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Author Topic: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?  (Read 2429 times)

Sunnydays

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Just another of my daft thoughts!! I don't know if during the usual
Menstrual cycle if progesterone levels just suddenly appear, remain then disappear as when taking the cyclical part of progesterone when on hrt.
I just wondered if there would be a benefit to increasing the dose over say 2/3 days then decreasing in a similar way at the end of the dose. Might this alleviate some of the symptoms when suddenly starting/ stopping the progesterone, and be a bit kinder to our bodies. Just a thought :))
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walking the dog

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2016, 09:35:32 PM »

Sunny days (love the name) what a great idea , I cant answer the question but I'm interested in hearing from the more experienced ladies 😊
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Dana

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2016, 05:11:36 AM »

Interesting thought. Just lately I've experienced sleep issues (which is always my prog side effect) the first 2-3 days of my Provera course, but then things settle down for the rest of the time. Maybe I should try a lower dose for those first few days to see if that makes any difference.
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Dancinggirl

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2016, 08:22:14 AM »

If you muck about with the dosage of progesterone you are very likely to get erratic bleeding!!  The idea is to get a consistent dose for at least 10 days that will induce a proper bleed that will shed the lining.  If you don't shed the lining it will build up and cause problematic bleeding or thickening of the lining which is not good.  Ladies please don't experiment unless under the advice of a gynae.  DG x
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Sunnydays

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2016, 10:49:55 AM »

Thanks walking the dog, i aspire to the feeling on sunny days!
DG - completely agree there has to be caution with meds; there are some that are so finely tuned for ailments etc that there is no room to make the slightest change in either dosage or timing.
In the case of monthly cycles I wonder if the natural cycle has a sudden increase, and of more interest to me, an abrupt ending. The latter seeming to give rise to dreadful feeling for a number of days. I don't think trying something for one month would do any harm; the next months 'normal' dose would clear out any residue. Of course, I'm not suggesting or recommending anyone does so, just sharing my thoughts and ideas to try and maybe see if there is a   way of reducing some of the horrible bits about progesterone!
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Dana

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2016, 02:35:32 AM »

If you muck about with the dosage of progesterone you are very likely to get erratic bleeding!!  The idea is to get a consistent dose for at least 10 days that will induce a proper bleed that will shed the lining.  If you don't shed the lining it will build up and cause problematic bleeding or thickening of the lining which is not good.  Ladies please don't experiment unless under the advice of a gynae.  DG x

For a lot of women (myself included) HRT will be a series of experiments, that usually have to be done by herself, because a lot of doctors can't think outside the box.

I don't think anyone is advocating taking an erratic dose of progesterone. Just to maybe take a lower dose for the first couple of days, followed by the normal dose and number of days you would take it, and then either stop or again take a lower dose for the another couple of days. I can't see anything wrong with that. Of course those who use Utrogestan may have problems with this, because they can't as easily alter the dose as you can with tablets like Provera.

I personally think it's worth trying for those who are interested, even if it's just once, just to see what happens. I'm always up for trying something new. It may not work, or there may be no difference at all, but no one ever progresses in life without trying something new.
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Dancinggirl

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2016, 07:33:27 AM »

Dana - I know from my own experience that Utrogestan can be more tricky to adjust as it is less stable.  Provera is one of the only things I haven't tried but I know many women have reported they do well on this and it may well be more stable so dosage is less of a problem.  Good luck  DG x
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dahliagirl

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2016, 12:08:27 PM »

I think there is a rapid increase in progesterone in the natural cycle.

An egg is released, and the follicle then starts to produce progesterone.  This raises your basal body temperature and it is a sudden spike in temperature that you are looking for, if you used charting for contraceptive purposes.

As progestogens take about 3 days to clear your body, and you take a pill every day, it probably takes a few days for your blood progestogens to reach a level anyway.
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Sunnydays

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Re: Could a gradual increase and decrease in progesterone be a benefit?
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2016, 12:39:47 PM »

That makes sense Dahliagirl, thanks.
Maybe just reducing the dose after the course might help a little as I still
Wonder if the abrupt finish gives a bit of a 'cold turkey' withdrawl.
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