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Time frame for return of fertility after continual PC use?

by Gemma
(UK)

Hi there, I wondered if anyone else has experience of how long it takes for normal fertility to return after using progesterone cream continuously for a long period of time.

When I first started using the cream I probably did not use enough and was unable to take a break without horrible and acute anxiety, after I noticed this pattern I changed over to continual usage of approx 100-200mg from CD1-14 and upto 400mg until CD1 again. This worked great and provided the added benefit of 'free' contraception by preventing ovulation. For the first few months I checked opks obsessively not daring to believe such an easy and convenient contraceptive method over which I had complete control could possibly be reliable - but I have not ovulated since starting the cream almost three years ago after two unwanted pregnancies so it appears very effective.

The cream has worked wonders for my anxiety (main reason for use) so very gradually I took a few days break, then a week and for the past 10 months I have been able to use it only during the luteal phase of my cycle as recommended - however in all this time I have yet to record a single month in which ovulation has returned. The past three months have had changes in mucus but the opks still read negative.

I guess I have buried my head in the sand a bit about it, 10 months does seem an excessively long time to return to normal but I'm not TTC so it's only the absence of my body producing it's own progesterone that bothers me as I feel I wouldn't need as much cream otherwise. As I understand it the most progesterone is made by the ovaries only after ovulation occurs, otherwise you only have a tiny amount from the adrenals. My periods arrive naturally by themselves on around CD28 unless I use over 300mg of cream in which case it may be CD32 but never longer than CD40.

I have tried a month with no cream at all in an attempt to 'clear my system' but that was no fun at all

Maybe I'm reading the opk strips wrong but the two lines are never equal in shade, let along the bottom one darker. I have been testing from CD12, I see a second faint line appear, the next two days it will get slightly darker but not enough to be considered positive, then it will disappear and that's the point I start using the cream until my period arrives.

Comments for Time frame for return of fertility after continual PC use?

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Jun 10, 2019
 Time frame for return of fertility after continual PC use?
by: Joy

Hi Gemma

It really is difficult to say how long it will take as we are all different. There are many reasons that can cause Infertility. Excess estrogen can be a cause but you have been using progesterone for a while now, things should have improved. I suggest that you give it more time however, there are other causes for anovulation such as PCOS and Stress. Wray discusses this in this post, see here. You might look into the other possible causes that Wray mentions.

Please read the How to use Progesterone Cream page. If one stops using progesterone all adverse symptoms will return as you found out. I suggest that you continue to use progesterone during your luteal phase.
Jun 18, 2019
 lower dose luetel phase
by: Anonymous

Well using progesterone cream your body has not had to make its own for a very long time so of course you would have issues. PC has not helped me at all and has only ruined my bodies ability to produce my own and my melasma is from progesterone toxicity an now I have progesterone dysregulation.

Not sure it is a good thing to mess with hormones unless under the supervision of at least a naturopath. It is never ok to use progesterone every day if you are still having cycles! Id only use it from day 12 to 26 at a lower dose.
Jun 23, 2019
 re: Time frame
by: Gemma

Thank you Joy for your super speedy response, I will continue to use the cream in luteal phase only and just wait it out. Things are improving every month, I don't think it will be long now before the opk tests show positive.

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