posted
Hi, I tried progesterone cream in the past and it helped me feel calmer and sleep better. Problem was that when I had to stop taking it for the week of my period(what's left of it anyway)I had much worse headaches than usual. Can I just take it everyday of the month? I'm 48 and periods are pretty light these days.
thanks
Posts: 857 | From northern california | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
If you're ovulating, you're supposed to take it the second half of the cycle only. If it's a problem on the off days, I'd maybe see and endocrine specialist to be evaluated.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
thanks, what sort of info could an endocrine specialist give me?
Posts: 857 | From northern california | Registered: Dec 2009
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I take it every day but I am past menopause. Maybe you could just lower it slightly during your period.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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quote:Originally posted by dogmom2: thanks, what sort of info could an endocrine specialist give me?
They can check all your hormone levels to see what hormones you might need. It might not be a progesterone problem alone.
It's different when you've reached menopause.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Yes, you can take progesterone all month long. The time off for periods is an old/outdated idea from early research on birth control pills:
"Cycling is a male idea that came about in the 1960�s when they developed the birth control pill � the researchers - (all male of course) thought it would be more comfortable for the women if they hemorrhaged once a month so they�d feel more natural. So they created the idea of cycling. It was a bad idea when it was introduced and in my opinion, it still is today." --from http://www.danpursermd.com/faq.pdf
I actually heard this doctor speak and met him after the presentation - he's Lyme-aware and believes Lyme messes with the pituitary gland and thus dysrupts hormones. He prescribes sublingual or topical progesterone with great results in those with "Fibromyalgia" and many other chronic conditions.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
I would agree as far as birth control pills. The "menstruation" while on the pill is entirely artificial.
Progesterone cream is supposed to help balance the real cycle, not eliminate ovulation as the pill does, so it's doing something different than the pill does. I'm not saying you're not right about taking it all month, as I'm not an expert in this area, but I am saying I don't think comparing progesterone cream to the pill is accurate. The doctor who wrote the book whose protocol I'm following says only the second half of the month.
The body naturally has more progesterone after ovulation. During ovulation the egg (actually the corpus luteum) produces progesterone to prevent you from ovulating again. Using progesterone cream during this time of month increases your progesterone level at this particular time when it's supposed to be raised.
The first half of the month is under the influence of estrogen.
The idea is to help the natural cycle. It's not like the pill, which is stopping the natural cycle.
Here is some information on using progesterone cream by an author/doctor of a book I really liked. http://www.johnleemd.com/ He has some tests available for hormone levels.
I would talk to your doctor. There are obviously different opions out there. I taught natural family planning for 7 years. My understanding of the natural cycle makes me think it's not a good idea to use it during the time when the body naturally has a lower level of progesterone and higher level of estrogen. The idea is to enhance the level of progesterone at the time when it's supposed to be higher.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
thanks for all the info. I will ask my gyno, haven't been for awhile as trying to focus on all my other health issues.
Posts: 857 | From northern california | Registered: Dec 2009
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