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[ThisIsAwful]

Hello, all. I posted last month about my OBGYN plying me with a constant dose of 200 mgs  micronized progesterone as a counter to estrogen dominance. I'm 44 and still have cycles, though the Prometrium has made them unstable. I went to my PCP and she wants me to take HRT as follows

First two weeks of cycle: 200 MG micronized progesterone combined with 0.025 estradiol

Third week of cycle: Continue with only estradiol

Last week: Nothing and have a period.

Does this seem right?

[CLKD]

   hopefully someone will be along with advice soon.

[ThisIsAwful]

She's a general practitioner and I'm not sure she knows what she's doing. She told me it MIGHT work. 

[Hurdity]

Hi there

It's tricky for us here in UK to advise when you have such non-standard regimes going on (in US I presume?) - for example therapeutic treatment for "oestrogen dominance" is not regular here nor deemed necessary.

Docs may follow the progesterone treatment for heavy bleeding due to a few anovulatory cycles but before peri-menopause really gets going and symptoms of flushes and sweats characteristic of oestrogen decline become bothersome.

If you were having very heavy/clotty/lengthy periods and especially eg after a skipped or slightly delayed cycle then the prog (12 days per month) should help to regulate them. However for this purpose it should be given the second half of the cycle - not sure why you would have it during the first part except possibly to avoid the rapid rise and fall in prog if you suffer from the effects of these rapid changes in prog levels? However if you are further into menopause and getting flushes and sweats and maybe even low mood, headaches or palpitations then you need a good dose of oestrogen as well.

Remind us of what your symptoms were that you are seeking treatment for and what your periods/cycles were doing before you started any form of HRT or progesterone (assuming you were not on the pill nor had a Mirnea?).

Hurdity x

[Conolly]

Hi ThisIsAwful,

I'm not on HRT and can't be of much help, just would like to ask you if your docs have offered you a combined contraceptive pill to override your own hormones. If you're still having cycles your own hormones are playing up, so I don't see the logic in adding more hormones (as in hormone replacement) unless it's enough to suppress your own hormones.

Conolly X

[ThisIsAwful]

Thank you all for answering. I appreciate the help.

About two years ago my hair began falling out, my periods were all over the place, I couldn't remember my name at times, and scariest of all, I developed PMDD. At first they put me on the pill, but then switched to combined HRT as they felt my body would tolerate it better.
On both, the PMDD stopped. On the combined HRT the PMDD was gone but bloating and nausea were horrible. The OBGYN stopped the estrogen and kept me on the progesterone. Then he kept adding to the progesterone as my symptoms worsened. I was taking 300 mgs constantly for a short while.
Right now I am taking two hundred MGS of progesterone. For the first few months I felt OK, but now all the other symptoms save the anxiety and PMDD have returned. 
Any advice is welcome.

[NorthArm]

Have you thought about having a Mirena coil, or the Implanon implant?

These are both progesterone only, and many women stop bleeding / having periods completely after a few months. They both last 5 years too, and if they're not working for you (give them a good six months), then they're easily removed xx

[am#]

I am on 3 monthly injections of prog , i was put on it to treat hyperplasia but it has improved alot of my other symptoms , brain fog ,memory ,dry eyes and mood (most of the time)have all improved.
Only problem is depoprovera that i am on seems to be a shortage at the moment so might have to change to something else.

I hope they manage to find something that works for you  xx

[ThisIsAwful]

Thank you, ladies.
I think I'm going to go back on low dose birth control for now. My breasts hurt and my eyesight became a bit blurry, but it was not the abject misery I am in now.