Stopping meds cold turkey - help please!

[FindingFertility]

Hello,

I had FET back in March and am so delighted to be 12 weeks tomorrow, I then have my 12 week scan at 12 weeks 2 days. I have had one very early miscarriage/chemical previously from a natural pregnancy. My daily meds are 2x cyclogest progesterone pessaries and 2 oestrogen patches which I replace every 4 days.

My clinic told me there's no need to continue after 12 weeks. They have not told me to gradually reduce it, just to stop. Like so many other people I'm terrified! Has anyone else done this successfully who has been on similar medication / had a similar context to me?

I don't know whether to just take my last ones tomorrow and then have nothing from 12 weeks 1 day, or to keep going to the scan on 12 weeks 2 days. I'm then flying on holiday at 12 weeks 3 days to add to the anxiety! I'm probably overthinking everything 🫣

[Luce_16]

hello and congratulations 💙💙!

I was on a very similar protocol - cyclogest 2x day, oestrogen patches and daily progesterone injections. I went cold turkey at 12 weeks and I have a wonderful and healthy son.

Not going to lie, I was super concerned and scared when I stopped taking medications but I was told that the placenta kicks in at 12 weeks so I had no reason to worry!

If you’re super nervous, talk to your clinic and I am sure they’ll be able to reassure you 😌

Good luck and loads of positive thoughts and energy coming your way 😘😘😘

[FindingFertility in reply to Luce_16]

Thank you so much for your reassurance and congratulations!! I am feeling much braver about stopping so I will do my last meds today and then stop tomorrow on 12 weeks 1 day xxx

[Twiglet2]

I was told to stop cold turkey too at 12 weeks which I did with eostrogen (as they were making me very sick anyways!) but with the progesterone I kinda weaned myself off it so took one a day for a few days then one every second day for another two days. Maybe start something like that form now? They reassured me that the placenta had taken over from around 8 weeks anyways and I’d already had 4 weeks ‘extra’ as a precaution too which did help my anxiety a lot about stopping. Everything was absolutely fine by the way (I had my scan at 12+5 and by that point was off the eostrogen and one every second day progesterone) btw I actually felt a lot better in myself coming off all the drugs S I think at that point it was flooring me as my body was making more than enough and then I was adding so much extra too! xx

[Twiglet2 in reply to Twiglet2]

Ps there’s another forum on here for pregnancy after fertility treatment where there’s lots of discussion on this topic and will be really helpful for you moving forwards as well in your pregnancy. I think they ask us to move over to that once you are pregnant from about 8 weeks 🤗💜 xx

[FindingFertility in reply to Twiglet2]

So glad to hear it all went well ❤️ thanks so much xxx

[Natasha2012]

congratulations, I am 8 weeks pregnant and got told by my clinic to stop my progesterone at 10 weeks! Not sure if it’s because I had a natural cycle meaning I can come off earlier . Just wanted to reassure you it’s completely normal to feel anxious about the withdrawal of a Medication that helped us get pregnant . We just have to trust the experts and our bodies who brought us this far ❤️ xxxx

[FindingFertility in reply to Natasha2012]

Thanks so so much for the reassurance, I'm going to stop it all today and feeling much less scared about it xxx

[Tinkertinkerbell]

Hi, I’m about the same as you! I have another 3 days and then I am stopping cold turkey at 12 weeks. The nurse explained to me that I probably don’t need the meds after 10 weeks but they give you an extra 2 weeks so not to worry about stopping at that point as they’re not needed x

[FindingFertility in reply to Tinkertinkerbell]

Thank you! I asked my clinic lots of times but they didn't really explain anything, so that really helps. I'm stopping all the meds today. Wishing you lots of luck!! Xxx