Natural Progesterone Cream Question!!!

[S_Dowd]

I posted this in the regular TTC board, but figured I might have more luck here!

Okay ladies here's the deal.

I had extensive bloodwork done to find out why I'm not getting pregnant (we've been trying for 2 years) And here is what we found out:

I have very slight insulin resistance
I have high cortisol levels
Very low vitamin D levels (in the 30's when it should be between 50 and 60!)
And absolutely no progesterone on CD 21

I had not ovulated at that point... I never ovulate before CD 21 and it has been as late as CD 36, before.

My nurse practitioner prescribed natural progesterone cream and she had me take 1/2 gram CD7-14 and 1 gram on CD 15-28 for my first cycle. That resulted in me starting my period on CD 21.

So then she changed it and had me take 1/2 gram on CD 7-14 1 gram on CD 15-20 and 1 1/2 grams on CD 21-28. The same thing happened... I started spotting on CD 20, I upped my doseage on CD 21, but I still started my period.

This cycle she wants me to take 1/2 gram CD 7-10 1 gram on CD 11-20 and 1 1/2 grams on CD 21-28.

I'm afraid that taking it that early is keeping me from ovulating, but she says that since my level is 0, taking a small amount will help me ovulate. I'm so confused because everywhere I read says to take it after ovulation.

Is she trying to force me to ovulate earlier? That would be nice, but I'm scared this is just working like BC pills. I'd appreciate some advice... plus I'm sick of the 21 day cycles! DH had to go buy me pads and tampons because I ran out!!! I'm used to cycles 33-48 days long... not 21! What do you guys think???

 

[S_Dowd]

Anyone?

 

[Blythe]

i use prog cream and use it to increase prog level in luteal phase for spotting

Yes you are right, if you are supplementing with prog most likely it will delay ovulation. Progesterone is commonly ingested in the form of birth control pills. Once your egg is released your prog levels should start rising....thats one of the useful things about temping as you can see this rise in prog reflected in increased temperatures.

if you are ovulating and you have zero prog levels in your luteal phase you probably wont have a strong chance of pregnancy either [CAVEAT: this is my understanding so please get this checked by someone with more experience of this or a doc].

However, i suspect she is using the cream to try to regularise your cycles and normalise prog levels in your luteal phase.....although i am unclear as to why she is asking you to take prior to your expected ovulation. Try googling for more info on this or get her to explain exactly what her intentions are [as it were!] because you must be comfortable with this...stress is one thing you don't need right now

 

[S_Dowd]

Thank you so much!!!

I actually don't know what my progesterone levels are after ovulation because she just did a CD 21 test to check my hormone levels, and I had not ovulated yet on that Cycle.

I think you're right and she's trying to regulate my cycles. I've tried googling and I get all different answers. It's really frustrating. There are so many different opinions on progesterone cream.

Oh and I've charted my basal body temperature for 2 years, but the progesterone cream is giving me inaccurate temperatures. Progesterone is the hormone that causes temps to rise, so as I increase the doseage of cream, my temps go up, so it looks like I'm ovulating even if I'm not.

I just bought some OPK's, so I'm going to try those to see if I can "prove" that I'm not ovulating. Then, I'll talk to her and tell her I'm not ovulating anymore, and why that is, etc.....

Maybe it's good to give my body a break from ovulating... I don't know. Maybe it will reset me or something. I've ovulated every cycle before this and I've never gotten pregnant, so I guess I don't have anything to lose. It's just frustrating to feel like you don't even have a chance of getting pregnant. Oy...

Thanks for your advice, I think I'll give it another cycle and then really talk to her about what her intentions are, etc.

 

[PinkPeony]

I'm not a doctor of course but that sounds really strange to me. Is she a specialist or just you GP? I don't see the big deal about ov-ing late as long as you're ovulating. And it seems dumb of your doc to give you a prog test when you hadn't ov-ed. It's meant to be 7 days after bc that's when you'll be at your peak levels. Have you tried Clomid? That will make you have a strong ovulation and should bump the day up. Also I found acupuncture moved my ov day up and heard the same result from a few other ppl on here.

 

[Blythe]

do you know im a little confused. Generally you ovulate so no issues there. the bloodwork was done CD21 which is great for us girls with a monthly cycle but no good if you ovulate later.....do they actually realise that you are ovulating regularly? Plenty of girls that ovulate later in their cycles get pregnant so long as you have a nice healthy [10+ days] luteal phase so im a little confused about what this nurse is doing.

theres a few things that can bring on ovulation like soy, clomid, vitex and acu [as pink says - hi pink ] but progesterone is certainly a new one on me.....

 

[S_Dowd]

Thank you! I think it's weird, too, but we have been trying for over 2 years and I ovulate every cycle, but it varies a lot. Some cycles it's CD 20 and some cycles it's CD 36. My luteal phase also varies. Most cycles it's 12 days and occasionally I have very light spotting a day or 2 before that, but I've had several cycles with a 9 day luteal phase. I know that's not normal, so I can tell I do have some kind of hormone imbalance.

I'm terrified to try clomid because I am really sensitive to any kind of drug and I've heard horror stories about symptoms. My sister had fraternal twins (naturally), which raises my chances of having twins without any fertility drugs, and I know someone that had quadruplets on clomid.... so it freaks me out a little bit lol.

She is just my GP, and she is really into trying to do things more naturally, which I really like. She said she's helped lots of women this way, and it just takes time to figure out the right doseage.

I do have to say that at first the cream made me an emotional psychopath, but this cycle I feel awesome since I started taking it, and I'm not emotional or depressed or irritable like I normally am.

Thank you all for your advice. I'm definitely going to do a lot more research. I think I may print some out and take it to my next appointment and have her talk me through it lol And I may put a 6 month time limit. So if in 6 months I'm not pregnant, I'll go to an RE.