Symptoms of Low Progesterone in Menopause

It is often hard to know the difference between low progesterone, estrogen decline, and testosterone deficiency. On top of that, growth hormone is another chemical messenger that carries many of the same signs as these other hormonal reductions. How is a woman to know what she is dealing with and what the best treatment option for her personal needs will be? In order to discern the symptoms of low progesterone from these other deficiencies, a hormone replacement specialist will run comprehensive blood tests to get a clear view of what is going on in her body.

The same low progesterone symptoms in menopause such as depression, mood changes, weight gain, hot flashes, low sex drive, night sweats, memory loss, and vaginal dryness can be associated with a number of hormone changes. Deciding which treatment will be the best option, along with the proper dosage, should be left up to an expert who focuses his or her practice on treating aging adults with hormone deficiencies.

One woman’s symptoms may be very different from that of her best friend, even though their blood test results might show the same thing. Conversely, two women with very different blood test results may have all of the same symptoms, yet require alternate types of treatment.

This report will try to help you decipher the low progesterone symptoms in women at different stages of menopause, from the first time your menstrual cycle changes up until it has been gone for over a year.

Progesterone Use for Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a time of great change in a woman’s body. Hormone levels become unstable, creating havoc in their wake. The following symptoms of low progesterone levels during perimenopause give light to what is happening at this stage of life:

• Shorter or longer spans between menstrual periods
• Spotting, heavy bleeding, more extended periods of bleeding
• Anxiety attacks, mood swings, depression, crying
• Iron deficiency due to heavy bleeding
• Migraines or unusual headaches
• Weight gain
• Sleep disturbances
• Hot flashes
• Brain drain/brain fog – forgetfulness
• Low libido
• Loss of energy, overwhelming fatigue
• Night sweats
• Bladder or vaginal infections
• Urination when laughing, sneezing, or coughing
• Thinning skin

These low progesterone signs & symptoms may sound a lot like what you would expect with menopause, and that is because the changes associated with menopause can start to occur years earlier – hence the term perimenopause.

Progesterone Use for Menopause

In answer to the question of what are the symptoms of low progesterone when a woman is in full-blown menopause, one only has to review the list in the previous section to realize that this change in life is not going to be fun. Not only are their outward issues to contend with, such as hot flashes, weight gain, and mood swings, but deep inside the body the bones are becoming thinner, and the brain is not functioning as it should. These changes lead to the fears that we will cover in the section below about postmenopause signs and symptoms of low progesterone.

Hormone replacement therapy specialists often prescribe natural progesterone therapy to combat low progesterone symptoms before, during, and long after menopause. This treatment will help balance hormone levels, including the essential testosterone produced through a progesterone conversion process. Yes, women need testosterone as much as men, just not in the same high amount.

The use of progesterone therapy for menopause will help restore vitality, sex drive, energy, positive mood, proper metabolic function, stabilize blood sugar control, and even serve as a natural diuretic. Perhaps the best reason to look into using bioidentical progesterone replacement therapy – it is safe and effective!

Postmenopausal Uses of Progesterone

The biggest concern that doctors have regarding low progesterone level symptoms in postmenopausal women is the long-term damage that can occur. Changes in mental function can lead to memory loss, which can then lead to one of the many forms of dementia. This is a valid fear to address with the HRT specialist.

Symptoms of low progesterone in postmenopausal women can also lead to osteoporosis, breast cancer, strokes, obesity, and other health concerns. Progesterone also  promotes beneficial changes in the following areas:

• Metabolism
• Cellular oxygenation
• Thyroid hormone action
• Blood clotting factors
• Sex drive
• Blood sugar
• Mood
• Mental functions
• Bone density
• Production of corticosteroids and glucocorticoids

At Kingsberg Medical, we provide superior care to women who want to reverse menopausal symptoms & low progesterone levels through safe, bioidentical hormone replacement. Your call to our hormone clinic will be confidential and free of charge.

Brian Leeber