mood swings and insomnia," she says. "I cried over French fries and never knew why. My husband was great, though; he just smiled and said it was OK, because he understood. I, on the other hand, swear never to take Clomid again!"
A recent study suggests that up to 25 percent of the women who use Clomid may find their cervical mucous affected. It is recommended that part of the monitoring process with Clomid include a post-coital test to determine if Clomid is interfering with the production of fertile mucous.
But for every woman like Simons and Mosher, there seems to be one like Brenda Price of Ontario, Canada, who describes her side effects on Clomid as "minor," or Kelli* of Cupertino, Calif., who did six cycles of Clomid with few side effects. "I did ovulate on Clomid," Kelli says. She also experienced some side effects with her seventh and last Clomid cycle.
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