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Spotting after starting progesterone

by Heidi Berg
(Muskegon, MI)

I started using progesterone cream about 4 months ago. I am 32 years old, and have had extreme PMS for years. I'm quite positive that I am estrogen dominant. I started noticing a few black, coarse hairs coming in on my chin that I have had to start plucking. Also, I have been experiencing noticeable hair loss. I thought that it might be time to start using some progesterone, assuming that my hormones are out of balance. I started out using 1/4 tsp. twice a day (40 mg. per day), and didn't notice much of a change in things. I recently upped my usage to 1/2 tsp. twice a day (80 mg. per day), and I am all of a sudden experiencing some spotting. I upped the dosage about two weeks ago, and as I said, have started spotting. I also noticed that my breasts got extremely sore and tender much sooner than normal, and then I started the spotting. My normal period isn't due to start for another two weeks, and I'm wondering if the upped dosage of progesterone has caused the breast soreness and spotting. Has it made my estrogen surge because it's waking up the receptors?? Should I continue to use the cream as normal?? Is my dosage high enough?? Any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated.

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Nov 25, 2011
 Spotting after starting progesterone
by: Wray

Hi Heidi The symptoms you're experiencing are due to upping the progesterone. This would wake up the receptors, see our page on Oestrogen Dominance. When first using progesterone it can upset the cycle, making it either early or late. Although I've found it generally comes earlier as it has with you. It will settle down given time. I don't believe you're using enough progesterone, I recommend 100-200mg/day, dependant on symptoms. You say you've had bad PMS for years, I suspect you would need to use the higher amount I've suggested, certainly initially. It can then be reduced slowly, about 16mg/day only, staying on each reduction for a few days, or a week or two, before reducing again. We do have more info on our page How to use progesterone cream. You live in Michigan, with little sun in winter, in fact at latitudes above 37 degrees N or S, from about mid- October to mid-March the solar angle is such that no vitamin D is converted in the skin. This is an excellent video to watch, see here. Please consider having a test done, a lack causes depression, hair loss and reduces the benefits of progesterone. For more info on testing etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth Birmingham Hospital and Vitamin D Links websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml or 175-250nmol/L and not the 30ng/ml or 75nmol/L most labs and doctors regard as adequate. And the minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although the latest research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. Take care Wray

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