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Prometrium use topically

I am new to the topical progesterone world. Am weaning myself off of HRT. I currently have over 100 (100mg) prometrium pills and am wondering how to use them most effectively.

If they are micronized progesterone (for oral use), why can't they be used topically instead? They are a milky liquid inside a gelcap. It would be very very easy to drop them into a lowdose progesterone cream. It just doesn't make sense to me to toss them, they were expensive!! I understand that taking them orally is much less effective than topically.

Can anyone give me any info on whether this can be done and how the 100mgs in the gelcap translates into transdermal mgs. Would a compounding pharmacist have this info?

Will order my future progesterone here and keep up to date on the new info. What great info and service you are doing!

Comments for Prometrium use topically

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Sep 19, 2011
 Prometrium use topically
by: Wray

Hi there Thanks for the kind words! And yes, I always suggest using the cap contents transdermally. You can open the cap and either apply it directly to the skin or add the contents to a natural or organic skin cream. I wouldn't bother to get a progesterone cream, as they are more expensive than plain skin creams. Or just add it to some plain organic vegetable oil, the best is caprylic/capric triglycerides, more commonly referred to as MCT oil. It's the lightest of all oils, and not only goes into the skin very quickly, but makes it very soft too. This is one reason we use it as our base oil. As the caps contain 100mg progesterone, you will be getting this if applied to your skin, not if taking it. Oral progesterone is the least effective Delivery system. The best are injections, suppositories or creams. I prefer the cream as it can be applied anywhere. Incidentally you can use the caps as suppositories, I would suggest at night only, in case it leaks during the day. The vagina is an excellent place to use progesterone, as it has a plentiful supply of blood vessels. The progesterone if applied there prevents inflammation, dryness and protects against Candida. I'm relieved you're weaning off HRT, no point in going cold turkey, as symptoms can be harsh. You might find when you start the progesterone that you get Oestrogen Dominance symptoms, due to the extra oestrogen you're getting. I've found the higher the oestrogen level, the worse the symptoms when starting progesterone. Normally I recommend 100-200mg/day, but it's entirely dependant on symptoms, the worse they are the more is needed. So don't be afraid to use more, you might like to read these comments here, here, here and here for encouragement. Take care Wray
Nov 16, 2014
 how long until estrogen dominance goes away
by: Anonymous

I'm trying to avoid a blood transfusion (hemoglobin keeps going below 8 and I can't get iron up) with very heavy periods every 25 -28 days. I am nearly age 54. I tried progesterone cream twice, and both times estrogen soared. I know this because my basal body temp plummeted further and I tried to ovulate again, which i can tell with pelvic sensations.(plus i looked younger which always happesn when estrogen is up) From reading your posts, perhaps the dose wasn't big enough. I can try 100-200mg. Any guesses as to how long i should stick with this to see if the progesterone cream casues serum progesterone levels actually rise more than it causes estrogen to rise? Am due to bleed in about 12 days and wish i can stop it before then. So many of the posts have women bleeding MORE or unevenly even with high doses of progesterone- and I can' risk it.I suspect some of this is difficulty of getting a continous supply with a cream - if the progesterone wears off, that will trigger a bleed (im in a statewhere my body just keeps trying to ovulate over and over all month long). Am out of options, so don't have much time (i've tried a small dose of Iv iron, but got side effects i do not want to risk again, oral iron kills my esophogaus and can't take, do not want aritifical progesterones (either by injection or patch in the birth control patch), have considered armoatase inhibitors, but those stimulate ovarian function- am not thrilled with lupron for a zillion reason; i certainly don'twant a hysterectomy). I have other medical stuff going on and my options are limited.
Nov 17, 2014
 how long until estrogen dominance goes away
by: Wray

Hi there Oestrogen does rise when first starting progesterone, but if enough is used it usually comes down reasonably quickly. By the sound of things you will need at least 200mg/day if not more. It's impossible to tell how you will react to it, but you might like to see the results of Saliva Tests we run on our cream. You'll notice the progesterone rises significantly. I have put together a protocol which works for heavy bleeding. You'll find the nutrients to take and the amounts at the bottom of the page. Please consider taking these, they've helped many women. Take care Wray
Nov 23, 2014
 elaborate please?
by: Wray

Hi there If you look at the saliva test results I gave you, you'll notice the progesterone rose within the month of doing the test. But it takes time for the actual effect to take place. That is anyone's guess. These are a few things which cause progesterone levels to drop or for it to be less effective……
lack of or drop in vitamin D
dark days, especially winter, probably because vitamin D drops in winter due to lack of sun
high oestrogen
high testosterone
low SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), this binds testosterone and oestrogen making them inactive. SHBG drops due to consuming sugars, and all foods which convert to glucose, i.e. grains, legumes, sweet starchy fruits and veggies.
high LH
high FSH
high stress
high adrenaline (comes from Stress or excitement, and a drop in blood glucose), this stops progesterone entering the cells
sugars of any kind
large meals, because of the increased metabolic clearance of progesterone
alcohol, this reduces progesterone levels and increases the androgens, ie testosterone
Continued below
Nov 23, 2014
 elaborate please? Part 2
by: Wray

Hi there
high insulin
high level of phytoestrogens in the diet
oestrogenic herbs
oestrogen mimics or endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
contraceptives
HRT
insulin resistance
a defective luteal phase
high copper/low zinc
high prolactin

Assuming all the above are corrected before starting progesterone, Oestrogen Dominance shouldn't occur, but this can't be guaranteed. The symptoms you suffered from were due to this. Take care Wray
Sep 25, 2015
 Bleeding after not having a period for 8 months
by: Sara S.

Hello Wray. I had been taking 200mg of the generic form of Prometrium from Akorn pharmaceuticals once daily for about 2 months. I then read on this site that it is more beneficial to open the capsules and apply the oil directly on skin, or even vaginally. I began to do this, and about a week after I had a period. The bleeding was normal, not heavy. I assumed this was the uterus being cleaned out. I quit bleeding and after about another week, the bleeding began again. It is light bleeding, nothing heavy. Before I began taking this topically, I was experiencing hot flushes daily. I read on this site that typically 400 mg, at least, would be needed to combat the hot flushes. So that is the dose that I started with. I would apply 200mg morning and night. Fortunately, I am not having a problem with the hot flushes. Also, when I first started applying the progesterone topically my sleep was better. The past three nights, my sleep has not been so good. I also take WP Thyroid for hypothyroidism, so I do have a thyroid issue that I have to manage. I do take 10000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. I was told I am peri-menopausal. My last labs calculated my Estradiol was 5.5 pg/ml. Am I on the right track? Thank you for any guidance.
Feb 29, 2016
 Progesterone Inj USP for topical use?
by: Anonymous

I have leftover Progesterone Inj USP 500mg/10ml. (Each mL contains Progesterone 50 mg, Benzyl Alcohol 10% as a preservative in Sesame Oil q.s.) from my fertility dr and I am now experiencing a hormonal imbalance which appears to be estrogen dominance and I cannot lose weight no matter what I do. Wondering if after tested this happens to be the case, couldn't I just open the vial and apply this oil directly to my skin like a cream?
Apr 20, 2016
 Pills
by: Cheri

I use a pin to poke a hole in my suppository prometriums and squeeze out half onto the inside of my arm (they are 200mg). Then the next day, I squeeze out the other half. I've been wondering also if this works and this was answered below.
Apr 02, 2017
 Promethium 100
by: Susan

Can you keep thyroid in balance using synthroid and climara patch .025 by using it topically. Dr said it must go thru liver by way of stomach
Jul 31, 2017
 Pills vs cream
by: Anonymous

What's the difference in dose between 10mg cream and 100 mg prometruim pills?

I was taking 10 mg of cream for days 1-12 of my cycle then 20mg for 13-28, but started to get my cycle at 14-16 days. My Dr gave me 100mg pills. I don't like taking pills, so I decided to poke it open and put it on my skin.

If I do this am I getting 100mg or 10?? I'm so confused. 😕
Sep 26, 2017
 Oral vs dermal progesterone
by: Anonymous

From what I understand coming from a compounding pharmacist, the micron size of oral progesterone differs from the much smaller micron size of dermal progesterone in order for it to absorb through the skin. If true, oral progesterone used dermally wouldn't work.

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