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Progesterone PMDD and Depression

by RJ
(Hawaii)

I recently started taking progesterone cream made from wild yams. I started on day 17 or 18 of my cycle because that was the day the cream arrived in the mail. I noticed a huge difference in my mood within days of starting. More energy, better concentration, less irritability, more joy and laughter. I felt better than I had in decades, in fact I couldn't remember feeling that happy since childhood (prepubescent). I am 36 female no children and the last few years my PMS has been completely out of control to the level of PMDD and almost feeling slight psychosis for 3-7 days before my period and for the first one or two days of my period. I realize now progesterone has probably always been out of balance for me, even as a teen I was moody, tired, forgetful, sad, tearful especially the week before my period when it would get really bad- always feeling like something external must be agitating me and contemplating quitting my job or breaking up with my boyfriend or moving to a new place to seek some kind of relief.

I was so ecstatic when the progesterone cream started balancing out my mood I thought I had finally found my "cure". I read on many forums that pre menopausal women should take progesterone during the luteal phase only. When Aunt Flo arrived I stopped using the progesterone and on day 2 of my cycle I had a complete melt down- flipping out on the boyfriend, thinking about quitting my job, severe anxiety and depression, no energy. On day 3 of my cycle I started taking a small amount of progesterone again because the symptoms I experienced were to much to handle.

My question is, would it be ok to take progesterone everyday since going without it causes a very drastic chemical imbalance? I don't want to screw up my cycles but I obviously need some progesterone all the time (or so it seems) in order to avoid a severe chemical imbalance. What are the risks of taking it everyday?

Comments for Progesterone PMDD and Depression

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Dec 08, 2015
 Progesterone PMDD and Depression
by: Wray

Hi RJ Please se our page on How to use Progesterone Cream. We also have a page on Peri-menopause you could look through. Take care Wray
Dec 08, 2015
 My daughter takes it every day now, except fo two days prior to her period.
by: davidgmills

My daughter takes it every day for that reason except for a couple days right before her period. She started out taking it in the luteal phase only, but found that it helped her symptoms of Hashimoto's much better it she took it all the time, except for a couple days to get her period started.

Taking it this way has not affected her cycle at all. She is 35 with two children.
Dec 08, 2015
 PMDD
by: Diane

Hi there~
The following is a paragraph from the page "How to use progesterone cream" on this website.
"Adverse symptoms... If symptoms are severe, it's advisable to use progesterone daily for the entire month, using it through any bleeding. Follow this procedure for 2-3 months or until stable. This ensures progesterone becomes the dominant hormone. Each time a break is taken for the follicular phase, ie from bleeding to ovulation, oestrogen rises again, and adverse symptoms return."
Are you planning on having a child? If not, you may consider the following protocol.
My sister had the same senario as you. She tried using P cream from 14-28 but once she stopped P her symptoms came back awful. Our Gyno now has her using P everyday even through her period. She uses 100mg (50mgAM, 50mg PM) days 1-5 when having period. She uses150 daily (50mg Am, 100mg PM) from 6-13. She uses 200mg daily days 14-28.
At times the week before she will add another 50mg click when she feels breakthrough symptoms.
I myself have been on progrsterone daily for the last 2 years. I would have been on it much sooner in my life if I new about the benefits of P, for I had severe PMS through MY 20's, 30's and early 40's. I m now 49. Progesterone cream has saved the quality of my life and both my sisters as well.
I dont know what your yam cream has in regards to dosage but, my gyno here in Orange County, Ca RX's my P through a compounding pharmacy. Each click is 50mg. OTC P cream has far less P per gram and requires so much more to get the 200mg dose. I would go to your local compounding pharmacy and ask who is a local provider that can RX P for you.
This website sells it too at 33mg per gram which is good amount.
Also, I recommend a book for you to read, "The Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones" by Dr. Michael Platt, MD. It is a valuable book and very informative.
I wish you luck, and keep us posted.
Blessings,
Diane
Sep 05, 2018
 PMDD psychosis
by: Anonymous

I use progesterone for pmdd psychosis, have done so for 20 years. It started after the birth of my youngest child. Some months I just stay on it. Other months I only need to use it in the luteal phase.

I don’t know why it works but it does. I have raised 3 children held a job the whole time, I’m just normal.

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