PAL after Recurrent Losses - come join us!

[puppycat]

Thanks girls. I'm taking each day as it comes. It's far easier when we have nothing planned of a day and i can do things slowly, today will be hard because not only does it factor in a food environment but its a kids place so will be very loud and busy and possibly overwhelming (maybe even a little smelly? Gah!) Lol.

Don't get me wrong girls, i am willing to deal with anything if it means my bean is healthy but i can't help worrying how MY body is holding up, you know?

 

[filipenko32]

Well sunny, there are a few tests for progesterone. One is cd 21 to check you have ovulated - I think the number has to be over 15. The other is a simple blood test usually done in conjunction with hcg. I think the number should be 20 or more to show that the pregnancy is ongoing. With my second mc my number was 15 and the doc told me that was a sign of a failing pregnancy. If the progesterone number is going down that is a bad sign too but it doesn't rise or double like hcg it just has to be a certain stable number and it doesnt have to be extremely high. There are many successful pregnancies when the number is low -ish. The docs ive seen have the attitude of 'giving the progesterone a go' but that if it's low to begin with it's because the pregnancy is not sending the right signals to the body to produce more proest to support the pregnancy because the pregnancy is failing anyway rather than the 'cause' is low progesterone iykwim. But like I say, I've heard other docs believe in progesterone to turn a pregnancy around. Hope this is helpful!

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

eugh i feel crap... iv got a head cold

How are you lovely ladies??

 

[sunny74]

Well sunny, there are a few tests for progesterone. One is cd 21 to check you have ovulated - I think the number has to be over 15. The other is a simple blood test usually done in conjunction with hcg. I think the number should be 20 or more to show that the pregnancy is ongoing. With my second mc my number was 15 and the doc told me that was a sign of a failing pregnancy. If the progesterone number is going down that is a bad sign too but it doesn't rise or double like hcg it just has to be a certain stable number and it doesnt have to be extremely high. There are many successful pregnancies when the number is low -ish. The docs ive seen have the attitude of 'giving the progesterone a go' but that if it's low to begin with it's because the pregnancy is not sending the right signals to the body to produce more proest to support the pregnancy because the pregnancy is failing anyway rather than the 'cause' is low progesterone iykwim. But like I say, I've heard other docs believe in progesterone to turn a pregnancy around. Hope this is helpful!

when did they give you the test fili the one in conjunction with hcg? how many weeks were you?
very helpful thanks, i'm not too worried just one thing that lots of you seem to be on and its never been mentioned to me

How are you feeling today? take it easy your body does need to recover

 

[filipenko32]

It was my second mc and my hcg was 3000 ish and my progesterone was 15. I was 7.4 but the pregnancy was showing 6.4 crl and it had a large yolk sac with a strong heartbeat at the time of the scan. Doc immediately said the progesterone level showed it was failing. They took my levels as if a pregnancy has a large yolk sac there is a 40% chance of success so he wanted to see if this would be ongoing I think. Suddenly going on progesterone wouldnt have turned it around. I've been on progesterone supplements for mc 3 and 4 so you see why I don't think it works, in my case anyway, can't speak for anyone else.

 

[petitpas]

Puppy, I totally get you
Yesterday I did a bit more than usual physically (sorting through boxes, clearing my wardrobe etc). I was careful, sitting on a stool whenever possible, trying not to bend forward too often etc. but it was still too much. I was totally paralysed by horrible waves of nausea come evening. I still dread going to food places and I don't have children to contend with.
I don't know if you can manage it but all I can advise is to get a nap in if possible, that seems to help.
Big

Sunny, I think fili has summarised the tests nicely. The day 21 (supposed to be 7dpo if you manage to track ov) test gives a good indication whether your hormones are doing what they are supposed to do. The most typical signs of a progesterone problem, I believe, are spotting for a number of days before af and/or a luteal phase of nine days or less.
In terms of pregnancy, the typical sign of a problem would be if the pre-af spotting still happened and possibly continued.
Obviously, low progesterone and early spotting could also be caused by your body trying to rid itself of a non-viable pregnancy.
For me, if there was a pattern to my miscarriages where I had this early spotting then my alarm bells would be ringing regarding my progesterone. I would at the least be asking for supplements to take once ovulation is confirmed. I would also be asking the doctor whether we could help my egg development in the first half of my cycle in order to have a better luteal cyst (which is what produces the progesterone).

 

[jenny25]

when i go for my scan on wed i think i will be between 5+3 and 5+6 what should i see at that stage ? x

 

[filipenko32]

I think you should definitely see the gestational sac and hopefully the yolk sac! X x x

 

[sunny74]

It was my second mc and my hcg was 3000 ish and my progesterone was 15. I was 7.4 but the pregnancy was showing 6.4 crl and it had a large yolk sac with a strong heartbeat at the time of the scan. Doc immediately said the progesterone level showed it was failing. They took my levels as if a pregnancy has a large yolk sac there is a 40% chance of success so he wanted to see if this would be ongoing I think. Suddenly going on progesterone wouldnt have turned it around. I've been on progesterone supplements for mc 3 and 4 so you see why I don't think it works, in my case anyway, can't speak for anyone else.

Thanks fili, so you wont go on the prog again for your next one then?

Puppy, I totally get you
Yesterday I did a bit more than usual physically (sorting through boxes, clearing my wardrobe etc). I was careful, sitting on a stool whenever possible, trying not to bend forward too often etc. but it was still too much. I was totally paralysed by horrible waves of nausea come evening. I still dread going to food places and I don't have children to contend with.
I don't know if you can manage it but all I can advise is to get a nap in if possible, that seems to help.
Big

Sunny, I think fili has summarised the tests nicely. The day 21 (supposed to be 7dpo if you manage to track ov) test gives a good indication whether your hormones are doing what they are supposed to do. The most typical signs of a progesterone problem, I believe, are spotting for a number of days before af and/or a luteal phase of nine days or less.
In terms of pregnancy, the typical sign of a problem would be if the pre-af spotting still happened and possibly continued.
Obviously, low progesterone and early spotting could also be caused by your body trying to rid itself of a non-viable pregnancy.
For me, if there was a pattern to my miscarriages where I had this early spotting then my alarm bells would be ringing regarding my progesterone. I would at the least be asking for supplements to take once ovulation is confirmed. I would also be asking the doctor whether we could help my egg development in the first half of my cycle in order to have a better luteal cyst (which is what produces the progesterone).

HI petit, sorry your feeling so sick, it wont last forever

I've never had spotting around af but i do beleive my luteal phase is short, b4 last mc my cycle was 21 days, the cycle after mc was pefect, i ov'd on day 14 (i felt it quite badly) and my cycle was a perfect 28 days, 2nd cycle after last mc i was ov testing until at least day 18/19 and nothing, so i gave up, thought that i wasnt going to ov and stopped testing, did a test 2 days after i was due and bfp. So i do think my luteal phase is short, and they found my Amh is very low at 3! but they said thats more a test of how many eggs i have left and not necessarily the quality.
I'm am fully prepared if this one doesnt work out as i then have all these little possibilities to investigate, but hey fingers crossed that isnt going to happen

 

[jenny25]

thanks guys the earliest scan i have ever had was 6+2 so im just trying too google so i dont get myself all worked up i have a scan on 28th as well at the epau at my hospital so i should see more that day wed is really too date it and make sure its in the right place x

 

[jenny25]

ps is it worth them doing hcg bloods on wed ? xx

 

[hopeful23456]

Woke up at 5 and can't sleep! So hungry...

NSN- happy 8 weeks!

Lou- happy 30 weeks! Will you get scan pics to show us?

Pip- very cute bump pic in your journal! Hope you are able to eat today with no nausea!

sunny- I has prog checked after ovu to confirm I ovu and took prog supp starting 48 hours after o. mine was low many months ago and I've been on them off and on depending on cycle for a long time now. I think I've inserted over 200 by now , and done with them on jan 23! They check prog at each beta at my clinic.

Jenny- I don't think they will check your hcg as they will go off of the sac at this point. And I agree with Davies was it? They will want to see sac and fetal pole maybe? you will be fine!

Puppy- hope you feel better soon! wish there was some magic cure for ms

I had a horrible nightmare last night and been up since. Had to get bad ghosts out of the house I grew up in (in real life the house was haunted, things would happen...)
But in the dream, i got rid of them. Whew. Lol

Davies- hello! Any good food today?

Fili- when you say football, is that soccer here in the us? I used to do p90x workout, have you heard of that one? Wasnt sure if they had it over there?

 

[jenny25]

thanks darling , sorry you cant sleep hun huge hugs , i just fed the dog and all i can smell is huge wiffs of the bloody dog food *boak* xx

 

[puppycat]

My mum just came over to change Laura's dirty nappy. Lol. Isn't it ridiculous! Laura wanted to go back home with her so she took her, she only lives 2 streets away so quite handy for those emergency situations like a shitty nappy! Sigh.

 

[jenny25]

hahaha awesome lucky enough i dont need to worry about that aarron is 7 tho when hubby goes to the loo its another story lol x

 

[filipenko32]

Jenny, I don't think it's worth them doing bloods if you're having a scan, they can tell by the scan x x what do you mean about ov dates? I never understood that as I always go by LMP
Sunny no I will use it again as it's supposed to do something immunological too for high nk cells but not sure I quite believe that either but beggars can't be choosers lol!! If they told me to say supercalifragilisticexpalodocious 7 times a day whilst standing on my head id do it!!
Hopeful, yeah soccer and football I think are the same things! Hate the game myself, silly boys Faffing around trying to get a ball in a net. Yawn.

 

[jenny25]

i have long cycles so i dont ov on cd 14 which will give me a different due date to girls who start there cycles at the same time as me xx

 

[mandy1971]

Hi girls,
got my bfp last week I'm somewhere between 5 plus 4 and 4plus 5 comparing lmp date and actual ovulation date.
I've been spotting since 12dpo ish cm tinged brown initially and gradually over the week its got slightly heavier over the past 2 days. mild cramps(now stopped) 2 days ago so taking that as a good sign as I did cramp with my other3 pregnancies early on which ended in miscarriage all at the 5 week stage.
got a scan booked for friday( so wish the time would fast forward to then..).

I want to ask the ladies who are taking progesterone a few questions.
I wondered if you had been diagnosed with a luteal phase defect, and if so was it on day 21 blood, or during early pregnancy it was diagnosed>?
my day 21 bloods in November were ok apparently.
going to see the midwife tomorrow and will speak to her about it. I know from some reading online that some medics dont rate it unless a lp defect is diagnosed and that some say it can delay a miscarriage.
would it be worth asking midwife to test my progesterone levels tomorrow>? Anyone had this done in pregnancy>?

 

[hopeful23456]

Mandy- welcome! I wasnt diagnosed with a luteal phase defect but just had low prog many months ago. It was good when I was on clomid it they still had me take it (last summer). And was fine after that too. The stim meds help to raise it.
It did not delay my mc in aug.

I would ask to have it checked because I think you should be on it if your prog is low, just in case. Mine got checked at every beta as I go to re who specializes in rpl/if.

 

[Mon_n_john]

I have had low progesterone with several of my miscarriages. Just in case I am always put on progesterone when pregnant. I stay on it until week 14.

If you are going to be tested the crucial time to be tested is 7 DPO, not just CD 21 as you may ovulate earlier or later. I have always been told "it can't hurt".