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[miffy]

Hi I've been on HRT for 2 years, mainly went on it to help with increased depression. I managed depression with antidepressants for 25 years but they don't seem to help so well these days.
Late last year I was bleeding quite heavily so GP sent me to specialist for scan who said things looked ok but to be on safe side I should take 200mg utrogestan every day.

My depression has got so much worse. Could it be the progesterone?

I've also been taking testosterone (from Newson Health) for 3 months but haven't noticed anything much in terms of increased sex drive or lowered anxiety.

If it could be the progesterone, whats the lowest dose of the utrogestan i can take? I haven't had a period in 6 months or so.

Thank you.

[Flossieteacake]

Hello miffy. I became very depressed when taking Utrogestan. The progesterone can cause some to be depressed or anxious. I would ask for a different progesterone. Hopefully you will be given one that does not cause you to feel so low.

[Perinowpost]

Hi Miffy

Yes it’s definitely the progesterone. Too much can also quash libido I find.  You could try lowering the dose to 100 every day if you want to do a continuous regime. Or you could try taking it sequentially and that way you get a break from the prog.

Also as Flossieteacake says you could try another progesterone, although (unfortunately for me) I have found they all have a similar effect - hopefully you may get lucky.

Hope this helps x

[joziel]

If you have a long-term history of depression, I'd be wary of concluding that a worsening during peri-menopause is due to progesterone. Especially given that body identical progesterone is optimal if you can take it.

Instead, maybe your anti-depressant meds need to be reviewed and perhaps the dosage increased at this time of your life or a switch to a different anti-depressant tried?

Many women need both HRT and anti-depressants.

[miffy]

I'll ceraunly ask about the Tibolone Aristo and aslo the Mirena.

In the meantime I can't get a GP appointment for several weeks so am stuck with current prescription.

Could I try inserting the oral utrogestan vaginally?

I was thinking I could now have 2 weeks off the utrogestan and then try just 100mg every day or even just 2 weeks in the month.

[CLKD]

Ring your surgery and lay it on thick!  Depression should never be ignored, regardless of causation.  In the mean time, would it hurt to stop the Utrogestan for 4/5 nights?  To see if the depression lifts?

If you can't speak to a GP ask to speak either to the Practice Manager or Nurse Practitioner.  Or go to the Surgery and sit there until you can be seen: I've done that in the past when deeply depressed.

Let us know how you get on.

[joziel]

You can for sure try taking the utrogestan vaginally. If you've been told to take 200mg of it orally, you can halve that dose if used vaginally - so that would be 100mg vaginally. Both the halved dose and using it vaginally should help less of it get into your system (if any).