IfIOnly Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 (edited) My doctor prescribed me progesterone last week. I've had low progesterone in the past and needed it on and off to conceive my first and carry a few of my kiddos past the first trimester. I'm premenopausal, so it's not low due to aging and menopause. The positives are that I'm calmer, like a lot. I *smiled* involuntarily (or at least with little effort as opposed to faking it to I make it) several times since using it and can think a bit clearer. So good stuff. The negatives are really bad acne. Ugh. I've read that this can go away...or not. The other thing is, even though it's a supplement that's SUPPOSED to give you a good night's sleep, which is the reason my doctor prescribed it to me, nope, it's keeping me awake. Has that been a side effect for anyone else? Did it go away? I'm trying to decide if I should keep taking it. Side note: Antidepressants and DHEA and other cortisol treatments all give me the benefits that the progesterone does too. Antidepressants, oh, I could think so clearly and was smiling, laughing, and humming. Happy. But all these hormonal treatments give me insomnia, badly. Even though I'm low via test results. Even in minute doses. Usually the doctors just shrug their shoulders, and noone has offered an opinion about why these things have effected my sleep. My current doctor said that maybe it's liver related and things aren't processing properly or something like that. I can' remember exactly. So it's good to have SOME kind of possible explanation even if it's not why. Edited April 20, 2017 by ifIonlyhadabrain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest2 Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Is this compounded progesterone, or a synthetic progestin? They have very different effects. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 (edited) I've been taking a bio-identical progesterone for about 3 months. I have not had any sleep problems with it, but I also take .5mg of Melatonin many nights (which has actually been more effective than 3mg). The effects I have seen have been positive. It seems to have helped decrease the frequency of certain migraine problems. I think it has maybe caused a slight uptick in ...um...friskiness...or desire for teA. :blush: (But it could just be that since my hysterectomy about 5 months ago that things are better functioning?) Dh and I were already perfectly matched before, so it was a small adjustment. But there haven't really been any complaints. :tongue_smilie: The doctor says that the progesterone does have that effect. Could you apply it in the morning or morning/afternoon if it is a 2x day? Or add a low dose melatonin for a little bit to re-establish the sleep pattern? I would think that maybe it is better to correct a hormonal imbalance than to add in an antidepressant IF the hormonal correction is sufficient to correct the mood issue. I am not in any way anti-antidepressants. If antidepressants work better for mood correction than definitely do that, but all things being equal, I would think it better to correct the hormones first-as naturally as possible. If you are still too low, maybe you need a higher dose of progesterone? However, if you have given the progesterone a sufficient trial run (4-6months?) and the problems persist, then it may be time for another approach. ETA: I should add that I have PCOS and my hormone levels are always wacky. Edited April 20, 2017 by jewellsmommy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertechmom Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 I had to give up any and all caffeine to have a good night sleep and that's with progesterone and melatonin. My morning cup of coffee was causing enough interference to keep me up at night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest2 Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 If it is liver related, you may have better absorption though a topical progesterone. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 (edited) I'd also like to know whether it is compounded bioidentical progesterone or medroxyprogesterone/Provera. Provera does not help my sleep, but compounded bioidentical progesterone (CBP) does. Provera makes me lose weight; CBP does not. Edited April 20, 2017 by trulycrabby 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 I'm not sure what kind. It's a gel cap, 200 my, and the MFG is Teva. It says progesterone one the RX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 If it is liver related, you may have better absorption though a topical progesterone. Good point. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 (edited) I've been taking a bio-identical progesterone for about 3 months. I have not had any sleep problems with it, but I also take .5mg of Melatonin many nights (which has actually been more effective than 3mg). The effects I have seen have been positive. It seems to have helped decrease the frequency of certain migraine problems. I think it has maybe caused a slight uptick in ...um...friskiness...or desire for teA. :blush: (But it could just be that since my hysterectomy about 5 months ago that things are better functioning?) Dh and I were already perfectly matched before, so it was a small adjustment. But there haven't really been any complaints. :tongue_smilie: The doctor says that the progesterone does have that effect. Could you apply it in the morning or morning/afternoon if it is a 2x day? Or add a low dose melatonin for a little bit to re-establish the sleep pattern? I would think that maybe it is better to correct a hormonal imbalance than to add in an antidepressant IF the hormonal correction is sufficient to correct the mood issue. I am not in any way anti-antidepressants. If antidepressants work better for mood correction than definitely do that, but all things being equal, I would think it better to correct the hormones first-as naturally as possible. If you are still too low, maybe you need a higher dose of progesterone? However, if you have given the progesterone a sufficient trial run (4-6months?) and the problems persist, then it may be time for another approach. ETA: I should add that I have PCOS and my hormone levels are always wacky. Thank you! Glad it's helping. I don't think I could go too much longer without decent sleep. Another week at most, but I'm a bit fragile in that regard. :( Eta: I am on sleep meds including melatonin. I should probably try taking it in the morning too. I have tried that with other things and no success but maybe the progesterone will be different. Edited April 20, 2017 by ifIonlyhadabrain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 I am waiting to hear back from my doctor about the insomnia and asked her about trying the cream. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 I should add that I was getting good enough sleep before the progesterone. The reason my doctor wanted me to try it since it helps with sleep is to get me off one of my sleep meds with nasty side effects. She was hoping to swap them out, if that make sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mominco Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 (edited) OP,I just started( April 5th) the CBP and the dr put me on 100mg,omg I did not sleep all night,was itchy and tingly and the next morning had a headache which later became a migraine. I also had shortness of breath and the symptoms except the migraine(had to take 4 advils to get rid off) took a week to wear off. Had to stop the 100 mg and this week she put me on 25 but I still have the symptoms though to a lesser degree. I see her next week. The compounding pharmacy that made it had never had anyone react to it like I did! I hope you find one that works for you!GL *edited a typo Edited April 21, 2017 by mominco 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 OP,I just started( April 5th) the CBP and the dr put me on 100mg,omg I did not sleep all night,was itchy and tingly and the next morning had a headache which later became a migraine. I also had shortness of breath and the symptoms except the migraine(had to take 4 advils to get rid off) took a week to wear off. Had to stop the 100 mg and this week she put me on 25 but I still have the symptoms though to a lesser degree. I see her next week. The compounding pharmacy that made it had never had anyone react to it like I did! I hope you find one that works for you!GL *edited a typo Oh, no. That sounds awful! I hope the lower dose works for you. Maybe there's an allergy to something in the cream? Yikes. My doctor said she'll call in a prescription for some cream for me, if I'd like, but I'm worried it'll be synthetic since it's coming from a pharmacy. I'd like to try the natural cream first though. I'll have to email her and let her know. I'm not optimistic about not having an insomnia side effect regardless, but at least I jumped through the hoops and tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 If you want a cream, Emerita, is a good one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 If you want a cream, Emerita, is a good one. Thanks! Yes, I've used that in pregnancy instead of what my doctor recommended since I since I wanted to go natural. I figured since the provider I'm working with now is an ND that she would prescribe me something natural, but I'm not sure the oral stuff was. We did talk about OCT vs prescription at my last and she said the OTC didn't have close to 200mg so she wanted me to go with an RX. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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