Progesterone pessaries

[1stimeMum2b]

I’ve just turned 8 weeks and saw a baby with a heartbeat on Monday. We were so excited after 3 previous miscarriages- this is the furthest we’ve got to. They put me on progesterone pessaries. Yesterday I started bleeding bright red blood, heavy but has calmed down now and is spotting dark brown. I worried the pessaries have irritated my cervix. I can’t get seen until my next scan in two weeks. Think I will have to pay to go privately. Please does anyone have any experiences from bleeding off the pessaries? X

Hi and so sorry to hear about your miscarriages, I understand how worried you are right now. I had crinone cream and had a small bleed on it twice but no clots. I would call EPAU for advice - I know rule is two weeks but with bleeding they might advise on something else.

Have a read of the instructions on the pessary packet. Some pessaries give you the choice of inserting them either vaginally or anally, the hormone can usually be absorbed by your body in either place. If they’re irritating your cervix, and your type of pessary can be used anally, that might be a better option for you.

And definitely keep calling / pay to see someone privately.

Yes, if you are on cyclogest I would do those in the backside xx

Thank you both so much, yes it is cyclogest. I’ve read online too much of the hormone can also cause bleeding- I’ve stopped taking them for now. I’ve managed to book a private scan for later today 🤞🤞 my symptoms are still here but also still bleeding - don’t know what to think. I will ask for more advice at the scan - thank you x

Wish us luck 🍀 🙏

@1stimeMum2b yes I have! I had my positive 2 weeks ago and been on cyclogest twice a day since after 2 previous losses. Woke up Tuesday with brown spotting, I panicked and went to the EPU and thankfully all okay when they scanned but I really think the pessaries were too high up and caused some serious irritation to my cervix. Later that day a large chunk of pessary came out with some mucous and brown spotting too, since then I’ve been having little bits of the pessary come out. I would honestly advise using them rectally, I’ve been doing that since. Hope everything’s okay at the scan 🤞🏻
they told me I had a UTI on Tuesday which I’ve never had before, don’t know if linked to pessaries…xx

I’d 100% take them rectally. No bleeding or annoying discharge. IVF pregnancy here and was on them until 12ish weeks.
I really wouldn’t stop taking them though, they do have a massive impact x

Thank you so much everyone! We have been very very lucky to see a healthy baby with a heartbeat- measurements match :) thank you for all your support 💓 continuing to take the progesterone rectally xx

@1stimeMum2b yay! So glad all okay, bet it was amazing seeing the Hb 🤩 xx

Thank you xx It was :))

honestly this network has helped so much for advice and reassurance - thanks once again xx

@1stimeMum2b so happy to read you've had a good scan. I had 3 miscarriages and was on Cyclogest to 14w. I was terrified of bleeding as I knew any drop of blood would terrify me so I always took them rectally. This pregnancy worked out and we now have a 15 week old beautiful little boy. X

Aw that is so positive to hear - very happy for you :)) 💙💙

Can I jump on and ask a couple of cyclogest questions please? Did you have your progesterone levels checked before you were prescribed cyclogest?
My GP has prescribed it for me today following 2 back to back spontaneous miscarriages (and another one before DC1) but not checked my levels.

And my GP knows I still breastfeed my DC1 and still prescribed cyclogest anyway, but on the leaflet in the box it says do not take of breastfeeding.

I'm so confused by it

I don't know about progesterone and BF @Margo34 but I didn't have my progesterone checked bar day 21 progesterone when ttc.

Hey @Margo34 i had all the tests done - few months following 2 losses and a few months before my positive, everything came back normal so they were unexplained. However, I think standard procedure is to prescribe progesterone anyway, as far as I’m aware doesn’t do any harm and is worth trying

I’m not sure on the BF, there are other alternatives though to cyclogest, maybe enquire to see if one of the other manufacturers of it you can take whilst BF?

Such amazing news, for everything crossed for you. Re. Progesterone levels my fertility clinic told me there is no agreed levels women should be at. They were actually in the middle of a study to try and determine what the levels for successful pregnancy should be x

Thanks ladies that's reassuring

@glowingtwig I didn't have day 21 checked either 🤷

My ivf clinic changed protocol without changing my levels - and in third cycle I was on more than double the standard dose . I was worried about it and queried it and was told it would not do any harm xx

@Margo34 day 21 progesterone just confirms ovulation I think. I only had it done because it had been 6 months following a mc and I was over 35 and panicking x

@Margo34 I had my bloods checked and all was fine, they didn’t say anything was out of balance. They just said if I got a healthy heartbeat they could start me on them if I wanted. I was worried about this too! Can the levels be too high? I’m still having some slightly brown spotting and it terrifies me!

I read on the leaflet about breastfeeding too! I would maybe ring EPU and see if they can advise? Or midwife.

@1stimeMum2b I can't contact EPU without a referral from GP, they aren't a hotline where I am based, and I can't register with community midwives til I'm further along either.

I was anxious taking meds when pregnant with DC1 and avoided if it was medically plausible to do so, this time I'm twice as anxious I guess because of nursing DC1 and wanting to sustain DC2 in utero too.

Do I trust that the GP knows I BF and has still prescribed anyway because it's ok and safe for all of us? Or do I trust the patient leaflet and not take them?

@Margo34 my experience with having to take painkillers that the GP has prescribed knowing I'm breastfeeding is that they always say don't take while breastfeeding on the leaflet. I would take them for the likelihood that they will support the pregnancy until you get to speak to a GP for reassurance about the BF.

Back again… I’m starting to spot a little bit more - brown blood. Has anyone else had this on progesterone? I’m now taking them rectally. Trying not to worry after seeing a heartbeat Thursday but it’s so hard not to after our history, the EPU can’t give us another scan until a week tomorrow and we paid to go privately last week.