Progesterone Dosage

[Stevi]

For those who have used progesterone of any kind, can you share the brand, dosage, and your story of why you used it, and the results?

Thank you!!!!

[Sourire]

Hi Stevi,

I've been using progesterone for a while to help with luteal phase spotting and short luteal phase.

I used Prometrium (100 mg a day vaginally). It lengthened my luteal phase to 14 days but made my spotting worse. I used it for 3 cycles.

Then I switched to Crinone 8%, which is a vaginal gel. I was taking 1 dose per day and it lengthened my luteal phase as well and improved my spotting, but my spotting did not disappear completely. This cycle I'm trying a double dose (once every 12 hours) to see if I can finally defeat my spotting once and for all. This is my 6th cycle on Crinone.

One funny thing I noticed on both these medications is that whenever I take them, I ovulate a few days earlier the following month. On my own I ovulate a bit on the late side so that may be a good thing.

[Stevi]

Sourire...   My luteal phase has been getting shorter every so many cycles, so lengthening it would definitely be a plus. I'm currently at 10-11 days. I know when I used the progesterone cream during my second pregnancy that it delayed the miscarriage. I'm thinking that the medical progesterone might be even better, and maybe help me get an somebody to implant! (I have this feeling that I've been conceiving, but that they are sorta just driving right past the uterine walls, or staying for extremely short durations.)

[toothfairy2be]

Hi Stevi- I was on Endometrin 100mg 2x a day for 1 cycle, it extended my LP and stopped spotting but was just too expensive. Then I moved on to Prometrium 200mg 2x day for 4 cycles before having surgery. It cost much less, stopped the spotting & extended my LP. After my LAP my LP spotting was reduced but still a day or 2 so now I'm on prometrium 200 1x dailty and it has done the trick, no spotting, 14 day LP. I take it 3dpo-12dpo.

Also, B6 helped to extend my LP before I started back on prometrium. My dc recommends 100mg daily all cycle and increase to 500mg daily 4-5 days prior to O. It thickens the corpus luteum (in turn lengthening LP) and increases quality of EWCM.

Good Luck!

[Stevi]

Toothfairy2be...   Thank you, for all of the info. Especially the progesterone!

I'm on a B Complex that I've been taking since just before my first BFP. Whenever I try to change the dose I get severe leg cramping (whether I try to raise or lower it), so I stick with what I'm taking now. I do credit it with extending my LP by a day, and I really think it may be what helped me get my first BFP.

[SilaMarila]

Would dosage depend on you 7dpo P4 (progesterone) levels?

My progesterone is highest and my LP is longest when I have taken herbs from my acupuncturist. I've never had to take OTC progesterone because my RE doesn't prescribe it for unmedicated cycles or clomid cycles unless your P4 is 10 or below ( but for injectables they do).

[toothfairy2be]

I'm not sure, not at my doctors anyway. I only had my 7dpo levels tested afer I left my RE. So, I guess they supplement regardless because it can't hurt anyhing, even if your levels are high enough without it they know a little more is better than risking not enough. I know at my new doc I'm supplementing because my 7dpo levels were great (16.9 once then 33 next time) but I have a late LPD which basically meant those 'great' levels plummeted at 9 dpo instead of staying elevated until 12dpo, which caused my spotting. So I don't need a huge dose, just enough to stop the spotting.

[Stevi]

I've never had mine tested. I'm going with the thought that it can't hurt if I don't actually need it.

[planegreen]

I used progesterone pills (I'm sorry I don't remember the exact drug name, it was a replacement I think).  I took them orally for two months.  I started taking them because I had a funky miscarriage that ended in a late D&C.  My doc believes I lost the baby because when the natural transfer around 8-9 weeks goes from your body to the plecenta taking over, I didn't have enough prog. to sustain the pregnancy.  These are just his thoughts, not tested or anything.  Then in the weeks following the D&C I was tested and my prog. was basically zero.  So I needed some to sustain any new pregnancy that might happen. 

The pills made me feel like I was drunk for a short time about 2 hours after I took one.  It was not fun and I disliked it very much. 

This cycle I am taking 100mg Progesterone.  I take it as a vaginal supplement and am happy to report I am having zero side effects other than the draining that is to be expected.  I insert the pill twice a day.  I am so much happier with this than with the oral pill. 

So... that's my story! 

[Stevi]

I would like to try the Crinone, but it is a bit pricey.

So, I'm looking at the Prometrium 200

Can anyone tell me how long you take progesterone into a pregnancy?

[toothfairy2be]

Stevi- my understandng is until at least 12 weeks as it takes that long for the placenta to take over creating progesterone.

[Stevi]

ToothFairy2be...   Thank you!

[LittleKind]

Do you ladies know if the otc cream is worth trying? Should I ask my dr to check my progesterone level? For whatever reason, my doc (at Kaiser) is really hesitant to do any kind of hormonal testing because he says my two miscarriages are just bad luck since I have a healthy 2 year old already. I'm taking matters into my own hands!! But I need help :)