Periods

by Lindsay
(UK)

Hi Wray, Im following your advice and using the cream continuously (see earlier post 'areas to apply').

I struggled with estrogen dominance and thought it was beginning to ease until my period was due. I am still using the cream but feeling lower bloating pain and swelling. I'm havng hot flushes on a night and trouble sleeping. Usually this would ease when my period arrived but clearly this is not going to happen if I'm taking natpro continuously (it has only ever arrived before about a week after stopping).

How will my body react? Clearly it wants to shed the blood but is not doing. Won't this continue until it does? I don't want to stop the cream for my period as I have in the past as holy hell will break lose for a week while my period arrives and then during as well. What will my body do if I continue the cream? Should I stop for my period?

I am using 3.5 teaspoons per day after upping slightly when the flushes started. Many thanks.

Comments for
Periods

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Sep 19, 2011
 Using Straight through
by: Karen

I just started using the cream straight through and notice I feel sleepy for the rest of the day after applying the morning dose. I will let you know how things proceed for me.
Sep 21, 2011
 Periods
by: Wray

Hi Lindsay Good to get an update from you. But I need to clear up a few things which are puzzling me. I do remember how awful you felt when stopping the progesterone, hence my suggestion to use it daily. What I don't know is this your first month of trying this? And you are now at the point when you would have stopped the progesterone and your period would have started? You say your symptoms would ease in the past when your period started, but it's not going to happen now. I don't know why you say that, as the very large amount of progesterone you're using, would prevent the skewed ratio of oestrogen to progesterone that you normally have the few days before your period. It might be that your lining didn't build up this past month, and therefore you won't bleed. Progesterone, when used in large amounts, can stop the lining building up. And the teaspoons you're using, are they 5ml each, ie you're using 17.5ml of cream? If so, this amount of progesterone should stop the flushes quite quickly. I don't think you should stop for your period, as you suffer badly when you do. You might like to read these comments from users of high amounts, who also used the progesterone continuously, see here, here, here and here. Please come back to me with answers to my queries. Take care Wray
Sep 21, 2011
 Update
by: Lindsay

Hi Wray, Yes, I did intend to start using continuously a while ago but was having tests and the doctor claimed natpro would influence them. Anyway this is academic now and I will try to explain a little clearer.

I started using natpro after I last ovulated (approx 3wks ago now) using 2.5 teaspoons each day. I experienced estrogen dominance symptoms probably worse than ever, anger, bloating, weepy, down, return of early morning anxiety etc but after about 10 days these were starting to lessen. 14 days later I expected my period but continued with the cream regardless as I intended to use continuously. At this time the estrogen dominance symptoms increased, I had lower tummy and back bloating and pain, headaches, hot flushes and trouble sleeping, the anger and weepiness returned. I can only assume this was because my period was due. All this I would have experienced before using Natpro when my period was due but once I had bled I would feel better and I would start the cream again after ovulation. Because I continued using the cream, I haven?t bled and don?t expect to. In the past I would stop the cream for my period but would not bleed until about 7-10 days after this I had stopped.

I am concerned that as I have ovulated and not bled, what happens to the lining of my womb? Is it dangerous not to expel the lining of my womb when it has built up after ovulation? What should I expect with the symptoms? They have reduced slightly over that last 2 days but I?m still experiencing anxiety, flushes, weepiness etc despite now increasing to 3.5 teaspoons each day (17.5 ml) I use 5ml am, 3x2.5ml throughout the day and another 5ml at bedtime.

Should I just continue as I am?

Many thanks and apologies for the confusion.
Sep 26, 2011
 Update
by: Wray

Hi Lindsay Thanks for clearing it up! Your lining would not have built up much with the amount of progesterone you're using. It's only oestrogen which causes cells to proliferate, and as this would have been largely suppressed by the progesterone, your lining will not be very thick. As it is, each month we do absorb some lining back into the body, not all bleeds out. So I don't think you should worry about it. Please read those links I gave for encouragement. I really am concerned that if you stop it you will feel awful, as you have in the past. It does take time to suppress all symptoms, so please would you persevere. Take care Wray
Sep 29, 2011
 More questions!
by: Lindsay

Hi Wray, thanks for the reply that reassures me. Also I should mention I have now had my period which surprised me! I don?t intend to stop using it so don?t worry but I do have even more questions about how I will continue.

Will the amount of progesterone I am using (17.5mg daily) prevent me from ovulating? Things have settled a little and obviously using 2 tubes of cream a week is quite expensive!! I am wondering how long I will use the cream in this quantity before reducing the amount I use? And how much should I reduce over what duration? Would I expect to experience symptoms as I reduce simply due to a reduction in progesterone levels?

Many thanks.
Sep 30, 2011
 and more!
by: Lindsay

Hi Wray, my situation is still as above but I thought I would just ask, my period arrived over a week ago and I am still bleeding, is this normal? It isnt for me, i usually bleed for 3 days at the most!!

Also, i now seem to be feeling a few symptoms return, anxiety early morning and irritation. I havent adjusted the cream at all and still using 17.5mg daily. Should i increase the cream or ride it out til it settles? its hard work all this estrogen dominance! I thought it had settled.

Many thanks again.
Oct 05, 2011
 More questions!
by: Wray

Hi Lindsay I wish it were a simple 'rub on the cream and you'll feel better', but it isn't. We have one woman using over 1000mg per day on occasion, as and when she feels she needs more. Then she reduces to about 700mg/day, so it's up and down all the time. You might like to read her comments here and here. The amount of progesterone you're using will more than likely stop ovulation, but it's not a permanent feature, it does come back. Dr Dalton would give up to 2400mg/day to her patients with post natal psychosis. The only way to tell if you can do with less, is try reducing. But only about 15mg per reduction, then stay on this until you feel stable, before reducing further. If at any time symptoms come back, increase slightly. It really is a question of experimenting. You don't mention if you've had a vitamin D test done, or if you're taking it? Please let me know, as a lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone. It's more than likely you do have a deficiency, as you live in the UK. It could be this is all you need and not such a huge amount of progesterone. The link I've given above about Annette's journey, says how much the vitamin D has helped her too. The excess oestrogen you have, which has caused all your problems, has undoubtedly caused your lining to thicken more than normal. The reason for the bleeding and return of symptoms is the progesterone is dropping. Rather than increase yet again, try to stick it out. But please have that vitamin D test done. Have you had more stress recently? As this drops progesterone. One final question, are you eating starchy carbs at night? This can cause blood glucose to drop overnight and cause anxiety in the morning. Please avoid them if you are, and you could try taking 4000-8000mg of the amino acid glutamine. The body can convert this to glucose, but does this so slowly it doesn't cause sugar shock. Take care Wray
Oct 05, 2011
 thanks
by: Lindsay

Thank you Wray for answering my many questions! In answer to your question, I havent had a vitamin d test but started taking 10,000 ius of vit D daily about a month ago. How long would it take to for me to feel benefits from this?

My main reason for asking about ovulation is that I do want another baby asap really but want to make sure I dont struggle with morning sickness and pnd again. So if i could ovulate while taking natpro would be ideal, another reason for asking if could reduce.

I have noticed early morn anxiety return after my period and sleeping difficulties again though these were easing before and during my period. I will stick with the current dose and hope it improves and maybe another month and can start to reduce the daily amount slightly. At what amount does ovulation stop?

thanks for all your help
Oct 05, 2011
 PS
by: Lindsay

Actually, would I be better trying to use natpro around my cycle before I reduce the amount? Or reduce before I cycle?

Can i still use this amount of cream in the latter part of my cycle or am i likely to get more estrogen dominance symptoms? (obv only when things have settled down)

Sorry again for all the questions!!
Oct 05, 2011
 Glutamine
by: Kristine

When I asked for glutamine, the lady at the health food store said to buy chromium picolate instead. can you advise?
Oct 06, 2011
 sorry last one!
by: Lindsay

hi, just to ask if i should only reduce by 15mg of progesterone, how do i measure this? it must be a fraction of a teaspoon approx 0.33ml? I can do half or even a quarter of a teaspoon but less than a fifth? or am i thinking all wrong about this? the smallest measure i have is a 2.5ml spoon!

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