Progesterone cream/pills? Possible TW

tgortney · November 2017

Anyone using them for their pregnancy?

I know they’re controversial since some doctors say they don’t help prevent a miscarriage but my doctor prescribe me some this time around.

I have both the cream with a 45mg suppository applicator and the 200mg pills. I’m wondering why the cream is less dosage than the pills. Currently, I’m using it nightly but just the cream. Recommended till 10 weeks gestation. My doctor didn’t specify it had to be at the same time every day. Anyone have experience with it and wanna share?

Thought I’d put it out there if anyone wants to discuss how it’s working and what dosage you’re being prescribed!

bdesterhouse · November 2017

I'm using them this time around. My best friend used them with all of her pregnancies. I am using the 200mg pills, no cream. If it gives baby a better shot even if it's small I'll take it.

bradybunchmom89 · November 2017

I'm using 100mg twice daily [morning and night] suppository and progesterone in oil once daily. I would think that the pill and suppository are just different dosages because it's a different type of progesterone.

Good luck!

tgortney · November 2017

@bdesterhouse are you taking the pills orally or vaginally? But I agree! Anything for a shot at a healthy baby!

@bradybunchmom89 wow! Any reason it’s multiple times a day? My OB only said nightly.

bradybunchmom89 · November 2017

tgortney said:

@bdesterhouse are you taking the pills orally or vaginally? But I agree! Anything for a shot at a healthy baby!

@bradybunchmom89 wow! Any reason it’s multiple times a day? My OB only said nightly.

I did IVF so part of it is that -- part of it is that when transferring the embryo my RE noted that my lining wasn't as "rich" as it should have been so she recommended adding additional progesterone.

bdesterhouse · November 2017

I do vaginally in the evening before bed. My husband has not been a fan... lol

ckmb_1250 · November 2017

I'm using the vaginal pill 200 mg since my 7dpo progesterone test - I was at 12.9 but my RE prefers above 15. They've told me to continue taking them, I assume it will be for the entire first trimester until the placenta begins making its own progesterone - is that everyone else's experience?

From my understanding, it would at least prevent miscarriage caused by a drop in progesterone, but not sure if that's 100% accurate.

wildtot · November 2017

TW - after my mc before three years ago my doc put me on progesterone every cycle after ovulation because I would spot. They are oral at the time. Once I got pregnant I took them vaginally every night till 13 wks. 200mg.

This time around I wasn’t expecting to get pregnant this past cycle but doctor (new) seemed skeptical it would help even though I tested with low progesterone. So I got my bfp and have been taking them vaginally again.

I feel like they did help me last time and I hope they do again this time. GL!!

dimeadozen · November 2017

I’m completely in the dark about them except what I read on here and light googling.
I got prescribed 200mg pills taken orally twice a day.
We had a loss in June so she said we should.
The NP mentioned it’s a muscle relaxer so it might make me tired. Anyone have that experience?

bdesterhouse · November 2017

gspmom21 said:

I’m completely in the dark about them except what I read on here and light googling.
I got prescribed 200mg pills taken orally twice a day.
We had a loss in June so she said we should.
The NP mentioned it’s a muscle relaxer so it might make me tired. Anyone have that experience?

Could be why I’ve been sleeping so good!

wildtot · November 2017

gspmom21 said:

I’m completely in the dark about them except what I read on here and light googling.
I got prescribed 200mg pills taken orally twice a day.
We had a loss in June so she said we should.
The NP mentioned it’s a muscle relaxer so it might make me tired. Anyone have that experience?

I was told to take it at night because it’s prone to make you tired. Wish I can say I’m sleeping better lol

tgortney · November 2017

How much is everyone paying for their creams?!

Previously, I paid $20 for 1 box of 6 applicators. DH just went and picked up another box and it was $105 this time! Apparently they only charged me for 1 applicator last time. Wtf.

dimeadozen · November 2017

@bdesterhouse @wildtot
I took it around 7 and fell asleep between 9:30-10.
The only thing that’s weird is I’m feeling cramps, like exactly what I would feel before AF.

The pharmacist said cramps could be a side effect, so I’m hoping that’s all it is.

wildtot · November 2017

@gspmom21i know sometimes I cramps as suppositories. I use to cramp whenever I would check my iud or any sort of pelvic exam. I occasionally cramp now but it could also be RLP.

@tgortney with my insurance I would pay 25ish for 30 days supply of suppositories.

bradybunchmom89 · November 2017

tgortney said:

How much is everyone paying for their creams?!

Previously, I paid $20 for 1 box of 6 applicators. DH just went and picked up another box and it was $105 this time! Apparently they only charged me for 1 applicator last time. Wtf.

Mine is around $130 for a month supply. (I am taking twice daily)

PatientlyWaiting10 · November 2017

***lurking from June '18***

I took progesterone orally with my DS and am taking again this time around. I have had 5 m/c and did not have progesterone tested with any of my losses (don't get me started, that's a whole 'nother topic). With DS my numbers started out great at I think 25 but then dropped 9 points within a few days so my doctor prescribed me prometrium supplements that day. I took them until 12 weeks and I have a healthy and happy one year old DS! This time around I was borderline at 15 and it only went up one point in a few days so my doctor prescribed them to me again. 100 mg/2x daily. Although nothing has been "proven" I am pretty sure this was what our problem was with our previous losses and it kind of makes me mad that I had to have so much heartache to get to this point.

I am stinkin' tired though and not sure if it's normal pregnancy related or a side effect from the progesterone.

@gspmom21 cramping early in pregnancy is very normal so I wouldn't be concerned as long as there isn't blood along with it! Like others have said, that can also be a side effect.

dimeadozen · November 2017

@wildtot and @patientlywaiting10 thank you ladies! I had cramping a little bit, where I imagine my ovaries are (bad with anatomy), that happened the first time and I figured that was pretty normal. I wasn't worried too much. The cramps I had last night and this morning were a little different, they were in my stomach. But I need to stop being worried for every little small thing!!

Congrats @patientlywaiting10! Sending prayers for you and your little family to have a beautiful sticky baby

ckmb_1250 · November 2017

Wow, surprised at the costs of the cream! My suppository pills were maybe $10 for a month supply. Wonder why they suggest creams vs pills or vice versa.

cseley321 · November 2017

For my previous pregnancy I was on oral and vaginal inserts, 3 times a day. This time i have to take it via a shot in my leg muscle every day until about 11 weeks

therealbitts · November 2017

I had low progesterone during both of my pregnancies, so I've done the vaginal suppositories. Not fun, but necessary for me. I just called my doc when I got my positive test, and they prescribed me some for this pregnancy. Going to pick them up after work.

tgortney · November 2017

Anyone have brown discharge from their progesterone cream/gel?

wildtot · November 2017

@tgortney not this time around. With my son i was already spotting so it just looked weird with the progesterone. Maybe you have a sensitive cervix that its being irritated from inserting (I’ve never used the cream/gel). But if it’s brown it’s typically ok as it’s old blood. But call your doc to make sure.

kburg15 · November 2017

I’m also taking the 200 mg pills twice daily vaginally. My level was 7.4 at 4 weeks 2 days, and the midwife said that it would ideally be above 10. TW I had an early loss in July, so hoping the pills help this one stick. I’ve also read that there’s a possibility nursing can lower progesterone, which I’m still doing as well, so maybe that’s why the dosage is so high? Not sure.

purplepelican · November 2017

I take 100 mg progesterone vaginal suppositories, 50 mg in the morning, 50 mg at night. Progesterone in pill form is harder for the body to absorb and a less efficient and more indirect manner of administering it because it has to go through the digestion process. That's probably why the pills are so much higher than the suppositories. Suppositories are more easily absorbed directly into the blood stream. My doctor said that the suppositories get the progesterone "right to the source" haha.

tgortney · November 2017

@kburg15 my progesterone level was 4.8 at 5 weeks and 1 day and I’ve been doing supplements once a day since 4 weeks. I’m wondering if I need to up my dosage

kburg15 · November 2017

@tgortney you might ask. I mentioned to my midwife that insurance only wanted to pay for me to take one and she was adamant that I take them twice daily.

echo-charlietango · November 2017

I am using an OTC progesterone cream that I picked up from GNC, I just use the recommended 1/4 tsp morning and bedtime.

I was working with an OB-GYN for unspecified infertility, and each month I got blood draws (measuring my progesterone) on CD21, 23, and more if he wants. Last month my levels started at 15 (highest ever!), then declined quickly down to 8.

A week later I got the BFP. I emailed my doctor right away and notified him that 1) I got that positive, and 2) that I was supplementing progesterone since mine was already low. I guess he agreed with me, because I haven't heard back from him. For the record, this is my first ever pregnancy, so we're in uncharted waters here...

*crossing fingers*

ckmb_1250 · November 2017

This thread may be dead, but for those of you taking progesterone supplements, when did your Dr tell you to stop? Mine told me to stop of 12/14, but I'll only be 10 weeks along. I thought the placenta just began taking over around week 10, so it seemed a little early.

wildtot · November 2017

ckmb_knottie said:

This thread may be dead, but for those of you taking progesterone supplements, when did your Dr tell you to stop? Mine told me to stop of 12/14, but I'll only be 10 weeks along. I thought the placenta just began taking over around week 10, so it seemed a little early.

Around 12 wks. I stopped it at 13 last time cause i was paranoid but 12 Is when i thought the placenta was fully up and running.

purplepelican · November 2017

ckmb_knottie said:

This thread may be dead, but for those of you taking progesterone supplements, when did your Dr tell you to stop? Mine told me to stop of 12/14, but I'll only be 10 weeks along. I thought the placenta just began taking over around week 10, so it seemed a little early.

My RE wants me to stay on progesterone suppositories until 12 weeks.

Lelo2006 · November 2017

Anyone elses levels all over the place? Mine has gone from 50 to 25 to 24 to 60 to 17. I wish they wouldn’t tell me my lab results. It just stresses me out.

am I the only one who has the worst autocorrect problems on the app? I can barely type anything!

wildtot · November 2017

@Lelo2006 my levels haven’t been retested. Is your doctor concerned?

Lelo2006 · November 2017

@wildtot they test them weekly. If it doesn’t go up next week, I have to switch to the daily shots.

I hadnt taken my morning losenge before the blood test. Do you think that could make the difference?

wildtot · November 2017

@Lelo2006 how do you take your progesterone (sorry if you mentioned it before i couldn’t find it)

Lelo2006 · November 2017

wildtot said:

@Lelo2006 how do you take your progesterone (sorry if you mentioned it before i couldn’t find it)

No worries! I don’t think I mentioned. 3 suppositories (100mg) and 3 lozenges (200 mg) per day, morning, noon and night. That’s an f load of progesterone so I have no idea why it would be low. The nurse told me that the doctor wanted to make sure I was taking my meds. Duh, I’m not stupid... of course i am! My appt was at 7:45 and I get super dizzy when I take the lozenge so I was just waiting to eat something with it.

wildtot · November 2017

@Lelo2006 holy cow that’s a lot!! Maybe give it a try taking it before testing. Do you need to be fasting?

sm05-2 · November 2017

I am taking oral prometrium capsules vaginally. Started out with two a day (for a total of 200 mgs), moved up to 3 x a day when I got my sch, but now that that’s resolved, I’m back down to two. At 10 weeks I’ll take it once a day, then at 12 weeks I’ll stop. My RE said the placenta starts taking over in the 8th week, and does so fully by week 10, but we are doing a little overlap to be safe.

I haven’t been getting my levels tested because she said it would be inaccurate with my pills, and I hope that’s right.

Lelo2006 · November 2017

wildtot said:

@Lelo2006 holy cow that’s a lot!! Maybe give it a try taking it before testing. Do you need to be fasting?

Next week I will definitely take it before testing. I DO NOT want to do the shots. I already do estrogen every 3 days and that's not enjoyable. Every day multiple times is NOT my jam.

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Progesterone cream/pills? Possible TW

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