Injectable Fertility Meds &amp; Gluten? Anybody Know Anything?

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Injectable Fertility Meds & Gluten? Anybody Know Anything? Clinic is suggesting a special version of progesterone Rate Topic:

#1 brigala

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Posted 15 October 2009 - 07:18 PM

So, I'm about to undergo some fertility treatments...

Among other things, I will need an injectable progesterone treatment for an unknown period of time -- a minimum of two weeks The fertility clinic says that it's usually suspended in a "food oil" base, typically sesame oil, but the NP is concerned that the base MAY contain gluten. I am not sure why she is concerned about this, I told her I should be fine with sesame oil, but she felt I should use a different medication.

She is recommending something called Ethyl Oleate Progesterone. The suspension is not a food-based oil and she feels there's a lower risk of it containing gluten. The problem is, it's not readily available. It's only available at compounding pharmacies. I was kind of hoping to get my insurance (Kaiser) to pay for it; the regular injectable progesterone is in their formulary, and this special one is not. And I would be surprised if it can even be ordered through the Kaiser pharmacy system.

So I know this is grasping at straws here, but I was kind of wondering whether anybody here had done fertility treatments, including the injectable progesterone, and knows anything about any of this stuff?

Thanks in advance...

-Elizabeth

gluten-free since mid-2007.
"Official" diagnosis is IBS & "Fibromyalgia-like symptoms" -- which have disappeared with the gluten-free diet. Mom & Sister have since been diagnosed Celiac through blood/biopsy tests.
Allergic to walnuts, pecans, and dates. Trouble with soy in high concentrations. OAS to many other raw fruits and vegetables. Occasional bouts of lactose intolerance, but usually dairy is ok unless I've been recently glutened.

#2 psawyer

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Posted 15 October 2009 - 07:40 PM

I have never found an injectable substance that contained gluten. Gluten acts as a thickening agent, which is not anything you want in an injection or IV drip--it would tend to clog the needle.

So, while I have no specific knowledge about this product, I highly doubt that it is a source of gluten.

Peter
Diagnosis by biopsy of practically non-existent villi; gluten-free since July 2000.
Type 1 (autoimmune) diabetes diagnosed in March 1986
Markham, Ontario (borders on Toronto)

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#3 ravenwoodglass

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Posted 16 October 2009 - 02:32 AM

I would ask your NP for the name of the med and the company that makes it and call them. Chances are excellent that it is going to be fine, like Peter says I have never heard of an injection having gluten but it will set your mind and hers at ease.

Courage does not always roar, sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying
"I will try again tommorrow" (Mary Anne Radmacher)

celiac 49 years - Misdiagnosed for 45
Blood tested and repeatedly negative
Diagnosed by Allergist with elimination diet and diagnosis confirmed by GI in 2002
Misdiagnoses for 15 years were IBS-D, ataxia, migraines, anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, parathesias, arthritis, livedo reticularis, hairloss, premature menopause, osteoporosis, kidney damage, diverticulosis, prediabetes and ulcers, dermatitis herpeformis
All bold resoved or went into remission with proper diagnosis of Celiac November 2002
Some residual nerve damage remains as of 2006- this has continued to resolve after eliminating soy in 2007

Mother died of celiac related cancer at 56
Twin brother died as a result of autoimmune liver destruction at age 15

Children 2 with Ulcers, GERD, Depression, , 1 with DH, 1 with severe growth stunting (male adult 5 feet)both finally diagnosed Celiac through blood testing and 1 with endo 6 months after Mom

Positive to Soy and Casien also Aug 2007

Gluten Sensitivity Gene Test Aug 2007
HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0303

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0303

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 3,3 (Subtype 9,9)

#4 brigala

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Joined: 16-March 08

Posted 16 October 2009 - 10:08 AM

Thank you for the replies. My gut feeling is that the regular stuff is fine.

I just got off the phone with the Kaiser OB/GYN clinic and it sounds like I may be able to get the meds through the Kaiser pharmacy. The regular progesterone is on their formulary, so I'll need a good reason to get the other stuff if I want to get it through them. SO... what I did after talking to the nurse at Kaiser is I requested the nurse at the fertility clinic to send prescribing information on both types of progesterone to the Kaiser OB/GYN nurse. Then we can check with the Kaiser pharmacy and/or the drug manufacturers about gluten and other potential allergens in the regular stuff and make an informed choice.

Basically Kaiser would need to verify that the regular stuff isn't an option before they would help pay for the special stuff anyway, so regardless of how founded or unfounded the fertility nurse's concerns are Kaiser needs the information on both drugs.

At least it's nice to know that they're making an effort to not give me anything I would react badly to. Even if they are even more paranoid about gluten in drugs than I am.