7/13/09

Estrogen & Progesterone

e-955
p-73

I'm embarassed to admit that though I know they want the progesterone over 20 with PIO and the estrogen over 300 (or is it 350?) and that I'm definitely doing fine, I don't really know what this all means.

I mean, when do they decide to begin the weaning process (you can tell I'm getting tired of the big IM nightly shot)? Is there a level they want to achieve before they begin that process?

9 comments:

Sue said...

I'm in the middle of all of this and was hoping to be off of the meds sooner..but here is my understanding. With a FET or DE cycle, we suppress our ovaries for the entire cycle so they don't produce the needed hormones at all. Slowly, in the first few weeks, estrogen begins to climb and when it hits a certain point, you no longer need the vivelle and estrace HOWEVER, your progesterone does not rise on its own b/c there is no corpus luteum cyst to produce the hormone so our bodies have to wait until the placenta is developed enough to take over P4 production. For me, that is taking a long time. Last week they tried to cut me to every other day but on Monday I found out that my P4 had dropped from 38.1 to 19.3 so they started it up again. By friday it was 29, so I still stayed on it (friday was 8w6d). This week, I am going to every other day starting wednesday and they will test me again on Friday (9w6d) and I really really hope that my levels finally stay high! It seems to take a really long time on this kind of cycle.

Have you talked to them about changing you to the supps? That might be better for the long haul. BTW, I know! My butt is seriously sore and last week when I had to give myself the shot (I did it but I'm impressed you do it daily), they (nurses at old RE's) tried to tell me to do it in my thigh! eeeek....but it is another injection site, I guess.

Peeveme said...

Sorry Sky, but I don't think that going off PIO has much to do with how high it is. I think it has more to do with the placenta development than anything else. I think that is around 9 weeks but could be as much as 12-14. Once I was solidly pregnant (6-7 weeks ) I slowly stopped PIO and went on more suppositories. I just could not take the shots anymore.

Ask you RE if you can do part- shots, part suppositories and then slowly switch to all suppositories (that is you find suppositories more to you liking).

As I recall my RE had me do a blood test before he ok'ed going off progesterone. I failed so I had to be on progesterone for a few more weeks than normal.

I hear ya. Those PIO's get old fast but until the placenta is ready I think you still need to add progesterone artificially. That is what I was told. I know RE's can differ.

Riley said...

I remember when my husband and I went in for our education class and the nurse mentioned something about having to do PIO shots for 12 weeks or so and my husband and I almost fell out of our chairs. At the time, we were like - well, at least we'll be pregnant if we are doing it so maybe it won't be so bad, but who were we fooling? I know it sucks. Yes, I hope I get there, but it scares the crap out of me. Good luck with the shots - especially doing them on your own. I'm so impressed.

onwardandsideways said...

Hate to say it, but you've got a couple more weeks of sticking, unless they'd be okay to switch you to suppositories. My impression is that CCRM likes all their gals on injectable PIO, but maybe you'll get lucky.

Peeveme is right, you need to have the placenta developed enough that it is producing these hormones on its own. Usually starts to kick into action around 9 weeks and by 12 weeks or so, you are completely off the meds. They will start tapering you around 9 weeks.

Your numbers look excellent. It's E above 300 and P above 20; you're doing great!!

sharon said...

Hello Sky, I found you from the comment you left. Congratulations on your BFP!!

It is sooooo normal to be scared - I was. I still am. It is the hardest thing I have ever done but it is also the best.

I will be following your progress.

PS: I've typed all of this one handed with my little Paige on my lap.

Sue said...

Oh wow. Your numbers are really really high! My p4 never got near that high...they will probably wean you MUCH sooner than me:-)

Me said...

Placenta starts to produce necessary hormones around 8 weeks so weaning off the supps usually begins around that time frame. ;)

Kami said...

I guess you got your question answered.

I have been having a harder mental time with the shots this time around. I am sick of them . . .which is funny because I figure I have done over 150 of them during our 5 IVF's (because 3 went on for 8 weeks - or 6 weeks of shots)

My due date . . . March 13!

Great betas for you too. Weeeee!!!!

Ryan's Mommy said...

With my DE pregnancy, I didn't quit the PIO shots until about 11 weeks. But they weaned me off slowly ... I went from 2cc to 1.5 cc for a week, then down to 1 cc for a week, then 1/2 cc, then 1/4 cc, then nothing.