Thinking of adding progesterone

[RobynD]

Hi All - I am generally happy with my HRT thus far, but i have thought about adding progesterone and talked to my doc about it. She said that it would be fine to do that and that she could prescribe it, or i could buy an over the counter cream.

My pharmacy had no idea what that was, there was nothing OTC. Only noting that with a prescription, they could mix something up.

Have you ever heard or used such OTC creams? I see them on the internet but how do you know they are pure, properly dosed, safe etc.? Is it the safer bio-identical stuff?

My main thoughts on adding it that i wonder if my areolas would become darker (other females in my family are/were darker than me). Also I'm not sure if my breasts are conical or not. To me they look fine, but the thought of adding progesterone to make them look even better sounds interesting.

Finally does Progesterone effect body hair thinning at all? Mine is really thinning and slowing down and i don't want anything to counteract that.

Thanks for your insight.

Robyn

[DAWN MID GIRL]

Hi RobynD, interesting IV been thinking about trying it gust to see if it does anything.

BY FOR NOW

[Laura_7]

This could help you:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,165210.msg1435988.html#msg1435988

You might think about bioidentical progesterone internally, or as implant. There are also Proluton-Depot shots.
As implant it might be necessary to implant intramuscular to prevent extrusion.

Many people said bioidentical progesterone applied internally was helpful with form, less conical and more full and rounded.
And there are studies showing that for a full developed tissue the presence of progesterone is necessary.


*hugs*

[Georgie_V]

Hi all,
I have been on Progesterone (Provera) for a while and was somewhat sceptical whether it was effective in my transition. The positives I have noticed are slight breast growth, areola and nipple feminization. Some pleasant sensitivity there also. Also noticed a change in body fat distribution. The negatives were the body fat distribution with an alarming amount of weight gain plus food cravings. To keep things under control I had to make changes to my lifestyle involving more exercise and diet, eating healthy and avoiding all the foods we love (easier said than done). The jury is still out whether taking Progesterone is worth the effort. We are all different and your results could possibly be much better. Give it a try but beware of the cravings and weight gain. Good luck!



*No Dosages Please*

[Laura_7]

Hi all,
I have been on Progesterone (Provera) for a while

Well careful ... I was talking about bioidentical progesterone.
The sort you mentioned is not bioidentical. Some people reported deep depressions and the effects are not the same .


*hugs*

[V M]

Hi Georgie 

Welcome to Susan's    Glad to have you here, join on in the fun

Please remember that dosage amounts are not permitted

8. The discussion of hormone replacement therapy(HRT) and it's medications are permitted, with the following limitations:

    A. You may not advocate for or against a specific medication or combinations of medication for personal gain. This is strictly prohibited.
    B. You may not discuss the means to acquire HRT medications without a prescription. The discussion of self medication without a doctor's supervision is prohibited.
    C. The posting of recommended, or actual dosages, is strongly discouraged to prevent information obtained on this site from being used to self medicate.
     

We cannot in good conscience condone the self administering of these medications. Not only may self medication be illegal, but HRT medications can cause serious health problems, and many have the potential for life-threatening side effects that can only be detected and prevented with proper medical supervision.

Here's a few quick links to help you along

Please be sure to review

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	News posting & quoting guidelines	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

Hugs

V M

[KayXo]

Hi All - I am generally happy with my HRT thus far, but i have thought about adding progesterone and talked to my doc about it. She said that it would be fine to do that and that she could prescribe it, or i could buy an over the counter cream.

My pharmacy had no idea what that was, there was nothing OTC. Only noting that with a prescription, they could mix something up.

Have you ever heard or used such OTC creams? I see them on the internet but how do you know they are pure, properly dosed, safe etc.?

I'm surprised she advised OTC as this is not potent enough to do anything useful for the body.

My main thoughts on adding it that i wonder if my areolas would become darker (other females in my family are/were darker than me). Also I'm not sure if my breasts are conical or not. To me they look fine, but the thought of adding progesterone to make them look even better sounds interesting.

It can help breasts round out but some report rounding of breasts even without progesterone, over time. Not sure which of the two, estrogen or progesterone, affected most my areola pigmentation and size but I would speculate and say estrogen is more likely to cause areola to darken as it is known to increase pigmentation  (stimulates melanocytes) in the skin.

Finally does Progesterone effect body hair thinning at all? Mine is really thinning and slowing down and i don't want anything to counteract that.

Progesterone is NOT androgenic, does not trigger androgen receptors or increase androgen levels. I take a high dose orally and have seen continued thinning of body hair and recently more scalp hairs sprouting. My testosterone levels are the lowest they've ever been, low to undetectable. Other progestogens may have androgenic effects, beware.

You might think about bioidentical progesterone internally, or as implant.

I haven't heard of progesterone offered as an implant for humans. Estrogen, yes but never progesterone.

There are also Proluton-Depot shots.

Also appears quite good and safe but it contains 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate, not progesterone.

I have been on Progesterone (Provera) for a while

As Laura mentions, this is not progesterone but another progestogen called medroxyprogesterone acetate, associated with increased breast cancer incidence, mood problems, androgenic effects, opposing estrogen's favorable vascular effects, increasing the risk of clotting. As opposed to bio-identical progesterone which more favorably impacts the brain and the body.

The negatives were the body fat distribution with an alarming amount of weight gain plus food cravings.

This can be a side-effect of bio-identical progesterone as well.

[Laura_7]

I haven't heard of progesterone offered as an implant for humans. Estrogen, yes but never progesterone.

Here is a link to sources:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,192044.msg1713877.html#msg1713877

Bioidentical progesterone.pellets are more given to extrusions than estrogen pellets.
One remedy is intramuscular implantation.


*hugs*

[RobynD]

Thanks everyone. I think i will go with her offer to add bioidentical progesterone, which as i understand it is oral capsules with the hormone micronized in oil.

She also wants to increase my spiro dosage because my t-levels crept up just a bit, which sounds fine. I don't feel like anything has slowed feminization wise, but i do notice a slight increase in libido.

[Laura_7]

Thanks everyone. I think i will go with her offer to add bioidentical progesterone, which as i understand it is oral capsules with the hormone micronized in oil.

She also wants to increase my spiro dosage because my t-levels crept up just a bit, which sounds fine. I don't feel like anything has slowed feminization wise, but i do notice a slight increase in libido.

There is also Proluton-Depot as shots (others I would not use).


*hugs*

[KayXo]

Dydrogesterone (Duphaston) appears to be quite safe as well.

Prz Menopauzalny. 2014 Oct;13(5):267-72

"Micronized progesterone and pregnanes, including dydrogesterone, have no effect on the risk of VTE"

"Among hormonal preparations which are commercially available in Poland, the combination of transdermal estradiol with oral dydrogesterone appears to be the optimum choice, as it does not elevate the risk of VTE (compared to patients not using MHT), and dydrogesterone seems to be the progestagen of choice."

(I realize Poland is not the US but just saying)

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2014 Jun;145(2):535-43.

"Among short-term users, only those currently using estrogens associated with a progestagen other than progesterone/dydrogesterone had a significantly elevated breast cancer risk (HR 1.70, 95 % CI 1.50-1.91, compared with never users)."

Climacteric. 2009 Dec;12(6):514-24.

"Use of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been associated with an elevated risk of gynecological cancers. There is evidence that the effect differs with the type of hormone used. Dydrogesterone is pharmacologically very similar to progesterone."

"We assessed and compared the risk of developing breast, ovarian, endometrial/uterine or cervical cancer in estradiol/dydrogesterone (E/D) users, users of other HRT, or non-users of HRT."

"This study provides evidence that the risk of developing gynecological cancers with E/D use of several months to a few years is similar to the risks of developing gynecological cancer without HRT or use of other HRT."