test results have me worried

amynicole21 wrote: I had my bloodwork done at my first OB appointment last Monday, and based upon Karen and Julie's suggestions regarding breastfeeding and progesterone levels I had that checked, too. My levels came back at 16.7, and according to many websites and Jem0622's input, anything under 20 is considered low. I asked the nurse if that was too low and she said "oh no, we consider anything under 11 low." But that is contrary to most of the stuff I'm reading online. I have a call into my old OB's office for a second opinion, but haven't heard back yet. I haven't had any other issues or problems, so I should probably not worry and trust my doc, but I'm obsessive and neurotic and this doesn't come easy to me.

Should I call my doc back and tell them I want to be put on supplements?

kimberley replied: i am sure you are just fine but if you are that worried, then i would definitely get that second opinion and request the supplements. nobody knows your body better than you. p&pt coming your way! keep us posted.

Kirstenmumof3 replied: I don't know much about the progesterone levels, but I'm sure everything is fine! Try not to worry!

ediep replied: I don't know anything about progesterone levels, but I think you should definately talk to the doc about it...don't take the nurses word, she may not know for sure.

MommyToAshley replied: I read a lot during my PG, and I never heard anything about checking progesterone levels until it was mentioned here. Maybe because I didn't read about BF while PG? So, I don't know much about it either.

I just wanted to say that I agree with the others. Try not to worry, but I think you are doing the right thing by talking to your doctor. At the very least, it will put your mind at ease.

Let us know what the doc says!

Kaitlin'smom replied: yep check with your doctor, until then try not to worry to much

DansMom replied: You can't help being anxious about something so important---I would be, too. That second opinion would be reassuring. Instincts are good though---if you feel like everything is going well and normally, you should trust your intuition while you're waiting for more answers

kit_kats_mom replied: I don't know anything about progesterone levels since the discussions here didn't start showing up until after I was close to the second trimester.

I would check with my doc but try not to worry. I didn't have any problems at all and K was nursing quite a bit until later on in the pregnancy.

amynicole21 replied: Well I got a response from my old OB who basically said, yes, that's low but if you were coming to our practice we would have talked you out of even getting tested because it isn't much of an indicator of how the pregnancy is going. Not very reassuring.

I called my OB back and asked whether I could have an u/s to make sure that everything is going ok. She said that they didn't have any indication that there was a problem and that they couldn't claim it was a medical necessity. Therefore, insurance wouldn't cover it. They said they would do one if I could pay for it out of pocket, but I know they are very expensive and I couldn't afford it. She said she would call in a perscription for the progesterone supplements if I wanted her to and I said to go ahead.

Now I still have to wait until after my cruise in 2 weeks to go see if they can hear the h/b. It's going to be a long 2 weeks.

A&A'smommy replied: wow well that sucks!! I hope that you can enjoy your vaction but I bet your little one is JUST fine!!

coasterqueen replied: Well yours was a LOT higher than mine. I think mine was a 12...I honestly can't remember. I'd have to go back and check my journal to see. My doc said anything under a 10 if I remember her correctly was a concern.

They would have not put me on them if I wasn't spotting and cramping to begin with. That's the ONLY reason they had my levels checked to begin with. My doc said the same thing..she would have never tested them if I wasn't having those problems. They were never checked when I was pg with Kylie.

I honestly think if you are not having any "issues" then you are fine. The progesterone can't hurt....it can have side effects though..but it can't hurt to take it. But I'll tell you this....I would have NEVER taken them if it wasn't for the spotting/cramping. I absolutely despised those things and they made me so depressed. I don't know why but they did. That and those things are expensive and my insurance only covered a small portion.

Try not to worry. Like I said if you aren't having any complications I'm sure everything is alright. I know I would have not winked twice about my levels if it wasn't for the spotting. And I know for a fact my doc wouldn't have either. She even said she wouldn't have been too concerned about the spotting if it wasn't for the weird cramping I'm having. The cramping I have when I spot is very painful...not like it should be.

Hang in there. BTW, how are your symptoms? Have any? I was wondering with you going on a cruise...with my morning sickness I would never have been able to go on a cruise.

BTW......my doc also said that you have to be nursing TONS for it to even lower your progesterone levels enough for it to be an issue.

I know with Julie's case it was a bit different but from all the research I've done they are not as common.

amynicole21 replied: Well I started on the Prometrium (oral, not a suppository) last night and this morning I threw up (just a little) for the first time I also feel kind of weird... like in a fog. Don't know if I just didn't get enough sleep or what. The nurse said I only needed to take them until they heard the heartbeat in 3 weeks, so that shouldn't be so bad. I just want to do whatever I need to to make sure this pregnancy is healthy.



I really haven't had any symptoms until this morning (knock on wood). It would have been nice to be able to drink fruity island drinks on the cruise, but I think it will be ok. Plus, I'll be able to take a nap with Sophia in the cabin every day and not feel guilty about sleeping away my vacation

coasterqueen replied: You are very lucky to get to take the oral progesterone! The oral is supposedly not as strong as a dose unless they doubled it so it shouldn't have too many side effects . It CAN give you m/s or make it worse, though. So that might be what you are feeling and from my understanding it won't go away til you are done. I've heard women report they were thoroughly tired on them too but that was with the suppositories. I had tiredness and m/s before I started taking them so I guess I didn't notice. ROFL.

I agree that taking it to be on the safe side is best. BUT please try not to worry. You are not having any "issues" so more than likely that is just your normal level of progesterone. It is NORMAL for progesterone levels to "peak" at a certain point in the beginning of pg and unless they are taking your levels early on and for several weeks you would have no way of knowing so yours may have just peaked. That's what my doctor thought was the case with me but since I was/am spotting/cramping she wanted me to take it to be on the safe side.
If Julie or I hadn't mentioned we had ours tested you may have not done it either and probably wouldn't be worried . I know I wouldn't have even considered it or worried if it wasn't for my "issues".

Have fun on your cruise!

amynicole21 replied:
I posted on the IV bf board for someone to look in Hale's for me and apparently the oral form is virtually unabsorbed I'm also only taking 200mg. I think my doctor is just giving this to me to hush me up

Also, there was some chaos last night on another board when we were comparing our pills (oral to vag. suppository) and they seem to be exactly the same! You can just use them either way?! That freaked me out a bit. Ew.

coasterqueen replied: I have heard of some women taking a pill that they insert "down below" that is a progesterone pill. I don't know though for sure. I had thought about asking my doctor for the pills instead of the suppositories but everything I read told me they were better. There are so many different views on them so who knows. Either way they are both effective .

BTW, when I visited Paula from the IV BF board I had double checked with her on the level of progesterone when I first started taking it because I was still nursing Kylie and she assured me it was ok too . BTW, if it comforts you at all her and I did some research and we both found that there is NO WAY you can miscarry because of BF and my doctor confirmed it for me as well .

Kirstenmumof3 replied: Amy if you are concerned I know Fisher Price makes something that looks like headphones and you place it on your tummy to hear the hearbeat. I'll see if I can find a link and post it for you! I'm sure everything will be okay! Did the pharamacist tell you what the side affects from the medication would be? I would check that before your cruise!

Edited to post the link, I was wrong it's made by Safety First and Amazon has them on sale right now. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...v=glance&s=baby

amynicole21 replied:
My friend has a really expensive doppler that she's sending me to use for the whole pregnancy, so I'm VERY excited to get that I read that the side effects are mostly nausea, tiredness, breast tenderness... the usual pregnancy stuff

KatieLeigh79 replied: Just remember with the "hear it yourself" monitor you don't always hear the heart beat being your not a Dr. and don't know the proper methods or how the baby is resting in there all the time.. So if you can't find a HB right away don't panic, my cousin bought one of these with her 2nd baby and she never heard a HB herself and would worry and paid for a number of apts to the Dr. to check and be sure it was all fine and the baby was healthy at birth with a problem free pregnancy.