progesterone in oil or suppositories?

[hanzi]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if there is any significant difference in efficacy between the progesterone shots and the suppositories? I’ve only ever been on suppositories but wondering if in my upcoming cycle I can request for shots. thank you!

[Boo718]

hello, we went privately for ivf and were given the option to have progesterone injections morning and night or pessaries morning, injection afternoon and pessaries at night.

We were told by the gynaecologist and pharmacist that there was no difference between the 2 and that we would be taking in the same irrespective of what we chose. Injection is way more expensive at approx £10 a vial. We chose the 2 injections to save the mess of pessaries and the hassle of having to inject in the afternoon. But was over £100 a week xxx

[hanzi in reply to Boo718]

Hello, thanks for sharing! Did you do the jabs yourself? A little worried about the self injection part.

[Boo718 in reply to hanzi]

My husband did them mostly but on occasion I did do them. Honestly I’m a total needle scaredy cat but After the first couple of times, id have jabbed that bad boy anywhere. Just make sure you have plenty time to make up the needle and that you have plenty needles at hand. You will be totally fine xxx

[SquishyBean]

According to info on my clinic's website, 1/3 of women don't absorb as much progesterone as they'd like from pessaries, so they have to use shots as well. Do your clinic test your progesterone levels before transfer? Mine does. I am doing a frozen transfer after a freeze all cycle though, so not sure if things are different with a fresh transfer. I suppose with a frozen cycle you have the luxury of time to get the environment just right.

[Luce_16]

hello hanzi, I was on both pessaries and progesterone in oil injections during my successful cycle. My understanding was that injections are 100pc absorbed whereas some women struggle absorbing the progesterone through pessaries.

Injections are more expensive than pessaries and the ones that I took - intramuscular - are a bit painful. I know that there is the option of having subcutaneous progesterone injections too which I believe might be less painful but I have no personal experience with those.

I’d say talk to your clinic and explore the best option for you. Good luck and baby dust! 💙

[Rxyfxyldy]

if it helps, I’m now 9 weeks pregnant and on 3x cyclogest (pessaries) and 1x Lubion per day. Lubion is subcutaneous, so you inject in your belly. I’m on this until 12 weeks when the placenta takes over x

[leo1980]

hi, my levels of progesterone were low on transfer day 34 I think - I was on 1 lubion and 2 pessaries. Clinic wanted it above 40 so We swapped the lubion for protogest - oil progesterone and it shot up. I am 11 weeks and 1 day today. The oil shots are painful but in all my positive cycles this is the protocol we used. Hope it helps.

[Gempuddleduck]

Hiya, I was on both for both my successful cycles up until 12 weeks. The injections aren’t the most pleasant but at least you know the baby’s getting plenty of the good stuff xx

[Toffeepudding99]

Hi my first cycle I was only on Cyclogest pessaries and on day of transfer my progesterone was 51.4 and over my clinics marker of 50 so I carried on that way.

This is my second cycle and again I’m on 3 pessaries daily but having a boost of prontogest every 3 days intramuscular (with my mum playing nurse as it’s a difficult area to reach - outer upper quadrant or my butt 😂). I’m having my blood test tomorrow so will be looking forward to see if it makes a difference. X

[Heyuu]

I've always been on pessaries. 2x a day, morning and night. Only had the shot once before my transfer and when things are unstable, the shot is administered. I still get my BFP and currently week 8

[Babydustforall]

Hi I personally would trust the shots better. I am in the US and my doc used the shots for both cycles and my children are now 2 and 9 weeks old. I was on the vaginal pills for most of my first and all of my second pregnancy and those pills helped for sure. I think for getting your bfp and sustaining the pregnancy early, you will know you are absorbing better with the shots. You can do them yourself with practice. My husband hated them so second time, I did them all myself. Good luck and baby dust!!

[Zuzzzzy]

To me personally, injections did the trick. Could not increase progesterone with pessaries no matter how many and how often I was taking them. Progesterone in oil literally took 24 hours to start showing the difference in blood tests and increase in progesterone. But I was not only taking the injection, we combined it with pessaries. Had 5 ICSI treatments so unfortunately plenty of experience and next time would go with the same approach.