Extra progesterone - is it needed?

[Daisy-Delilah]

Hello!

I had my blood test today to check progesterone levels. The results came back at 170. The nurse told me that they look for 50-70 ideally so fortunately it is way over that.

However she said to me I can take extra progesterone which would be lubion injections if I want to. I initially turned it down as I thought that your body would only use the progesterone it needs and so why take extra (also I’d love to avoid more needles!)

But now I’m second guessing myself- should I take the extra!?!

advice welcome please xxx

[Hopewhite]

Hi Daisy-Delilah, I hope you're well , I'm afraid I don't have an answer other ladies in here told me is better to have too much than too little. I was told today by the consultant they were only looking for 40 (not sure what measurement unit) and my results came back at 43.. so they didn't advice anything else, so I'm just continuing the lovely pessaries twice a day!. all the best of luck for your transfer tomorrow, i hope everything goes perfectly xx

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to Hopewhite]

Thank you lovely. Hope you are feeling ok after your transfer today xxx

[Hopewhite in reply to Daisy-Delilah]

All good so far, thanks xx Hopefully someone will share their wisdom on this !

[HoneyB11]

I’ve been on two Cyclogest a day (morning/evening) plus one crinone gel pessary at lunchtime (so maybe that could be an option instead of the injection)?

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to HoneyB11]

Thank you! I hadn’t heard of the gel! I might ask about that! Xxx

[WillowPark]

I don't know about the levels but I take Lubion on my FETs (after a bleed likely due to low progesterone on my first cycle). I find the injections are not very pleasant. I am absolutely fine with injections but I find them a bit more painful to take than stims, and the side effects are not nice - headaches and insomnia and sore boobs and fatigue. I think it raises your levels pretty quickly though (I certainly get the side effects quickly!) so if you aren't keen to take it, you could always try without it for a bit, ask to be monitored and take it if you need?

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to WillowPark]

Thank you! That’s a good idea to get re-checked! Xxx

[Fruitandflowers]

I was told you can't have too much progesterone but if your levels are 170 on whatever you're on then it's working (I think the limit of detection at a lot of labs is 190, so you're nearly at that max) and maybe just get them checked again in a week or two to make sure they're still OK. Last pregnancy I stopped getting them checked when I reached 190.

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Thank you- that’s really helpful to know! Xxx

[Hopewhite in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Thanks for explaining this , I’m just reading your post, does it mean I’m low at 43? Should I be concerned?

[Fruitandflowers in reply to Hopewhite]

Was that the result on the day of transfer? Are you on progesterone already? If so, my clinic say anything above 30 is OK, but ideally they want them over 50. Mine have always been around 50 on the day of transfer but given the amount of progesterone I was on, they said I didn't seem to be absorbing it well so could increase to 2 lubion a day. If the transfer is successful then the levels should start to really climb quite quickly (or at least that's what happened with me, as no matter how much progesterone I took my levels didn't seem to do much until I had a BFP). Maybe ask your clinic and see what their view is, as they're usually fine for you to increase the amount you're on if you're worried x

[Hopewhite in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Hi hope you’re well xx , thanks for your response, yes 43 on the day prior to transfer, which was my fifth day on Cyclogest 2 a day (but only had the morning one before test), the doctor said they were only looking for 40 so didn’t advise the jabs. I just got worried because Daisy got a lot of points 😂

[Ginbaby]

I can’t imagine you’d need the extra progesterone but if you do want it quite expensive. I’ve just paid 168 for 3 boxes and I need to take 2 a day. Xx

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to Ginbaby]

Thank you for letting me know xxx

[Twiglet2]

it’s quite expensive and does have a few side effects but it has stopped me bleeding before test day so I just take it now ‘just in case’ as like you said your body just absorbs what it needs. I did have a ‘high’ progesterone count on my last misscariage when I did HCG and progestins test at 6 weeks and they just said it was because of the lubion but wasn’t an issue so I will probs do the same next time xx

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you for letting me know. I hope things are ok with you. Are you preparing for another one? Xxx

[Twiglet2 in reply to Daisy-Delilah]

Ah who knows 🤪 feels like the ride you can’t get off eh? Xx

[Daisy-Delilah in reply to Twiglet2]

lol! I love this! Xxx