Post # 1
Member
15291 posts
Honey Beekeeper
Hi ladies, just wondering when most people stop progesterone after a positive transfer. My doctor has me going until 12w and stopping cold turkey, but man, these PIO injections are killing me. I’m switching to gel after my last bottle runs out even though it cost 20x more, but that only gets me to 11.5 weeks.
Post # 2
Member
542 posts
Busy bee
I’m six weeks now and have been told I need to be on progesterone until I’m 10 weeks pregnant. I hate the shots too. I go through days of being really sore and other days where I’m fine. I just refuse to pay more for the gel so I’m suffering through it. Having my husband massage the injection site afterwards and then applying heat seems to really help, though. But there are days when I’m so sore I can’t recline and be comfortable.
Post # 3
Member
232 posts
Helper bee
@pinkshoes: PIO injections are the worst. By the end, I couldn’t even feel my behind and I still have strange sensations every now and again, two years later! If I remember correctly my RE, told me I could stop around 10ish weeks because placenta takes over by then, but I was too worried after my MMC’s, so I talked to my OBGYN and he agreed I could continue till 12 weeks. I stopped cold turkey 12 weeks to the day. I dont think I could have done one more day!
Is the gel crinone?
ETA: agree with PP. I massaged and used a heating pad afterward every night and it helped a lot
Post # 4
Member
15291 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@piscesinsc: yes, I cannot sit reclined or put any pressure on it anymore. My husband is having a hard time finding any muscle that’s not a hard lump to inject into anymore. It’s just one huge hard lump. The gel was 2k vs 100 for the PIO so I refused at first too. But once I run out, since I hit my deductible, it’s $6 for pio or $130 for gel, I’m gonna suck it up and pay it. At least it’s not in the thousands now, 6 is awesome, but100 I can stomach.
@MsTrulove22: yes, the gel is Crinone. I’ve been using a heating pad before and after since almost the beginning. Massaging it right after, and randomly during the day. Nothing is helping anymore. 🙁
Post # 5
Member
2508 posts
Sugar bee
12 weeks cold turkey for pio. I weaned off estrogen patches starting at 10 weeks
Post # 6
Member
542 posts
Busy bee
@pinkshoes: The lumps and knots are the worst. I have one on each side right now and my husband will massage them out of me, but it’s super painful so I usually have to tell him to stop before they are completely gone. At least today they seem to be hiding and I’ve been sitting and lying down without any issue. I am jealous the Crinone will be so cheap for you. If I could only pay $130 I’d definitely do it too.
Post # 7
Member
4093 posts
Honey bee
I am very against taking progesterone for a prolonged period. My first had severe hypospadias and chordee, and while we couldn’t confirm it was the progesterone, there have been studies that show hypospadias as a risk factor with progesterone use. For that reason, my RE had my stop at 9 weeks with my second baby after a frozen transfer.
Post # 8
Member
4255 posts
Honey bee
- Wedding: April 2016 - Manhattan, NY
@pinkshoes: Sorry to hear that you’re having a rough time! PIO is no fun, but I hated the alternative more… I did my last PIO shot and Estrace pills at 9+6 weeks. It was a little rough toward the end since I was so sore and had a couple small knots, but I just kept thinking of our little love in there and that helped me push through it. I see you’re using heat and massaging, but in addition to doing those things, I would also do squats and lunges every night. I don’t know if that helped or not, but I never got any huge knots, just small ones that we could easily inject around. Best of luck! It’s been 3 weeks since my last shots and I’m so glad to be done with that part.
Post # 9
Member
140 posts
Blushing bee
I did PIO and estrogen until 8 weeks, then stopped the estrogen cold turkey and did two weeks of endometrin/progesterone suppositories, off of everything entirely at 10 weeks. PIO is no fun, but I honestly HATED the endometrin like 10x more. Agreed with PP, I have no idea if it actually helped but I did a lot of stretches/squats, etc everyday and after the first ~week I didn’t really have problems other than some constant mild soreness.
Post # 10
Member
15291 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@whitums: oh wow, I’ve never heard of that! I’ve only been told and heard from doctors and other people seeing different doctors that there’s no such thing as too much progesterone, and that the uterus would only take what it needs. Did your RE test your progeterone and estrogen before having you stop?
@scootersandwich: oh my gosh, I’d completely forgotten about endometrin suppositories too. I did those with my first 2 transfers, and yes, they sucked!! the crinone gel suppository is much better than endometrin. Not nearly as leaky.
Post # 11
Member
98 posts
Worker bee
It was truly a pain but worth it! I had to do 12 wks along with the suppositories which was not fun! My progesterone was dropping so obviously I dealt with the pain thinking of my two peanuts. My only suggestion is to bend over for the shots followed by asking your husband to massage the area. Most of mine were pain free my husband was great at giving shots but every once in a while I had a knot if my husband didn’t massage the area long enough. Good luck bee as overwhelmed as I am with our twins I wouldn’t change a thing!
Post # 12
Member
4093 posts
Honey bee
@pinkshoes: Yeah so that’s the thing, with my first I did IUI and I had an ectopic twin, so I was naturally producing a lot of progesterone on top of the meds. My RE had me go to 12 weeks anyway since I had to have surgery for the ectopic. I think a lot of RE’s use it as a crutch because they get nervous and figure there’s no harm. With my second, since it was a FET I wasn’t producing any progesterone and my numbers were lower but acceptable. I think when you’re naturally producing or have a fresh transfer that beyond 8 to 9 weeks is total overkill. Most people manage just fine going to 12 weeks, so don’t stress over my comments. It just kind of burns me up how much of the IVF process is dictated by what’s familiar to the RE and not what’s scientifically necessary, but I’m about as crunchy granola as an IVFer gets lol
Post # 13
Member
9564 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
10 weeks for both my IVF and FET. for the FET, i was in a medication study and was assigned PIO only group. i was getting a reaction from the shots, but switching to a different medium would cause me to have to pay out of pocket. we were already out of pocket for everything else and still paying off all the IVF cycles from #1.
i ended up doing shots in the same side 2 nights in a row, then alternating and working my way around the quardent. i had my nurse draw a circle on my butt and then i put cross hairs. then allowed enough time to heal and i made it to 10 weeks. of course hearing that positive beta help me be able to endure the discomfort more. i know i would have been able to stop had it been negative.
good luck!
Post # 14
Member
1202 posts
Bumble bee
@pinkshoes: congrats on being pregnant! I stopped PIO at 6 weeks but continued with suppositories until 12 weeks.