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Oral Progesterone?

by Sarah
(U.S.)

I'm 51 years old, night sweats and hot flashes have begun, and I'm barely having a period anymore (I went 6 months without one and then had one 2 months ago and not one since). I am not sleeping well, though this has been an ongoing issue for MANY years, and I'm tired ALL THE TIME, with low energy. I do not feel well most of the time because of this and have to push through my days. I rely on caffeine to get me moving and sustain me all morning. I am healthy, not overweight, exercise, and try to eat well. All my bloodwork is near perfect, though I have not had bloodwork on hormones, which I've heard isn't accurate anyway. I am so tired of feeling like this and I want to at least feel "well" and have energy and enjoy life! I'm starting to feel depressed, especially since it's winter. My OB just put me on bio-identical oral progesterone yesterday (200mg) to take before bed because he says the oral progesterone also helps with sleep. I stumbled across this website and though I would ask of taking this oral dosage is recommended? Thank you.

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Jan 03, 2022
 Oral Progesterone?
by: Joy

Hi Sarah

Your Hot Flushes etc are all due to Peri-Menopause and Estrogen Dominance.  A missed period for 12 months puts you into Menopause, you are not there yet. You will notice that one of the adverse symptoms is insomnia and depression, see here.  Your exhaustion could also indicate Insulin Resistance, have you been tested for that?  Or your thyroid could be playing up.  The thyroid needs support such as Lugol's Iodine drops and selenium.  Have these been tested?

It's important that you do have your hormones tested. All tests are not 100% accurate but they do give a good indication of what is happening. I suggest you get them tested.

To hear that your OB has suggested progesterone is wonderful news to me.  However, he is lacking in knowledge when it comes to progesterone.  It should be used no less than twice a day, half the amount in the morning and the other half at night. This enables progesterone levels to remain stable. Unfortunately, oral progesterone is not the best Delivery Method as around 96% gets destroyed by the gut and liver, see here. This means that you are not actually getting 200mg of progesterone, you are however, getting just enough to aggravate your estrogen receptors which no woman wants.

Regarding oral progesterone helping with insomnia. Some women feel that taking a pill at night helps them, others don't.  It didn't work for me.  Please read the How to use Progesterone Cream. If progesterone is not used correctly it will not work. Should you wish to continue with oral progesterone, may I suggest that you use a good quality cream such as Natpro which is a 3.33% cream in the morning and oral at night see how that works for you.  You might also consider inserting some cream in your vagina at night.  This helps with dryness and inflammation.  

Whatever you decide to use, you will have to play around with the amount to see what suits you.

Extremely important is Vitamin D3 and the co-factors mentioned.  A deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone.  It is also connected to every single functioning cell in our body making it vital.  

All the best.

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