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progesterone and heart palpitations?

by Trisha
(Oregon)

Thank you for this site! Excellent information!!

53-years-old. Eat well, sleep well, exercise daily and in good overall health. No history of heart disease although I did have ABVD chemo (4 rounds) in 2006 for Hodgkins and am worrying about this. No relapse of cancer.

Hysterectomy (uterus and ovaries) 5 years-ago and due to prolapsed uterus and bladder. Decided to remove ovaries to eliminate possibility of ovarian cancer. Been on .25 of estradiol Rx since then in wrist gel form and at night. Nothing else aside from multi-vitamins and calcium supplement and 150mg of Wellbutrin anti-depressant.

My doctor started me on Progesterone 30 days ago and having not seen him for a few years (went to my gyno instead for check-ups and refills of estrogen) and due to my appt to discuss withdrawal of anti-depressant that I had begun on my own but wasn't feeling well with a sudden and weird spike in blood pressure that I had monitored at work through company nurse. He couldn't believe I was not supplementing with Progesterone as well. Right away I started the natural creme of about 22-50 mg per day and estimating how much I scooped out. Felt immediately better. He had me start this until my Rx could be ready at a compounding pharmacy. So 13 days ago I stopped the creme and started to take the Rx 50mg pill at bed. I just read the gut destroys 90% of oral pill form.

Started to taper off of Wellbutrin 40 days ago and have been off completely for about 10 days now. I began to experience severe suicide ideation and heart palpitations about 1 year ago and endured that before increasing it thinking it was my depression. Ignored heart palpitations and associated those with working out too hard (swimming and yoga). My general doctor did not know the protocol for tapering, and as I've read of extensively the past several weeks, and I worry if I may have come off too quickly because I have read that cardio issues can be attributed to WB withdrawal. I have no psychological or mental health bad side effects described from WB withdrawal. None. I feel better, actually, than I have in years. Had some dizziness and sea legs and a few brain zaps but have been taking 500mg of OTC L-Tyrosine for about a week now and feel great psychologically.

So of course my main worry is my heart. After reading everything I can about estrogen / progesterone, I'm wondering if it's been an estrogen imbalance the past couple of years that has caused my heart heaviness, shortness of breath, some rapid beating -- especially since I am very, very physically healthy with good blood counts, organs, etc and after being continually monitored since my cancer. Doctor has said all along I'm in very, very good health. I did visit the ER a year ago and all the above was diagnosed as a panic attack and after a thorough cardio work up.

I'm just not sure what to do right now. My doctor did order a blood panel after 30 days of the Progesterone (and based on my last cancer appt bloodwork 90 days ago didn't have hormone panels) so I'm going to do that this coming week and schedule a follow-up about all of this.

Comments for progesterone and heart palpitations?

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Dec 03, 2017
 progesterone heart palpitations
by: Anonymous

I am sorry to hear you are going through this but as you continue to read through this site you will see over and over again that added estrogens are not a good idea. We are surrounded by estrogens in the environment and in food. Progesterone is the one lacking. Also, the amount of progesterone you are being told to take is far too low. This will only excite the estrogen receptors and the adverse affects of that.

Please continue to read the advice given on this site. There is quite frankly no other place with such researched information. Doctors aren't, sadly, as well informed as they should be, and that is putting it mildly. When it comes to hormones, most are in the dark.

You need the progesterone to become dominant and that means taking nothing less than between 100 - 200mg of natural progesterone, more if symptoms are severe. I personally take around 400mg and am very happy with this. Initially when increasing progesterone, the symptoms can increase but that is because it is not yet the dominant hormone. Don't give up on that. It takes time, maybe for some, quicker relie,f and others longer. Many want to reduce the amount when symptoms appear worse because they panic. This is when you need to stay steady and try to cope with this. Adding more rather than less progesterone is the way to get through it. If after a while your symptoms stabilize and you feel better, then you can reduce SLOWLY the amount you are taking to an amount you are happy with. Also, vital for your heart is the amino acid Taurine and the nutrient MAGNESIUM - ideally glycinate for better absorption . It's one of the most lacking nutrients in people's body's. This will help to stabilize the nerves. Also the B vitamin Niacinamide 500mg. Ubiquinol is absolutely vital as well - around 100 - 200mg
.
Continue studying this site.

Wishing you the best. You've come to the right place for help!
Dec 03, 2017
 heart palpitations
by: Anonymous

I forgot to mention the huge importance of making sure your VITAMIN D levels are in optimal range - ideally between 70-100ng/ml.
In order for progesterone to function properly vitamin D must be there! Also, look for natural progesterone creams that are free of additives. Natpro is excellent. Ona's is another good cream at a higher percentage of 10%, meaning one pump gives you 100mg.
Hope this helps!
Dec 05, 2017
 doing much better!
by: Trisha

Thank you for the response!!

I finally did see my long term care doctor who is very well versed on bio-identical hormone replacement theory yet who I stopped seeing several years ago. I had a full hysterectomy back in 2012 and including cervix / ovaries. That decision was mine as a cancer survivor. I went on anti-depressants as a quick fix to that trauma. Stupid and glad that I withdrew from that poison most recently.

Fast forward, my most recent blood panel showed very, very low levels of progesterone and testosterone. I take .25 of estrogen daily (since I have no ovaries) since my hysterectomy and that level was almost non existent on my panel.

Since I wrote my initial post, I'm up to 100+mg of progesterone daily (in pill form at night and also supplemental cream with no additives that I purchased at health store) and will continue to increase it; .50mg of estrogen (Divigel); .25mg testosterone (compound creme). Taking all of my high quality multivitamins (always have) and what you've mentioned. Also taking T-Lyrosene. I did discuss with my doctor the pill form of progesterone being destroyed by the gut and liver as I've read here and he had a different take on that. I'm going to look at my progesterone levels after my next panel. If they do not show significant change, I will go to creme only and try one of the two brands recommended here.

I feel like a completely different person the past week. I absolutely can't believe how amazing I am feeling. So I will continue to study bio-identical hormone therapy (I got into it prior to my hysterectomy and then set it down) with this doctor and learning everything I can about my blood panels and appropriate levels of hormones. It can be spendy to get these panels done every 6-8 weeks, but it's worth it.

Been monitoring my blood pressure 3x daily the past 2 weeks and it is in average range. I know that the withdrawal of the poisonous anti-depressants was a culprit there as I've discussed previously.

Thank you again and I'm going to continue to read as much as I possibly can from this site.
Dec 06, 2017
 progesterone and heart palpitations
by: Joy

Hi Trisha

A lot of the symptoms that you are experiencing are due to excess estrogen, please read the Estrogen Dominance page.

I do not believe that any woman needs to take extra estrogen. There are well over 100m estrogen mimics in our environment as it is, why take more? See here.

You have not been advised on how to use Progesterone Cream correctly see this page here.

...plus most compounding creams come mixed with parabens, chemicals, estrogen and or testosterone.

Menopause can be a torrid time for some women, but it need not be with the correct use of progesterone, please read this page here.

Heart palpitations can be a scary thing and excess estrogen can cause them. Progesterone, if used correctly, can help these palpitations. Estrogen causes prolongation of the QT interval, which results in palpitations, arrhythmia, and Torsades de Pointes. Whereas progesterone shortens the QT interval, see here, and here.

Any form of oral progesterone is not the best Delivery Method, please read this page here....as 96% get destroyed by the gut and liver. This and the incorrect amount of progesterone used is causing your palpitations. Usually between 100-200mg of a good organic progesterone cream will help, often more is needed to overcome adverse symptoms. Once you feel stable you can slowly reduce the amount of cream used by 20mg at a time. Reduce by 20mg, stay on that reduced amount for a week and reduce again by another 20mg and so on. Never use less than 100mg per day. You should not take a break, use every day from now on.

Weaning off any anti-depressant should be done slowly. I am pleased that you are off Wellbutrin.

...the side effects are not pleasant.

You might want to read the Anxiety page as well.

Do you know what your Vitamin D3 level is? If not, please consider having a test as a deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone and is connected to every single functioning cell in our bodies making it vital. It is also linked to mental health. Optimal range should be between 70-100ng/mL. Important co-factors are needed when taking vitamin D3 especially Magnesium and Vitamin K2 with NO soy.

Hope this helps you.
Dec 06, 2017
 thank you
by: Trisha

Thank you for your comments and links. I spent a great deal of time reading your entire site prior to my first comment back in November and have read them all. All very interesting and informative.

Question: Do you address blood panel results anywhere in your research here on this site? You do mention a lot about how a person 'feels'. As I've mentioned, my blood panel showed almost zero presence of estrogen in my body. Regardless if there exists thousands of environmental toxins that mimic it or not, I'm not comfortable with that minimal level showing up in my bloodwork. I have done a ton of research and lifestyle practices the past many years on toxins within and outside of the home, eliminating them, etc. So I do get that they are 'out there' and pay great attention to it, but I'm not comfortable with no ovaries and no estrogen hormone replacement. The gel is minimal.

I don't believe I am estrogen dominant as I now know that my heart issues were 100% bad side effects from the Wellbutrin I'd been taking for a few years -- consult with pharmacist and psychiatrist. Coming off of it was slow and painful, yet all heart related side effects that I identified from FDA information and my own research into it (one of the many, many articles I read you have linked) have disappeared. I never had them prior to WB and had my ovaries then (estrogen).

With Progesterone, I've noticed a tremendous difference already like I've said. 100mg in pill form at night and 50mg in the morning to date. So far it's great and I will look at my blood panels in a few weeks to see the Progesterone levels before I decide that pill form is not working or is being destroyed by gut or liver. My panel prior to Progesterone was zilch.

The only compounding creme I'm using is the low dose of Testosterone. I did ask the pharmacist about all the 'toxins' described in the above post regarding compounding. He led me through the ingredients and showed none of what was mentioned. So relieved to hear that.

Pretty convinced to date that the WB was the poison to my body and that the bio-identical hormone replacement therapy of Progesterone (150mg daily to date and increasing in time) + .50 Estrogen gel + .25 Testosterone is a great beginning therapy for me as I continue to learn and watch my panels and how I feel.

Yes to Vitamin D! And K! Take those both. And the understanding of what you've explained regarding implications for hormones, is appreciated.

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