Another week is down, and I just started on the progesterone phase of the priming prior to IVF. I was prescribed Prometrium, which are progesterone capsules used as suppositories. When I was reading on the FB TTC groups prior to starting this cycle prep, some of the women were having to use Estrace and Prometrium transvaginally, and these women’s comments on the smurf death that was leftover were a little bit off-putting. Thankfully I do not have to experience this!
Thus far the most significant “side effect” is the next morning after starting the Prometrium I got a cold sore. Now, I haven’t been sleeping well, so that’s perhaps part of it. Progesterone is the hormone that also makes you feel sluggish in your natural cycle, so it shouldn’t be all that surprising that I would feel lazy with the exogenous hormones. Unlike when you have just estrogen during your follicular phase!
Interestingly enough, there are several research studies in mice that use the Depo-provera shot (long acting progesterone) to induce a mouse model with a high susceptibility to the herpes simplex virus (amongst other viruses). I guess that is not at all surprising that your sex and the hormones your sex organs produce dictate your susceptibility to viruses. I looked through the pamphlet on Prometrium and they said nothing about recurrence of cold sores or Herpes Simplex. But there was a website that you could report side effects to called MedEffect in Canada. Not that it would prevent me from taking the medication, but it would have been nice to know beforehand so that I could boost my immune system and Lysine intake. Doses of 3 grams of Lysine per day with a low arginine diet can help with cold sore prevention.
Anyway, I have one more week on the Prometrium before I get another update on the IVF app. Stay tuned!
