Progesterone supplements: experiences and side effects?

stormyjackal46 said:Your approach actually sounds reasonable to me. I’m not exactly thrilled about swallowing pills either... but then again, progesterone worked fast for me, so...

I just looked at it as having nothing to lose. If this doesn't work, I guess the last resort is switching to pills...

Rebecca Lee said:I just looked at it like I had nothing left to lose. If this doesn't work, my last resort will be switching to pills...

Honestly, true. It’s basically just like committing to a healthier lifestyle.

Hey everyone, how long does it usually take for your period to wrap up when you're on progesterone? Mine has been pretty heavy and has already lasted 9 days, which is wild because normally I’m done in maybe 4 or 5 days at most... 😲 I'm sitting here wondering if I should just call my OB-GYN right away or if this is somewhat normal for this situation?
This is actually my very first cycle using progesterone...

Honestly, you might want to just give your OBGYN a call. I mean, sometimes when girls are on hormone pills, the spotting can drag on way longer than expected—a friend of mine was dealing with that for 15 days straight while on Yasmin... As for me, my cycle stayed pretty much totally normal while I was on progesterone, maybe even one day shorter than usual.

My period seems to be tapering off today, though I’m still dealing with some pretty heavy discharge, so I guess I’m just hoping this is finally the end of it. 👍
Thanks for getting back to me, and hopefully things won't be quite like this during my next cycle... 🙄

Alright, look... I know this thread is ancient, but instead of starting some annoying new one, I'll just dump this here.🙂

So, my period is like 14 days late (which is wild because it’s never been this late before), so I finally went to see my OBGYN. I told her I wasn't pregnant—not that there was much of a chance anyway since my boyfriend and I are super careful, plus the test came back negative—so she prescribed me progesterone to take vaginally, which is supposed to kickstart my period. But then I started Googling, and apparently, the vaginal route is mostly for pregnant women to maintain a pregnancy (while the oral version is for getting your period to actually show up), and even the instructions on the box say the vaginal application is for supporting pregnancy. Since progesterone is basically the "pregnancy hormone" anyway, why on earth did she give me this specific way just to get my period started?🤷
What are the actual odds that I'll actually get my period once I start taking this stuff?😢

It probably would have been better if she’d just caught you for an ultrasound while you were there and suggested a different approach to jumpstarting things—though, honestly, if I were in your shoes, I might still hold off for a little while longer.
If these long, irregular cycles start becoming a recurring pattern, it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask your OB-GYN for a full hormone panel first; that way, you can actually see what's going on before deciding whether you even need medication to induce a period.

From what I understand, progesterone is typically prescribed less frequently than Duphaston, but either way, it should serve the same purpose for you.

Sophia Wells72 said:Honestly, she probably should’ve just done an ultrasound on the spot and prescribed something else to kickstart things, though if I were you, I’d still hang tight for a bit.
If these long, irregular cycles keep happening, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have your OBGYN send you for some hormone testing before they even think about giving you anything to trigger a period.

The main thing is that Progesterone is usually taken less frequently than Duphaston, but it should do the trick just fine.

So I asked her if I should get an ultrasound or run some hormone panels first, but she basically told me this was the best way to test everything. But wait—if low progesterone is what causes the uterine lining to shed and triggers my period, then isn't it totally backwards for me to be applying it locally just to boost those levels? It feels so contradictory. But hey, I guess the woman spent way too many years in med school to be making some rookie mistake, right?

In my view, a woman generally knows what she’s doing when it comes to choosing her own treatment. I don't think anyone would intentionally prescribe something that would trigger a counterproductive reaction in your body—or, you know, mess up your cycle entirely.
That said, looking at the long term, it probably wouldn't hurt to have your hormone levels checked—just so you actually have some baseline data to work with. 🙂

Has anyone used progesterone for missed periods? Did you deal with any side effects? I’ve been feeling super jittery, sleepy, my breasts are tender, and I’m even getting occasional nausea... kind of feels like when I was pregnant. I guess, maybe, is this just how progesterone normally acts?

restlessheron42 said:For those of you who have used progesterone to help with missed periods, did you run into any side effects? I feel incredibly on edge, constantly tired, my breasts are really tender, and I’m even dealing with occasional nausea—it honestly feels pretty much like how I felt when I was pregnant. I guess, is this just a normal way for progesterone to affect you?

Yeah, it is. I’ve taken it both during pregnancy and for other reasons, and the symptoms have always been pretty much exactly what you're describing.

I honestly didn't experience any symptoms at all🤷

restlessheron42 said:For those of you who have taken progesterone to deal with missed periods, did you run into any side effects? I’ve been feeling incredibly on edge, constantly exhausted, my breasts are tender, and I’m even dealing with occasional bouts of nausea—it honestly feels just like when I was pregnant. Is this a typical reaction to the progesterone?

Well, looking at the list of side effects, everything you’re describing is right there. Personally, I’ve never actually been pregnant, yet here I am feeling exactly like I am; I’m running through all your symptoms, plus I’ve got this relentless hunger, constant bloating, and my nipples are so sensitive that even wearing a bra feels like an ordeal.

I have to ask, what was your dosage schedule? Were you doing 2x2?

Just bumping this thread a bit...
I started taking progesterone because I was dealing with this spotting before my period that would drag on for like seven days straight. I kicked off the treatment on day 18 of my cycle, and the plan is to take it for two weeks. My period was supposed to show up yesterday, but—nothing. Is it actually possible for my period to be late because of the progesterone? Like, am I just waiting until I stop taking them to finally get it?

As long as you’re taking progesterone, you aren't going to see your period arrive...

...it usually takes a few days after you stop—maybe two, maybe ten—before it actually shows up... I guess it just varies from person to person...

I usually started seeing my period about five days after finishing, but Dr. Miller mentioned that spotting isn't exactly out of the ordinary while you're on them. He also made a point to tell me that if I haven't had any bleeding at all within a week of taking that last pill, I should definitely head back in for a follow-up.

Thanks so much, ladies!
My doctor didn't mention a thing about it. So, I guess I'm just looking at a longer cycle this month... 😢

Tnx!

Hey everyone!
I'm back again. It's day 14 of my cycle today. I started taking my progesterone yesterday, but then this morning I noticed some brown spotting again. Now I’m just sitting here wondering if it’s going to keep happening all day—honestly, I'm losing my mind over this. Has anyone else dealt with something similar? What could be going on? I haven't actually gone in to get my hormone levels checked yet—my OBGYN just assumed based on my symptoms that my progesterone is low. Could it be anything else?