Progestrone creams

jaden222 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-25-2005, 07:02 PM

Does anyone know if there is a differance in if the doctor perscribes one to the ones that are in health food stores? The one my doctor is perscribing is similar to prometrium which is in pill form.

My doctor wants me on progestrone on days 14-28 to try to shorten my long cycles. I have 40+ days. But I look on line and all i see is NATERAL PROGESTRONE CREAM. Is the ones that my doctor giving me considered nateral?

Also I am scared to take it, because I heard that if you take it before O, that it will prevent O from happening all together. Is this true?

Also I have started to take Vitex and Red Rasberry Leaf to try to correct my defect. Will any of these interfer with the progestrone?

deeceetoo · #2 (**permalink**) 03-26-2005, 04:16 PM

Yours is a very complicated question and all I can offer is my opinion. This is really a matter of personal choice and should be discussed with your doc at length before you make a decision. The progesterone you get from your doc is usually not natural, but prometrium is claimed to be so maybe what he's given you is. Usually, the prescribed stuff is much stronger than what you can buy at the healthfood store. I've nothing to base it on but I would think that if your P4 is low but not too low, that the creams you guy OTC may be enough. But given your case, I would seriously stick with what the doc is giving you. . Progesterone (P4) in any form can indeed keep you from ovulating. But I'm sure your doc would take corrective actions if it does interfere with your O. Are you ovulating on your own now?

As for the herbs, be careful: Vitex works on your hypothalmus and affects the balance of estrogen and progesterone in favor of progesterone. If you are already doing meds via your doc, I would strongly suggest you stop using the vitex. You are basically doubling the effort and while a good amount of P4 is nice, there can be too much of a good thing, especially since the vitex is downplaying the estrogen. If your estrogen is already border line, you could be causing more damage. The Red Raspberry is fine. It won't affect anything in as far as your infertility treatments go. It's a great herb.

Sorry I wasn't much help but good luck. I hope that this does the trick. I'd love to see an announcement for your BFP!

jaden222 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-27-2005, 05:45 AM

Thank you so much for your imput!

I am Oing on my own, but I o very late. Anywhere's from cd27 to 30+. That is why my doc. suggested to put me on prog. But I guess I do not understand her logic, because if I do not O before day 14, and I start to take the progestrone till day 28, how is that shortening my cycles when prog. will hinder me from oing.

I was on the prometrium pill this past cycle, and I did not O till day 27.

Dawnyel · #4 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 03:23 PM

Hi there,
I just went to the doc the day before yesterday, and he put me on prometrium cd 14-28 also. He wants me to have a cycle every month.. my cycles range from 35-100 days. Somewhere in his little pea brain, he thinks this will help me get pregnant, but I know he's full of it. ANYWAY I switch insurances on the 15th of this month, and clomid and everything will be free.
-Dawnyel

P.S. I'm trying Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen and as soon as AF shows, I'm trying Soy Isofavens cd 1-5 hopefully we wont need clomid!

meadowgirl · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 07:40 PM

Are you actively TTC or are you going to take a month or two off while you try to progesterone? I have heard that sometimes going on progosterone for a couple of months can be really helpful in shortening your cycles. I guess it retrains your body or something.

It's up to you what you do. A compromise might be to chart, temp, check your cm and cp and maybe use opks to help you know exactly when you ovulate and THEN take the progesterone cream after that ovulation has occured. That way you have a chance to get and stay pregnant. You'd have to continue the cream through the first trimester though. (I think.)

I guess I'd have a long talk with your doctor to find out exactly what it is he's trying to accomplish here. I'm not sure about the difference b/w the progesterone creams. I took the kind you by at the health food store a few years back and it was nice. It really seemed to help my cycle and tone down some of my pms symptoms. I wasn't TTC at that time though.

Good luck.