Anyone else nervous about weaning off progesterone?

[Anonymous]

I was on PIO shots, then at the end of week 7 the doctor had me switch to suppositories, 200 mg 2x per day, which is a little less than the standard dose. I think I'll be weaned just before 10 weeks.

I'm just nervous about hurting this very, very hard-won pregnancy. I hope dropping the progesterone makes me feel better but I would rather continue than take ANY chance of losing this. . . .

Anyone just want to offer words of comfort to a very, very nervous mom with her first viable pregnancy?

[Anonymous]

I was very nervous to quit with my last pregnancy. I think I did a week longer than they said to. The placenta takes over around 10 weeks, so if you quit at 12, you are way in the clear.

[Anonymous]

I unilaterally decided to wean very slowly from 3 times a day down to 1 over the course of about a month. It made me feel a lot better and there were no adverse effects other than being extra-bloated.

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree...talk to your doc about staying on it a little longer. Mine has me going off at 12 weeks (taking prometrium 2ce/day) and now that I am with my regular OB, she said that dropping down from 2 to 1 a day after 12 weeks for a week or 2 will not harm anything if it makes me feel better. I imagine your doc will say the same. I am sure they know what they are doing, but if for some chance you m/c after going off it you will always wonder.

I will say that my last FET (the one prior to my current one that so far as worked) I got pregnant and I was nervous about going off estrace. My doc let me stay on for an extra week but I had a m/c right after I stopped it. We did a D&C and it was chromosomal, so not related to the estrace but if it had come back normal I would not have been able to live with myself.

[Anonymous]

I was nervous about it and continued with the Endometrin suppositories until 14 weeks. My MFM laughed when I told him and asked if that was my own protocol... But he said it's fine and not going to hurt. I just felt better going a little longer, but probably things would have been fine either way.

[Anonymous]

I have had two IVF pregnancies and both times stopped the progesterone on the schedule outlined by my RE. Didn't have problems either time and, frankly, was so glad to be done with it. I trusted that my doctor would never recommend that I stop a medication if there was ANY chance it could hurt my pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

OP here, I may go down to one suppository at night when it's time to get off.

I too, am ready to be done adding to my discomfort with extra progesterone, as long as I believe in my heart it's 100% safe for the pregnancy.

I am already down in dose and no diminishment in symptoms, so that gives me comfort.

[Anonymous]

You can ask your RE to do a blood test after you stop to make sure it's still high enough. Keep in mind that at a certain point, the placenta takes over progesterone production. I had to do PIO shots until about 9-10 weeks. Doc said just to stop and I asked for a blood test after stopping just to make sure. It's unclear whether tests are really all that helpful for various reasons, but if you need peace of mind, that's an option.

[Anonymous]

I stopped cold turkey when I was 12 weeks... they say placenta takes over progesterone at about 10 weeks... I insisted I stayed on it until I was 12 weeks. Stopped the first day of my 13th week.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

I would also rather be on the shots than the suppositories. As hard as it is to do the shots, I am so sick of the suppository mess, and I'd rather have the momentary discomfort at night.

I'm supposed to go off at 10 weeks. There are studies which support that, but of course no studies that are infallible.

Does anyone know if I'll feel better after getting off the supplements? It's getting hard to work/concentrate with the nausea and fatigue. I know that pregnancy can cause those without the supplemental progesterone, but the extra can't be helping.