Progesterone Ordeal

[Linnea]

Hello, I wanted to talk about my experience with progesterone. So a little while ago I talked to my doctor about progesterone, and we added it to my HRT plan. I will say this much, I had a terrible time while talking it. I was previously on just estrogen and t-blockers for 3 months and had no major negative side effects. But shortly after starting progesterone I started getting wild mood swings and terrible panic attacks. I felt nauseous and miserable. On top of that, I felt like I didn't even recognize myself anymore and the past 3 months of HRT were wiped away like I was back to how I used to be. I've since talked to my doctor and I decided against taking any more of it. It hasn't been very long, but I already feel much better and soon I feel like I'll be back to normal. Has anyone else experienced something like this? I hope I never feel like that again.

[MayGay]

One of my girlfriends had the same problems you had. I haven't had any of it, quite the opposite in fact. There's a lot that goes into this.

 

First you need to be on a proper dosage. My girlfriend who had the same problems with taking it orally would get bad mood swings and had generally low mood. She was only *dosage removed* orally and it's really not enough. She started taking it rectally because it gives better absorption and doesn't go through the metabolism, and she stopped having mood swings and her overall mood was better than before starting it.

 

I'm on *dosage removed* orally, but I started at *dosage removed* and worked my way up and had no issues at *dosages removed*. That said both progesterone and the T blocker I took, cypro, are progestins and apparently any progestin has a positive effect on my mental health so take that into consideration.

 

And we need to be sure we're on bioidentical, micronized P4 aka progesterone not some random progestin used for birth control like Provera or some other progestin that's not progesterone. Another girlfriend got prescribed that -crap- by an endo and it's like we want emulate a cis woman's body chemistry not give her medications intended to disrupt it. Fortunately we had it fixed the next day. She was nicer to her endo than I would have been tbh.

 

And you might have started it too soon. It may have different effects depending on your estradiol levels. So if you have low estrogen levels, like under 800 nmol/L or maybe even more, adding progesterone could cause bad mood swings too. Generally you shouldn't be on it until after 6 to 8 months on estradiol unless you're on injections and then maybe still better to wait.

 

This is my experience and knowledge, but from what can tell there are just some people who have a bad experience with the stuff too. But it just could also be that there's really no consensus in the medical community on how to do anything to do with HRT.

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by Susan R
Dosages listed: Violates Community Rule #13

[Susan R]

4 hours ago, Linnea said:

we added it to my HRT plan. I will say this much, I had a terrible time while talking it. I was previously on just estrogen and t-blockers for 3 months and had no major negative side effects. But shortly after starting progesterone I started getting wild mood swings and terrible panic attacks. I felt nauseous and miserable.

My internal medicine PCP told me right up front that she would not start me on Progesterone until 9 months into HRT, if and only if, my T and E hormone levels were within the female range and stable. Her justification for this was that younger women just entering puberty do not have stable hormone levels until a few years in at which time their bodies start producing somewhat increasing amounts of progesterone.

So my PCP’s regimen for her patients(and me) paralleled the natural female introduction of these chemicals. It may well be that you started Progesterone too soon. You might ask for a second opinion.

 

Susan R?

[Charlize]

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-replacement-therapy/art-20047550

 

it might be recommended that you read this article before starting a course of Progesterone.  I have severe coronary artery disease and was refused any chance of HRT for quite a while due to a study showing a high degree of danger.  Those studies were closed early due to deaths.

I’ve found good results without Progesterone.   Please be careful!

 

Hugs

 

Charlize

[Kiera]

9 hours ago, Susan R said:

Her justification for this was that younger women just entering puberty do not have stable hormone levels until a few years in at which time their bodies start producing somewhat increasing amounts of progesterone.

        And this is exactly why, FYI, I don't mind "missed dosages" (the "tingly breasts") because it does help with growth by freeing any excess oestrone that otherwise attaches to and blocks receptors.

 

 . . . oestrone is less active than oestradiol, it is thought that oestrone may act as a reservoir that can be converted into oestradiol as needed.

 

And rectal progesterone is supposed to / always help one sleep!

[Jani]

My doctor did not recommend Progesterone for a multitude of reasons.  Mental changes being one.  The change to breast tissue is minimal as the progesterone works to build fat tissue (if IRC) and not permanent breast tissue, so weight changes will affect results. 

 

At any rate, be careful, be advised.   

[Jackie C.]

My endo doesn't normally prescribe progesterone for her MtF patients. You need to ask for it. Apparently experiences vary wildly. I tolerate it very well (I'm a little more, um, sexual and maybe a bit more intense, but that's it). Others do not. My endo said the day I asked for it that two other patients had called to say they were discontinuing their progesterone pills. My intersex friend gets a shot of progesterone every three months or so to prevent uterine cancer. They say it basically makes them feel more like a girl for about two weeks. 

 

The point being that mileage on progesterone varies wildly and not everyone tolerates it very well.

 

Hugs!

[rainflower]

I tried a higher dose of prometrium for about a week, it worsened my mood, made me dysphoric, and messed with my heart rhythm. I took a break then we tried a lower dose for about a month. It didn't affect my heart so much but my blood pressure is crazy low. After about 3 weeks it started to really kill my mood and libido, and I felt severely dysphoric yesterday, kind of how you mentioned with feeling like everything has been undone (I have been on HRT a little over a year). Also I noticed it makes me extra tired and I want to sleep a lot. My estradiol levels were trash recently. I'm going to stop taking it and go back to my original spiro dose.

I have read a lot of mixed things about it. A lot of it is anecdotal, there aren't really any studies about using it with trans women. Some things I read say that the breast fullness or roundness achieved with it is just due to swelling or fluid retention in the tissue. Some report improved breast/nipple growth with it, but it's hard to say if that would have occurred anyway and the progesterone was just started at a time when that growth was happening. It seems that most providers don't offer it as part of standard treatment.

Maybe it does work. If it does, and some are able to achieve great cis-looking breasts with it, good for them, I guess that is just more points against me in my struggle with my HRT regimen. Oh well, I am getting used to the idea of just being a lonely ugly duckling.

[Jackie C.]

Oh stop @AwesomeClaire, you look lovely. It's hard for us to see that sometimes. We just see ourselves and the dysphoria monster tells us we're hideous. That's obviously not the case. You're just not your own type. That's OK. You're still a beautiful person and there (I have no earthly idea which gender or combination of genders you're attracted to) is someone out there who will see you as "the one." Or maybe some combination of people who add up to "the one." You might be poly. I have no idea. ?

 

The point being that we're all attracted to different things. Someone (or probably several someone, like I said, you're lovely) out there will find you attractive and most likely pounce on you when you least expect it. Or possibly hit you upside the head. I'm utterly oblivious to people flirting with me, you could be too.

 

Hugs!

[rainflower]

Thank you, I need to hear that.