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seeking relief from heavy periods

by rhonda
(Lakewood, CA)

I have started taking Progesterone in the hope of achieving less bleeding & clotting. I am 51 years old and my periods have gotten worse. My doctor has recommended the Wiley Protocol, so I am taking estrogen as well. I am told that as long as I am on WP, I will continue to have periods, but that the method will protect me from age related disease. Last month, I tried NATPRO and my period was much improved. However, because it doesn't come with a measurer, I was unsure how much to apply. I also found the instructions a little confusing, so I went back to WP and gradually lessened the amount of Progesterone but experienced breast tenderness. I once again increased the dosage and applied it directly to my breasts and the soreness got worse so I decreased it again. This month, my period is back to heavy again so I have again increased the Progesterone on day 5 in the hope of stopping it. The subject of heavy periods is not addressed much. My questions are: Should I continue taking estrogen while trying to overcome estrogen dominance since I am also low in estrogen? May I continuously take Progesterone until my periods become more manageable and my breasts less tender? I have reordered NATPRO. I hope there is someone who can tell me from experience how to use it to stop both breast tenderness and heaving bleeding. Thanks.

Comments for seeking relief from heavy periods

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Dec 01, 2012
 Blackstrap Molasses
by: Deborah

Hi Rhonda

I know Wray will have some good advice for you, but in the meantime I couldn't help but remember some things that I'd read on Earth Clinic about your problem.

Blackstrap molasses seems to be a godsend to a lot of women with heavy periods, irregular periods, etc.

If you click on the link and go a little bit more than half way down the page, you can read all of the comments:

Earth Clinic

I think a lot of these stories will speak to you. Just remember if you do want to try molasses, it needs to be ORGANIC, UNSULFURED, BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES.

It's not too hard to find - my grocery store doesn't carry it but a lot of them do, not to mention Vitamin Shoppes, etc.
Dec 02, 2012
 seeking relief from heavy periods
by: Wray

Hi Rhonda You are now in the end stages of Peri-menopause. Bleeding can become worse, sometimes with clots too. Progesterone can help, all oestrogen does is continue to build up the lining. It also stimulates the MMPs, enzymes which break the lining down, so making bleeding worse. We have more info about all this on our Menstruation page. Please consider taking at least 2000mg/day NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), 2000mg/day taurine and a minimum of 5000iu's per day of vitamin D. The NAC inhibits the MMPs, taurine is low in any uterine problem, including hyperplasia and dysfunctional bleeding, see here. And vitamin D prevents inflammation and cells proliferating. All three are powerful antioxidants/anti-inflammatories. The last thing we need is to continue bleeding, and the last thing we need is more oestrogen, we have too much as it is. There are over 100 oestrogen mimics in the environment now, see Our Stolen Future. There's strong evidence we should only have 100 menstrual periods in a lifetime, as our ancestors did, and as current rural societies do still. This low level was the result of being either pregnant, with high progesterone levels, or breast feeding for up to 2 years. Breast feeding acts as a kind of contraceptive, stopping ovarian function. Whereas now we have up to 400 periods, prolonging them further only increases the risks of the oestrogen driven diseases, see here. This is another paper worth reading, see here. Thanks for trying the Natpro, I'm pleased you noticed a difference. There is no hard and fast rule to using progesterone, it depends on symptoms as to how much is required. The more severe they are, the more is needed. The instructions for the Natpro say to use 100-200mgday, this is 3 to 6 ml of cream or 1/3rd to 1 1/5th teaspoons. But I've found heavy bleeding usually requires 400mg/day (12ml or 2 4/5th tsp) of cream. The teaspoon must be a 5 ml spoon, not one used for stirring tea, these range from 3 to 6ml. As you're nearing Menopause please look through this page too. Take care Wray
Jan 19, 2013
 heavy periods in perimenopause
by: Anonymous

Thank you for your suggestion. I have seen that link on EC and have been using BSM and find that it helps.
Jan 19, 2013
 heavy periods in perimenopause
by: Anonymous

Thank you and bless you, Wray, for your help during these times. I feel clear now on how much to take. However, I am still a little confused about the duration. I've read that I am supposed to use Progesterone during the second half of my cycle only. However, when I go off the Progesterone, the heavy bleeding returns. For example, the period after beginning the Progesterone was normal. However, the next period after stopping the Progesterone was heavy again, so I am afraid to stop taking it. I would also like to hear from someone who has gone thru this prior to menopause. How long can I expect the heavy periods before they stop altogether and will they continue to be as heavy before stopping? I've read that if I continue the Progesterone treatments w/o taking breaks, they will lose their effectiveness and I will develop symptoms of estrogen dominance again.
Jan 19, 2013
 protection from hormones
by: Anonymous

I have one more question for you, Wray. I've stopped taking the estrogen and started taking NATPRO in the doses you suggested for relief from heavy periods. However, I've read that BHRT provides protection from the blood thickening that occurs after menopause that can lead to heart disease. Do you know anything about this? I am concerned that by stopping the Wiley Protocol I may be putting myself at risk. While I am stopping in order to get my periods under control, I wonder if resuming after my periods have stopped will cause me to have heavy periods again. I know that you feel we get more than enough estrogen from our environment, food, etc, but what is your opinion on WP? I would also like to hear from anyone else who has tried WP.
Jan 20, 2013
 heavy periods in perimenopause
by: Anonymous

Sorry to keep writing but I have another question. I have read that too much progesterone can cause some fibroids to grow. I have fibroids and am taking 1-3 tsp/day of NATPRO. Is it ok to take such large doses w fibroids when I am trying to stop the bleeding?
Jan 26, 2013
 heavy periods in perimenopause
by: Wray

Hi Rhonda Sorry I didn't answer your question about how and when to use it, although you will find info on the peri-menopause page about this. There's no point in having a break. For one thing if the cycle becomes irregular, which it almost invariably will, it's impossible to follow it. The other thing symptoms do come back, mine did with a vengeance! I phoned Dr Dalton in London, I'd met her previously, and she told me to use in daily with no break. I did and didn't look back. Everyone is told to take a break, that it will saturate the fatty layer.......well mine must be overflowing with progesterone! Or the receptors will become desensitised......well mine must have died long ago! I went through hell during P-M, very depressed, dizzy, endless crying spells, and much more, my periods would come and go as they pleased. Sometimes I'd have spotting, sometimes flooding, and I never knew when it would happen. Luckily I found progesterone before I did myself in! I've used it daily for 16 years now, and all is well with me. I did a page on Progesterone Misconceptions you might like to look through. BHRT usually contains oestrogen, this thickens blood and causes clotting. It doesn't matter if it's natural or synthetic, it has the same affect on us. Although they have found transdermal oestrogen doesn't. But I don't think worth the risk, as oestrogen has other non beneficial affects. See our page on HRT. Besides progesterone helps prevent platelets aggregating, see here and here. As for WP, I did say the last thing we need is more oestrogen. Please take a look at those papers I gave on having excessive periods in our lifetimes. The less time we spend bleeding, the less oestrogen we're making, the better. Continued below
Jan 26, 2013
 heavy periods in perimenopause Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Rhoda I didn't realise you had Fibroids. Too little will make them grow, as it stimulates oestrogen. High amounts will inhibit them. They are caused by oxidative stress, large amounts of antioxidants are needed to reverse them. Oestrogen causes cells to proliferate, so making fibroids worse, so the last thing you should be using is oestrogen! The NAC I asked you to take for the heavy bleeding will help. But above all you need vitamin D, are you taking any? I said you needed it for the heavy bleeding. There's evidence vitamin D shrinks fibroids, see here, here, here, here and here. 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. Take care Wray

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