Progesterone thoughts

[PrincessGurn1984]

Based on my post earlier re the brown discharge, am now once again thinking about my progesterone levels. On the day before my transfer my progesterone was 45 and then on my official pregnancy test day it was down to 36.5. The clinic said they aren’t concerned as normal range is 15/20 apparently and they said it does fluctuate constantly is that right? But that’s now worried me given the discharge. Like surely my progesterone should be increasing as I’m pregnant not decreasing? I don’t understand how it works. I’m on x1 200mg cyclogest pessary (rectal so not the discharge cause!) and at lunch time x1 lubion injection then in the evening x1 200mg. Feeling very on edge about it all now and worried our joy has been short lived x

[MariaHdz]

Well around weeks 6 to 9, the placenta starts to take over the progesterone production from the ovaries. In that point, progesterone dips and then as the placenta takes full control, it increases. It happened to me.

[PrincessGurn1984 in reply to MariaHdz]

Thanks I’m only 4weeks and 5 days, is it a bit early for that? X

[MariaHdz in reply to PrincessGurn1984]

I am not very sure, but they say if you notice spotting you should report it, and they will make extra blood tests. In my case I was on progesterone, they took it off on week 7 as my levels were fine, then the "dipping" happened and I was spotting, but all was ok, it waswas very scary and lasted until week 9. Now i am bleeding again (week 16) but this has a different reason.

[PrincessGurn1984 in reply to MariaHdz]

Thanks yeah I think I will ask to go in for HCG again when they open Monday to see if it’s gone down since they did it on official test day which was Wednesday. It’s really scary isn’t it when it happens. Can’t help but think the worst x

[MariaHdz in reply to PrincessGurn1984]

Ask for the progesterone to be checked.

[MariaHdz in reply to PrincessGurn1984]

It is awfuly scary!

[MariaHdz]

By the way, if you are calculating the weeks from the last menstrual period, it mmeans it is still very early in your pregnancy (2 or 3 weeks from conception), so a bit of brown discharge can be normal (because of hormonal changes and implantation). Also, it is normal during first trimester. At the end, your fertility clinic should be informed, and they will probably offer an echo and check your hormons to check all is good (specially with progesteron), but most people with brown discharge have healthy pregnancies. What they say is to inform them, then they will check it, try to not stress that much (but that is hard, I know), and continue taking you medicine as instructed. You and them can't do more than that. Ah and also, if you areare spotting try to do pelvic rest (excersise, but don't over do it, just light stuff; don't lift heavy things; and no sexual activity).

[PrincessGurn1984 in reply to MariaHdz]

Thank you, I had my positive pregnancy tests from 8 days ago now, wouldn’t implantation bleeding have happened before I got the tests? As the embryo has to have implanted to get the positive? X

[PrincessGurn1984 in reply to MariaHdz]

or discharge rather as not bleeding x

[MariaHdz in reply to PrincessGurn1984]

Well, it is just, from what I read (but it is always better to ask your doctor. Only them can actually explain and give you the most accurate answer), the bleeding or spotting (brown discharge, is also bleeding, but in a small quantity. It is also called spotting. It might be old blood, or even some leftovers from your last menstruation, which was not so long ago). It is called implantation bleeding because it occurs close to implation/first positive. But it is not really because of the embryo implanting itself (it is to small to cause any bleeding/spotting). What causes this, is the hormonal changes that you go thru when an embryo implants (e.g. you also can getget brown discharge when you are on the pill or use a DIU, and even in some months when your hormons go wacko between periods, even if you are not pregnant and no embryo is implanting). Right now, your body is making many hormons in lots of quantities, supressing others, and there is a big revolution happening there. The cervix also changes, and becomes sensitive and this can cause also bleeding. There are tons of reasons for it. Most are harmless and normal and part of the process. Some are not. And some causes are unknown (like it was in my case, during the first trimester). The fertility clinic or your gynecologist will check you for the ones that they know and they can help with (an hormon imbalance, like too little proesterone or maybe an hematoma in the gestational sack), they will offer you an echo to try to see the heart (around week 5 or 6), and if they find all well they will tell you "Well, yeah you are spotting, but nothing to worry about. All seems fine, we don't know why, just try pelvic rest until it resolves and if it becomes bright red blood and a lot, the come here". Unfortunately, if they find something very wrong that can't be fixed or helped, there is nothing that you or them can do (but this is not the most usual case). I hated it when they told me this, but you just need to keep a watchful eye, not stress (because by experience, spotting worsens when i stress), talk you your specialist/clinic, let them run test, pelvic rest, andand wait.