I think I have a progesterone deficiency??

Okay I think I may have a progesterone deficiency. My menses have been prolonged (10+ days) and heavy (not super heavy but I heavy enough I guess) and my luteal phase seems short. Both of these are sysmptoms of low progesterone I think. Although I don't have any of the other symptoms such as fatugue and mood swings.
I'm trying to wait through this cycle before I call my doc, but it seems like too much of a coindicence.
I'm not sure I'm ready for some OTC progesterone cream.

I did and they gave me some meds and it really helped.

I'd wait for the OTC cream until you see your doctor. There is no documented proof that OTC cream works FWIW..although I've been known to do all sorts of things that theres no documented proof for..LOL Heck...I still wish upon stars!
I have low progesterone on some cycles but on others its in the normal range. I've never had any of the symptoms. It was only discovered while TTC #1 years ago. Good luck. Don't hesitate to call your doctor. Just make sure you have all of your ??s ready so you don't have to keep calling back. Your paying the Doc the big bucks for something!

I had low progesterone, as well, with at least two of my pregnancies (didn't check it on the third). With my miscarriage, I used the cream and lost the baby at 12 weeks. With Ashton, I didn't use the cream, and she's a healthy almost 4 year old. With Ryleigh, I didn't know I was pregnant until it wouldn't have helped anyway, so didn't check it or use the cream.

Good luck!

I did and they gave me some meds and it really helped.

Hmmm. Did you have the same symptoms? Did they diagnose you with a deficiency with different symotoms? DId your OBGYN give you the meds or did you go to a RE?

I had low progesterone, as well, with at least two of my pregnancies (didn't check it on the third).


How did you check it? Is there a home test?

Not that I'm aware of. My doctor checked it with a blood test.

I have low progesterone & did the saliva test. My midwife & pharmacist said the saliva test was more accurate than the blood test. My insurance did not cover it, so I save lots of $$ to do it. The test was about $200.
I take a 50mg cream 2 times a day for days 12-24 (or until cycle ends with my period). It has made a HUGE difference in the way I feel & that was very important to me.

Definitely call you care provider & get tested. The OTC cream is good, but you need to do your research for a reputable brand. One good website for information is http://www.johnleemd.com

I have low progesterone & did the saliva test. My midwife & pharmacist said the saliva test was more accurate than the blood test. My insurance did not cover it, so I save lots of $$ to do it. The test was about $200.

Where did you get the saliva test? What were your symptoms, how did you feel and how did it help?

It has made a HUGE difference in the way I feel & that was very important to me.
How were you feeling? What were your symptoms? Were you diagnosed based on your charts?

One good website for information is http://www.johnleemd.com (http://www.johnleemd.com/)
Thanks!! I'll check them out

I bought my test from a compounding pharmacy. You can puchase a test via the Dr. Lee website I think (ZRT Laboratory is the brand I used). The other location I know is in Denton at Community Pharmacy. My midwife has them in her office also.

I always seemed lathargic, no matter how much sleep I got, irritable, my cycles were spacing out weird (23-33 days) and I just felt *off*.
When I had my levels tested, I turned out to be a low 61. Most normal progesterone level women have anywhere from 100 to 600.

I also had my 3 estrogens (estrodiol, estriol & estrone) checked, my testosterone, my morning cortisol (stress hormone) & DHEAS. Most came back within normal limits, but my estrogens were all low also. That normally doesn't happen.

My cycles are still a little messed up, but that is due to a recent miscarriage. Before I was pregnant, they were getting more *normal*.

Hope this helps a little!
Mary

I had low progesterone with all three of my last pregnancies...which means that I probably had it with all 7 of my pregnancies. It wasn't diagnoses in me until I was pregnant. I was told that as far as maintaining a pregnancy, the progesterone was voodoo medicine. I did oral meds with Joseph for the first trimester, a suppository with Libby for the first trimester and didn't do anything with Caroline.
I didn't realize that you could be diagnosed with low progesterone when you weren't pregnant (or really that it would make a difference in how you felt, I guess).

We tried for 3 years to get preg and during that time I had 5 miscarries. After the 3rd my fertility Dr. tested my levels and I was low, so every time after when I got preg he put me on prog. med. and I still lost 2 more. Then when I got preg with Natalie and Mikey I was on the meds. for he first 12 weeks and I can't say 100% if it helped but I think it did.