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afraid to move forward one way or another

by Pamela J
(Los Angeles)

Hi Wray.. I just began progesterone therapy for estrogen dominance. My symptoms were fatigue, sluggish weight (I'm low carb and always had no problem staying very thin so I really notice), brain fog and no motivation. Night sweats, migraines, weren't a problem.

My gynecologist gave me 100 mg orally for thirty days to start. Generic Prometrium.

I have gained stubborn weight (rare for me), bloated, huge change in breast size... (not a good look for me...)and in the third week began experiencing a big blast of acne which remains. Also am experiencing periodic rage.

My brain fog seems slightly improved as does my fatigue, I'm definitely sleeping deeper. That said I feel oddly numb at times and slightly dizzy.

From your (really helpful and comprehensive)website, it seems like you might advise to stop the oral, and increase the dosage until balanced. My fear is so many people seem to do this and the symptoms/side effects worsen and further disrupt their bodies as the dosage time lengthens.

I'm trying to be patient, calm and not alarmist. That said the weight gain really can't continue because I make my living on camera and it's too big of a risk for me, also, the acne is becoming a huge challenge for the make up people.

Also wondering why my really respectable and thorough doctor didn't offer the option of opening the pills and applying and why she didn't warn that I need to be patient to find the right dosage.

I'm 50 and still having monthly periods.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks so much, Pamela

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Apr 23, 2015
 afraid to move forward one way or another
by: Wray

Hi Pamela Thanks for the kind words about the site. I do advocate higher amounts, and not in oral form. It's the least effective Delivery system, "The liver and gut region removed a mean of 96 per cent of the progesterone entering these tissues", see here. And here, "What is common to all forms of oral replacement therapies, regardless of the hormone, is that about 10× physiological dosing is required to achieve a physiological level of the active hormone in whatever body fluid is used for testing. Most of the parent hormone administered (e.g., progesterone) is converted to inactive metabolites in the gut." So the normal physiological level is 20-40ng/ml, which would require 200-400mg/day progesterone. Adverse side effects are extremely common. For one thing most people are using the normally recommended 20-40mg/day, plus Oestrogen Dominance almost invariably kicks in irrespective of the amount used. We do have a page on Acne and another on Anger. But above all I'd ask you to have a Vitamin D test done. A lack of this reduces the benefits of progesterone, can cause weight gain and many other problems listed on the page I've given you. Take care Wray

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