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Fibroid and heavy bleeding for 2-1/2 years

by Lisa
(USA)

I left this message on the "closed" live chat and posting here because maybe someone else can benefit from any solutions provided to me.

I am 52 years old and for the last 2-1/2 years have been having very heavy bleeding. Generally the first day is the worst. Four to six hours of gushing then it slows down for about 4 hours only to continue for another 4 hours of heavy bleeding. Gradually decreases each day, with spotting for several days. Approximately 8-12 days of some bleeding. Hemoglobin levels was around 7 and that was 9 days after period ending and upping iron intake during that time.

Several doctors have recommended a hysterectomy telling me that a myomectomy doesn't guarantee that my bleeding issue will be resolved.

4 months ago the bleeding began to decrease each month - was so hopeful that the minimizing of the bleeding was going to continue. Then this month - right back to the heavy bleeding and accompanying anemia.

I had tried for months compounded progesterone - didn't do anything. Such a disappointment.

My daughter is getting married this next month and my period will likely be occurring on her wedding day.

I'm so concerned that this monthly problem will interfere with this big day. With the wedding just a month away, can high levels of Natpro help reduce the amount of bleeding or will matters get worse before better? I don't want to chance the bleeding getting even heavier than usual, but if there's a chance that it will be reduced....

I've also been taking Armour Thyroid 120 mg for about 4 years.

Thanks for your help.

Comments for Fibroid and heavy bleeding for 2-1/2 years

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Nov 09, 2010
 Fibroid and heavy bleeding for 2-1/2 years
by: Wray

Hi Lisa A hyst is not necessary, if you want convincing please see this website here for more info. Progesterone will help, it's helped so many. But the amount does have to be high. Oestrogen is a mitogen, it stimulates cells to grow. Vital in stimulating the endometrium each month to grow and thicken ready for a possible fertilised egg. But in excess it stimulates cells to continue growing. MMP's are enzymes that break down protein. They play a role in the breakdown of endometrial tissues at the end of the menstrual cycle. If they are over active, as would be the case with excess oestrogen in the body, as oestrogen stimulates their production, the result is a pathological reaction. A high level of MMP's can lead to inflammation and excessive bleeding in the uterus. If a low level of progesterone is present, and a high level of oestrogen, the lining will continue to grow. With a high level of MMP's the lining will also continue to break down. Progesterone suppresses both MMP's and oestrogen. It is essential to use a high amount of progesterone, between 400-600mg/day. If the bleeding is continual, use it both daily and hourly. Using it hourly keeps the level high throughout the day. If there is a cycle, it's best to ignore it and use the progesterone daily, hourly too, until the bleeding is under control. The progesterone can be used to regulate the cycle once bleeding has stopped. You don't say how much progesterone you were using, but if it was the standard 'dose' of 20-40mg/day it would have done nothing. Please have a vitamin D test done, often a thyroid problem is nothing more than a low level of vit D. A low level increases parathyroid hormone, which slows the thyroid down. For more info please see the Vitamin D council website. Interestingly a low level of vit D reduces the benefits of progesterone. As you are in peri-menopause please read this page we have on it here. When first using progesterone Oestrogen Dominance can occur. But I've found if a high level of progesterone is used, symptoms are usually mild or don't occur. But please read this page before you start the progesterone. Take care Wray
Nov 11, 2010
 Compounded cream dosage prescribed - results
by: Lisa

Wray, thank you for the information.

I was prescribed: progesterone in costmetic HRT 100MG/ML cream. My primary doctor upped my dosage of compounded progesterone from 0.4 ML to 0.7 ML. I took the 0.7 dosage through about 3 cycles.

I quite taking it because it was expensive and not doing anything for me. I applied it on forearm or thigh every evening on days 6 - 28 of the cycle as prescribed.

The wedding is in a few weeks. I don't believe the delivery of the Natpro would come in time. Is there any other recommendations for progesterone cream? Several years ago I did use Arbonne brand progesterone cream and noticed a great reduction in bleeding after 3 months of using the cream - at that time I was heavy, but not to the extreme it has become. The only reason I stopped taking the Arbonne progesterone was because my GYN was so upset. She told me that there is no way knowing about the manufacturing of the product, if the dosage is consistent bottle to bottle, etc.

Thanks for all your work to help ladies through their monthly issues.
Nov 14, 2010
 Compounded cream dosage prescribed - results
by: Wray

Hi Lisa The initial 40mg/day and then the 70mg/day would not have helped heavy bleeding. It really does need to be between 400-600mg/day to stop it, reducing slowly once it's been helped. I don't think you should take a break either, as progesterone levels will drop. Then starting again 6 days later will possibly ramp up the oestrogen yet again, and it can take several days to settle down. Delivery takes about 2-3 days in the States, unless you live far from Michigan where the fulfilment house is. Your gyn is right about how much progesterone is in the cream, but we have ours checked regularly by a naturopath in the UK. We've done this now for 14 years and she's always been delighted by the results. By all means try another cream, but please make sure you use enough. I told you what the MMP's do, but you might like to read more about them here. Thanks for the kind words! Take care Wray
Apr 13, 2013
 2-1/2 years later...
by: Anonymous

Hello Wray.

I hope this finds you doing well.

Now it is 2-1/2 years MORE later than my last post. This has been a 5-year journey for me to get this heavy bleeding/fibroid issue under control. I did try another form of progesterone cream that was recommended and used by a local nutritionist that she claims helped her and many other clients. I used a higher dosage amount you recommended. Prior to that I had used a compounded progesterone, with no luck.

I quit using the progesterone cream after 3 months because it did NOT lessen the flow. I also read that progesterone cream could increase the size of the fibroid,it was already 6 cm in size at last TVU, and, I believe, it is located under the endometrial layer. I didn't want to risk it growing. It is so confusing because there is an ongoing debate as to whether progesterone increases or decreases a fibroid.

I will be 55 years next month and still dealing with this issue and now NEW symptoms appeared in Nov 2012. I'm now having periods twice a month with large clots and spotting in between. Sometimes it looks like the cycle has ended then there will be a single gush then back to spotting. From Nov 2012 - Feb 2013, I had a total of 13 days without some type of spotting. Since the beginning of March and through mid April cycle there has been daily some degree of spotting or a small gush.

I am taking Vit D-3, highly absorbable OTC iron tablet, Vit A, B complexes and Methyl B12 sublingual tabs to help with the anemia.

I want to try the Nat-pro cream. Just not sure the dosage amount and how to take with my periods now being continual.

I appreciate your recommendations.

Thank you.
Apr 15, 2013
 2-1/2 years later...
by: Wray

Hi Lisa I'm sorry you've had such problems, and for so long too. Fibroids are cased by oxidative stress, oestrogen exacerbates them. It's a mitogen causing cells to proliferate. Unfortunately using too little progesterone will cause them to grow further, as low amounts of progesterone stimulate oestrogen. It's only when large amounts are used that oestrogen is suppressed. It seems your vitamin D is very low, as there's strong evidence a lack of vitamin D leads to fibroids, getting levels high certainly shrinks them, see here, here, here, here and here. A lack of vitamin D makes progesterone ineffective. Please have a test done. For more info on vitamin D levels, test kits etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth and Birmingham Hospital. 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 recent research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. Vitamin A inhibits the uptake of vitamin D, see here, here and here. Thank you for considering the Natpro, I've found 400mg/day is needed to stop bleeding. Did this amount not help you before? If not then please also consider taking at least 2000mg/day NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), 2000mg/day taurine, at least 5000iu/day vitamin D (dependant on your level) and 1000mg/day bioflavonoids. Continued below
Apr 15, 2013
 2-1/2 years later... Part 2
by: Wray

Hi there Bioflavonids help strengthen the capillaries weakened by prolonged bleeding, see here and here. The first paper has no abstract, but the second gives a resume of it. There's more info about the other three nutrients on our Menstruation page. As you're in Peri-menopause cycles become so erratic they are impossible to follow, so I recommend using the progesterone daily, through any bleeding. This also ensures progesterone becomes dominant and oestrogen can't rise. You might like to see others comments about heavy continual bleeding, see here, here and here. Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray

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