I hate progesterone

[GreenVelvetCushions]

Seeing a private meno doc tomorrow and wondering about asking if i can take less progesterone as it makes me feel horrendous and my GP is useless.

I have been struggling with this for nearly 2 years.

Has anyone else found a way to cope with having to take progesterone?

If your periods have actually stopped, then I recommend trying Livial Tibolone

Another vote for the Mirena

Thanks for updating. I had the mirena coil
fitted a few months ago, it was very quick and I didn’t feel any pain. I’m not sure whether I like it or not. I’m recovering from covid right now and feel too lousy from that to know how I’m getting on with the coil.

It's hard to tell what symptoms are down to what cause sometimes isn't it?! Hope you feel better soon.

Hi OP, I'm progesterone intolerant, so you have my sympathy. I can't even explain how it makes me feel, it's just intolerable.

Something to think about when considering whether to have the Mirena, even though it's low dose. I tried it 3 times, and every time after 4 to 6 weeks was feeling shocking. The last time I was literally on my knees begging GP to remove it there and then as couldn't bear it any longer.

Lots of docs say "the dose is so low it doesn't affect your system". If that was the case, then why add it in the first place?!

My gynae confirmed later I just can't tolerate progesterone at all, even at such a low dose.

Please come back and update us, and good luck. 💐

What are your symptoms with progesterone Only?

I definitely feel as though it builds up in my system. I hate the thought or not being able to take the coil out myself!

This is me. Adenmyosis and just had polyp removal which I am convinced grew when I tried oestrogel last year but couldn't tolerate Utro at all and suicidal and basically couldn't function at all inwas in a coma more or less...

However I am sweating a lot, flushing in evening, when I eat, depressed, anxious and exhausted. Dry downstairs and constant UTIs.

And heavy heavy periods and iron deficiency.

I'd love to know name of doc OP. Literally sitting in bsck garden crying as we speak

Also tried oestrogel again recently but it made me more anxious - why is that?

I did not get on with the coil. Had it a year. Feel normal again.

I haven't even tried the progesterone on it's own, as Mirena has the lowest dose of anything and I can't even tolerate that!

I hated progesterone pills and getting them from my GP was a full time job. I ended up getting a Mirena privately and it has been fantastic.

I had them for 9 years previously between babies and didn’t love it - but the testosterone and oestrogen I take now balances it out.

This is my exact experience with the mirena as well. No problem getting it in, but it affected me really badly. My doctor was lovely and whipped it out for me and I was back to normal really quickly.

When you tried it did you have the other additional hormones?

This is the thread I have needed.

i posted my own thread about being suicidal and feeling despair. I am start young to come out of it now (1 week into my 2 weeks off progesterone). I have always been very worried about the coil and the fit too @GreenVelvetCushions I wonder if I can take 100mg rather than 200mg of progesterone?

I do 1.5 pumps of the Estradoil gel. I wonder if I could up that. Although its recommendation on the label is max 1 pump!

Sorry to hear so many of us so sensitive to progesterone. I did lots of research as my doctor was useless and would not even give me hrt in my late 40's or at 52 so luckily went to the Family Planning Clinic/ Well Woman Clinic and got hrt. Started off good but then with the 2 weeks of progesterone I could not function, had dark thoughts and felt in severe pmdd and just was a mess. So many women are so sensitive to our own progesterone and that is why we get pmt/pmdd so flooding our bodies with all that for 2 weeks is just vile and it was such a horrible time. A pharmacist who had good information and took the time to talk to me said since I was on hrt 2 years (think you can change after 1 year) from sequential to continuous so I take my oestrogel 2 pumps and 1 tab utrogesterone which I take vaginally as less side effects and for first 2 months did have bleeding twice a month and spotting but seems to have settled and this is good as getting a more balanced hormone rather than a surge of utrogesterone with the higher dose for 2 weeks. Also was feeling extremely exhausted and it was my doctor at well woman clinic who noticed my thyroid levels were high from looking at old blood tests from doctors, and I got full blood test with thyroid done at doctors and am on medication for underactive thyroid which many women get at this stage of their lives. But so annoyed at my own gp for not even telling me about the levels of my thyroid from past blood tests.

To Hosegarden have you tried taking the utrogesterone vaginally yet as really did help me as had less side effects as I was like you, was a zombie, felt out of it, brain fog and could not function, was so bloated for that 2 weeks also, skin awful and just had really dark thoughts. If you have been on hrt for over a year talk to your doctor about changing to continuous as you only take 1 utrogesterone table per night and the hormones balance out as taking the same daily so more balanced. Please try this as you should not have to suffer, it is awful feeling so lost and doctors knowing feck all. Please also get your bloods done with full thyroid check as I was like you and it was my thyroid underactive and it floored me. Wishing you well and it will get better and hope all the women get sorted on here also.

Thank you Boots that's really informative.

I'm the same OP. I tried utrogestan vaginally and on a very low dose - still felt awful and then my (private) gynae recommended the mirena too, but I've just been too scared to get it put in - not because of the fear of having a coil (I already have a copper coil) but because of the dread of the progesterone. I decided to come off HRT because of it, but at some stage want to come back on.

I also felt awful on the Oestrogen - sore boobs, etc

and feel a million times better with no HRT (my only symptom is insomnia really).

No I didn't.

This is exactly what I did. 4 weeks in after 2 years on hrt and I feel better without it!
The whole progesterone bit was an absolute nightmare.
I honestly thought hrt would solve everything but for me it just made it worse.
Everyone copes with it differently but some of us really can't tolerate the progesterone bit.

My boobs have ballooned and am having periody cramps today. That's just on the oestrogen. Haven't even got to the progesterone yet.

I'll ride it out for a bit then make a decision I guess. Pick the lesser of 2 evils 🙄

Taking it orally was giving me periods every 2 1/2 weeks, nightmare.

So I moved to the Mirena coil. First 2 months I regretted it as I felt awful, but then all the negative symptoms stopped. I then started taking less oestrogen and then finally stopped completely.

Because I was heading into Menopause the GP said I could keep it in for 10 years instead of 5. I'm now at the end of that so suppose I should book in to have it removed but items honestly been no bother at all.

Only downside is that because it stopped my period I have no idea when or if I officially went through menopause!

Talk to a specialist about it maybe? It needs to be monitored and take your medical history into account.

Thank you for the reply @GreenVelvetCushions i have an appointment with the GP this week and then I am trying to get the number of a meno specialist my friend saw.

I think the best course of action for me thought RN is to stop altogether as I feel like I need to be sectioned.

I can't bear the progesterone weeks.
My Dr let me go down to using it for 2 weeks in every six.
Bc you only want to she'd your uterus lining to prevent uterine cancer.

I'm stock piling oestrogen ready for when they switch me tothe constant dose, just in case.
But would love thyroxine as always below the threshold but Dr never prescribes, and willing to try testosterone if it perks you up. Hugs to all.

@Babasghost You may find it helpful to know that you don't 'have to be switched' to continuous Utrogestan.

It's a choice.

Most women prefer it because it means no bleeds.

I've used sequential- like you with longer cycles- for 15 years. My dr is a highly regarded consultant - gynae and menopause specialist. (I see him privately although at first my appts were covered by private health insurance.)

Why are you stock piling gel - I don't understand it?

You will use the same dose whether you use Utrogestan daily or once every 6 weeks.