Progesterone supplement symptoms

[SusieRose]

Hi, I am 6 weeks pregnant after 3 consecutive mc's. I had an early scan 1.66mm tiny baby!! I have had continual back ache and the dull ache pains in belly which my pregnant friend tells me are normal but of course I have nothing to compare them to. My doctor has prescribd me with progesterone supplements and aspirin. My only pregnancy symptoms are the sore boobs which I had before the supplement. My question is, has anyone else taken these supplements? I am worried that they will still give me sore boobs, tiredness etc and cover up any signs of mc. My previous ones were all mmc. Where the embryo died before becoming a feotus but I did not pass untill around 11 weeks. I don't want the same thing to happen but the supplements cover it up. Thanks

 

[new37]

Hi susierose

I'm on the progesterone suppositories after 2 mmcs and I wondered the same thing. I don't know the answer but I am fairly convinced that our ms symptoms are just not a good indicator of a viable pregnancy bc I've had slightly different ms symptoms for all 3. First one I had almost no symptoms, and we found a mmc at my 12 weeks scan. Second one i had weak ms symptoms the whole time, found out again at 12 weeks scan baby never grew past 8-9weeks and for that one I still had symptoms even after my d n c (sheer hell). This pregnancy they put me on progesterone and I've had symptoms the whole but this time they are a bit stronger. I'm currently 3 days away from the 13 wk scan which I'm terrified about bc this is when we found out last two times it was a no-go. But I'm hopeful bc I'm on the progesterone now.

The other thing is all my family and girlfriends tell me every preg is totally different in terms of symptoms. My dr also told me that the progesterone in the supplements is different than the naturally occurring progesterone our bodies produce. So it would actually make sense to me that our ms symptoms are likely more connected to our naturally produced hormones rather than the progesterone in the supplements. Also I've been on them the whole 12 weeks so far - my ms symptoms were strongest mid way thru, and the ms often stops for a couple days and starts again- so if I was getting symptoms from the supplements I think the symptoms would be consistent all the way thru....?

Can you tell I'm over- thinking things?

Anyway thanks for this post I would love to hear what others have to say. And good luck with your pregnancy!!!

 

[SusieRose]

Hi, New 37. Sound the same as my last two. Have you still been spotting while on the progesterone? I've been trying to find out about it and have found its supposed to stop spotting. My stomach cramps are not too painful but the back ache is. Then I've had the worst breast pains paid time compared to other ones. When I had the scan in the last mmc there was just a sac, would a tiny baby had shown up? Let me know how you get on in 3 days time. Xxxx

 

[amjon]

I haven't had any added symptoms from it, except may constipation, but that could be because of twins too. I haven't had a bit of spotting since I've been on it. Are they going to scan you to check for MMC? That's what I would ask for. (And I got worse MS in my MMC pregnancy AFTER the baby had died- no progesterone.)

 

[MiniMe30]

Hi ladies,

Do you mind me asking what situations brought you to be given progesterone supplements?

I'm currently waiting to miscarry our second angel (stopped growing at 6+1) & when TTC my cycles were all over the place/some annovulatory, which led to me being put on Clomid. The Clomid led to me ovulating earlier & getting pregnant on the first go, but I'm wondering if low progesterone is the cause of both my miscarriages. I'm going to ask for tests as soon as this is over and I have my first post MC period.

 

[amjon]

Hi ladies,

Do you mind me asking what situations brought you to be given progesterone supplements?

I'm currently waiting to miscarry our second angel (stopped growing at 6+1) & when TTC my cycles were all over the place/some annovulatory, which led to me being put on Clomid. The Clomid led to me ovulating earlier & getting pregnant on the first go, but I'm wondering if low progesterone is the cause of both my miscarriages. I'm going to ask for tests as soon as this is over and I have my first post MC period.

My FS said he puts all recurrent MC patients on it as a precaution, but I do think mine was low this time as I got a temp drop like I do right before AF.

 

[new37]

Hi girls

It's so great to talk to people who have gone thru mmcs before. I hate the literature out there bc they make it sound so rare and I've only been prego twice before this and both were mmcs.

Susie - I had some spotting at around 6 weeks. I had a scan then and the US showed a spot inside where the placenta was attaching, that was bleeding a little. The US technician told me that almost all women show bleeding inside at 6-7 weeks due to the placenta attaching however the blood does not always come out (as spotting or bleeding) - sometimes it's completely absorbed inside and you never see it. So I never got any further spotting after that. However I did read on here that the suppositories can irritate your cervix and cause some spotting. That was my experience anyway - I'm not sure if it will stop the spotting as I only had spotting once - I didn't have it in the other 2 pregnancies.

Amjon - I have had some constipation this pregnancy too - I don't think I had it before in the other pregnancies. Maybe that IS a side effect of the progesterone .... However it's not consistent - it's on again off again..... Since I've been on progesterone that whole time consistently I just would have thought the constipation would be consistent too - but who knows.....

Minime - I'm so sorry - my heart goes out to you. Both of my MCs devastated my husband and I. It's so hard to prepare yourself to completely change your life and then have that taken away. I hope you r ok. When I had the first mmc dr said - 'meh, MCs happen - try again, no reason to think anything is wrong.' I was pregnant again about 6/7 months later and I had another mmc at the exact same time (found at 12 wk scan) virtually the same scenario (fetus only grew to 8-9 weeks). So my OB was reluctant but we pushed him to send us to a fertility specialist (my OB had the same attitude again - meh, MCs happen... Nothing is wrong- I love him but we really wanted to check things out). Fertility specialist ran a ton of tests on me and my husband and found nothing wrong. He thinks due to timing of my MCs that I have something called lutenal phase defect - which has several scenarios but for me he thinks its likely that my body isn't producing enough progesterone to get the fetus thru until the placenta can take over (which happens around 10-12 weeks). So he put me on progesterone. I guess we'll find out in 3 days if he's right..... I'm in Canada so I'm not sure it's available here but I have heard some people in the states or maybe it was the UK on here, that are able to buy progesterone cream over the counter. If its something u would want to try, it certainly won't hurt anything....

 

[new37]

Oh and susierose - the empty sac - is that called a blighted ovum? One other thing I've heard is that once the fetus dies, it can start to be re-absorbed by the uterus and shrink... I have no idea how quickly but maybe a blighted ovum/empty sac is just a mmc but that the fetus is absorbed? Sorry just read that back and realized it sounds a bit gross....

(sorry for my gigantic posts all - it does feel good to talk about it to you guys and hear your stories too)

 

[MrsMoose]

Hi ladies

I'm on cyclogest (progesterone pessary....ugh!) 3 times a day after my second IVF cycle (FET). Doctor prescribes it up to 8 weeks I think because it's a frozen cycle. Last IVF cycle I only took it until I got my BFP, and then stopped, and I'm wondering if that's why I m/c (sudden loss of progesterone??). Anyway, the only symptoms I have are sore boobs and needing to pee a lot, other than that no m/s, so hard to tell if everything's ok.

Minime - I'm so sad for you hon I pray for strength for you and your OH during this time, I know it's not easy and it's completely and utterly devastating. My DH and I were shattered from my 3 lost angel babies, it's never easy to come to terms with. I hope that you find strength to get through this awful time

Carmen. xx

 

[sara75]

Hi ladies

I'm on cyclogest twice daily, the only symptoms I have is sore boob sometimes, and needing to pee a lot.

Minimi I am sorry to hear about your loss, ask for progesterone, my doctor did not test it but still gave me to it, in some countries they give progesterone to all pregnant woman, they say it might help, and will do no harm.

 

[new37]

Hi all - just had my 13 week scan and everything is great! I even got to see the baby moving!!! So I'm guessing the progesterone worked!!!

I have very little symptoms right now. Just a tiny bit of nausea, boobs are tender on and off and I can't eat large meals - I have to eat small portions.... I stopped the progesterone yesterday which would have been 12w 5 or 6 days (not 100% sure the correct lmp day)

Anyway, good luck with your pregnancies!

 

[sara75]

Yay for you new37, that is great to hear can I ask you when did your symptoms started?

 

[new37]

My symptoms started - near the end of the 4th week my boobs started getting tender and felt swollen. The only other early symptom of pregnancy i got was dry skin - which i dont hear to many other people talking about but apparently its from hormones.Then in the 5th week the nausea came and it was daily usually after eating or when I was hungry - never actually vomited. That was pretty consistent until around 8/9 weeks. Then the nausea got much less intense and would go away for a couple days and come back. It still comes and goes but less frequently and it's not very intense - although I wonder if I just have got used to it so I don't actually feel it much anymore....

 

[Ladywriter]

Hi everyone
I am posting here there and everywhere - which I hope you'll forgive! I too had two losses in early pregnancy before getting pregnant with my son (now four) and I had bleeding with him as well and was sure I was having a 3rd miscarriage. Luckily I too was given progesterone and bleeding stopped.
I am a writer doing an article for a newspaper on progesterone based on my experience and am also looking for other ladies to share their stories of progesterone.
If anyone here or reading this has suffered losses but gone on to have a healthy pregnancy thanks to progesterone, I would love to hear from you.
I completely understand it's very early days for some people here though.
But if anyone has got further along and would feel confident about talking about it, I would be really interested to hear from you. The article will debate why progesterone is not widely available to women in the UK, before numerous losses.
Any stories will be dealt with sensitively.
Thank you for reading and good luck

 

[new37]

Hi lady writer! What a great idea. I think the more information we can get out there the more help we can do with others. I would happily volunteer however I don't want to jinx myself. Given I've been preg only 3x including this one and the first two were MCs, I'm not willing to share anywhere else but here right now - maybe in another aprx 6 successful months or so go by ?

 

[SusieRose]

Hi All, sorry for such a delayed response. Everytime I have tried to use the site on my laptop it crashes. Anyway. I was prescribed 400mg twice daily because of 3 prior mc. I spoke to my dr about the spotting she said it would be normal pregnancy symptoms. I asked about the tender breasts etc too she said the hormones would not contribute or cause symptoms it is all just part of my pregnancy. I have also had constipation and quite bad morning sickness. My consultant had been seeing me every two weeks. I have had 3 scan so far and I am now 10 weeks 4 days. Heard the heart beat, saw his little legs kicking and so far all is well. I haven't had any more spotting other than after sex I did get bright red blood and bled for half an hour which then stopped with no spotting but had a scan the next day and everything has been fine. I have two more weeks of cyclogest and 75mg of aspirin till week 34. I also know someone else who has had 4 previous mc and is on week 16 after aspirin and cyclogest. Its all really exciting. MiniMe sorry to know you're going through it again. I know it only gets harder. Ask your doctor for it. They never did diagnose my reasons but like others said they prescribed me progesterone to relax my cervix and the aspirin in case it was clots. Xxxxx