Progesterone making me insane

[Ginflinger]

Hello, would love advice. I am 2 months into HRT. On utrogestan 200mg capsules (12 days per month) and daily Sandrena 0.5ml gel.

The estrogen is working and improving my symptoms but the progesterone has a horrible effect on my mood: like worst PMS ever. Feel completely tearful and overwhelmed.

Like, I furiously told the cat to fuck off this morning and am currently in bed crying and typing this. Makes me insane. Help! Any thoughts or advice?

(Will call GP tomorrow, too.)

[JinglingHellsBells]

It's really common @Ginflinger - not that it's any comfort to you!
TBH your GP is likely to be clueless unless they are trained in prescribing HRT through a BMS course.

First- why are you on such a tiny dose of Sandrena? The starting dose for Oestrogel (same thing but in a pump bottle) is 1.5mgs. Sandrena comes on 05 and 1mgs sachets. Most women would start on 1g and work upwards if needed.
Your 0.5mgs is tiny and it's no wonder you are feeling so rough with progesterone as it gives PMT symptoms usually anyway ...but this can be counteracted by using more estrogen.

You will probably feel a lot better if you increase that.
The only other option if Utrogestan doesn't suit is to swap it for something else, like the Mirena coil, or go onto a lower dose- 10 days is in fact enough (my consultant tells me) so you can get away with less. OR (again under a consultant - you can extend the estrogen-only part to more than 4 weeks, but your GP won't know/ authorise this!)

So, first, re-assess the tiny dose of estrogen and that might be all you need.

[JinglingHellsBells]

Oh and one more thing- you can use the capsules vaginally. Again, GPs won't know this, usually, but loads of women using it through menopause consultants do it this way (me!)

You just use your finger to push them up last thing at night.
In France this is how they tend to use it all the time (not by mouth.)
This avoids a LOT of the PMT side effects as it doesn't pass through the liver and the brain in the same way.

It's perfectly safe- my consultant prefers women to use it that way- and it goes straight to the womb. You don't need tell your GP - just do it :)

[Ginflinger]

Oh my god now I am weeping with gratitude. Seriously, how are we expected to work/do life with this level of crazy?

Thank you, @JinglingHellsBells

I will call GP tomorrow and try vaginally tonight.

[Ginflinger]

An update for anyone experiencing similar: doubling Sandrena to 1mg and using Utrogestan vaginally instantly stopped the crazy symptoms. Moodwise, I am calmer and more stable. Thank God and thank you @JinglingHellsBells for the initial advice!