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[racjen]

Hi NightOwl, unfortunately I've tried Sertraline and like all the other ADs I've tried (8 in total) within a couple of weeks max they make me suicidally depressed. I'm in the very small percentage of people who just can't tolerate ADs at all. So whilst I agree that progesterone does something to the brain chemistry which for some women can be helped by SSRIs, for me it doesn't help.  And I've not found anything else that does. Beta Blockers also made me very depressed; I'm currently trying pregabalin in the hope that'll be different, but I''m only on day 4 and so far no effects of any kind (not sure if that's good or bad news....)

[racjen]

Just to say by the way that my withdrawal from utrogestan (which is what started this post) lasted 5 horrible horrible days but I'm now bleeding and feeling a lot better depression-wise, just the anxiety that remains as bad as ever.

[Abba Fan]

racjen, are you still on a benzo? if you are maybe you're having interdose withdrawals?

[Night_Owl]

Racjen, that's good you're feeling a bit better as the prog clears from your system, at least you know the hideous black hole depression does pass however on-going anxiety is vile, the loss/change in hormone profile has such a major impact on the whole nervous system - hope the Pregabalin proves useful, would you post and let us know how things progress.  This may sound lame but do you take (high strength) Magnesium, B Complex and Fish Oil re: anxiety.

So know what you mean re: ADs - always hoped they would be a lifeline however tried a range over the years and all reacted badly, felt beyond hideous and beta blockers too (low BP made worse), high estrogen supplement didn't improve things.   The 'difficult to treat' patient category is where I'm placed, due to biochemistry, intolerances, absorption.  And that's the thing with this whole menopause treatment game, every woman is individual and will react accordingly.

It's interesting how for some women, prog even via vag-route is so quickly and strongly systemically absorbed and doesn't 'stay local' - eg. by day 4 of taking Utro, my brain chemistry is scuppered.  StellaJane, there must be a connection with the weird, complicated dreams and the prog 'brain effect'.  How are you coping with Utro these days, has your tolerance improved/decreased over time?

Letmein - hope you find a way forward and a bearable way to take Utrogestan.

The whole issue of progesterone intolerance affects many women and it's one of the main reasons for giving up on HRT - it helps greatly to be able to talk about it so you know 'it's not just you'. 

This blog is informative, worth a read:

https://writehealth.co.uk/hrt-progesterone-intolerance/

[Cassie]

Night Owl I envy you being able to take 100mg only ever 6 weeks, I am only on one pump of the gel but if I push past 5 weeks without my Utrogestan I automatically get a bleed, just happened again this month, do you find that that low dosage keeps your lining thin? I have no idea how your patch compares to 1 pump of gel, there is .75mg in one pump of the gel.

[Night_Owl]

Cassie, I have endo scans yearly now, last one - endo at c.3.5.  Sorry I have no idea how 25 Estraderm patch equates to one pump gel - and then there's the differences in absorption individually of patch -v- gel - and of how well the body absorbs Utrogestan.  My estrogen level has been very low for years now, at less than 90, so no natural production at all these days. 

The compromise of taking less prog is that I only have partial symptom control by taking such a low dose of estrogen patch - but I never did well on high estrogen anyway.  I think (in my case anyway) that Vagifem contributes to build-up and circulating estrogen too, albeit at a low level. 

Maybe you're still producing your own estrogen at a reasonably high level, do you use Vagifem or vag estrogen, what stage of meno are you at?

[Cassie]

I am well past meno by a few years so def not producing my own anymore, sadly, I have always had relatively high circulating levels of oestrogen even on one pump, I put it down to being so skinny and the oestrogen absorbing well, not sure though. I just find that I cannot tamper with either of the oestrogen nor utrogestan too much and it causes bleeds, so I need to stick to the correct dates and not try to push for too long a cycle. I am only now on one pump of the gel but no vaginal oestrogen. I know of another lady on this forum whom the same thing happens to, I guess we are all different when it comes to how our body utilises the medication.  Thankyou