Progesterone after ovulation to prevent early losses - advise please!

[Cary88]

Hi
It's been suggested by my doctor that I could take progesterone supplements from just after ovulation and then continue if I get BFP or stop and get my period if BFN (due to three chemicals in a row, all ending between 4-5 weeks).

Would love to hear from anyone who had success doing this?
Or did anyone think it stopped them conceiving /had a negative experience?

Thank you!

I have been doing this and got pregnant again on my third cycle with cyclogest. It’s still early days so can’t say for sure whether it’s helped sustain the pregnancy beyond the point I was previously losing them, but definitely hasn’t stopped me getting pregnant. Interesting my ovulation date has moved earlier each cycle since I started using it. Was previously anything up to CD24 and this month was CD15 so think it has helped with regulating my hormones more generally.

Thanks @elarcoiris thats good to know! All the best with your current pregnancy!

Thanks! I hope it works for you too.

Hi there,

I’m hoping somebody sees this that can help. I have no children. I have been having fairly regular acupuncture for the past 15 months, and taking the herb teas. I have read ISWAE and we both have been taking the supplements for the past 3 months. Eat clean, no alcohol, healthy etc. I have had 3 miscarriages in the past 2 years, 1 chemical, 1 at 7+5 and one at 5weeks. All conceived naturally, which is very good for my age (42). I have begged the doc and EPU to prescribe me progesterone, and neither will until I have the scan at 6 weeks to say it has implanted in the right place. It was only after the 2nd miscarriage I got referred to the EPU.

I have got to know my body cycle so so well over the past 2 years as I’ve built up 100s of hours on forums, websites etc reading about pregnancy. Plus having had 3 x BFPs. Shamefully I knew so so little before. Last month my normally 25 day cycle was 28 and I felt so strongly that it was a chemical that didn’t stick, but I didn’t take the test to prove it. Previous tests haven’t come up until after 29 days, so that date was when I planned to test (got fed up of wasting them/the expense of it). It happened again, the way it always does, where I feel they symptoms disappear, my breasts almost instantly deflate, and AF comes.

This month, it was the same as last. I have been delighted to experience full and tingly breasts, mouth taste, very very tired, dreams, and just this ‘knowing’ that it all felt different. Yesterday, day 27, I went to the toilet last night at bedtime and there was a tiny stain of brown on the tissue. So I inserted one of my friends cyclogest vaginally. She had them leftover from her IVF prescription. This morning the pessery remnants left me and it was tinted pink/brown with a few dark bits in it?

And now nothing all day. I’ve taken a pregnancy test this afternoon and it is negative?

What do you think? I’ve just delayed the start of AF by inserting it and I shouldn’t have done so until I had a positive? But I had picked up from this forum that you can take cyclogest from after ovulation, so I knew I wasn’t doing something unheard of.

Or was last nights bleeding implantation….and the pink pessery residue I passed this morning (with a few bits in) was because it has irritated my lining?

I still have pregnancy symptoms, is this relevant?

I have been taking aspirin post ovulation last month and this. Then stopped when AF came.

I have just been so flawed by trying to get to the bottom of why my other miscarriages have happened and if I could have prevented them if I had had intervention?

Or are you putting them all down to chromosomal abnormalities (potentially due to my age) Although I have read on MN we shouldn’t just allow ourselves to be fobbed off with CA just because we are over 40. I am extremely fit and healthy in every other way.

IVF is imminent but I kept hoping we would come in under the wire, as I just kept feeling the problem is not getting pregnant but staying pregnant.

Any comments would be really appreciated.

@Fedup42 I didn’t want to read and run but I say trust your instincts re: progesterone. I’ve had too many early losses to count but also 4 children. With my last 2 I absolutely needed the progesterone pessaries. I’m 40 now, have had 3 more losses this year and yet even with my history the EPU have said they won’t prescribe it until after a BFP 🙄 My advice would be to try to get a private prescription via a private clinic or GP which is what I plan to do. Honestly you can get practically anything if you’re willing to pay for it! Best of luck to you x

Thanks @ChickaboomZoom x

So if you were me, would you insert another this evening?

I take it if the little bit of brown/pink blood last night was AF then she will come anyway, despite me using the pessery(s)?

Or am I just properly messing with my cycle by doing this and I should do nothing else and just see what the next 2/3 days bring?

@Fedup42 I know it’s hard but if it were me and I’d gotten a BFN today and AF is due imminently I wouldn’t take another pessary. I would just let this cycle go and then start taking them after ovulation next cycle x

Ok. Yea, you’re probably right. This is so hard! It’s been a really rough couple of years. As a side note - boy have I felt great today! Loads of energy and quite chipper. Really makes me think I am low on progesterone as I can be so so tired and moody. We shall see. Thanks for replying x

@Fedup42 No worries at all! I’m very sorry to hear about your losses and the struggle of this journey. It’s such a never ending rollercoaster of emotions. Happy that you’ve felt good today, hope it continues for you and sending you lots of good wishes for a rainbow baby soon 💕

I know this is an old post so hope you don't mind me posting, did you manage to get it prescribed?

@Eatsleepbakerepeat just had a notification about this old thread! Can’t believe it’s nearly a year ago I posted this. Yes I got progesterone prescribed in the July and fell pregnant again that month. This time it resulted in my baby boy who is having a nap on me now! Amazing how a year can change everything!
I had progesterone prescribed by a private clinic, but once I was 6 weeks pregnant the NHS were happy to continue prescribing it (due to the previous losses).

This gives me hope- I've just gone through my 4th miscarriage this year, after having a healthy son 4 years ago with no drama this has all been unknown and difficult. They've all been early none more than 5+4 weeks, so I'm hoping that progesterone might be the answer for me! Seeing a private doctor at the end of this month and hoping!
Thanks for your reply and congrats on your little boy :)