Hey Lovelies,
Today I thought I would write another “ode to progesterone“. Progesterone and I have a long and complex relationship due to infertility and I have used it for three cycles (2 IUI and 1 IVF). Here are some things I have learned about progesterone this time around that I think would be beneficial for you to know…
1. It will make you feel different when you are on it: This varies from person to person but expect to not feel like yourself. I find that, for me, progesterone is awesome and makes me a chilled out, happy go lucky individual. Others have said that it makes them weepy, irrational and altogether not pleasant to be around. It really just depends on your body’s personal makeup and how you respond to hormone surges. Think about how you usually feel around the middle of each tww. If you are calm and collected thank progesterone. If you feel mostly like you are going to kill everything (before PMS people… middle of the tww) then progesterone may not be your friend. Even if you feel awesome during your tww, the amount of progesterone coursing through your body when on supplements may STILL may you feel haywire. You may want to find some other supplements to help you during these times, like how pure liposomal glutathione can give you some detoxing effects that can ease your symptoms. Good luck, everybody!
2. It can alter things in your body that no one expects: Like weird things. Not the sore boobs, or the bloating, or the slight weepiness…Things that aren’t on the list of side effects. For me, this included making my asthma and allergies WAY BETTER. Like barely had to take meds ever better. Which, for me, is really saying something. I know this is related to the progesterone because it happened every time I was on it and after I stopped taking it my allergy symptoms always returned with a vengeance. This is why some women experience a lessening of allergies symptoms when knocked up. Some peoples bodies just really like progesterone! I have heard any other multitude of funny things cropping up from progesterone. So just because it ISN’T listed on the side effects sheet doesn’t mean it can’t be from the supplements. The possibility of suffering from side effects because of the supplements will differ from person to person. You may, or you may not, so it’s important that you take the relevant precautions before taking them. Of course, you could always make your own supplements by using these vegan capsules, (check it out) so you have a better idea about what you’re putting in your body and so forth. This could prevent the risk of you suffering from anymore unnecessary side effects as a result. But if you really are unsure, talk to your doctor at any time; they will be able to help.
3. You will have a detox time period when coming off of it: Every single time I had to stop progesterone after a failed IUI cycle I fell apart. I mean, who wouldn’t? The treatment hadn’t worked and I wasn’t pregnant and NOW WHAT?! Of course I felt like shit. Of course I cried for days and ate copious amounts of Ben and Jerry’s (…that’s a lie, I prefer Hagan Daaz). But it never occurred to me that this could be related to the meds or, at least, aggravated by it. I mean, how could it get any worse than a failed cycle? But it turns out that it WAS made more difficult by the meds. I now know that with certainty because we did IVF and used the same progesterone suppositories that we had used all the other times… and it worked, so I I stayed on it until 10 weeks. So I KNOW that I was feeling pretty good. The treatment worked and I was happy, happy. But here’s the thing, when I was able to come off the drug support at 10 weeks, I lost my shit for a good four days. I mean really lost it. I was a crying, overreacting, hysterical mess! At first I thought maybe this was just the pregnancy emotions that people talk about (had been feeling fine to this point) but you know what? After those 4 days? BAM, normal, level, Kaeleigh again! So, I’m pretty certain it was caused by the dip in the hormones. I think it’s important for anyone to know that if your cycle fails and you obviously feel like shit, that in about 5 days the progesterone will have left your body sufficiently and you will start to feel a lot less like you want to die! So that’s gotta be helpful knowledge, right?!
Overall, progesterone is pretty freaking amazing. And the fact that they can give it to you to help your body do things it should do is even more amazing-er! I just thought it would be good to have a conversation about how it really can profoundly influence a LOT of your emotions and body systems. Because I didn’t know, at least not about how far it can influence them… And it’s good to be aware of shit like that!
XOXXO,
The Chicken
Progesterone and I detest each other. I can completely relate to your post – it wreaks utter havoc on my body and yet every time we try to have a baby I can’t seem to avoid being on it! Ugh, I hate it so and it hates me more. The first time I was on it, I actually thought I was losing my mind and went to the doctor because I was sure I was going insane (lol) – and she confirmed for me that for SOME women (who are these immune people?) it can have severe mood changes and a plethora of other interesting side effects. At least I know now what to expect, but my poor hubby – he deserves an award at the end of all this (and hopefully it’ll be fatherhood)!
Rachel,
Right? It’s amazing how much it can alter things. I really do love it I wish i could be on it all the time.. besides the mess.. Just because I feel great. Fingers crossed it leads to a happy ending!
XOXXO, The Chicken
So true! Wait until perimenopause/ menopause time (like I am experiencing) it will go haywire again…the fun never ends. 🙂
Jess,
Ha! But then.. I can be on progesterone every day! Forever! Feeling fab!! lol
XOXXO, The Chicken
An ode to progesterone – I never thought I’d see the day – I guess the world needs all types, right? LOL – at first I thought your entry would be sarcastic and then I realized you truly do have a special relationship with progesterone. For me, progesterone is one of the evils of cycling. Trying to get the oozy, oily, pills stuck up in the right spot and be horizontal long enough that hopefully an iota of it gets absorbed before the clothes, furniture and sheets are soaked and stained. Switching to the cream type with the tampon-type applicator – goodbye oil – hello lotion gushing out of my vag throughout the day. Planning my days and wake-up time around taking these nasty drugs and the absorption time. Not to mention, the build-up and clean-out of this substance? Otherworldly! And this time, being on blue Smurf pills (ie. Estrace) – and seeing the progesterone remnants that ooze being of cottage cheese meets turquoise toothpaste consistency and colour. Finally, in my anti-progesterone ode, there’s the fact it gives you pregnancy symptoms. The stomach cramping and twinges, the feeling of AF (sucks when it’s progesterone and then actually AF), the sore boobs (wearing an extra-large sports bra round the clock and including to bed), the abdominal weirdness. And then after multiple cycles of this experience, getting BFNs. Where is the love?
/progesterone rant. I enjoyed reading your take on the experience. Now I go to insert my lovely dose and I’m going to see if I can psychologically trick myself to be on a euphoric, better-personalitied-version-of-me, me. (Everyone I know would be ecstatic.) Love ya!
Kassy,
LOL it does indeed take all types! I don’t like the mess but the awesome way i feel emotionally makes it all worth it. The pregnancy symptoms are a mind fuck though.. I do wish there wasn’t that.
XOXXO, The Chicken
Interesting… PIO and I pretty much just had a hate relationship. It made me chubby(er), it didn’t improve my asthma (although that’s an interesting correlation!), and I’m pretty sure I was having an allergic reaction to the shots by the end. I wanted so badly for it to do its magic, to be worth all the pain and the knots in my ass, but it wasn’t to be. I will say though that the ginormous needles you draw up the PIO with make excellent fat separators for gravy and sauces. It’s kind of nice to see those needles being used for good in the kitchen, making tasty things happen.
Jess,
I was grateful to NOT be on shots. I think I would have dealt much more badly with that. Also EWWWWW… those needles have been in your butt!!! *Faint* lol
XOXXO, The Chicken
Progesterone made me a weepy, angry mess. Oooh, I will never write an ode to it, even if it did help support the pregnancy.
Mel,
HA! Am I the only one who felt like a goddess!? Apparently.
XOXXO, The Chicken
Isn’t it frustrating to see what hormones can do to our minds and bodies? Argh. Though I’m pleased to see that you have had at least one positive side effect too.
Mali,
It was certainly surprising. Yes, I was pleased with my positive side effects, too!
XOXXO, The Chicken
I went through 5 cycles of IVF due to low egg yield. The first 4 cycles consisted of a combination of shots and endometrin. Aside from the painful and bruised butt cheeks, and compounding weight gain, I felt amazing while on progesterone. I was more relaxed and comfortable than in any other part of the cycle.
Obviously, I would fall apart as cycles failed or positive tests turned to disaster, but I truly believed coming of the meds made it worse. A couple of times I stayed on them for a few days after the bad news so as not to fall apart completely. Also, by my 4th cycle I was put on Zoloft as depression was having its nasty way with my mind and safety.
Anyway, by the 5th cycle I changed protocol with the progesterone due to not being able to handle the pain from the shots. (I seemed to have a very long lasting lump of the stuff in each cheek) I changed fully to endometrin suppositories. Again I felt great I think even better due to the Zoloft. And low and behold one of the 2 little embryos decided to stick around.
I stayed on the progesterone for a further 8 weeks and slowly took less and less so as not to feel the bumps too hard. I also wanted to know my body was now producing enough of its own.
Now 30 weeks pregnant and keeping my eyes on the prize. Good luck to all of you women out there who are going through the cruel struggles of infertility. Keep talking to each other and those around you. And love and care for yourself like you would the tiny little baby you dream of. It’s hard enough without beating yourself up all the time.
Michaela,
YES! I knew I couldn’t be the only one for whom progesterone was a god send! It seriously made me feel fucking fantastic. Haha. I am so glad to see that you are nearing the finish line for your own IVF pregnancy! Congrats!! Yes, we all need to remember to love ourselves and each other through this journey. Thank you for your words.
XOXXO, The Chicken