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Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong

by Michelle
(UK, London)

Hi Wray, A friend followed your advice and is a totally different person so she suggested I see your opinion.

For about a year I have started adding weight (although my diet is very sensible, lots of veggies, fruits, juices etc), terrible dark-blueish-purple rings under my eyes, hair is falling.. and then loss of libido, dryness, tender breasts before period (I used to have that before, but while it was more of 'tension' a week before period, now it pains)... and some hair growth on my chin.

Of course doctor said I look fine, I should exercise more and gave me blood tests (the standard ones nothing hormonal).. I decided to have my hormones tested: I have been trying to work out the estrogen:progesterone ratio but I'm quite confused as the progesterone level is a range rather than a value <0,20ng/ml.

Blood tests, not saliva (didn't know about saliva), about 5-7th day.

results:
DHEA-S 127,00 ug/dl
Estradiol 25,30pg/ml
Prolactine 246,00 mIU/L
progesterone <0,20ng/ml
Testosterone 0,78 ng/ml
free Testosterone 1,18 pg/ml
17-alphahidroxiprogest 0,43 ng/ml
FSH 6,41 mIU/ml
LH 26,40 mIU/ml

From what I have been reading I see LH is quite high compared to FSH.. I have had scans for my ovaries, full gyno check.. no cysts, no problem there, all fine.. YET.. im not feeling well, and no dr seems to pay attention to my symptoms. Afterall I know my body and its signs depending on the moment of the month quite well..

I'm getting depressed, dr won't refer me to an endocrinologist... and I'm stuck.. don't know what to take, what not to take.. at the moment I'm on Q10, vit C and Omega 3 and vit E and that's about it.

Glycemia came normal too (fasting one) at 76,4 mg/dl, all other blood ones and vit+minerals are within normal range too.

Please help!

Thanks and keep going with this.

Michelle

Comments for Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong

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Mar 26, 2011
 Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong
by: Wray

Hi Michelle It sounds from your symptoms that you're in Peri-menopause. I don't know your age, but the symptoms fit. If I'm right it's the most difficult time, I went through hell until I found progesterone. Your progesterone level is extremely low, that <0.2ng/ml means it's less than 2ng/ml, obviously they couldn't measure further. Mine was 0.6 and I felt awful. So I can imagine how you must be feeling, your ratio also tells me too. Your progesterone to oestrogen ratio is 7.9:1, very low. We've found from Saliva Tests we run that the ratio should be 600:1 and over to feel well. Your LH is slightly high, it ranges from 5 to 25 mIU/mL, peaking mid-luteal phase, but you had yours done on day 5-7. This would indicate you are nearing menopause. Your progesterone should have been tested mid-luteal too, ie ±7 days after ovulation/before bleeding. Which could account for the low level. If you are in P-M, this would account for the weight gain, as progesterone levels are low, but oestrogen is normal. Oestrogen is a mitogen, stimulating cells to divide and multiply, including fat cells. These are also a non-ovarian source of oestrogen, so a vicious cycle starts if there's no progesterone to counter it. Your testosterone level is on the high side of normal, and probably rising as LH stimulates the production of testosterone, and your LH is slightly high. This would explain the scalp hair loss and hair on your chin. It's essential to make progesterone the dominant hormone. I recommend 100-200mg/day, dependant on symptoms, more might be needed. If you should consider using it, please make sure you use sufficient, a low level merely ramps up oestrogen, see our page on Oestrogen Dominance. Rub some on your breasts as this does help the pain, see here and here. And use some in your vagina too, it does help the dryness. It's essential to lower testosterone levels too, it's not something a woman needs, see here, here, here and here. Progesterone will also lower the LH level too. I'm running out of space, so will start a new comment below. Take care Wray
Mar 26, 2011
 Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong
by: Wray

Hi again Michelle Please have a vitamin D test done, the lack of sun in the UK means most people living there have a low level, see here, here, here, here, here and here. A lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. It's essential to have a minimum level of 50ng/ml or 125nmol/L, better if it's in the 70-100mg/ml range (175-250nmol/L). For more info please see the Vitamin D council and GrassrootsHealth websites. This is an excellent video to watch too, see here. A lack of vitamin D causes depression, weight gain and Insulin Resistance, as does excess oestrogen and testosterone. Please have that test done. The supplements you'ret aking are all good, but you need to add a minimum of 5000iu's/day vitamin D. And please thank your friend, I'm delighted she's feeling better! Take care Wray
Mar 28, 2011
 RE: Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong
by: Anonymous

Wray,

I'm almost 32! I have never had any problem whatsoever- i have always been fit and slim, never had problems with weight or anything gyno or sypmtoms related, period always clock-like.. until now! so to hear im being considered in peri-menopause..wow! heartbreaking and shocking!

I have started taking vit D (2000UI/day)- should I increase it?, and omegas, and having a mix of seeds and flax..im avoiding most non-organic foods, my diet has been always sensible and full of veggies and fruits, my life active..now i'm eating low GI foods, so that my insulin level doesnt get high..

Im totally new to all these treatments,hardly get colds let alone smthg like this..What could have triggered it in the 1st place? I know I'm bombarding you with questions, I apologise.. doctors I have seen havent been very helpful and a few dismissed me for making things up as I look healthy enough!

Would the weight loss bring any more balance to estrogen-progesterone levels, as in make my body regulates itself?

For how long do I need to stay on progesterone therapy? not the taking pillst type! So where do I start? where do I buy progesterone from? I got from ur website that cream is best..How many tubes of cream do I need?

Many thanks again for your help. At least now I know what I have!

M
Apr 06, 2011
 RE: Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong
by: Wray

Hi M No need to apologise! You must ask questions, we won't get to the reason for your symptoms unless you do. Although they all pointed to peri-menopause, I don't believe you are in it. But not knowing your age at the time, it was a guess. Obviously wrong! Unless your mother went in early, can you check with her? It's a good indication when you will. What I do believe has occurred is the normal anovulation that starts ±age 35. Having had plentiful oestrogen and progesterone to balance it, we suddenly get a month when we don't ovulate. This occurs at increasing frequency until Menopause, when the ovaries cease producing viable eggs. If we don't ovulate we make no progesterone. This also accounts for the high LH, the pituitary is producing it to try to make a mature follicle ovulate, but it can't. Normally because there isn't a mature egg ready. Anovulation also accounts for low progesterone levels, although your test was taken at the wrong time. So please don't panic! Ask your mother about the age she went into peri-menopause. If she doesn't know that, ask when she went into menopause, if she has. P-M can start anything from 5 to 10 years before menopause, the average age of this is 51. Please increase your vitamin D to 5000iu's per day, anything less doesn't help much. But it is important to have a test done, in fact we should all have them done at 6 month intervals. The added weight is due to excess oestrogen in ratio to progesterone. If you can get your progesterone level up, this should counter it. And don't forget a lack of vitamin D also causes weight gain. The LH will also go down if you use progesterone, as your cycle has been upset by the anovulation. It's so difficult to know how long you should use progesterone. Your level is dropping now and will continue to do so. It's really a question of trial and error. One thing I can say it does help ageing, it will make your transition into P-M far less stressful, if you in fact get any adverse symptoms. You might find you only need it for a few months, then once you've stopped and feel symptoms returning, use it again. It should always be used as and when needed, not as a fixed daily amount either. I've run out of space again, so will start a new comment below. Take care Wray
Apr 06, 2011
 RE: Lots of syptoms, feeling bad and doctors dont see anything wrong
by: Wray

Hi again M I know how you feel about popping pills, I never take any. But the progesterone comes in a cream, so I don't think you'll find it a trial. It is very good for the skin too, see here. Whereas oestrogen gives no benefit, see here and here. You can get the cream here, if you want to try ours. And please see this page we have on How to use progesterone cream, assuming I'm now correct knowing your age! Take care Wray

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