Low progesterone only - rare????

Hi

Someone please help me understand this...

So I had 2 chemical pregnancies - they took my progesterone day 21 last month and it was low - 6.9. So my Obgyn put me on progesterone pills - 100mg to take at night (prometrium).

I just went to see a specialist yesterday who talked a lot... but told me that just having low progesterone was rare. Is it rare??? All my other tests so far were normal (day 3 blood, ultrasound). He seems to think that even me going on progesterone this month - if I do get pregnant - that it will just delay the pregnancy. I'm so scared!!!! Next month he wants to take a day 3 ultrasound and a day 5 with a dye (to look for things wrong with me?) - could something like this be lowering my progesterone?

He did say that he would take my blood day 21 (I'm day 14) and if the progesterone is still low from the pills he would up it. Am I just setting myself up for disaster again??? Is it so rare to JUST have low progesterone??? Has anyone just had low progesterone and taken pills and you were fine??

Please help - I'm really scared right now that I am setting myself up for a delayed miscarriage.

Also, could anyone tell me what really could be causing the low progesterone?

Thanks so much!!!

Baby dust to all.

[alikat1205]

I don't know what's up, but I don't think it's rare, I'm not sure what he means.  I do have low progesterone, but my RE still thought pregnancy was possible, and progesterone should be taken at the first positive test.  Also, I am going to try this month adding natural progesterone cream to the mix starting 2 days post ovulation.  There is alot of information about that on the net.  My RE also jump started follicle growthy for me (which for me didn't work, but might for you) with either menopur/clomid or menopur/femara, and I got as many as four follicles in a month. His theory was that natural progesterone is better than synthetic, and if I had four follices, and only one resulted in pregnancy, I would still have a little progesterone from the other 3 to kick start things.  

[Muz2127]

Hi - thanks for writing back. How low is your progesterone? Is this the only thing that is abnormal w/ your tests? Do you know why your progesterone is low? Have you ever gotten pregnant? I never had progesterone taken once I became pregnant - that's a good idea. Sorry for so many questions :)

This new doctor mentioned clomid too - I'm a little confused since it seems like I do ovulate (hence being pregnant twice) - just that I can't keep the pregnancy. So I don't know.

Assuming I don't get pregnant this month, he wants to take a day 3 and 5 ultrasound next month (one with injecting dye) to see if my uterus is normal.

Good luck to you...

[kahlua141]

I have low progesterone and with my son I had a positive beta and progesterone of 4.9..we were told he had a 2% chance ..they upped prometrium to 1000 and he is now a healthy 2 year old..i then had a chemical in dec on 400 of prometrium and now just finished our first ivf (we r unexplained with low progesterone) I always ovulated 28 day cycle so that doesnt really mean anything..also progesterone does not delay af..i have had af come everytime on prometrium even when i was pregnant..when they upped it..it stopped..hope this answers some of your questions! I am still trying to figure out all the answers!

[Bradilou]

Hi I had two chemical pregnancies as well. My Dr told me that it has something to do with the Beginning of your cycle (follicular phase). I'm 36 and been ttc for a year and a half and I also have low progestrone . I've been on clomid for 4 cycles with no success but it did raise my day 21 progesterone level from 9 to 17. Not sure if your into accupuncture but the month that I went for it my progesterone level went to 20. I'm starting back with it next cycle while also doing iui. Good luck to you

[Muz2127]

Have they figured out why you have low progesterone?? Have you had an HSG (a dr. wants to do that for me to see if I have scarring or something?) When I took the prometrium last month it delayed my cycle like 2-3 days (and was not pregnant).  I also have a totally regular 28 day cycle - so I was surprised when these chemical pregnancies happened. I guess you just don't expect these things.So glad you have a healthy 2 year old!! We tried this month, and started my 100mg of prometrium and will have my day 21 blood to see if I should be on more prometrium. I hate not having answers!!!

[Muz2127]

Hey Bradilou-

Is clomid supposed to help then the low progesterone (or solve everything?) by making the whole cycle more regular? I heard the clomid also increases progesterone by making you ovulate better. I dont know...

Do you also take the progesterone after the clomid? I wonder if we have similar issues...

[30something13]

I just ahve low progesterone! I was not diagnosed till this last june. I had 5 oregnancies before that sstarting abck in 1997. I mc my sons twin as well as two of my daughters twins, triplets and had all 4 of my babies earlier and earlier! I lost my last one after birth. I had my tubes burnt out and said why, why, why. They did nto test back then. Also I threw up my shole pregnancies also as sign of low progesterone and bleeding the whole time as well. Well I met the love of my life and after 4 years of marriage I got a reversal and tested and my levels were 6.4 my RE said that if I did get pregnant, hardly a chance at that I would loose it no matter what without suppliments. I was put on the suppositores and did loose a baby the next month. The pharmacy was two days late with my meds, just two days! So they very next month I got pregnant and am now 24 weeks, NO BLEEDING, bed rest or trowing up! No contractions nothing! I am on shots since 20 weeks and before that was on Prometrium 200mg every 12 hours. Plus I have cream to use right away if I feel a contraction. GO to march of dimes and american accadamy of obstetrics and type in progesteerone and it has studies and reports to read. You dr is wrong and you shoudl try the suppliments first for a while then do tests if it doe snot work! Also 100mg once a day is not high enough for how low your was!! You know my first OB does not belive in progesterone and had me go to a high risk OB further away, and he said he is nuts that they have been using it since the 70's and done studies as early as 99 on it, it does work and some woman just plain ahve low progesterone. It is called a luteal ohase defect! The low progesterone when takeing your basal body temp shows slow to rise temps after ovulation and then itdrops out to soon casueing a short luteal ohase cycle. That means the estrogen that sheds the uterine linning kicks in too early can cause mc or chemical pregnancy. Take you basal temp and show the dr how it has helped you! Go to fertility frined .com to see how to do it! It tells real dr's waht is happening in your cycle! That is how they found mine! Then  you take it the night after you O and till cyclse day 32-33 then test with a HPT. and if you stillhav enot started you go for a blood "quantatative" not qualitive to make sure you are pregnant before stopping. You dr should give you a standing order! Then if you are have your progesterone checked and it should be over 30 at 4-5 weeks along and if it is not then you need more progesterone. It is simple as that and the dr soundslike he is just out to make money! Just tell him to give you time with it. Take your temps so you can see it working! You can also keep track of them on here and I can look at them to see waht is going on and if it is helping you! Best of luck to you!

[kahlua141]

To Muzz- I had all the testing done and we still came up unexplained  with low progesterone...with our son I had a beta of 25 and progesterone never went over 10 even on 1100 .. We were told he had a 2% chance and our RE loves to tell our story..I am praying for our 2nd miracle..the clomid can not help and i dont think 100 is enough..Good luck!

[Muz2127]

Thanks for the note... how long is your cycle or luteal phase?? Mine seems a normal length- I have a 28 day cycle, ovulate on day 14... how much more normal can you get?!?!?

Is it too late if I take higher progesterone after they take my day 21 blood and see that it's still low?? Or do I still have time to save the preg (if I am preg) at that time???

Thank you SO much for writing... I don't feel so alone.

[Muz2127]

Hi Kahlua,

Were your cycles normal length/luteal phase??? I don't think 100mg is enough either but this stupid dr (who I am switching away from) won't give me more until he sees himself how low the day 21 progesterone is (since he doesnt think that progesterone is the cause of my problem, but the effect)

Is it too late to up the progesterone after day 21 if he sees my levels are low???

Thank you so much!!

[Muz2127]

Also you are saying Clomid can NOT help??? Why is this?

Thanks!

[BabyDust201023]

Look up Crinone 8% Gel it's progesterone so you won't have chances of MC and also to make the lining thick enough to keep the egg for implantation.. I hear this stuff works wonders I am on it now and so far so good I think this month will be my lucky month! Good luck

[kahlua141]

My cycle was 27 days every month forever..I thought we would get pregnant right away! What a suprise!My RE said only progesterone support can help ....i can only speak from experience ..with the chemical pregnancy he assumes  the egg was not healthy.. so it would have happened no matter what..

[Bradilou]

Hey,
yes you are correct... Chlomid is supposed to make you ovulate better.. Therfore making your progesterone higher towards the end(day21) of your cycle to sustain a pregnancy. I went thru an unsuccessful iui this month but my day 21 level was 17. I was put on prometrium and got af 4 days early?????? Go figure !!!! I had a polyp removed from my cervix on Wednesday also had a hysteroscopy at the same time ... Hopefully the polyp was blocking something and I'll get my bfp soon ! :) hang in there and keep in touch

[Muz2127]

So - I've been on 100mg of prometrium since CD16 and had my progesterone level taken on CD21... to much of my surprise it was 19.9! I'm so confused why it went that high on only 100mg prometrium. The Dr. said I probably would have had  a normal reading  without the prometrium? Who knows...

Anyway, took an early preg test this morning and it was negative... so we'll see. Still nice to see my progesterone levels at a normal level!

[Bradilou]

Congrats on your levels!