Getting progesterone privately - help!

[SunAndSea37]

I wonder if someone could help. I am 4 weeks pg after two losses, one at 9 weeks, one at 3.5.

I so so want this one to stick and I am already on low dose aspirin on the advice of my GP. However I’d really like to start taking progesterone as a fail safe. My EPU will only prescribe if I start bleeding and won’t let me pay for it. I rang the London women’s clinic and their first appt was March which is way too late.

I’m desperate and will pay! I just know if I lose this pg and get referred to the RMC they will prescribe it and it’s so frustrating that I’m here pregnant now with no way to get hold of it. In the US it’s standard.

Any recommendations for a private doc who can do this quickly would be much appreciated.

Can you google private GP in your area? E.g. DocTap in London? Or even your NHS GP? I think any doctor can prescribe it.

Biovea do a progesterone cream if that helps?

Thanks @Leaf86! Neither my private GP nor my regular GP will prescribe, they say it has to be the consultant.

I used a progesterone cream with DD1 (non prescribed) due to a v. short luteal phase. I assume it did good, as when I relaxed about it and assumed I didn’t need it for DD2, things didn’t go as smoothly.

As I had no problems, I assumed all was fine and didn’t use it for DD2. That

Thanks @Anythingbutsnow and @MelvinThePenguin, I didn’t know that. Sorry you had a bad experience second time round.

I’d be a little worried about controlling the dosage?

There's a book by John Lee called natural progesterone which gives advice about progesterone. The Biovea one has dosage instructions with it. It's about a third of a teaspoon each day I think.

I’d ring around the various infertility clinics in London and see if you can get a quick consultant appointment. They will probably be the most helpful.

This was a great shout @Porridgeislife thank you, have found a private obstetrician same day!

I’m glad to help @SunAndSea37

They are used to prescribing industrial strengths of progesterone for their patients (necessary to keep some IVF pregnancies going) so should be quite receptive to a more normal dose for you.

@sunandsea37 currently about 4 weeks after 2 losses. I am having progesterone tested at private fertility clinic on Monday and then if the levels are not optimal I will approach my gp with the evidence or a private gynaecologist and get prescribed. Could you do something similar?

Hi all, thanks again for your helpful advice, I thought I'd just post a little update here in case it's helpful for any other ladies who stumble across this thread. As per everyone's advice, I got a private obstetrician teed up, but in the meantime my EPU tested my progesterone for reassurance and was all looking great at 4 weeks so decided not to take it for now.

So I'm now at 5+2, and on Friday morning my worst nightmare happened and I had a small light bleed. I got straight on to EPU, who did a scan and could see a gestational sac, so very early but definitely not an ectopic (which is a reason not to take progesterone if unsure, as you may be sustaining an ectopic.) At least, I consoled myself, I had had bleeding and could now be prescribed progesterone by my EPU, as I meet the criteria set out by NICE (one or more MCs, bleeding and an intrauterine pregnancy.)

The nurse FLAT refused, we debated for half an hour and she kept saying it was too early and I had to come back in a week because she didn't want to 'overstimulate my ovaries'. She took some bloods to check everything and promised to call me back with them that day but didn't. I've spent all weekend miserable with cramps and some more light brown bleeding, assuming this is the beginning of the end anyway.

Luckily my private ob-gyn was happy to make the prescription immediately but because these prescriptions can be tricky to sort, I couldn't find a pharmacy til yesterday who'd sort it with the stock. It has also cost me £320.

It just makes me so angry that women with recurrent MC have to battle and battle to get the basics at an already very anxious time - and I know I'm in a really fortunate position that I was able to pay and not everyone can do that.

Hope everyone else having an early pregnancy after loss is doing ok out there x

So sorry to read you’ve had trouble being prescribed!

Fingers crossed everything goes well for you this time, but if you need to start using progesterone in future it’s best to start from 2dpo, it’s a case of the earlier the better to make any difference.

Best of luck with your pregnancy!

Best of luck @SunAndSea37

Thank you so much both. @ElleGB if I do lose this one that’ll make it 3, so I can be under the care of the recurrent miscarriage clinic next time and hopefully they can provide a bit more early support/suggestions.

Well hopefully it won’t get to that point

I had to really fight hard with my doctor, I had been referred for tests as I had had three recurrent miscarriage, but was waiting for an appointment to come through and wasn’t willing to stop trying to get pregnant.

He was reluctant but because it was in the “cant hurt, might help” category he did eventually agree.

@SunAndSea37

Thank you so much both. *@ElleGB* if I do lose this one that’ll make it 3, so I can be under the care of the recurrent miscarriage clinic next time and hopefully they can provide a bit more early support/suggestions.

Hey!

First of all, I am really sorry you have had two previous miscarriages, i am praying for you to have a healthy pregnancy and everything works out this time. Please try and stay relaxed as possible.

Secondly, I am really bloody annoyed with our NHS!
I am currently 4.4 weeks pregnant. I have had two early miscarriages as well, one at 5 weeks and one at 6.4 weeks. I am currently under the care of the fertility team due to how long we have been trying.
Finding out I was pregnant when I am months away from starting ivf was a shock!

I called my GP, explaining the situation I am in and explained how the NICE guidelines have changed. My GP LAUGHED down the phone saying there was nothing he could do as its not applicable in Scotland, only England and Wales. He advised me to contact EPU who stated I don't meet the criteria for Progesterone and reiterated the guidelines don't apply here. They palmed me off with 5mg of Folic Acid and told me to call them if i start bleeding. I then said would this be before or after 6 weeks as i know policy & procedures at present is you dont see anyone before then? - they said they'll see me straight away.

I just dont understand why we are paying so much in Tax and National insurance for the NHS to shut the door in our faces when we need them the most??

Prescribing progesterone compared to the cost of IVF , it doesn't make bloody sense.

I feel like campaigning for equal medical rights across the UK, its like a postcode lottery!

Sorry for the huge rant but I cant believe ive found someone in a similar situation to me!

I am praying for us both!

xxx

The nurse FLAT refused, we debated for half an hour and she kept saying it was too early and I had to come back in a week because she didn't want to 'overstimulate my ovaries'.

What the hell?! It's not up to the nurse, she should've referred to the consultant. And what is this nonsense of it being too early? I was prescribed progesterone after two losses just in case, no one ever tested my progesterone levels, but there's no harm in taking it so might as well try, and was instructed to start from the day I get a positive test! Absolutely ridiculous, I'm sorry you had such a fight about something that should be super simple. 😠

And it really is a postcode lottery. I got my prescription before the NICE guidelines changed and after "only" two losses.

I had a luteal phase defect and low progesterone.
When I was trying naturally I travelled a lot for work and used to just buy it over the counter in Spain and stock up. It didn't help me as my issue was getting pregnant in the first place. It was the same one that I was later prescribed by a fertility clinic when I moved on to IVF.

It's so interesting to hear about everyone's experiences on this. @Natsdxo, I'm sorry you're in the same horrible boat as me but yes I totally share your frustration. It's awful that the GP was so dismissive of you - at a bare minimum they should be more considerate if you've have experienced losses. I too am furious that I've had to shell out so much for progesterone when I'm entitled to it.

@ElleGB and @GinnyBee it really shows what a lottery it is. I think it's a pretty low cost intervention (approx 70p a dose) compared to the huge economic and emotional cost of pregnancy loss, surgery, scan follow-ups etc...I hope you've found it helped you too.

I really am so cross with the nurse. She opened the conversation by saying, well we don't even know you are pregnant, it could be a blood clot in there (it wasn't, the sonographer had shown me the gestational sac), and then told me to google the 'promise' trial (it's the Prism trial, Tommy's ran it, and of course I've read it, it's supports what I was asking for.)

The nurse who rang me yesterday with my Friday bloods (after endless chasing from me and an agonising weekend wait expecting to miscarry after being promised the results on Friday) even parroted at me "The best progesterone is your own." eye roll

Sending support to anyone else in those early weeks of a pregnancy after a loss - I feel like I'm walking on thin ice at the moment and the additional stress has not helped.

xx

Hi, I just wanted to add that you could contact Polish private clinics in London. They have gynaecologist (consultants) seeing patients daily. They would prescribe progesterone without any problems as it is rutinely prescribed by gynaecologists in Poland for women who experience issues like you. It is extremely common practice.

also @Natsdxo just wanted to say a huge congrats on falling pregnant - I can imagine that must have been a big shock ahead of starting treatment but what great news! Wishing you a healthy happy pregnancy. and praying for us both too! xx

Hey @SunAndSea37 I am wondering about the same question myself so I came across your thread. How is it going, are you still bleeding? Sending a big hug.

I had my rainbow baby after two mmcs and one ectopic. For my baby I was prescribed progesterone by the fertility unit but I only started taking it quite late at about 6-8 weeks I can't remember.

We moved house just before my daughter was born and I THREW AWAY LOADS OF PROGESTERONE SUPPOSITORIES. My GP had accidentally prescribed me double, I had boxes and boxes.

Now we are thinking of trying again and my GP won't prescribe. What on earth was I thinking throwing them away, I'm so mad at myself!

This biovea cream seems like an option though?

Hi @Doughnut100 how incredibly frustrating for you!! Congrats on your rainbow, what a traumatic journey to get there. Unfortunately the private route is the only one I’ve had success with, the reassurance has been worth it though. Side note but it’s also outrageous none of this is covered under my private health plan either!

So I’ve been bleeding on and off all week (only lightly) but given my experience had basically resigned myself to it not working out and spent all week feeling horribly anxious and scared of every loo trip!

I went to the EPU yesterday and the sonographer was silent for an AGE then said “there is a yolk sac and I’m pretty sure I can see a fetal pole and a heartbeat”. There’s a sub chorionic haematoma right next to the sac from implantation that has been bleeding a bit.

So all great news! The on off bleeding might carry on and is shredding my nerves, but for now I’m just focusing on getting further than we did last time (8.5weeks) and trying to relax (ha!)

I wanted to argue the case about the progesterone again but they were so unfussed I was discharged after the scan without seeing a nurse, and I didn’t have the energy to argue so going to keep paying for now.

Good luck with your second go and hope this has been helpful. I did email Tommy’s this week and they came back right away and were very understanding.

After multiple losses, I had a video consultation with a dr in the US and he said progesterone certainly sounded like a potential issue and there's no harm in trying the cream.
I ordered strong progesterone cream off Amazon which came in a pump form so it was one pump every day, which I did on waking. I think for the first 4 weeks I did it the evening also then reduced after 12 weeks. I had a successful healthy pregnancy. I will look for a link

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