Hello Hot Flash!

October 2006-January 2007
One side effect of Clomid is hot flashes- that fortunately (and unfortunately) was the only side effect I noticed (not looking forward to menopause at ALL). I took one 100mg Clomid orally once a day on cycle day 3 thru cycle day 7. I then started an ovulation predictor kit around the time I was due to ovulate in addition to going to my RE's (reproductive endocrinologist) office every 2-3 days for a follicle scan. He would check to see what size my follicles (eggs) were to accurately time the IUI (insemination). *** Note when I say my Dr. or RE- it's the same man- Dr. Hecht from the Cleveland Clinic Fertility Center***
The IUI was strange the first time (but so simple). The day before the IUI was scheduled I would go into the office an get a HCG injection- which triggers ovulation to occur in 24-48hrs. "...An injection of hCG (a hormone-human chorionic gonadotropin), like the surge of the hormone LH that normally occurs in the body, can trigger release of the egg from the ovarian follicle. It can be administered when an ultrasound examination indicates both that the uterine lining has developed to a level sufficient to support implantation and that the ovarian follicle is at least 18-20mm in size.
The morning of the IUI, Scott would provide a sperm sample and then we would drop it off at the RE's office. They would tell us to come back in about 45 minutes because they had to prepare/wash the sperm. The insemination itself is similar to a pap but a tad bit longer. The take a catheter/syringe type thingy withe the amount of a teaspoon or less of Scott's sample and inject it into my uterus. What's amazing is the amount of sperm there was in that tiny amount- Scott ranged form 27 to 55million sperm (after it was prepared), which is good, between the 3 IUI's we had done. (Go Scottie!!) After they injected the sperm- they would elevate the bottom half of the the exam table and I had to lay there for 10mins or so just to make sure the sample went in the direction it was supposed to go.

Round#1 Clomid/ IUI 11/2/06 Negative :(
Round#2 Clomid/IUI 12/11/06 Negative :(
Round #3 Clomid/IUI 1/9/07 Negative :(

The tiny bit of hope we have left has just about run out.... There's one more unanswered question...