Femara

Mommy2016

I am moving on to my first medicated cycle in December. I'm expecting CD1 by Friday. My RE wants to use Femara (or Letrozole) instead of Clomid. I have some questions for anyone here who can answer.

Is there a reason an RE would start with Femara instead of Clomid? Is it because I'm almost 40? All the things I've read have said it is usually the med to try if Clomid is unsuccessful. I don't mind, especially if it ups my chances, but all the info they gave me about cost was for Clomid. I know this is more expensive.

Does anyone know the estimated cost for this drug? My insurance may cover it, but I'm not sure yet. It covers Clomid. I still need to look this one up.

Lastly, I've read there is an increased chance of birth defects with Femara. Anyone have experience with this? Is it a real concern, or is it just one of those things that get thrown out there? I am so anti-drug most of the time, mainly because I have a lot of drug allergies and I am always scared to take something new.

I appreciate any feedback you can give me.

b&kmakebabies

I'm on Femera this cycle (was on Clomid three cycles before this). It was a lot cheaper. Clomid was $40 and Femera $7 at CVS. My Dr. told me it depends on what pharmacy you get it at. He said if it's expensive to get it filled at another location. I have 0 insurance coverage for fertility, so I don't think this had anything to do with it, though Femera is primarily a drug for breast cancer, so maybe that changes the way things are coded?

Also, the birth defect stuff, according to my Dr. came from an old study that has since been proven false.

I'll find out tomorrow how I responded to this drug.

FutureSMBC

I honestly don't know why he's prescribing Fermara but Oh so excited that you're moving ahead with a medicated cycle!!
I'll too have my first medicated cycle with Metformin, Provera, and Clomid in December and can't wait!!

I'm also out of pocket for anything fertility related so I like checking the $ of the pills ahead of time.
There's an app called GoodRx that you can download and search for price at different locations near you. It also serves as a discount card so you can show the pharmacist to get the price it says. I find this app suuuuper helpful because the prices can vary greatly from place to place. Fermara shows $8.58 at my local Target and $33.19 at Walgreens for 5 pills!

handsomecowboo

Thanks for the app info future! My doc hasn't done it officially yet, but said she would use clomid. A terrible RE before this one said he would prescribe Fermara. I sincerely and embarrassingly don't know the difference between the two. I don't know when I'll be back in the TTC arena, but I'll ask her why she chooses one over the other when I go back to see her. Sorry that it is no help to you now!

Midnitesmaster

I have taken both, Clomid given by general ob, Femara given by fertility doctor. My preference is to never, ever, ever, ever take Clomid again. Side effects related to fertility could be less lining in he uterus, and it has been used for over 40 years with no changes, I know my mother in law conceived my husband and his twin, and a second set of twins, using it over 40 years ago.

Clomid made me touchy. I was ready to explode at any moment, and everything would bother me. It was like pms on steroids. I was warned that it could be like that. I didn't believe that it could be that bad, but it was.

Femara was taken about a year later, same number of days, and was followed by Folistim, I had no side effects on the Femara, it binds differently, so I didn't feel like I was overloaded by hormones on it, even though I was.

We never did check to see how many eggs I produced on clomid, but I do know I got a cyst on it. The first round of Femara I had 1 egg, the second I had 3. He specialist was watching closely the cyst to see if it had any change. I developed no further cysts. None of the cycles were successful though. The first cycle was before we found out the true extent of infertility, second and third were iui, and still not successful.

If we do it again, it will be iui with Femara and Folistim again, but I will have them check out my fallopian tubes to make sure there are no blockages.

b&kmakebabies

Just had my ultrasound and I responded well to Femera! 1 follie at 21, 2 at 16, and 1 at 13.

Mommy2016

b&kmakebabies wrote:

Just had my ultrasound and I responded well to Femera! 1 follie at 21, 2 at 16, and 1 at 13.

Yay! That is awesome! Fingers crossed for you!

I am so excited to start with the medicated cycle. I am hoping and praying this is my BFP. They seem to think I will respond well to it since my AMH was really good and the nurse practitioner said I should be open to the idea of twins if I go the med route. (of course they have to say that)

Thanks for the info everyone! I'm glad to hear this med is less expensive! It is covered by my insurance too, so I should be good to go!

blkbrd3

When my RE prescribed femara to me he did so because as an older woman I may respond to it better. Also it is reported to have less side effects while TTC. He described it as gentler than clomid for many women. The chances of birth defects are reduced because you're not taking it throughout the cycle, just for a short period.

FutureSMBC

That's great Mommy!!!
I'm doing a medicated cycle but have not wrapped my mind around the idea of twins. I'm just hoping one sticks and focusing all my attention on that. If two stick, I'll freak out later LOL!
My RE has never talked to me about multiples but I'm guessing since he knows I'm somewhat informed of what we are doing, he figures I know. On my last visit, when he was ready to leave the room, he asked me if my sister had the twins with IVF or naturally. I told him they were 100% natural and he kinda nodded and stepped out.
I think he's focusing my treatment more in the infertility when I have never tried to get pregnant. I don't mind, as long as i end up with baby... Or babies LOL!!

ahk00

I am considering asking to switch to femera. The last two cycles on 100mg of clomid did not produce as many mature follicles as it did with my bfp cycle.

Mommy2016

Today is CD1! I called to tell them, and they made me take a blood pregnancy test to make sure I'm not pregnant (on day 1 of my period) and then I will start Femara on Sunday. Eeeeeeks! This is really happening!

God, I need this to be my miracle.

FutureSMBC

Yay!! Congrats!!!!
So excited for you!
I'm STILL waiting on AF but I shouldn't be too far behind you although it feels like it will never come!
Are you getting a trigger shot? Cause my doctor didn't say and I didn't think to ask but I'm guessing he's not giving me one.

Mommy2016

FutureSMBC wrote:

Yay!! Congrats!!!!
So excited for you!
I'm STILL waiting on AF but I shouldn't be too far behind you although it feels like it will never come!
Are you getting a trigger shot? Cause my doctor didn't say and I didn't think to ask but I'm guessing he's not giving me one.

Yes, I am getting a trigger shot. Right now I am tentively scheduled for an ultrasound on Dec 15. If everything looks good and ready, they will give me the trigger shot then. The IUI will be the next day, on the 16th. I am super excited. I hope everything goes as planned. Also, this means I will have to take off a half day on the 15th and I might just take the whole day on the 16th. I have to drive over an hour away for these apppointments. I'm glad though, because I won't have to miss my class Christmas party with my kindergartners on the 17th. I was feeling guilty that I might miss it. BUT, that makes my two week wait over Winter Break. I may lose my mind! LOL

Good luck to you! I hope AF shows soon!

Mommy2016

So I just took my 4th dose. I'm on 5mg a day, CD 4-8 (due to that whole pregnancy test complication that made me start a day late.) I've had zero side-effects other than lower back pain on the right side only which started yesterday and really intensified today. I hope that's a good sign, but who knows?

I've been reading that some people ovulate early on Femara and some late. I really hope that does NOT happen. I need to be on my usual CD13. Bad time of year to have to keep taking off work to drive to the RE's office over an hour away. I'm going to have to tell my boss and I don't really want to. She'll be understanding and supportive of it, but then it's another person I have to tell if it doesn't work.

Anyone have experience with Femara where it changed your ovulation or did it stay on time?

b&kmakebabies

I had a trigger shot but it was pretty obvious I was going to ovulate early at my CD12 scan... I usually ovulate day 17.

Mommy2016

b&kmakebabies wrote:

I had a trigger shot but it was pretty obvious I was going to ovulate early at my CD12 scan... I usually ovulate day 17.

Eeeeeks! If I ovulated 5 days early that would make it CD8...much to early and also today.

I'm getting a trigger shot too. They didn't want to see me until CD12 and I had to argue for that. Was told they didn't want to see me until CD14 due to starting meds a day late. I've never ovulated after CD14. Crossing my fingers that I don't miss it! So far no fertile mucus or cramping or anything else that usually signals ovulation is near.

blkbrd3

I hear femara *tends* to move most women to a 28 day cycle. It made me ovulate a day or two later than my norm and extended my shortish cycle.

Mommy2016

blkbrd3 wrote:

I hear femara *tends* to move most women to a 28 day cycle. It made me ovulate a day or two later than my norm and extended my shortish cycle.

Hmmm...good to know. My cycle is already 27-28 days, so hopefully this will not affect my ovulation. If it does, so be it. I'd rather be late than early.

Also, I got an email about this post and that has never happened before. Weird!

ahk00

Good luck & FX!

Mommy2016

I am super nervous. I haven't had a + OPK, and no EWCM, but I have the most intense back pain. I swear it feels like my usual ovulation pain, only 10x stronger. I am so afraid of going to my ultrasound Tuesday and finding out I missed my ovulation. I can't always catch my short surge with the OPK, and usually I have watery CM for a couple of days and the EWCM on the day before/day of ovulation, but who knows how this medicine will affect my cycle.

This whole process makes me a nervous wreck

Mommy2016

Tomorrow is my ultrasound. No temp spike, darker OPK today but not really positive, and the back pain has not let up at all. I hope that just means I have some good eggies ready to go!

Mommy2016

RE visit today went well! I had 4 follicles at 19mm, 18.7mm, 15mm, and 13mm...all on one side which is apparently what has been causing my back pain. They gave me a trigger shot and I go back tomorrow for my IUI.

I am praying so hard for this to be my turn!

b&kmakebabies

Congrats! That's pretty much identical to my follicle sizes

FutureSMBC

Yeah!!! Those are some good follies!! Congrats!
Soooo exciting!! That's gonna be me soon!

Mommy2016

IUI today! I'm trying to relax, but I am so nervous.

New-mama?

Good luck .

b&kmakebabies

Good luck!!!!

FutureSMBC

Oh my god!! Sooooo awesome!!
Fingers crossed you get your bfp!

Mommy2016

Thanks everyone!