Femara (letrozole) -- Bring questions & comments here!!!
16 Replies
Cleveland Rocks - August 25

If you are on Femara (letrozole) then please use this thread to post any questions, comments, concerns HERE!
I am beginning my 4th round of Femara this week. So far, no luck... how about you?

 

Danadane - August 25

Hi Cleveland,

Thank you for starting this thread. I have done Femara for two rounds, but I think I am going to take a break for round 3. I started spotting at 6 dpo this month. I am now 10 dpo and still lightly spotting. I guess I am slightly thinking that it is the letrozole... or maybe after this long ttc I am getting paranoid. I have read so many sites that say it may not help someone who is already ovulating- which I am so I just don't know anymore. Once AF begins, i will have 2 days to decide. What do you think? Have you noticed any unusual patterns in your cycle? How long have you been ttc?Thanks again...

 

Cleveland Rocks - August 25

Hi Danadade, my RE had me do one cycle on clomid for a "clomid challenge test" -- basically to see if I responded by taking bloodwork on day 3 and day 10. I did, so he wanted to immediately switch me to femara for the next cycle. I insisted on another round of clomid, however, b/c no one had told DH and I that we had to BD till CD20 and I was out of town for a week so we missed a lot of those days of the cycle. Anyway -- will begin my 4th round of femara tomorrow, CD3. From what I hear, it's supposed to be better than clomid... my RE is head of infertility at the Cleveland Clinic, so I do trust him that he should know!
As for spotting: I cannot say whether yours is related to the letrozole. I can tell you that I began to have irregular bleeding beginning 2 to 3 dpo since November 2007. I've had that happen for every cycle, except the two I was on clomid! This last cycle we did our #1 IUI then progesterone suppositories beginning 3dpiui, until this weekend when my HPTs were all BFN and I had to discontinue. So...in my case, the progesterone stopped my spotting finally. Other than that, I ovulate on my own, but my RE put me on the meds to stimulate "better" ovulation...

 

Danadane - August 26

I ovulate on my own too... my RE said letrozole would give me a "boost" since we were trying for a year vain with my endo. We are moving on to an iui in oct. I am going to talk to my doc about the prog sups. At this point I will try just about anything. Is this your first time ttc?

 

Erin_thenurse - August 26

Cleveland, I am on my first round of femara with IUI this month after 4 rounds of clomid. I am taking the provera right now and am waiting on AF. We have been ttc for 18 months now. My problem is anovulation, I don't ovulate on my own without meds. I had horrible hot flashes with clomid, which were worse with each dose. I would like to have had FSH injections along with the femara but my dr didn't agree since the protocol for anovulation is just the femara. If I had unexplained infertility, they would be able to prescribe FSH injections to increase the follicles. I am interested about how femara has effected people and if it has been effective to induce pregnancy. Good luck this cycle. Which cd are you?

 

Cleveland Rocks - August 27

Hi Erin, I remember you from the cycle buddies early threads. I don't think you post there anymore? AF just arrived so today is CD3. It is disappointing b/c I had my first IUI this past cycle, and was hoping against odds for a BFP. It took more effort to do IUI than we had to do before in just ttc on our own, so hoping we were done ttc but -- alas! It didn't take. The success rate is between 5 and 25% each try... Took my first dose of femara this morning. CD3. am on 5 mg so take 2 tablets at once. What dose are you on?

 

Cleveland Rocks - August 27

Is provera the brand name for progesterone suppositories?

 

Cleveland Rocks - August 27

Hi danadane, my story is that DH and I easily conceived DS in '06 (he's 21 months old now.) We started trying for #2 last July (I'm 35.) All sorts of issues this time around! I was diagnosed w/ hypothroidism, I have spotting beginning 2 to 3 dpo every cycle, and DH had two semen analyses run recently that showed abnormalities with morphology and motility. Hence, the move towards IUI for us. Weird that we had 0 problems the first go-around, and now can't conceive a sibling for Jack to save our lives! What about you?

 

Danadane - August 27

Our dd is 5yrs- we went of bcp and next month bfp! Last June we started ttc again for #2. After four months, i just "knew" that something was wrong. We went to my ob/gyn, got referred to an RE and a specialist, got an hsg (all clear), dh got SA (motility, morph and count were all very good) then went for a diag lap in April/08. Stage 2-3 endo. Removed in second lap in June/08. Three cycles ttc now w/o endo (two cycles on femara 2.5 mg). No bfp yet. I think I am going to do one more cycle on femara (up it to 5 mg) then in Oct we can move to iui. How come you did not do your iui with injectibles? Or did you?

 

Erin_thenurse - August 27

Yes, I used to post on cycle buddies, in fact I started cycle buddies. I stopped posting on any forum for while because I was just getting too overwhelmed with ttc. I wish you the best with your IUI this. I am also doing 5mg of femara and a trigger shot of hcg, Ovidrel. I will probably start AF tomorrow. I'll be a few cd behind you. We were suppose to do an IUI last month but I didn't ovulate with the last dose of clomid. Provera is progesterone pills that are like bcp and make you start AF when you don't start yourself.

 

Cleveland Rocks - August 28

Hi danadane, wow you've been through a lot, two laps recently. I took 2.5 mg of femara the first cycle I was on it, but this will be my 3rd cycle at 5 mg CD3-7. I don't need injectibles or the HCG trigger because I ovulate regularly on my own, always have. I swear by the OPKs. It seems to me that our challenge is DH's morphology. From what I've read online, when it's as low as his is (his was 3% then 1% Kruger), IUI may be fruitless, we may eventually have to move on to IVF. I sound pessimistic, but it's just what I've read. You don't need injectibles, do you?

 

Cleveland Rocks - August 28

Erin, did AF arrive? You'll be starting femara very, very soon if so. I don't think I had any side effects, although I felt lethargic sometimes?? Hard to say if it was a result of the drug. I am usually a very happy and upbeat person, but AF has turned me into a downer this week, I swear! She should be gone tomorrow... and for the next 9 months I HOPE!!!

 

elliemae - August 28

ok stupid question but Im new but exactly what does bfp stand for I can guess what it means but is making me crazy trying to figure out initials. lol

 

amy2008 - September 8

I'm hoping someone can help with my question about letrozole. I don't have any trouble getting pregnant but can't seem to hold onto any of them. I've had 4 miscarriages (2 were chemical and 2 were later first trimester and required D&Cs). I have been diagnosed as homozygous for MTHFR and am on Folgard and baby aspirin and will go on lovenox and progesterone when I get pregnant. My question is--this is my first monitored letrozole cycle and I went in for my CD 11 scan and they saw 4 good follicles (3 were really good and 1 might catch up) but my lining was very thin (3.7). They have put me on estradiol but is that too thin to make it worth trying? I really want to try this cycle but not if it will set me up for failure again.

 

rizzoh - September 8

Hi. I too am on Femara for the 1st clycle after 4 cycles on Clomid then a m/c at 4 mns. So, here we go again. I am 1/2 way through in the 2WW but don't want to get my hopes up too high. The doc put me on 7.5 mgs for day 3-7. What is everyone else on? Oh BFP means big fat positive.

 

amberNmarcus - September 13

Hello, quick background, we have been ttc for 2 years with medical intervention and charting 4 years total. I have done 6 rounds of chlomid and never been pregnant. We took one cycle off and are supposed to try femara this cycle. However, I have only been spotting very lightly for the last 7 days. I am up to cd36 (usually average 32) and still barely spotting. I have taken three hpt all bfn. My question is, should I keep waiting to start an actual flow or start the femara now. My doctor is on vacation OF COURSE!

 

drugsbank - December 1

Femara (Leterozole) is an orally active nonsteroidal compound that reversibly inhibits aromatization all over the body, as well as that within the breast cancer cells, resulting in nearly total estrogen deprivation.It is a selective inhibitor of estrogen formation.it inhibits the estrogen synthesis by inhibition of aromatase enzyme that is crucial for the formation of estrogen.The proliferation of estrogen-dependent breast cancer is suppressed to a greater extent than with tamoxifen. Click on my profile to know important information about medicines

 

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