Progesterone anyone?

[OakTreeMom]

Just got a call from the nurse with my blood work.  My hormones were at 14,000 which puts me at about 5 weeks preggo!  

But my progesterone is low at 5.9.  So she wants me to start progesterone today.  Anyone have any experience with this?  She explained a little about it and said it is messy.  Just how messy is it???  Any other advice about it?  Thanks!

[Maurine]

Do you know what kind it will be?  I'm going to assume suppositories (vaginal).  I've done suppositories and crinone (which I am on now).  Yes, it can be messy!  I've used two kinds.  One was really watery and melted really quick.  I absolutely had to wear a panty liner.  The other kind was made by a different pharmacy and more creamy.  So the discharge was a little easier to handle.  I used both at night to keep things easier. 

With crinone, it's a gel you insert with an applicator. It's easy, but I suffer from a yucky "build up" that I won't go into...just know that it's icky.

All this being said, I am sure you'll be fine!  Progesterone really does help.  :)

[OakTreeMom]

Yep, it is vaginal suppositories.  My nurse said to get up about 15-20 minutes early and go to the bathroom insert and lay back down.  She said the meds would be absorbed in about 10-15 minutes.  I have to do this am and pm.  yay...  She also recommended that I use a liner.  She said for me to come back on Monday for more blood drawn to check my levels again.  Did your levels go up quickly?  How long did you have to do it?  I am thinking that this is why I mc'd last time was because my prog. levels were low.   Thanks!

[cakemama579]

How crucial do you ladies think progesterone is?  I had 3 mc's before successfully carrying my DS to term.  I used progesterone suppositories when preggo with DS, and not the others.  Coincidence?  I was going to try this pregnancy on my own without progesterone supplements, b/c everything I've been reading says progesterone isn't proven, and most health care practitioners don't feel that it even works, etc. 

what is your opinion?  should I call the doc and have her prescribe them to me?

[SML27]

I would take the progesterone "just in case". My fertility specialist prescribed them to me. Even though we don't know what caused my M/C, and I was pregnant by the time I had my appointment with the specialist (and therefore didn't have a baseline of my levels), I am taking them just in case that WAS the issue.

[OakTreeMom]

I agree.  I have a short cycle of about 25 days.  I had a MC last month at 6 weeks.  I caught this preg. pretty early.  I am a little over 4 weeks.  I think my drop in progesterone caused the MC.  If I understand correctly, someone please correct me if I am wrong, the corpus leuteum makes the progesterone until the placenta is developed.  Then the placenta takes over.  However if the CL cannot keep up or peters out then there is not enough progesterone to maintain the other hormones of pregnancy, thus, the MC.

I would take them.  Obviously I am.  I just finished my first day of them and it wasn't to bad or messy.  Just a little slicky down there.  But I hope I don't have to do this too long.  It takes a little effort when I am all out.

Good Luck!!!

[pjs]

I had 2 successful pregnancies followed by a m/c @ 10 weeks (baby was 7.5 weeks) then another m/c @ 5 weeks. For the next two pregnancies I took progesterone ( started at 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively). This time I am going to try without it. With my m/c and post m/ c pregnancies I was nursing. Since I have long/irregular cycles I think my body is more sensitive to hormone dluctuations driven by nursing frequency. My ds is no longer nursing and I pray this lo sticks without the progesterone!

[MrsMike]

I'm taking a natural progesterone gel that you rub on your gums. It's called Progest-E. I've been using it every cycle since my miscarriage in April. I'm hoping I don't need it, but I'm using it anyway to be safe.

[tjlucca]

I'm taking natural progesterone (suspended in sunflower oil), 10 drops twice a day on the inner arms, inner thighs or neck. Not messy at all. works great!  

[Danielle283]

I'm on natural progesterone cream. I used it when I got pregnant with my daughter also.

[myorianna]

I just found out yesterday that my progesterone level was low from the blood work (hcg looked great).  10.2 supposedly and they want to see at least 20?  So they want to give me a prometrium suppository.  I asked to go to a natural pharmacy though so they will use a natural based progesterone and they have to prepare it to get it into this capsule form.  My dr. said they would check again at 9 weeks to see if its above 20 and then have me stop...  I am really worried about this, but I'm glad to hear this seems to be a common thing. 

I hope this goes well!

Now they are talking about doing an early ultrasound, and I really don't want to go through any more than one this time around.

[SoonToBe]

I use a naturally compounded progesterone cream (rx) from a compounding pharmacy.  I've been on it awhile to help with luteal phase defects and upped the dose when I got pregnant.  I rub it on my inner arms, neck, breasts, or chest (rotating areas).

Bree

[jillybeans]

I take the suppositories.  Get up 15min early, put them in with a pantyliner, and you're good to go. :)  I HAVE to use them to stay pregnant!

[OakTreeMom]

That's the kind I was using also.  Those suckers will slip out too, if you don't lay down pretty quickly!  I am not sure what my issue is here.  I was dx with an ectopic yesterday so I am praying for no surgery and the shot will work.  We will see.  I hoped it was just a prog. issue but maybe it might be an obstruction in my tube.  My last pg. may have been an ectopic also.  We will see what happens in the next few weeks.