Lubricants

[Flower1994]

Hi choosing to opt trying using the cyclogest rectally instead of vaginally as from reading it is a lot less messy. Anyone recommend any lubricants that can be used to help the insertion of the pessary ?

[GranolaHippo]

You like won't need one.

They're designed to go in. They're very small and made of hard fat, so as soon as they begin to reach body temp, they start to soft and melt -self lubrication, if you like!

I wouldn't suggest using a lubricant with them because it will likely act as a barrier between the pessary and your body and stop or reduce what can be absorbed. You also want them to stay up, not slip out!!

If you're worried, use them vaginally. They're not a complete mess. I pop them in and just make sure I can pop to the loo fairly swiftly after about an hour (think they only need 20mins vaginally, an hour rectally, but check with your clinic). Anything that hasn't been absorbed comes out as you pee, so no real mess. A bit of white on pants sometimes, but think heavy discharge not loads and loads.

Hope this is helpful. They're really not that bad -I had them in every natural cycle, as well as with ivf, so have been using for years now.

[Flower1994 in reply to GranolaHippo]

Thanks so much for the reply, I really appreciate it ,my clinic just said that it can be used vaginally or rectally, and I was told that if using vaginally i need to lay down for about 30 mins to allow time for absorption and some leakage can be quite normal. It's just from reading what others have put on here a lot of people seem to prefer the rectal route. It's my first round of IVF and first time using cyclogest I've found it quite daunting doing the pessary part I don't really know why, but I suppose the more I use them the more comfortable I will feel with inserting them.

[GranolaHippo in reply to Flower1994]

They're totally fine, honestly.

If you're worried about mess, use a panty liner, but I've honestly found them fine without.

I sit down with them for an hour after inserting vaginally. I wouldn't 'push' in that area but coughing etc us fine, i just tighten a bit.

Rectally, I've been advised they need to stay in for an hour, which didn't work so well for me.

But you'll find what works for you and can do different ways at different times of day, if that works out for you. The body takes in what it needs either way.

I just wouldn't suggest lube, unless your clinic say it's no problem.

It is teeny, tiny, so it'll be easy to get in.

[Keggles36]

Hey

You can use Optilube (that's the brand name), it's what we use in midwifery when inserting pessaries and I checked with our IVF clinic and they said it was fine.

You can buy a bottle, or individual sachets. The sachets will do about 4 pessaries, but a bottle is probably better value!

The pessaries were fine for me for s few weeks and then got quite painful so I used lube.

Hope this helps!

[Keggles36 in reply to Keggles36]

Branding looks like this: medisave.co.uk/products/opt...

[BlueEyedTabby]

Hi there, I was also daunted by the pessaries bit and wanted to echo what GranolaHippo said. I take them vaginally and you do a couple and it's fine. The medicine is absorbed quickly and what's left (the mess) is the waxxy material that makes up the pessary. I just use a pantyliner and most comes out when you next go to the toilet. I'd say be still for like ten mins after insertion, then you won't feel it at all. Although it's always a good excuse to lie down for 30 mins 😉 Good luck, you'll be fine xx

[Blahblahblahxxx]

These little waxy bullets were my mortal enemy! Rectally is less messy and as previous posters have said you won't need lubricant, they are designed in a way to go in and melt quickly at body temperature so will be absorbed fairly quickly. I used to do them rectally in the morning when I didn't have time to sit down and vaginally in the evening when I could lay down for half hour. You will need a pantyliner for the vaginal route though as there is leakage. 😷 This isn't the case for everyone but after a few weeks of inserting them rectally they made my bum quite sore and it caused some bleeding and vaginally would sometimes cause me a bit of thrush 🤦🏼‍♀️ so in my case I had to keep switching between the two options! 🫠

You clinic will want you to insert rectally prior to transfer though usually!

Good luck 💕 the things we have to go through!

[Flower1994]

Thanks for the advice ladies ❤️ I think I will switch between to the two or in order to reduce the risk of getting sore.