Cyclogest pessaries

[Lolls84]

Hi all,

Wondering has anyone been prescribed Cyclogest (progesterone pessaries) for a short luteal phase and if so how did you take them? I’ve been taking Letrozole for a few months and I’ve been getting a positive urine ovulation test on day 17 and my period comes 7/8 days later so my gynae has prescribed progesterone pessaries to support my luteal phase. He told me to take 200 mg twice daily for 12 days from day 15 but from what I’ve been reading most people seem to take them starting after ovulation. I’m supposed to start them tomorrow but definitely haven’t ovulated yet. Wondering has anyone else been in this position?

Thanks.

I think he’s doing what most GP’s do, assume everyone ovulated on CD14. When I was having progesterone tests during my LP one GP couldn’t get it when I explained I shouldn’t have it on CD21 as I don’t ovulate CD14. I spoke to a different GP who did understand when I explained but only when I explained why I thought it best to do a different day. Told me “oh that makes sense”.

Hopefully someone comes along and can answer your question OP as GP’s don’t always know much about this kind of thing

Hi, I also take cyclogest pessaries as part of letrozole medicated cycle. However the difference is that I also take the trigger injection. So I start taking the cyclogest 2 days after the trigger injection as this would be the time I would have ovulated. This is what my fertility dr has advised. I am not sure if you are going by OPK and then possibly it is 2 days after the peak smiley face/positive test.

Thanks for your replies. @allgoodthings84 It was actually a fertility doc who prescribed it to me and I told him I ovulate later in my cycle but to be honest I think he just forgot when he wrote the prescription!

@Jen05p Thanks yeah I am going to take it a few days after I get my LH surge. Do you mind me asking were you told to continue it if you get a BFP or do you stop it if you get pregnant? I was just told to take a pregnancy test if my period doesn’t come but nothing about after …

@Lolls84 probably just forgot then. I think progesterone is even more important when you’re pregnant so if you need progesterone for implantation you will definitely need it when pregnant for at least the first 12 weeks I imagine. Sometimes they do up to 16 weeks. You need enough progesterone to keep the pregnancy going until the placenta takes over at 8-12 weeks so if your body doesn’t produce enough you may need the pessaries to help.

Hi there,

im also taking progesterone pessaries (as part of a medicated cycle with letrozole and induction as others are) as I have a very short luteal phase of 5/6 days.

I also am told to only take them after i have ovulated. I expect that should be the same for you but best thing to do is contact tbr Dr to 100% confirm.

Best of luck to you and other ladies on here on progesterone x

I have been advised that once you are pregnant to continue progesterone until at least 12 weeks

Thanks so much everyone for your replies. I’m trying not to think too far ahead but I think if I do ever get a positive on the progesterone (fingers crossed!) I’ll contact my doctor and ask him if I should continue or not. Best of luck to everyone TTC.

Good luck @Lolls84 I hope the progesterone does the trick for you 😊

I started taking cyclogest for the first time today at 3dpo due to suspected low progesterone causing miscarriages/chemical pregnancies — was told to start once I’d confirmed ovulation (LH tests + BBT + usual ovulation symptoms) and am taking 400 twice a day until either my period arrives or I get a BFP. If the latter will continue with the cyclogest until 16 weeks.

Keeping fingers crossed for you!

I can't help with the timing of them, as only used them when I was having IVF. You can use them rectally and vaginally. I tried vaginally, but had to use a panty liner as found once they melted- it all came out and made a mess 😳With a speck of lube, you can use them rectally. Yes, uncomfortable for a second, but no mess at all.

For other ladies who have been prescribed cyclogest for low progesterone / suspected luteal phase defect, how long will your Dr / Fertility specialist prescribe it?

I’ve been allowed to try it for 5 cycles before being told IVF is the next step. This worries me slightly as I don’t have other known fertility issues following testing and did have a chemical on cycle 2 (I’m now on 3). So I’d actually like to be on it longer as IVF feels like a big and invasive and expensive next step. Best of luck to you all x

I’ve been given 3 months worth in the first instance and he said to check back in after that. There are some other tests he suggested we could do to see if there is another cause for the recurrent miscarriages, but as lots of signs pointed to low progesterone that it was worth trying this for a few months first.

I’m only on day 2 and my temps already seem more consistent than normal so keeping my fingers very firmly crossed this is the magic solution!

@elarcoiris thanks for sharing that!

good luck with the progesterone - if it does fix these issues then it’s such a simple and inexpensive way.

im on cycle three following a biochemical last month - so I guess I learnt my body can concieve up to a certain point but sadly hasn’t got there yet. I think I read somewhere that the highest success rates are usually seen in the first three months so perhaps that is why Drs work on the basis of three months trials … x

I was prescribed them to start at 3dpo and when I did get pregnant the consultant left me on them until 28 weeks. He would have left me on longer but I was fed up sticking them up my bum twice a day.

@Pollywoddles I mean that’s getting old for me already and I’m only on day 2… 😬

@Carlotta27 I’ve read somewhere that it can cause irritation if used for too long, although no sure how that fits with people being on it for extended periods when they are pregnant! It’s all a bit of a mystery but hoping it works for you!

@Pollywoddles congratulations! How many cycles did it take you to concieve once you had the pessaries support?

@elarcoiris oh I hadn’t heard about that! I have heard that sometimes the pessaries cause irritation and a tiny bit of bleeding / spotting. Fortunately i haven’t had this and have been fine using them rectally.

Fingers crossed for us all x

😂😂😂

@Carlotta27 Two cycles but there were 7 in total because I had 3 chemicals and a MMC before one finally stuck.

@Pollywoddles oh I’m so sorry to hear about the chemicals and MMC. The emotional rollercoaster of a chemical really hit me so I can only imagine how much you’ve been through.

great that cyclogest worked second cycle as it’s a pretty simple fix! More Drs should be prescribing it, as I had to find a specialist in London to prescribe mine

How did you get prescribed this? Anyone any suggestions how to convince my consultant to give me pecessies? I suspect mine is low as I have very light periods , literally it's more like spotting/ light than full flow. My lutuel varies sometimes it's 2 weeks , last cycle was 8 days. I've already had a miscarriage at 4 weeks

@Anotherboredhousewife I think it depends a bit as to whether you’re speaking to an NHS or private consultant. On the NHS side of things, NICE guidelines recommend you’re offered progesterone if you’re bleeding during a viable pregnancy that can be seen on a scan and have had at least one prior miscarriage.

For me that doesn’t really help as I’m not getting to that stage and probably need to be taking it from soon after ovulation to support the luteal phase and try and get to the point where a pregnancy sticks around beyond 5/6 weeks, so I went to a private consultant who was more than willing to prescribe it based on my history (four miscarriages, short luteal phase, spotting before AF). I get the impression that it’s much easier to get hold of it privately but obviously there is a (not insignificant) cost associated with that.

@Lolls84 3dpo is usually recommended coz progesterone can stop ovulation x