Oooof, that’s rough. I don’t have an answer, just thought I’d let you know that my MD has me on 200 mg progesterone.
this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2023
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Menopause
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My doc first wanted to start at 200 prog. But I wanted to start slow. I don’t know the safety ratio of progesterone to estrogen. And I’m not really clear on which hormones affect which problem (ie PMS, mood swings, energy).
I know that progesterone on its own can be used half way through the menstrual cycle to help with PMS symptoms. And I know my MD insists on using it with estrogen to offset the possible negative effects of estrogen (cancer), or so she told me.
At one pump, you're on a lower dosage of estrogen. But because your own hormones are still wildly fluctuating, you're likely getting symptoms when those hormones are swinging one way or another. Generally the dosage is "right" when hot flashes are gone entirely, but for your other symptoms, it's due to the fluctuations....and periods will continue and be unpredictable on MHT/HRT, unless you switch to a cyclical progesterone method.
My doctor told me not to increase the progesterone without increasing the estrogen, for what it's worth. I was at 200 progesterone, and I was supposed to do two pumps of estrogen, but only did one because I couldn't tolerate two. So now I am on 100 progesterone. It's working okay, but there was a period of adjustment where I had more night sweats/brain fog before it leveled out.
I gotta be honest, I love the 200 mg of progesterone. Within like 30 min of taking it my brain slows waaaay down and I’m sleepy and calm. I am on other meds, tho, which may be making that effect stronger.
I just increased mine before doctors appointment… I honestly felt like I was going to have a nervous breakdown and couldn’t wait… I noticed a change overnight… I haven’t cried or felt like dying for the past two days and sleeping better, still not great sleep but better sleep and I can function. I upped progesterone to 200mg (I have always been low and I started at 100mg) and I was doing 2 pumps of estrogen gel and upped it to 3…. I definitely feel better than I did and just hope my doctor will rewrite scripts or I’ll be finding a new quickly… it’s the lack of sleep and mental stuff for me, I honestly felt like I didn’t want to live anymore and not kidding, overnight with increase I feel more functioning & not as heavy hearted as I did.