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Progesterone help

by Destiny
(Indiana )

I am 34 years old, last year i was struggling with hormonal acne, sleep issues, not able to lose weight, some anxiety. So in August 2021 I had my hormone levels checked by saliva and was told my progesterone was low. I started taking bioidentical progesterone in October 2021. 75mg days 1-15 and 150mg days 16-30. My sleep seemed to get better the first few months. Then in February I had a very emotionally difficult time hit and since then my anxiety has been through the roof. So in April i started taking Zoloft and buspirone for the anxiety. Looking back at the calendar now it seems times when it’s really bad starts a week before my period and continues through several days of my period. My anxiety is so bad I can barely eat, feel so unlike myself, very emotional , crying constantly, and sleep has been horrible again too. I am now dealing with loose bowel movements as well first thing when I wake up. I take my progesterone at night. I can’t figure out what is going on and it seems to me it could be hormone related. I would like to stop taking the progesterone but my doctor doesn’t seem to think I should.

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Jun 05, 2022
 Progesterone help
by: Joy

​Hi Destiny

You are about to enter Peri-Menopause where one experiences the adverse symptoms that you are experiencing. Having tests does require estrogen and progesterone, not to mention the rest​ of the hormones to be tested.​ Did they test your estrogen if so what is the level​? ​ What is your progesterone level? Low means nothing to me. Both are needed to work out a ratio.​ See Hormone Testing.​

​The fact that your doctor has prescribed progesterone is wonderful news, however, you really have not been advised how to use progesterone correctly. It should be used no less than twice a day, half the amount in the morning and the other half at night. This allows progesterone levels to remain stable. Usually between 100-200mg is needed more if symptoms are severe. We have a page on How to use Progesterone Cream currently.​ There are some women who prefer to take oral at night but they use the cream during the day. This works for them and seems to help with sleep. Progesterone is a calming hormone and should help with mild insomnia.​ Please take note of Estrogen Dominance symptoms.

If the progesterone that you are using is oral then you would not be getting enough progesterone as around 96% gets destroyed by the gut and liver​, progesterone cream is needed as mentioned,​ see Delivery Methods. If your cycle is normal and regular then progesterone should be used by following your cycle i.e. your luteal phase. ​If not, progesterone should be used every day with no breaks until a normal cycle returns. However during Peri-Menopause progesterone is needed every day. The Anxiety is due to excess estrogen, low progesterone. Estrogen is an excitatory hormone, it suppresses GABA, which is one of our most calming neurotransmitters. Progesterone activates the GABA receptor sites. Please consider taking the calming nutrients mentioned on the page. Such a pity that you started on Zoloft etc. I can never understand why most doctors fail to see the benefits of progesterone.

I agree with your doctor. Try to continue, you will feel the benefits provided progesterone i​f ​used correctly.

Most important is Vitamin D3. Do you know what your level is? If not please have a test and keep the level optimal. A deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone; it is also connected to every single functioning cell in our bodies, making it vital.​​

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