Progesterone Intolerance: What Happened After I Stopped HRT

Progesterone intolerance led me to make the difficult decision to stop HRT. Several months later, I’m sharing what has improved, which menopause symptoms have returned, the natural approaches I’m trying and the medical support I’m exploring for my long-term health.

I shared previously how I began questioning whether progesterone intolerance could be behind some of the symptoms I was experiencing on HRT. In my earlier article, Progesterone Intolerance Symptoms: Why I Started Questioning My HRT, I talked in more detail about the symptoms I was experiencing and what led me to question my HRT. Eventually, after discussing everything with my GP, I made the decision to have my Mirena coil removed and stop HRT completely.

That wasn’t an easy decision. I went through an early menopause at around 32, so I’m very aware that HRT isn’t only about controlling symptoms for me. There are longer-term considerations too, particularly around bone and cardiovascular health.

But I also had to consider how I actually felt day to day. The headaches and migraines, severe bloating, swelling and general tenderness throughout my body had reached a point where I simply didn’t feel well. Several months on, I feel noticeably different.

Not everything has disappeared, and stopping HRT has brought its own challenges. Hot flushes returned, anxiety became particularly difficult for a while and sleep has been something I’ve had to work on. I’m also still dealing with significant physical tiredness, which is currently being investigated separately.

So this isn’t an article about why women should stop HRT, or about having found the perfect natural alternative. It’s simply the next part of my own experience – what has changed since stopping, what seems to be helping me manage my menopause symptoms, and what I’m currently exploring with my doctors for the future.

What Changed After I Stopped HRT?

One of the biggest changes I noticed after stopping HRT was how quickly my daily headaches disappeared. Before having my Mirena removed, headaches had become an almost constant part of my life and I was also experiencing migraines with aura much more regularly. Since stopping, the daily headaches have gone and the migraines have become much less frequent.

Another change has been the amount of bloating and swelling I was experiencing. Previously, severe stomach bloating was an almost daily occurrence. I do still get bloated occasionally, but it now seems much more connected to my IBS and particular foods rather than something I experience every day.

It isn’t just my stomach either. Looking back at photographs, I’ve realised just how much less swollen my face looks now. My hands and feet are noticeably less puffy too. My weight initially dropped by around 4-5 lb and hasn’t fallen any further, but it has stayed lower. Visually, I actually feel as though my body has changed more than the number on the scales would suggest, simply because I don’t feel as swollen all over.

Something else I hadn’t fully appreciated at the time was how physically tender my body had become. Even fairly light pressure could make me feel sore and bruised all over. That general tenderness has now largely disappeared too.

Of course, I can’t say with certainty that every one of these changes happened because I stopped HRT, or that progesterone intolerance was responsible for every symptom I experienced. There are lots of things that can influence how we feel. But when I compare how I feel now with how I felt before having the Mirena removed, the overall difference for me has been significant.

And while some things have improved, other menopause symptoms returned once I stopped HRT – particularly hot flushes, anxiety and problems with sleep. Those have become the next things I’ve been learning how to manage.

Managing the Symptoms That Came Back

Although I felt significantly better in some ways after stopping HRT, it wasn’t a case of simply stopping and feeling great. Some of the menopause symptoms that HRT had been helping to control gradually started to return, particularly hot flushes, anxiety and disrupted sleep.

The anxiety was probably the hardest of these for me. It wasn’t necessarily anxiety about anything in particular. It felt very physical – a sudden feeling of dread, tightness in my chest and that horrible dropping sensation in my stomach. It was often worse at night or first thing in the morning and, at its worst, it became incredibly difficult to live with.

Thankfully, that has improved considerably. I still occasionally feel it creeping back in – I’ve had a couple of nights recently where I’ve struggled to fall asleep and felt a sudden rush of anxiety just as I’ve started drifting off – but it’s nothing like the level I was experiencing before.

I’ve continued having acupuncture roughly every two to three weeks, which I personally feel has helped with my symptoms. I’ve also found yoga, walking and meditation particularly useful for the anxiety. Sometimes the hardest part was actually making myself do those things when I felt anxious, but even if the relief only lasted for the duration of a walk or yoga class, having that break from the feeling was incredibly valuable.

My hot flushes haven’t disappeared either, but they have become much more manageable. I’ve been experimenting with different approaches, including wild yam cream, sage and red clover, alongside the lifestyle changes I’m making. I can’t tell you that one particular thing is responsible for the improvement, and I’m still experimenting, but for me the aim at the moment isn’t necessarily to eliminate every menopause symptom. It’s finding ways to make them manageable enough that they don’t dominate my day.

I’m also continuing to research other approaches for hot flushes and sleep. There are a few herbs and lifestyle strategies I’ve recently been reading about that I haven’t tried yet, and rather than changing lots of things at once, I want to explore them gradually and document what I genuinely find useful. I’ll continue updating these articles as I learn more.

What I’m Trying Alongside Medical Support

Since stopping HRT, I’ve spent a lot of time researching other ways of supporting myself through menopause. I’ve been trying to approach this with an open mind. I’m interested in natural options, but I also want to understand what the evidence says and continue having the appropriate medical support alongside them.

One of the things I’m currently using is wild yam cream, which I started shortly after stopping HRT. I’ve also been taking sage and red clover. My hot flushes have become much less intense and more manageable over time, although because I’ve made several changes, I can’t say whether one particular thing has made the difference.

I’ve also been taking creatine for quite a while now, and this is one supplement where I have personally noticed a difference. For me, the biggest change has been with brain fog and feeling more mentally alert. Creatine is something I’m planning to write about separately because there’s a lot more to explore around its potential benefits for women, particularly as we get older. I do think quality matters when choosing supplements, so I personally buy mine from British Supplements and always look carefully at what I’m actually buying rather than simply choosing the cheapest option.

At night, I take magnesium and ashwagandha as part of my evening routine. I use these more to support relaxation and sleep rather than specifically for menopause symptoms. Sleep can have such a knock-on effect on how I feel the following day, so anything that helps me wind down in the evening has become an important part of my routine.

I’ve also realised that sometimes it’s the really simple things that make a difference. I bought a small handheld fan that I keep nearby for hot flushes. Obviously it doesn’t prevent them, but when one suddenly hits and I’m trying to work, concentrate or have a conversation, having something that gives immediate relief makes it much easier to deal with. It also stops me becoming quite so flustered by the feeling while I wait for it to pass.

Food and How I’m Eating

Diet is another area I’m continuing to learn about. I’m not following a specific ‘menopause diet’, but I’m becoming much more conscious of how what I eat affects my energy, digestion and how I feel generally.

Recently, I’ve been particularly focused on increasing my protein and fibre and changing the way I start my day. I’ve been experimenting with a lower-sugar, higher-protein breakfast, often a protein smoothie, and so far I’ve found that it seems to suit my digestion and leaves me feeling better through the morning.

I’m still experimenting with this, so I don’t want to make big claims about what it’s doing. But it’s another example of the small changes I’m making and paying attention to how my body responds. I’ve written separately about why I’m focusing on a higher-protein breakfast for women over 40, so I’ll link to that here rather than go into all the detail again.

I’m also currently working my way through The New Natural Alternatives to HRT by Marilyn Glenville and researching some of the suggestions that are new to me. There are a few things I’m interested in exploring further, particularly for hot flushes and sleep. Rather than introducing lots of new things at once, I’d like to try them gradually so I have a better idea of what, if anything, actually helps.

This is very much an ongoing experiment for me. Something being described as ‘natural’ doesn’t automatically mean it will be effective or suitable for everyone, so I still like to research anything I’m considering before trying it.

I’ll come back and update this article as I try different approaches, particularly if I find something that makes a noticeable difference. My hope is that documenting the process honestly – including the things that don’t help – might be useful to somebody else trying to work out what works for them.

The Medical Side I’m Still Exploring

Although I currently feel much better off HRT, I haven’t made the decision to simply stop it and forget about the medical side of things. Because I went through menopause unusually early, at around 32, my long-term health is an important part of the conversation too.

I recently spoke to my GP again and explained how much better I feel since stopping HRT. She understandably still has concerns about me being without oestrogen at my age, but she also understood why, after everything I experienced, I’m reluctant to go back to something that had such an impact on my quality of life.

For me, that’s probably the hardest part of all of this. I understand why HRT is recommended after an early menopause and why there are longer-term considerations, particularly around bone health. But I also have to consider how I actually feel every day. At the moment, the difference in my quality of life since stopping HRT is significant enough that I don’t feel comfortable simply returning to what I was doing before.

My GP has now referred me to gynaecology so that I can discuss my situation in more detail and explore what other options might be available. I don’t know what that conversation will lead to yet, but I’ll update this article once I’ve had the appointment.

I’ve also asked my GP about having a DEXA scan to assess my bone density. Because of my early menopause and the fact that I’m currently not taking HRT, I wanted to have a clearer picture of where my bone health actually stands now rather than simply wondering about it. My GP agreed that it was worth assessing and has submitted the referral, so I’m currently waiting for that too.

If you’ve experienced an early or premature menopause and your bone health hasn’t been assessed, I think it’s worth having a conversation with your GP about your individual risk and whether a bone-density assessment might be appropriate for you.

I’m also having a full set of blood tests because one symptom that hasn’t resolved is the physical exhaustion I’ve been experiencing. I’m not assuming that this is connected to progesterone intolerance or stopping HRT. There could be other things going on, and my previous B12 results are one of the things I want to investigate further.

So for now, I’m trying to hold both sides of this at once: listening to the very noticeable improvements I’ve experienced since stopping HRT, while also taking the long-term health implications of early menopause seriously. I don’t have the final answer yet, and that’s really the point of sharing this as an ongoing story rather than pretending that I do.

What Has Helped Me Most With Anxiety

I don’t think the answer is necessarily to try every possible thing at once. For me, it has been about finding the things that give me some relief and returning to them consistently. If you’re struggling with menopause-related anxiety, that might be walking, yoga, breathing exercises or meditation, but it could equally be reading a book, doing something creative, drawing or painting, listening to music or simply getting outside. The important thing is finding something that helps your mind and body feel a little calmer.

I’ve also used guided meditations, including walking meditations, which can be helpful if sitting still and trying to meditate feels impossible when you’re anxious. Apps such as Calm have lots of different guided options, so you can experiment and find something that suits you rather than feeling that meditation has to mean sitting silently for half an hour.

And if all you get at first is ten minutes where that horrible anxious feeling quietens down, I don’t think that’s insignificant. When I was struggling most, those little pockets of feeling calmer mattered enormously.

It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to manage severe or persistent anxiety on your own. If it’s becoming difficult to cope with or affecting your everyday life, speak to your GP about the support available. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and other talking therapies can help with anxiety, and in England you can also self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies without needing to go through your GP. The NHS also has free self-help CBT resources through Every Mind Matters.

Helpful resources for anxiety

What I’m Still Trying to Understand About the Tiredness

One thing that hasn’t really improved is the physical exhaustion I’ve been experiencing. I can feel incredibly tired from fairly ordinary things, and sometimes my muscles feel as though they’ve worked much harder than they actually have.

At the moment, I don’t want to automatically put this down to menopause, progesterone intolerance or stopping HRT. It’s tempting when you’re going through menopause to connect every symptom back to hormones, but there can be lots of reasons for persistent fatigue and I think it’s important that I investigate mine properly.

I’ve previously had blood tests that raised a question around my B12 levels, so after speaking to my GP recently, I’m having a full set of blood tests to look into the tiredness further. I’m interested to see whether anything shows up that might help explain why this particular symptom has persisted even though so many of the other things I was struggling with have improved.

In the meantime, I’m trying to work with my energy rather than constantly pushing against it. I’m still walking, doing yoga and trying to incorporate strength training, but I’m also becoming better at recognising when my body genuinely needs rest.

Sleep is obviously another piece of the puzzle, and I’ve been working on improving mine because I know how much poor sleep can affect energy levels the following day. I’ve written separately about some of the things I’ve been trying to improve my sleep during menopause, so I’ll link to that article here. But even when I feel I’ve slept reasonably well, the physical tiredness is still there, which is one of the reasons I feel it’s important to investigate whether something else could be contributing to it.

For me, this is another reminder that not everything necessarily has one explanation. Coming off HRT has helped me enormously in some areas, but that doesn’t mean every symptom I experience now is hormonal – and sometimes it’s worth looking a little wider.

Where I Am With HRT Now

At the moment, I don’t have any plans to restart HRT. That isn’t because I’ve suddenly decided that HRT is bad or that I would never consider it again. It’s simply because, right now, I feel considerably better without it.

HRT helped me enormously when I first needed it. It helped with the extreme anxiety, hot flushes and sense of overwhelm I was experiencing, and I completely understand why it continues to be the right choice for so many women. My experience doesn’t change that.

But over time, the balance changed for me. The headaches and migraines, bloating, swelling, tenderness and other symptoms were having such an impact on my everyday life that I reached a point where my quality of life had to become part of the decision too.

Because I experienced menopause so young, I also can’t ignore the longer-term health considerations. That’s why I’m continuing these conversations with my GP, waiting for my gynaecology referral and DEXA scan, and investigating the tiredness. I don’t see stopping HRT as one final decision that can never be revisited.

For now, I’m comfortable continuing as I am. I’m paying attention to how I feel, continuing with the things that seem to help and keeping an open mind about what might be right for me in the future. I don’t know what my blood tests, DEXA scan or gynaecology appointment will bring, but I’ll keep sharing what I learn as this part of my story develops.

If You’re Questioning Your Own HRT

If you’re reading this because you’re struggling with HRT yourself, I think the most important thing I can say is that your experience deserves to be taken seriously. HRT can be hugely beneficial, but finding the right type and combination isn’t always straightforward, particularly if you seem to be sensitive to progesterone or progestogens.

I wouldn’t suggest stopping HRT based on somebody else’s experience, including mine. My decision came after a long period of trying different options and discussing what I was experiencing with my GP. If something doesn’t feel right for you, speak to your GP or menopause specialist and explain exactly what has changed and how those symptoms are affecting your everyday life.

It can also be helpful to keep a simple record of your symptoms. Looking back, some of my changes happened so gradually that I hadn’t fully appreciated how different I felt. Keeping track of headaches, migraines, bloating, anxiety, sleep, hot flushes or anything else you’re experiencing can give you something much more concrete to discuss at an appointment.

And if you’ve experienced an early or premature menopause like me, I’d also ask about the longer-term picture. For me, that has meant discussing bone health, requesting a DEXA scan and accepting a referral to gynaecology so that I can properly explore my options rather than making decisions based on symptoms alone.

There doesn’t necessarily have to be a perfect answer immediately. I’m still working mine out. If you’re going through something similar, I hope sharing my experience encourages you to ask questions, pay attention to how you feel and keep looking for the support and approach that’s right for you.

Sources & Further Reading

Frankie

I’m Frankie, the founder of Her Hormone Health. I share what’s helped me on my journey with hormone balance, wellness, and natural living — from nourishing recipes to everyday swaps. My goal is to help other women feel their best through small, sustainable changes that actually make a difference.