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[katyh75]

Hi all

I'm new. 46, still have regular periods but have developed the most awful 'post' menstrual mood disorder over the last two years.

It has been resistant to:
* an increase in my antidepressant dose
* a trial of cyclical and then continuous HRT this year (oestrogel and Utrogestan)

I'm currently under a specialist and trialling 200mg progesterone alone, along with lifestyle changes, as I have no symptoms of low oestrogen.

I don't really feel like I 'fit' anywhere as I feel that I am quite early in perimenopause, only have these debilitating mood symptoms and I don't have PMDD (although my PMS in the past was quite severe, this has resolved in the last two years).

It's really nice to read posts and to take
what I can from them, given my particular and peculiar circumstances!

I am currently feeling rough on the progesterone but the specialist has said to give it 4-6 weeks for my brain to adapt 😳😢.

I'd particularly like to hear from anyone who has struggled and then adapted to progesterone.

[CLKD]

   hopefully someone will be along with experience.  Browse round, put the name of your medication into the search box on the forum to see if anything pops up.  Make notes ;-).

Oestrogen of course would help protect your bones and heart so if you have 'enough' - who decided that you don't require extra? 

I was told to eat every 3 hours to keep my energy levels even which avoids the intense nausea which triggered my anxiety surges.  That is, every 3 hours 24/7 ;-)

[katyh75]

The specialist I'm seeing, based on a couple of blood tests plus the fact that I have no symptoms of low oestrogen yet.

I'm pretty knowledgeable, I'm really just hoping that someone has experience of
adjusting to the progesterone. Looking for hope!

[CLKD]

What would you expect to feel as oestrogen levels drop.  I knew that I was going into menopause The Change  but was totally unaware of vaginal atrophy.  Do read the 'bladder issues' and 'vaginal atrophy' threads on the Forum.  Make notes 

Each of us is different so it's good to have experiences from everyone. 

However, certain blood tests are helpful taken at the 'right' time of the cycle, most however tests are reliably un-reliable 

[katyh75]

Any kind of vasomotor symptoms (night sweats, hot flushes, chills), symptoms relating to bladder / urinary tract plus miscellaneous physical symptoms such as aching joints, dry eyes, burning mouth.

My only symptoms are mood related and cyclical (post bleed for a week each month).

I understand what you're saying about blood tests, they are only ever a snapshot, but my estradiol levels were 550 on one occasion and over 800 on the second.

There is more to my story and the specialist had a full history too.

In Europe it is pretty standard practice to provide progesterone only treatment until women's periods have stopped. In the US and here we add in oestrogen as well from the get go. I had a really poor response to extra oestrogen when I trialled a sequential regime for a few months earlier this year.

[CLKD]

Morning.  You seem to be on the ball with your requirements which is always a help to others. 

Do make sure that any sign of vaginal atrophy is dealt with immediately.  Have U read the 'bladder issues' and 'vaginal atrophy' threads here? Full of info. we never thought that we would need