Inducing AF w/ Progestrone?

[Jenren]

Hello. I was just wondering if any of you ladies out there who have been through this could offer me some insight? I went in for my RE consult last Thursday and she told me that she would like to do a baseline u/s when af arrives. The trouble is that I don't o or get af regularly and so she said that if that is the case this month she would induce my period with progestrone. I've heard that this can be a terrible experience and am wondering if you ladies could offer any words of wisdom? Are there any natural ways to do it? Af, if she comes this month, is due between the 22nd and 25th, so she still has a little bit of time. All of this sitting around and waiting stuff is just making me a wreck THanks for any advice/ personal experiences!!

[~Adorkable~]

i am doing it right now to end a 100 day cycle that came out of pretty much nowhere. last pill of a 7 day cycle on 10mg was sunday night, they say it can take up to two weeks for af to show, though most see her in about 5 days or so. So far i have felt nothing related to the pills, cept a few twinges in my left ovary that has been sensitive all cycle.
in the big picture of all the things that can want to do to you, this ones seems pretty mild.

the other thing you can do is read this, it has lots of natural info. i attempted many of then for a long while first, no luck for me, but i hear they do work for some.
http://www.sisterzeus.com/Emmeno.htm

[Flower of Bliss]

I have PCOS and have used progesterone to induce my cycle several times. I bought progesterone cream at GNC. I put it on my hands, belly, and/or thighs. I generally start a cycle within a couple days of starting this. I discontinue use as soon as I start to bleed. I have not had noticeably different cycles after using the progesterone. On their own, my cycles are usually 45-65 days long and anovulatory. I've never tried to induce after less than 30 days.

HTH,
Sage

[~Adorkable~]

you start bleeding before you stop the progesterone? i thought we bleed from the withdrawal of the proges.

maybe it is because you are using a topical and there for have a unsteady amount sinking in. good to know that that is a option, makes sense.

[Jenren]

Thank you ladies for your stories and advice! I called me RE this morning wanting to know what kind of progestrone she would want me to use and she said Provera. Have you ever used it before? Do you know what the side effects are? I would rather do something natural if possible. I just don't want anything too drastic or strong because I have some pretty bad reactions to certain BCP's and Depo Provera. Thanks!!

[~Adorkable~]

i am using Provera. just finished with my week long dose of it and am now waiting for AF to arrive. I have no notable side effect except a slight ovary pain, but i have a oversensitive ovary as i have said before.
i am also someone that has had horrible side effects on BC. now that all being said, this is as the name implies, a very small dose of the same thing that is depo provera. so if you had a very bad reaction to that drug particularly, you will want to make sure the doctor knows that.

there is a optional drug that is suposed to be like natrual progesterone, also starts with a P, name excapes me right now. Doctors vary on whether it is as good, it is no offically used for hte whithdrawl test, but used for it often enough that it would not be a issue to get if if you want to stay away Provera.

did you look at the website i posted? it has some pretty great info a lot of ladies have used to do things naturally.

question? what are your cycles lengths like normally, what kind of range? do you chart, can we see?

[ORxPlant]

I did it twice to try to stimmulate PPAF while BFing. The first time DS was 12-mos and the last time he was 18-mos. The doctor explained one of 3-things would happen:

1. nothing
2. PPAF w/ O
3. PPAF w/o O

Unfortunately, both times NOTHING. I also had no side effects so hopefully you will get the results you want w/o any downside.

[RunnerDuck]

Originally Posted by Rivka 

you start bleeding before you stop the progesterone? i thought we bleed from the withdrawal of the proges.

maybe it is because you are using a topical and there for have a unsteady amount sinking in. good to know that that is a option, makes sense.

You aren't supposed to start AF until the progesterone is dc'ed... but that's how it went for me, too, when I tried the cream. The theory is you use it to give your body a "break" and clear up cysts or whatever... no ovarian activity while on it... and then you go off and have a bleed... But when I used it, I think like 6 days in I started bleeding like a stuck pig. I have read some theories to the effect that the bleeding is the cysts breaking up and keep using the cream anyway... but i don't believe it, personally. I think NPC and I just don't get a long. There are some women who use it when they are pregnant to help the pregnancy stick but I would never trust it for that because of how I respond.

there is a optional drug that is suposed to be like natrual progesterone, also starts with a P, name excapes me right now. Doctors vary on whether it is as good, it is no offically used for hte whithdrawl test, but used for it often enough that it would not be a issue to get if if you want to stay away Provera.

Prometrium? This is what I have been given to take after O during injectables cycles. There are concerns about Provera (synthetic) being safe in pregnancy but Prometrium (natural) is supposed to be OK. Seems Provera is usually used to induce AF - maybe it is stronger, works faster, I dunno? but prometrium is sometimes used, too.

As for the process of using Provera being hard... well... I have done it a few times. Three, I think? The first two nothing remarkable happened. No side effects, AF started in the normal amount of time. The 3rd time I took it, though, I had the worst PMS for 3 weeks and no AF... they sent me for blood work and AF started when I went to use the bathroom on the way out of the building the lab was in. Go figure. :P

I wouldn't be too afraid to induce AF with provera but prometrium is another option. I have heard less complaints of side effects with it. I gotta say, though, while on it, I have been just as crabby and constipated and needing to eat through the refridgerator as with "normal" PMS... but I always took it after actual ovulation so who knows what to blame that on?

[~Adorkable~]

yeah Prometrium what just what i was thinking about and could not remember. i have heard abpout hte same things you have, my dr did want to use it he said it did not work as well, who knows.

so i am one week post Provera and i think i may be able to call today CD1, i have been spotting since friday. but so little. i really wonder what to call acutall bleeding. i have a bunch of other test to do on CD 3 otherwise i would care what to call what. i have never spotted in the past and have no reason to think that this will be a light flow once it starts (u/s showed normal lining thickness) so i wonder with me, what to call heavy spotting and what is flow? so i think i will just call it CD1 and stop fussing.

i have also has pains since about thursday, but nothing that i would normally call cramps, they are sharper and seem to wander from ovary to ovary , rather than a central general and lower tug i feel with normal cramps.

who knows, i think i am going to do a parsley thing today/tonight, hoping to kick the bleeding in a bit more