Depression has got bad again - too much progesterone ??

[tipping]

Hi
I've been on anti depressants for over 25 years - problems with depression and anxiety but it was managed ok with high dose antidepressants.

I went on HRT 2 years ago aged 49, mainly to see if it would help with depression symptoms that had peaked again.

I was having having heavy periods so GP sent me to specialist to be checked out - womb seemed pretty much ok but specialist recommended I started 200mg utrogestan every day to be extra safe.

My depression has got terrible since then. It's so hard to separate out if it's the progesterone or just life. Could it be the increased progesterone?

I also started testosterone about 4 months ago to try and help with sex drive (haven't noticed any difference).

Thanks everyone.

The dose is either 200mg 12 days a month or 100mg every day. I'm not surprised you feel depressed utrogestan can really flatten some women and you're getting double the dose,

I realise it was a specialist who prescribed it, but why? If your endometrium isn't thickened it doesn't make sense. Have you got a review due? If not I'd ask to be rereferred, explain you cannot tolerate 200mg continuously so can you go to the recommended 12days a month or try a mirena?

In the meantime take it vaginally, women report less side effects when administered that way.

My specialist has also prescribed 200mg EVERY day.
I also feel lousy on it. Not depressed as much as exceptionally tired and unmotivated. At the moment, I'm only taking 100mg vaginally every while I wait to hear back from her. I'm at the stage where I would rather stop HRT than suffer the progesterone. I get regular endometrium scans and don't understand why she advocates so much. Specialists seem to be in 2 camps, with the majority advocating minimum progesterone to protect the endometrium, and a minority advocating more progesterone as a beneficial hormone for additional reasons. Well it's not benefiting me, that's for sure.

Could I try inserting the utrogestan vaginally- I mean the current oral ones that I have? I can't get a GP appointment for several weeks so no change of a new prescription.

I'm thinking to try and fix this mess that today I should start 2 weeks of no utrogestan and then try going back to 100mg but just for 2 weeks in the cycle.

I was thinking of trying vaginally to see if that was gentler for me.

How would you feel about a mirena coil? I go mental on prosterone pills but I was absolutely fine with a mirena. No progesterone-type symptoms at all.

Yes they are the same capsules. Just insert on a night as high up into the vagina as you can. Obviously if planning on sex then insert afterwards. You don't need to see a gp just send an econsult, say you understand it is off label vaginally but you cannot tolerate the side effects when taken orally.

As I said earlier if still having periods it is 200mg 12 days, or 100mg continuous if post meno. Do try and see the specialist again though, ring the hospital and ask to speak to their secretary. Explain you've seen them previously but need a review. You may get one without needing gp to refer again.

Thanks for the advice re utrogestan insertion JaniieJones

DoingJustFine -I think the mirena is a good idea, I'll try and see if I can talk to the nurse at the surgery about it.

Definitely insert vaginally op!
I can't tolerate at all orally. Sends me nuts.

I”m 40 and was told by my OBGYN I had a lack of progesterone so was given progesterone tablets. OMG 😱 My anxiety went of the roof! I was permanently angry, very aggressive and restless. I had to stop after a week for my own mental sanity. Terrible experience. I’d rather stay calm and be my progesterone deficient self. Messing up with hormones is a bad thing.

Is putting capsules up your foof a good idea?! Wouldn't that get all a bit messy up there?

Doingjustfine - it's 'off-label' to use them vaginally but there is some published research and some gps eg Louise Newsom's clinic prescribe it that way. And according to her you can use less of it as more gets wher eit needs to go. So that would be 100mg vaginally every other day, on continuous use.