Progesterone also seems to have a significant bearing on our moods, producing a calming effect. During pregnancy, progesterone levels soar, reaching levels thirty to fifty times greater than in no pregnant women. That may be why some women say they feel “very serene” during pregnancy, or that they have “never felt better.”

Lynn’s comments on her experience during pregnancy may reflect some of progesterone’s effects: “I couldn’t believe anyone would ever complain about being pregnant. After the first trimester was over, I felt wonderful. My skin and nails looked so healthy, and my attitude about life was great. As far as I was concerned, everything was right with the world.”

Eleven years later, when perimenopausal symptoms of nervousness and irritability started to cast shadows on her normally cheerful outlook, she wished she could have “just one day” of the well-being she felt during her last pregnancy. “I toyed with the idea of having another baby for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was wishing I could feel that good again,” she told me. Lynn’s husband, less nostalgic about the glow of pregnancy and reluctant to readjust his life to care for a newborn again, reacted to her suggestion with shock that was only partially feigned. “His response was ‘Not with me, thank you very much,”‘ Lynn said.

I assured Lynn that pregnancy wasn’t her only option for recapturing the well-being she was missing at 43. “Some women find that supplementing with natural micronized progesterone really eases premenstrual anxiety,” I told her.

When progesterone levels go out of balance during the second half of the menstrual cycle, some women feel their spirits drop premenstrual. This weepy feeling may result from the fact that progesterone levels haven’t risen sufficiently or drop off abruptly during the luteal phase. Another time when progesterone levels fall dramatically is within hours after a woman gives birth. This abrupt hormonal change produces only mild symptoms of depression in some women, while other women feel more acutely depressed after childbirth. In extremely rare cases, women develop postpartum psychosis.

I have found that micronized natural progesterone can be very effective in treating postpartum depression, as well as premenstrual or perimenopausal anxiety. (Micronized means “broken down into very tiny particles.”) There may be a connection between heightened anxiety or even panic attacks and low levels of progesterone. Mary, who had to will herself to “calm down” during the day, may have been feeling the effects of low progesterone.

In the brain, progesterone binds to certain sites where the “antianxiety” brain chemical, GABA, is produced. Progesterone’s effect on the brain is similar to the effect of anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax or Valium, which bind to the same sites. In my clinical and personal experience, I have found that progesterone can be a very effective, noninvasive option for managing symptoms of anxiety. This natural and benign medication (micronized natural progesterone is derived from an extract of yams and soybeans) represents an alternative to other potentially addictive anti-anxiety drugs.

Related posts:

1. The Basics of Perimenopause – The Health Changes When The Mood Is Right

2. The Basics of the Relationship Between Progesterone and Perimenopause

3. The Basics of More PMS During Perimenopause

4. The Basics of Mood Swings During Perimenopause – Anxiety

5. The Basics of Experiencing Anxious Moments From Drugs and Hormones

6. The Basics of the Subtle Connections About Daily-Life Things When Going Through Perimenopause

7. The Basics of Mood Swings During Perimenopause – Depression

8. The Basics of Hormones For Perimenopause – Natural versus Synthetic

9. The Basics of Testosterone for Women for Treatment During Perimenopause

10. The Basics of Perimenopause – language barriers during hormone replacement therapy