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Estrogen Dominance Issues after IVF??

by Sarah
(Wisconsin )

Hello! I am so happy to have found this site! I was ready to throw in the towel and give up trying to take back my health. It is so inspiring to see how many women and men's lives have changed from progesterone therapy.

My background.. I attempted a surrogacy for a family member 3 years ago. I had to give myself daily shots of progesterone and estrogen (once a week) for about 4-5 months, leading up to and beyond IVF. Unfortunately I had a miscarriage at about 12 weeks and stopped all of the meds cold turkey. I feel like something happened to my hormones right after this. I gained thirty pounds, began to have anxiety and horrible panic attacked, had daily hot flashes, acne on my chin, and bad PMS, cramping, extreme exhaustion and depression and overall foggy brain. Three years later and my symptoms have just been getting worse.

Unfortunately I have had to take matters into my own hands as my doctor thinks hormone testing is too unreliable and suggested I include more leafy greens in my diet (I already do 40 minutes of hard exercise every morning and eat pretty healthy).

I started taking Progest last November at the recommended 20-40 mg per day, which did not do much except more weight gain and cramping and more acne (waking up of estrogen sites?). Last month, after finding this site I upped my dosage to 200mg a day and switched to Natpro, but it doesn't seem to be changing my symptoms yet. I still have cramping most of the month, acne, mood swings etc.
I guess I would love anyone's advice about what to do next!

Should I buy over the internet a saliva hormone test?
Should I be less impatient and continue on 200 mg for a few more months?
Should I up my dosage to 400mg and beyond?
How long to I continue to take such high doses of cream? (Is it lifelong?)

I do also take vitamin D3 and inositol as I read on this site many great things about both.

Thanks in advance

Comments for Estrogen Dominance Issues after IVF??

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Apr 07, 2018
 estrogen dominance
by: Anonymous

So sorry you have been going through this. Sadly, many women are going through the same thing. You go to doctors and they try to help but often give the wrong advice, or just plain don't know what to advise. How many doctors out there truly know about hormones, especially progesterone?

As you will read on this site, taking too little progesterone only aggravates the situation. No woman, as is advised on this site, should add estrogens to their bodies. There are enough in the environment that mimic it ! It is progesterone that is needed and it must be enough to become the dominant player in all of this. If 200mg isn't enough, and from what you describe it appears not to be, have no fear in increasing.

At first symptoms may increase as you increase the progesterone, but stick to it. Read Dr. Dalton -the doctor who created the phrase PMS. She used very large amounts of progesterone for her patients and with success.

I urge you to continue to read the advice that Wray Whyte so generously gave to hundreds of women. There are women who take large amounts , 400mg and beyond, and take it daily with no worries. Every woman is unique. It's a bit trial and error. I love progesterone and take anywhere from 300 - 400mg, sometimes even more, and I take it regularly. I have used Natpro but also take another brand equally good, Ona's. I may lower one day but at the moment I have no desire to change it.
Apr 09, 2018
 Estrogen Dominance Issues after IVF??
by: Joy

Hi Sarah

Your hormones are not balanced and going cold turkey is never a good thing, it should be done gradually.

I am pleased that you switched to Natpro as Progest is not strong enough and the amount that you used aggravated your estrogen receptors as you quite rightly mentioned. Progesterone therapy is not an overnight fix, it can take 2-6 months of the correct use of progesterone before positive signs are felt. You may need to use a little more Natpro, try increasing to 300mg and see how you get on. This is something that you will have to experiment with to see what suits you. Progesterone therapy is a lifelong commitment, stopping allows estrogen to become the dominance hormone again. Once you felt stable, you can reduce the amount used but never use less than 100mg.

It is best to have hormones tested, ZRT Labs in the USA are good. Have your vitamin D3 level tested too. Nothing less than 5,000iu's D3 is needed per day, more if you are deficient. A deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone. Please don't forget to take magnesium as it is an important co-factor when taking D3.

How to use Progesterone Cream

Estrogen Dominance
Apr 18, 2018
 thank
by: Sarah

Thank you both so much.

I am increasing my dose of both progesterone and vitamin D to see if my body responds. I am so grateful for this site and all of the questions that have been answered!

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