Progesterone Intolerance | Anxiety, Depression and other Side Effects
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- Опубликовано: 21 сен 2024
- Progesterone is a crucial hormone for women at all stages of life. It helps women in menopause but does have some side effects. A small minority of women experience serious progesterone intolerance symptoms. A progesterone metabolite called Allopregnanolone is the main reason some forms of progesterone help with sleep. Allopregnanolone may be a problem for some women with a history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
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I just want to say a BIG THANK YOU for actually replying to so many comments on your channel. Unlike other Menopause/Hormone channels, where the doctor or expert just gives standard answers like, "seek advice from your MD" or "thanks for sharing your experience" without giving any constructive advice. Even if it's general advice, not tailored to the individual, at least answer the question to the best you can. ONLY you do that from what I can see. SO THANK YOU!
You’re welcome! I only have time to answer a few questions and comments but I do my best to stay engaged without giving medical advice.
Progesterone gave me extreme depression, I felt suicidal and it gave me the worst insomnia. Anyone else get insomnia from progesterone?
I m getting it
Did u find a solution for it
Right there with you. Severe insomnia, intense heart palpitations and feel really off.
Yes me too! I’m on HRT for menopause and take estradiol and small amount of oral progesterone and my insomnia got way worse and I got bloated and headaches
I take the progesterone orally. Which I heard can be worse for some women. Maybe I need an topical progesterone?
Yep I get insomnia on progesterone
Same. I was sleeping great before taking it. I am finally off of it and I sleep great. If you look it up you will find that it is a steroid and it releases estrogen and testosterone.
I think it makes me super sleepy or like I can’t move the next day. Even with a lower dose. Thank you for the video, I can’t find information about my strange reaction to progesterone anywhere but here!
I’ve never had depression in my life. Within days of starting progesterone 100mg I couldn’t even recognize myself. I scheduled an emergency psych visit because I was so scared of what I was feeling.
And yes. I did have PMDD. Also another side effect other than nausea was a ton of acne hair growth very quickly on my face. I read that sometimes when you are progesterone intolerant it binds to too many testosterone receptors causing hair growth.
Same thing happened to me. I felt like I was losing my mind. Horrible experience.
Same plus the water retention and constipation and extreme fatigue. I couldn't function. Side effects that "we get used to or MAY even go away". ?? Nope, that's not good enough. Not acceptable. After years of PMS, finally getting some relief. I'd rather not sleep.
@@andrearobinson8914testosterone level need to be elevated also estradiol. All hormones need to be in balance, then one can tolerate progesterone.
I took it once and I felt extremely anxious and panic attacks 😢
I have severe intolerance to progesterone. I’ve tried it many times. Everyone else loves it
Me too! I keep trying thinking that maybe I was taking the wrong dose or not trying long enough. I hate that what seems like a miracle for others feels like poison to my body.
How long did you try it for?
@@DreblueskiesI'm taking for 21 days,at first i felt emotional,and stop,than i realized the days i took progesterone i wake up more calm,also the diarrhea problem for 8 years is getting better... I'm going to continue and try to figure it how works for me❤
I am severely progesterone intolerant. Always have been, even with my own. Same with my mom. Started HRT last December, had the expected response to oral micronised progesterone. My NP, god bless her, recommended using it vaginally. Did that for the first time this cycle and sure enough - it worked. My BBT rose and although it took a solid week after discontinuing (I’m doing it cyclically) for my bleed to start, it did start. VERY limited mood changes, and the physical symptoms weren’t that bad - relatively speaking. I’m actually willing to do it again, so that’s a huge win for me. My NP also recommended optimizing and stabilizing my estrogen before adding in progesterone, really happy we did that.
Did it make you sleepy when you used it that way?
Thank you for sharing!!! I shared my story in the comments as I am severely progesterone intolerant as well. This month I have a separate holistic doctor that is putting me on compounded progesterone cream (on the skin only the last half of my cycle) , in addition to my estradiol daily. on day two of the progesterone cream and so far so good. Once I hit menopause, I might have to try vaginal. But I will have to get the micronized progesterone capsules compounded because Prometrium is used with peanut oil! And I’m allergic and didn’t realize it until I was using it! how can an FDA approved medication use peanut oil! Turns out a lot of the progesterones are made with peanut oil😮
Why are you on hormone replacement therapy - are you menopausal? And if you are menopausal, why do you bleed (or want to bleed)?
Good deal. I couldn't even take it that way. Still gave me GI cramps, pain, and bloating and depression.
It might make me sleep during the night but it also makes me tired throughout the day. I have become so emotional, moody, angry to the point of depression. Not only that but I’ve gotten a huge belly 😡
Same.
I have the same problem. Thank you for sharing ladies. It is comforting to know that we're at least not struggling alone. ❤️🙏
Yep. Can’t do it anymore not worth it for me. Balancing my diet
Same. Doesn't seem like it's rare!
Progesterone bloated me so bad that I looked pregnant. Along with all the other side effects that did NOT improve with time. I switched to a different progestin. No more side effects.
I came off of my HRT, all bioidentical. I gained 14lbs in 4 months. I was ill and felt like I was dying. Fast forward about 4 yrs of this. I looked old and have gained 36lbs. A month back on and am 5lbs down and am taking better care as before. I look 5 yrs younger ❤
I feel the progesterone is contributing to anxiety and depression
I tried it, and I feel like I'm losing my mind ,my depression get worse I had to step it.
I tried oral Prometrium for a mere 2 months or less. HRT due to menopause. It gave me dizzy spells. Tried taking it before bed… but together with estradiol, I became a walking dead.. zombie like… jittery body, irritability, anxiety, depression… I quit the hormones and reset my body and things cleared. Then tried using IUD instead. Thought it will just stay in my uterus to protect it but it actually circulates round the body. Had a long period lasting a whole month with trickles of blood…cleared up… but also same time I started to feel different again, jittery, weak arms, irritability, brain fog, it starts all over again….walking dead again…This time round I never even used estradiol yet… it is not true progesterone is happy hormone. It makes me a worse person to myself and to others and my sleep is trash!!! Now contemplating remove the IUD.
I just want to let you know I had this reaction too and I refused and avoided it because of this for decades. Then I heard about women who used high doses and it was what was required to make it work and stop this reaction. I thought that’s insane why would I take more?! Well after struggling for another decade I decide to try it. Not the regular crap you get at a normal pharmacy-those ingredients are horrible. I get it from a compounding pharmacy slow release. It worked! It has been life changing. Zero negative reaction. I had those reactions at 100-200mg when I take 400-800mg it takes away the bad reactions. It took away my PMDD! Life changing. ❤
@Heartsflow Thank you for sharing.
@@Heartsflowwe’re did you purchase it
It worked wonders for my insomnia but I do feel foggy brained, not drowsy, just foggy during the day.
Before this video, all I ever hear is how soothing progesterone is. I am glad to hear this important but never mentioned information.
@reinadelmar11 For the vast majority of women, probably 85-90%, progesterone is a miracle hormone that transforms their sleep. Intolerance is very rare and very real. It’s “both/and.”
@@SimpleHormones10 to 15% is not very rare to me! It's one woman out of seven to ten.
while it is incredibly soothing for me, there's a lot of women that I see on Reddit who are describing exactly what you're describing. You're not alone.
To avoid progesterone intolerance do this:
1. Take natural bioidentical progesterone, not the synthetic stuff the doctor’s prescribe which breaks down into all sorts of nasty stuff in the body.
2. Take it transdermal via cream on the skin, not oral. If you take it orally, your liver breaks it down into nasty things (as he mentions in this video). Progesterone cream on the skin goes straight into the blood stream, skipping the liver and thus avoiding all those issues.
3. Take MUCH HIGHER DOSES of progesterone. For some people, if you take a small dose, it only serves to ‘turn on’ estrogen receptors, increasing the symptoms of estrogen dominance and making you feel way worse. These people need to take way more progesterone and they will overcome this issue and start reaping the benefits.
Read Dr. John Lee’s books on hormones and Dr. Michael Platt’s on the same.
Chears!
I am 56 years old & am unfortunately one of the unlucky women who’s progesterone intolerant. I wish so badly that I could take it & reap the sleep benefits, etc. but unfortunately I haven’t been able to
This is so fascinating! I was was super depressed off and on for a number of months. bloated irritable and reactive. as an experiment, I took a friend 's 100 mg progesterone pill because I was having difficulty sleeping and waking up with night sweats.
When I tell you it cured every single one of my problems, I would not be exaggerating. depression immediately gone. ability to sleep, just like my twenties. The ridges in my fingernails have even gone away. I have never had pmdd So maybe that's why My reaction to progesterone has been so positive.
I'm running out of my friend's progesterone and I have to go see an actual doctor to see about getting on HRT. It's been a lifesaver.
I hate hearing about other women struggling with hormones. I feel your pain. I truly do.
I can't wait to try it. I've been using the cream for several months. Other than improving my heavy painful periods it hasn't been as miraculous as I'd hoped. The oral version is supposed to be way stronger. I hope you had joy with the doc.
It jacks me but at 63 I wanna try again because I am desperate even with much natural medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise my whole life, eat well, don’t drink alcohol or caffeine, in general no health issues. I had 3 children, got my menses until I was 57. Gyno called me a healthy late bloomer. I was suicidal in peri menopause I can’t lie, it was scary. I am still really sick and my family doesn’t get it because I was super woman before this hit! It’s so unfair!!! Menopause is a MONSTER 👿 demon!!
To avoid progesterone intolerance do this:
1. Take natural bioidentical progesterone, not the synthetic stuff the doctor’s prescribe which breaks down into all sorts of nasty stuff in the body.
2. Take it transdermal via cream on the skin, not oral. If you take it orally, your liver breaks it down into nasty things (as he mentions in this video). Progesterone cream on the skin goes straight into the blood stream, skipping the liver and thus avoiding all those issues.
3. Take MUCH HIGHER DOSES of progesterone. For some people, if you take a small dose, it only serves to ‘turn on’ estrogen receptors, increasing the symptoms of estrogen dominance and making you feel way worse. These people need to take way more progesterone and they will overcome this issue and start reaping the benefits.
Read Dr. John Lee’s books on hormones and Dr. Michael Platt’s on the same.
Chears!
Thank you so much for giving this issue more awareness! I was diagnosed with PMDD in my 30s. I started the Estradiol patch at 52, but each time I try progesterone, I have awful side effects. One of the scariest was tachycardia that sent me to the ER via ambulance. It also causes my mood to change as if I was in PMDD. I’m at a loss and concerned about needing to balance the estradiol.
I switched to 0.35 mg Norethindrone. It’s a low-dose progestin-only-pill that is also approved for endometrial protection. Many women love the Mirena coil. And there is still provera (medroxyprogesterone).
The combipatch used estradiol plus levonorgestrel. So there are several options.
Progesterone intolerance is real!
@@sunnysal3889i am thinking of going straight for the Mirena IUD. I have been on the estrogen patches for 5 months now and the hot flashes have stopped.
I know that i need progesterone for good health of the uterus lining and for better sleep.
Ja nee, it is not easy been a woman....!
Maybe the bioidentical cream will suit you. It's much weaker. Or vaginal delivery.
I have been on micronized progesterone since March of 2022 . It greatly helps my sleep. I worked up to my current dose of 600mg throughout a year's time. I still do have insomnia issues, and am always playing around with melatonin, tryptophan, glycine, valerian root, and a few others. It's tricky. My body gets used to one and it stops working, so I keep managing doses up and down to keep up with my body deciding it's had enough of one thing or another.
It does still have a very positive affect on my sleep.
Here is something else. I believe progesterone placed a pillow of protection between me and depression, a protection that I wish I had had starting about 40 years ago, when depression defined my existence for many years. Depression can still be an issue for me, but it doesn't have nearly the power over me that it used to. (!!!) I re-read my comment and am now editing and adding, because it wasn't emphasized enough, (as others have said): MICRONIZED PROGESTERONE CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER!! Thanks to Steve Goldring!!!!!!!
Thank you for watching and sharing your story. As I’ve alluded to, the vast majority of women who take progesterone in menopause experience it as a miracle. Happy that you’ve had that experience.
If you have all those things ; try Benfotiamine and a Carnivore diet ... It sounds like you might be severly malnourished and have food intolerances ...
You give me hope am on 200mg an 4-5 pumps estrogel . But my low moods are getting worse . I did get headaches but no more . Am more irritated and even getting sucicidel thoughts which I ain’t had for years . Mine gets worse 2 weeks before a period
@@paulawilkinson6341Have you been to a bioidentical hormone specialist to check your levels? They check even things like thyroid. All of them need to be balanced. It is well worth it.
@@paulawilkinson6341I feel flat and low. Dizzy too on 200 mgs progesterone. It does reduces anxiety though. I sleep well.
This video was very informative. Unfortunately, many doctors aren't educated enough in the field of menopause or hormone therapy. Most doctors don't give options on treatments.
They are just trained by big pharma and don’t seem to know or care much 🙄
Yes, progesterone intolerant to the point of extreme rage. The onset of perimenopause has caused PMDD. My life is hell
Same 😞
Same 😢
But what kind of progesterone did you take? There’s different kinds and doses!
Me too!!!
I am 44 , and I am in peri menopause, I was told 2 years ago I was in menopause because my estrogen was so low with my lab work, however I was getting periods though they were irregular .. in my mid - late 30s, I noticed I had pmdd, and I was even diagnosed with it , I always had easy, simple periods, 3-4 days of bleeding, and not many cramps . I was lucky.. now I feel like it caught up with me. I definitely have a progesterone intolerance. I tried Barbra Hoffman PRO HELP Cream because watching her videos .. I thought I'm in peri. It must not be scary.. hahah, so I gave it a try my mood became so much worse, though I do feel it may have helped regulate my cycle and possibly helped me sleep better..
Still, though, I didn't feel better. My relationship was going downhill. I was always iratible and hateful complaining about everything. But I knew that's not who I was, and I had to keep trying to find a solution, so I continued to further educate myself with Google and RUclips videos.. I finally decided to give HRT try, so back in Feb of this year, 2024, I started Prim Pro . I right away knew it had to be the progesterone .. I had it down to a science my body even had reactions to its own progesterone production and it seems anything with progesterone or anything that helps boost progesterone my body has a negative reaction to it, or simply put made me feel worse, so I went back to the doctor told him I think I'm allergic to progesterone and explained my symptoms a little, so he then agreeed to try me on Duvaeee. I watch Heather Hersh also one of my favorites, btw. She said she loves it .. I started taking it and noticed a big difference anxiety panic attacks nearly gone, but I still didn't feel right. I was self diagnosing and taking a pill and a half on some days. That particular doctor wouldn't do labs, though I requested it. I went for a second opinion, so finally, my current doctor did my labs and found that I'm not in menopause everything looks normal.. Holy cow, I thought you got to be kidding me.. something is still not right!!
I asked him to try me on Estradiol only and he said if we do that we'll have to put you on a progesterone as well, so I got the most natural kind of progesterone in pill form .. started taking the Estradiol around cycle day 25 April 30th . Kinda difficult to tell at this point where I'm at in my cycle because I was taking continuous HRT , which kept me from having a period. Still not sure how I feel about this... any who estrdoil helped my mood even more ,I was so happy and energetic no more leg fatigue no more anxiety not experiencing the itch crawly skin.... UNTIL..... I started having insomnia again though so I though we'll maybe now is the time of month I need to start taking the progesterone and the night I took it or morning I should say around 3 am it made my sleep worse I was anxious and nervous and miserable went to work on 3 hrs sleep. Felt like hell.. that night I took only half of my Estradoil tablet. I thought maybe my estrogen was too high, and I needed to back off perhaps that's why I can't sleep.. still didn't get a good night's sleep. woke up around 2 am. and didn't get back to sleep until 6. I had to call off work. I was so exhausted... I then thought I'm going to give it another try. Maybe my estrogen is high, and I need to counteract it with some progesterone yesterday, may 17th cycle day 14. For me, I took progesterone around 10 am. by noon I thought I needed to take myself to urgent care I was getting immense pains in my lower left side back, liver, I'm thinking .. then I started to feel anxious and have anxiety, nervousness, all those progesterone related symptoms I get around ovulation time but far worse!!! I called my doctors office spoke with the nurse, and she said stop taking both estrdoil and progesterone. If symptoms continue to go to ER. I drank lots and lots of water to help flush out the progesterone. I eventually felt better, and the lower left back pain went away. I only took half of my Estradoil that morning so half of 0.5 , I didn't take any more throughout the day. Yesterday .. I fell asleep around 2 pm and didn't wake up once I think the estrogen is good and my body likes, it but perhaps I am taking to much of it.. I did start having some estrogen dominant symptoms such as uti, Fuller breast and some breast tenderness
Today I'm not going to take eithe, as doctor informed me to stop taking both, but I now know I have a intolerance to progesterone and I guess I need to figure something out because I want to continue my estrogen... I hope and pray you read this and respond back. I have appointment with doctor on Monday. Please please any suggestions should I consider progesterone iud??? Because I know if you have your uterus and you are taking estrogen you must take progesterone but my body hates it. I also get itchy crawling skin. The duvaee helped with leg fatigue and anxiety and improved mood but I still had the itchy crawling skin and stifness was very bad. Where as plain estrodil helped with mood, itchy skin, and body stifness, and anxiety so I think I'm on the right track. Also it seems like progesterone causes me stoke like symptoms or is the progesterone increasing the estrogen and that's why I'm getting numbness and tingling in my right arm. I only get it durring or around ovulation like cycle day 14,15 and seems to be more bothersome when I take progesterone or progesterone cream.. please help angelgirl.4life@yahoo.com
Tammy 3:21
I got a very servere depression, panikatacks, serious moodswings and went in acute early menopause after 3 months on a homone coil with gestagen/progesterone (I got rit off it, but at that time it was too late). It is 6 years ago this month and I have not been my old self since. I have been desperate to get better and have tried both estrogen and utrogestan since (after a few years on multiple urbs, that did not help enough), but all got worse again and I got suicidal. Today I am on an antidepresant even though it feels wrong and there is a lot of sideeffects..... Gestagen ruined my life. I was fine and happy before I was put on the hormone coil.....I have never had pms......so yes!!! Progesterone / gestagen is poison for some women.....😢
Thank you for this video. I have just come off a 10 day stint of progesterone, and I feel awful. I am 2 years into menopause but since I had a little bleeding the gynecologist prescribed me to take progesterone so I could "bleed off", the uterine mucus was a bit thick apparently during the exam. But goddammit, these 10 days have been agony; I got brain fog (I even fell), I got reflux issues so I had to buy meds for that and sleep sitting, I have gained weight, and general edema all over my body. In 10 days I have gained 4 kg and gotten a hormonal belly. I can only wear a pair of sweatpants and my shoes don't fit. It's gotten so that it is heavy to breathe. It's CRAZY. And yes when I had menstruation in the perimenooause period I had PMDD before I slowed down, changed diet and started acupuncture and supplements. For two -three years all has been great but for some occasional flushes but this is ghastly. Does anyone know how long before the side effects fade away?
@afyrholm Thanks for watching. I'm getting LOTS of comments on this video from women who have had PMDD and who also are experiencing progesterone intolerance issues.
This is definitely a major problem that only affects a small percentage of women. The best approach, according to the doctors I've surveyed from my list, is to start low and go slow. That usually means getting a very low progesterone dose from a compounding pharmacy - 10MG or 25MG - then gradually increasing by 10-20MG every week or longer until the side effects start, then slowing down.
@@SimpleHormones is estradiol involved in this process? If so, what dose? My doctor tried me on 25 mg compounded vs a .050 patch. It was too much I guess as I continued to bleed. It all ended in a d&c, then she gave me 100 prometrium vs .050 patch immediately after and I started to feel more normal. Then after 3 weeks, she yanked those away and demanded I do high dose mesetrol. Said I had complex hyperplasia with polyps that she got. Talk about true hell. Women complaining about prometrium havent taken megestrol. I just could not tolerate it so I switched to 300 prometrium only. I was couch bound for months. I could barely function. We did a follow up biopsy, in which she was insistant she insert the Lilleta iud, ive begged for vag estrogen, she denies me. She has me on the .050 patch. Its not going well. Its been about 5 weeks. Se wants a blood draw in a week. Im getting headaches, acne, depression, low grade all the time, im getting anxiety attacks that I never had, my sleep isnt great, I wake up a lot. Have to take melatonin and ativan. I think I would be better off on prometrium but shes paranoid about hyperplasia(my history woth hormones is low dose bi-est cream occasionally, testosterone cream. No progesterone. I was still cycling at the time. When I hot menopause, after a year did the pellets which f-ed me up, started the bleeding. I was up to 400 prometrium and still didnt stop te bleeding, the acne was so bad. Current doc thinks pellets caused the bleeding). Just wondering if its safe for me to get the iud removed and do prometrium only with the patch or the gel. I feel the patch wears off after the first day. I get headaches, anxiety, waking up. The first day of patch is good. Its like me taking a shower makes it less effective.
try testosterone alone
@@SimpleHormones Doesn't seem like a small percentage? Seems like a lot of women discontinue HRT because of side effects?
I can't wait to try oral progesterone. The cream worked miracles for my heavy painful periods but doesn't seem to touch my anxiety, grumpiness and poor sleep.
I am 38 years old and I’ve had really bad PMS for many years and I was diagnosed with PMDD recently and my naturopath put me on compounded progesterone which I have tried numerous other times with many side effects and this time I seem to be having side effects again. Im using a very low-dose of 50 mg. My anxiety is really bad and I am extremely irritable and angry and also depressed on it. I’ve had some outbursts that I don’t normally experience. OB/GYN recommends that I start an SSRI sertraline, but I’ve been really nervous to take an antidepressant, but I’m to the point where I feel like I need to try something different since the progesterone continues to give me intolerable side effects. Thank you for your video.
What about progesterone and adrenal fatigue? Progesterone stealing cortisol and causing anxiety
Yes!! I feel like it messed with my cortisol! Like spikes it.
The progesterone made my migraines so horrible.
I have PMDD. It’s miserable. But I don’t act like THAT.
Progesterone sometimes helps me sleep but ALWAYS gives me hot flashes!!! The whole reason I started HRT was to get rid of the horrific day-long hot flash (they didn't come and go, it was constant heat and sweating 24/7).
I've been taking 200 mg oral progesterone capsules. They are doing nothing for my insomnia and in fact, after 2 months of taking them, I've developed this dull pain in my stomach. I'm 56 and post menopausal
Can’t do without it. Makes all the difference in my sleep.
@Dfwade The vast majority of women find progesterone to be a sleep miracle. A very small minority can't tolerate it.
Same
44 years old, still cycling, perimenopause. I was moody on 100mg Prometrium. Stopped but went back for the sleep. When I played around and increased to 200mg even 300mg, it resolved that issue for some odd reason. Husband says I’m nicer on 300mg vs no Prometrium at all. Sleeping much better and lost weight. Only side effect is tender breasts, but I will take that if it means getting better sleep. Not on estrogen yet.
I didn't know you can just take progesterone without taking estrogen.
If you take estrogen, then you have to take progesterone correct? Thx!
I am wondering why some women do better on a higher dose. I can’t wrap my head around it. I have tried micronized progesterone orally, vaginally in 50mg, 100mg and 200mg and all of them were horrible, especially 200mg. I have never had that much anxiety in my life. Nightmares, depression and sore boobs.
I had PMDD but it got severe when I became perimenapausal. It was an absolute nightmare. I just started slynd and wrapping up my first month. I can see a huge difference!! Ive had a few symptoms of headaches and nausea. Not all the time but it happens. I'm a 1000% better since I started doing that and an anti depressant. I hope it continues this way
Thank you so much for your content. I appreciate it so much. Micronized progesterone changed my life. It was the first thing I was prescribed in perimenopause. 100 mg a night and then it was just increased to 200. I sleep so well on it and it helped my mood.
Great news! That’s the way it usually works . . . beautifully!
@SimpleHormones I have 100 mg micronised progesterone, small round capsules. Have a very hard time swallowing 😢 Any other FDA approved form?🙏 (55 postmenopausal)
how's the fat bloated belly?
You’re so lucky. P hasn’t helped me at all for the last 3 yrs
@@DW... I also have a problem, but what helps me is I swallow it with a piece of banana))
I was on 30mg of P for years, then research came out that my doc followed, to increase to 100mg. Whoa! Waking up the next day after that first pill I thought I'd lost my memory. So, we had the compounding pharmacy increase my dose from 30 to 100 by 10 mg increments each month. Took a while to get there, but now I am fine.
Compounding pharmacy is the way to go! The other es are crap 💩
Yes and yes and never found a doctor to help ever.
How do I stop being intolerant?
Switch to a different progestin. Doctors should offer options.
@@sunnysal3889 tried all types including natural types. It’s an immune system response.
I think you nailed it. I have hyperthyroidism and on medication. When I first started medication, I had a strong immune response. My dr. denied the side effects but after being really sick, she told me to stop it.
Also my naturopath started me on Progesteron made from plants and Progesterone oil. The minute I started I felt better, more relaxed, able to work on my mental health as well. I stayed 10 months on 3 capsules a day. Then it was increased to 6 pills a day. I noticed severe forgetfulness, increased tinitus, bruising on my legs and my arms, under my breasts, ongoing insomnia, my period stopped and then it started again but I had like three of them in a month and a half. I really want to stop it and she said it is not right and there are no side effects from it.I stopped the oil for one day and a half and I had a nightmare that made me faint even as I was dreaming. Strange thing was that it look like I was more of a witness to all of this.
Me too!! I was starting to become confused… I was living in a cloud all day… I felt horrible sad, cranky etc… I got off the progesterone and estradiol compounding cream. I am going to talk to my doctor about maybe a patch and iud with progesterone..
I find all of this fascinating as someone who just finished a cycle of IVF and currently on both progesterone injections and estradiol. I'm having the same symptoms as you.
Steve,
Thank you does NOT seem enough for the assistance, insights, and great information you continue to provide for us ladies "Suffering In Silence", THANK YOU!
You may not have any idea how many lives you bring "Hope" to with your willingness to provide these informative videos which are extremely helpful..
Thank you so much and let us know how we can support your efforts.
It's my calling. Thanks for your support!
Love your Passion about this! I take Progesterone trochy’s nightly w/ zero side effects & my sleep has been Spot on since my IUD was removed. Zero sleep problems. Thanks for educating women ! ❤
Can you please share what progesterone do you take and what mg? I have been suffering from insomnia so not sure whether to get iud Marina col combine with estradiol, or take orally progesterone? Any advise would be helpful. Many thanks
Yes, please share what type of IUD you had - was it Mirena? I would like to know, because I had the Paragard IUD, and that was a nightmare for me - extreme anxiety, and several other miserable symptoms. I think I'm having trouble with the oral progesterone, so I'm considering the Mirena IUD.
a m50 years old, and am in menopause. I had a hysterectomy at age 38. I had PMDD when I was a teenager, and young adult. I currently take HRT. Every time I try progesterone, it may help me sleep for a few hours, then I wake, and My heart is racing, I'm anxious, and the next day I'm depressed, and almost feel like have a hangover. My NP has tried every form that there is, and it's always the same result, no matter what form, or what dose. It's so frustrating. I'd really like to sleep like a normal person again!
Have you tried going without progesterone? Some women who have had a hysterectomy have got on well without progesterone, as it's believed that progesterone's only purpose is for protection of the endometrium if you still have a uterus.
@@DoraDAN-c9u thank you for responding! Yes, I do okay without, but I've had 25 pound weight gain, which my NP thought may be due to not having balanced hormones. It's very confusing to know what is right.😬
@@BengeFamily98, what is NP? Naturopathic Practitioner? I wonder why the OB-GYNs are not trained adequately in BHRT 🤔😠🤔 or they only give you the synthetic Estrogen cream and pallets, but do not want to see you after that when you do end up in an ER.
@@marietamccune84 NP is just a nurse practitioner. That's who I generally see at my wellness clinic. I am currently taking an estradiol tablet, and doing well with all symptoms, but weight gain. Ughh... It's a struggle.
@@BengeFamily98you should be using the patch not taking an oral tablet because when you ingest estrogen it gets changed in the liver and can increase risk of clots and strokes. Do the estradiol patch and no progesterone.
Progesterone made. Me feel groggy like I was hung over - lasted 3 days on the lowest dose - HRT wasn't worth it for me but I know it helps a lot of women
Can you continue just with the estrogen?
No you cannot .. actually I started up again and things are working out now👍
@@EatGardenEatthis time around did you change dosage or anything like that?
No .. I’m on the lowest dose but for some reason this time around it didn’t seem to bother me.. actually helped me sleep 👍
@@EatGardenEat ty!
Tried progesterone for the first time and its an anti depressant feels like a mood booster. Crazy how our natural reproductive hormones make us feel at ease.
@tresjolieme81 So glad it's been a great solution for you. A small percentage of women don't feel that way but most do. Your experience with progesterone helping with depression is one I've heard many times.
Estrogen did too it boosted my mood had me smiling at strangers! I was suffering headaches daily with my rise in FSH hormone but after I put on the estradiol patch they stopped within hours. Without both hormones it was debilitating, maybe because I'm young and my receptors were cut off suddenly. Thanks for getting back. @@SimpleHormones
Severe reaction to progesterone. Depression, rage, anxiety, sleeping for days 100mg. Stopped couldn’t take it
Wow, I going through the same process. I am taking 100mg for the past 7 day and I being sleepy and became very depressed. Doctor advised to stop it
Yes, same as myself. My anxiety & cortisol shot way up and I believe it caused me to pick up several flus and colds which is not normal for me. Now to try and find another option.
@@tanyawoolls4536When our nervous system is out of balance (under stress for extended periods) it can use progesterone to make more cortisol. So the person won't see the benefits of progesterone because it has been converted to cortisol. Addressing stress and adrenal health can be super beneficial before trying progesterone again.
If you are referring to the Dr Heather Hirsch video, she said that the “progesterone creams over the counter” can be snake oil. She was not referring to oral micronized progesterone. She actually prefers to use the OMP, but states she cannot recommend over the progesterone counter creams. I recall you stating the same thing in an earlier video. You stated the over counter creams do not properly convert to allopregnanolone and may not be of benefit. I enjoy listening to you both. I’m about to take the progesterone plunge! I’ve been on synthetic progestin with my current patch, but my mood and insomnia has worsened. I took my first 100mg Prometrium and had terrible acid reflux and nausea and it unfortunately kept me up all night, ugh. I’m hoping to push through this in hopes it will settle with time. I’m really counting on this to help! Wish me luck! Excellent content, thank you!
@TAZSWIGCHARM Thanks for that clarification. The particular video I watched didn't necessarily have that so clearly. I would tend to agree that progesterone creams are much less beneficial than oral micronized progesterone. So sorry about your initial experience with progesterone. That's not completely unusual though. The chances are very good that you will be able to adjust to the reflux and nausea, which are known progesterone side effects.
To avoid progesterone intolerance do this:
1. Take natural bioidentical progesterone, not the synthetic stuff the doctor’s prescribe which breaks down into all sorts of nasty stuff in the body.
2. Take it transdermal via cream on the skin, not oral. If you take it orally, your liver breaks it down into nasty things (as he mentions in this video). Progesterone cream on the skin goes straight into the blood stream, skipping the liver and thus avoiding all those issues.
3. Take MUCH HIGHER DOSES of progesterone. For some people, if you take a small dose, it only serves to ‘turn on’ estrogen receptors, increasing the symptoms of estrogen dominance and making you feel way worse. These people need to take way more progesterone and they will overcome this issue and start reaping the benefits.
Read Dr. John Lee’s books on hormones and Dr. Michael Platt’s on the same.
Chears!
I sleep fine without progesterone. It's not the magic pill for sleep even though it does help with sleep. Some women get depressed or feel fuzzy on progesterone.
You can't tale estrogen without progesterone it's dangerous...
Also, had to stop coffee! I did not realize how even a little regular coffee was messing with my levels! Decaf is fine as well as matcha so it must be some sort of chemical reaction with the caffeine in coffee. Just my experience 😉
YES!!!!!!!! I noticed this, too. It was making me feel extreme anxiety. Thank you for mentioning this.
yep me too.
I've noticed that the caffeine really messes with the perimenopause in me. as soon as I went on HRT, I could drink coffee like a regular person.
without the hormones it really exacerbated everything
I was in the progesterone only pill, for 3 months. I was experiencing mood changes, tearful and anxious so stopped. I stopped 2 weeks ago and the anxiety and tearfulness is still present.
Hi,i i´m also on micronized progesterone for 3 months, at first i stop, because i felt very depressed, than after 2 days i took again til now, this week i try to stop for a week, the first day i didn´t took the prog pill, i felt vey anxious, so i´m taking every days, no stop..
Do you feel better?
I’m told progesterone to fall asleep and estrogen to stay asleep. I fall asleep easily, but wake after 4/5 hours. This has been since age 40. I’m now 54, started HRT .05 mg estradiol patch and 100mg oral progesterone one in a half weeks ago. My sleep still sucks, and now I have some anxiety, where I really didn’t before. I am thinking of stopping the progesterone, partial hysterectomy age 40, so really don’t need. My sugar cravings are better on a positive note.
Interesting about the progesterone to fall asleep, estrogen to stay asleep. I’m similar to you…no uterus, fall asleep easy, but wake up through the night. I’m starting estrogen and testosterone this week. I opted for no progesterone right now since I’ve always had depressive mood during the part of my cycle when progesterone is supposed to be higher. (Some say maybe the depressive mood comes from not having enough progesterone…we’ll see!) If the estrogen doesn’t help my sleep, I’ll prob try progesterone. I hope you’ve been able to get your HRT sorted since you posted your comment.
At 125 mg oral (compounded), I am okay but it doesn’t help me with sleep. At 200 mg, I was uncontrollably upset and crying and felt like I wanted to end my life. I am about to go to the 100 mg dose. Thank you for discussing this info. I don’t have a uterus but I’m not ready to give up on progesterone yet. I had PMDD but it wasn’t called that back then. Every other month during my cycle, I was suicidally depressed. It was awful.
Wow! Thanks for letting me know. Sounds like more confirmation of my theory about PMDD and progesterone intolerance. Your seeming lack of progesterone helping with sleep may also be related to GABA receptors. Taking a lower dose can be helpful, according to providers I’ve heard from. Good luck!
@@SimpleHormones thanks for the info about the potential benefit from a lower dose. I think your theory is right. I’m glad you’re talking about this. I subscribed. I literally walked into an ob/gyn’s office and begged for a hysterectomy to try to alleviate the PMDD. We just called it pre-menstrual syndrome back then. I had a partial; seriously regret it, but today, I’m doing well with properly treated hypothyroidism and hormone replacement therapy that includes testosterone. I also take Low Dose Naltrexone for autoimmune, a game changer.
@@SimpleHormones well, I stopped 125 mg nightly progesterone about one week ago and is it a coincidence that I’m feeling a little lighter mentally. I feel great anyway, but I do feel a difference. Maybe I’m imagining this.
I found a great new nurse practitioner who happens to think that progesterone can cause low mood and a feeling of being bogged down in some. I think this applies to me. Since I have no uterus, I don’t need it anyway. I’m on higher testosterone and estrogen and with lab results, lowered my porcine desiccated thyroid med by 10 mg and changed brands, too.
I am one of those women that it takes the cortisol pathway. I hate it.
do you mean it increases or decreases your cortisol levels?
My doctor told me the body makes no mistakes and no one knows enough about how to properly dose and the method of introduction to do hrt effectively and safely. I’m so sleep deprived I can’t even make sense 😭
@elainec5333 Your doctor has an interesting, if flawed perspective. It's been my observation that the body makes LOTS of mistakes. Some of those mistakes are minor and some are deadly. Most are somewhere in between. I've also observed that there are medical practitioners who are both willing and able to know how to properly dose HRT effectively and safely. With all due respect your doctor is mistaken on both counts.
I'm so sorry you're struggling with sleep. Insomnia is the single most under-recognized menopause symptom by a mile. Here's a link to my blog post and embedded video that explains 10 practical steps that can help you optimize your sleep . . . along with some information about how hormones can have a dramatic impact on menopause insomnia.
simplehormones.com/insomnia
And my sleep has been terrible for a long time like the lady you mentioned in your video. I routinely don’t get much sleep at all & it is majorly effecting my life!!
I started HRT with estradiol patch and oral micronized progesterone, however the progesterone caused excruciating gallbladder pain and severe headaches. My gallbladder has had a low Ejection fraction for more than 20 years, but clearly progesterone did slow it down more to the point of causing spasms. I had to stop HRT. I am now trying to find out what is the best form of non oral progesterone that will protect me from uterine cancer but having a hard time finding info, my gyno insist on a progesterone cream but I am skeptical since these are not proven to protect against uterine cancer. I was reading the comments and noticed that almost every comment is from someone with progesterone intolerance, seems like we are more than a small number of women.
I have been looking for that balance for 1 year, I have tweaked my estrogen and even gone onto trt, I have severe anxiety, crying, shaking with anxiety, I didn't realise it was my progesterone making me feel like this !
Same 😢
you could try testosterone alone, low dose cream. It helps everything for me except insomnia, but there are other ways to manage insomnia.
Thank you, Steve. I greatly appreciate your educational videos and the compassion you bring to us women.
I still have questions regarding progesterone in menopause. (I’m aware of its necessity when a woman still has her uterus.) This hormone seems to have been studied only in the context of pregnancy? I’m so confused by gynecologists who insist the progesterone in a woman’s body is only produced “for the baby” - to support pregnancy. While they’re teaching that it’s necessary to protect from uterine cancer when a woman uses estrogen therapy in menopause, they’re basically insisting (I don’t think I’m exaggerating) that progesterone does not serve any other purpose in a woman’s body in general, and in post menopause. Which makes me want to learn about the biology.
If we look at a premenopausal woman’s menstrual cycle, progesterone isn’t really present in the first half of her cycle, until there has been ovulation and the corpus luteum (?) produces the progesterone, correct? Is there any progesterone in the body from day 1 of the cycle (beginning menstruation) to day 14 (ovulation)? I thought there wasn’t, and wouldn’t this mean that the body doesn’t really “need” progesterone on a daily basis to function well, including being able to sleep well? I wish some “hormone scientist” would clear this issue up once and for all for us!
I forgot to mention that the above mentioned gynecologists who insist progesterone only serves the uterus in post menopause usually are of the opinion that women who are (still) having symptoms, such as insomnia, despite taking estrogen, just don’t take an adequate amount of estrogen.
Sorry for the long comment, and thank you very much again, Steve! I always look forward to your videos. 😊
Interestingly I developed insomnia when I started estradiol treatment and the only way to be able to sleep again was to lower the estrogen dose.
Estrogen is a stimulate. Progesterone is the calming hormone..
It's confusing with the conflicting information of progesterone, undoubtably it's definately beneficial in protection of the uterus. Although there are many women who have gone under removal of thier uterus and ovaries that go on without any symptoms that are thriving from no progesterone and the benefits from estradiol alone. Yet there are those with an intact uterus who experience negative side effects even on bioidentical progesterone, like myself I have been struggling with symptoms and seem to be worsening over time since taking hrt in post menopause, yet I never had pms nor pmdd or any substantial perimenopausal issues. It wasn't until I hit post menopause I became debilated with severe symptoms. I think my only option at this point is to switch to vaginal use along with the transdermal biodentical estrodial patch and see what happens from there, although some women report that they still get symptoms even when we are being told vaginal progesterone/progestin does not travel systemically???. Every woman is different and women need to listen to thier own bodys, thier history and symptoms and experiment with the different methods of hrt to see what works for them personally, as I personally don't think anyone in diagnosing of HRT has this truly figured out yet!!! even the hormone specialist I did see didn't help matters but made them worse by increasing the progesterone as his belief was it would help anxiety and insomnia!.
3wks ago I went from 100mg progesterone to 200 mg progesterone, 1 mg estrogen stayed the same. Yep, for the last week I’ve been experiencing the same PMS I had in my 20s, plus very fatigued. also still having insomnia, night sweats are better, I still have them though. Hot flashes still happening, though not as often. I’m going back to my doctor to decrease my progesterone back to 100mg and discuss raising my estrogen just a bit more. Or maybe cycling my hormones, because I’m 52, and still in peri. My doctor increased my progesterone because the level of estrogen was still not resolving my symptoms enough to get my sleep back, control my night sweats, hot flashes, brain fog, ect. For me the increase in progesterone just made things worse.
I have been going crazy with the side effects of progesterone so thank you for this video. And everyone who shared. I am on HRT with bioidentical estrodial patch and oral progesterone for almost 6 weeks now and I am continously surprised that people who have these symptoms take it to get better and I had no hot flashes no sleep disturbances or this bad mood until i started progesterone.
Drives me crazy every day yet since I started and they say patient I am trying very hard to keep taking it although i really don't want to. I don't think I can do it for 3 months and if I stop I will probably never be brave enough to start and try again since it has made my life very difficult.
The main reason my doctor wanted me to start is osteoporosis since medications for it recked my body big time. So with no bad symptoms as someone who is in menopause to someone with horrible menopause symptoms because of the progesterone does not make any sense for me.
Any recommendations? Should I give up on HRT all together since I cannot take estrodiol without the progesterone?
And is a compound pharmacy doing a different kind and is it still bioidentical?
And if I am having 100MG a day is it better to reduce or increase? I was confused with everything written here.
@user-qz9sd2zf1ihow long did you take your other options before noticing the intolerance? Was it almost right away?
Bio identical progesterone from a compounding pharmacy is the way to go it’s more money 💵 for sure but it’s not made with peanut oil and they remove all the crap other pharmacies don’t.
I love my bioidentical estradiol and have a uterus. Tried all the doses and options for progesterone but couldn’t tolerate. I switched to a different progestin and no more side effects.
@sunnysal3889 well what is it??? 😂
you could try testosterone alone. won't help insomnia but helps everything else. Or a very low dose estradiol patch (menostar dose) for osteoporosis you just have to have scans to check your endometrium occasionally
I’m currently going through perimenopause and am suffering big time. I’ve tried bio identical progesterone cream and oral micronized progesterone and both made me extremely emotional, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. I hate it, I wish I could find something that works.
A hormone optimization specialist, one with experience dealing with progesterone intolerance issues, is your best resource.
@@SimpleHormones Well of course but how do you find one??? I'm having the same issues or I cannot wake up for a day and a half.
@@sixgunsue8 Here’s a place to start SimpleHormones.com/referral
Just filled out the referral form, I’m hoping you can help! Thank you so much for all you do❤
Omg so glad i got to find this channel I’m literally going out of my mind I’m really struggling with my menopause although I’m on hrt but I’m not sure if this utrogestan is keeping me from sleeping I’ve started to notice this really unsettling feeling like adrenaline running through my body and it’s horrible it’s been like it for months but the depression that I’m experiencing i really feel like ending my life i feel so alone 😢
I’m 44 going nuts !! Now I have a prolapse the red ball is showing down there !! I’m scared to tell my husband it will freak him out I’m SURE of it !! I feel CRAZY angry scared!! What can I do ?? I’m so ANXIOUS like having panic just to go to gas station!! I pray !!! You are AWESOME!! Thanks for your support and your education to us !! Thank you ❤
@pandora3161 Thanks for watching! So sorry you're experiencing prolapse. Sounds absolutely awful. If you haven't already, you may want to request a referral to a hormone specialist. The best way to find somebody who really knows how to manage all your hormone issues and get you to optimal levels, is to visit this page on my website and fill out my Patient Referral Request Form here simplehormones.com/referral If you leave a referral request on RUclips or email it to me, it's extremely likely I'll drop the ball or it will fall through the cracks. Once you fill out the form, be sure to check your email for a message that says "Confirm your email address." Thanks!
Have you heard of Yoni stones? They strengthen your muscles.
Look at Barbara O’Neill home happy hormones
Hi Steve, I'm commenting specifically on progesterone in HRT and my personal experience with it. Progesterone is a hormone that helps you to relax and helps you to sleep better. When you take progesterone as a pill with an estrogen patch, you take it at night because it is so powerful, even at the lowest dose prescribed in a pharmacy (100 mg). Too much progesterone can cause brain fog, low mood and low energy. I know because that is what happened to me.I understand that different women will tolerate progesterone differently. In my case, I started noticing the side effects after three months. I stopped progesterone for a couple days and immediately noticed an improvement in my mood. I think it's really hard to balance the two hormones and getting it right is a process of trial and error. Unfortunately, conventional pharmacies only carry 100 and 200mg of progesterone (maybe even higher doses?). I think these doses may be too strong for SOME women, like myself. I feel that there needs to be more studies done on dosage and side effects of progesterone. That said, I'm considering a lower dose through a compounding pharmacy. Again, it would be trial and error to see whether it works or not. But, then how do you know what is the right balance of estrogen to progesterone. Also, conventional doctors don't recommend compounding pharmacies for various reasons. I wonder if the Combipatch would be an improvement but it utilizes progestin which is not the same as progesterone (bioidentical form). I prefer the bioidentical form.
HRT doesn't do much for me, I have IBS I think it is making it worse. I have been on it for 6 months, and now thinking about going off it. I feel tired, nauseated, and I get really bad headaches that never went away, even after being on the HRT for months. I sometimes feel dizzy or off balanced, I didn't feel this bad before I went on the HRT. I take the gel estradiol and pill form progesterone. I don't sleep much, maybe 5 or 6 hours a night. I think I am going to try my luck at nature supplements. I'm tired of feeling not good, ever!
Recently I switched my progesterone to morning, and I actually could sleep longer.
Had all the same side effects. I kept the estradiol the same and switched to a different progestin. No more side effects.
I take the same. My ankles swelled from 2nd week and but same time, I can not wake up in the mornings.
definitely makes IBS worse
I’m 32. 5 days of didrogesterone, 10mg twice a day, are enough for me to get tachycardia, extreme anxiety and spiralling thoughts, and if under other work or life related stresses, even suicidal ideation. But I need it to start my periods. Bc of PCOS. I don’t have unmedicated, regular periods. I think I can count on my fingers how many times I had a natural period. I do have a history of anxiety, but never needed antidepressants for it. Somehow this synthetic progesterone and any contraceptives containing this are the bane of my life.
It’s either I bear with the extreme moods for a couple of days (and hope I don’t do anything stupid) or be at risk of endometrial cancer due to lack of periods. Yay options…
Same… it’s depressing :(
I am definitely one of those women who respond negatively to progesterone in my HRT. I take it vaginally 7 days in a row once a month to protect my uterus. It causes a 3-4 day long period. During that week, I cant sleep, feel irritable and retain water and have an achy uterus or cramping. I often have dreams are vivid stressful nightmares while on the micronised progesterone. My doctor thinks I should try the Mirena coil but, I’m scared to make that commitment since I cant remove it quickly if I have bad side effects. When I just take estrogen, I feel amazing. Energetic, sleep 7-8 hours and feel relaxed. At 55 years old, is it safe to try a smaller uterine coil with a smaller dose of progestin? All the safety studies are with the Mirens but I really think that dose is too high for sensitive women like myself. Any thoughts ladies?
I don’t sleep well even on oestorgen alone. Don’t know what else to do 😢
@@hestisa956 Hi out of curiosity are you on the cyclic regiman? and if so have you noticed if you feel better taking progesterone or not? and are all your other symptoms gone with the estrogen replacement?
IUD is not the only other progestin option. There are several daily oral medications and combipatch.
There’s a lot more allo-pregnenolone created when you take oral progesterone pills. The dose of progesterone tends to be high due to the processing of progesterone in the liver. I found in my practice that women who switch to transdermal progesterone cream do better in cases where they are having side effects. Progesterone cream requires much lower doses to have a similar effect without dealing with first bypass effect in the liver.
I took 100mg first night and caused bad anxiety almost straight away and all the veins to ache in my legs. Also really hungry. Stopped after 3 days
@maxineg1439 Sorry to hear your first experience with progesterone wasn't positive. Yours is another case that emphasizes the importance of starting low and going slow. That's something most primary care providers just aren't familiar with. A hormone specialist would be able to recognize these issues, reduce the dose, and gradually build it up. I would also say that 3 days is a very short amount of time. It often takes weeks to adjust to hormonal changes, especially progesterone.
Took utrogestan and it made me feel terrible, mentally awful and a horrible burning sensation in my body, bleeding for weeks and bloated. Switched to cyclogest and none of these symptoms happen.
I have taken 400 mg of Progesterone for a couple of years. Before the 400 mg prescription I was taking 100, then increased to 200mg. It is very important to get the right dose. With the smaller doses my symptoms were not getting better. Insomnia, hot flashes, cloudy thinking, bloating, anxiety, depression, I was just miserable. I can't sleep or relax without the 400 mg. Recently my husband took a bad fall, he had a flight for life helicopter flight to a stage one trauma center an hour and half from our home. I just jumped in my car and took off to the hospital without packing my progesterone. During the first two nights that he was in the trauma ICU I stayed in a nearby hotel, I never slept 5 minutes. The first night I thought it was the worry and concern over his situation, after the second night it dawned on me I didn't have my progesterone. The third night I got my progesterone and I got some sleep. I will never leave home without it again.
400 milagrams why so high though..thsts alot of hormones
My wife takes 400MG and has for years. @BrandiSiedentopf is right that too low of a dose is sometimes no better than none at all.
I wonder. ..I rubbed my progesterone cream on ...and tonight I had a panic attack, first time in months ....I just started progesterone tonight!!
@kathrynhogan3387 maybe coincidence??
@@liztowers2058just keep paying attention to how you feel. I’ve had severe anxiety and panic attacks the past three months I’ve been using my progesterone cream
Progesterone was a lifesaver when I stopped sleeping early in menopause (as you mentioned, that was my experience - I stopped sleeping, just stopped), and that lifesaver lasted for a good 18 months (maybe a little less), but the benefit of that as a sleeping aid has definitely worn off and it isn't as effective as when I was first taking it. I have noticed too that anxiety and depression have also crept into my life since menopause took hold, which was all the more noticeable because I've never previously suffered from either. It isn't extreme but it is part of my life now. I had put it down to menopause but perhaps progesterone has had a part to play. This was new information to me so thank you for sharing.
@janoconnell510 It's definitely worth considering a higher dose of progesterone and/or estrogen to help with anxiety and depression. That's where a hormone specialist can be so helpful.
@@SimpleHormones Thank you very much for responding. Any recommendations for finding a hormone specialist (qualifications to look out for?) I am based in Seattle, Wa
@@janoconnell510 The best way to request a referral is through my referral request page at simplehormones.com/referral
If I take them here, through a chat, or over email, they WILL fall through the cracks and get lost. It happens all the time.
I have a feeling progesterone intolerance isn't really as uncommon as that. My menopause doctor says there are women who definitely have a problem with it. I take hormone replacement as I'm in late periomenopause. I find the micronized progesterone to make me somewhat irritable and more anxious, and it doesn't help me sleep at all. Doctor is going to try me on agestyn to see if this is better.
What about acne? I am 74 and have used HRT since my 50s however, I have tried to wean myself off HRT when I moved to a different country. I didn’t think I could find a healthcare practitioner who would support my wish for HRT. Every time I return to medroxyprogesterone my skin breaks out badly in the rosacea area around the nose and mouth. It’s like clockwork. I do see other people mention it, but I don’t see it yet in this video. I went on an Expat website and have gotten names of local doctors who may work with HRT. Hopefully, I can get the micronized progesterone and I’ll respond better to it.
Progesterone was so hateful I just stopped taking it, but continued the estrogen. I will look for my comment I left on your progesterone video and try to copy it to here.
It’s dangerous to take estradiol without progesterone - cancer cells
How is taking just the estrogen working for you?
Hello, thank you for posting these informative videos. I am 42 years old and have lived with PMDD since my early 20's. I've had the classic symptoms you mention in the video month after month like clockwork. I finally consulted a NAMS trained doctor online because my PMDD phase was getting longer and more pronounced. She prescribed 200mg micronized oral progesterone to take on days 14-28. I have been taking this for about 6 months now and feel that the symptoms have improved and I have less anxiety. Do people with PMDD, even with sensitivity to progesterone benefit if they take a certain amount? I'm just trying to understand why my PMDD got better with progesterone.
It seems the problem with PMDD may not be the progesterone or alllopregnanolone itself but rather the change in levels. Taking progesterone can even out the roller coaster and help. At least that’s one theory.
Ive been on biodentical progesterone cream for a little over a year now. Its been the total opposite for me. Its helped me feel much better!
@MissG909 That's what a lot of women tell me about their experience with progesterone. Progesterone is a game changer for sleep and mood for the vast majority (up to 90%) of women. It's good to keep in mind that women watching and commenting on this video are "self-selecting." Many more women commenting here are likely to have some level of progesterone intolerance, which is why they watched in the first place. Not as many women with positive experiences taking progesterone are going to watch this particular video.
On my second month of cyclical prometrium oral 200 and 0.05 estradiol patch . Its a miracle except , this second cycle i developed nasty migraine ( been 3 days since i started a second cycle ) otherwise everything is great . Shall i wait it out until it balances itself . I do have history of migraine during my reproductive years and peri . 52 and 16 months after my last period . Had average of 4 hrs of sleep for 6 years . This combo is an instant game changer except for the migraines on this second cycle . Mild nausea and heartburn but i take it over non sleeping. Any advice ? Thx
Basically had a full hysterectomy plus oopherectomy to be able to avoid Progesterone.
How long ago did you have your hysterectomy? Have you had any negative side effects?
Me. PMDD my whole life and progesterone is giving me such insane levels of anger.. I don’t know if I’m’ gonna keep taking it. I’m only in my 20s
I'm about to start 200mg of progesterone… I'm 45 and I'm trying to get pregnant
God help all of us women that have to go through this.
Trying to get pregnant at 45 😮 oh my.
Getting pregnant in your 40s is quite a journey if you're going the IVF route, but not necessarily bad. Wishing you all the baby dust in the world!!!
I think I had PMDD and I do have progesterone intolerance.
I didn't know that word PMDD at that time. It lasted till I was pregnant at 35 and then after my son's birth, I felt into pre-menopause with cycles shorten by 4 days and no more pain during my cycle.
Thank you for sharing this information. Extremely helpful! I went from 4 hours sleep to 6 hours by taking 200 mg at night of prometrium (approx 4 years now). I wonder if I should try one more tablet to go up to 300 mg? My GP and my naturopath, as well as my pharmacist are not that sold on it it seems. So glad I found your channel!
Yes I have severe panic attacks to the point I had to take intermittent FMLA the 10 days I take it . The 3rd-5th day it gets very bad . My anxiety is off the roof . I can’t really talk because my anxiety is so bad . I’m 27 years old . At times it was so bad I took a break for months of taking progesterone because i didn’t want to keep going through those side affects . I took prometrium 10mg and still , I also took progesterone capsules and now I’m about to try the suppository to see if it will help with side effects
Progesterone makes me drowsy, even in the day and I can't work at 100 mg of P USP. I am bloated as if I'm pregnant and my digestion stoppes. I become even more constipated. My liver seems to not work properly because I feel nauseous (Even with the dermal form)
I tried oral progestogens but it didn't suit me neither, even when reducing the dosage.
Now, I dip my finger in a USP cream and apply this tiny tiny amount at night. The issue is that is not enough to conterbalance the oestrogens. So I have to lower oestrogens dosage (Cut in half) but it's not enough for me to have energy, brain clarity and feeling well.
I wish I have a solution because menopause makes me miserable and my life is passing me by. Apart for my son, there is no good reason to live.
And yes, I did have PMDD.
I'm taking my 7th injection , bhrt therapy, it has helped my symptoms. My hormones are estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone pill at nighttime. My symptoms are reducing, thank God for that, night sweats and hot flashes are dehydrating me where I can't get enough water 💦. Anxiety heart papulations dry skin no libido burning feet or legs, weight gain, brain fog, just fatigue and beyond, thinning hair, higher blood pressure than normal, just really hard to handle. I can remember in my earlier years I'd be at our hometown festival and just sweat rolling off me had to carry a swea cold rag to help 😂, yeah nobody else was that hot either. Truth is I haven't slept right in years so now I do with that progesterone at nighttime. It takes time to get used to but it helps me. I think that I will stay on brht for 2 years or so because from what I hear women are recommended to be on this 2 to 5 years. What's your opinion on that? I think that it makes a difference after you haven't had a menstrual in a year and in menopause. I am 51 so I hopefully am going into menopause and the menstrual is over with idk haven't cycled since June July. So I hope that's overwith 😂, not that I want all these other horrible side effects. So far it's been 670 dollars, 60 per injection, 350 for the labs and to get started and it is helping me for now. I started out at 173 pounds now I am at 149 pounds so I am also eating healthy and staying hydrated as much as possible. Had to eliminate alot of different foods and eat healthy foods, it's been a learning experience for sure. I have almost quit smoking too. Just got my zero nicotine flavored vape and it's helping me through this quit smoking process. Happy menopause lol 🎉😂
@krystalborgman Sounds like you have a lot of the classic menopause symptoms. Great job on quitting smoking. That’s huge. I do have a VERY strong opinion about how long you should take hormone replacement therapy. My recommendation is . . . Only take hormones as long as you want to feel better and be protected against long-term health risks. As soon as you’re OK with feeling terrible and struggling (once again) with that long list of awful symptoms . . . as soon as you don’t mind getting osteoporosis or diabetes or heart disease or Alzheimer’s . . . then stop taking hormones. I teach all about how “optimal hormone levels” eliminate most or all of your symptoms AND protect you from long-term health risks in my course, The Menopause Solution.
simplehormones.com/decision
Progesterone suppresses my thyroid and I have high TSH. On HRT in the past three years I have gained 50 lbs unable to feel satiated, can't sleep more than 3 hours at a time, feel hopelessness at times, low energy, hair loss. When I stop hrt my symptoms go away, brighter outlook, incredible energy, appetite returns to normal and weight starts to come off, but my hot flashes come back. Then I start back up with hrt for awhile become miserable and stop again. This has been my cycle of using hrt for the past year 1/2. I am currently seeking out a new provider to see if they can help me with these issues. So far no one has a solution.
I've always had terrible mood problems with progesterone - just awful!
In which age had did you use? And for what? Make me feel the same
Interesting video but your friend had one of the 2 short phase subsets of PMDD which is very different from me as I had the third long phase subset. I had between 3 to 5 days every month as a normal human being.
Relationships were impossible and cruel to force any man to live that way. Alone was the only solution.
The swings from irrational rage and suicidal depression was the norm for most of my adult life.
I had severe estrogen dominance and agree with research supporting estrogen sensitive receptors at the cellar level. The only treatment that dropped symptoms by 75% was very high (well over recommended doses) of injectable progesterone in the butt monthly. This eventually led to the loss of my uterus and 1 ovary but this was an acceptable risk in my eyes.
Ovulation used to take turns between ovaries, with some months ovulating in both, but when down to 1 ovary, it took over and never missed a month for the next 7 years.
I woke up in the middle of the night feeling odd when menopause started. By the end of the week I was covered in wrinkles, sudden saggy breasts, looked like a hag and could not find a noun for the life of me. Became lost if I left the house and lost all volume/spacial/directional function. Hot flashes- many showers each day and increased laundry. Weight gain for no reason. Oh joy, what a delight menopause was🙄😂😂
Severe insomnia, anger, sleep clinic unable to figure it out. No sleep for 5 or 6 days (not even 1 hour) then collapse for 5 to 7 hours, cycle repeat for 4 years before gradually moving to 3 to 5 hours a night. Brain scans, nothing☹️
Symptoms were considered too severe so HRT was refused.
I started Carnivore diet in hopes of improving brain function and constant fatigue.
Was very surprised to have ovulation return after 12 years without, along with less wrinkles, teeth tightened up, hair thickened, breasts perked up. Even noticed an improvement in the vaginal atrophy. Initially lost 26 pounds but poverty is impairing my ability to meet the dietary needs of the diet so I will be forced back to eating carbs☹️
Hope this info helps somebody.❤️
🥰🇨🇦
Thank you for this very informative content on progesterone. Progesterone is the reason why I have been on and off HRT over the past 3 years due to bleeding which becomes a full on period for some weeks! (I mention this detail for other followers who may be in the same situation). It’s taken a while to figure out if it’s the incorrect balance of oestrogen vs progesterone or the progesterone alone. After various dosage changes of both, I’m wondering if switching to the Mirena IUD will work. Some say it’s the best thing they’ve done, others say it did not work for them at all. The one thing I’ve learnt about HRT is what works for one, doesn’t necessarily work for another.
You are absolutely spot on about progesterone for anyone that still has a uterus which protects the uterus against cancer. I did however find it interesting that you mention anyone who still has a cervix (I.e. those who have not had a full hysterectomy)
should still be taking progesterone.
You are also correct about the sleeping aspect of taking progesterone. Since having stopped taking the progesterone tablets, I miss my sleep dearly. I find what helps is switching my exercise routine to the afternoons so that I’m tired come bedtime.
I too have been on hrt 3yrs & still trying to find the correct balance
.they say estrogen is the bleeding hormone & it was for me ..
Have you tried progesterone vaginaly as it will stop your bleeding it did for me & with lower estrogen x
Thanks so much for sharing. I will definitely look into the progesterone. I wanted to ask if you are then of course no longer experiencing bleeds, are you still trying to find the right balance?
@@debbiedejager2948 I feel I am now balanced regarding estrogen & progesterone...I am back on testosterone finally as I was trying to get estrogen & progesterone correct ..some women need more progesterone some need less..
You can also use progesterone in the anal area ..
I'm now on 200mg progesterone & that seems fine no more bleeding or spotting thank god..
@debbiedejager2948 Thanks for watching!
I made another video about bleeding issues on HRT here: ruclips.net/video/_J2wWHx7Bcg/видео.htmlsi=K1z_ciwLiin3Nkvt
Bleeding issues can be very serious and shouldn't be ignored. But they often have to do with progesterone dosing (and sometimes estradiol dosing).
The Mirena IUD is often effective at stopping bleeding. But it's NOT progesterone. Instead, it's coated with a synthetic progestin called levonorgestrel. Because it's not progesterone, it has other risks that progesterone doesn't have. And it won't help at all with insomnia like progesterone does, as you have learned.
Thank you for your videos .. very helpful.
This me with progesterone and PMDD just started to improve for me as I entered premenapause.
My night is better with less progesterone (0,5- 1) than more... I have so many problems with utrogestan even if inserted vaginally
OMG! Doctor, you are a GENIUS about Progesterone! But how can you raise it NATURALLY WITH PERHAPS FOODS when later in Life! I need to sleep at least 1 hour at night... Would appreciate a Natural Food and Diet advice. As HRT is definitely a dangerous route, so many women I knew personally who got cancer as a result and some died (especially the wealthier whom I knew over the 60 years, it makes me cry but stay away from it.
@annamartino5681 Increasing progesterone without taking it is an idea . . . But there really are no foods that increase your progesterone, at least not enough that it would truly make a difference. My teaching is based on the fact that the scientific research shows that optimizing your hormones doesn't increase the risk of cancer. That's exactly why my wife has been taking HRT for over 20 years. Thanks for watching though.
Had pmdd and also progesterone intolerance. Now that I entered menopause at -age 46, I tried progesterone with other BHRT and experienced the same effects as 11 years ago/ anxiety and depression from taking progesterone. Interestingly I seem to be able to tolerate about 20mg a day but when provider upped it to 100mg all the symptoms came back. 😔
@katherineljumper Unfortunately, I’m hearing more women mention these issues. My suggestion is to work with your provider to gradually increase from 20MG to a higher but tolerable dose. Maybe even increasing by 10-20MG every few weeks. That’s an approach other providers have found helpful. Sounds like going from 20MG to 100MG is just too big a jump.
What if it's not a matter of the allopregnenalone "rejecting or accepting" GABA receptors? What if, according to a small number of hormone practitioners, it's a matter of the metabolite "irritating" GABA receptors because the dose is too small and higher doses of progesterone is necessary in order to "soak" the GABA receptors with allopregnenalone? Have you experienced any patients being able to overcome the negative, paradoxical symptoms of oral progesterone by taking larger doses of progesterone? There seems to be lot of success with this protocol in clinical practice but no studies to support it that I am aware of.
@jackiedalseme3138 That's a great point. YES! I HAVE heard from several hormone optimization providers who use HIGHER doses of progesterone in patients with progesterone intolerance. This is counter intuitive . . . you'd think those women need less of something that makes them feel bad (progesterone). But there are situations where MORE is better. It's a bit risky and maybe difficult to get women to agree to, but has been effective for some of them.
Hi I'm one of the very few women that have an intolerance to Bioidentical Progesterone capsules. I was on 200 mg. of Progesterone for awhile and couldn't quit figure out what was making me so anxious that it would bring on panic attacks, muscle weakness dizziness, insomnia, really terrible exhaustion and one of the worst was palpitations off and on all day and sometimes at night. I decided to eliminate my progesterone one night and bingo no more palpitations at night and my anxiety went down. I still put a little progesterone cream on before I go to bed but are still suffering from insomnia. Please what can I use as a substitute for protection as I still am taking Bi-est.
Magnesium cream helps greatly and our body needs it. It helps balance out hormones and does over 300 other things for our system, good luck friend
I tried oral progesterone but woke up horribly depressed.
Same! Did you ever take benzo? They say if you took benzo, you could not tolerate progesterone and many more because it acts on GABA.
@anatino oh my yes! I lost six years because of benzo withdrawal. That makes so much sense. I am finding that then so damaged and that nothing seems to help us doomed to suffer
The 13 days I have to take progesterone, it’s torture. Insomnia, moodiness, yeast problems, migraines, cortisol sky high. I hate it.
Omg I’m being tortured
Im the same - it’s like I’m depressed and on an emotional rollercoaster. I don’t know whether to get off HRT now
@@lanac1636 are you only on progesterone? If so, that’s the problem!
I thought it was oestrogens giving yeast infection.
@@feminineheartwhat else best to take with it?
I am 57yrs old and am fine after menopause! I would NEVER take any hormones! I feel so much better as a person now that my body has changed. I also noticed I am very sensitive to caffeine now, that affects sleep. This pharma push for HRT is not necessary.
Well I feel great on HRT, so this is a YMMV situation.
Don’t think everyone is this same, progesterone gave my life back.
Insomnia is my biggest issue
@andreamohan1318 Then progesterone is most likely your friend.
Super helpful !!
Thanks for watching. Glad to help.
Progesterone actually causes my insomnia! I can't believe this has happened to me, I think it's possibly to do with it causing my night sweats to start up. Fine on oestrogen, then awful problems on the progesterone days each month
Thank you Steve, great information! Could you make a video on Low libido in pregnant and breastfeeding women and testosterone therapy options? I hear this is very common.
Thanks for the input!
I had PMS before my hysterectomy. It left me after the hysterectomy. When I started taking progesterone, it made me feel moody, depressed, high anxiety. I just can’t take it.
Progesterone utrogestan 100mg , has given me reflux and heartburn. Not sure why ?