Menu

Constant Use of Cream Even Though Cyclying?

by Traci
(Sonora, CA USA)

Hello Wray,
First, thank you for your passion and dedication to this site. It literally has saved my life. I have spent years and lots of money trying to determine the cause of all my symptoms. Then one night in desparation I came across your site. I have so much hope for my future now.
I do have a question, but first I will give you a little history. I am 32 years old. I took birth control pills for over 7 years. Five of those years I took theI Yaz pill. I stopped taking the pill in 2005 and since then I have had three pregnancies. I suffer from interstitial cystitis, gestational diabetes, gall bladder attacks, skin rashes, muscle weakness and joint pain, hair loss, migraines, heavy clotty periods, contant spotting, fatigue, weight gain, water retention, I could go on and on. I just started the cream last month, but because I constantly spot I just counted 12 days from my heaviest day. I instantly started feeling better. Rashes I had for over a decade went away and I overall I felt renewed. I had to keep incresing my dosage (I started at 200 and then went up to 400) to relieve my symptoms. Once I went off the cream to have my period things got bad again. I didn't have cramping for the first time in my life but my rashes came back, my muscle and joint pain got worse, my carpal tunnel came back, and bad headaches. Overall I feel awful. I am counting down the days that I can start the cream again. My question is... Can I use progesterone cream non-stop to allievate my symptoms? If so, do I use the same dose through out the month. Again, thank you so much. I have been to so many doctors over the years and I have learned more and gotten more help from your site than all those doctors combined.

Comments for Constant Use of Cream Even Though Cyclying?

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 25, 2012
 Constant Use
by: Suzanne

Traci,

I have suffered through what I now know was estrogen dominance for years and had no idea what caused all my symptoms. This website helped me more than I could ever say. I had many of the same symptoms as you experienced. When I first started using the cream, I immediately had almost a total elimination of symptoms for the two weeks that I used it. But as soon as I cycled off, they all came back. I literally counted the days until I could start using it again. I am 45 but still have a very regular cycle. After some good advice from Wray, I decided to stay on the cream every day without cycling off. I am happy to say that it has not affected my cycle at all and I still have almost none of the problems I had before starting the cream. I use it twice a day, about 1/2 tsp each time. When I get closer to my period starting, I do sometimes increase the dosage, but only when I feel like I need it.
I hope this helps!
Aug 27, 2012
 Constant Use of Cream Even Though Cyclying?
by: Wray

Hi Traci Bless you for the kind words! And I'm so delighted the progesterone has helped you, and that you are using it as it should be used, as and when needed, adjusting the amount to suit. There is no hard and fast rule, no one single 'dose' either. Some women use it hourly if feeling very bad. And yes it can be used daily, through any bleeding for about 2-3 months. In fact I suggest this to women with bad symptoms. The 2-3 months is only a guideline, as often symptoms can take much longer to resolve. So only start following your cycle when you feel stable. As you are using a high amount it would be best to reduce this gradually over a few cycles, before going cold turkey when you want to follow the cycle. Often the drop from 400mg/day, which is the amount we make in the third trimester, to nothing, can cause bad symptoms. Much the same as that drop can cause PND in some women after giving birth, me for one! I also had myopathy (muscle weakness) very badly too, both after having my daughter and in Peri-menopause. The progesterone cured it in P-M, I wish I'd known about it when I had my daughter. Years later I came across one study which described how progesterone cured myopathy in a young girl. I had to buy the full paper which I can't give you, and unfortunately the abstract tells you nothing, but this is the link with the info pasted in... Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2001; 80: 972?973
Substantial relief of myopathic disability by progesterone therapy
(We report about a 41-year old woman who was suffering from a general muscle weakness since her early childhood....From July 1998 until July 1999 the patient was treated with progesterone suppositorium 0.4 g once a day from the 14th to the 25th day of the menstrual cycle. In July 1999 her gait had improved significantly and she could get up from a chair more easily, even her ability to walk up and down stairs had improved....Progesterone dosage was increased from 400 mg to 600 mg. In January 2001 the patient reported enthusiastically about the improvement she had gained from progesterone-therapy. The patient reported a clear increase in strength in all affected muscle groups resulting in dramatic functional improvement.) These are two more studies here and here. Continued below.
Aug 27, 2012
 Constant Use of Cream Even Though Cyclying? Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Traci You could be lacking vitamin D too, this also results in myopathy, see here, here and here. Please have a test done. For more info on vitamin D levels, test kits etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth and Birmingham Hospital websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml (175-250nmol/L) and not the 30ng/ml (75nmol/L) most labs and doctors regard as adequate. The minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although the latest research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. Vitamin D is also excellent for pain, see here, here, here, here and here. The pain can be caused by excess oestrogen too, as it's an excitatory, inflammatory hormone. A lack of vitamin D also predisposes one to diabetes, see here, here, here, here, here and here. Finally a lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. I was so fascinated by the synergy between Progesterone and Vitamin D that I did this page on it. Continued below.
Aug 27, 2012
 Constant Use of Cream Even Though Cyclying? Part 3
by: Wray

Hi Traci We do have two other pages you could look through, one on Migraines, the other on Hair Loss. You could consider taking about 2000mg/day taurine. This amino acid is vital for the liver, as it's an integral part of bile. I have no idea if it will help the gallbladder problems, but certainly worth a try. It's a potent antioxidant, vital for the heart and eyes too. This reply is already getting rather long, but I have to give you my views on IC. UTI's are generally considered distinct from IC (interstitial cystitis). Suggesting bacteria, viruses or fungi are responsible for the UTI, whereas the aetiology of IC is unknown. As the bladder is connected to the urethra, I find it difficult to conceive of two separate problems. Antibiotics are given for UTI's, often unsuccessfully, or repeatedly in the belief it's killing the pathogen. In 1911 Bernard Shaw wrote “… the characteristic microbe of a disease might be a symptom instead of a cause.” I tend to believe this. Pathogens are opportunists, if a cell or tissue is damaged they will take advantage of this fact. More and more studies are finding that inflammation is behind our diseases and disorders. Inflammation results from a disturbance in the immune system, often due to a lack of antioxidants. Which is usually a result of the pollution, processed food and drink, stress and more to which we are now subject. Inflammation seems to fit the bill for both UTI's and IC, but as the urethra is more easily accessible to bacteria etc, it doesn't surprise me they are found there. Several studies have found IC is due to inflammation, and a subsequent damage to the lining. Why not the UTI's too? D-mannose is sometimes effective. It's believed that the bacteria, if present, will adhere to the D-mannose and be excreted. A more likely explanation is the lining of the urinary tract, including the bladder, has become damaged by inflammation. The lining is a thin layer of glycoproteins, these are a combination of a sugar molecule and a protein. The D-mannose can be used for glycoprotein biosynthesis, see here. This would strengthen the lining preventing possible attack from bacteria or inflammation. The amino acid arginine can help too, see here. Continued below.
Aug 27, 2012
 Part 4
by: Wray

Hi Traci Mast cells are implicated, see here. Progesterone inhibits mast cell secretions, see here. Excess oestrogen and a lack of progesterone appear to be a reasonable cause, see here and here. Oestrogen is an excitatory, inflammatory hormone, it's involvement is hardly surprising. Particularly when looking at the statistics, far more women get UTI's and IC than men. Interestingly oestradiol increases mast cell histamine secretion, which is initiated by substance P. This is a pro-inflammatory, nociceptive neuropeptide. Even more interesting, progesterone and it's metabolites are suppressed by substance P, see here, unless sufficient is used, see here and here. So to answer your question! You can use the 400mg/day throughout the month, but it can become costly. I don't know if you're using the Natpro, but we do have a 30% discount if buying 20 tubes, this might help. If you find it too much for your pocket, you could try a lesser amount say 200-300mg/day during your follicular phase. Please let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Aug 28, 2012
 Thank you!
by: Traci

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Suzanne, your comments show me that I am not alone (or crazy;) and you give me so much hope for my health and future. I am so happy that you have found this site and took charge of your health and you help others as well.
Wray, I cannot begin to tell you how much you have taught me, how much you have made me feel at peace, and how much hope you have given me. You not only explain why I am feeling this way but you provide facts and address each and every symptom I am having. At first I wasn't going to list all my symptoms because I didn't want to go on and on. I am so glad I did!
I always new my IC was some how linked with my hormone levels. My pain would come and go with certain times in my cycle even if I was watching my diet and dealing with my stress. My doctor suggested I go on BCP. In fact, my doctor always said none of my symptoms were connected but always suggested birth control for the remedy for all my symptoms. Funny how your cream has addressed them all.
Also, I find it interesting that my gestational diabetes was the worst with my son who was born May 17, but was better with my daughters who were both born in early fall. I also took vit D supplement with my girls. I use to take liquid vitamins but I stopped out of frustration that I was sending so much money on vitamins and supplements and wasn't feeling any better. Since finding your site I have started taking them again.
Thank you for offering the discount. That will help out a lot. I did start seeing a holistic doctore who suggested that I sart using a cream made by his compounding pharmacy because he said I need such a large dose and it will contain more progesteroe. Plus he said my insurance might cover it. I have not filled the perscription yet because I am nervous about the quality of the cream. I still have to do a little reseach. I know your cream works and I am so happy about that.
Thank you again for your support. You truly are an angel in my eyes and I am sure many others as well. It hasn't even been two months since I found your site and started the cream and already I feel better than I have ever felt before.
Take care, Traci
Aug 30, 2012
 Thank you!
by: Wray

Hi Traci I'm so happy the info helped make things clearer, I'm sure some never read it at all, as it can be confusing, researchers have a very frustrating way of writing English! I'm pleased you listed the symptoms too, it always helps me to get a better picture on the problem. And all too often there is a connection, which makes it all the more clearer! And the Contraceptives?! That is the doctors standby, if in doubt dish out the pill, don't look for the underlying cause. How interesting you have found your gestational diabetes was worst in May, shouts out low vitamin D of course, but that's rarely if ever checked. Insurance companies do cover progesterone, well normally they do. Check the ingredients of his cream and if you're happy with it you mustn't hesitate to try it, every penny counts. If you switch, use the same amount of progesterone as you're using now. You shouldn't get any oestrogen dominance if you do that. If you have a problem with working out the amount, let me know and I'll help you. Take care Wray
Aug 30, 2012
 Traci
by: Wray

Hi Suzanne Bless you these encouraging words, we all need them! It's so interesting you say you found using it following your cycle didn't help, but continually has. I've just had a comment from another woman, saying how much she's been helped, but has to use it following her cycle. Using it continually didn't help. There's simply no way of telling how any one of us will react, it really is trial and error. I'm delighted you're using it as you need it, i.e. increasing a bit towards the end of the cycle. This is how it should be used, there's no hard and fast rule. Take care Wray

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Progesterone faq.

Share this page:
Find this page helpful? Please tell others. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Search over 8,400 pages on this site...