Where are you in menopause Tinkerbellj? OTC progesterone cream is only very low dose and probably doesn't do very much. In HIGH doses, progesterone and some progestogens (MPA) can be used to treat hot flushes but usually the dose is too high to be tolerated by most women. The actual progesterone dose for shown to be effective is I think (off the top of my head!) 300 mg per day - but I doubt many women would want to (or would tolerate) this much daily. I can't remember whether this was vaginal or oral intake. Taken this way it is used as a drug not to replace progesterone, and of course if you don't take oestrogen other symptoms may become apparent the further you go into menopause, including some long term.
If you're going to open up them balls and squeeze little bits out - then be sure you are not using it for endometrial protection (ie aong with oestrogen) as it will be insufficient!
Hurdity x