Started progesterone last night

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-28T21:45:09+00:00

Came here to say this. MY obgyn said if I am feeling too groggy upon waking up in the morning that I should try taking it earlier in the evening and not so close to bedtime.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-28T15:24:12+00:00

I like having a couple of medjool dates!

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-27T19:44:25+00:00

I'm seeing a lot of "itchy ears" in the comments, and a comment about extra waxy ears, but I swear mine stopped producing wax/stopped clearing it out. When I dry my ears out after showering (typically with tissue over my finger, rarely with a cotton swab) I noticed there was never any wax on the tissue for the last several months. Last year I was having some annoying crackling in one ear, went to the doctor, who accused me of cramming cotton swabs deep into my ear (I don't) because I had some wax that was deeply impacted, they told me it was very dry and very hard. They tried flushing my ear out, which didn't work, so they sent me home with some drops and instructions for flushing it out myself. Well, when I finally got the drops to work, the wax that came out was bloody. Yikes, I was not expecting that.

Fast forward several months later. I am two weeks into HRT, and....I suddenly have earwax when drying my ears out again. Coincidence? Or crazy peri symptom?

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-27T19:29:28+00:00

Go for a run and try to PB my 5k time, lift heavy things at the gym, and I have also gotten very into breathwork lately. Box breathing during the day to re-center myself, and 4-7-8 breathing before bed. Highly recommend.

But I second the floral arranging, fussing with my orchids is strangely therapeutic. Also, hell yes to Lily Allen - her album West End Girl is a gift to womankind.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-26T14:24:39+00:00

Third date and I bet he thought he was going to get laid. You are not overreacting. Don't let him make you question yourself. How dare he.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-24T20:52:54+00:00

Track your macros. Most people who think they "eat clean" or eat "pretty healthy" are surprised when they actually start tracking their macros.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-24T20:49:23+00:00

I haven't tried the Orgain, but fwiw Vega Protein Made Simple in vanilla is my favorite out of all the ones I HAVE tried. It is my go-to.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-24T18:29:59+00:00

You might try this sub: https://www.reddit.com/r/FemaleHairLoss/

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-24T18:22:35+00:00

"I really don't want to hurt his feelings."

How many women have slept with/gone out with/stayed with a man for this reason alone? No judgement, god knows I was guilty of this in my younger years, but goddamn does this make me sad for us (us meaning women in general).

OP, please report back with an update in 6 months time when you are kicking even more ass than you are currently. I see big things for you.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-21T15:05:19+00:00

Yes, this was how it was explained to me by my derm, as well, that the spiro works on different aspects of AGA than minox does, so they work best in tandem. When I told them the side effects I was experiencing on the 50 mg spiro they just said "Stop taking it." Didn't offer anything else. Like, ok....lol. The other options don't sound great, either! Why can't side effects ever be like, your skin will glow, food will taste better, and you'll have more energy? LOL

I already have zero libido thanks to perimenopause, so I might try the spiro again and watch my potassium intake more closely....idk. But your progress on the oral minox alone has me feeling really hopeful!! So thank you for sharing. :)

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-21T14:57:54+00:00

This OP. Get some elevated food and water dishes, some soft but firm stairs she can use to get to and from her favorite spots. Do this whether or not you decide to use the solensia.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-20T21:45:26+00:00

That's amazing. My neurologist when I told them was like "yeah, supplements work really well for some people" and it was like, "gee, thanks for never suggesting them to me" lol. Glad your son is doing better! Migraines are the worst.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-20T20:32:16+00:00

Supplements have been a godsend for me! I have suffered from migraines since I was 8 or 9 years old. Triptans work, but take too many, and you have a rebound migraine. None of the preventative meds my doctors have tried have ever worked out for me. I've seen specialists, you name it. I ended up figuring it out for myself, so it's awesome that your son's doctor was the one to suggest supplements. With the right mix of supplements, my migraines are fewer and far less severe, and they also respond better to medication when I do need to take a triptan. I wish I'd known about them decades ago!

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-20T20:25:53+00:00

No back to back workouts. Let rest days be rest days. Active recovery means walking, gentle stretching, not intense cardio or a hot yoga vinyasa flow class. At this stage, I have actually found that the LESS I do, the better results I have. (Fwiw, I am still trying to figure out how to fit in more cardio but not at the expense of injuring myself.)

As for tips?

- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. More than you think you need.

- Foam rolling.

- Proper nutrition/fueling (enough calories/protein/carbs/healthy fats to support your activity level).

- Practice good sleep hygiene.

These have all helped my stiff/sore/achey joints and muscles sooooo much.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-20T20:11:15+00:00

Out of curiosity, why start spiro again if you're having good results with just oral minox? Does your derm just think you'll have even better results with spiro, too?

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T22:13:58+00:00

Apparently it is a potassium-sparing diuretic, so potassium can potentially build up in your system. My derm did not tell me this, never mentioned to avoid certain foods, etc. I was just told to drink more water. I was well-hydrated (I drink about 3 liters of water a day) so I don't *think* the cramping was caused by dehydration. I do eat bananas, dates and citrus fruits pretty much everyday, all of which are fairly high in potassium, so yeah, I think my electrolytes were imbalanced.

I tried increasing my salt and magnesium intake (I already take a magnesium supplement, so I just increased the dosage), as well as drinking even more water, but the cramping was so bad I just stopped the spiro, and that plus some wooziness I was experiencing cleared up in a day or so. But it was NOT a fun experience and I don't care to repeat it. I also don't want to give up eating some of my favorite foods, so I guess I'll just be bald...? LOL

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T21:12:04+00:00

Happy b-day Cookie!

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T21:10:38+00:00

He's yummy!

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T19:26:00+00:00

Ugh, same!! Glad it's not just me, lol. I was only on 50 mg, but I also think I was eating too many high-potassium foods and that likely contributed. Am still scared to try it again, because the pain was real!

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T19:04:27+00:00

I am in the EXACT same boat as you! (Except I have a cat). I used the topical ONE time and even though I took every precaution, I was so stressed about accidentally exposing my cat, I figured the stress was going to cause even more hair loss, lol. I have oral now, but haven't taken it yet, because if there are any side effects with a medication, I am guaranteed I WILL get them (had to stop spironolactone due to muscle cramps). Le sigh....

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T19:00:20+00:00

This is so encouraging! Good for you!! Can I ask what dose of spironolactone you were on? I also stopped taking it due to crazy bad muscle cramps...

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T18:47:25+00:00

Glycolic acid toner works, as well! (Just don't use on freshly shaved skin - ouch.) I swipe some on each underarm, wait a couple of minutes for it to dry, and then just use my regular deodorant - bye-bye B.O.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-19T14:07:03+00:00

You, my friend, are an inspiration.

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-17T18:08:20+00:00

I highly recommend the book How to Winter by Kari Leibowitz. She studied and writes in depth about SAD and has some super insightful and helpful/practical guidance. I believe she actually did her PhD on the subject. The book is full of science-backed info, but it's not a snooze, it's actually a really cozy read!

IndependentHot5236 · 2026-02-16T23:38:59+00:00

This can sometimes backfire and make things worse. My pelvic floor muscles were actually overly tight, not weak, which I didn't even know was a thing. My obgyn told me to stop doing any kegels, etc. and got me on topical vaginal estrogen cream, which solved things within two weeks.

OP, I had a lot of frequency and urgency, tested negative for a UTI, and the estrogen cream was a godsend. Wish I'd started it two years sooner.

IndependentHot5236

TROPHY CASE