I wanted to provide information to anyone considering taking bioidentical progesterone.  A few months ago I indicated I was going to try this to see if it would make a difference in my FFA.  For various reasons I believe I have been deficient in this hormone throughout my reproductive years up until current times (I am now 61).   I was diagnosed with FFA in the summer of 2014.

After a number of blood tests a GYN did prescribe micronized progesterone in capsule form, 200 mg, one capsule to be taken at bedtime.   I was told it would probably help me with sleep, although that has never been a problem for me.

A few weeks after starting taking the tablets my sleep actually got worse, I woke early in the morning, feeling anxious, with rapid heartbeat and had difficulty getting back to sleep.  At first I attributed this to a delayed reaction to a death that occurred in my family but then thought about the progesterone. 

I did some research and read that some women experience a "paradoxical" effect, especially when dose is too high.   If you have too much progesterone it can speed up your thyroid function or progesterone can be converted to cortisol, the stress hormone, etc.  A small dose can help while too large a dose will produce an opposite effect.

I talked to the doctor's office and started weaning myself off the capsules and have not taken one in two weeks and am starting to return to my normal sleep cycle.   I will say that during the past month and a half my FFA seemed to be nonactive but that has happened before just naturally.  

I was told there are sublingual drops a person can take which would allow for smaller dosing but for now I'm just going to allow my body to get back to normal hopefully.  I wanted to share the warning about a paradoxical effect in case anyone is considering supplementing with progesterone.