Just a little heads up from me too. If you happen to have mood issues with your peri/meno watch the progesterone. I went to a hormone specialist ( in Canada they call them anti-aging specialists which I hate). He advised me that in early peri progesterone drops more quickly than estrogen ( decreased ovulation and crappier eggs = less progesterone) and higher spikes of estrogen= lots of bleeding/anxiety etc.
Prescribed topical micronized progesterone. First few days was OK other than EXTREMELY painful breasts. He reduced dosage to every other day to help with the breast pain, and advised only stopping the cream when actual period started. Mood started to get a little wonky after about 5 days, then started period and stopped progesterone. LOST MY FREAKING MIND for 24-48 hours after stopping the progesterone. Seriously thought I was going to need to be hospitalized for psychological reasons.
I had a LOT of symptoms like this a couple of years ago when I got hit with the perimenopausal 2X4. I now realize that the symptoms then ( which were the exact same as coming off the progesterone this time) were likely a result of my dropping progesterone levels.
So can topical progesterone help- almost certainly with bleeding issues, but use much caution if your mood has been iffy. I will never mess with it again.
So in perimenopause many of the mood symptoms etc. may partially be explained by progesterone withrdrawal, and not just low estrogen.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22789402