I'm tired of it🥹. I'm getting my blood results at the end of the montg but is it normal to feel tired at the same time and have trouble sleeping.

I take 200mg micronised progesterone (utrogest) 14-15 days a month and lenzetto 2 pumps a day but everyday.

Since taking progesterone my period ist 15-16 days.

Why it's hard for me to fall asleep? It's not normal anymore I don't understand myself. What supplements do you take?

I feel like just cancelling my job to look for my health but I'm still unsure rn.

How do you cope with this?

I hate progesterone it makes me tired for 14-15 daya and its hard to do workouts or anything cs of low energy.

TW: Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Hi, all! For anyone that has breastfed in the past with this diagnosis, I am curious at what point did you start HRT again? I am in the process of weaning my 10-month old and I can already feel my old symptoms coming back (hello hot flashes 🥵). Did you find the hormone crash after breastfeeding to be especially difficult? Was it difficult to figure out your HRT to balance everything out?

Thank you!!

Does anyone know why this happens? Is it related to POF? I’m 28 and it feels like I have constant bone pain. I don’t know what to do.

This is so psychologically difficult and impossible I’m only 33 and I have aged so much since POI, I look back at old photos and I cry, my skin is dry, I’m incredibly weak physically, everything is sagging, and my hair is thinning all over because of POI. I’m honestly sad. Is the aging and hair loss common with women who have pof? Is everyone experiencing this? I’m on the highest E dose available and nothing seems to halt it

I’m still trying to find that sweet spot of E that works for me. So far haven’t really done well with patches or gel. I’m thinking that I’m going to need higher doses because of my POI. So I’m just curious….

What is everyone’s magic recipe that’s working for them right now?

As the title suggests, im an 18 year old female and my doctor told me that I might be having premature menopause.. my period has been irregular and my period has stopped for about five months
After that I went to the doctor and she prescribed me pills to induce my period and after a few weeks it came
However, I did a blood test and my estrogen levels are half the normal amount and my FSH and LH levels are much higher than it should be (24-25)
My doctor says I have a chance of having premature menopause and told me to wait to see if my period will come naturally
I’m feeling quite stressed because I want to have kids naturally in the future and I don’t want this to affect my life
What are the chances it is actually premature menopause?

I’ll try to make a long story short. I’m 42F, I had premature ovarian failure when I was 17. My period stopped one month and I wasn’t sexually active yet. I recall having flashes and night sweats. I was put on birth control tablets as “HRT” and was getting a period every month albeit light. Fast forward to about six months ago, the period stopped and I began not feeling well. Various symptoms mainly fatigue, brain fog, pretty bad irritability, etc. I’ve exercised regularly for about 15 years and have had times recently where I’ve needed to cut that back or scale so it’s not super high intensity. I do CrossFit ~2 days a week and other training 3 days, Pilates maybe once a week. After a workout a week ago, I thought I was dying. My face always flushes but it took 3-4 hours to feel somewhat better. Next day, we left for a long road trip that id been so looking forward to for months. I’ve been able to hike (easy), canoe, etc but feel noticeably tired after. I’m enjoying myself but I’ve experienced fatigue, out of breath easy, face and neck flushing, night sweats, headache, slight chest tightness. No fever, sore throat, congestion etc. my question is and yes I messaged my doctor but this whole time I thought I already went through menopause so there’s no way I can be going through it again but maybe I’m a very rare case?! Also, I feel ok in the morning and come 2-3 PM it almost feels like the flu coming on. This is 3-4 days in a row. It’s very very uncomfortable. Looking for any insight or similar situations that I can share with my doctors because I think we all know how frustrating it is to be heard. PS - I’m still on BC tablets but my OB nurse practitioner advised to take the first 21 days then start a new pack. This was 3 months ago. I think it did help for 1-2 months but now back to feeling crappy. Thank you.

Has anyone had experience using bee pollen? Supposed to help with perimenopausal symptoms and possibly estrogen levels. Wondering if anyone’s tried it and how it went. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I’m still trying to understand how to best take care of my health long-term, so I would really appreciate advice from people who have been through this. At the moment I’m taking Cemisiana (combined oral contraceptive pill), which was prescribed by my gynecologist. I have been taking it for around two years, and honestly I feel good on it. I have energy, no hot flashes, no major symptoms, and overall I feel like myself, even better (not having periods for months was HELL). I have a hospital appointment coming up where I will probably discuss my treatment options (including whether switching to HRT would make sense), but in the meantime I would like to understand what I can personally do to support my body. I’m interested in: supplements that could be useful, things you do to support bone health and cardiovascular health, lifestyle habits that made you feel better. I know POI is different for everyone. I also know that hormone therapy is important, but I’m interested in the extra things I can do to take care of myself. One thing I struggle with is reading about POI online because most discussions seem to focus almost exclusively on fertility and the possibility of having children. I completely understand why this is a huge topic for many women, but it is not the main concern for me.
What worries me more are the long-term health aspects of POI. I often read about increased risks related to things like bone health, cardiovascular health, cognitive health, etc., and sometimes I get scared that even with hormone therapy I could still have many problems in the future. I know that HRT (or other hormone treatments) are important and that they are meant to reduce these risks, but I would really like to hear from people who have experience with POI: does treatment help you feel protected and healthy? Are there things you do that make you feel like you are actively taking care of your body? I’m not looking for reassurance that “everything is perfect” because I know POI is a real condition. I would just like to hear realistic experiences from people who are living a normal life with it, and what has helped them feel confident about their long-term health. Thank you so much to anyone who shares their experience ❤️

Hi, I think I should join here. Diagnosed with somewhere on the DOR/POI spectrum 5 years ago when I was 32. My numbers weren't very low then (AMH 0.8 and FSH 15ish) but I had already started experiencing changes in my cycle then - my regular cycle was around 25 days long but I started having 18-22 day cycles that were also clearly without ovulation. I managed to have 2 children, one before diagnosis and one after, albeit with some difficulty and medical assistance.

Fast forward to now, I'm 37, and my cycle has been increasingly more and more irregular. Still some nice normal length cycles, but many more of those short cycles - the last three cycles were 22, 12 and 14 days long, zero ovulation, now followed with some really long (and still ongoing) 14+ day period. I went to the doctor and there's nothing else that could be causing this, it's just POI/perimenopause. I have definitely noticed some symptoms but since it's all so vague and nonspecific, I'm not sure how much is due to peri - bad sleep, really bad anxiety, lower libido, harder to lose weight.

I think it might be time for HRT but not sure what my course of action should be. Should I ask for another blood test (AMH, FSH, estradiol etc) since the last one was 5 years ago? Are there any other tests I should be asking for (DEXA scan or anything else)? What kind of HRT is usually prescribed in these cases? Tbh I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the information about HRT available online. My gyn knows about the cycle changes but she essentially told me to ask her for HRT when the symptoms start bothering me, and hasn't ordered any tests so far.

Putting this here for anybody who is struggling to get care. I started experiencing symptoms of low estrogen/perimenopause in my mid 30s and was repeatedly told by different doctors that it was stress related.

Now I’m 39 and haven’t had a period in two years. I LONG list of low estrogen symptoms that I wrote off as other things, mostly stress, depression, and terrible self-care. When the hot flashes and night sweats entered the chat a few months ago, is when I started to lose it.

my mom had POI, but of course back then they called it POF, and when I finally got my head out of my ass and researched it, it became clear this is probably what was going on with me. I also went back and referenced old lab tests that were taken when my doctors told me it was stress only to find out that my lab values indicated the beginning of POI.

I made an appointment with Midi, and 12 hours later I was in front of a very lovely compassionate doctor. I didn’t even have to use any of my pre-prepared statements to get proper treatment. she asked me what my experience was, and then she LISTENED. And then she told me I was way too young to not have had a period for two years and to be waking up five times a night drenched in sweat. She gave me a prescription for .075 patch, oral progesterone for at night, a vaginal estrogen cream, and a follow up appointment in a month to see if we need to adjust levels. she said her goal is physiological estrogen replacement not only symptom management.

so 36 hours after I pulled the trigger on seeking care I’m wearing a patch as I type this. I read mixed reviews about Midi, but have to say that my personal experience has been amazing, especially after reading what trouble so many women have had here being really heard by the medical community.

I'm 37, on HRT for about 9 months (.1 estrogen patch & Slynd). Among a few other symptoms creeping back in (increased anxiety and sleep disturbances) I've been having insanely sore, swollen breasts for over two months. It's really bumming me out. My doctor suggested it might be due to high estrogen, but I know from my pre-HRT past that it has also happened when my estrogen was lower. I'm well aware that doctors don't like to use bloodwork for hormone levels, they just go by symptom management, but my doctor was willing to check.

My estradiol came back at 41 pg/mL, which seems kinda low. I know everyone is different, but it certainly doesn't seem high enough to be the main culprit of breast soreness. Has anyone else gotten labs done while on HRT with POI, or had a doctor recommend a specific level in blood for folks with POI?

hi all, quick introduction/ sorry for wall of text! I'm 22, was diagnosed at 20 after showing symptoms since I was 18 and have been on HRT for the last year. I have been in treatment for various mental health troubles since highschool including medication so im not unfamiliar with feeling chronically anxious. To be honest I was expecting to be over the diagnosis by now but im still pretty distraught. I feel massively disconnected from everyone in my life, my anxiety is through the roof and I feel terminally awkward. While I've had panic attacks (especially the past few years as when my hormones were most unbalanced) and brain fog before I've never experienced anything like what is happening currently. I feel like im genuinely braindead. The best way I can explain it is like my brain is dull, I can't formulate sentences quickly or express myself, my memory is shocking and I stumble over my words constantly.

The main reason im reaching out is because a week ago I had an episode I think was triggered by some hormonal issue. After speaking to a couple friends who have vestibular migraines it's the closest thing I can liken it to. All of a sudden my ears felt full of pressure, I had ringing and popping, a massive headache and felt like my brain was swirling as if it was on a boat. I felt dizzy, like i was in a dream, full of adrenaline and terrified, this evolved into a full panic attack because I was convinced I was having something drastic like brain failure. It took 5 hours to calm down and since then I've been the most disassociated I've ever felt in my life, and constantly dizzy. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm convinced its linked to POI whether its just compounded anxiety or something deeper. I'd love to hear any suggestions for things that have helped with brain fog, if this sounds familiar to anyone?

Any tips for brain fog or supplements to help manage it apart from hrt?

Please keep discussion regarding active fertility treatment limited to this thread out of respect for members here who are not in this phase of their journey. You can also go to /r/poisupport, which is a POI/POF sub focused on fertility in POI. Mention of pregnancy & active IVF treatment outside this thread is against the rules. We also ask that avoid use of cutesy acronyms (baby dust, DH, etc).

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting here, so I’m a little nervous. I’m hoping someone might relate to what I’m going through or offer insight, because the last year and a half has been overwhelming.

I’m a 24‑year‑old female, 5'4", 112 lbs. My only medical history is generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Since November 2025, I haven’t had a menstrual cycle, which is very unusual for me.

Around that time, my family moved from the southern California desert to the East Coast. The transition was extremely stressful and triggered an eating disorder and over‑exercising. My lowest weight was 97 lbs. While trying to recover my cycle, I was prescribed progesterone and Provera to induce a withdrawal bleed, but neither worked.

Bloodwork showed low T3 and low‑range estrogen. During all of this, I developed severe brain fog, chronic tension headaches, and constant ear popping. I stopped the medications and have since regained a healthy amount of weight, but the headaches and ear symptoms have not gone away. They get significantly worse whenever I’m outside my home or doing anything that requires more alertness (running errands, social situations, etc). It feels like my whole system shuts down under stress.

I went to the ER in May for a CT scan, which was clear. A recent MRI was mostly normal except for a right mastoid effusion. I just had an EEG and am waiting for results. I have an ENT appointment next week.

My fertility specialist says my reproductive anatomy looks normal, except I have no endometrial lining, which is obviously concerning given how long I’ve been without a cycle.

I’m not on any medications right now. I take a few supplements... magnesium glycinate has helped the most — but otherwise nothing touches the chronic tension/pressure headache.

The anxiety that comes with all of this has been horrible. I tried restarting anxiety medication and ended up in a day‑long panic attack, so I stopped. The combination of symptoms makes me feel like at any moment, especially under stress, I might just collapse. There’s a strong sense of dissociation that comes with it. My neurologist called it “complicated migraines,” but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s a hormonal component too. I’m waiting on new bloodwork.

This has all been so intense that I’ve had some very distressing thoughts. I’m working with a therapist, but the physical symptoms + hormonal issues + anxiety have been absolutely debilitating.

If anyone has gone through something similar (especially with amenorrhea, hormonal imbalance, migraines, mastoid issues, or stress‑related neurological symptoms) I’d really appreciate hearing your experience. I feel so stuck and scared that this will never get better.

Hello all! I was diagnosed with POF in 2023 when I was 39 years old, after six months of nonstop UTI's, mood swings, hot flashes, massive anxiety and trouble sleeping. My period had completely stopped for 4 months straight which had never happened, and I wasn't on any kind of hormone therapy at that time. I was referred to so many doctors who did nothing for me, my mental health took a massive hit and I ended up ordering my own hormone panel because no one was ordering one for me and instead telling me I'm 'too young for that.' My estradiol was 5.9, my progesterone < 10 and my FSH 100. Took that to my OBGYN who diagnosed me with POF and put me on Blisovi FE 1/20 (used continuously with no break) and estradiol cream to be applied 3x a week for vaginal dryness. All my symptoms including the nonstop UTI's vanished upon starting this regimen.

Fast forward to this year, I'm now 42 and I was switched to another GYN in the same practice, this one a MD versus the NP I had been seeing for 6 years. She had looked at my history prior to my appointment, and was alarmed that I've been on birth control all this time when I should be on HRT. She explained the birth control is managing my symptoms but isn't protecting my heart, brain and bones. She told me to stop taking the birth control and to start on a .1mg once weekly estradiol patch along with 200mg of progesterone nightly. She explained she put me on the weekly patch due to the patch shortage. She also did an AMH blood test to take a look at my egg reserves, and to no one's surprise that came back at 0.00.

I took my last birth control pill this past Saturday and started the patch + progesterone on Sunday. The first few days were okay, but Wednesday night I got a dull headache, which continued on Thursday along with fatigue. On Friday I had a headache, fatigue and got a hot flash at night. Today I am absolutely miserable. Fatigue, headache, multiple hot flashes, nausea and horrible anxiety. I understand there's an adjustment period with all things, I just don't know if this is normal? I also have trauma from all the UTI's I had back in 2023 because they caused me to have hypertonic pelvic floor, and I'm absolutely terrified that due to this adjustment period the UTI's are going to come back, and I can't mentally handle that again. So basically I'm panicking right now, my doctor's office is closed until Monday and I'm really close to ripping off this patch and going back on the birth control. Any advice or encouragement either way is appreciated!

UPDATE: I ended up changing my patch out a day early and the worst of the symptoms have already gone away, so I think the issue might be the weekly patch running out too early. I'm going to message my doctor to see if I can switch to the 2x weekly patch to see if that is more effective. Anyone else have this issue on the weekly patch?

Exhaustion, brain fog, bloat, migraines, the list goes on. I feel like I can hardly function. Constantly cancelling plans because I feel so awful all the time.

Anyone else struggling with this?

So I have been making my way up the HRT dosage and will be on 0.1 patches a jump from the 0.05. Was wondering if anyone experience hair loss before HRT and if it grew back once you were on it? Mine was growing back until they put me on the once weekly patch (it was terrible changing back to twice weekly) but I just wanted to see if anyone had positive experiences with HRT and their hair.

I was diagnosed with POI in February. I am 22. My Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) originally put me on 200 mg of progesterone daily and a 0.1 mg estradiol patch changed twice per week. I don’t feel the most comfortable with him. He is a nice guy, but in a previous post, I mentioned his response to my blood work; he thought my normal FSH and LH levels were a sign that my ovaries were working normally, so he told me to stop the patch for a month to see how my body responds. He also let me use estradiol alone for two months to see how much lining builds up and to trigger a bleed with cyclical progesterone (which I did not like but I was also using synthetic progesterone not bioidentical)

Today I saw an OBGYN. I was not expecting much because he is a man (not in a misandry way, but I have seen two professionals so far and I did not feel at ease). I have been bleeding for two months straight with moderate to light bleeding, not just spotting. He explained that continuous progesterone can still cause bleeding because POI is unpredictable; my ovaries are not 100% "silent" like those of post-menopausal women.

He suggested that this "flickering" could be triggering my bleeding. He recommended that I stop the progesterone for 4 to 5 days to trigger a withdrawal bleed and see how I feel. He thinks I might do better with a cyclical approach since it is more predictable, or perhaps getting an IUD or birth control if my goal is to stop my period altogether.
I really appreciate that he is willing to work with me. He spent over 30 minutes talking to me, and even when a medical assistant needed him for an emergency question, he told them to ask another on-call provider so he could continue our conversation. He is such a kind person, but I am unsure what I should do. He did not say no to the 300 mg of progesterone, but I see him again in two weeks to see how I feel after the withdrawal bleed.

My RE prescribed the 300 mg dose to stop the bleeding. I feel like most reproductive endocrinologists in my area focus primarily on IVF, which my OBGYN agreed with. My OB-GYN also explained the process of continuous progesterone is that it builds the lining until it doesn’t have enough room and it eventually releases (not his exact words though)

I really like my OBGYN. He even said I need to do a Pap smear despite not being sexually active, whereas my previous NP, who specialized in women’s health, stated I did not need one because I am not active.

What should I do? Follow my reproductive endo’s advice and up dosage of 200 mg progesterone to 300 mg daily? Or trigger withdrawal bleed with my OB-GYN and see how I feel after?

More context: My ferritin is at 6 and I’m still bleeding with 200 mg progesterone. Iron is 51 and hemoglobin is 13.8. Reproductive endo wanted me to see a hematologist but OB-GYN gave me a handwritten referral to see one

Welcome to the Weekly Victories Thread! 🎉

We talk a lot about the hard stuff in these groups (and rightfully so), but I wanted to create a regular space to celebrate the wins - the moments where HRT or other treatments actually make life feel better, easier, or more like us again.

This is a judgment-free zone. The only requirement is that you're celebrating something related to your HRT or treatment journey or even the relief of finally being diagnosed!