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Progesterone for peri-menopause anxiety

by cheri
(Bristol UK )

Hi All

I started using bio-identical progesterone cream (self diagnosed as oestrogen dominant) in May, it really helped my overall feelings of anxiety (new symptom!) and symptoms of pre-menstrual symdrome that I have had most of my life!!

Im 47 and noticed a change in the heaviness and frequency of periods about 6 years ago - this has continued to change in phases from very heavy (phase lasted about 4 years) to most recently lighter much shorter cycles (for the past year).

I started using progesterone cream 20mg per pump - 1-2 pumps 14 days before my period and got lots of relief, I then noticed my mood really dropped day 3 day 9 of my cycle - so after my bleed started and up until the rise in hormones began again. I also noticed that I was getting night sweats in the week leading up to my period.

I consulted a doctor and was prescribed bio-idnetical progesterone capsule 30mg and a very low dose of biodentical oestrogen cream - both to be used 14 days before my period and a bit of my exisitng progesterone cream to be used whenever I felt i needed it. (I used it days 3-8 of my cycle).

Overall I am feeling much better as anxiety (inlcuding panic attacks and insomnia - which I only started having this year had become a massive problem) - however this month I havent had my period..(pregnancy test negative and not trying to conceive at 47!!)

Question..
Should i use hormones until I bleed or stop (as I did after 14 days to allow bleed to happen)
Pre-perimenopause my periods were very irregular 30 - 43 days - only improved after age of 40 for past year usually 26-32 days (i mostly bleed before the 14 days is up on the hormones and thats when I stop using them) so a bit confused.

Thanks in advance

Comments for Progesterone for peri-menopause anxiety

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Dec 15, 2020
 Progesterone for peri-menopause anxiety
by: Joy

Hi Cheri

You are in Peri-Menopause which can be a terrible time for most women. Irregular/heavy periods are very common during this time. 20mg progesterone cream is not going to help at all, between 100-200mg per day is needed, more if symptoms are severe. Please read the How to use Progesterone Cream page for more information about how to use progesterone cream correctly. You should be using progesterone every day with no breaks, most women benefit by this when in peri-menopause. Use half the amount of cream in the morning and the other half at night.

Oral progesterone is not the best Delivery Method as around 96% gets destroyed by the gut and liver. A good progesterone cream such as Natpro is far better. Using estrogen merely adds to Estrogen Dominance symptoms, for this reason we don't recommend using it but that is entirely up to you. You might also like to read the Anxiety page.


Note from technical support:
Apologies for the delay in response Cheri, we have had a few technical issues which are now resolved.

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