Cabergoline/periods/high prolactin

[Mumontherunn]

Anyone else on Cabergoline to lower raised prolactin levels? How long did it take you to have a period again? And did your weight change?

Now I’ve stopped bfing DC I’m hoping to lower my prolactin levels to conceive again but have no idea how fast Cabergoline works. I was on Bromocriptine previously

I was previously on Cabergoline for about 4 years due to very high prolactin, it was a while ago but I think my levels were back to how they should be within 6 months of starting the meds. My periods never stopped and I continued to ovulate but they were very light and short so this is how I realised there was an issue.
Even with my levels returning to normal my periods remain light/short and I still needed IVF to conceive so maybe there was a another reason for my short/light periods which has never really been addressed.
I stopped taking the meds when I found out I was pregnant 6 months ago. I did gain weight in that 4 years but I cant 100% say it was due to the Caberoline, as I needed IVF the weight gain could have been due to many undiagnosed problems.
Good luck :)

Thanks for sharing and I hope you’re having a good pregnancy. I agree there can be so many different contributing factors, we never really know the full truth of what’s going on do we!
I’ve always felt lucky I was diagnosed young so I always knew I might need treatment to help me fall pregnant. But aside from that I’ve never really looked into the realities of living long term with high prolactin levels. Will be interesting now I’m on Cabergoline to see if I lose any excess weight, if I get periods back and if I’m lucky to fall pregnant again

@Mumontherunn my levels were back to normal within 6 weeks of starting cabergoline. No change in weight but the high prolactin had not caused weight gain for me. I've now been switched to bromocriptine though as I want to TTC. Did bromocriptine not work for you?

Bromocriptine worked for me - I conceived the first month I started on it. I’ve changed consultants though and this one wants me to try Cabergoline. I’ve been holding on to an extra stone since DC so will be interested to see what happens this time!

@Whatamess12 - interesting that you were told to go on Bromocriptine to TTC and I’m on Cabergoline to TTC. I guess different docs have preferred meds?

@Mumontherunn the reason I was given was that you can't take cabergoline whilst pregnant so you would have to stop as soon as you got a positive test whereas you can continue bromo throughout the first trimester. I was taking cabergoline until I got a positive test last time and that was a successful pregnancy. I also have a different consultant this time which probably accounts for the change in approach!

Hi all - jumping on this to check prolactin levels.

Mine has just come back as 772 (normal range is 102-496).

NHS put me on bromocriptine on my first transfer, implanted but lost. Create fertility didn't even want to measure it when I told them about it. I have had 2 failed transfers with Create. Does anyone know if prolactin level affects implantation?

@MsPeony my consultant says it does, although I am not sure at what level as mine was around 1800. Ideally you need to have it checked several times as stress can cause raised levels, even being stressed about the blood test itself

Is this thread still going? I can’t find a recent one. I just started on Cabergoline as TTC and have high prolactin levels (1500) and I want to know if I am going to be waiting a while or… 🙈

Hey @Senky21how did you get on? I have raised prolactin and hoping to possibly start cabergoline soon

Hi,

I was previously on cabergoline due to increased prolactin (I’m sure it was between 1600/1700).
It reduced back to the norm within 6 months although I continued to take the meds for several years with updated bloods every 3/4 months or so.

Good luck :)

I know you weren’t asking me but I’ve just had my second DC, conceived with the help of cabergoline. Good luck x

@Senky21 forgot to say I’ve always found the meds get my prolactin levels down quickly.

Thanks both for replying! Great news @Mumontherunn, you don’t remember your levels do you? Mine are between 600-850 and the fertility people don’t think it has an impact but hoping endocrinologist will still prescribe cabergoline

@Bubbles14 with my son who is three I think my levels were lower than yours when I was TTC with no luck. My GP and I pushed for the endocrinologist to prescribe meds to just try and I honestly fell pregnant the next month. Push for it! Have you been ttc for long? It’s worth a try. My medication was bromocroptine that time and cabergoline with my youngest

Ah this is so helpful, thank you @Mumontherunn! been ttc for a long time but fertility consultants have all said won’t have an impact unless it’s over a 1000. They’ve booked my follow up endocrinologist appointment in 5 months so think may take my results to private as currently on the waitlist to start ivf

@Bubbles14 100% go private and ask for medication. There is no harm in trying - that was my argument. My endocrinologist who I had been seeing for over a decade really didn’t think my numbers were high enough to impact ovulation, but me and my GP felt we’d ruled out most other things after a year TTC. No harm trying. I had to really beg her but she finally agreed and then I conceived so quickly. If I were you I would definitely try a private endo appt if you can, to hurry things along and at least rule it out. Anything to avoid IVF if you can. Good luck and message if you have any other questions

Amazing thanks so much will do that! And agree about the ivf! Happy new year ✨

Didn’t see the reply to this! My prolactin went down within 6 weeks of taking Cabergoline.. 8 weeks later I was pregnant. Currently 21 weeks with my 2nd baby. Miracle drug if you ask me!

Thanks@Senky21ah thats brilliant new, congratulations! I started cabergoline (i think a low dose 0.25) last Tuesday but trying not to get my hopes up

This just popped up @Bubbles14 - glad you got hold of cabergoline. What did the endocrinologist say? Good luck

Hey @Mumontherunnthanks for checking, she said no harm trying cabergoline but since then had my mri back and do actually have a microprolactinoma. Was a bit of a shock but she now thinks this may be cause of our infertility and we should delay starting the ivf as she’s hoping we may be able to conceive naturally, she’s also doubled our cabergoline dose. Trying to not be too hopeful but also keeping my fingers crossed

Hey @SH998do you mind me asking how you long you tried to see if cabergoline would work before going to ivf? My periods are similar to yours and I’m worried that we will still need to do ivf and will loose time/our place in the queue waiting for Cabergoline to work

@Bubbles14 its good that they’ve diagnosed it, they’re more common than people think. I have a microprolactinoma and was diagnosed with it in my early twenties (I was lactating randomly). I’m now 38. It has caused me no problems in life other than making it a bit slower for me to conceive. But cabergoline/bromocriptine got my prolactin levels down enough to fall pregnant, so I do hope it happens for you too. Sending positive vibes and luck from the other side! It sounds like you’re in good hands now

@Bubbles14 i was taking cabergoline in total about 5 years. We were trying in total for 7 years and took cabergoline right up until my positive test.
Even though my levels were extremely high they returned to normal within 6 months. This wasn’t the reason I couldn’t get pregnant but my levels needed to return to normal regardless so it’s a good idea to get this looked at. The endocrinologist referred me to gynaecologist who referred me to IVF so probably about 2 years between starting the meds and then IVF.
From my perspective I was late 30s so time was against me so pushed ahead with the IVF referral.