Here comes the Femara *UPDATE

So far, the only side effect I've felt is intense nausea. It began around mid-morning and stayed throughout the day. As long as my stomach stayed full, the feeling stayed away. This evening I ate a whole bag of saltin.es crackers!

Blood Test Buddy was told by the doctor that she could divide the Femara into 2 doses. Keep in mind that over 1000mg of hormones go into your body at once...so dividing seemed like a reasonable option. I took the other 4 pills a few minutes ago, so we'll see how I feel tomorrow. Some women have night sweats with this drug; we'll see if that happens. Femara also causes drowsiness.

Blood Test Buddy informed me that our HCG injections cost have recently risen from $50 to $75. *sigh* always something.

Finally, in a bit of a soap-opera type scenario, I stopped at the pharmacy to pick up Clomid and crackers. Somehow I thought my doctor had asked me to take both (TCIE has repeatedly pointed out that it didn't seem right). Sure enough, the pharmacist pulled up my prescription on the computer and said the doctor only called in Femara. I called the doctor's office only to find out that he wasn't in the office today. Oh well; I feel more comfortable taking Femara on its own (thanks, TCIE!) :)

Thanks to everyone for your prayers & encouragement.
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Well, you may recall from last month that I opted not to take Femara (a Clo.mid alternative) due to my college reunion. Blood Test Buddy became VERY ill from the Femara and I didn't want to take any chances that the same could happen at the reunion. I don't regret the decision, but 1 month later CD 2 has arrived. However, that lovely $50 bag of 9 pills still sits on my desk. My wonderful, loving husband even suggested that I don't take the meds. He knows my fears. Of course, several of you commented that Femara did nothing to your body. I had zero side effects from Clomi.d but still worry about what Femara will do. Looks like I will take the plunge and take the meds, ready to tell the doctor "never again" if this stuff doesn't work.

Glad that I didn't take the Femara gamble...

Thanks again for all of the advice regarding Femara. I realize that some of the responders had no problem with it, but others did too. Since my reunion had been planned for several months, I decided to save Femara for the next cycle. Definitely the right move! In the end, I returned from my college reunion with a bad cold or sinus infection. If the Femara side effects had occurred, I would have been even more miserable. My hubby and I had a wonderful time catching up with my college friends and reliving some of my campus memories.

Here are a couple pictures, including the group of nuns that we sat behind during Mass for the Feast of St. Francis. :)

Some of you may be able to guess the name of the university I attended. :)

Femara Fears

Yesterday My NaPro Doctor called with the results of my recent bloodwork. He is still not happy with my hormone levels, particularly estrogen. So he has prescribed Femara and Clomid for my next cycle, in addition to continuing the HCG shots. I felt rather OK with the matter until a friend told me of her recent problems with Femara: night sweats & nausea. She took the Femara over a week ago and can barely keep food down, let alone exercise.

Now I'm growing rather nervous and downright afraid. My NaPro doctor said he had not heard of anyone having side effects with Femara. I believe some infertility bloggers have talked about fatigue, but can't recall anything worse than that. To make matters worse, my conversation with the Pharmacist:

Me: Hi. My friend had horrible problems with Femara, like night sweats and nausea. Is this common?
Pharmacist: Yes. If you really want to scare yourself, read the entire medical information paper.
Me: Can I do anything to help the side effects?
Pharmacist: Normally we prescribe Hormone Replacement Therapy, but obviously that won't help you. All you can do is try to keep food in your stomach to help combat the nausea. Have you tried other less expensive fertility drugs, like Clomid?
Me: Yep. Didn't work.
Pharmacist: Special shots?
Me: (trying not to laugh at the same time) Yep. Taking those right now.

I am really panicking. My period is due next week, right during my 10-year college reunion 6 hours away. (Murphy's Law is really happening to me!). Femara is supposed to be taken on Day 2, which falls during the reunion. Believe me, I do not want to spend my rare chance to catch up with college friends curled up in a hotel room! My doctor did say he did not know of any side effects, so it's quite possible that my body will not react in the same way as my friend's body did. But if the side effects DO occur, my efforts to exercise & diet may go by the wayside. My 2+ years of infertility has stolen all optimism, so I just see this recent medication as crossing more "things that did not help Percolating Petals' get pregnant" list.

And don't get me started on having to pay $48 for 8 pills.....

Femara is a huge chance to take. My fellow infertile friends, please leave any insights or advice. I really, REALLY could use it.