Side effects

As with all medicines, side effects can occur when taking clomiphene. The adverse effects depend mainly on the dosage and the duration of the medication. The hormonal stimulation can lead to multiple pregnancies and an enlargement of the ovaries.

Ovarian cysts with fluid accumulation in the abdomen can also be caused by taking clomiphene. Other common side effects include sudden facial flushing (vasomotor flush) and hot flushes. Clomiphene prevents the effect of oestrogen by blocking oestrogen receptors.

As a result, taking clomiphene can cause symptoms that are otherwise characteristic of the menopause. These include hot flushes, night sweats, headaches, vision problems and a feeling of tension in the breasts. In rare cases, women suffer from nervousness, insomnia and fatigue, depression, sensitivity to light and allergic skin conditions after taking clomiphene.

Liver function disorders and vision problems (flickering eyes, blurred vision or the appearance of flashes of light) can also occur. Frequent use of clomiphene (for more than three months) also increases the risk of patients developing ovarian cancer due to hormonal overstimulation. Get detailed information about the side effects of clomipheneA weight gain may occur due to the use of clomiphene.

An increase of a few kilos is normal and is one of the side effects of the drug. However, women who take other infertility drugs besides clomiphene (for example, hMG, human menopausal gonadotropin) may develop a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This is a potentially life-threatening condition that leads to enlarged ovaries and water retention in the abdomen.

As a result of the oedema (water retention), the affected women appear to gain weight. To avoid such complications, any fertility treatment should only be given under close medical supervision and regular check-ups. An unpleasant side effect that many women suffer from after taking clomiphene is hair loss.

Normally the hair loss disappears after stopping the medication. However, it may take a few months for the hair cycle to normalize and the hair to grow back. If the hair loss still does not improve after several months, there may be another cause (for example, a thyroid disorder).

Occasionally, menopause-like symptoms occur when taking clomiphene due to the blockage of the oestrogen receptors. These include headaches, a feeling of tension in the breasts and hot flushes. The women experience a spontaneously occurring sensation of heat, which occurs mainly in the area of the head. In addition, there is an increase in the heart rate and heavy sweating. Usually the hot flushes disappear again after the medication is no longer taken.

Contraindications

Clomiphene must not always be given to every woman. In case of intolerance or allergy to the active substance clomifen dihydrocitrate, the drug must not be taken. The contraindications for treatment with the hormone preparation also include certain previous diseases of the ovaries, such as ovarian tumours or ovarian cysts.

Clomiphene must also not be administered to tumours of the pituitary gland. Treatment with clomiphene can lead to an enlargement of the tumours or cysts. Other contraindications are liver diseases, liver dysfunction and blood clotting disorders. In case of pregnancy, clomiphene must be discontinued immediately and must not be taken any further. The medication must not be taken while breast-feeding either.