Having really bad vertigo and late with period!

by Caterina
(Hawaii)

Hi Wray,

I could use some advice. I'm a week late and going to take a home pregnancy test tomorrow morning. I have been taking a prescription Bio-Identical Progesterone cream. When I started the cream in Jan.2011, switching from sublingual tabs which made me feel awful, I noticed a difference the first cycle taking 100mg at night. By the third month I was feeling better when I took 50mg. at night. I got blood results confirming my levels were in a normal mid range of 14.23. Before the cream I was 1.2. I think this is why I felt more like myself instead of dizzy and tired or nauseous when I took more. I then went to a N.D. because I had insurance for 10 visits. He believed I was too young not to be producing sufficient progesterone on my own and suggested taking me off my cream and supplementing with Vitex, Evening Primrose Oil, and Omegas. The first month I felt fine but by the third month I was terrible. A blood test confirmed a level of 1.2 again. I went back on immediately and am in the forth cycle. I again last month felt bad even with 50mg. at night, so I took half at 12.5mg. a day. I felt more like myself but a little tired and lightheaded at times. Also have had bad vertigo before, during, and after period the last two months.

Now I'm a week late and scared I'm on too low of an amount. I miscarried Mar.2011 at 10 wks., six years before at 12wks. I'm 35 now. What amount should I up my cream to? Or should I be taking vaginal suppositories? Will be seeing a Dr. and getting levels checked next week. Please Help.

Comments for
Having really bad vertigo and late with period!

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Jan 07, 2012
 Get your money back!!!
by: Linda

I can't answer your question...I'll leave that to Wray but the N.D. you went to really needs
to be straightened out. And if you bought
all those products from him/her after
you were taken off the progesterone you
should ask for your money back since clearly
you needed the PG, maybe even more then what
you were taking and it looks like the N.D.
was just interested in selling product. I hope
I'm wrong and you bought the items somewhere
else.

Also, I'm not sure but I don't think iHerb
offers a money back guarantee other then
on items that have not been opened...clearly
worthless. The fact that you can't find
their return policy is a red flag.

Wray offers an unconditional guarantee
which she clearly states in her product
description.

I'm eager to see Wray's answer to your question
too because I have
a friend that's unclear on exactly when to
start the cream too.
Jan 08, 2012
 Vertigo symptom of iron deficiency
by: KJ from Australia

Hi
I also suffered from vertigo when I was still menstruating (am now in menopause) & found it was during the time I was iron deficient that the dizziness etc occured. A course of organic iron helped enormously. Hope this is of help.
Jan 09, 2012
 Vertigo with period, too
by: Wendy

3 years ago while attempting to restore my adrenals, I experienced severe vertigo with my periods. It subsided once I stopped the adrenal protocol, which included herbs and some glandulars. My natural doctor could not explain it. The years later, I'd like to try again to restore my adrenals and balance my hormones, but live in fear of the vertigo returning. This website has explained every other hormonal symptom I've ever had a questions about, and I would be so happy to find an answer to the vertigo as well.
Jan 09, 2012
 Having really bad vertigo and late with period!
by: Wray

Hi Caterina I'm a bit confused as to how much you are using. Is it 100mg/day and at night only, do you not use any in the morning? As progesterone should be used a minimum of twice a day. Why did you drop the amount to 50mg? And you say you dropped it to a half at 12.5mg, but this is a quarter of 50mg. From about age 35 we begin getting anovulatory cycles, so it is possible you are not making progesterone some months. We've found from Saliva Tests we run, that the ratio of P/E2 should be 600:1 and over to feel well. It seemed no one advised you on possible Oestrogen Dominance symptoms when first using progesterone. This is the cause of your nausea, tiredness and dizziness. To overcome this it's essential to use more progesterone, not less. I recommend 100-200mg/day or more, dependant on symptoms. As you are trying to fall pregnant, please see our page on Pregnancy, it explains how to use progesterone, when and how much. Take care Wray
Jan 09, 2012
 Get your money back!!!
by: Wray

Hi Linda I think you posted this on the wrong page! Although I would agree that the items the ND gave her would not have done much to help. Yes agnus castus can help, as it can reduce prolactin levels if they are high, which in turn can cause luteal phase dysfunction, with subsequent problems in embryo implantation. But because it has a mild oestrogenic action, levels of 17 beta-oestradiol can increase. One study found mild ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome occurred in the luteal phase, see here, here, here, here, here and here. If prolactin levels are high both progesterone and the amino acid tyrosine are very affective at suppressing it. Agnus castus doesn't contain progesterone. In answer to your friends query on when to start progesterone, it should be used at ovulation. So depending on her cycle length, she would start on day 7 if she has a 21 day cycle, or day 21 if she has a 35 day cycle, with variations in between. All women, irrespective of their cycle length, ovulate 12-14 days before bleeding. We have more info on our page How to use progesterone cream. Take care Wray
Jan 09, 2012
 Vertigo symptom of iron deficiency
by: Wray

Hi KJ Thanks for the tip, it's worth noting. Take care Wray
Jan 10, 2012
 Vertigo with period, too
by: Wray

Hi Wendy I'm delighted the website has helped you. Vertigo related to a period is caused by fluid build up in the ear due to excess oestrogen in ratio to progesterone. You might like to see a Chart we have showing the rise and fall of the hormones. In a normal cycle progesterone peaks mid-luteal phase, so does oestrogen. If insufficient progesterone is secreted by the corpus luteum, the ratio becomes skewed. Or if the luteal phase is too short, ie less than 12 days, insufficient progesterone is made. Or if progesterone drops more rapidly than oestrogen in the last few days before bleeding, the ratio again becomes skewed. In some cycles, certainly after the age of 35, we don't ovulate, so no progesterone is made. Thus making oestrogen dominant, in fact PMS often becomes worse from age 35 onwards because of this. Then we hit Peri-menopause, when anovulatory cycles increase in frequency, until Menopause when the ovaries stop producing viable eggs. I'm surprised women remain sane through it all! Oestrogen is a mitogenic, excitatory, inflammatory hormone, which causes amongst many things water retention. I had terrible dizziness in the last stages of peri-menopause, plus many other unpleasant symptoms. Luckily I found progesterone in time. Interestingly studies on TBI victims found progesterone extremely effective for preventing death and disability. One of the reasons was it's amazing diuretic properties. During the studies they found it wasn't so much the bash on the head, but the oedema after it that caused the damage. Progesterone reduced the oedema, the inflammation too, see here, here, here and here. The victims, mostly men, were given over 1200mg/day via IV transfusion. If you should consider it, please use sufficient, and not the 20mg/day normally recommended. I suggest 100-200mg/day dependant on symptoms, rubbing it over the spot giving trouble relieves the problem quicker. We do have more info on our page How to use progesterone cream. Continued below.
Jan 10, 2012
 Vertigo with period, too
by: Wray

Hi Wendy When a person is stressed, the adrenals secrete more progesterone in order to convert it to cortisol, one of the stress hormones. If the adrenals themselves are overly stressed they tend to rob other sources of progesterone to keep up with demand, notably the ovaries. This is turn upsets the reproductive cycle, and can in fact cause anovulation, miscarriages too if the woman is pregnant. I would hope using progesterone it would also help your adrenal glands. But please read our page on Oestrogen Dominance first, as this can occur. Take care Wray
Jan 10, 2012
 Update, but confused?
by: Caterina

Thanks everyone for your comments. As an update, I started bleeding on Sunday before I could get to a Doctor. I would have been five weeks along.

Hi Wray, I've been on bio-identical progesterone therapy since Sept. 2010. A previous Doctor put me on 100 mg. 2x's a day of the sublingual and I got my period every two weeks, three times in a six week period. I quickly became anemic and that's when I started only 100 mg. at night still suffering with horrible symptoms, but I stopped bleeding and had a normal cycle. Around this time I learned of this site and had my prescription changed to the cream and I quickly noticed a difference and for the first time I started to feel more like myself. After three cycles that's when my test showed 14.23. It was after this test that I went to 50 mg. once a day at night because I was still struggling with fatigue, tiredness, and being lightheaded. I felt in fog all day. At this amount I had days where I felt completely like myself, but it wouldn't last but a few short days here and there.
Then I saw the N.D., got off for three cycles, got sick and tested 1.2. So I got back on and am currently four cycles in. With this last cycle using only 12.5 mg. at night because of feeling more like myself when I took even less. I assumed history was repeating itself with my levels probably being in the normal range they were at this time frame when I was tested before going off for three months.
So Wray I'm confused as to how I would need 100-200 mg. a day when my levels came in the normal range (being tested within days of ovulation) and I was showing signs of too much progesterone even when I took even a nightly dose of 50 mg.? It would make sense not needing as much when you get to a place of leveling out. I'm just so tired of not feeling well even though I'm giving my body what it needs. By the way I've had every blood test regarding hormones,Vit. D, Testosterone, Estrogen, T3, T4, TSH, Prog. saliva and blood, Iron, and general blood work up, etc. and the only thing they find off is the progesterone! Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks, Caterina
Jan 14, 2012
 Update, but confused?
by: Wray

Hi Caterina Ironically when reducing progesterone it can make us feel better, as it's no longer stimulating oestrogen. As soon as you increase the symptoms will come back, but it's essential to do this, essential to make progesterone the dominant hormone. If not you will continue to have bad symptoms and not feel well. Very rarely are the ratios checked between progesterone and oestrogen, this is the critical factor not the amount. We've found from Saliva Tests a naturopath runs for us, that the P:E2 ratio should be 600:1 and over to feel well. You'll notice how high the progesterone level is, but all the women were feeling well which is the aim. Progesterone should always be used a minimum of twice a day too, as levels drop after about 13 hours. I would be interested in what your vitamin D level was, as the 'adequate' level of 30ng/ml labs and doctors use is far too low. Conservatively it should be no lower than 50ng/ml, better if it's between 70-100ng/ml. People who live and work in the sun have levels in this range. So please increase the progesterone, I've found 400mg/day initially can reduce or prevent any Oestrogen Dominance symptoms. And please check your vitamin D levels, it's so vital for a successful pregnancy, see here, here, here, here and here. These are excellent videos to watch too, see here and here. Another nutrient you could consider is taurine, also vital for a growing foetus, see here, here and here. Take care Wray

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