progesterone to induce withdrawal bleed...

bluejay · 09-18-2009, 10:59 AM

I am just starting the process of finding out why I don't have a period or ovulate on a regular basis (maybe 2 or 3 times a year). My obgyn suspects PCOS even though I have no symptoms other than lack of ovulation and a bit of acne.

He is going to do some blood work and gave me progesterone pills to induce bleeding I started the pills Sept. 8th, was to take them for 7 days and was told to expect my period 3 to 7 days after that.

I had a very very light bleeding on the 14th (7th day of progesterone pills) and some light spotting for about two more days - then nothing.

I don't knowwhy the progesterone pills wouldn't have worked, since I was regular like a clock when I was on birth control pills. Took a preg test on Wednesday - negative....

Any ideas what could have caused this??

Ferret Mommy · 09-18-2009, 11:46 AM

The progesterone pills caused AF to come.. but that may not cause your estrogen to pick up like its supposed to to be able to ovulate. Without an ovulation inducing medication like Clomid, most people will not ovulate on their own after provera.

As for BCPs... you would be very regular, because you are getting the hormones that are needed to not get pregnant and when you hit the pill on day 22, it creates a withdrawl bleed like provera.

If you do have PCOS, you can take Metformin. I have taken MET and my cycles had come back. I have acne issues and ovarian cyst issues, and when my cycles started to go MIA, my PCP allowed me to try MET. It worked for me.

Good Luck!

bluejay · 09-18-2009, 12:03 PM

Hi Ferret Mommy,

Thanks for the reply! I'm still confused though. My doc said prog. would cause AF to start 3-7 days after I stopped taking the pills. I had a tiny bit of spotting before I even stopped taking them, but never actually AF... and still nothing.

He did mention clomid as a possibility, but I would need to respond to the progesterone to have a withdrawal bleed before taking climid, right?

Also have had an odd pressure or discomfort in my lower abdomen for about a week (not painful, just uncomfortable) that makes me feel like I need to pee, most noticeable when lying down on my back. Thought UTI but no other symptons (no pain or burning feeling, no fever, normal urine, etc.) Am worried something is not right...

Have appt with doc on Oct. 15, should I be trying to get in sooner? I don't want to be hypochondriac...!

Ferret Mommy · 09-18-2009, 12:16 PM

When I took provera, I had to take it for 10 days. Maybe it wasnt enough for your system to have a buildup and then withdrawl? I would certainly ask about that.

Have you had any issues with cysts? Just throwing it out there...

So, you had alittle spotting but no flow? I would check up with them for sure... I havent taken provera in many many years.. so I may not be the best one to give advice. lol

futuremother · 09-24-2009, 09:37 AM

Hi. Figured I'd add my 2 cents. I did the Provera for 7 days and had no withdrawal bleed whatsoever so I have recent experience.

Anyway, from my research it could be a number of different things including

1) Didn't build up enough lining to have significant withdrawl bleed. Could be lack of estrogen being produced by your ovaries or lack of stimulation of the ovaries to produce estrogen. When you were on BCP, estrogen was being added.

2) A persistant cyst of some sort messing with the hormones.

3) Pregnancy

4) Ovulated after the Provera

They can start you on Clomid without having the withdrawal bleed in some cases. They really need to do more testing and probably an ultrasound to see what is going on. Good luck with it.

bluejay · 09-24-2009, 10:20 AM

Hi futuremother,

Thanks for the reply! I am getting some bloodwork done, so hopefully that will shed some light on why. Maybe I'll mention an u/s to my dr when I seem himi next. In the meantime I have been doing lots of hormone/infertility/etc. research on the internet - and now wish I hadn't! Didn't realise there were so many things that could be wrong...

RiazVW32 · 09-30-2009, 11:32 AM

Hi bluejay,

I'm in the same boat as you. When I was on the pill ( I had to take it at 14 b/c of highly irregular AF), my cycle was on point. However, I've been off of it for about 4 years and my cycle is like it was when I was 14. I'll go without even getting AF for a month or two and then she'll come for weeks. I've tested negative for PCOS. Currently, me and dh are trying to due an IUI this cycle that I'm currently on. I've taken Clomid and am on day 10 of my cycle and still bleeding. I have an appointment with my dr tomorrow for a sonogram, I'm not sure what for...

Good luck to you on your blood work and hopefully you'll be able to get some answers,

Maria

Amaryllis · 10-04-2009, 03:12 PM

I took Provera for ten days, then had to wait 14 days before I got a very, very light period.

toughgirl · 10-08-2009, 06:48 PM

Do you have low BF or do you exercise a lot?

I tried the provera 2x and never had a bleed so my doc put me on estrace for 28 days and provera for 7 and I bleed for a day. That did not kick start my period so I had to start upping my cals and decreasing exercise. Look at your overall lifestyle.

09-18-2009, 10:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
bluejay 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 70	progesterone to induce withdrawal bleed... I am just starting the process of finding out why I don't have a period or ovulate on a regular basis (maybe 2 or 3 times a year). My obgyn suspects PCOS even though I have no symptoms other than lack of ovulation and a bit of acne. He is going to do some blood work and gave me progesterone pills to induce bleeding I started the pills Sept. 8th, was to take them for 7 days and was told to expect my period 3 to 7 days after that. I had a very very light bleeding on the 14th (7th day of progesterone pills) and some light spotting for about two more days - then nothing. I don't knowwhy the progesterone pills wouldn't have worked, since I was regular like a clock when I was on birth control pills. Took a preg test on Wednesday - negative.... Any ideas what could have caused this??

09-24-2009, 09:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
futuremother 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 12	Hi. Figured I'd add my 2 cents. I did the Provera for 7 days and had no withdrawal bleed whatsoever so I have recent experience. Anyway, from my research it could be a number of different things including 1) Didn't build up enough lining to have significant withdrawl bleed. Could be lack of estrogen being produced by your ovaries or lack of stimulation of the ovaries to produce estrogen. When you were on BCP, estrogen was being added. 2) A persistant cyst of some sort messing with the hormones. 3) Pregnancy 4) Ovulated after the Provera They can start you on Clomid without having the withdrawal bleed in some cases. They really need to do more testing and probably an ultrasound to see what is going on. Good luck with it. Last edited by futuremother; 09-24-2009 at 09:40 AM.

10-04-2009, 03:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
Amaryllis 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 12	I took Provera for ten days, then had to wait 14 days before I got a very, very light period. __________________ TTC#1 since 2006 3xIUI all BFN IVF/ICSI#1 BFN FET#1 - cancelled FET#2 - BFN IVF/ICSI#2 - October

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09-18-2009, 11:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ferret Mommy 10000-15000 post ace of hearts Join Date: May 2005 Location: In My Place Posts: 10,907 Blog Entries: 42	The progesterone pills caused AF to come.. but that may not cause your estrogen to pick up like its supposed to to be able to ovulate. Without an ovulation inducing medication like Clomid, most people will not ovulate on their own after provera. As for BCPs... you would be very regular, because you are getting the hormones that are needed to not get pregnant and when you hit the pill on day 22, it creates a withdrawl bleed like provera. If you do have PCOS, you can take Metformin. I have taken MET and my cycles had come back. I have acne issues and ovarian cyst issues, and when my cycles started to go MIA, my PCP allowed me to try MET. It worked for me. Good Luck!

09-18-2009, 12:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
bluejay 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 70	Hi Ferret Mommy, Thanks for the reply! I'm still confused though. My doc said prog. would cause AF to start 3-7 days after I stopped taking the pills. I had a tiny bit of spotting before I even stopped taking them, but never actually AF... and still nothing. He did mention clomid as a possibility, but I would need to respond to the progesterone to have a withdrawal bleed before taking climid, right? Also have had an odd pressure or discomfort in my lower abdomen for about a week (not painful, just uncomfortable) that makes me feel like I need to pee, most noticeable when lying down on my back. Thought UTI but no other symptons (no pain or burning feeling, no fever, normal urine, etc.) Am worried something is not right... Have appt with doc on Oct. 15, should I be trying to get in sooner? I don't want to be hypochondriac...!

09-18-2009, 12:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ferret Mommy 10000-15000 post ace of hearts Join Date: May 2005 Location: In My Place Posts: 10,907 Blog Entries: 42	When I took provera, I had to take it for 10 days. Maybe it wasnt enough for your system to have a buildup and then withdrawl? I would certainly ask about that. Have you had any issues with cysts? Just throwing it out there... So, you had alittle spotting but no flow? I would check up with them for sure... I havent taken provera in many many years.. so I may not be the best one to give advice. lol

09-24-2009, 10:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
bluejay 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 70	Hi futuremother, Thanks for the reply! I am getting some bloodwork done, so hopefully that will shed some light on why. Maybe I'll mention an u/s to my dr when I seem himi next. In the meantime I have been doing lots of hormone/infertility/etc. research on the internet - and now wish I hadn't! Didn't realise there were so many things that could be wrong...

09-30-2009, 11:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
RiazVW32 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: May 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 23	Hi bluejay, I'm in the same boat as you. When I was on the pill ( I had to take it at 14 b/c of highly irregular AF), my cycle was on point. However, I've been off of it for about 4 years and my cycle is like it was when I was 14. I'll go without even getting AF for a month or two and then she'll come for weeks. I've tested negative for PCOS. Currently, me and dh are trying to due an IUI this cycle that I'm currently on. I've taken Clomid and am on day 10 of my cycle and still bleeding. I have an appointment with my dr tomorrow for a sonogram, I'm not sure what for... Good luck to you on your blood work and hopefully you'll be able to get some answers, Maria

10-08-2009, 06:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
toughgirl 0-99 post 2 of hearts Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 42	Do you have low BF or do you exercise a lot? I tried the provera 2x and never had a bleed so my doc put me on estrace for 28 days and provera for 7 and I bleed for a day. That did not kick start my period so I had to start upping my cals and decreasing exercise. Look at your overall lifestyle.