Cyclogest - please tell me it gets better :(

[feesh]

Hi everyone, I'm new in here. I'm about 5-6 weeks preggers after super-ovulation treatment, and I've been on Cyclogest for a week (consultant's standard precautionary measure).

The thing is, it's making me SO ill that I can't even leave the house! I can't really describe it - it's kind of an all-round general ill feeling like the beginning or end of the 'flu.

I tried to go to the mall the other day, but as soon as I got there I needed to sit down, ended up stuffing my face with McDonald's, then had a massive McHotFlush and had to stay in there for a good 20 minutes after I finished eating. Then I went in the supermarket and felt so dizzy and sick that I couldn't focus at all and ended up going home with nothing for dinner.

I am basically housebound and if I don't give in to almost hourly cravings to eat something salty, I end up laid up on the sofa unable to move.

I am trying to cut down on the salty stuff as my blood pressure at the end of my 2WW (during which time I also took the Cyclogest) was higher than it's ever been in my life.

I know it's the Cyclogest making me feel like this, as (a) I was having a relatively symptom-free pregnancy before I started on it last week and (b) I felt similarly awful during the 2WW when I was also on it.

I understand that now I've started it again, I am committed to it until week 12, but is there any hope that my body might get more used to it? Because it's literally ruining my life right now :(

[OpheliasWeepingWillow]

I took cyclogest for the first twelve weeks and sorry, it did feel pretty grim. But! I ate little and often (mostly carbs TBH) and rested an awful lot. Pregnancy can also knock your body for 6...

[ellangirl]

Can you enquiry about a different type of progesterone? Cyclogest is pretty cheap, so I think they tend to prescribe that one first, but there's a few others, like crinone gel that might be better for you. The first few weeks of pregnancy are hard enough without extra symptoms! Bear in mind though, at 5-6 weeks normal pregnancy symptoms are kicking in as well, so it might not just be the cyclogest. How much cyclogest are you taking by the way?

[ellangirl]

Oh, and congratulations!

[feesh]

Thanks. I'm not in the UK and have very good private medical cover which the hospital gladly extracts as much from as poss, so I don't think cost is motivating their decision ;) I might go back and see my doc tomorrow, but I'm scared to stop or drop the dose in case it trigger anything.

I'm on 400mg pessaries twice a day, which I think is quite a high dose?

The sickness I'm feeling doesn't seem to be like normal pregnancy stuff, it feels like more of a general malaise and I actually feel like my whole system is out of whack to the point I feel like I'm not actually in my own body, a bit like when you smoke some weed which is too strong!

[ellangirl]

Ask them about swapping then. It won't trigger anything promise. It is only a precaution anyway. You have another 6 weeks so it's worth trying to sort it.

[SweetPea3]

It may just be early pregnancy symptoms, or - is there a chance that you might have ovarian hyperstimulation? Did you do IVF or clomid?

Are you having to do a progesterone blood test every few days? What is your level? Two pessaries a day isn't that high, although you could just drop down to one.

When I took Cyclogest it just made me really constipated and bloated at the start. I've also taken Prontogest/Gestone injections (which are more effective and more expensive), but I presume you would prefer not to have an intramuscular injection in your bum every night!

Definitely speak to your doctor about it

[flipflopson5thavenue]

I was on cyclogest pessaries twice a day following IVF cycle. I didn't have the sickness you're describing - sounds miserable, poor you - but I did feel pretty foul, but that may just have been early pregnancy. What did get me down was the constant, painful, bloat. I'd eat one or two mouthfuls of food and and immediately bloat up. It was so uncomfortable I could hardly bend and had to walk around rubbing my tummy for hours. Also, I looked about 5 months pregnant from about week 4.

Also, and TMI and all that, but the constant discharge is pretty gross too... urgh.

All I can say is that the weeks will pass.....you'll get there.

[feesh]

Sweetpea - I had Gonal-F injections to get preggers (not sure if they do those in the UK) so OHSS is a possibility. What are the symptoms? Would the doc not have picked it up on the scans I've had since?

I would actually prefer painful injections if they made me feel better. I just feel so spaced out and unable to do anything.

I don't think they're testing my progesterone - I had some bloods done last week but don't think it was part of it.

[feesh]

Thanks FlipFlops - yes I have the bloat too. I am HUGE and eating like a horse too. Sigh. And then there's the alternating constipation and diarrhoea!

[feesh]

Oh dear, just looked up symptoms of OHSS - I'm going to go and see the doc in the morning :(

[freelancegirl]

I was on it from BFP until 16 weeks pregnant after previously suffered recurrent miscarriage and hated it. I haven't looked up potential side effects but thought the nausea, tiredness and hunger was probably just pregnancy related anyway. What made me feel 10x worse, as others have said, was the chemically smell and all the discharge! I keep getting phantom smells of it even now am 28 weeks. ugh. No words of wisdom really except, it will pass. I ticked off the days until 16 weeks obsessively.

[feesh]

Do you know what, the discharge isn't actually bothering me at all! It's a bit yuk but it doesn't bother me as I am putting them in last thing at night and then again at 5am, so I'm not suffering in the daytime really with it at all. And I haven't noticed any kind of smell! Maybe all my friends have though!!!!

Funny how we all experience things so differently eh?!

[SweetPea3]

Yes, we some clinics use Gonal F here too.

How many eggs did they collect? Definitely ask the doctor re OHSS. You need to drink lots and lots of water and then some more. At least 3L a day. The bloating may make you feel less inclined to drink water, but drinking will actually help reduce it. If you have breathing problems you need to seek medical advice urgently.

Re leakage from the Cyclogest, how are you taking it? Vaginally or rectally? It is SOOOO much better rectally as you won't get an leakage or gunk.

Hope you feel better soon!

[SweetPea3]

Oops, that should obviously read "Yes, some clinics use Gonal F here too."...

Btw, another benefit of taking it rectally is that it slightly counters the constipation in that it helps lube things up a bit back there iyswim!

[feesh]

Hi all, thanks for your collective advice.

I went to see my doctor yesterday - she thinks it is just normal morning sickness and ruled out OHSS.

She's said I can cut down the Cyclogest to once a day - I didn't have one this morning and I feel SOOOOOO much better! I've managed to actually get out of the house and do stuff!

Hopefully 400mg is enough anyway.

Going for a scan on Thursday (6 weeks+) so fingers crossed.

[Noreenquigley1]

I am 5 weeks pregnant don't feel pregnant at all I'm on cyclogest a few days now my bloods were gud after taking the cyclogest for a day hadn't taken them before I took it p: 71.8, O 457, and Hcg: 2709 but I'm so worried as I think I've lost it already u know when u have that feeling that things are not as they should b I'm feeling very down at the min I've had 2 previous miscarriages in June2013 & oct 2013

[TheScenicRoute]

I'm on 400mg twice daily. I'm very bloated and was worrying that I was putting too much weight on so early (6+4). This has put my mind at rest thank you. Worth saying that I feel like my intestines have been punched and feel so bruised inside, I'm wondering now if Cyclogest is the culprit? Maybe.

[curiousparent2]

I was interested to read these posts about cyclogest. I am 10 weeks pregnant and, although usually an active person with a full time job and a toddler, I have been bed-bound for 4 weeks and counting. Can't get up for more than 10 minutes before having to curl back up and go to sleep. Can't hold a conversation. Other pregnancy symptoms as I've had before include nausea all day, vomiting towards end of day, and smell sensitivity. I've previously been tired in pregnancy but not like this.
I'm on 400mg cyclogest twice a day, as well as 20mg prednisolone in the morning, as empirical treatment after recurrent miscarriages.
I'm wondering if the extreme fatigue could be the cyclogest?

[SilverStars]

I have utrogestan instead of cyclogest - I find the symptoms much better.

[Babydoll19]

Hi. Im taking pessaries twice a day. First i mistook the hunger for being thirsty and started to drink alot. But even after drinking i feel hungry every hour. Driving me insane.

[Teddybear45]

Try utrogestan. It’s a lot better

[Garnet08]

I conceived on Letrozole, and was prescribed cyclogest twice a day. I feel terrible, with brain fog, lethargy and extreme bloating and burping! I feel so tired and don’t feel like doing anything all day, otherwise which I am generally an elective person. I am going to check if I can have some blood tests and stop these pessaries..any advice please? I have already gained so much weight at 8 week s :(