Progesterone supps worry

[LacePrincess]

I am such a crazy worrywart - no matter what happens I will never not be freaking out about something.

So yesterday's freakout was about my recent bloodwork. So far my bloods have been:

16dpo - bhcg 429, prog >127nmol/ml (>40ng/ml)

20dpo - bhcg 3089 (34 hour doubling time), prog 121nmol/ml (38ng/ml)

26dpo - bhcg 11735 (74 hour doubling), prog 103nmol/ml (32ng/ml), same day we saw a sac + yolk at 5w4d

After a bit of research the beta seems normal, as doubling time slows dramatically to 96+hours after 6000. Even though I worried this one a little I found enough different websites that confirmed after 6000 it slows a tonne so it's fine. Okay.

I also fretted about not seeing fetal pole yet, but the equipment couldn't even zoom in twice without going to mush, and my RE and tech told me I was crazy for expecting it too early, so okay. I can deal with that.

But the prog numbers made me flip out yesterday. Two declining prog results in a row does not comfort me! Not with two early losses, being over 35 (and prog production gets worse with age), and LPD all my life. So I pushed hard and my RE's office relented and Rx'ed me prog supps last night (they are gel caps 100mg, twice a day taken vaginally).

This morning I woke up with a brand new worry. My next scan is on Dec 21 (7w1d) and I was going to be okay since I know mmc are fairly rare and my two losses have all passed smoothly naturally. So as long as I didn't have any symptoms I was going to try to be assured things were progressing normally. But then today I started to worry - what if the prog stops what would have been m/c symptoms from showing up? What if I'm symptomless but now it means nothing because the prog is propping it all up?!? AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Help! I get perhaps the prog will prevent a full blown m/c from starting, but would there still be symptoms like cramps, bleeding, loss of symptoms if things were going wrong? I'm so afraid of mmc. But otoh, if a defective corpus luteum has been my problem, obviously the prog supps are needed. Can't win.

I am incredibly nauseous this morning (5w6d) which is great, but pessimistic part of me is thinking, maybe it's just the prog.....even though I only started the first dose last night, LOL. Oh man.

Would appreciate any advice or words of sanity please!

 

[kdmalk]

When I had a mc on progesterone, it didn't make a difference. I still started bleeding. It may take a little longer than it normally would to see the bleeding, but eventually your body is going to outweigh the effects of the progesterone.

And progesterone didn't make me nauseous at all, so I bet it's a good sign that things are going just fine.

Long story to say, you would know. So don't panic. I know I have really struggled with every little worry this pregnancy, so that is normal. Just try to take it one day at a time and focus on the positive things (like being nauseous, haha).

 

[LacePrincess]

kdmalk - THANK YOU!! That helps me very much. I usually do get a little nauseous from my own prog in the 2ww, and the supps have listed side effects including nausea so I was fretting about it masking loss of my existing symptoms. I've been on prog (Crinone) before for my IVF but I didn't even get a transfer let alone a bfp, so I have no idea how my body would deal with artificial prog if it was trying to bleed.

At least I don't have to wait too long for my next scan.

Sigh, it's always something.

 

[fairycat]

I agree.. when I was on progesterone, I still spotted and cramped. Although, I do think it held the pregnancy in, because once I came off I started cramping like a period and releasing some pieces of lining that were really dark red. I had my d&c before any real bleeding started (thank God). The progesterone didn't cause me any symptoms other than super sore boobs. I only had a couple days of nausea that were noteworthy and that was it. Hope this helps some. I hope everything is ok with your pregnancy.

 

[LacePrincess]

I agree.. when I was on progesterone, I still spotted and cramped. Although, I do think it held the pregnancy in, because once I came off I started cramping like a period and releasing some pieces of lining that were really dark red. I had my d&c before any real bleeding started (thank God). The progesterone didn't cause me any symptoms other than super sore boobs. I only had a couple days of nausea that were noteworthy and that was it. Hope this helps some. I hope everything is ok with your pregnancy.

That helps tremendously, thank you fairycat! I'm feeling a lot more reassured that the prog supps won't completely mask m/c symptoms.

My m/s has been ramping up this week, and starting to get evening nausea too, so fx this is all good signs. I'm still terrified of the worst but at least I don't have any evidence that my paranoia is anything but worry.

 

[fairycat]

I'm glad it helps! It is pretty terrifying, and I'd be worried if I were you too. MS is a good sign, keep it going! lol

 

[LacePrincess]

LOL if only I got to control things!

 

[Mrsmac02]

I've been wondering the same myself, so glad you posted this!

I'm using Progest E three times a day and wondered if it would mask mc or drag it out longer. I have very few symptoms like I did last time (so naturally thinking the worst) but I'm glad to know it'll happen eventually if it's going to happen! X

 

[LacePrincess]

I've been wondering the same myself, so glad you posted this!

I'm using Progest E three times a day and wondered if it would mask mc or drag it out longer. I have very few symptoms like I did last time (so naturally thinking the worst) but I'm glad to know it'll happen eventually if it's going to happen! X

It seems a common worry for sure!

I'm still symptom obsessing, but I'm told not bleeding or spotting is a reassuring thing. And that if a m/c were happening the prog wouldn't stop it.

All I can cling onto is that mmc are only 1% of all pregnancies, and my body knew how to start a m/c before.....I can only pray that my body doesn't get stupid all of a sudden and not realizing if things stop progressing.

Sigh, it's depressing but I can't seem to find any optimism despite no indications for worry. I'm just scared to hope, I'm still on my 'assume everything is doomed' self protection mindset.

Also it turned out I goofed the dose, lol. I reread the Rx bottle yesterday and realized it said TWO capsules twice a day. I had only been inserting one. Oops. Well no harm no foul I guess. Now I don't have enough to wean off at 10 weeks so I'll have to beg my RE for refill to wean off with, but I guess that's *if* I'm lucky enough to get that far. We'll see.

 

[Mrsmac02]

It's hard, particularly after a loss. I also keep telling myself statistically it's less likely, there's no bleeding or pain, I'm relatively healthy, at least I have DS, at least I know I can get pregnant etc. But the worry is still very much there!

I am trying very hard to stay positive. I just hope if it happens again, it happens quickly because last time I found out at 6w at a viability scan and it went on til 10.5w. It was an absolute nightmare! X

 

[LacePrincess]

Good lord that's horrible! My worst nightmare. Why in the world did it drag on so long if you knew it wasn't viable at 6w?!??

 

[Mrsmac02]

I went for a private scan at 6w3d was measuring around two weeks behind so, although I knew at that stage that it wasn't in any way viable (I couldn't be that wrong on my dates, i'd been using OPKs) I had to go for follow up scan two weeks later to check measurements. At the follow up they saw progression but no visible heartbeat so had to go back again a week later, when they eventually confirmed. I was booked in for medical management two weeks later (the first available slot!) but it happened on its own the next week X

 

[Mrsmac02]

Ps I think I was a pretty unfortunate case, I'm sure it doesn't happen like that often!

I've decided I'm not going for an early scan this time - ignorance is bliss! X

 

[LacePrincess]

Oh that is so difficult. I'm so sorry. The only silver lining I can find from my previous losses is that they didn't have to be drawn out affairs.

Cynical part of me is thinking well, maybe that's what you're in for this time.

I agree about ignorance being bliss! But I know too much now and will never have that illusion again. So better to just go in next week and get it over with, I just hate the timing. At least I see my RE right after the scan so no matter what I won't have to flounder in waiting for the next step for too long.