Low to high progesterone

[Alexa2013]

I was taking estrogen as part of cyclical HRT but realised that it was causing dominence (and a massive amount of weight gain). I've stopped estrogen but am now just using the utrogestan as 200mg per day. However, it feels like once my own progesterone kicks in on day 14 (ish) I become increasingly anxious and tearful and can barely cope with life. Should I just take progesterone at the start of the cycle rather than the last 2 weeks when some of my own kicks in?

[Lara]

The most common way to take progesterone is only in the second phase of the cycle when progesterone is supposed to kick in but often doesn't. It all depends on your age, whether you've been ovulating regularly and lots of factors but generally my patients start with progesterone ONLY in the 10 days before their period. ie. to relieve premenstrual mood symptoms. But check with your doctor.

[Nicemum50+]

Interesting question. I get terrible digestion and migraines during the follicular part of my cycle (I am aged 51) - going into the luteal phase improves these symptoms making me think the natural increase in progesterone in the luteal phase may be helping? I would love to be able to balance out my follicular phase wrt migraines and digestion - can you advise? Everything I read re menstrual migraines refers to them happening before menstruation which is not the case for me. I feel at my best then!