Progesterone - Do I Need More Of It?

[anz07]

Hello All,

I am hoping for some advice regarding progesterone. I had my second chemical pregnancy recently after my second fresh round of IVF and am now moving forward to my first FET.

In my first transfer, I was on the progesterone pessaries (two per day) and nothing more. I bled the day before OTD so this led to my progesterone intake being increased for my second round. For round two, I was on two pessaries plus one Lubion subcutaneous injection a day. I didn't bleed this time and had my BFP on OTD. I was pregnant up until the end of Week 5 and then lost the pregnancy - another chemical as the lines faded away on the home tests. Devastated.

So, after my WTF appointment, the consultant has now recommended I move up to the intramuscular Prontogest injections, alongside two of the pessaries. He said I will be taking Prontogest every other day. I am rather terrified as I have never done intramuscular injections before.

I would really appreciate any advice or insights. Has anyone else been in my situation? Annoyingly, my progesterone levels have never been measured so I feel like we are stabbing around in the dark. There hasn't been in issue with my lining; I've always been told it is 'nice and thick'...I'm getting fed up of the progesterone increase as I did not respond well to it in my last round. However, if other people have gone down this road and had success, please do share!

Thank you all - the support on here has been invaluable.

[Lapinblanc88]

Im on the pesssaries, oral and intra muscular progesterone. My levels were 150 on transfer day so quite high. I'm also on 5 progynova a day and blood thinner.5weeks pregnant post fet

I've read a lot of conflicting research on progesterone. Some say that intramuscular is superior and yield higher live birth rates. Other say there is no difference

I'd rather be on the 3 types just in case. I'm already a walking hormones zombie so another injection here and there is fine

Don't worry about the intra muscular injections it's not that painful. Don't forget to put an ice cube for 5min beforehand

😊

[Lisichka]

Hello lovely

I think it’s the right move to go intramuscular. That’s the gold standard and you can be sure you’ll be getting enough. My final (5th) FET worked and we did intramuscular progesterone only, twice a day, 1 ml each injection. They do start to hurt so be sure to switch spots, warm up the area with a wheat bag before and after the injections, get your husband to massage the area.

In terms of levels, mine have been around 50 but they may measure things differently where you are (I’m in the US).

I just wasn’t absorbing pessaries that well and had 2 x chemicals even when we increased them. So I’m a big advocate of intramuscular progesterone and that’s what they use in the US in 99% of the clinics.

Good luck, keep us posted on your journey! PM if you want any details xxx

[ToughCOOKIE78]

Hi hun! So I’m doing one subcutaneous progesterone injection in the morning (Progiron 25mg - water based that goes in the tummy) and one intramuscular in the evening (progesterone in oil 25mg), plus one Crinone vaginal gel in the morning and one in the evening.

I’m checking my progesterone levels tomorrow but think it should be fine....in my previous pregnancy I did pessaries but don’t think was absorbing them right because they then gave me Prontogest 100mg one injection every other day....

Prontogest is really nasty and painful once injected, it builds up in the muscle and it’s torture....make sure you massage A LOT even the day after!

Also I found I have a ‘weaker’ cheek lol the left one....I tend to switch but when the left one is particularly sore I do two days on the right...

Good luck 🤞🏻