Progesterone cream question - so I've got my BFP, but now what??

[ElusiveMoose]

I've got a 7-8 day luteal phase and have been trying without success to get pregnant for 8 months. I finally got a gynae referral but was told it might take ages to get an appointment, so I decided to give natural progesterone cream a go. Anyway, this is my first month of using it - and I've got a BFP . But now I don't know whether I'm supposed to keep taking the cream or not. From DPO6-9 my temps were dropping in spite of the cream, but not as precipitously as normal, and I had quite a lot of spotting on days 9 and 10. I'm now 11DPO and I've had two positive pg tests (one yesterday, one today), and the spotting seems to have stopped. One part of me thinks in that in theory the embryo should now start producing its own progesterone, so maybe I don't need the cream; but the other part of me is worried that my short LP might be a sign of a more general hormonal balance, and that if I stop taking the cream I might miscarry...

Luckily my gynae appointment is tomorrow, so obviously I can ask them then, but I was just wondering if any MN ladies had any advice?

I've just seen someone post on the August bus thread that you have to keep using the cream to prevent miscarriage. So I'd keep going with it and chat to your gynae doc tomorrow.

Thanks! I'll go take a look.

You must keep using the cream until 12 weeks as the sudden drop in progesterone can cause early miscarriage.

Congrats on your BFP, by the way!!

Congatulations Elusive brilliant news .

I am thinking of trying the cream as I have also considered I might have a short luteal phase (9 days). Can I ask which one you use?

Also when did you start using the cream - Congrats on the BFP!!

Thanks all. Unfortunately I've been having a little bit more cramping and spotting today - fingers crossed that it's just general pregnancy stuff, but who knows. Though, to be honest, the fact that I managed to conceive immediately after starting the cream has in itself made me feel more positive, even if this pregnancy isn't meant to be.....

Re the cream, I'm using the Serenity natural progesterone cream (just do a google search and you'll go straight to it). I started using it the day after I ovulated (I was pretty certain when that was, because I used OPKs and was very regular, so I started the cream as soon as I had my first temp rise). Normally I would start getting spotting at 6-7 DPO and my AF would start properly at 7-8 DPO. This time, my temps did begin to fall at about 6 DPO, but much more slowly than usual, and I got my BFP on day 9. I know it could just be a coincidence that this was the first month I used the cream, but I'm pretty convinced that it bought me the extra day or two that I needed in order for implantation to happen. Just wish that I'd started using it ages ago, instead of 'wasting' 8 months' worth of potentially fertilised eggs....

Good luck to anyone else who might be thinking of trying it.

Aargghh! Frustrating appointment with gynae. He said that he 'didn't believe that a short luteal phase was a problem', he 'didn't think that the progesterone cream had made a difference', and he advised me to stop taking it immediately. But this is totally contrary to what I've read elsewhere. Now I really don't know what to do!!

Elusive Moose, that's a difficult one. Not sure what to say, really but all the advice on Natural Progesterone says to continue. The best website I found was the John Lee MD one, try and have a look. Talks about progesterone creams in pregnancy.

I've been back and forward over it, and I think on balance I probably will continue with the cream, on the basis that there doesn't seem to be any evidence that it's harmful. My only concern, really, is that if something has gone wrong with the pregnancy (which I'm a little bit worried about, because I've been having frequent period-type pains and a bit of spotting), the cream can apparently 'mask' this by stopping the body from expelling the fetus. I think I'll go and see my charming GP as soon as possible, and see if I can bat my eyelids and get an early scan, because I don't think I'm going to stop worrying until I've seen that heart beating...

you can also usually self refer to early pregnancy units or emergency gynae unit if there's one at your local hospital and you can either turn up or book in for a scan.

many UK doctors do not believe in progesterone as a problem in achieving or keeping pregnancy. (despite its standard use in IVF treatment.)

My only successful pregnancy (of three) was after having taken progesterone suppositories from the time of my BFP until around 13 weeks.

best wishes.

Thanks Chandellina, that's really interesting. My GP was lovely (as always). He said he had to defer to the hospital, but thought it would be a 'surprising' coincidence that I'd been trying for 8 months and then suddenly got pregnant the first month I used the cream. He also apologised but said he just didn't have enough knowledge to recommend whether to keep taking the cream - but he didn't say don't take it, just that I had to make my own decision. Also, he said that he wanted me to take another pg test in a week's time before he referred me to the MWs, because it's still so early, but he said that if the test was positive and I was still having any pain or bleeding then, that he'd send me straight up to the EPU. The pain and spotting have subsided over the last day or two, so I'm feeling a bit more positive. Just have to keep calm for another week!!

I read all this with interest.

Firstly congrats elusivemoose, I defo think the cream helped you. I have had 6 cycles in a row where my LP has been short and I too feel like i've wasted possibly fertile eggs. I have an appointment with a consultant on saturday to find out what to do and one of my questions for him is:- If he gives me extra progesterone, should I continue with it if I get a BFP. I would definitely not stop using it if I were you. Did the gynea say it was harmless (if he did then it can't do any harm to keep going and might re-assure you.) Since I've been reading about LPD I have become worried that should I get pregnant the next worry would be wil it stick. I really feel for you and your dilemma. Is it worth asking NHS direct or a MW. Pls let me know what you decide to do and also if the preg is still going well - fingers crossed for you, what a stressful time, hope you manage to keep sane .

ps. I've been using progesterone gel which you insert from day 17 -21 but it did nothing to prolong the lp. as soon as i got to day 21 and stopped insertingthe gel the spotting started.

How funny elusivemoose I have just been browsing old threads and found mine from before - 'if you hate OPK's clap your hands' and I found a hijack note from you at the end - which I never saw before.

You mentioned that you had just started using prog cream for the first day. It made me laugh cos here we are now with me replying to your thread. Back then you had just started the cream and now you have the BFP - just thought that was funny. Sorry I didn't reply to your question on my thread, I guess I stopped checking it.

How are things now. I can't wait for my consultant appointment - I feel if I can just get a decent length LP I'll be in with a shot.

Hi there Hippychick - no worries about not replying to the other message! Things are still going ok, touch wood. Only the occasional twinge now, and no spotting for two or three days. Plus I'm feeling quite queasy, which is hopefully a good sign. I've just bought one of those CB tests that tells you how 'old' the pregnancy is, so I'm desperately trying to restrain myself from using it for a few days, and then hope that it tells me it thinks the baby's 3 weeks old!

As for the cream... The consultant was really dismissive TBH. (Plus he wasn't the actual consultant, just the more junior doctor.) I think he kind of gave it away when he said that the cream I was using (Serenity) was 'not licensed for use in the UK'. I got the impression he was quite huffy about it, and wasn't going to consider getting into a conversation about it (to be a little bit fair to him, I guess he's forbidden from recommending an unlicensed medication, though you'd think he might have discussed licensed alternatives rather than effectively telling me to bugger off out of his office).

I haven't got any experience of the gel, but with the cream I think you can basically keep taking it until you 'want' your period to start. In fact, I got the impression (from my gradually falling temps) that my period was really trying to start, and that the cream was having to really fight it! And that implantation happened just in time and basically 'rescued' the fertilised egg. But hell, I'm no doctor!

Good luck with everything, and I hope your consultant is a bit more helpful than mine!

Glad to hear the preg is sticking. I would defo have done the test that dates it by now - well done for holding out. My consultant moved my appointment from Sat to mon night so i'm still waiting to see him. I'll let you know how it goes and if he says anything interesting about LPD - TBH he'd better say SOMETHING interesting about it - the money i'm paying!! . So just to clarify - are you still using the cream?

Hey is this still open? I have been looking for progesterone cream, where can I buy it from and how to you use it ? Sorry stupid question I no but I don’t no where to put it x

@lenasibbs I googled it and it's serenity progesterone cream more recent boards have talked about it so I think it's still a thing . Type into google and it's one of the top results

@lolacola13 thank you I will have a look x

I used this cream. First month got bfp. I used from 3dpo (waited for bbt to confirm ovulation) and I'm still using now and I'm 14 weeks. Starting to wean off it now cos I'm too scared to stop cold turkey. I started using it after I lost my first baby at 8weeks. Good luck.

@cakelaur so sorry about your loss, but congratulations on your bfp 🙂 when you have ovulated your temp gos higher is the right ? I just started charting my temp so I’m a little unsure. Where did you use the cream? I seen online it says your neck and chest is a good place for it? X

I love that this thread was started in 2009 and it's live again 😂💃🏼

@lolacola Haha i no, I think some of the older ones are better x

@lenasibbs yes. Once you've ovulated your temp rises and stays elevated. I rubbed alternating places tummy, love handles, arms, thighs, bum. Twice a day. They say to stay away from boobs. And rub into 'fatty' areas. One area for each application. So one day I'd do morning bum, afternoon arms, next day morning tummy, afternoon thighs etc. I stopped at 12dpo to allow AF to come as I tested negative. Then Af never showed, two days later I got my bfp and started back up again.

@cakelaur thank you so much for the info I have ordered some now 🙂