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Facial Breakouts

by Lily
(Las Vegas, NV, USA)

Hi Wray! I hope you are well.

It's been a long time since I've corresponded, as I was forced to stop using progesterone cream due to weird breakouts occurring all over my face. I was on the cream for maybe a year or a less when these breakouts started, and I never had acne before, accept for some small bouts during my pregnancies over 20 years ago.

The breakouts I experienced recently were not typical, oily, acne papules, but watery/blotchy ones. Nothing would get rid of them, so it became a personal vendetta for me to figure out what was causing the strange blemishes. One after the other I cut out different things, even all supplements. Nothing worked. I was told by my doctor to give the progesterone a break to completely reset my system, and within a very short time the disgusting spots all went away, and haven't returned since.

As for those horrible peri-symptoms I was experiencing (which caused me to begin progesterone therapy in the first place), they've remained at bay for many months after stopping the cream. However, I'm starting to have 1 night of sweats right before my period. Do you think I should restart the progesterone, but only minimally?

Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts.

Comments for Facial Breakouts

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Mar 17, 2013
 Facial Breakouts
by: Wray

Hi Lily Well I've just re-read your entire page from July 2012, and then it ended abruptly! I'm sorry you had to stop using the progesterone because of the breakouts, but pleased all symptoms were still absent after stopping it. That is the aim after all, but difficult in peri-M. You had many unpleasant symptoms back then, and now only the one. So I think if you do start up again, a small amount might do it. We do have a page on night sweats and Hot Flushes. Don't think I'd done it back then. Why not look through it and see if there is something else which is occurring that you could solve, without having to use progesterone. You now know the ins and outs of using it, so it should be easy for you to get back into it if needs must. Do let me know what you decide and how you get on. And all's well thanks! Take care Wray
Jun 27, 2013
 Some Changes...
by: Lily

Hi Wray,

Thank you once again for taking the time to respond to my post about the facial breakouts and my stopping progesterone. I am still not using any and all remained extremely well for many months.

Recently, however, after being so regular I could set a watch to it, I had an odd cycle. The day I was supposed to start my period, oxidized blood appeared, so I thought I was starting. This lasted 3 days, but never went into a regular period, and then nothing for another 5 days. Since I was 12 years old, I've never been even a day late (other than when I was pregnant), so I was of course very concerned.

PT came back negative and I thought my period was finally starting at a week late. I bled every day for the next week, but never enough for a tampon. I thought, "This is great! Maybe I'm just moving into a lighter period, as I approach menopause." But when I thought my period should be starting to be over, wham! I think my actual period showed up, clots and all. A very period ensued which lasted another 5 days. I think I'm finally done again (almost three weeks straight of weirdness), but we'll see. So what do you think is going on? Do you think it's time I restart some progesterone, just maybe not so much as to have the bad facial reaction? And where the heck do I mark my period start for the next cycle? I'm thinking the day I finally started the big wham. Your thoughts?

I talked to my sister who's ten years older than me and she said she remembers the weird periods starting for her in the PM years, but what happened for me still seems excessive, and of course concerns me.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Hope you are well. Thanks!
Jun 29, 2013
 Some Changes...
by: Wray

Hi Lily It's Peri-menopause, nothing more, nothing less. I found it an impossible time. Periods come and go when they feel like it, sometimes lasting days and days, sometimes a mild spotting. Several times I had dreadful flooding. Nothing followed any pattern, I could bleed 2 to 3 times a month, or go for 3 months with none. No amount of progesterone will help the irregular pattern, the ovaries and uterus have a mind of their own now. Some women can bleed continually, with no let up between what should have been a period and the next. There are nutrients which stop this, and at least 400mg/day progesterone. You'll probably find this odd pattern you're in continues for a year until you are finally in Menopause. The oxidised blood is old blood which hadn't come away with your last period. Unless you have bad symptoms I don't think you should bother with progesterone. But please check your vitamin D levels, they are always so low in most of us. Take care Wray
Jul 01, 2013
 The saga continues...
by: Lily

Hi Wray,

Well I'm glad to hear that other women have experienced what feels like eternal bleeding - although I feel very sorry for them at the same time. As of the date of this writing, this continues for me, and I've started my 3rd week of losing my life source. :( I would've been scared out of my mind were it not for your response, so thank you for that. You are so great to help women the way you do.

It's of course still bothersome for me, making me feel so depressed and hopeless. I don't feel at all like myself, but that's also because what was once a lovely, very fit person, stands before me in the mirror someone I don't know, removing all drive to make a change for the better. The only change I see, which seemed to happen in a matter of months, is my body, my face, and my hair. I feel transformed in a moment into an ugly, old woman with no beauty to unveil. How can this be at 46? It's all so awful to me.

But I guess all I can do is look forward to the day the constant draining stops, and in the meantime get myself moving again, and keep myself moving, whether I think it's helping or not. If nothing more, my body can sure use the cleansing.

Thanks again, Wray. You're a beacon of light. :)
Jul 04, 2013
 The saga continues...
by: Wray

Hi Lily Thanks for the kind words! Don't forget progesterone if you do get desperate. And consider taking the nutrients which are listed on the Menstruation page. they do help bleeding. Although they won't affect the irregularity of the cycle, that will always be with you until you reach Menopause. Take care Wray

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