So after 8 months of trying to get pregnant, we finally decided to see a gynaecologist in January this year. I guess we postponed this partly due to fear of what we might find out and partly due to blind faith (I thought that going to the gynae might indicate that somehow I have less faith)!
Because of our age (my suspicion) or the fact that we have been trying for 8 months (likely) or our desperation (most definitely), the doctor started me on a course of clomid immediately.
Now we didn't know anything about Clomid or any fertility treatment because we never thought we would have to think or know about it. So after the visit to the gynae, my husband had to find out more about what clomid is, how it works, the benefits and side effects.
Now, don't be worried about the side effects because Jesus has redeemed all the side effects on the Cross of Calvary.
From what I learnt on the internet, Clomid is not actually a type of fertility treatment. It really only induces ovulation so that if you ovulate regularly (every month one egg is released), Clomid will simply increase the number of eggs produced to 2 - 3 (hence the chances of having twins increased). I find it the least invasive since it's taken orally during the first few days of your period and the rest is really "as per normal". The doctor also made me do a LH test to determine my most fertile date (I've never done it before so you can imagine just how ignorant I was!!). Clomid is also relatively cheaper than the other procedures and it cost us only about US$28 for 10 tablets of 50mg. The consultation fee was more expensive at around US$50.
Here are some write-ups on Clomid:
All in, we tried 4 courses of Clomid over the next 4 months. The doctor actually advised us to go for Clomid for 3 months and if unsuccessful, to proceed to the next step of going through a HSG and thereafter an IUI (more on that later). Because I was not prepared to take the next step, we decided to go for the fourth course in May. The doctor prescribed 1 pill (50mg) a day for 5 days in the first course and he doubled it for the next 3 courses. I've read that some doctors put their patients on Clomid for 6 months to a year but that's obviously not what my doctor had planned for me.
Unfortunately, we were still not successful so we decided to take the doctor's advice and proceeded to the next step.
During this time I did go for some tests and checkups and praise God, the reports all came back good. There was a period of waiting for the test results to come back and during this time, we just kept partaking of the Holy Communion and clung on to His Word:
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
And His Word proved true. It always does.
