When to start prgesterone if luteal phase is variable

[Ferris Jay]

Hi there,

I've been so glad to find the Hormone Repair Manual.

I'm currently perimenopausal and have just been given Utrogestan (progesterone) and Oestrogal by my GP - huge thanks to Lara for the information on the difference between HRT options and between progesterone and progestins (my GP wanted to give me an all in one option but I held my ground and he agreed).

Anyway, here's my question.

I want to take the Progesterone during my luteal phase, but I'm not sure when that phase is or how long it lasts and I think I have a lot of annovulatory cycles.

My period is variable.
I have long bleeds (maybe due partially to having a fibroid, cyst and copper coil) and sometimes breakthrough bleeding for a few days during the cycle or an early start to the next cycle - sometiimes I cycle every 3 weeks not 4.

I have only started tracking ovulation recently.

My last period was from 20th to 29th April.
I did have a very slight temperature drop, from 36.6 to 36.4 on 4th May (and had a tiny bit of blood the two days before), also a tiny bit of creamy fluid a couple of days after.
But then I bled again from 11th to 13th May.

So I'm not sure when to start taking the progesterone.

If I say I ovulated on 4th May then my period shopuld be starting today or tomorrow, but I bled on 11th to 13th.

Do I start taking progesterone 14 days after 11th?

And if my luteal phase is short, do i keep taking progesterone for the full 14 days anyway - even if I have another blleed before the 14 days are over?

I'd appreciate any advice on this and if anyone has experiences of how they navigated starting progesterone if their cycle was irregular.

Many thanks,

Ferris.

[Sunnygal]

This info is from the cemcor website. There’s a chart that goes with it.

If your cycles are short, less than 24 days I think it says- take progesterone on day 12 for 14 days and keep going for the full 14 days bleed or no bleed.

So start counting days from when you started bleeding last as day 1 and don’t worry about when you ovulated or not for the progesterone.

If your cycles are 25-30 days it says take progesterone starting day 14 for 14 days bleed or no bleed.

If it doesn’t help the bleeding I think the same article I’m referencing has further instructions for what to do.