Menu

Progesterone and postpartum anxiety/depression and insomnia

by Sophia
(Auckland NZ )

Hi,
I’m 10 weeks postpartum with my second child. Suffering from anxiety and insomnia, same happened with my first.
My Dr has given me progesterone (bioavailabile in capsule form).
I’m curious on dose. My Dr doesn’t know too much about it. Capsules are 100mg and I’ve done them rectally after reading this site. Dr recommend 100mg a day at night. I’m thinking I probably need 200mg morning and night - 400mg per day?
I have only ever suffered this intense anxiety postpartum, last time I ended up on anti anxiety meds which didn’t even help. I am certain this is hormonal.
Thanks in advance.
Sophia

Comments for Progesterone and postpartum anxiety/depression and insomnia

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 11, 2023
 Postpartum
by: Anonymous

Hi Sophia!

I was in the same exact boat you are after my second child, with postpartum anxiety, which I thought I was going crazy. I kept talking to my OBGYN, who wanted me to go on anti-depressant and YAZ (progesterone only birth control). I didn’t do that route. I did try the birth control, but was super sick on it. I did a lot of research and found that it was a hormonal imbalance. I ended up going to a reproductive endocrinologist, who now specializes in hormone replacement. After extensive testing, it was found I have low progesterone and was in estrogen dominance. He put me on progesterone - 75mg, and I also take magnesium glycinate to sleep (I take anywhere from 100-200mg), and it helps relax you. I can say after a couple of trying months, I feel a lot more like myself. Also, check your vitamin D levels too! Mine were super low and he helped me with that as well!

I know how difficult it is right now going through this. It’s a lot, and just know you aren’t alone at all. It will get better. I hope that helps you!
Aug 11, 2023
 Try orally
by: Anonymous

Hello, It may be helpful to take them by mouth as by doing so they have a calming effect on the brain. Progesterone only lasts for around 12 hours so it may be helpful to divide the dose. 100mg am and 100mg pm. It can also take a while before you notice an improvement but if after two weeks and no improvement I would ask your doctor to increase the dose gradually. I hope you feel better soon.
Aug 14, 2023
 Try Orally
by: Joy

Hi Anonymous

Unfortunately any form of oral progesterone is not the best delivery method as around 96% gets destroyed by the gut and liver see here. This small amount of progesterone would merely aggravate estrogen receptors, not what any woman wants. Oral can be broken open and mixed with an organic cream of some sort and rubbed on the body. Some women do benefit by taking oral at night and cream in the morning or during the day making sure to make up for the oral shortfall.

Best wishes
Aug 14, 2023
 Postpartum
by: Joy

Hi once again Anonymous

Thank you for your kind words to Sophia. One can feel extremely lonely at a time like this especially when our doctors do not listen to what we tell them. We know our bodies, we know when things are not right. It never ceases to amaze me how antidepressants are prescribed by our doctors. Postpartum is NOT a mental issue, it's a case of balancing the hormones! I am not surprised that you were sick when taking birth control. All drug based Contraceptives have a potential to cause harm. There is not such thing as a progesterone only birth control. Many get confused about this and doctors do not explain properly. BCP contain progestin which is synthetic and not natural progesterone.

The aim of progesterone therapy is to make progesterone the dominant hormone at all times and not estrogen. Excess estrogen merely adds to Estrogen Dominance symptoms, not what any woman wants. Progesterone is a calming hormone so it does relax one. I am so pleased that progesterone, vitamin D3 and cofactors helped you.

Take care.

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...