Hi Robyn
I am not one with Utrogestan problems but did want to reply
Yes interesting the pms thing
As I see it, during our menstruating years the pms can sort of be divided into 3 causes ( although they all seem to merge):
1 Reaction to the increase
in progesterone - some women are particularly sensitive to this especially when given artificially
2 Severe reaction to the progesterone itself - the unfortunate few women who are progesterone intolerant. Here I mean more than the "usual" bit of bloating a bit of tiredness etc that progesterone causes in most (?) women - eg anxiety, headaches, irritability, depression amongst other symptoms
3 The reaction to the drop in progesterone - this is what I call "classic pmt" - ie those few days of irritability, tension, headches - used to be called pre-menstrual tension because it came just before the period, until it was recognised that some women are actually "allergic" to prog itself.
I did not suffer the full pms but pmt only - my symptoms all related to the fall in prog and I could actually feel the change. Tension, headaches, tearfulness, irritability, but the prog itself was fine - I was fine during all my preganancies when prog is high too.
That is probably why I am OK on Utrogestan - the bit I was worried about was coming off it - especially as I had bad migraines on Cyclogest (the dose for this prog is very high) - particularly coming off it.
So far I have had no reaction to Utrogestan withdrawal - for the 3 cycles I have used it, and from what you say - you would seem to be a good candidate. I don't think you can compare your reaction to synthetic progestins, with natural progesterone, as the former are artificial, although of course adding the prog even if bio-identical is still an artifical thing to do and unfortunately the way it is given does not mimic the natural cycle ie we are just given a dose to take for 10 -14 days, so no wonder some women are crawling on the ceiling!
Several of the women who have had problems are actually intolerant to most prog so are v unlucky.
Will give you more details by pm
Hope this helps!
Hurdity x