This article describes progesterone oral capsule’s dosages and strengths and gives details on how to take it. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for progesterone. If you want to know more about progesterone oral capsule, see this overview article. It covers details about the drug’s uses, side effects, and more.

Progesterone oral capsule is a generic version of the brand-name drug Prometrium. Progesterone also comes in an injectable form, but that form isn’t described in this article. To learn more about that form, talk with your doctor.

Boxed warnings

This drug has boxed warnings about the following risks. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems
risk of dementia
risk of breast cancer

See the end of this article for more information about these boxed warnings.

Need a diagnosis or prescription quickly? For certain health conditions, Optum Perks offers personalized on-demand care with no appointment required. For $25, answer a few questions online and receive a diagnosis and treatment plan from a board certified healthcare professional in 15 minutes or less. Get started here.

Form and strengths of progesterone

Progesterone oral capsule comes as follows:

Form: a capsule that you swallow
Strengths: 100 milligrams (mg), 200 mg

Dosage of progesterone

This article describes the recommended dosages for progesterone oral capsule. The drugmaker provides these dosages.

If your doctor prescribes this medication, you should follow the dosage they prescribe. Your doctor will determine the dosage that best meets your needs. Do not change your dosage of progesterone oral capsule without your doctor’s recommendation.

Usual recommended dosages of progesterone in adults

The table below shows recommended dosages of progesterone oral capsule for its approved conditions. The dosages are in milligrams (mg).

Purpose	Recommended dosage
prevent endometrial hyperplasia during menopause while taking estrogen*	200 mg once per day for 12 days, then repeat this dosage every 28 days
treat secondary amenorrhea	400 mg once per day for 10 days

* Estrogen is a naturally occurring hormone.

Missed dose of progesterone

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist right away if you realize you forgot to take a dose of progesterone oral capsule. They may advise you to take the missed dose. Or they may advise you to skip it and take your next dose as scheduled.

For tips on how to plan your doses of progesterone oral capsule and avoid missing a dose, read this article. You could also try:

downloading a reminder app on your phone
setting an alarm
putting a note where you’ll see it, such as on your calendar, bathroom mirror, or bedside table

Frequently asked questions

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about progesterone oral capsule and its dosage.

Can progesterone be taken for HRT, to treat infertility, or to prevent pregnancy loss? If so, what’s the dosage?

Progesterone oral tablet is not approved by the FDA for these purposes or conditions. But doctors sometimes prescribe medications off-label. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved to treat or help prevent.

Because of progesterone’s effects on the uterus, doctors might prescribe it for certain purposes. These could be to stop bleeding, treat infertility, prevent pregnancy loss (miscarriage), or as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If you have questions about taking progesterone for one of these conditions, talk with your doctor.

Does progesterone have a twice-per-day dosage?

Progesterone is approved to be taken once per day for a specific number of days. But some doctors prescribe progesterone oral capsule for an off-label use, such as infertility. This means they prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved to treat or help prevent. In this case, they might instruct you to take it twice per day.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about how often you should take your progesterone dose.

Is progesterone taken long term?

It depends on the condition progesterone oral capsule is being used for. Doctors may prescribe it long term for the prevention of endometrial hyperplasia (abnormal growth of the lining of the uterus) if they determine it’s safe for you. But they’ll prescribe it short term for the treatment of secondary amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods for at least 3 months).

If you have questions about how long you should take progesterone oral capsule, talk with your doctor.

What is progesterone’s recommended dosage for sleep?

Progesterone is not approved for treating sleep problems. So the drugmaker does not provide progesterone dosage recommendations for this purpose.

However, it’s thought that progesterone may help improve sleep in females who have gone through menopause. So doctors may prescribe progesterone off-label for this use. This means they prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved to treat or help prevent.

If your doctor suggests you try progesterone for sleep problems, they’ll prescribe the dosage that’s best for you.

Note: Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the term “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.

How progesterone is taken

You’ll swallow progesterone oral capsule once per day, with or without food. Do not crush, chew, or split the tablets.

Your doctor may advise that you take this medication at bedtime each day. This helps keep a consistent amount of the drug in your body. And that can help the drug work more effectively.

If it’s hard for you to swallow capsules, view this article. It provides suggestions on how to swallow medications that come in pill form.

Also, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re having difficulty taking your medication. They can offer recommendations about taking it.

Progesterone coupon

Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for progesterone when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on some prescription medications.

Overdose of progesterone

It’s important that you do not take more progesterone oral capsule than your doctor prescribes. Doing so can lead to harmful effects.

What to do if you take too much progesterone

If you think you’ve taken too much progesterone, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes the usual recommended dosages for progesterone oral capsule. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they’ll determine the dosage that’s best for you.

Do not change your dosage of progesterone oral capsule without your doctor’s recommendation. You should take progesterone oral capsule exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about your treatment plan.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

Will you change my dosage of progesterone oral capsule if it’s not working for my condition?
Will my risk of certain side effects increase if I take a higher dose of progesterone oral capsule?
Will you change my dosage of progesterone oral capsule if I’m taking other medications with it?

Boxed warnings for progesterone

This drug has boxed warnings about the risks discussed below. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These warnings apply when progesterone is taken along with estrogen. (Estrogen is a naturally occurring hormone.)

Because of these risks, doctors typically prescribe progesterone oral capsule and estrogen at the lowest effective dosages. They also prescribe both for the shortest amount of time.

Risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems: Taking progesterone oral capsule along with estrogen increases your risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems. These include stroke, as well as blood clots and heart attack.

Because of this risk, your doctor will not prescribe progesterone oral capsule with estrogen to prevent heart disease. Tell your doctor if you’ve ever had a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot. Symptoms of serious heart and blood vessel problems include:

sudden severe headaches
problems with speech or vision
severe pain in your chest or legs
shortness of breath
dizziness

Risk of dementia: Taking progesterone oral capsule along with estrogen can increase your risk of dementia.

Because of this risk, doctors likely won’t prescribe progesterone oral tablet with estrogen to prevent dementia.

Risk of breast cancer: Taking progesterone oral capsule along with estrogen can increase your risk of breast cancer. Tell your doctor if you’ve ever had any type of cancer. Also tell them if you develop any signs of breast cancer during your treatment. These can include:

a lump or mass in the breast
nipple discharge
change in breast shape, size, or appearance
inverted nipple

Because of this risk, doctors typically prescribe progesterone oral capsule and estrogen at the lowest effective dosages. They also prescribe both for the shortest amount of time.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about these boxed warnings.

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.