I'm due to start Prochieve next week and I'm almost afraid of it. I need to balance the E that I take so I have no choice in taking progesterone but it's my understanding that Prochieve is a once a month vaginal insert so I'm afraid the dose may be so heavy that I'll be miserable for a couple of weeks with no way to combat it. Does anyone know what I should expect?

Thanks

I tried Prochieve 4 per cent but it didn't cause me to bleed. I'm 6p and cycling vaginal progesterone every other month to protect endometrium. I went back to Cyclogest, which comes in 200 mg. vaginal suppositories. I get them from a European supplier, with a prescription and cut them into three pieces and use them for 10 days. I just did this and had a 5 day light period. In addition, I get a endometrial ultrasound 2x per month and an endometrial biopsy 1 x per year, just as extra protection.

I also tried compounded progesterone vaginal suppositories but wasn't successful with them. I get high bood sugar and get very hungry for those ten days but I can tolerate the suppositories, whereas I cannot tolerate any other form of progesterone.

Hope his helps,

EN

Hi En,

Thanks for the reply. I don't want to cause a bleed, or at least I don't think I want too. I just want to protect the endomerium. I don't think my doctor is expecting me to have a beed either.. perhaps I'm missing something???

Hi Carol,

The way the endometrium is protected is by the progesterone causing the uterus to shed, unless you use it continually, at a lower dose, which wouldn't cause you to bleed. You would then have to use progesterone every day. In my opinion that is unnatural and does not replecate the woman's natural cycle.

Hope this helps.

EN

I'm post and haven't bled for 2 years. I was taking P on a daily basis but the Dr thought I would feel better if I did it on a cycle of 14 days every other month but she didn't tell me to expect to bleed. I'm not sure my dose of estrogen is high enough for that.

I suppose I will wait until March when I take it and find out. I'm grateful that you mentioned this otherwise I may have freaked out. Thanks!

Both of my gyns have said that most drs get the bleed vs no bleed ALL WRONG. They say that once you get further along peri or post menopausal the uterine lining continues to atrophy (even with supplemental estrogen). However, you MUST periodically cycle in some type of progesterone to protect the utering lining from developing hyperplasia. What is important is getting ENOUGH progesterone onboard inorder to prevent the uterus from building up too thick. The bleeding is NOT the goal. If a dr is unsure, all is needed is to do a uterine ultrasound (and no drinking of water is necessary - they take 2 views, one abdominally and the other trans vaginally). to view that the lining has not thickened. This ultrasound should be done shortly after the round of progesterone.

I use estradiol patches, but am still having periods. As long as I don't go more than 2 or 3 months without a period then I don't have to take the supplemental progesterone because my own ovaries are still producing enough to "shed" my uterine lining. However, this time frame is based on my body and what my drs. have established for me. Once I no longer cycle, on my own, (fully menopausal) then I will have to cycle in a progesterone every month for approximately 10 - 14 days per month. We all whole heartedly agree that taking progesterone daily does not mimic what happens naturally earlier in life.

I hope I've explained this adequately. My brain is tired today

Yes, JZZ thanks, I asked my Dr if I should expect a bleed and she said no. That if I did I was getting too much and we could adjust. I have been post for 2 years and have not had an ultrasound to check for hyperplasia. I will ask for one the next time I go in, just to make sure.

I still haven't picked up the Procheive from the pharmacy yet. To be honest I'm afraid of the way it may make me feel. I'm scared I might lose this newfound energy I now have. But I can't procrastinate foever.. :-)