progesterone anyone?

[lilyannabella]

Hi everyone, just a quick question.. i am on progesterone ( crinone gel 8%) until i am 12 weeks pregnant. I am so scared to stop.. my pregnancy was a result of FET..i am wondering if there anyone has any experiences taking progesterone and just stopping cold turkey and was fine.
I asked for a blood test before I have to stop but my clinic said it isnt necessary as the placenta should take over by then. My 12 week scan is 4 days will be 4 days after i have stopped taking my progesterone. .what should i do?

 

[His Princess]

I was also prescribed Crinone after IVF. Like you, I was told to take it everyday until 12 weeks (or day 70). However, I was then told to take it every other day from day 70-76, to ween myself off of it. Like they said, by week 12, your placenta should definitely have taken over, which is why I think they don't test your levels before taking you off of it.

If it offers you any comfort, I took it as prescribed and I'm 22 weeks tomorrow x

 

[lilyannabella]

Thank you!! It actually does if me alot of comfort. Its just so strange my last crinone gel will be when i am 11 weeks and 6 days so i am so nervous and scared its my first pregnancy and I have been trying since 2010. I thought it would be easier when i got my BFP but the journey to 12 weeks is just as hard as the 2 weeks wait!

 

[His Princess]

It's natural to worry. I'd love to say it gets easier over time but unfortunately it doesn't. I still panic daily and I don't think the worry will stop until I'm holding my baby boy in my arms.

Unfortunately, when you've had a rough ride as it seems we both have, it takes some of enjoyment out of it, but I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine. I was worried about stopping it to but I'm sure the placenta starts kicking in around 10 weeks and would have taken over completely by the time you're due to finish the gel. It may be worth calling your clinic and checking whether you should ween yourself off of it over the course of a few days, just to put your mind at rest x

 

[adr75050]

I did IVF and FET also and I am on progesterone injections. I have my 12 week scan tomorrow even tho I am only 11 weeks and 4 days then. I am still doing injections. My doctor told me to stop injections at 9 weeks 2 days for one night so they could test my level. I did and my level was not where they wanted it. They want a 15 and I was 11.4 . I was instructed to continue the meds for another week and test again at 10 weeks 2 days. i stopped injections for one night again and submitted to the test coming back with a 12.9 (still under 15). My doctor then told me i was too far along in my pregnancy for the fertility clinic to continue to see me and they referred me to my obgyn, but instructed me to continue the progesterone until my obgyn decided to discontinue it. When I meet with the obgyn tomorrow I am hoping they will do another progesterone test to see if I am finally making it on my own now.

I understand your worry tho. I was so mad at my fertility doctor for making me stop taking the meds for two days to test my levels. I was worried about my baby and felt it was best to play it on the safe side and just have me to the shots for the whole 12 weeks. But my fertility doctor claims it will be fine and nothing to worry about. I will feel some relief and not be worried after I see the baby tomorrow!

 

[lilyannabella]

I did ask them about being weened off and they said there was no point but maybe i will consider doing it on my own .

 

[His Princess]

I honestly don't think it made much of a difference by weening myself off of the them. Have they only given you enough to take until 11+6?

 

[marbear]

1st IVF and doing FET scheduled for Monday 3/23/2015. I start my progesterone injections tonight. I am so not excited. My doc does not use or allow me to switch to the gel until after a BFP..... I hope this all works out. Very nervous.

 

[His Princess]

1st IVF and doing FET scheduled for Monday 3/23/2015. I start my progesterone injections tonight. I am so not excited. My doc does not use or allow me to switch to the gel until after a BFP..... I hope this all works out. Very nervous.

I never used the injections but if I had the choice, I think I would have preferred injections over the gel. The gel can be a little bit messy

 

[adr75050]

I've used injections and vaginal suppositories. The shots hurt and leave my rear end a bruised mess, but I prefer it to the dealing with panty liners and the messy vaginal suppositories.

Lillyannabella - if it reassures you at all my doctor works with another fertility specialist and she was once my doctors client. She told me the entire first trimester her progesterone levels stayed in the 11's and never got to the 15 they wanted for both her IVF babies and both babies are 3 and 4 now. So that reassured me, hope it reassures you too.

 

[lilyannabella]

I honestly don't think it made much of a difference by weening myself off of the them. Have they only given you enough to take until 11+6?

Yes thats all they would give me i asked for 5 days extra and they said no. I was a bit hurt because i felt like they were pushing me out in the cold.

 

[lilyannabella]

I've used injections and vaginal suppositories. The shots hurt and leave my rear end a bruised mess, but I prefer it to the dealing with panty liners and the messy vaginal suppositories.

Lillyannabella - if it reassures you at all my doctor works with another fertility specialist and she was once my doctors client. She told me the entire first trimester her progesterone levels stayed in the 11's and never got to the 15 they wanted for both her IVF babies and both babies are 3 and 4 now. So that reassured me, hope it reassures you too.

Thanks so much for that!! I just dont have a clue what my progesterone levels are they have never checked.. that is exactly what my issue is.. i am completely left in the dark. They basically said to me i will just have to let nature take its course..i was fuming!!

 

[His Princess]

I don't think it's standard in the UK to measure progrsterone levels- in the same way that they don't measure HCG. From what I was told, progrsterone supplements wouldn't make a difference once the placenta is formed, which is why they stop it after 12 weeks or so x

 

[lilyannabella]

I don't think it's standard in the UK to measure progrsterone levels- in the same way that they don't measure HCG. From what I was told, progrsterone supplements wouldn't make a difference once the placenta is formed, which is why they stop it after 12 weeks or so x

Thanks so much for your input!! You actually have given me much better answers than my clinic!! I do feel more reassured now.

 

[WantaBelly]

I take Prometrium orally. This is the 5th Pregnancy I have taken it with. I remember the first time I took it I was SO scared to stop taking it. Now that I am in Nursing College I completely understand why it is ok to just stop taking it cold turkey. Before twelve weeks your little one was getting the progesterone it needed from you. After 12 weeks your little one is making its own progesterone so he/she no longer needs it from you. It begins to take over at 8 weeks and is fully completed by 12 weeks. It is natural to worry about it. You have made it this far, relax, put your feet up and enjoy your pregnancy.

 

[lilyannabella]

I take Prometrium orally. This is the 5th Pregnancy I have taken it with. I remember the first time I took it I was SO scared to stop taking it. Now that I am in Nursing College I completely understand why it is ok to just stop taking it cold turkey. Before twelve weeks your little one was getting the progesterone it needed from you. After 12 weeks your little one is making its own progesterone so he/she no longer needs it from you. It begins to take over at 8 weeks and is fully completed by 12 weeks. It is natural to worry about it. You have made it this far, relax, put your feet up and enjoy your pregnancy.

Thank you!! Sorry for the late reply i have been so poorly with morning sickness it was a hard couple of weeks.
Well i have one more week until i am 12 weeks and my friend who is a midwife sent over mote estradiol and crinone gel to last me one more week but i dont think i will be continuing either..

 

[salazjm218]

With my second pregnancy I had to take progesterone until the end of my first trimester. When I stopped I was a little scared but I had to trust my body. I didn't have any problems at all and everything turned out great (progesterone relationships anyways) I had my levels checked at 20w because I had a major bleed. I was diagnosed with complete placenta previa but was told my levels looked amazing and they were where they needed to be.

Sometimes you just have to trust that your body will do what it's supposed to, even if its a little hard.