All about progesterone: PMS, PMDD, postnatal depression and menopause | The Dr Louise Newson Podcast
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ส.ค. 2023
- Progesterone is a hormone produced after ovulation and dominates the second half of your menstrual cycle. Progesterone balances the effects of oestrogen, supports the body during pregnancy and is known as the relaxing hormone.
But how can progesterone impact your mental health in the run up to periods, after childbirth and during the perimenopause and menopause?
Joining Dr Louise this week is Newson Health GP and Menopause Specialist Dr Hannah Ward, whose interest in the menopause and HRT was ignited following her own hormonal struggles after the birth of her children.
Here, Dr Hannah shares her personal experiences of progesterone treatment, and takes us through the key differences between body identical progesterone and synthetic progestogens.
Gosh, why on earth would people try to silence you, Dr Louise? You are an absolute gem of a woman, and our heroine. x
Dr, Newson 🙏Please discuss more in depth women that suffer severe
PRGESTERONE
INTOLERANCE 😭😭😭.
We LOVE estradiol, but being forced fro take the micronized progesterone the last half of our cycle in HRT is horrific. Please! Please! Please help us. You may save lives to be honest. Progesterone has tortured us our entire lives and we may not have even know it. Taking it in HRT puts us in a very dark place. And some women that have to take it daily may not even know what’s happening.
I totally get where you are coming from. I have just been approved for a hysterectomy because I am so severely progesterone intolerant... A big step and unfortunately many docs wont even consider it. I'd love there to be a study on suicide rates for women who are progesterone intolerant taking hrt. This is NOT to scare others .... But if you are progesterone intolerant you will know just how dark those places during the progesterone phase of hrt van be! I am so looking forward to my hysterectomy.. . A big op, not without risks but .... For some of us it's the only way
Looking back to my you get years (I'm 50 now) I realise that my awful pms was probably pmdd (wasn't a well known term then) and the havoc hormones have wreaked will be wonderful to be eased with hysterectomy.
Hysterectomy means I can safely continue the oestradiol/ estrogen without any progesterone
Really interesting talk - the immediate prescription of SSRIs to any female with any physical symptom the doctor cannot (be bothered to) understand is so lazy and misogynistic and harks back to the concept of hysteria. I am so glad you were able to find and advocate for effective treatment.
I have dealt with pmdd my whole life, reprieve during pregnancy and breastfeeding, struggled with eating disorders since I was 16, just started progesterone only birth control which will be available OTC soon. HUGE difference, I CAN manage my emotions!!!!
We truly love this doctor she is doing worldwide a mission helping us women suffering
God bless her and her family ❤
Thank you both, so much! I suffered with PND and was on SSRI's for a long time, wish I'd have known this 25 years ago!
Me too the SSRI they put me on made me feel much worse so stopped after 48 hours.
This is so sad. Suffering with PMDD and knowing what we need but can't have it 😭 I wish yous were my doctors!
I would love a video on women and after effects of hysterectomy and hormones
Thank you ladies. All the work you do for all of us is so vital. Why are GPS reluctant or prevented to prescribe Testosterone as my GP. Yet a friend in next town was able to get it from her GP. Is there’s a postcode lottery for this hormone
What's fascinating is that some menopause experts, like Dr. Taylor, say progesterone is only for the baby and that we don't need it. And yet here it sounds like a very valuable hormone.
I read your comment before watching the video. This is exactly what I'm researching now. I just started on HRT; transdermal estradiol gel and Mirena. My NP wants me to take micronized progesterone, too. I don't think I need it. In addition, WHI showed estrogen only HRT reduces breast cancer risk. Estrogen plus progesterone increases it. Here's my hypothesis if progesterone is there to reduce the affects of estrogen, we don't need it in menapause because women don't have high levels of estrogen even with HRT.
@janedoe7251 it's a little confusing because in the WHI, from what I believe, the progesterone they used was synthetic, not the micronized biodentical one, and that is why it was problematic.
@@janedoe7251 If you’re not hysterectomized and, therefore, have a womb, you need both hormones - progesterone and estrogen - balanced. Estrogen promotes the growth of the uterine lining and progesterone prevents an excessive proliferation of the endometrium, which could lead to many problems, such as endometriosis.
Progesterone plays many other roles in womens bodies.
If we didn't need it we wouldn't be able to produce it. It's known as the calming hormone. Be careful who you listen too.
@janedoe7251 that's incorrect you need to go listen again. Your comment is shocking. None of what you said is correct. Do more study. !!!
Thank you. I have suffered with severe, resistant depression and anxiety my whole life. It started to recede around the age of 39. A number of other physical symptoms also disappeared. Eventually I was able to stop all medication completely. At the time I was convinced that something hormonal must be going on. I have been menopausal for a year now and recently stopped taking oral HRT after some side effects. Shortly thereafter I woke up severely depressed again after being well for a decade. Now we are trying to figure out how to get my hormones to the right level again. What destroys me is the fact that I suffered my whole life, took every med on the market, had ECT and multiple hospital admissions for what is likely an hormonal imbalance. I wish that it was standard practise in psychiatry to evaluate hormones. We definitely need more research!
Snap! Totally agree with all you say.
I've just ordered two months of Cyclogest pessaries to try online. See if they make any difference.
Thank you so much for this, it’s very informative. I’ve suffered with PMDD for over 30 years and I found your comments about diet very interesting having also suffered from an eating disorder over the same time period.
Can I ask if your eating disorder was to do with loss of appetite and smell sensitivity.? I've really suffered, it was my first peri symptom and I've lost so much weight. I can't force myself to eat.
Oh i wish i could see one of you. I'm so mentally unwell. I have pmdd, adhd and M.E, now Cauda equina syndrome and spinal disease for good measures 😢.
It's took me 5 locum doctors to finally get HRT, i couldn't for love nor money get an appointment with the female gp in my practice. The first locum sent me away and said i was too young (I'm 45!!) The second locum sent me for blood tests which showed i am peri (the fsh numbers?!) He said he would see me back to look at treatment but didnt come back to the surgery. 3 locum i saw said he would have to refer me due to a blood clot which was never actually diagnosed because the hospital forgot about me! (Had suspected P.E after my second spinal surgery as i was immobile and wasnt given blood thinners!) I then got a call to go and see who i thought was the same gp as they got a reply from gynecology. It was a 4th locum who was incredibly arrogant and rude. He was more hung up about me complaining and blaming them if i took HRT then got a blood clot! He said on my head be it 😢. I was so upset and made to feel so small i didnt get to ask any questions.
I picked up my prescription tonight and theres no instructions on how to take it.
Why do they give one size fits all HRT?!? Im so scared as im certain most of my issues with histamine are because of estrogen dominance so putting a patch on will be like adding fuel to the fire! I have high inflammation, itching (ive always had hormonal itching when estrogen is at its highest) joint pain, itching watering eyes, skin flares and my fight or flight is bad, i feel so wired and mega depressed.
I think i need more progesterone not more estrogen.
How do i get an appointment at your clinic? Can i when i live elsewhere?
You can make an appointment with them at Newson health centre doesn’t matter where you live ❤
Progesterone, natural micronized, oral, or troche, or cream 100 mg or 50 mg....causes fatigue and depression, and irritability.. tried it all. I'm 61, having estradiol patch, have a uterus. What to do. So frustrating with the progesterone. May need to stop altogether but want the estrogen. Any suggestions would be helpful....
Thank you, Ladies. Really helpful. Appreciate the time you take.
Thank you! Very interesting again. Keep up the great work 💞
Questions that come to mind: Do estrogen receptors (in the brain) "re-grow" or re-awaken if starting HRT 10 yrs past menopause? And, so if one were to take progesterone rectally, you're effectively multiplying the dose by somewhere around 10x? And, do you have to take progesterone orally in order to get the sleep benefits?--can you experience improved sleep taking P as a suppository? What a puzzle it is to find all these little pieces.
thank you. i am now on hrt and feel a little better every week!
Can you explain why taking natural progesterone could alleviate your symptoms when PMDD is defined as "progesterone hypersensitivity"? Progesterone is thought to be the cause of PMDD, so how is taking more going to help??
she explains it starting at 14:23
For me progesterone is a nightmare! Have tried every regime (incl ones suggested by louise newson clinic). Beyond awful. Physically and.... Mentally. I wonder if theres any studies on suicide and progesterone intolerance ? . Clearly im very intolerant and looking back this is also why i suffered so much with pms in my younger years (i now know it was pmdd but in my day no one had heard of such a thing).
Ive now been approved by a gynaecologist for a total hysterectomy....and look forward to this! As i cannot tolerate the progesterone side of hrt but i do need the oestrogen side.
Wow… I’ve been fighting so hard for progesterone. UK NHS doctors refuse as I’ve had a hysterectomy but my mother and Grandmother both committed suicide at menopause age. Progesterone makes me feel so much more stable mentally. When will the NHS accept this?
Book in with Newson Health if you can afford it - and get what you know you need. It's your right! X
Progesterone for me gave me PMDD and severe depression and I don’t tolerate progesterone but estrogen makes me feel better
@@questioneverything1776did progesterone makes your joints achy? Did your hamstrings ache?
When I take natural bioidentical progesterone I feel depressed. Can you tell what the underlying cause is for people if it makes them feel worse?
I have massive alcohol cravings in the second half of the month. I read that progesterone fall, in which Progesterone attaches to the same neurotransmitters than alcohol and benzodiazepine so it makes sense that I crave alcohol as I am withdrawing from feel good feeling of progesterone. I have aura migraines when I was young so cant take the combined contraceptive. The gyno wants me to go on medical menopause but I haven’t had a hormone test, no tests for thyroid or vitamin, and no conversation about hormone balancing. Feel like the approach is not holistic and a tick box. SSRI - tick. Combined contraceptive - No. ok, now we push you through menopause. It seems extreme
I crave EVERYTHING during that second half of the month.
Dr Wards story Sounds like my journey without the medical degree, we went through the PMS society for help, no internet in those days. Cyclogest was given to me by my GP on my request, but only for 3 months I bloated like crazy on it. It did make me feel better. The post natal depression was horrendous lasted 5 years ! I’m 55 on continuous regime using Oestrogel and utrogestan vaginally still struggling. What do I try next 🤦♀️ my GPs both women are fairly uninformed, its awful. I struggle with sugar cravings lol, was chocolate but anything sweet will do now. 🙄 I seem to be a work in progress as my symptoms are far from settled.
I can’t find info ANYWHERE!!!! I suffered from PMDD all my life but didn’t know what it was until age 47. I have not had hysterectomy. I’m almost 53 years old and haven’t had a period in 2.5 years, but I still have the exact same ups and downs I always did. Everyone says PMDD goes away at menopause, but not in my case! What to do?
Does Dr Newson prescribe only progesterone without oestregan? Doesnt seem to be the norm.
Thank you so much for your video.
So, i am 63 female have had total hysterectomy 4 years ago. When i take oral progesterone its always seems to give me headache and grogginess the next day may be due to different metabolite break downs.
Do you think if i take it lets say rectaly i could avoid these side effect?
Love listening from Hungary❤
No mention of mirena as progesterone, 3 months is ridiculous to wait for something to work. Im 40 on hrt for months not working, actually my pms and heart palpitations are worse. I had mirena 4 days ago on estrogen estradiol gel 2 pumps a day. Im like this since 36 , last 2 years been hell on earth. I really hope this combination works. Only hope i have left.
I was wondering if you prescribe progesteron in a cyclical way or you just give it daily. My gp insists on me taking it 14 days and then stop for 14 days. I would rather keep it constant and take it every day (I also use estrodiol patches). Is there a reason to take progesterone cyclical?
Thank you for what you are doing, hopefully people will become more and more aware!
Can Utrogestan be used vaginally even if we had hysterectomy - no womb? I had similar experience but after hysterectomy and was treated with SSRI (no suspect on hormones 😞) and now after 5 years again the similar episode of high intensity PMS. Again dr with SSRI but I got curious and after few months went to a gin. which diagnosed stoped ovaries function and I started with bio-id. hormones - Lenzetto and Utrogestan orally. Still month after struggle and my gin said never enough of prog. or estrog. and that statement made me change my gin because this did not resonate with me and I got curious further and learnt on estrogen dominance and low progesterone by my own. I took a blood test and see that I had now enough estrogen but the ratio was so low and it resonated with my symptoms. Obviously here I had first low est and prog and estr dominance, while now I have low prog and estr domin. Hope to resonate with my new gin. and find a way out of this disabil. state and later engage to promote education to woman here in my area. There is still so much luck of knowledge in medical specialists area alone. Thank you so much for this video and others you do to help us understand!
I really enjoyed this podcast dr Louise . Peri menopausel lady here 50 years of age , was put on sR i 7 years ago which never helped only watching you I suggested HRT to my GP . Been on HRT 2 1/2 years now on 4 pumps of estrogel but 100 of utrogeston. But am still having very low mood day’s specially around my period time . I may ask my gp can I up my utrogeston I already take it vaginally. If that don’t work then maybe an goin to try testosterone
I’ll be 55 next month. Same thing going on here. That week before my period starts is hell on earth despite taking strongest estradiol patch I can get and oral micronized progesterone. The crash I get before my period is so disruptive, I cannot think. Work or function normally. It all clears up when period starts. I keep a journal and looking back over past two years, it’s the same pattern over and over. I left my my job last year because it was too overwhelming. I do some odd work here and there online now. I am eager to get back to my career, but I don’t dare try because I have no confidence I can navigate the horrible crashes of anxiety and depression right before my period. I cannot find a doc to prescribe testosterone here the states. Best of luck💛
You could use up to 400mg of Progesterone per Dr. Susan Hardwick, check her youtube channel. Talk to your GP and check if increasing your Progesterone intake will help your mood issues. My guess would be yes, especially if you've had PMS or post-natal depression before.
Very interesting. Does the same go for synthetic oestrogen, does it not fit the receptors properly either? Because I'm on the combined pill and still experience a lot of perimenopausal symptoms. And I always wondered if that's possible whilst on the pill, or whether my symptoms have a different cause?
Yes
The receptors are not the issue for Estradiol, it's the dosing. You have to work with your GP and figure out the right dosage and format for you. Oral forms usually need to be higher dosages and would be less reliable as they breakdown differently (into different metabolytes) in the liver for different individuals. That's why a lot of meno specialists prefer patches or gels for Estradiol as it enters your bloodstream as is and has less risks since it bypasses the liver entirely. Talk to your GP about switching to post meno HRT to see if that's right for you.
@@lavanyapogula5779 Oh, great thank you for explaining
My GYN just prescribed me Estrodil PMDD but you say progesterone:/ now im scared to try the estrogen
When taking progesterone, it moves the estrogen and needs Estroblock to assist in some cases.
What is Estroblock?
What is your opinion/experience on using the mirena IUD as the progesterone piece of hrt?
Hi Tracy, from my experience with patients, the mirena IUD could cause increased irritability since the IUD contains a synthetic form of progesterone called levonorgestrel, which acts more like testosterone than progesterone, causing high androgen symptoms
Since the progestin in the Mirena is not systemic and stays within the womb there is no therapeutic benefit. Estrogen is not opposed in the brain therefore you can get symptoms of irritability, anxiety and feel wired because pre menopause our brains would get the right dose of progesterone giving us a calming feel good sensation. This can be achieved by body identical, micronised progesterone, brand name in uk, Utrogestan.
I am post menopausal and cannot seem to tolerate systemic progestins. I was considering an IUD such as Mirena based upon the suggestions of Dr. Taylor and Dr. Hirsch who have said that Mirena is not systemic. However, according to the testing done by Mirena, the clinical pharmacokinetics suggest that it does raise blood serum levels, even more than Climara Pro, for example.
@@kimberlymacy4550 progesterone intolerant too
How much progesterone should you be on of you are on 75 oestrogen? Thanks
100
If taking micronized progesterone cyclically (12 days a month) with the estradiol patch to induce a monthly cycle, will taking progesterone vaginally produce the same effect? I hope some one can answer this
yes. i take it vaginally prescribed by my doctor
I made comment on one of your other vids which I was pro progesterone becus it has changed my life in a good way. It is the first time I can sleep with decades long insomnia and all I did was rub in progesterone cream into my skin about a dime size or more twice a day? After that, I am able to sleep like a baby and rarely even wake up all night long. Not to mention the bountiful energy I have now too. To narrow down or better maybe to say 'isolate' a hormone to only having one function seems really obtuse somehow? So because if a woman who no longer can have children, either post menopause, or without a uterus. doesn't have capacity to bear children then we don't need progesterone? Based on my experience, some of us do need it anytime or any age because evidently I needed progesterone even in my 20s 30s etc etc and suffered these things for nothing because had I known I would have requested hormone therapy in my earlier years, for sure. Thanks for all your doing and best wishes!
I’m from the US so trying to understand the terminology.. when you say “presaries” do you mean oral or vaginal progesterone?
I think she might say pessaries.
@@jennybadl7840what is a pessarie?
Vaginal
I'm 62 and had hysterectomy 5yrs ago. No hormone replacement what can I do? Is Premarin low dose good?
Premarin..is derived from horse estrogen...Please google the way it is manufactured!....So awful :(
Take 17-beta estradiol patch
Does Dr. Hanah Ward say, she´s taken not only P. but also E. ? I think tis dosen´t make sence, because if your are deffidient in progesteron or in other words Estrogendominant, think it dosen´t make any sense to also take estrogen up.Then you will never balance E:P out. And the balance we´re seeking is E: P = 1:200!
I´ve got a question, what if my P. level is really empty (due to high cortisol) so that taking P. chronically still dosen´t stop my body from bleeding (Period after Period) -> which must mean, the P. value will need a much higher dose of. P. to be filled up. In this case , is there still hope for me, that filling up P. will solve my mental problems like beeig lethargic and depressed or is it more likely that the imbalance of Progestron already has cause a dysbalance of Neurotransmitters? And therefore i will need anti depressant to solve the dysbalance?
I wonder do we need estrgen if we still have period? Or oy progesteron?
@@TheAmra66 its very unlikely that you need estragen if you have your period. Maybe if you are suffering from very low Weight/ BMI.
Its a bit sad imo. If you can't tell your life story on the top of your head, and have to read it, scared that you might miss something....just sad
money. depressed women are a lucrative customer base. if you make them well with hormones they get better and stay better. put them on antidepressants and they need more and more ...... and maybe other medications to go with that progression i guess. that's my view anyway, because, why wouldn't a medical profession that cares, care about what works and provide what you need?