In my most recent “what I’m doing for my health” blog post, I mentioned that I was meeting with my OB-GYN to discuss HRT (hormone replacement therapy). We had actually met and chatted about it a couple times before but I never felt quite ready to try anything.
I was hesitant for two reasons. First, I wasn’t having any severe symptoms. Sleep was fine enough most of the time. I had a few more mood swings than I remembered having in the past, but who doesn’t, right? My luteal phase was a increasingly more challenging with fatigue and less patience, but oh well. That happens, right?
Second, I really hate the idea of being reliant on anything. I get the irony that I take cod liver oil and vitamin D regularly and depend on that for immune support, but something about a prescription felt different to me. This is just my own mental block.
After another good conversation with my practitioner and plenty of assurance I could stop at anytime if I changed my mind, I was prescribed 100mg of micronized progesterone (bioidentical) in the form of a capsule to take once a day at bedtime.
I was cautiously optimistic it would be beneficial, having heard that 1/3 of women feel it’s their saving grace, 1/3 can’t tolerate it because it makes them feel terrible, and 1/3 don’t notice any kind of difference. Well, thank my lucky stars because it turns out I’m in the former group. Insert cheesy flexing pic here because every post needs some kind of image.
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I wasn’t even sure what I was expecting. Perhaps a little leveling out of my emotional ups and downs? What I’ve experienced is so much more.
I started taking it while on day 3 of my cycle because that’s the day I filled the prescription and was told to start that night and take every evening (no cycling it). Immediately I started sleeping super well. I slept hard and woke refreshed. Little things that were minor annoyances before (the dog snoring, David breathing) no longer seemed to interrupt my ability to sleep.
I also began noticing I felt more even-keeled. I was less bothered by things. I’m trying to think of the best way to explain it; almost like something frustrating would happen and my response would be “oh. ok, well, no big deal.” Cool as a cucumber.
A friend of mine who had her own experience with progesterone said it made her almost too mellow to where her husband was concerned because she didn’t seem to care about much of anything. While that is not my experience, I could see what she meant. I just feel generally unbothered, but still am able to experience emotional ups and downs, it’s just not the more dramatic swings I was experiencing before. I feel more capable of handling stressors.
The weirdest realization to me is that while I would not have said I felt anxious before, I am now wondering if I was having some anxiety that I didn’t really realize? This may sound like weird example of this, but whatever, I’m sharing anyways:
I don’t love watching myself on camera. I love people and connection, but posting myself on Instagram stories had slowly become more difficult. I would analyze the way I said something and sometimes just go delete it right away because I felt uncomfortable (or anxious?). This had not been the case for years, but over the past 12-18 months I noticed it creep up. I just felt cringy posting and it made me feel uncomfortable (again… anxious?)
Since I started taking progesterone, I am feeling fine to just show up and share. I don’t care to rewatch it and think about what people may be thinking if they watch it. I just feel free to be me. And I don’t really care what people may be thinking. It’s so freeing. I feel like ME again. So maybe I was experiencing some anxiety and it manifested itself in withdrawing? I truly don’t know.
It’s made me wonder if I was experiencing more low level anxiety than I realized over the past year or so as I’ve noticed my hormones fluctuating. Because somehow that tiny 100mg progesterone has made me feel more like myself than I have in quite a while.
I don’t love that I’m making this thing out to be a superhero, but I’ve just been pleasantly surprised at the results. I felt them immediately, but wanted to make sure I got through a whole month (not just follicular phase) before reporting back. And now I have!
How does this stuff work? My understanding is that at 43 years old my personal estrogen is still strong. My natural progesterone levels may be a bit erratic since the body only produces progesterone after ovulation, and at this classic “early perimenopause” stage ovulation can become irregular. So the oral progesterone is helping keep my level more steady.
Shocking to none, I am not a doctor, so experts feel free to weigh in here and also if it’s something you’re curious about, find a good doctor in your area to talk to. Hormone support in our 40’s and 50’s definitely seems to be an area of rapidly growing interest and expertise.
I guess I just want to share this as openly and honestly as possible because I’ve been so encouraged by my 40+ friends sharing their hormone changing experiences (the good, the bad, the supplementing with HRT, and the going without HRT). I also think about some situations where people I know have gone through a “midlife crisis” or made drastic, life-altering decisions right around their mid-40’s and wonder if hormonal fluctuation was a factor and understanding/support could have made a difference?
Like my OB-GYN told me, every woman is different, which is what makes HRT challenging. It’s not a one size fits all and personal needs can change overtime.
This is just my story of my first month and I hope it’s helpful. <3
Marie says
My story is similar – it’s been a lifesaver and I am feeling like the best version of myself. Thanks for keeping the conversation going.
Brittany Dixon says
Hearing “the best version of myself” makes me so happy for you! I understand completely!
Laura says
YAY, I’m so happy for you!! It’s had such a huge impact on me, to the point where I can say progesterone gave me the drive, the confidence, and the energy to get a better job, go back to get my masters, and move to a new house all in a year. Before progesterone, just getting dinner out before soccer practice was making me feel like I was drowning. I had to ask myself, what changed? My days had always been stressful and busy, but all of a sudden I could not manage them. Then my sleep turned off like a faucet and I knew I had to figure out a real solution. I do have friends that have gone to their doctor with similar symptoms (insomnia, anxiety, depression) and they are given sleep aids, anti-anxiety medication, etc. Not that those are never needed, but I think it seems so obvious to look at hormones if you are in your late 30s and 40s (and beyond). One surprising peri symptom I learned about is lowered confidence. I’m so grateful to feel like myself, and only wished I had started sooner (I started at 46). I am the same way about medication, and on one hand you want to ask yourself what the heck, why do I need to supplement for something that is “natural”? But I’m just thankful that we have information and means today, as I know women have suffered for too long without these options. Hormones are fascinating and complex! Everything I read says progesterone doesn’t directly impact your weight, however for me I find I no longer have to focus on eating “perfectly” to maintain my weight. I’ve always eaten healthy, but for a while that felt like it wasn’t enough. Now I can be much more relaxed about it and still maintain as long as I eat healthy a majority of the time. I’m curious about the cycling versus not cycling piece. I take the topical lotion so it might be different, but after a year of not cycling I found my irritability creeping in again. I read your “receptors” need a break from the progesterone or they stop working (clearly, I’m not saying this in correct medical terms). Anyhow, I started cycling one year in and it is going well.
Brittany Dixon says
Love reading about your experience and feel like you described it well when you said “just getting dinner out before soccer was making me feel like I was drowning.” YES. Like everyday tasks just took it out of me and I was also wondering what the heck is wrong with me. So glad you found a solution working well for you, too!
I’m curious about the cycling, too. I’ll definitely ask about it next time and maybe I’ll try one month everyday and one month only in the second half and see how that feels.
Laura says
At the end of the day, I feel it takes some trial and error to figure out exactly the right amount/ cycle, and paying close attention to symptoms. From what I read, cycling is good if you are still having regular periods because continuous progesterone can cause signal clashes when your body naturally wouldn’t be producing it. When I first started it I was so overjoyed with how I felt I was afraid to cycle it, thinking I never wanted to go without! I did read more about the receptor “saturation” and from what I understand that is more of a concern with the cream than the pills, as the cream relies on absorbing into fat cells.
Courtney Wilton says
I love this! I also am about start and am so curious to hear others’ experiences? May I ask why estrogen wasn’t prescribed too? My Dr has talked about estrogen gel in the AM and progesterone in the Pm (tablet) but I also am somewhat anxious to start but your experience is making me feel keen to give it a go!.
Brittany Dixon says
My understanding is that if you take estrogen, you need progesterone to protect the uterus lining, but if it’s the other way around (you need progesterone), you don’t necessarily need estrogen. I didn’t have many signs of low estrogen so she seemed to think I just needed a bit of progesterone to start. Everyone is different though!
Lauren says
Unfortunately I am like your friend. I started taking 50 mg nightly and it most definitely helped with my sleep, but after a few months I was just so apathetic about EVERYTHING. It was nice when little things that used to bother me suddenly didn’t, but my apathy really started to affect my marriage. I had to stop taking it and once I did, I suddenly realized I cared about things again and could feel them fully. So for now I’ll stay off, but I know once I’m fully post-menopausal I’ll need to supplement it to some extent.
I am on a small dose of testosterone and that has definitely made my life much better!!
Brittany Dixon says
So glad you were able to recognize it and switch off it! I’m curious about testosterone. I have a friend micro dosing it and it has helped her so much with afternoon energy levels. What made you try it?
Stacey says
Age 42 over here and I cycle my oral progesterone – 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off – which has really helped regulate my period. I have also noticed a wonderful shift in my mood, along with less mood swings, a more even temper, and having the ability to just let some things go. Before, it was just so overwhelming to always feel the need to be on top of absolutely everything, or my type A mind would go NUTS because the house hadn’t been vacuumed in xyz, but now, meh. I know it will get done, and if it doesn’t by the weird time table I used to place on myself, we will all be a-okay. It’s really come at a great time for me as life has gotten so busy in such a different way with extra-curriculars in the evening. I want/need to be more present with the things that actually matter, and for me, the progesterone has really allowed that side of me to shine, without negatively affecting my mindset.
I also for what it’s worth, take topical testosterone. I used to for a few years, but decided to remove all the extras and then add back in one at a time to see what I was, if anything, benefiting from. I decided this was worth it to me, but have backed down the dose for now. It’s all trial and error, and I have found over time, to make sure I’m listening to my gut feelings and not just always relying on the test results.
Brittany Dixon says
Oh I love what you said about needing to be more present with what matters. I feel that! Like everything was feeling stressful to me and now I have my filter back of what matters and what doesn’t.
What has testosterone been helpful for to you? I have a friend that takes it for energy levels and it’s been really helpful!