Hi Hurdity! *waves*
Yes, I do not understand it myself either!?
The HRt I have tried in the past have both really badly affected me in the prog phase = worst PMS I've ever had! (1 cycle of Tridestra and before that 1 month of Cyclo-Progynova)
The lady I saw at the clinic was a meno specialist (womens health specialist at a Menopause Clinic) and she really listened to me when I explained about crashing on the prog phase.

She said she had come across this intolerance many times and had got good results with the COCP for some candidates - she did stress that not all people reacted the same. She said it was because the prog was delivered daily at the same time as the oestrog and the amounts didn't fluctuate?
She showed me a list of treatments for intolerant ladies like me, starting from safest to less safe.
First she said I could go onto the COCP because I was under 50 (I'm 49, and my periods went irregular about 18 months ago, started with mood swings, anxiety, insomnia and then sweats etc later on, they started last summer I think)
If that doesn't work she would next like me to try Mirena.
I said I was worried that if I became intolerant to the prog in that I couldn't just stop like I can with tablets as I'd need it removing - (but in response to that she said I could see her or a colleague on any 3 clinic days per week to make a quick appt to have it removed)
Then if that doesn't suit me OR if I choose not to have it I can have utrogestan with a sep oestog.
If I still react badly I can then become a candidate for unopposed oestrogen.
This would be obviously last case scenario before a hysterectomy.
The pill she gave me was Microgynon 30.
She said to try this as I reported I seem to recall feeling OK when I used to take this 10+ years ago before my hubby's vasectomy. I had never had PMS before I came off the pill - yet had had PND which she states is also a symptom of being prog intolerant in some women. I am obviously intolerant of my own natural progesterone therefore, as have been on COCP in between my children so was never exposed to it really?
Anyway - have been on it 6 days now and am starting to feel tetchy and short
I was hoping for a bit of a miracle cure, at least for a year or so anyway

I WILL persevere with it though for a month or two. I have a follow up appt in 10 weeks but I can make an earlier appt if I need to.
hope this explains things a little bit more Hurdity, clear as mud to me!!
what I cannot get my head around is why she said I was allowed to take packs of Microgynon back to back without a bleed. I thought you HAD to bleed to avoid hyperplasia? Or does constant prog cause lining not to build up at all??
I will report back with how my symptoms feel as I progress.
I hate feeling like this - just want to feel normal again.......