Menu

Hormone Imbalance

by Debbie

Hi Wray, I'm 48 and have been having a very rough ride over the last few weeks.

I still get my monthly period like clock work, but I started to get hot flushes and night sweats quite bad, so I went to speak to one of the pharmacy ladies, asking if she could recommended something to help. They advised me to use Phytopause. And at that time I was due to start in a few days, had all the symptoms that I normally get sore breasts, irritable and very tired. Well I don't know what happened, but it all dissappeared along with my period.

I felt good for awhile, but then the depression kicked in and I'm not a depressed person. I thought I was loosing my mind and battled quite a bit but managed to get help from another source, who advised me to stop the Phytopause immediately and use the progesterone cream only. Once I started the cream, within 5 days I had my period back - never thought I would be so glad to see it! :) I stopped using the cream once my period started - is this correct? (Newbal 50g, consists of 4% Wild Yam Extract - Natural Progesterone cream effective in low progesterone states such as PMS and menopause.)

What I want to know, the amount of Newbal Cream that they advised I use, is a small amount (the size of your little nail) once a day, from the 12th day to the 26th day. I'm into my 5th day of my period and am still getting night sweats - some evenings.

And I would also like to mention, I had a few hormonal issues that started when I stopped smoking at 41. I had the most terrible night sweats, panic attacks, bleeding gums and weight gain. The doctor diagnosed me with insulin resistance for which I have been taking glucophage for the last 7 years. All the symptoms dissappeared up until now.

Hope you can advise me on the correct amount I should use and when I should use it! From your web site you recommend 14 days before your due date, am I correct? I have a 30 day cycle so I should begin on the 16th day - is that right? :) Thanks.

Comments for Hormone Imbalance

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 27, 2010
 Hormone Imbalance
by: Wray

Hi Debbie Phytopause contains soy isoflavones, not what I would recommend, as they are phytoestrogens, but it would have helped initially. Both oestrogen and progesterone stimulate each others receptor sites. So your progesterone would have risen and then dropped, hence the depression. You still have a regular cycle, so following it is ideal, but as you are in peri-menopause now, they will start to become very erratic and impossible to follow. I then suggest ignoring the cycle and using the cream daily. For more info please see our page on Peri-menopause. The Newbal instructions are wrong, and you are right. All women, irrespective of the length of their cycle, ovulate 12-14 days before they bleed. This is termed the luteal phase and this is when progesterone should normally be used. If symptoms are severe I suggest using the progesterone daily until they resolve. So having a 30 day cycle you would ovulate on day 16, the cream can be used then, or the following day, for the next 12-14 days. I prefer the 14 days as it gives time for the endometrium to form. I searched the Newbal website, which I found infuriating. No where could I find the ingredients or the amount of progesterone. You say it is a 4% Wild Yam Extract, do they mean 4% progesterone or 4% wild yam? There's a world of difference between them, as the body cannot convert a yam extract into progesterone. I recommend using between 100-200mg/day progesterone. So if the Newbal is 4% progesterone, each ml of cream would contain 40mg progesterone. For more info please see our page on How to use progesterone cream. So you would need between 2.5ml to 5ml of cream if you wished to follow these amounts. If you do increase please see our page on Oestrogen Dominance. Insulin resistance can be reversed naturally, please see our page on Insulin Resistance. Are you aware that glucophage causes a B12 deficiency? Please see here. You might well have IR, but these symptoms..... night sweats, panic attacks and weight gain are also those for a progesterone deficiency, and excess oestrogen. These can occur in the beginning stages of peri-menopause, although more likely midway. Take care Wray
Aug 31, 2010
 Reply
by: Debbie

Hi Wray, Thanks for the reply!

I have spoken to a couple of ladies at different health shops and they recommended this product -

"AIMRenewed Balance? is a topical cream that helps women keep their hormones in balance and maintain strong bones. It contains 1,134 mg of natural progesterone (derived from wild yam and soy plants) vitamin E, aloe vera, and other healthful substances. This 2oz jar will last the average woman from 1-3 months"

I can source Natpro from a supplier in Johannesburg - South Africa. The AIMRenewed I can obtain from a supplier in Port Elizabeth, where I live. The one lady said the Natpro is of a higher dosage, but not absorbed thru the skin as well as the AIMRenewed Balance?

I need your input here - they have all agreed to what you said about the Wild Yam - so yes I am very confused as to what I should and should not use. I think here in South Africa we are still a bit backward as far as health issue go.

I'm very eager to find the right product, as even the one I'm using now, Newbal has taken away all the night sweats and hot flushes. I have more energy and am more at peace with myself and everyone around me. Thanks once again!
Sep 01, 2010
 Reply
by: Wray

Hi Debbie AIM is a good cream, but as you were correctly told it only contains 1120mg progesterone, well that's according to their website. At the dosage I recommend which is between 100-200mg/day, the jar would only last 11 days at 100mg/day, or 5.5 at 200mg/day. The amount they recommend is very low which is why they say it lasts 1-3 months. But I can tell you the Natpro is very well absorbed, I don't know where she got that info from! It's been tested for 14 years now by a naturopath in the UK who runs saliva tests on her new patients, and she's delighted with the results. So it really is up to you which you go for, why don't you try both and see for yourself! Take care Wray
Sep 02, 2010
 Reply
by: Debbie

Hi Wray, Just got word this morning that one of our large health stores stocks Natpro. I am on my way to collect. I am very excited that I managed to get some and will let you know the outcome once I start using it!

The one I'm using seems to also be working somewhat as I have some weird symptoms - very bloated tummy and sore colon, achy joints & legs, more so my knees and a funny taste in my mouth and dry eyes. I asume this is the estrogen fighting for dominance?

Wray, once again, thanks for a wonderful website and all the help that you so kindly give to everyone! I have forwarded your address to lots of my family and friends.
Sep 09, 2010
 Reply
by: Wray

Hi Debbie Well that is good news. And the weird symptoms are due to oestrogen dominance. You need to use more progesterone than you are presently using to enable progesterone to become dominant. I suggest rubbing the cream where you are achy and sore, including your tummy, as the bloating is oestrogen related. It causes water retention and inflammation, whereas progesterone is an excellent diuretic and anti-inflammatory, now given to brain trauma victims to prevent oedema and inflammation forming. Oestrogen causes dry eyes, in fact Sjogren's syndrome is a disorder which causes severe dry eyes and mouth, high levels of oestrogen are always found. Interesting you have the funny taste, it doesn't often happen! The strange, often metallic taste, is due to adenosine, a nucleoside which is part of the energy molecule ATP. One of the side affects of administering adenosine itself is a metallic taste in the mouth. Other transitory affects are facial flushing, temporary rash on the chest, lightheadedness, nausea, sweating and a sense of impending doom or apprehension. Adenosine is vital for energy production, it lowers glycerol levels and is believed to promote sleep. Progesterone increases the release of adenosine, so any of the above symptoms can be experienced. And bless you for giving our website to friends and family! Take care Wray
Nov 23, 2010
 severly sweating on head,face and palms
by: Didi

Severely sweating on head, face and palms and its been for the past 11 years been in and out to doctors but they can't daignose the cause though I know that I've been hiv positive for the past 11 years others have been saying I could be having high blood pressure and so forth so I'm very stressed with this sweating issue so someone has sugested that I should take Triphasil maybe be it would be better, please help on this matter.
Dec 03, 2010
 severly sweating on head, face and palms
by: Wray

Hi Didi Excessive sweating can be caused by a number of things, fever, hypoglycaemia, diabetes, peri-menopause/menopause, medications, TB, thyroid problems and more. Emotional stress can also cause it. For a full explanation please see Hyperhidrosis. Please have a vitamin D test done, any infection indicates levels are low, including hiv, see here, here and here. Please see the Vitamin D council website for more info. I'm not sure of your age, but you could consider using progesterone, I've no idea if it will help in your case, but it's worth a try. It certainly helps the hot flushes/sweating which occurs in peri-menopause/menopause. Please see these two page we have on Peri-menopause. and How to use progesterone cream. Triphasil is a contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel, I don't believe this will help at all, please see our page on Contraceptives. If you do consider progesterone, please see this page we have on Oestrogen Dominance first. Take care Wray
Jan 24, 2011
 Hormone Imbalance
by: Debbie

Hi Wray, trust you are well?

All has been going well since I started using Natpro in September. I use +/- 2ml am & 2ml pm - I have no more night sweats or hot flushes. A few weeks ago I suddenly lost about 3kg over 2 weeks, which at the time I thought it was from our changed eating habits (we all on diet - but not drastic).I gym & cycle quite a bit - weigh in at 65Kg. I was due on the 11th Jan and todate still no period - was alway regular as clock work. Got a bit nausea, but that passed. I tried stopping the cream for a couple of days, but still no period, (I'm 48) so I started again as I am scared all those horrible symtems come back. I have been using the cream every day without a break for the last 2 months, could this have caused it? I also am not sleeping well at all, waking up quite a lot in the night to go to the toilet and my libido has dissapeared again! I also found the skin on my arms have aged horrible, but that could also be the sun due to my cycling.
Thanks again
Debbie
Jan 26, 2011
 Hormone Imbalance
by: Wray

Hi Debbie Thanks for coming back to me, I do like to get feedback. Very pleased the night sweats and hot flushes have gone. I have no explanation for the weight loss, unless it was water. You do say you are getting up in the night to urinate, progesterone is an excellent diuretic. So good it's now given via IV transfusion to brain traua victims, to reduce or prevent the oedema that forms, see here and here. The slight nausea was probably caused by an increase in oestrogen in ratio to progesterone, this can occur prior to a period. The period not actually occurring could mean you have now entered that very erratic time in Peri-menopause, where our periods come and go with a will of their own! The progesterone would not have stopped it, unless you're using 400-600mg/day. When I first started the cream I was in peri-menopause and my periods were regular. But I found taking a break caused my symptoms to come back, so I began using it daily, to very good effect! The 2 day break would have dropped progesterone levels, oestrogen would have risen, this would not have helped. Please consider using more to see if that will help the sleep and libido. It's easy enough to reduce once you feel better. The sun can cause photo-ageing, but it could be oestrogen again. Have a look at these papers on progesterone and oestrogen here and here and here. Take care Wray
Aug 02, 2011
 Provera
by: Debbie

Hi there Wray, trust you well? I have a question! I went to see my gyne this morning, only to find out that the pain I have on both sides is ovarian cysts. I have been using Natpro +/- 5ml am & pm and never had any problems, till now! He has prescribed Provera 5mg 1 tab 3x a day for 7 days, and if that doesn?t help he will do a laparoscopy to drain them. What I want to know is, what will happen if I take the two together? And he does not approve of the Natpro, so I did not mention it again to him. Trust you can help? Regards Debbie
Sep 28, 2020
 Oh please!
by: Anonymous

Just read this felt I need to chime in. Why wasnt this woman answered? Its a common occurrence on here that when something happens as a consequence of using this cream it all miraculously falls silent!! I've done nothing but take this cream down to the exact direction and im paying the price not only have I used 600mg for 10 months without a break but im having to wean off the stuff due to being addictive and developing a dependency on it. Noone warns you of this especially on high doses.. also ive not had a period for two months!! This isnt right and I feel worse than before! And thats saying something please do your research before using this stuffcream its costly and may not work for everyone
Oct 09, 2020
 Oh please!
by: Justine

Hello Anon

Wray was working on her own, initially to respond to hundreds of personal queries. It is quite possible she did not always have the time to get to every single question. If one researches the website and reads her previous responses, all the questions have been answered repeatedly.

I am not sure what you are referring to when you mention:"common occurrence on here that when something happens as a consequence of using this cream it all miraculously falls silent!!"

Are you referring to Provera? as this is not something we recommend nor advocate, it is not progesterone it is a progestin, please see this page on Progesterone misconceptions, and this forum thread on Provera and these research papers on contraceptives.
Using progestins would aggravate Estrogen dominance symptoms.

The fact is most of the time the question has been answered, the research papers provided, but the same questions keep being asked, I can only put this down to people not reading the material provided. We cannot keep responding with the same information over and over again, we cannot force people to read the information we provide and recommend, but if time is taken then you will see all the answers have been provided in full already because we care about every person who comes to this site and we want our readers to be fully informed and to feel supported.

Progesterone is not addictive, so I can only assume you are referring to something else?

Please take a look at this page too on progesterone therapy as you may find it helpful.

I hope the links provided will furnish you with the answers you need.


Wishing you well.
Oct 09, 2020
 Justine - re: Anon comments
by: Debbie

Hi Justine

Just to let you know, Wray answered all my questions back in 2010. I can't remember exactly how we chatted but I never used the product I was querying. Wray got very busy and I believe she wasn't well, so I directed all questions to Joy Lewis in Cape Town, who was always very helpful. There was always someone we could chat to. I still use Natpro every night, and I swear by it. I would never have coped menopause without it.
Thank you ladies for the help and assistance you have given to hundreds of women over the years. xxx
Oct 10, 2020
 Thank you Debbie
by: Justine

Hello Debbie,

Thank you for your kind words. Joy is an incredible woman who helped Wray out immensely and is now an integral part of our company offering her knowledge and support on these forums. We are a very small team! I am so happy Natpro served you and is still serving you well, that is wonderful news!

Wishing you the best
xxx

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...