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Progesterone, Estradiol and Hashimoto's

by Cecile
(Niagara Falls, NY, USA)

I am 55 years old and I believe in the last phase of menopause. In 2010, I was given 20 mg Progesterone, .5 Bi-est and 2 mg Testosterone. I was also diagnosed with Hashimoto's and put on at first high dosages 425 mcg, my TSH at that time was 113. At first the levels of hormones did help, but in 2012, I began to put on a lot of weight, lost much of my muscle tone and had foggy brain etc. To make matters worse, my practitioner said I no longer needed hormones and that menopause was a natural passage of life and that I should accept aging. So she stopped my hormones.

In March 2015, I had my blood tests for progesterone and estradiol levels tested. My Progesterone is at <0.5 ng/ml and my Estradiol is at 19 pg/ml. My testosterone is: 17 ng/DL. My new BHRT practitioner refuses to raise my Progesterone and has only given me 12.5 mg. She said I would gain even more weight and it would make my symptoms worse. While she did prescribe Estradiol, she has not given me the dosage yet. I should start estradiol in about two weeks. She also did not prescribe Testosterone because she says my levels are acceptable.

My current symptoms are: excessive weight gain (I am 5'4" and weight is 150 lbs.), inability to lose weight and loss of energy and muscle tone. Plus this is frustrating because I am a former ballerina and stopped dancing because I have absolutely no power or energy to take a ballet class. The weight is centered on my abdominal area making movement and jumping difficult!

I also have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, T4 total is 3.8 mcg/dl, TSH, .24 m/IUL and T3 Total is 147 ng/DL. My D-3 is very low, <4 ng/ml. Which she is supplementing. My triglycerides are high at 398 mg/DL. Which I am watching and changing my diet accordingly.

I would like to order Natpro to supplement my Progesterone, however, my practitioner does not believe in high dosages and says will worsen my symptoms. Please let me know if this is true or not. Otherwise I do wish to try Natpro.

Also, if you know of a doctor in the Niagara Falls, USA area that practices BHRT, I would appreciate a referral.

Many thanks,
Cecile

Comments for Progesterone, Estradiol and Hashimoto's

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Mar 25, 2015
 Progesterone, Estradiol and Hashimoto's
by: Wray

HI Cecile The weight gain was due to both the oestrogen and testosterone you were given, see here, here, here, here and here. The weight gain over the stomach is particularly related to testosterone. And the menopausal ovary is an androgen producing organ, see here and here. Testosterone also causes an increase in visceral fat, see here and here. Initially your symptoms will most probably worsen, see our page on Oestrogen Dominance. I would also ask you to read the experiences of women on this site. Unfortunately I know of no BHRT doctor in Niagara Falls. Take care Wray
Apr 23, 2015
 Efficacy of Oral Progesterone and Time-release Pellets, Testosterone and Bi-Est
by: Cecilia

Hello Wray. I finally found a BHRT doctor up here in Niagara Falls. He's very good. I used the website: bioidenticaldoctors.com it's an excellent site which lists doctors in the entire U.S. that practice BHRT. You can share this with your readers too.

Anyway, my doctor prescribed 200 mg Progesterone but in capsule form, which I take at night before bedtime. How efficient is this form of delivery? Is the cream delivery better? I'm just worried about absorption, how much is it entering my bloodstream or does most of it stay in the liver?

In addition, he also has implanted time-release testosterone 100 mg and bi-est 30 mg.

Ok, hope to hear from you soon!
Apr 24, 2015
 Efficacy of Oral Progesterone and Time-release Pellets, Testosterone and Bi-Est
by: Wray

Hi Cecille All I can ask you to do is read those papers I gave you on testosterone. Read our page on HRT too. Oral progesterone is the least effective Delivery system, "The liver and gut region removed a mean of 96 per cent of the progesterone entering these tissues", see here. And here, "What is common to all forms of oral replacement therapies, regardless of the hormone, is that about 10× physiological dosing is required to achieve a physiological level of the active hormone in whatever body fluid is used for testing. Most of the parent hormone administered (e.g., progesterone) is converted to inactive metabolites in the gut." So the normal physiological level is 20-40ng/ml, which would require 200-400mg/day progesterone. Take care Wray

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