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New to using progesterone

by Colleen
(Daytona Beach, FL. USA)

Hello,
I am very thankful to have found this site. I just ordered 3 tubes of Natpro and based on what I've read on this site, I'll start applying 400 mg per day.

How much of the cream should I apply at a time and how many times per day?

Here is a little more about me:
I'm almost 35, no kids and don,t plan on any. I was taking orthocyclen for about 10 yrs before switching to yaz for 2 years. I found out I have a fibroid outside my uterus that has been pushing on my bladder. I stopped taking the yaz about two weeks ago and am already getting some relief from the fibroid. I am also on Zoloft.

My main symptoms are depression, lack of libido, fatigue, chronic pain and moodiness. My joints and muscles are very sore, I wake up every morning soaking with sweat and freezing cold.

What makes me soooooo mad is that I have been complaining of these symptoms for over a year now and have seen several different doctors. Not one of them ever told me about progesterone and what can happen if its low and WHY progesterone becomes low. Here I thought I was just this crazy depressed woman!

I am looking forward to getting my order of Natpro.

Thanks,
Colleen

Comments for New to using progesterone

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Oct 01, 2012
 crazy or confused
by: Katseyes

i have sleep apnea..recently diagnosed and my cortisol levels are reversed..menstrual issues for almost a year now on and off ..dr prescribed progesterone 2x since April to bring on my period after 40-50 days without a period and feel like going insane..already suffer from depression & anxiety so much more magnified..Doc tells me not ovulating possible peri-menopausal but will not be specific or give me anything consistent..told me could not test for progesterone??? HUH another Dr a specialist in women's sexual health /issues told me yes can test for progesterone but it should not have any affect my libido..so therefore am i crazy,confused or do these gynecologists just not care or know anything ??? ..both MALE Dr's ..hmmm???
Oct 02, 2012
 New to using progesterone
by: Wray

Hi Colleen There are so many of us crazy depressed women, it never fails to amaze me the doctors haven't yet realised there must be some common foundation to our problems. And not as most tell us, it's 'all in your mind'! I went through the same sort of problems you are going through, thankfully all now a distant memory. Bless you for the kind words about the site, and I'm so pleased you've read enough on it to convince you to use a high amount of progesterone initially. I think you could possibly be very short of vitamin D, it works synergistically with progesterone, a low level reducing progesterone's benefits. In fact I did a page on Progesterone and Vitamin D I was so fascinated by this aspect. Although excess oestrogen can cause pain in our joints and muscles, as it's an inflammatory hormone, low vitamin D can too. So can low magnesium, the most important co-factor for vitamin D. 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. Low vitamin D increases the risk for depression too, see here, here, here, here, here. and here. Continued below.
Oct 02, 2012
 New to using progesterone Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Colleen We also have a page on Anxiety which gives a list of nutrients which all help. Fibroids are caused by oxidative stress, often a lack of vitamin D is behind them, see here, here, here, here and here. So please have that test done, one for magnesium might be a good idea too. Take care Wray
Oct 05, 2012
 crazy or confused
by: Wray

Hi there It would help to know your age. If you are in Peri-menopause it's a most difficult time. And was it 'progesterone' he gave you? Or was it a synthetic progestin? It's most unusual for a doctor to give progesterone to bring on a period. Unfortunately the term is used by the medical profession for both the natural and synthetic progesterone and progestins. And if you are in P-M, it won't affect your cycle, the ovaries are shutting down and have a mind of their own. Bleeding comes and goes when it likes. We do have a page on Anxiety, there are a number of nutrients listed which all help. Interestingly in men sleep apnea is associated with erectile dysfunction, see here. There is a slight evidence that progesterone can help the apnea, see here. Progesterone certainly helps libido and erectile dysfunction, see here. All male doctors seem to think it's only testosterone which increases libido. I've just done a page on this, not on our site yet as the web master has been too busy. But there is strong evidence testosterone and oestrogen play very small roles in libido, whereas progesterone has a great influence on it! So too does dopamine, in fact this is probably the main player. Dopamine needs the progesterone receptors to function. Your dopamine level could be too low, it causes depression when it drops. The precursor to dopamine is the amino acid tyrosine, there's more info on the anxiety page. You could also be short of vitamin D, as this causes depression when low, see here, here, here, here, here. and here. Low vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. Please have a test done. Continued below.
Oct 05, 2012
 crazy or confused Part 2
by: Wray

Hi there 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. If you should consider using progesterone, please use enough, too little merely exacerbates symptoms. I normally recommend 100-200mg/day, but feel you'll need at least the 200mg, if not more. There's info on the P-M page, and this page on How to use progesterone cream. Please also look through our Oestrogen Dominance page. Take care Wray
Oct 06, 2012
 crazy or confused
by: kathy/katseyes

Hi Wray
I am 47 & my gyne prescribed as i began having erratic cycles in February. In August and it brought on my period after 2 weeks of 10mg one per day 5 tabs ..he told me he thought I wasn't ovulating and it would bring on my period and my estrogen was fine. I had another period 3 weeks after the initial one that was brought on by the proges and now (sigh) its been 43 days and took proges again it is mydroxy proges..synthetic?? I just got tested for progesterone, SHBG, progesterone lactin and testerone free and something else to do with testosterone..so we will see in 2 weeks what the results are. This was requested by a specialist in female sexual dysfunction also a gyne. Not sure what to think at this point but i feel a litle calmer over the last two days with the meds and i take Wellbutrin 150mg sr for dopamine for depression.
Oct 08, 2012
 crazy or confused
by: Wray

Hi Kathy I have given you info on the MPA on another page you posted on, see here. It's a synthetic progestin, with androgenic properties. I had a feeling the 'progesterone' your gynae gave you wasn't. So no amount of synthetic or natural progesterone is going to make one iota of difference to your erratic cycles now. What progesterone can do, and I mean progesterone not MPA, is stop any heavy bleeding you might suffer from. We have more info about this on our Menstruation page. I did suspect your dopamine was too low, as this does affect libido and depression. Please consider taking the tyrosine to bring levels up, far safer than the Wellbutrin. I gave you the link to the anxiety page, which tells you how too take it, plus other nutrients. And if you should consider coming off the Wellbutrin, take a look at our page on Natural Antidepressants. If you wish to start progesterone, please use sufficient. And please read those pages I gave you on how to use it, and the oestrogen dominance page too. Take care Wray

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