Menu

can progesterone cause dangerously low blood pressure

My gynecologist said she rarely gives progesterone over 200mg. due to it sometimes causing a dangerous drop in blood pressure in her patients. She told me to watch out for extreme sleepiness or hunger or dizziness.
She said this is why many women in the last trimester of pregnancy will often have these problems, because of high progesterone. Should this be a concern? I upped my dose of Natpro up to 150mg. a day and began feeling extreme fatigue. Was this a sign I should go back down on the dose. I've read that drowsiness is a sign of progesterone overload. How dangerous is "dangerously" low blood pressure?

Comments for can progesterone cause dangerously low blood pressure

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 25, 2013
 can progesterone cause dangerously low blood pressure
by: WRAY

Hi there I've not heard of it ever causing dangerously low blood pressure. Blood pressure does drop in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. But during the third trimester of pregnancy, it's more often than not that women have high blood pressure. Which can lead to preeclampsia or eclampsia. Progesterone can help sleep, but not in an adverse way. Oestrogen does cause fatigue and exhaustion, I had that too, but it went once I'd started progesterone. So upping the amount of progesterone you used would have stimulated oestrogen, please give it time and it should pass. Some women are using amounts over 1000mg/day and none have complained of sleepiness, see here, here, here and here. Mayo Clinic gives info on blood pressure. Over 1200mg/day progesterone is given via IV transfusion to Traumatic Brain Injury victims. If low BP was a concern they would not have been given such a high amount. Dr Dalton would give her patients with post natal psychosis 2400mg/day. Levels far higher than this have been given, see here. But if it concerns you, please lower the amount. I take it you raised it because you still had adverse symptoms? Have you had a vitamin D test done? A low level reduces the benefits of progesterone. So getting vitamin D high often means progesterone can be reduced, it's cheaper too! Take care Wray
Sep 25, 2013
 blood pressure
by: Lee Anne

Thank you so much Wray for your response. Please forgive me for any untactfulness in my posts, I'm really going thru a hard time and I see it comes out in my writings because I'm so desperate for help I guess.
My Vit. D was low over the summer at 23, but just in one month I got it up to 33 and now it's been 2 more months and I've been on 50,000ui of Vit. D (prescription)one per week and 10,000ui daily with natural Vit.D sublingual spray. I've also been getting in the sun almost all day every day. So surely it's getting up by now! Plan to have it checked again soon I hope.
I got the blood serum levels of my hormones yesterday, but the gynecologist has left all the explaining up to the nurses who don't know how to answer my questions at all. I was wondering if maybe you could. These were done on day 19 or 20 of my cycle.
Prog.--2.77
FSH--1.40
Estradiol--736
TSH--1.68
Testosterone 29.3
They said the doctor wanted to put me on a compounded cream with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. She said to go off the progesterone (Natpro) I'm using because it's suppressing my FSH. I'm so confused. Shouldn't the FSH be low that time of cycle anyway?

I'm up to 144 mg. a day of Natpro, have been using it for almost a month now and am using it now thru my period. I've made of list of 40 things that have at least improved, but only 4 things that got worse, my blood pressure being one of them. So I'm trying to hang in there. I just don't know whether I should risk upping the dose or going down and suffering longer.
Can I ever overcome estrogen dominance by just staying under 200mg? Because according to Dr. Mercola he sees women get high serum levels of progesterone by just being on 20mg. a day for a couple of years. And I was on that for 2-3 years until this summer when things go really bad.
Sorry for so many questions and frustrations. I've been reading your site faithfully now for over 2 months and you seem to be the only one I can come to for true help. I'm thankful God in heaven has led me to your site. God bless
Sep 27, 2013
 blood pressure
by: Wray

Hi Lee Anne I did sense you were desperate, although the almost accusatory tone of your last comment did take me aback! It was about side effects. You evidently need far more progesterone, I didn't realise you were in such a bad way. 23ng/ml vitamin D is far too low! But it should be rising now. You are taking approximately 17,000iu per day. Although it's safe to go to 40,000iu, see here. The low level would definitely account for your symptoms, plus the low progesterone. These two work synergistically, see our page on Progesterone and Vitamin D. Don't forget the magnesium either. Are you sure your oestradiol is that high, 736?! The range is 30 - 400 pg/ml, see Medline Oestradiol. If it really is this high, it will be suppressing all the other hormones, including the FSH. And to want to give you more oestrogen....huh?! As it is your ratio is 4:1, mine was 5:1 when I had it done, and I was a basket case! I can now understand how you're feeling. You will need at least 400mg/day progesterone to make a dent in all that oestrogen. Possibly more. I gave you those papers on testosterone, it can cause severe depression, I really don't think you need more. They only took your total testosterone, not the free. It's pointless doing the total, meaningless. It's the free or active testosterone which causes us problems. It could be yours is high, your total falls into the normal range. We do have a page on Hormone Testing you could look through. Levels of progesterone can go very high, but no one has suffered because of it! Heaven knows what mine is, I have only had one test done and that was 17 years ago before I used it. See Progesterone Test for more info. Over 1200mg/day is given to Traumatic Brain Injury victims, and via IV transfusion too, which goes directly into the system. Dr Dalton would give her post natal psychosis patients 2400mg/day. The point is they needed it, as do TBI patients. Continued below
Sep 27, 2013
 blood pressure Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Lee Anne Anyone with severe symptoms needs high amounts if those symptoms are Anxiety, it's a potent anxiolytic. Or if they are caused by Inflammation, it's a potent anti-inflammatory. Or if there is pain, it's a potent analgesic, if there's insomnia, or if there's oxidative stress, as it's a potent antioxidant. It relaxes blood vessels, it's what's known as a vasodilator. Oestrogen on the other hand constricts smooth muscle causing it to go up. Progesterone also increases levels of nitric oxide, which is also a vasodilator. I don't see how 20mg/day would achieve high levels, as one study found it doesn't raise it above the follicular phase levels, nowhere near luteal phase levels, see here. And there's more info on our Progesterone Misconceptions page. Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Sep 28, 2013
 Thank you
by: Lee Anne

Wray I so appreciate your concern and compassion. I document everything I'm going thru and a couple of months ago when I went to my regular doctor during my period (when my symptoms are the worst) I wrote down results of my blood work. They said my progesterone was 1.0 and that my estradiol was 26.6.

Please tell me I'm not dying here! Is this a more normal range? What is the ratio of this?
I will definitely try to get more knowledgeable answers when I call the gyno back Monday. The nurse that gave me those numbers acted as though she knew barely anything anyway. Surely the estradiol wasn't as bad as you say! I definitely don't want to have to up my dose too much if I can help it.
Surely I won't have to that much because this cycle did seem to improve. In fact, I listed 40 things that improved but only 4 that got worse, so surely I'm on the right track.
As of now I'm only on about 150mg. prog. a day. The nausea and loss of appetite was still present this cycle but not as bad. At least this time I was able to talk and not gag when brushing my teeth. So surely the next cycle will be even better ----I hope and pray.
You don't know how thankful I am that you are here to support me and encourage me. And thank you for telling me about the other lady. At least I'm not alone and I will be praying for her. I know how she feels and I hope someday I can help other women as well and reassure them that they're not dying and going insane.
Sep 29, 2013
 Thank you
by: Wray

Hi Lee Anne It's pointless having a test done during a period, progesterone will always be low. It should be done peak mid-luteal phase when it rises. Oestrogen rises then too, so the ratio makes sense. Your ratio now is 38:1 which is very low. No you're not dying you're going through what too many women go through. None of it should occur, but due to ignorance on the part of the medical profession it is. They only offer oestrogen or antidepressants. If you feel the 150mg/day is helping you then stick with it. I recommended the 400mg/day as I know it works. Don't forget to get some CarnoSoothe for the nausea! Take care Wray
Sep 30, 2013
 Thanks again
by: Lee Anne

Wray you are a wealth of info. Thank you especially for explaining about the glutamate toxicity on the other comment. It all makes more sense to me now and one day and one moment at a time I feel I'm getting braver with the Natpro and more trusting. I'm just trying to stay way below 200mg for now because I'd hate to really upset my cycle. I've been regular my whole life. If there's even a chance I could ovulate this cycle I'd like to stay below the 200mg. That way my body can help me out with the progesterone production hopefully. Yet, after the 14th day? I may try to up the dose before my period gets here, which is when all hell seems to break loose.
This is my 12th day of cycle and I'm feeling wonderful and normal (as usual). No nausea, appetite wonderful, no anxiety, sleeping like a baby, etc. Then boom!! Or at least that's how its been the past 6 mo. or so.
But yes, there's been 40 improvements and even the 4 things that got worse seem to be manageable now. I'm taking lemon balm to lower my blood pressure and it seems to help.
I will definitely keep in mind the CarnoSoothe, but it contains licorice, which can raise blood pressure, so I may hold off on that.
There's two ladies locally that swear by Vitex, they said it got rid of their monthly nausea, but I know you say it can raise oestrogen.
I did order the EstroSmart, but the problem is that after I ordered it, I realized I'd ordered EstroSmart Plus, which includes Vitex!!
Surely the other ingredients will offset it as the formulas whole purpose seems to be to lower oestrogen!! What's your take on that Wray. Should I still use it when it gets in?
Bless you Wray for all your help and encouragement.
Oh yes, one more question. Since my symptoms have been improving, yet still being estrogen dominant----does that mean the progesterone stimulated estrogen is helping my symptoms??
Or does it just mean I'm slowly becoming more balanced?
Sep 30, 2013
 Help
by: Lee Anne

Wray, I just got hold of the nurse at my gynos office and she confirmed that my Estradiol number was 736!! That's scary.
But that was when I was still feeling great. Why would I feel so great during the time of cycle when I'm so estrogen dominant and feel worse during my period when the numbers seem more balanced??
Could it be that the estrogen drops so dramatically from such a high number ?? I'm so confused and concerned.

So now do you think the 150 mg. will never make a dent in this problem. Will I have to go to 400 mg. a day to even come close to recovery?? This is so scary to me, but I pray God gives me the courage if this is what I must do.
Any advice is so appreciated Wray. Thank you
Has anyone else with this bad of a ratio ever recovered on just 200mg. progesterone a day?
Sep 30, 2013
 Help 2
by: Lee Anne

I forgot to add that the nurse said the doctor said my estrogen and progesterone were "normal" for me, but that my testosterone was low and that's why she wanted me on a combination cream with prog. estro. and testo. She said the doctor said the progesterone creame was suppressing my FSH and Testosterone and thus causing my symptoms. I asked why more estrogen since mine seems so high. She said because there's different kind of estrogens and the one she wanted to put me on would balance the other out. That sounds crazy!
Oct 03, 2013
 Help
by: Wray

Hi Lee Anne You have started so many pages I can't keep track with what you've said or I've said. I had the impression you were feeling awful all the time, as you said you were so desperate. So you weren't always feeling bad all month? I feel if it concerns you so much, stick to the amount of progesterone you're using now. It's certainly helped if there have been 40 improvements. Some things do get worse before getting better. And I agree up it the few days before your period, this is when things generally do get worse for most women. I'm afraid I don't keep records of the ratios, how much progesterone a woman is using and if she recovered. I'm not stopping you from trying the vitex. I just gave you those papers so you'd have more info. So try it by all means. EstroSmart is a good product, so take it. Symptoms improving means your progesterone is slowly becoming the dominant hormone, which is what it should be. There are three main oestrogens. Oestrone (E1) principally produced in menopause. It's secreted by fat cells and we have it to the day we die. Oestradiol (E2) which is the pre-menopause oestrogen secreted principally by the ovaries, a small amount by the adrenals. Oestriol (E3) the pregnancy oestrogen, principally secreted by the placenta, the ovaries make a small amount. So which oestrogen was she going to give you to 'balance' the others!? Take care Wray
Oct 11, 2013
 Thanks
by: Lee Anne

Hi Wray, I didn't even ask which estrogen, as I had already decided not to go that route.
I just want to thank you so much for responding despite my previous desperation. I'm truly sorry about that. You have been such a blessing in my life and I want you to know that.
I'm on the 24th day of my cycle now and am "walking softly" so to speak in hopes that some switch won't go off in my brain again, because since last April, the craziness usually begins a couple of days before my period (day 28).
I've been brave enough now to use a little over 200mg. a day of Natpro and am noticing the oestrogen dominance symptoms not being as debilitating and I'm forever grateful to God for this. I'm just taking it one day at a time, but truly looking forward to giving an incredible testimony of recovery---soon I hope, God willing.
Thank you again Wray for this site and your help.
Oct 14, 2013
 Thanks
by: Wray

Hi Lee Anne Bless you for the kind words, I know how you feel, I was desperate once. I didn't know what was happening to me. I'm pleased you've increased the progesterone, that should help you. If you feel the craziness start before your period, please increase further. I don't want you to suffer needlessly. Don't forget the vitamin D. And please have another test done soon, you are taking a good dose, but it's best to keep track of your level. Take care Wray
Mar 18, 2016
 High blood pressure
by: Anonymous

Is 200mg of progesterone capable of lowing peak HBP?

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Progesterone faq.

Share this page:
Find this page helpful? Please tell others. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Search over 8,400 pages on this site...