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I am DESPERATE for help

by Norma
(West Point Utah USA)

I am a 50 year old female that has not had a period for about 5 years {I had an oblasion) I have loved having no periods. I have had extremely bad INSOMNIA for the past 4-5 years, there are some nights I don't sleep at all. I keep telling the Dr. about my insomnia and he just gives me sleep meds. I can't do it any more. I am so extremely tired that can't function. I also, work as a nurse and get up 2-3 times a week at 3:30 am (which I am sure doesn't help any) I have also been on Wellbutrin for the past 15 or so years for depression. I exercise, I eat healthy, I do everything that every expert advises to do as far as improving my sleep. Nothing works!!!! I also, work very hard at keeping my weight down.
Resently, I went to the GYN to have a physical and ask for help. I had some blood work done in hopes that it would help in my treatment.
my TSH was .76 normal values, .34-5.60
my TT3 .70 NV .87-1.78
Estradiol 210 NV 20-534
Progesterone .25 NV 0.08-50.74
Testosterone 2.58 NV .10-.75
Chol 152
Trig 123
HDL 51 Cho/HDL 3.0
LDLD 73 The Dr. told me everything looked good, and sent me on my way, I felt so frustated. I was hoping he would tx me with something.
I was hoping that the Dr. would start me on some HRT or just any thing! I have ordered some Progesterone from you but have not yet received it. PLEASE...PLEASE...I need some help!

Comments for I am DESPERATE for help

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Feb 01, 2012
 I feel for you Norma
by: Karenina

Hi Norma,

It must be awful not being able to sleep for the last 4 or five years. I find it amazing that you are still going to work. Have you had your Vitamin D checked? Low levels of Vitamin D can make one feel very tired. I am sure the Progesterone cream will help you.
Hang in there. Wray will respond to you soon. She is an amazing woman with so much experience and knowledge.
I am here if you want someone to talk to.
Take care. Karenina
Feb 01, 2012
 I wish I could help
by: Renata

Dear Norma,

I am the last person in the world to giving advice. And feel ashamed reading your message.

When I read your S.OS. call, I feel ashamed. I am 52, living with my 82 father.

I don't have a life at all. I am depressed for last 15 years. I lost the job, I moved to some place I don't like at all. And I am complaining all the time. What I do? Nothing.

I did questionnaire and score was 56, or 65, and today I got my second shipment with 3 tubes of Natpro.

I sleep bad, having bad dreams, and I was sweating enormously during the night.

When I woke up my hair was like I went out from the shower, the face and breast, too. Even Wray was astonished when I wrote that after a few days of using a cream I stopped over-sweating. It was relief for me.

The life is not fair. You are nurse, of course You cannot live "normal" life (who can??) Me too, one day I stay awake till five in the morning then, the second day I am sleepy about ten p.m.

I don't exercise at all, except whenn I am going for a walk with a my dog, my dearest piece of heart. People told to do this and that. to find what I like… It is easier to wait help to fall down from the sky.

If somebody understand nightmares, depression, sadness -it's me. I apology to all these people whose life is much worse than mine.

Did you try to stay alone with yourself and ask: what is my body telling me? What is that what I don't want to hear? What is my biggest fear? As a man I appreciate a lot say: "The best exit is entrance". For me is the hardest way, too, but I am full of fears.

The second thing is that I am watching an TV emission with a Ayurveda's doctor. I admire this approach. They are not just giving predicaments again and again making us more sick than we are. They talk to you, about you, your life, (you must know much more than me). Here in my country there are a few of them and all have been studying in states (and other countries). I don't know how much it costs, but I think that you need a good, long quality talk with a person who knows listening. Then, perhaps by talking you will find the answers yourself. Stop. Calm down.

Panic doesn't do any good ever.

I wish you resolve a little by little your problems, because nothing happens over night, we all know that but we, at least me, are impatient.

I wish you all the best.
Feb 01, 2012
 I am DESPERATE for help
by: Wray

Hi Norma It's difficult telling if you are in Peri-menopause or Menopause as you've had an ablation. But as the average age of menopause is 51, you are almost there, if not already there. In which case your oestradiol level is not in the normal range, it's very high. Female (premenopausal) 30 - 400 pg/ml, Female (postmenopausal) 0 - 30 pg/ml, see Medline Oestradiol. Your progesterone level is indicative of someone in menopause ie, <1 ng/l, see Medline Progesterone. Your testosterone makes no sense to me, as the normal range is 30 - 95 ng/dL, see Medline Testosterone. Unless they gave you the free testosterone result, the range of this for women aged 41 - 60 yrs is 0.4 - 2.5 pg/ml, see Keratin.com If it is this, it's a bit high, which also indicates you're in menopause. But the thing which jumps out for me is the ratio between progesterone to oestrogen which is 1.2:1. I've never seen one so low. We've found from Saliva Tests we run that the P:E2 ratio should be 600:1 and over to feel well. It's no wonder you feel so awful! So irrespective of whether you are P-M or menopause, your ratio is way out. You say you have ordered some progesterone. Before you start it, please read our page on Oestrogen Dominance first. Progesterone does stimulate oestrogen initially, but if sufficient is used it passes quickly, or doesn't occur. Your oestrogen is so high, and your progesterone so low, I feel you will experience this. I normally recommend 100-200mg/day, but feel you should try nothing less than 200mg/day (6ml or 1 1/5 tsp). You might need far more, you'll know soon enough as symptoms will become worse. Or you might experience new ones. Please don't be discouraged and reduce or stop the progesterone, it's essential to make it the dominant hormone. As you can see from the saliva tests, it needs to get really high to have any effect. If you should get excess oestrogen symptoms, increase the amount of progesterone. Continued below.
Feb 01, 2012
 I am DESPERATE for help Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Norma You might find these comments from other users of high amounts encouraging, see here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Do let me know how you get on. Incidentally progesterone is excellent for sleep, see here. So if your insomnia gets worse, you'll know this is a sign of oestrogen dominance, please increase the progesterone. Progesterone does help depression too, it certainly helped me. It's a natural monoamine oxidase inhibitor. But I feel you are very short of vitamin D, please have a test done. This is such an essential nutrient, affecting over 2600 genes. A lack not only reduces the benefits of progesterone, this was discovered during studies on TBI victims, but it causes depression too, see here and here. For more info on vitamin D levels, testing etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth, Birmingham Hospital and Vitamin D Links websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml or 175-250nmol/L and not the 30ng/ml or 75nmol/L most labs and doctors regard as adequate. The minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although the latest research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. Take care Wray
Feb 01, 2012
 Progest cream
by: Anonymous

Have you tried Natural Progest cream by Emerita; available over the counter in Health Food Stores.
It will help with your sleep. Your sleep may not be completely restored but you should see some good improvement. Make sure you go to bed only when you are tired and set the alarm in the morning so you get just the amount of sleep you need. Rather than over sleeping in the morning and spending too much time in bed, your body will adjust and take the sleep it needs between bedtime, and say 6:30 or 7:30 am. Some people actually make their sleep problems worse by taking more time in bed than they should, somehow trying to make up for lost sleep. If you shorten the time spent in bed your body will adjust in time and take the sleep it needs. I do think as we get older our sleep is compromised due to our body clock making changes. I think it is simply how we age, and if we can slow that down by some
good sleep habits, it helps, but I don't think anyone "sleeps like a baby" when they are getting older. Sweet Dreams!
Feb 01, 2012
 I feel for you Norma
by: Wray

Hi Karenina How lovely of you to encourage and to offer to listen, it's so important we are here for each other. And bless you for the kind words! I don't know if you've seen 'your' page, as I commented on it immediately after you said you wouldn't pester me again. Please look at it, see here. Take care Wray
Feb 01, 2012
 I wish I could help
by: Wray

Hi Renata How wonderful of you to add your words of comfort, I know what a terrible time you've been through. I wish I could help you more. You asked me three questions last year, but it seems you have't seen any of my replies. These are the links, see here, here and here. Take care Wray
Feb 01, 2012
 Help I am DESPERATE
by: Norman

Thank you for the responses. I am in tears to know that strangers out there would care enough to give me advise and be concerned about me. Thank you. I forgot to add in my comments that I did have a Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy test. Results were 71 Reference Values were 32-100. It has been lower in the past so I have tried to keep up on taking Vitamin D. Thanks again so much. I so value all of your opinions.
Feb 01, 2012
 Help I am DESPERATE
by: Wray

Hi Norma It's so essential to support each other. I'm pleased your vitamin D was that high. So I do hope it's lack of progesterone, excess oestrogen, which is causing the depression. Do let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Feb 01, 2012
 Dear Norma
by: Renata

Hello again,
From my own experience I can tell that many
times in my life, help me the people I've never seen before.
I am not the doctor, but I can share my story,
and I know that understanding and caring words is what we sometimes need more than a medicament.
Wray told that I haven't seen her answers, but I did. I am taking vitamin D, flax oil, a lot of B -"Happy vitamin". I am starting my fourth tube and I cannot say that I've experienced any bad side effects. It must be I am feeling better, just I am not grateful enough. AS I told before I was falling for a long time, I cannot change my habits over night.
I don't want suggest anything, but you can listen to Wray.
Take care,
there is always a solution, it is up to us o find it.

And, it might sound cruel - but the only person who is going the best care of you are yourself. "They love me - they must know how I feel, what I think" - doesn't work.

You have to ask and to say aloud what you want to be done.

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