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Hashimoto's, insomnia and hormones

by Glynda-Lee Hoffmann
(Chico, CA)

At age 31, during my first pregnancy, I suddenly began waking up at 3am, unable to go back to sleep. This began for me a lifelong imbalance that has plagued me ever since, with recurring periods of intense systemic inflammation, gluten intolerance, severe insomnia, severe postpartum depression leading to general depression and periods of anxiety.

During menopause I experienced extreme hot flashes and night sweats as I lurched from doctor to doctor. I was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto's 7 years ago through an antibody test that could have been requested by any of my former doctors, but wasn't.

At age 68 I'm currently on armour thyroid and very high doses of BHRT estrogen and progesterone by a doctor convinced it will relieve my symptoms, and it has to some extent, but not all - no more hot flashes or night sweats but now brittle nails, sore breasts and still waking up and needing ambien and valium to get back to sleep.

After reading many posts on this website, I'm ready to try using progesterone cream only. A new doctor I visited recently refused to prescribe progesterone cream, insisting that research indicated only oral progesterone protects the uterus during BHRT. I did find a few links on this website that I think address that point. I'm going to give them to the doc and we'll discuss them. I did find enough info on this website to convince me that trying Natpro would be a simple experiment that may give me relief and help me sleep and restore my nails and possibly my libido.

My main question is how to do I reduce my BHRT? I'm currently taking BHRT and progesterone to mimic the follicular and luteal phases of fertility. My latest labs have my estrogen at 697 pg/ml (when my new doc says the level for a 30 year old is 130) and my progesterone is 5.5 ng/ml. According to the conversion rates on your website I should divide the estrogen number - 697 - by 1000, which equals .697. That means my progesterone over estrogen ratio is 5.5 to .67, which seems pretty close to the 10:1 ratio listed on your website as not ideal, since 100:1 is.

So, my question still is, how slowly do I decrease my BHRT estrogen? Also, my current BHRT progesterone prescription is "progesterone versabase 20MG/0. 1ML (200MG/ML) 30MLS. I have no idea what any of that means. It's delivered to me in syringes. I take different amounts on different luteal days, beginning at 7ml and topping out at 14ml, then going back down to 7ml. Can you help me with all this? Do I discontinue the BHRT progesterone and use only Natpro? Or can I decrease the BHRT estrogen and still use up what's left of my BHRT progesterone, then continue with Natpro?

Interestingly, I've been using a small amount of my BHRT estrogen on my face to help with aging, but according to a link on your website, I'd be better off using progesterone as an anti-aging cream.

Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks.

Comments for Hashimoto's, insomnia and hormones

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Apr 10, 2018
 Hashimoto's, insomnia and hormones
by: Joy

Hi Glynda Lee

I am pleased that you have decided to go the progesterone route only and Natpro is a good choice. You are in Menopause, progesterone cream should be used every day with no breaks. I am not sure how you worked out your progesterone:estrogen ratio but I work it out to 8:1, it should be around 600:1. Between 100-200mg Natpro should be used daily, you may need to use more, you will have to experiment to see what works for you.

Reducing HRT should be done slowly, please read the page on how to do this below. Many go cold turkey, but it is kinder on the body to come off slowly. Finish the progesterone that you do have then continue with Natpro.

Do you know what you Vitamin D3 level is? A deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone, it also affects the thyroid. Optimal range is between 70-100ng/mL and nothing less than 5,000iu's per day is needed, more if you are deficient. Magnesium is a co-factor and should be taken as well.

Please read these pages if you have not done so already.

How to use Progesterone Cream

Estrogen Dominance

Menopause

Hormone Testing

Coming off HRT
Apr 11, 2018
 alternaties to pharmaceuticals
by: Anonymous

Adding tinctures of herbs like passionflower and california poppy can induce a sleepy state without needing the harsher pharmaceuticals. Just DONT mix the herbs with the drugs.
Passionflower is used to help people come off of harsh drugs and is indicated here for weening off sleeping pills and valium.
You can also make a decoction of reishi mushroom and turkey tail mushroom which can help balance the endocrine and nervous system.

Good luck.
Apr 06, 2022
 Vitamins to help process estrogen
by: Anonymous

My dr advised DIM should be taken to help your body process estrogen. When he increased my testosterone he also increased the DIM.

Due to hair loss and developing a bald spot like male pattern baldness we stopped the testosterone and lowered the DIM.
Apr 07, 2022
 Vitamins to help process estrogen
by: Joy

DIM helps some but I believe that Calcium d G is far more effective.  Discuss this with your doctor.  Why did he increase your testosterone? No women should take it, see here , here and here .  I am pleased that you are no longer taking it. It was definitely the cause of your Hair Loss but you are also suffering from Estrogen Dominance.  Again, I do not believe that any woman needs to take extra estrogen. Progesterone is needed, your hormones need to be balanced. There are well over 100 estrogen mimics in our Environment as it is, why take more?

Please make sure that your Vitamin D3 level is optimal as a deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone it is also connected to every single function cell in our bodies making it vital, that include thyroid problems.
Take care.

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