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Feel like I am constantly about to start my period

by Amy
(Alabama)

Hi,
I'm 45 years old, and just starting out on this hormone crazy trail. I have had the blood tests done, and during luteal phase was .5. Yes, that is point 5. Basically I guess I don't make any. I have a pituitary adenoma, and had to have progesterone shots when I was in my 20's to start my cycles. Thyroid showed slightly low, so on one grain of Armour. Vitamin D was low, so now taking 10,000 iu a day. I got the typical 30grm or cream in morning. 100gm pill at night, which I was told would only deliver about 10mg into system. My memory is non existent , I have started stammering and lose words (prior to starting meds).
After reading your boards, and reading everything I can find, I think I have been in peri-menopause for 20 years. Anxiety to the point of going to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. Selective mutism, shaking hands, sweating, horrible cravings and weight gain. Hair like straw. This is for the last 20 years. I've been to every "ologist" there is. Shrinks , Cognitive behavior therapy, acupuncture, EFT, chanting, meditation, Xanax , adderall, cymbalta, Effexor , Wellbutrin, buspirion, clonizapam, vyvance, seroquel, lactimal ....you get the idea. I think because of my age at the time, no one looked at my hormones. This is all over a 20+ year time period.
I have started to up my does of progesterone, per your opinion. My hormone doc disagrees.
I am bloated and swollen, have gained 5 pounds (been on prog for about 3 and a half weeks. She wanted me to take 1% estradiol as well, I did for three days, but felt like my ovaries were going to explode, so she said to stop the estrogen.
I ordered your cream, and I am going to do 60 gm morning, 60 gm afternoon, and 60 gm evening of cream.
My question is: Why do I constantly feel like I'm going to start my period. Every day since I started prog, I feel like I'm going to start at any moment. I'm stuck on that cliff, and I hate it. Will upping the does get rid of it? Is doing 60/60/60 a good idea? Please help. I can't even speak to people because I stammer and lose words. Praying you have something to tell me.
Thank you

Comments for Feel like I am constantly about to start my period

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Jan 13, 2013
 Glad you're asking this!
by: Kelly

I was just coming to ask if I should break up the dose into 3x per day. I know what you mean about constantly feeling like you're going to start your period, I've had that the past several months. Except now that I'm taking the higher doses it appears I did start earlier than I had been (31 days instead of 49), except it's very light. Not sure if this is a period or spotting, but it better be my period since I'm cramping!! I'll be ticked if I start again in 18 days, lol.

I'm sorry for all you've been through, what a mess this all is. I think I've been in peri since I was 31 (I'm 34 now), thankfully my only symptoms back then were shorter cycles. I can't imagine going through all you've been through for so long!
Jan 14, 2013
 Feel like I am constantly about to start my period
by: Wray

Hi Amy I used to get so angry hearing stories such as yours, to the point I gave myself severe eczema all over my body. I've learnt to deal with the anger, but still get so saddened by such tales, all those wasted years, those drugs and 'therapies' you were given. Although you are now in Peri-menopause, back in your twenties it was obvious you were either not ovulating, or had a defective luteal phase producing little to no progesterone. Like you when I had my first test done, I was 47, I had a progesterone level of 0.6, but my oestrogen was in the normal range. This gave me a ratio of 5:1 P:E2, I was a basket case, so can imagine how you must be feeling. Do you have your oestrogen results too? The pituitary adenoma must have been a prolactinoma, i.e. it increased prolactin levels and causes amenorrhea, hence the progesterone shots. Which shows you were low in progesterone back then. If I'm correct you might like to read our page on Prolactin. I'm pleased you're taking such a good dose of vitamin D, but please have a test done. It could be you need to take more to get your level up high quickly. A low level affects every cell, every organ, every system. The thyroid for instance, see here, here, here and here. Anxiety and depression, see here, here, here, here, here. and here. Weight gain, see here, here and here. Continued below
Jan 14, 2013
 Feel like I am constantly about to start my period Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Amy And more here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Your memory will come back, mine went, I found it the most frightening aspect as I thought I was becoming demented at age 47! I was also at a loss for words, my brain worked very slowly too. Your blood glucose is very unstable, hence the "'heart attack', shaking hands, sweating, horrible cravings and weight gain" Progesterone does help stabilise it, whereas oestrogen causes it to be upset, see here. There's more info on the anxiety page too. We also have a page on Insulin Resistance which might help. We do have a page on Hair Loss, which gives a list of nutrients which help strengthen hair, making it healthy again. It's interesting you use that phrase "I've been to every "ologist" there is." Dr Dalton used this too in one of her books, saying women are sent to every 'ologist' there is, and yet all they needed was progesterone. I'm very relieved you've stopped the oestrogen, the last thing you need, as I believe that's where your problem lies, you have far too much. The ±40mg/day progesterone you're getting will not raise levels to that found in the luteal phase, see our page on Progesterone Misconceptions. If you still have the capsules left, empty the contents into a small amount of skin cream and apply it. That way you will get the full benefit.
Continued below
Jan 14, 2013
 Feel like I am constantly about to start my period Part 3
by: Wray

Hi Amy Unfortunately oestrogen causes water retention and bloat, see here. Whereas progesterone is an excellent diuretic, see our page on Traumatic Brain Injury. The symptoms we get the few days prior to our period starting are caused by progesterone withdrawal, leaving oestrogen dominant. You don't say what symptoms you get to suggest.... "Why you constantly feel like you're going to start your period". But the very low amount of progesterone you're using is doing nothing more than stimulating oestrogen, so that rises and becomes dominant. It would have the same effect. Are you trying to follow your cycle, or are you using it daily through any bleeding? Have you tried stopping it to see if you do get a period? The 180mg split into three is a good start point, although I feel you will need more, probably much more. But see how you get on with that, just please be aware of Oestrogen Dominance, it can start immediately or come out of the blue. Please keep in touch. Take care Wray
Jan 14, 2013
 Glad you're asking this!
by: Wray

Hi Kelly I find it is better to use the progesterone more than twice a day, the minimum. But many find they haven't the time to put it on during the day. Although I keep some with me at all times, and just rub it on my face, hands and arms, it doesn't take long. Progesterone begins dropping after about 13 hours, it's best to keep it topped up. 31 is very early for peri, it normally starts 5 to 10 years before Menopause, the average age of this is 51. Do you know when your mother went into menopause, as that's a good indication when daughters will. You are now entering that phase prior to P-M when we get anovulatory cycles, so no progesterone is made by the ovaries that particular month. It could be this causing your problems. Amy's situation is awful, I just hope with progesterone, vitamin D and other nutrients she gradually comes right. Take care Wray
Jan 15, 2013
 Thank you, plus more info...
by: Amy Alabama

Thank you so much for answering my questions. It's good to know that there are others out there who are like me, and that maybe there might be some glimmer of hope for me. When asked about my day or week by different "ologists" (also, I have not read that book, but it sums it up well), I tell them it is just different levels of hell every day. Some more than others, but just a different level of torment/aguish/grief. I haven't felt a positive emotion in so many years, I don't remember what joy or laughter or "general wellbeing" feels like. I did laugh once a few months ago. It was November 27th, around 10:00 am. It startled me.
Anyway..I've become a pro and faking it.

Additional facts:
My estradiol was 94pg/mL and my progesterone was 0.3. I thought it was .5, but I have the papers in front of me now, and it says 0.3 ng/mL.
This is two weeks prior to cycle beginning. (about)

My Vitamin D was 21.0 L

Insulin fasting 2.1

estimated average glucose 97

ferritin 55

follicle stimulating hormone 6.5 (two weeks before cycle was to begin)

testosterone 40

thyroid: TSH-.799
free t4-1.4
free t3- 2.7
rT3- .17
Lymphocytes are high -15.0
monocytes high-9.8

My cholesterol, lipids, are all better than normal. The Hormone Doc said that is because I exercise 2-4 hours a day to burn off anxiety, and the endorphins are the closest thing I can feel to a positive emotion. Well, that and food.

I have been prescribed Adderall, (big surprise), and it has been the best band-aide I have found. I only take it in the morning at 5:30 am. I am still up at 1:00 in the morning most nights. I take two Advil pm around 5:00pm, then I take a Lunesta at 7:00 with a Xanax, then around 10:00 I will drink two beers or a glass of wine with about a quarter bottle of Nyquil. Then I can usually go to sleep by 11:30 or 12:00. I have stopped the Nyquil since I found out it has 94 calories a dose and 13 sugars! So...back to being up until 1 or 2. I have had the saliva test done, and am waiting on results. I hope this helps give you some more insight. Wouldn't it be something if I could feel happy or laugh or not shake and twitch, and leave the house just because I want to, not because I have to? I have to say....the glimmer of hope frightens me. To many let downs. I am glad you are helping people, what a great service you are doing. I guess I will see if there is anything in that bag of tricks for Amy.
Respectfully,
Amy in Alabama
Jan 15, 2013
 symptoms
by: Amy in Alabama

Also, you asked what my symptoms were. It is as if someone reached into my body, grabbed both ovaries as tight as they can, then put a rope around my uterus, and are trying to pull it out through my bellybutton. Slight headache most of the day, joint pain. I also keep tearing tendons in my body (could be the 2-4 hours of exercise). Ruptured Achilles, torn extensor tendon in elbow, rotator cuff. I was doing yoga every day to help flexibility, but have stopped due to weight gain and torn tendon in arm...thus more weight gain....can't we just wrap it all up into 'A big friggin mess"?
Jan 17, 2013
 Thank you, plus more info...
by: Wray

Hi Amy Thanks for giving me your oestradiol levels, it makes your ratio of P:E2 3:1, extraordinarily low. As I said previously it doesn't surprise me you feel so awful. I don't think the 180mg/day is going to be anywhere near enough. And suggest you start on 400mg/day, although I feel you will need even more than this, judging by others in a state such as yours. you might like to see some of the comments here, here, here, scroll to Nov 26, 2012 Having a Hard Time, and here. How sad you haven't laughed in so long, I hope you soon will. Your vitamin D is very low, which certainly wouldn't help this. I suggest you increase your dose to 20,000iu per day to get it up quickly. Please make sure you also take sufficient magnesium too, it's the most important co-factor for vitamin D. If you feel any pain by increasing the vitamin D, it's because your magnesium is too low, so you would need to increase this too. I don't know if you can afford it, you do also need a very good complex with large amounts of antioxidants, in particular the amino acids. Please consider this, you have far too many free radicals flying around causing inflammation. Plus far too many toxins, NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) is an excellent detoxer. We do have a page on headaches and Migraines. the joint pain should be helped by the progesterone and vitamin D, probably caused by the excess oestrogen you have, and the toxins. Although your blood glucose is in the normal range, I still feel it's very unstable, and that you most probably have Insulin Resistance. I must warn you what I've suggested is not a quick fix, neither is it easy. For many, it can take months to get better, but as each day passes some symptoms lessen. This is the only reason I kept going with the progesterone. Take care Wray

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