Progesterone intolerance

[JJkate]

Hi I'm feeling awful due to side effects from progesterone. I am investigating alternatives, one of which is coming off. Please can you tell me if you experienced progesterone intolerance and came off hrt altogether, how was it for you?

My dsis had this. She tried vaginally and that was not great, too messy. So she got the Mirena coil which has worked perfectly and she tolerates that fine. Apparently because it's localised it's easier on you

What is it that is making you feel awful? Mood? Sleep?

Terrible low mood, very depressed and tearful most days now. It used to just be the 12 days I was on utrogestan but now I'm like this for a week after too. Like it's built up on my system or something. Also very very groggy and tired on those 12 days despite taking I before bed. I never could tolerate the pill or most medication, I think it's something to do with the way my body processes them.

I had this on Utrogestan and similar symptoms of groggy and exhausted, it made me feel appalling and it got worse and worse. I also have/had PMDD and could never tolerate the pill so was very wary about progesterone. However, I am now on a progesterone only pill - Slynd, and while I did bleed/spot for nearly three months, it has been a game-changer for me.

I went for a POP because I didn't fancy the Mirena Coil, but have had friends who have found it great too.

@CapriceDeDieux thank so much that's hopeful to know! I feel like this whole last year has been awful and can't go on like this.

I had the same problem taking utrogestan on a cyclical regime. My mood went off a cliff after the 2 weeks were up. Gp switched me to 100mg for 25 days to prevent the constant up and down; Early days but seems to be working.

@YellowDaze thank you, that's also good to know. Please let me know how you get on if anything changes. Glad to hear you are out of the darkness.

Were you offered the Mirena? When I started HRT I chose it because I have had awful experiences with progesterone only contraception. With the Mirena the progesterone acts locally in the uterus lining, so you don’t have the systemic effects.

I got put onto continuous 100mg Utrogestan about 3 months ago. First couple of weeks were awful with low mood, tiredness, sore boobs etc. After that it settled. I had really struggled on the 200mg cyclic regime too. My GP did say to me to get a Mirena but needed to wait for them to have an appointment. Got it done earlier this week and have had hot flushes and a banging headache since, from the sudden withdrawal as they said I could just stop the Utrogestan. I am going to ride it out for the moment, as I am sure it will settle down. I had a Mirena for contraception 15 years ago, and it suited me fine then.

It is awful - the move from 100 cylical to 100 daily, then 200 daily was just grim.

I have never really had depression, but this was definitely it. I couldn't get up, I just wanted to lie in the road and give up, numb and miserable and constantly exhausted. The difference within a week on Slynd was significant - I feel so normal and even it's actually a bit disconcerting! I actually wish it had been suggested years ago for my PMDD as I think it was the highs and lows of progesterone that cause my issues.

I hope it works for you. Slynd is not always approved by GPs for HRT, but they are increasingly aware. I was suggested it by my consultant who told the GP, who then looked it up and was fine about it.

Good luck!

My dsis had crushing depression on progesterone. It does affect many women apparently. Especially if you suffered pnd that can be a marker

I had awful PMT, couldn’t take the mini pill and even struggled with the Mirena but an OK with 100mg utrogestan vaginally but I think this might be because I waited to go on HRT until my periods had stopped so I’m on it continuously and I don’t have the ups and downs of my own progesterone cycle to deal with anymore either.

Hi OP. I had the same problem. But I managed 4 months before I came off it.

I was sobbing for 3 weeks a month and thinking about killing myself all the time. I would go for a walk in my lunch hour and sit on a bench and sob. Vaginal made no difference. I had a thread on here called 'utrogestan hopelessness' in 2023.

I switched to the Mirena and it's been bloody brilliant. My ferritin has gone up, I barely bleed any more, only have very mild PMT, no more crying, no more exhaustion (but I now sleep brilliantly, as opposed to being drugged up with utrogestan).

I briefly had to have the mirena out and my gynae offered me a prescription for utro to cover me until the next mirena went back in.

I refused. I will never take that stuff again. If I can't have my mirena, I will need to stop HRT. It's terrible horrific stuff.

If you need a fast mirena insertion, private GPs do them for c£300 which is what I ended up doing.

@Phann yes but I daren't try it as have heard horror stories from people like me who reacted badly to it and then couldn't get an appointment to get it taken out for ages, that thought terrifies me, at least with tablets you can just not take them, the idea of having something inserted that has to be taken out by someone else is just too scary and takes away a sense of control.

@PaellaPani hope it's ok, let us know how you get on.

@CapriceDeDieux wow that's heartening to hear, happy for you. Sorry you had such a bad time. This has made me think that some people who struggle may just have an imbalance of hormones.

@Whyherewegosorry to hear that. I've read so many stories and met others who had similar that I just don't believe it's only 10% of women who get this.

@Wbeezer interesting

@Sugarahhoneyhoneywow that's great to hear. Maybe I should try that. I think I will try mini pill and then maybe coil. I'm sorry you had such a shit time. It's so weird because it takes your real feelings and thoughts and like amplifies them with darkness like a thousand so it's so hard to be rational as you kind of do think and feel this stuff on some level, well I do anyway. I tried putting an alarm in my phone which said "do not believe these thoughts and feelings, it's the progesterone" but it didn't work. I agree it's bad stuff, some days it's like swallowing poison. Thank you all so much you have given me some hope.

It is awful and I and others on here can absolutely testify, progesterone intolerance is very real. I would suggest trying it vaginally too. Since moving on to the 100mg for 25 days regime, I can only use it as a pessary. It doesn't pass through the blood stream so reduced the impact on mood. I was really nervous trying it this way but after the first few times, it became really easy.

@JJkate this whole 'wait for an appt to Hve your coil removed' stuff is nonsense.

You make an emergency appt, tell them that:

You are fainting
In severe pain
Will remove it yourself if they don't.

It literally takes seconds. My GP took mine out after it moved by being boshed in a smear test. It was a standard emergency appt and she said cough, breathe out and it was done.

I did then have to spend £200 having a new one refitted the same week so I didn't need to go back on Utro! (GP had a 3 month waiting list). On the plus side the private GP was much better at getting them in.

Try different progesterone. I am ok with desogestrel but not the one in Mirena and Microgynon (levornogestrel). There is also utrogestan which I haven't tried.

And norethisterone.

For me it's even more nuanced. I took microgynon at university which is the first time I experienced progesterone depression at uni. Thankfully the GP saw what was happening.

But it's fine for me in Mirena!

Remember OP that the progesterone in the Mirena doesn't pass into the bloodstream AFAIK so it is unlikely to trigger symptoms such as depression. Maybe it's worth a try for you ?