Low progesterone/estrogen experiences?

[maximbella]

Hi ladies! I'm trying to wade through so much information online about low progesterone/estrogen and it's all becoming jumbled in my mind. Can someone please help me sort out what might be happening to me in my cycles? I have a call into my OB for lab work, but haven't heard back yet, and would like to be able to test for anything else while I'm in there.

Few things about me...

- 35 year old, two previous pregnancies in my 20's with no problem conceiving
- Low progesterone with both pregnancies, had to take oral progesterone in first trimesters with both
- Always had weird cycles ranging from 30-65 days, both anovulatory and ovulatory, with O ranging from CD17-38! I recently incorporated one full fat dairy serving a day per atomic's advice and it's helped bring O day closer to CD22-25.
- I'm 5'5", 110lbs, low BMI, but do think that I've always had issues with thyroid (my tests came back normal, but my sisters who have the same build also have issues with thyroid, so it's strange to me)
- This cycle and last cycle, I got very, very faint double lines on hcg tests, but got AF afterwards. I believe I'm having chemical's possibly due to low progesterone, but can't be sure. I haven't been tested for my levels, but will ask for it.
- I had a low uterine lining with DD2 and had an ultrasound 2 months ago that showed the same. This is tied to estrogen levels and I believe I might be deficient here also.

Can anyone sort out these estrogen/progesterone scenarios? Anything stick out that I should get tested for additionally? I'm struggling to understand what's going on with my body and trying to sort it out all. Many thanks!

[atomic sagebrush]

I want to reassure you about the progesterone. I am not intending to argue with anyone's doc, start a brouhaha or anything, but I do want to point out for your peace of mind with future pregnancies that progesterone supplements have been demonstrated to not help anyone get OR stay pregnant AND additionally, the oral progesterone is believed to be largely not capable of being used by your body (this is why women get those awful vaginal suppositories!) So I don't want you to fear progesterone levels moving forward, because it is all but certain your pregnancies worked out not because of the progesterone, but because they were normal healthy babies in a normal healthy pregnancies.

The vast, vast, vast majority of chemical pregnancies are conceptions that did not go according to plan and so your body detects that and just pulls the plug on it before it gets rolling. In a normally developing pregnancy, the fertilized egg sends a signal to your body to start making progesterone and this sustains your lining while the bean burrows in. If the signal is not right, your body will drop progesterone. So what many people interpret as a pregnancy ending from low prog is actually just the body's way of handling that set of circumstances.

I think the elephant in the room both for the long cycle and the lining is your low BMI. I know it's hard when you've always been on the thin side but even just a few pounds can make a difference. I'm not saying gain weight necessarily, but I don't want you assuming that there is something wrong with you, seriously wrong and in need of treatment, when you are probably just a bit on the thin side and your body is having a hard time coming up with the raw materials it needs to make estrogen (at least a couple times.) This is ok, we just have to keep being sure that you're getting enough of that good fat in the dairy and eggs coming in to keep the factory running.

[kat1234]

Max - I think I mentioned this before, but I had a chemical before conceiving my 2nd child. My doc tested my progesterone and it was fine, on the low side of normal. She told me I could take the suppositories but they weren't necessary. I did them bc I'm crazy and I was sooo much sicker, nauseous, because of that. I will not do that again. I've too heard, taking them orally does not help.

All that to say, if your progesterone levels are normal, don't mess with it!


https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/41ecd9

[XXforhubby]

Odds are Max, if you have an LP that ranges from 12-14 days your progesterone levels are just fine. I personally think that as we get older, we have to coax our bodies into thinking it's ok to conceive. Ironically, my crazy delayed ovulation and ridiculously long cycles resolved itself when I added in a 4th small meal. I was so worried that I was taking in too many calories (even though I wasn't) and that worked wonders in normalizing my cycle! Maybe you should try that too, since you are at a low BMI. You can do that by having something small. At the very least, make sure you are getting 1800-1900 calories.

🤞🏻you get your BFP soon!!!


8/2010 6/2013 11/2015
Baby Girl EDD 9/30/2017

[cosmosis]

I have a slightly different view on progesterone. I do believe it is helpful, but definitely not in oral form. The best way to get it in your system is through your skin (cream) and second would be vaginal sup. I used progesterone to manipulate my cycles when needed and to help clients balance their estrogen levels when they are too high, or to induce a period BUT it doesn't cure the problem. It is a good remedy when you need it badly and instantly and it takes ridiculously high doses of it to get your levels up (minimum of 200mg daily).

You need fat to create hormones. Too little of it and you will be low, too much of it and you'll have an imbalance eventually. In your case, dietary fat will help you, but ultimately you want a little more fat on your body so your hormones level out. If one serving of full fat dairy helped this much, your body is clearly asking for more

[maximbella]

Thank you all for your feedback and thoughts! This is a little eye opening to me and certainly helps me put all the puzzle pieces together, so thank you...

Atomic, huge thank you for explaining progesterone! I have been thinking that all along, but it's so comforting to hear that it's most likely not the case. And cosmo, you're so right, if one daily serving of whole milk/fat has moved my O up a few days, I wonder if I really should be taking in more? I'm walking a fine balance between still swaying pink and getting to the place where my body can function properly. I've never been a big meat eater, I do however love and eat a good amount of healthy fats (like the mediterranean diet - avocado, olive oil, salmon, etc.). Should I be increasing that, or do I need to add more dairy fat or another sort of fat? I think I'll also add in one snack like XX mentioned, possibly at night?

My OB finally called me today and agreed to give me a rx for clomid. He said to take it CD5-9. With the above changes to diet and with clomid, is there anything else that I should be thinking of? I'm hoping that the clomid will help with the quality of the eggs, which is possibly what's been the issue over the past few months?

Thank you all again!

[atomic sagebrush]

if you have the Clomid, you have some wiggle room with diet. Clomid will correct for SOME and so I'd not add in more full fat dairy yet.

I do not think you've been having an issue with egg quality, I think it was just some bad luck. Remember, it takes people doing nothing to sway, 3-6 months to conceive on average and that coupled with one attempt means it may be a smidge harder and take a wee bit longer but that doens't mean anyone has bad egg quality.

[maximbella]

Thanks atomic!! Sorry, missed this on Tapatalk yesterday. So add in clomid, but keep all diet, exercise, 2 attempts, etc the same for this coming cycle? I'm 16dpo today and no AF yet. Wish she would just show so I could move on!!


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[atomic sagebrush]

Have you taken a pregnancy test?

If so and it's negative I suspect you Oed later than FF is showing (which would match with the OPK result as well)

I really, really strongly urge you guys to keep going with that BD every 4 days after the official attempts (I see that you did on your chart but sometimes people stop unless I tell them to keep going). I suspect we are maybe just missing O by a bit and I want those later attempts in there to cover us.

[maximbella]

I did take a digi test after a 3 hour hold and it said not pregnant. We did keep going with BD as I was wasn't sure either on O day. I'm having some cramping that just started a few hours ago, so sure AF is on the way...


https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/24dd4d

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