In the United States, the FDA-approved fertility drug clomiphene is licensed for sale under two brand names: clomid and serophene. This low cost fertility drug has a good track record in helping infertile couples to get pregnant despite the risk of certain side effects arising from the treatment. Due to these potential risks (one of which is multiple pregnancy) clomid is available in the United States only on prescription from a doctor. Furthermore, fertility doctors generally limit clomid treatment to a few months. If clomid is not effective within that time frame, another form of treatment is used. Despite these safety considerations, some women choose to access clomid without a prescription from their doctor and take this powerful drug without medical supervision.
Unregulated Clomid Sources
Thanks to modern information technology, we all have access to websites offering drugs for sale online. Many of these mail-order websites are based in foreign countries and provide drugs which have not been officially approved by any national health institution. When a woman orders clomid via the internet, she simply cannot be 100% certain that the drug she is taking is safe or that the pills contain the dosage indicated on the packet. Some women have been known to use someone else’s clomid pills: for example, pills that a friend or female relative was taking in the past and no longer needs. These women also can’t be sure that the dosage they are taking is appropriate for them. They may even unknowingly take clomid pills which have gone past their expiry date.
Who And Why?
There are various reasons why a woman might take unprescribed clomid. Fertility treatment is a tough journey for most women who go through it. The desire for a baby and disappointment if treatment fails can be overwhelming. A woman might be tempted to take matters into her own hands and try one more cycle of clomid even after her doctor has decided she’s been on the drug for enough time already. Other women might be tempted to use unprescribed clomid to supplement the prescribed dosage they’ve been given by the doctor, if they think they can avoid another failed cycle by taking extra. Even some fertile women take unprescribed clomid because they want to have multiples (twins, triplets, or more) or because they believe clomid will speed up the conception process and allow them to space their children as they wish.
There are good reasons why clomid can be bought in pharmacies in the United States only with a doctor’s prescription:
OHSS – Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome is a possible side-effect of clomid. Clomid directly stimulates the ovaries into producing eggs. This is why taking clomid increases a woman’s chances of having twins or triplets. In most cases OHSS can be resolved by administering fluids, however, in extreme cases the condition can be life threatening. OHSS causes bloating and pain in the abdomen (which could perhaps be mistaken for an ectopic pregnancy if your doctor doesn’t know you’ve been on clomid). OHSS can also damage the ovaries and threaten future fertility. A woman on prescribed clomid is monitored carefully by her fertility doctor to prevent the development of OHSS. A woman who takes clomid unprescribed probably won’t tell her doctor about it. This means her treatment is not supervised and she takes on all these risks without the benefit of expert medical knowledge.
Contraindications – clomid is not suitable for women who suffer from a range of conditions which cause infertility. For example, women who a have enlarged ovaries, ovarian cysts, endometriosis or uterine fibroids. The drug is also risky for women who are allergic to any of its components or have a tendency to develop blood clots. Clomid is also dangerous for women who suffer from some forms of depression or from liver disease. A licensed fertility doctor is the only person qualified to determine whether or not it’s safe for a woman to take clomid.
Multiple Pregnancy – although some women take unprescribed clomid precisely because they want twins, multiple pregnancies are always riskier than a regular pregnancy. These risks should be assumed under the guidance of a medical professional.
Any woman taking clomid should seek medical attention immediately if she experiences any of the following symptoms:
Blurred or double vision
Seeing flashes of light
Bloating Abdominal or stomach pain
Yellow eyes or skin