I really dislike progestins. After I discontinued spironolactone due to side effects (dry and aging skin, bathroom issues, masculinization of face and body), I was put on progesterone (generic Prometrium) as a replacement. Within the first two days, my breasts became tender and grew a little, but that was quickly covered up by general weight gain, much of which went to the abdomen in a male pattern. My face became pointier, too, and my hair thinner. I also became depressed and badly fatigued. I tried the progesterone both with and without estradiol. Clearly, progesterone was not for me. All the side effects stopped when I discontinued the progesterone.
So then, my doctor prescribed medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) as a replacement. It gave me insomnia and intense nightmares. It also had masculinizing side effects on my face and body shape. It, too, caused depression and weight gain, although not as severely as the Prometrium. I have been off it 5 days now and am already doing better. I am so much happier and more feminine on estradiol alone.
Also, unopposed estradiol really has no risks (except for a small increase in the risk of clots in people with pre-existing risk factors, a risk that is not reduced by progestins anyway), so there is no real *need* for progesterone. Estradiol alone is sufficient for feminization.
