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Weight Gain and No Libido

by Amy
(Canada)

Hi there,

I just wanted to share my experience so far with using the cream and ask for some opinions.

I am 33 years old. I have had increasing issues with weight gain (water retention), severe menstrual cramps, and low and now non-existent libido pretty much since puberty (age 13). So that's 20 years. No doctors have been either interested or able to help me in any way other than giving me birth control for the cramps. Strangely, the only thing that has ever improved my libido has been birth control, however I only stayed on it for a few months. In the last few years I have also noticed some vaginal atrophy and had strange uti symptoms for long periods of time without any detectable infection. The atrophy seems a little early to me.

I had blood tests which came out with a P:E2 ratio of 30:1. I am sure that I did the calculation correctly. I am currently waiting for my saliva results from a test that I did before I started on the cream. I also had non-detectable free testosterone, low iron, and low vitamin D (now corrected). I tried testosterone cream. It did increase my interest and thoughts about sex but did nothing to increase the actual feeling of being turned on. It also made me gain weight. After doing some research I found that testosterone can convert to estrogen and that seemed to explain a lot of things, which pointed me towards progesterone and to this website. I am not taking the testosterone anymore.

When I started the cream, i noticed my heart beating faster within minutes of putting it on my skin. I started at around 200mg/day and increased because of the symptoms that it was causing. I'm pretty sure it has also increased my weight gain. My libido (loss of sensation) could not possibly get any worse.

As I increased i started to experience some insomnia, which freaked me out a little but I continued increasing the dosage. I have found that I needed to increase the progesterone up to 3.5 teaspoons (somewhere just under 600mg) in order to relieve the wired feeling and get some sleep. I noticed that after I use the last half teaspoon I feel a nice relaxed tingly feeling wash over me.

My symptoms don't really seem debilitating although they are a huge concern for me. I was wondering if the fact that i've had the symptoms for so long may be the reason that I need to go so high to get over the wired feeling? It has only been a week since I started the cream so too soon to tell. Is it likely to take a long time for me to see my symptoms improve since they've been a problem for so long?

Comments for Weight Gain and No Libido

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Mar 20, 2014
 AMY
by: Deborah

Hi Amy

I probably won't be of much help - hopefully someone else can give a more detailed answer - but from all that I've read from Wray, it does sound like you'll need to be that high for awhile....maybe several months?

Your symptoms sound so frustrating and have been around so long - I'm so glad that you found Wray's site and didn't give up!

Like I said I'm not much help but hopefully someone else can give a really good answer as to why this is going on and possibly how long it might take to feel better.
Mar 21, 2014
 Thanks
by: Amy

Hi Deborah. Thank you for your response. :)

I'm so happy to have found this site. I think that what Wray (and everyone else involved) is doing here is amazing.

If I were able to resolve my issues it would pretty much change my life. I'll never give up.
Mar 21, 2014
 update
by: Amy

Also, I've noticed my "uti" symptoms acting up over the last few days, after not having those symptoms for months. I've also noticed some mild cramping while not on my period, which doesn't usually happen. I'm hoping that this is sign that the progesterone is starting to do what it's supposed to (waking up my estrogen receptors).
Mar 22, 2014
 Coconut oil too
by: Deborah

Hi Amy

I'm just thinking out loud...I haven't had any UTIs in many years but a few months ago I started to notice some vague symptoms, so I used some coconut oil.

The symptoms had been around for more than a week - maybe two - and after using the coconut oil I think they were gone that day or the next.

Couldn't hurt?

If you don't have any, and you're going to buy some, check out Dr. Mercola's article on it:

http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil/

He explains what to look for when buying it; there's a lot of stuff out there that isn't going to do you any good so why waste the money.

Also, eating coconut oil can help with a lot of other things like thyroid, blood sugar and hormones...just to name a few...

One caveat: if you do decide to start eating coconut oil it can have a slight laxative effect for some people, so start out slow like a teaspoon a day for a few weeks and see how you do..then add more as you can.

Mix it with some unsweetened baking chocolate and some manuka honey (also so good for you) and it's a delicious chocolate dessert.

Oh - and many people report that they've lost weight without changing anything else in their life - just from the coconut oil!

Just remember to start out slow..... : )
Mar 22, 2014
 COCONUT OIL PART TWO
by: Deborah

Hey Amy

I don't know why I'm on the coconut oil kick today, but I ran across a really good article by Dr Mercola mentioning estrogen, progesterone and coconut oil.

He's talking mostly about the thyroid but I think everyone with high estrogen/low progesterone might want to take a look at this article:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/11/08/thyroid-health-part-two.aspx

I take Wray's progesterone cream daily, but I also take my coconut oil daily too.

Food for thought! : )
Mar 23, 2014
 saliva results
by: Amy

So I got my saliva results back today and it is very interesting. My DHEA is elevated, my testosterone is high (no surprise since I had only stopped the testosterone a month earlier) and if I am doing the calculations correctly a P:E2 ratio of around 12:1. So I guess that confirms it.

The test was done on day 19 of my cycle.

Here are the numbers:

DHEA: 13 ng/ml slightly high
Testosterone: 98 pg/ml HIGH
Estrone: 178 pg/ml HIGH
Estradiol: 11 pg/ml
Estriol: 29 pg/ml
Progesterone: 131 pg/ml
FSH: 45uIU/mL
LH: 56 uIU/mL
Mar 23, 2014
 GREEK
by: Deborah


Okay, that's all Greek to me....I know I should know those things but I don't.

Hopefully someone else knows what those numbers mean? : )
Mar 24, 2014
 Coconut oil
by: Amy

Thanks Deborah! I love coconut oil for its health benefits but have trouble taking it on it's own. I should find some good recipes to increase my intake.

I use it on my skin every day. I even use it for oil pulling and to brush my teeth and my breath has never been fresher. ;)
Mar 24, 2014
 COCONUT OIL
by: Deborah

I know - I can't really eat a spoonful either.
: )

You could put it in your coffee if you drink your coffee quickly (cold coffee = cold clumped coconut oil).

I like my little recipe that I posted above - it tastes like dessert!

But earth clinic is great; here's the link to some recipes that people have posted for coconut oil:

http://earthclinic.com/Remedies/coconut_oil4.html#COR

Read through the articles that I sent too, to see if it's applicable for you. Hopefully it helps!

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