Progesterone before FET

[Purpledoggy]

Just received my progesterone level from this morning (day of FET) and it’s 32 nmol/L. I will talk to my clinic in the morning but in the meantime I’m wondering what folks are currently being told is the minimum and also what was done about it. I have boxes and boxes of Cyclogest so I could add in rectally (currently on Lubion and 2x Utrogestan vaginally). I’m just very worried because I have severe luteal bleeding on my natural cycles due to both a poor level (24 nmol/L) and response to progesterone (I mean like a period severe). My clinic have been abysmal at remembering this and needed a lot of prompting on my last (successful) fresh round to give me adequate progesterone, which they did not on my first round and which led to heavy bleeding. Xx

[Fruitandflowers]

On the one that stuck, mine was 52 on transfer day and my consultant said that was ok, I think they wanted it over 25 or 30, *but* he said it was low considering the amount of progesterone I was on and had been for 5 days. So he said add in an extra lubion, but I got the feeling he said that to make me go away and he said you can't have too much. So that was 2x lubion and 3 x utrogestan. But my blood levels still crawled up soooo slowly. On cyclogest alone they were >190 almost immediately. I didn't have them checked this last time as I was already on 2 lubions and 3 utrogestan again and not sure I could have managed any more!

[Purpledoggy in reply to Fruitandflowers]

On my winner it was 520 something the day before 😂 This time it was measured pre-Lubion, the previous was about an hour after Lubion. I just can’t face bleeding early, especially when they went on about how beautiful the blastocyst looked at transfer. Not looking forward to the discussion tomorrow as they will likely say it’s fine, then I explain my history, then a lot of back and forth ensues, before a lottery on who gets final say on what happens (consultant always favours considering my history, nurses always dismiss it). Le sigh xx

[Purpledoggy in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Also how are you doing? Xx

[Eloquentia]

My clinic wanted to see progesterone over 30. With both my FETs, I was in the range of 25-27, so they doubled my dose each time. The second FET stuck (touch wood), so don 't panic too much.

[JulseyP]

My clinic doesn't check it. They just say increase the dose of progesterone if starting to bleed.

[ForABabyPanda in reply to JulseyP]

I bled and they told me it had failed!

[JulseyP in reply to ForABabyPanda]

They did the same to me. I bled they told me it had failed but to increase my progesterone just in case. Shes now 3! I bled when trying for a sibling and they just said to increase the progesterone, now 11 weeks.

[Purpledoggy in reply to JulseyP]

That’s great you had a good outcome for both 😊 xx

[ForABabyPanda in reply to JulseyP]

this makes me so sad - would increasing my progesterone have worked? I refused to STOP the progesterone for days after I bled - I waited til I had tested negative 3 days in a row then stopped

[ForABabyPanda in reply to ForABabyPanda]

but I didn’t know I could have increased

[Ranie]

I had a 19 and they called me just 1 hour after transfer to increase the dose. I got pregnant with that FET and level. Best wishes

[Purpledoggy]

Spoke to someone this morning and they want it over 32 so apparently my 32 is fine. She said if people aren’t on Lubion then that gets added in if under 32 but as I’m already on Lubion I don’t need it even if it was a bit low….…yeah me neither….

I don’t think it was one of the nurses and she only checked with the other nurses. It took me a while for her to understand my medical history and allegedly someone was going to call me back to discuss whether 32 is ok for me specifically, which they of course have not. I will try calling them again this afternoon. I don’t understand why they are making a thing of their personalised progesterone on their website when it is anything but. Urgh, I have not missed this.

[Fruitandflowers in reply to Purpledoggy]

My current clinic were really not sure about the amount of progesterone I was on and they said there was no protocol for it, but because I'd been on it previously they went along with it - don't think there was much thought given to it really. Hope you get to speak to someone sensible and informed!

[Purpledoggy]

I did eventually get a message from the matron that the 32 is a target, not a minimum, so they are very happy. I have now given up pressing the issue and will just have to see what happens. Xx

[Purpledoggy]

I thought it might be helpful to provide an update on this for anyone reading here. As my previous result seemed on the low side, I had my progesterone tested again. This time the sample was taken 1h after the Lubion injection, when my concentration would be at its peak, rather than just before it, when my concentration would be at a minimum. It came back as 790 nmol/L. It just goes to show how drastically it varies depending on exactly when you take the sample relative to the medication, which is not really very surprising. What I don't understand is why clinics don't standardise sample timing. Anyway, something to bear in mind if you have your progesterone tested. xx