Hi Mindfulmoomins - so glad you are finding the forum helpful!
I answered your question about utrogestan - which you already asked on this thread:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,38151.0.html . If there is anything I haven't explained clearly there then do ask again - I do write in a bit of a hurry as just snatching a few moments to catch up!
Not sure about coming out of your system - the prog should clear quite quickly from your system although some of the cellular changes may take a while to reverse - not sure about this. However if you are peri-menopausal then your own hormones will still be fluctuating so there will be times when you still feel down. Hopefully with the help of HRT the dips will be minimsed and together with other strategies you mention (mindfulness) you will be able to ride through it until your hormones eventually stabilise.
Try not to be anxious about taking the utrogestan - did you say you might try it vaginally? Any sdie effects are pretty personal - I do get headaches sometime but so far this cycle ( I'm on about the 7th day of 14) I haven't so it's actually different each time. The main thing is to feel better more of the time while taking HRT than when not taking it - but it is not the all-encompassing miracle cure even though it is amazing! Like you say you need to do other things as well as mindfulness - diet, exercise, sleep, lifestyle etc to put yourself on the right road for all those hopefully healthy years ahead! You are doing the right thing - not boring at all!!
Crying is normal when peri-menopausal - I'm not sure where I said this recently but if you are on the right dose of HRT crying will gradually get less - I cried buckets when peri-menopausal - and wasn't on HRT, and still carried on initially after I'd started because my own hormones were still surging. However this doesn't mean I was deporessed nor anxious nor needing medication for it - my hormones were just affecting me and turning the tap on! Go with it if you can and please don't worry - there is nothing wrong with you ( hopefully) but a bit of hormonal turmoil - which seems enormously debilitating when it's happening - but these things will pass and a new calm and serene you (if that's what you want) will emerge!!
I do hope you feel sufficiently better soon to return to work - because, despite the flushes (until HRT sorted them out) I found that far better than the prospect of lying around the sofa mopping my brow for months to come...but don't go back to work though until you feel up to it.
Wishing you all the best with your new regime
![Smiley :)](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/smiley.gif)
Hurdity x