Menu

Delayed Period After Upping my Progesterone Cream

by Anita
(Virginia, USA)

I am a 48 year old in perimenopause along with suffering from uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts and heavy long periods. I learned that I have been suffering from estrogen dominance probably since I started my periods 32 years ago after visiting a Body Logic doctor last February. He prescribed bioidentical progesterone cream at 100 mg a day in a compounded cream. Recently my salvia profile noted that my prog/estrogen ratio declined to 250:1 from a previous high of 500:1, so I decided to up my daily dosage of progesterone to 120 mg a day. Now after the 20mg increase over the past month my period is now a week late! I usually start my cycle every 24/25 days, so I took a pregnancy test which showed negative. My question is, would the small increase of 20 mg of progesterone cream a day over the past month delay my period? Thoughts/opinions please. Thanks much.

Comments for Delayed Period After Upping my Progesterone Cream

Click here to add your own comments

May 12, 2012
 Delayed Period After Upping my Progesterone Cream
by: Wray

Hi Anita Yes it can disrupt the cycle when increasing progesterone, when decreasing too. And when first using it. But you are now in Peri-menopause, when cycles do become erratic. It could be these have begun, coincidental with the increased progesterone. You'll only know if it's a temporary blip when you bleed after the one that's imminent. If that comes earlier or later you'll know the erratic cycles have begun. If you do discover this I recommend using progesterone daily, continuing through any bleeding as cycles are impossible to follow. If you still have heavy periods, I've found 400mg/day or more is needed to stop them. We have more info on our Menstruation page. Please have a vitamin D test done. Although progesterone does help reduce Fibroids, and excess oestrogen exacerbates them, it seems more than likely it's a lack of vitamin D which causes them, see here, here, here and here. Another point, a lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. For more info on vitamin D levels, test kits etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth, Birmingham Hospital and Vitamin D Links websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml or 175-250nmol/L and not the 30ng/ml or 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. Take care Wray
May 14, 2012
 Delayed Menstruation
by: Anita

Hi Wray, thanks for your help. I should have told you that I am using progesterone cream continously for over a year now ignoring my cycle. If I stop I get the dreaded estrogen dominance symptoms all over againbut even using continuously my cycle was still every 24-25 days. I currently take 10,000 IUs of Vitamin D as I have tested low over the last year as well as a daily regime of Vitamin C, B-complex, iron, biotin, N-acetyl, krill oil, and a probiotic. So I contributed to my cycle being disrupted by increasing by 20 mg, I guess I thought that such a small amount wouldn't nudge it... Sigh. Regardless I do appreciate the guidance and insight your site provides, it's a great resource. Thanks for being there for us!
May 15, 2012
 Delayed Menstruation
by: Wray

Hi Anita Ah I didn't realise you were using it continuously. I do advise that if symptoms return, it is safe to do. It happened to me too, so I ignored them and have been using it continuously for 15 years now, but I am in menopause now. I'm pleased you're taking 10,000iu's vitamin D, have a test done in about 3 months to check your level. You might find you can reduce it. Very pleased you're taking the NAC. Not only will it help the bleeding, although 2000mg/day is needed for this, but it's good for ageing too, see here, here and here. Let me know how you get on, and thanks for the kind words! 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...