Do I need progesterone?

[ladygindiva]

I'm on cyclical hrt for a horrid peri. Daily Estrogel and utrogestan for 10-12 days of cycle. Have a history of horrid pmdd ( suicidal thoughts, self harming). Life's been busy and mental and I forgot to take the progesterone for 3 months and I've never felt better. I literally felt incredible. Loads of stuff going on , managing to cope with it, slept and felt well, brilliant with kids and work etc. However this month I thought I must remember as that can't be healthy. Towards the end of the ten day session I felt sick as a dog, really nauseous. Then I stopped taking it ( on the correct day) and turned into a lunatic and fell apart. Ive been suicidal, unable to cope with anything at all, and my old enemy, thoughts of self harm, have been creeping in. I can't do this last week again. I'd rather die tbh. So my aibu is, can I just take Estrogel and not progesterone long term so I can feel like I did for those wonderful three months?

If you still have your womb then yes, you need progesterone. It stops the womb lining thickening.

There are other ways to take it, though. Some people take it continuously. Some do the two weeks but take it vaginally. It's available both as tablets or combined patches, so one method might suit you better than another.

It also takes time for any HRT regime to settle, so I'd say try again and see how it goes.

Good luck, hope you find a routine that suits you soon.

Thankyou. I might ask my GP if I can try continuous as it seems to be the withdrawal that makes me psychotic and the period of taking two tablets makes me feel nauseous so maybe a smaller continuous dose would suit me better.

I had severe pmt and other symptoms while taking it. My doctor switched me to a lower dose which I take days 1-25 and I have no symptoms from it.

Go back to your doctor and discuss options. There are different protocols available.

Agree with pp, you do need it

I had been on estrogel since March and at a recent check the doc realised I had the implant, not mirena coil so should have been taking progesterone too

She has switched me to dual dose patches, but also referred me for an ultrasound to check my uterus lining; so thinking it must be quite an important thing

Hope you feel a bit more on an even keel soon

It's interesting to read this because I was wondering the same thing. My symptoms are not as bad as yours, but I have noticed that I feel so much better/happier when I'm taking Oestrogen only.

@jinglinghellsbells I hope that's still your username I would appreciate your useful opinion too! This is also the first time I've tagged anyone so it probably hasn't worked 🤣