Out of Balance

by Shelly
(Florida)

Had a total hysterectomy, salpingoompherectomy two years ago. I started the natural estradiol and progesterone cream and this is the third time I have been out of balance and miserable.

Original estrogen dose 1 mg daily and progesterone 100 mg per day. I lost 12 pounds, was feeling great, then the switch flipped. In two months dry brittle hair, thinning, breasts, back and buttocks growing and not responding to exercise and diet, nothing helps. Labwork thyroid function great. Estradiol level 28 (parameters state post menopausal 1-4:luteal 7-30:and follicular 3-10), progesterone level 483 (parameters follicular 15-70:luteal phase 200-2500). Looking back when I felt good my estradiol level was 3.6 and my progesterone level was 138. I have weaned my estrogen dose to 0.25 mg a day and have some trouble getting to sleep at night. I still do the 100 mg progesterone which is too much.

Should I just decrease the progesterone while doing the estrogen? I still feel like I have been pumped up with air, carrying an extra 20 lbs. Spin class 3-4 days a week, weight lifting, eating healthy. Taking bladderwrack, calcium, vitamin d level 24, taking supplements due to osteopenic neck of left femur. can't do much more physically, Help!

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Out of Balance

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Aug 10, 2010
 Out of Balance
by: Wray

Hi Shelly Pity you were given the oestrogen, I don't believe we need extra. We get far too much as it is, in our food, water, air and the skin care we all use. I generally recommend between 100-200mg progesterone, and although you were using 100mg, you were also using oestrogen. This was counteracting the progesterone. Please see our page on Oestrogen Dominance. Oestrogen is a mitogen, causing cells to divide and multiply, including fat cells. These are also a non-ovarian source of oestrogen, so a vicious cycle is set up. Oestrogen also causes insulin resistance, which causes weight gain, and no amount of good food or exercise will help, it needs to be reversed. For more info please see our page on Insulin Resistance. And the oestrogen needs to be suppressed with progesterone. Oestrogen is a vital hormone, without it we wouldn't be women, but in excess it's dangerous. Whether it's synthetic or natural, or our own endogenous oestrogen. For more info please see our page on HRT. You say you felt well when your oestrogen was 3.6 and your progesterone 138, this gives a ratio of 38. Your ratio is now 17, far too low. I've found to be really well the ratio should be well over 300:1, better still if it's 600:1. So I don't believe you should reduce the progesterone, but should rather increase it. And your vitamin D is far too low, it should be a minimum of 50ng/ml year round, but better if it's in the 80-100ng/ml range. Please consider taking at least 5000iu's/day. The following list gives an indication of levels of vitamin D found in the blood:
Sufficient 50?100ng/ml or 124.80-249.60nmol/L
Hypovitaminosis less than 30ng/ml or 75 nmol/L
Deficiency less than 25ng/ml or 62.4nmol/L
For more information please see The Vitamin D Council. A lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. The lack of vitamin D would account for your osteopenia. And please be cautious about taking calcium without magnesium and B6. In fact I would avoid taking it, as if it gets out of balance with magnesium it can cause many problems, please see here. Take care Wray
Aug 13, 2010
 out of balance
by: Shelly

Thanks Wray, taking calcium, magnesium, phos, mag supplement and also B complex along with vitamin D 5,000 units per day so hope to feel better soon. Almost tapered off the estrogen and upped the progesterone. Hair is getting better, less brittle. I will keep you posted.
Aug 16, 2010
 out of balance
by: Wray

Hi Shelly Pleased you're tapering the oestrogen off, and upping the progesterone. And that you're taking 5000iu's vitamin D, although with a level of 24 I feel you would benefit from 10,000iu's for a month. Something I forgot to mention, or maybe I ran out of space, but please consider taking the following nutrients for your hair. 2000mg/day N-acetyl cysteine, 2000mg/day inositol and 2-3mg/day biotin. The hair comprises about 14% cysteine, it makes the skin, nails and hair wonderfully strong. Inositol is often called the anti-alopecia vitamin and biotin is essential too for hair growth. And please let me know how you get on. Take care Wray
Aug 21, 2010
 out of balance
by: Anonymous

I actually started taking 10,000 of the vitamin d and was taking biotin, too. i WILL TRY THE INOSITOL AND N ACETYL CYSTEINE. Have some heat surges but estrogen I just dab on .25 mg every other day. Starting to feel better, hoping when vitamin d level up won't feel so 'achy'.
Aug 21, 2010
 out of balance
by: Anonymous

Wray, also forgot to mention my calcium supplement is 1000 mg calcium citrate with 500 mg phosphorus and 500 mg magnesium. I also take a b complex vitamin. I find it difficult to choke them all down, but I guess I have to do it.Thanks for your input, appreciate it!
Aug 26, 2010
 out of balance
by: Wray

Hi Shelly I feel you should go back to the 10,000iu's per day vitamin D, certainly until your level is up. Another thing I forgot to mention, when taking vitamin D it can initially cause aches and pain if magnesium is low. I really don't think you need all that extra calcium, the total we should get daily is 1000mg, if food isn't supplying all your needs, then supplement. But not at such a high level. Please read this paper on excess calcium here. The only way to test calcium and magnesium levels is with a hair analysis, please see this website here. Take care Wray

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