Group devoted to just low progesterone?

Hi everyone! I thought I'd go ahead and create this group and see if people agree with me that there might be a need for a separate group focused on just the issue of low progesterone. After reading all over the internet, posting after posting from women with this problem, many resulting in miscarriage, I thought having a specialized group for this might be beneficial.

Myself right now, I just had a very low beta result on Thurs of 5, and a very low progesterone level of 4.25. I have been supplementing like mad with natural progesterone (varies with either Prometrium or progesterone vaginal suppositories or natural progesterone cream) but I don't think it's helping. My OB/GYN didn't sound at all hopeful when he said for me to go ahead and start supplementing. But basically I was only 8-10 days past ovulation when the beta was done, so I am praying that it is just really early and things might improve.

Any ideas? I've been told baby aspirin, garlic and **** quai. Thanks in advance, everyone!

[jesshopes4baby]

Hi there! Thank you for starting this group! I have been searching the Internet like a mad woman trying to figure out the cause of my three miscarriages all occured very early like three days after getting a BFP. Doctors never pointed me towards having a low progesterone but blamed it on my fibroids. Of course they wanted me to have surgery but in an effort to save my pocketbook, I've decided to try herb tinctures and progesterone cream before attempting a second iui. I've read that you use the progesterone cream from the day you ovulate until the day before AF is due. I bought mine from the vitamin shop.

[Sherri90049]

Hi Jess!

Thanks for your reply! I have been trying the Prometrium (starting the day after ovulation), but that doesn't seem to be working. I asked to go back to the progesterone vaginal suppositories. Hoping they might work better. I have also been taking Vitex (when I remember). Hope that my hormones can get back into balance. I have had several chemical pregnancies in the last year or so. :-( Tired of them. They are just as heartbreaking as a regular miscarriage. We're supposed to be taking a month off from trying, but that's hard for me to be on board with. Keep me posted on how you do!

:-) Sherri

[mrs_adams2009]

I was glad to find a group like this.  My first testing of progesterone was .47 and last month was .37.  My husband and I are trying to conceive so I have been placed on Clomid.  It had no effect the first month so my prescription was boosted to 100mg.  I have to take Provera to cause AF because of this issue.  They completely quit happening last November and I finally gave in and saw a doctor in February when I tested negative for pregnancy.  I was scared to go to the doctor but I am happy that my doctors and family are being so supportive and not giving up.  It gives me faith to know that others believe it will happen for me.

[dscoqn]

I was told I had low progesterone and was put on natural progesterone cream,  I wasn't intending to start using it till this cycle for a majority of reasons.  Anyway I started clomid 50mg this cycle as well and low and behold my CD21 progesterone test came back really high - I hadn't even started the cream cause I wanted to make sure I had ovulated first.  Maybe the clomid boosted my progesterone levels???

[mrs_adams2009]

My doctor placed me on Clomid to boost my progesterone levels.  It is supposed to aid in ovulation and your progesterone level has to be at least a 5 to ovulate and a 10 to get pregnant (at least that is what my doctor said).  

[Meighan_Kevin]

dscoqn- i dont think youre right  because i found out i was pregnant 2 weeks ago and they were worried of miscarriage because my progesterone levels were only 0.3. So i know i got pregnant with it low. Unless it went down for some reason, but i think its sapose to rise. they put me on prometrium and 2 days later it had gone up to 18.5. then just this past wednesday it went up even more to 27.5. they have me on 200mg that i take twice daily. My last pregnancy was with twins and i had low progesterone too. I made it all the way to 21 and went into early labor and lost both girls. It was rough hearing that my levels were so low that i may miscarry. i hope i make it at least to 30 weeks this time. i heard about these progesterone injections that you can take weekly to prevent early labor. Anyone else heard of this?

[Sherri90049]

I think I have heard of that. You should definitely see if your dr will let you take them. They should do everything they can to help you and not let early labor happen due to low progesterone. I tried for a few months to get my progesterone level up, first w/the natural progesterone cream, then with Prometrium, then w/the suppositories. It seemed like nothing was working which didn't make any sense. Then in March I added a supplement called maca root. In case you haven't heard of it, it's an adaptogen that helps your body make the right amount of everything it needs. It actually a food (a vegetable to be exact) similar to a radish that's grown high in the Peruvian Andes. It actually worked. I did still take the Prometrium, but the month I added the maca root, my progesterone levels were completely normal (17.5 at 7DPO). By the time I conceived and got a positive beta, my progesterone was up to 55 at like 18DPO! I ended up miscarrying due to other reasons. (not getting good blood flow to the uterus) But just wanted to let you know what worked for me w/getting the P up. I'm like you. I'm able to conceive even when the progesterone is really low. (I think once mine was 1.4 even though I had a low positive beta.) Just want to get all my issues straightened out so I can carry to term. Wish you the very best in your pregnancy! Knowing about an issue in advance is half the battle. I'm sure they'll figure out a way to get your P up and keep it up. :)

[babesmygirl]

Thankyou so much for starting this group Sherri, my progesterone reading on day 21 was only 1.3, indicating that I didn't ovulate this month even though my U/S said that I had a follicle ready to go, & with super high (53) FSH levels & my age it doesn't look good, even my accupuncturist says if I can't get my progesterone levels up there's not much she can do for me.
Think I will have a look for the maca root, as it seems to have done the trick for you, did you keep taking it & continue having high counts?  

[Sherri90049]

Yes! It (maca) apparently stimulates whatever needs stimulating (pituitary, thyroid, whatever) to get your own body making progesterone! I am even a bit glad that I tried everything else first w/o maca, so I could know that (for me) the maca did the trick. I was so shocked when the natural progesterone cream, then the Prometrium, then the suppositories, all failed, but then the first month I took maca, bam! 7DPO my progesterone level (in March, first month I took maca) was 17.5! I almost fell on the floor when the nurse told me! By the time I had conceived, it was 55!

I had such low levels just like you! So don't despair at all! Just get a hold of some maca, and try to take at least 1,500mg a day, preferably 3,000mg a day. Also Vitex is supposed to be super helpful for progesterone levels. Something that seems to help lots of things, including high FSH, is wheatgrass! As a result of researching that, I have a new theory on what causes high FSH. I think it's simply blood flow not getting to the ovaries enough. (Wheatgrass has chlorophyll which helps get the oxygen & blood flowing properly throughout your body.) So I am going to take it 3x a day like the bottle says and I'm going to figure out how to afford acupuncture. Hang in there! You WILL get your progesterone levels up. I promise! If I did it, you can do it, too! :)

[babesmygirl]

Thanks Sherri,
I have enquired about growing my own wheatgrass, ordered some maca & will now order some vitex too & hopefully that will put my menopause on hold long enough to let me concieve (conceive), carry & deliver a healthy baby.

[dscoqn]

After my last post above I got a bfp that same cycle.  When I went to get my HCG bloods done I also asked for my progesterone level to be tested again - I was interested to see if it was still as high as it had been at CD21.   I got my HCG results back which confirmed I was pregnant although it was only 10 which is very low and then I started bleeding and lost the pregnancy.  I also got back my progesterone results and it had dropped dramatically.  I'm a bit confused about something - did I lose my pregnancy because my progesterone had dropped so much or did my progesterone drop because I was losing the pregnancy????

[Sherri90049]

That's a really good question. I can't say that I know the answer for sure, but there any many who think that the low progesterone causes m/c's. Drs would probably say that the reverse is true, and that probably it was chromosomally abnormal and that's why it ended and the P dropped. My personal belief is that low P can directly cause m/c's. I found a website w/hundreds of stories of women who kept m/c'ing and then added progesterone supplementation and then their next pregnancy went to term. It can't just be a coincidence every time. The site is lowprogesteroneinpregnancy *******. Check it out. It's pretty eye opening. You'll figure out what works with your body. Definitely consider maca root. Everything else didn't work for me (progesterone cream, Prometrium, progesterone suppositories, etc.) until I added maca. Now I still do the progesterone supplementation but I do maca as well, and my last pregnancy had great progesterone levels.

[babesmygirl]

Hey Sherri,
well i've started on the maca, & I'm using a progesterone cream now too that has vitex in it, just waiting for AF to arrive in the next day or two, then I'll be starting on a new tea that my chinese medicine dr has given me, & still doing acupuncture once a week, also gone back to doing yoga (after 15 years!) & walking so hopefully I will lift my progesterone levels & lower my FSH levels & achieve the holy grail :) hope the bank account can last!

[dscoqn]

Hi Sherri,
I was just looking up maca root on the net as I am thinking of getting some but it said not to use while pregnant???

[Sherri90049]

I've seen that, but I've also seen the opposite. Peruvian women eat it throughout the whole pregnancy. Personally I plan to take it at least through the first trimester, and most likely through the whole pregnancy (when/if that happens) because I feel so good on it. It helps boost my thyroid naturally. (I'm hypothyroid.) So you'll see what works for you. It's a vegetable basically, so it's not really possible to have side effects or eat too much of it. It's kinda like Vitex with respect to being an adaptogen. Supposedly it gives you exactly the right amount of whatever you need. I'd like to find a naturopath or someone who knows more than I do. The company I ordered from last time has a toll-free number that I can call and ask questions of their naturopath, so maybe I'll do that and then post what I find out. :)

[dscoqn]

That would be great!  I'll also ask my hormone doc that recommended the progesterone cream if she knows about Macca.

[Michelledj]

Hi,

Great group!!  I have had 3 early miscarriages, one in 2005 then we struggled to conceive for 3 years, after eventually going to my GP we were referred for fertility testing, partner was ok but I had progesterone levels at about 8, so was advised to lose weight so I could start clomid, in Apr 09 I fell pregnant naturally (after losing some weight but generally being fitter) that pregnancy ended in at 7 weeks, after which my progesterone levels were checked again over 2 months, one was 29 and the nest was above 30, my consultant said I had entered a more fertile phase!
He gave me 6 months to fall again and then would see me again to discuss clomid.  6 months came and I was still not pregnant and clinic wanted me to lose a few more lb's before they would prescribe clomid.. (those last few pounds wont budge grrr!!) I  have since ordered natural progesterone cream and have been applying it in 2nd half of my cycle, last few months I have been doing ovulation test strips to detect LH surge,  i had a surge in Apr then a couple of days later applied the cream - no pregnancy, In May I had another LH surge applied the cream and achieved pregnancy, kept applying the cream,however only as what they suggest which is a pea sized amount 12 hours apart, now when I found out I was pregnant I wondered if I should of been applying more, I did read that too much progesterone wasnt harmful but I still wasnt sure. Due to the previous miscarriages I went to my GP straight away and told them I was pregnant and that with my history of low progesterone and miscarriages would I be given any progesterone support, my GP wrote off to my consultant at the fertility clinic and I received a letter a few days later congratulating me on achieving pregnancy but that there was no scientific evidence to suggest progesterone would be beneficial to me, I starting losing pregnancy symptoms after just 6 days of a positive preg test and started spotting, brown then pink then red then pink.. not alot but i was worried nonetheless, my HCG was tested 48 hrs apart 1st was 133 2nd was 197 - not good for 5weeks as this is the time your HCG levels rocket and double every 48hr (not true for everyone but HCG chart shows it should be in the thousands), but hospital seemed positive it had increased and still wouldnt give me progesterone I actually asked them for it but I got the same old speech about progesterone being used in the "old days" and there was no evidence to prove it would prevent me from miscarrying, they wouldnt scan me until i was 6 weeks, then the evening before the scan I miscarried that pregnancy!! I feel so let down by the medical proffession shunning the progesterone theory and also now that I have lost 3 in a row they will now "probably" put me on progesterone pessaries if i was to fall again!  There are so many stories about miscarriages and progesterone surely it cant hurt to prescribe it to us women who have had tests to show a low progesterone and recurrent miscarriages, I cant help but feel with this support I'd be holding my baby in my arms right now !!
Sorry this is so long, Michelle :o)

[Sherri90049]

Hi Michelle! Reading your post just breaks my heart. You even knew exactly what you needed but couldn't get them to give it to you. They want you to have the obligatory 3 m/c's before they'll do anything. That's disgusting. Low progesterone has been responsible for countless losses, then when these women are given progesterone in the next pregnancy, they can very often carry to term. (assuming nothing else is wrong) If you haven't already seen it, there is a website called lowprogesteroneinpregnancy *******. There are hundreds of stories from women in that exact situation who fortunately ended up having success but had to have unnecessary losses before that.

There are a couple of other natural things that are supposed to help balance hormone levels and thereby boost progesterone levels. Vitex and maca root. For me I noticed the most help from maca root. I spent 3 months starting first w/progesterone cream (which did nothing), then Prometrium (by itself did nothing at that point), then progesterone suppositories (also didn't help). P levels kept being between 4-6 at seven DPO. Then this past March, I added maca root at the beginning of the month and kept taking the Prometrium. By the time of seven DPO, my P level was almost 18! By the time I had a + beta, the P level was 55!

So research it on Google when you get a chance. It's not a drug; it's a vegetable actually. There are supposed to be no side effects and you can't take too much. I like to take at least 3,000mg day. I seem to notice the most positive effects at that dose. I also have thyroid issues (Hashimoto's and hypothyroid), and it's VERY helpful for that, too! You'll probably be fine even with just the progesterone they give you next time, but I thought I'd mention the maca any way, because lots of people rave how great they feel on it. (weight loss, increased libido, more energy, etc.)

I am SO sorry for what you've had to endure. It's just wrong. Will pray for a positive outcome next time for you! Personally I've had other issues like a thin uterine lining which made me m/c even while taking P. I'm still working on my other issues but very hopeful for future pregnancies. I hope getting a little extra progesterone is all you need! Keep me posted! Good luck to you! SSBD! :)

Sherri

[nanabon]

Hello all. I am a 32 y/o mother of two beautiful little girls. I just recently had another miscarriage (7/19) at 5 wks...this makes my 5th miscarriage. I managed to conceive both of my daughters my first cycle after my m/c's. My drs have never before thought that low progesterone might be the cause for my multiple miscarriages but instead felt that it was an imbalance of my thyroid levels (I'm hypothyroid), but now they believe this is true since I managed to conceive and carry immediately following. I have been prescribed prometrium to begin taking as soon as I ovulate. I would appreciate any advice.