Worried about my progesterone levels :(

[TaylorAnn]

In the beginning of this cycle, I was so pumped up and excited because for the first time in aaaaages I had a tonne of EWCM and we BD'ed at all the right times. Now I am completely bummed out. For the past 2 cycles, my length between periods has only been 24 days. Last cycle I had light spotting 2 days before my period, the cycle before that I had spotting 4 days before my period was due. My period is normally around 28 days, not 24.

I thought it might have just been 2 random occurrences, but now I am 9-10dpo and I have started light pink spotting again. I started temping this cycle as well, and I had a really big dip at ovulation, temps went up, but now they've dipped twice below the coverline. I don't know how accurate this is coz this is the first that I've charted, but I am worried sick I am crossing everything that can be crossed that the 2 other times were just random and that this time around it's an implantation bleed. But then when this first ever happened I got so excited that it was IB, but it just turned out to be the stupid spotting before my period is due. It's so frustrating, I never have this issue, but suddenly I've had it my past 3 cycles, and these are the 3 cycles that we've been really trying, how ironic is that?!

I'm nervous about going to my doctor because I've been going to him since birth and he's a great doctor, but also very casual with me because he knows my family and I so well. I know he'll probably just say 'what's the hurry, you're only young and have plenty of time'. But we want this now, and even if we weren't trying I would want to get my hormones in balance. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations on products/diet etc that I can use to naturally increase my progesterone levels? I don't want to use anything too drastic without being diagnosed incase I actually don't have an imbalance...

 

[pandi77]

Some women have a lot of luck with Vitex. It's a hormone balancer and not a mimicker so it's a more gentle option. A more drastic option which is what I used along with Vitex (Vitex alone wasn't enough for me) is Progesterone cream. I used the cream from O to AF and my spotting I always had a few days before AF came disappeared, my post O temps stayed high, and my luteal phase finally go to 14 days and I'm due next month. Neither of those options are really over the top by any means but I suppose for someone who hasn't tried anything the Vitex might be more of a "dipping the toes in the water" approach at first

It's sort of tough to recommend something tho if you have some worries without knowing your existing levels first. I'd almost say to still go get your levels done with some doctor (if not yours) that way you can feel confident in taking a next step if in fact your progesterone level is low. Good luck hun!