Menu

Progesterone for Adrenal Exhaustion

by Emily
(Hacienda Hts., CA, USA)

Hi,
I have asthma and have been taking Prednisone as needed in order to cope with my adrenal exhaustion.
This last time I had to take 200 mg. in one day, and then I have titrated down to 40.

I usually take 20 mg. a day Progesterone cream (I am menopausal), but after reading here about taking higher doses I took 100 mg. yesterday, and 160 this morning.

This is making me feel SO much better-I don't understand how it could be working this quickly?

I plan to take a total of 240 for today.

Is this safe and does the quickness of relief I am experiencing make sense?

Thank you

Comments for Progesterone for Adrenal Exhaustion

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 21, 2013
 Diabetes, bruising, Asthma, High Blood Pressure, hair loss, facial hair - Update
by: Emily

Thank you so much for the great healing information, I have experienced IMPROVEMENT of symptoms after only 3 or 4 days taking high doses of Progesterone cream!

More details- During the past three years dosage of Prednisone: 200 mg. to 5 mg, including 40 to 60 for more than a month.

Destructive side effects of Prednisone I am experiencing: Depletion of Progesterone, high blood sugar, 'moon face', glaucoma, high blood pressure, bruising, water retention, low potassium levels, thinning and cracking of skin, thinning of hair on head, facial hair, feel weak, foggy thinking, irritability, inability to sleep well, cycle of binge eating/high/low blood sugar/weight gain.

Dosage of Prednisone past three weeks titrated from 240 mg. to 75 mg. Started higher dose Progesterone Cream 3 or 4 days ago. First day I took 100 mg. cream. Took 600 mg. Progesterone yesterday. Asthma worsened this morning so took 400 mg.

Improvements:A large bruise (about 3 inches by 3) on my stomach (insulin shot site) has VANISHED!
Facial hair is diminishing. Cravings for carbohydrates diminishing. Breathing is better/ Prednisone dosage down by half. Foggy thinking cleared up for a couple of hours. Sleep is better. Hair is slightly thicker.

Whenever asthma appears I apply cream. Currently I cannot go places or do things beyond short trips to the grocery, the dishes, a little cleaning.

I have been using the Progesterone 'as needed', but with the main dosage in the morning and evening. This morning took 400 mg. Progesterone and 25 mg. Prednisone.

I am planning to take 800 mg. total today. Is it okay to take any time, night or day, when the breathing becomes worse? And what is the upper limit on dosage?

Thank you
Emily
Sep 23, 2013
 Progesterone for Adrenal Exhaustion
by: Wray

Hi Emily I'm delighted it's helped you, and yes it can work that quickly, but please watch for Oestrogen Dominance, it can come out of the blue. But if you continue with the 240mg/day you should find it's either mild, or you don't get it. It's only when using too little that symptoms worsen. It does help asthma and other respiratory problems, see here and here. These are some on respiration here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Please have a vitamin D test done, a lack of this not only reduces the benefits of progesterone, but can cause asthma, see here, here, here and here. Continued below
Sep 23, 2013
 Progesterone for Adrenal Exhaustion Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Emily Both these should help the adrenal exhaustion too. 240mg/day is safe, you might like to read these comments here, here, here and here. And this one here too. Take care Wray
Sep 24, 2013
 Diabetes, bruising, Asthma, High Blood Pressure, hair loss, facial hair - Update
by: Wray

Hi Emily Thanks for this added info, I hadn't seen it when I answered your last comment. I can well believe all those symptoms, excess cortisone is extremely dangerous. I'm so delighted the progesterone is helping you. I've given you those papers about progesterone and vitamin D on asthma and respiration. I hope they encourage you further. Above all please have a vitamin D test done, and get your level up high, this is so important. So interesting you had a bruise which vanished. I use to bruise like a peach, I even experimented with vitamin C, as that's meant to be good for bruising. I took 50g/day, or 50,000mg/day for a month, it did nothing for me. But as soon as I started the progesterone all the bruising went and never returned, unless I hit myself very hard. It's best to stick with one amount of progesterone per day in the early stages, and not go up and down. So if you feel 800mg/day will help further then use it, but stick to this until stable. Although I feel it won't be needed if you can get your vitamin D level up quickly. This time you mention diabetes, which wasn't in your first comment. It seems you're using insulin, are you a type 1 or has your doctor suggested you need it? Why I ask is it is possible to reverse type 2 diabetes, even when using insulin. There's little more damaging to us than insulin, so if you can get off it so much the better. Please get hold of "Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It" by Gary Taubes, see here. Ignore the title, it's an excellent book which explains the role carbohydrates and insulin play in our body. And how damaging both are when in excess. You could try the Ketogenic Diet. Or look at the Raw For 30 Days book. Both Progesterone and Vitamin D help reduce blood pressure, and stabilise blood glucose too. We also have a page on Hair Loss, although yours is caused by the prednisone, the page has a list of nutrients which help. All will most probably be very low in you. Not only do they help hair, but nail and skin too. Your skin is weakened, the NAC will help strengthen it. Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Sep 26, 2013
 by prescription only?
by: Emily

Hi Wray,
I just read at http://www.mercola.com/forms/progesterone.htm that the FDA is going to regulate all forms of Progesterone such that it will be by prescription only, is this true? Alarming if so...

In answer to your question I am type 11 diabetic but don't need the insulin when not taking Prednisone if I do a low carb diet.

I am finally able to SLEEP again now, water retention is almost gone.
I am however having anxiety this morning, wondering if I may be going off the Prednisone too quickly or if the estrogen may have been stimulated. Facial hair is a bit worse as well.

Thank you!
Sep 27, 2013
 by prescription only?
by: Wray

Hi Emily Thanks for this! I do get Mercola's newsletter, but often don't have the time to look at them, which I will do. Many countries around the world have it on script only, some even ban it. So far that hasn't affected things, the women in those countries still manage to get it in. I think there's a typo, you say type 11 diabetic! They are finding more and more types, some have gone up to about 8, but 11? I take it you mean type 1, or are you using the Roman numerals ll to mean 2? If you don't need insulin, then you must mean type 2? Please always stick to the low carb, all of us should, there's nothing so damaging as sugar in any form. It causes glycation, this occurs when a sugar molecule binds to a protein or lipid molecule without the control of an enzyme. This impairs the function of the molecule, leading to advanced glycation endproducts or AGEs, see here. This results in oxidative stress, see here. Which in turn leads to inflammation, see here and here. Resulting in many of our inflammatory diseases, which are the end result of long term oxidative stress. Delighted you're sleeping now, and the water retention almost gone. It does all take time, some women are on high amounts of progesterone for over a year before they begin to feel normal again, see here, here,here, here and here. There too many variables too, in our food, drink, in the air, skin care, not to mention Stress! Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Oct 04, 2013
 Better
by: Emily

Hi
Yes I'm a type 2 diabetic, but only use insulin while on Prednisone.
My blood sugar levels are much better and am losing weight. I take much less insulin, and I've been taking vitamin D3 and getting sunshine.
In addition I'm ordering 7 keto dhea.

I intend to buy the vitamin D cream you are formulating. Until then, is it at all useful to simply apply vitamin D3 to the skin? They say that during the winter even in mild climates you don't get much benefit from being in the sun.

My dosage of Prednisone is much reduced, and I have hope of actually being free of this awful medication.

My thinking is still foggy and I get irritable and sometimes anxiety hits. I just take Progesterone as needed. My feet are usually slightly numb and that seems to have improved, sometimes right after I apply the cream (unless it's my imagination!)

Thanks
Oct 07, 2013
 Absorbancy
by: Emily

My health has been getting worse and worse over these last few years, finally I am healing!

Yes, I am a type 2 diabetic and only have to use insulin when taking Prednisone. I am titrating down rapidly (for me) and looks like I may be completely free of this awful medication in time.

I started using a D3 patch instead of taking it orally a couple of days ago (I read you can't get it from sunshine during fall/winter months even in mild climates). I don't have to use as much cream as I did at first, hopefully it is being absorbed better.

Can you take Natpro anally? Any ideas for an applicator?
Oct 09, 2013
 Better
by: Wray

Hi Emily Thanks for the info, then it is possible to reverse this. I gave you the info on how to do it, it's so worth trying. Just getting your blood glucose levels better, insulin down and losing weight will all help. And I'm delighted you're able to reduce the prednisone, it can be a life saver but not for too long. You can open the vitamin D capsule and add that to some skin cream and apply that. But it's so important to have a test, until you do you won't know how much to take. If your level is low, you should be taking 10,000-20,000iu per day to get it up quickly. Please have that test. The numbness sounds like peripheral neuropathy, progesterone does help, see here, here and here. So too does vitamin D, see here, here, here here. We don't make any vitamin D to speak of if our shadow is longer than us. And of course in winter none if living 33 degrees above the equator. You can use Natpro either vaginally or anally, but I'm not sure why you would want to. It's so good for the skin, see here. The best thing for burns, piles too I'm told by people who've used it there, minor wounds etc. The best applicator would be a syringe, with the needle removed! Take care Wray
Dec 12, 2013
 Breathing Easy
by: Emily

Hello,
I am happy to say that I am now completely off of Prednisone! Progesterone has been a life saver for me. I was only getting sicker and sicker before I started taking it. My breathing is wonderful compared to what it was when I started. I don't even have to use inhalors as much as I used too.....Still have some brain fog, facial hair and breast tenderness come and go, but I continue to improve.
I started taking benfotiamine for circulation, very effective. This should help with absorption of Progesterone, since it improves circulation?
In time I shouldn't have to take as much Progesterone? I've been taking between 500 and 800 mg. a day.
Also, my sister has carpal tunal. Would Progesterone help her with this?

Thank you

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Progesterone faq.

Share this page:
Find this page helpful? Please tell others. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Search over 8,400 pages on this site...