Progesterone & Weight Gain

by Brianna
(California)

I have been on Bioidentical Progesterone cream for almost two weeks now and have almost gained 10lbs. My saliva test showed that my progesterone level was 59 and my cortisol was 1.5. Im 32 years old. I have noticed many benefits as far as my moods and libido etc., however, I am very worried about the weight gain.

What should I do? I am taking 30mg of the cream once daily. Please help! Thanks

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Progesterone & Weight Gain

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Bio-Identical Progesterone
by: Anonymous

I've been on bio-identical HRT for 6 years now. Sad to say, my life has been a living hell. I had a hysterectomy at 33 and it was a huge mistake (I had gone through ovarian cancer and endo before that in my 20s). In addition to feeling "flu-like all the time, I have severe joint and nerve pain, edema, headaches, and HUGE weight gain in spite being very active (exercise very regularly) and eating very healthy. So... After going nuts trying to find out what is wrong with me, I'm becoming more and more convinced that even the bio-identicals are not some magic cure-all for all women. After 6 years of this hell, I've had enough. I want my health and my sanity back. I can deal with hot flashes but not with all the other issues.

Progesterone and weight gain, sleepy head
by: Anonymous

I have been using Natpro for almost a year now and have just started to experience the benefit of a reduction in menstrual pain the past few months. I am very thankful for this and consider it a great blessing to the quality of my life. When I first started using the cream I experienced bad headaches which subsided after a few months passed by. I also gained a significant amount of weight. I was a size six and I am now a size 12. I find that in order for the cream to work I use a bit in the morning and a bit at night. It makes me a bit sleepy or foggy in my head. It is terrific at night, because it helps me sleep well which I am thankful for. However, it doesn't help me during the day when I need to be alert. I have tried doing without it during the day, but it doesn't work as well for my menstrual pain and if I stop using it altogether during my period, the pain worsens again.

I am trying to balance it all out to get rid of the negative side effects and still maintain the benefits. From what I have read online, I am not the only woman who has been healthy and at a healthy weight prior to using progesterone cream and then experienced a significant weight gain. I have stuck with it to give it ample time to work and regulate itself in my body and while I don't like being larger than I was to start with, it is better than living with the terrible pain I get each month. Any tips or advice?

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Submitted by: Anonymous

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I have been using Natpro for almost a year now and have just started to experience the benefit of a reduction in menstrual pain the past few months. I am very thankful for this and consider it a great blessing to the quality of my life. When I first started using the cream I experienced bad headaches which subsided after a few months passed by. I also gained a significant amount of weight. I was a size six and I am now a size 12. I find that in order for the cream to work I use a bit in the morning and a bit at night. It makes me a bit sleepy or foggy in my head. It is terrific at night, because it helps me sleep well which I am thankful for. However, it doesn't help me during the day when I need to be alert. I have tried doing without it during the day, but it doesn't work as well for my menstrual pain and if I stop using it altogether during my period, the pain worsens again. I am trying to balance it all out to get rid of the negative side effects and still maintain the benefits. From what I have read online, I am not the only woman who has been healthy and at a healthy weight prior to using progesterone cream and then experienced a significant weight gain. I have stuck with it to give it ample time to work and regulate itself in my body and while I don't like being larger than I was to start with, it is better than living with the terrible pain I get each month. Any tips or advice?

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Progesterone intolerance
by: Wray

Hi Gin. I'm puzzled you say not all women tolerate progesterone. It's the most vital hormone for pregnancy, without which no woman would carry a child. We not only tolerate it but thrive on it! As evidenced by the 90% of women who experience greater well being when pregnant. Those that don't and suffer adverse symptoms like nausea, headaches etc are deficient in it while pregnant. You say you were on bio-identical HRT... did it contain oestrogen too? If so this will explain your adverse reaction to it. Joint pains are alleviated by progesterone which is an excellent anti-inflammatory. In fact so good that it is now being used via IV transfusion for brain trauma victims. Take care, Wray

Progesterone intolerance
by: gin

Not all women tolerate progesterone. For example, I've had diarrhea for 5 years and have had every test imaginable to discover what was going on... no celiac disease, no parasites, on and on... until I heard that progesterone can cause (in 8%) diarrhea. I stopped the HRT (bio-identical cream) and within 3 days all symptoms had disappeared, but my weight still hasn't budged. Plus I still have joint pain (which is also another side effect) I've been off of it for 3 weeks now, and yes the night sweats and hot flashes are strong, but I don't have to go to the bathroom countless times a day. So my advise is listen to your own body and check with a different doctor. I tried 5 different doctors and then I asked my compounding pharmacist.

Be careful
by: Wray

You are so right about the progestins, whether found in the contraceptive pill or HRT, all of them come with adverse side effects, please see this web page for more info.

Progesterone on the other hand has no such side effects and most certainly does not cause masculine traits in a woman. If it did we would be grossly changed whilst pregnant, as we make over 400mg/day in the last trimester! For your doctor to say it causes 'man boobs' is a contradiction of the above. Progesterone cannot cause masculine traits in a woman and feminine in a man!

Progesterone is not a sex hormone, it has no influence on the secondary sexual characteristics which develop at puberty or the problems which can affect us later in life. Oestrogen, and only oestrogen, can cause cells to multiply and grow, hence the gynecomastia in men. Progesterone is excellent at reversing this is men. Take care, Wray

Be careful
by: Anonymous

Not to bust anyone's bubble, but you need to be careful about progesterone. My doctor told me if I continued to take progesterone cream that it could give me masculine traits. He said it is the reason men get a "beer belly" and "man boobs". I did get a belly after being on Depo Provera for six months... thank goodness I got off it. Just get your blood tested (or saliva) or whatever your dr. thinks is the best test and do it under strict supervision by a liscensed physician. I am also training to be a nurse and I hear about women with DVTs from the progestin in birth control pills and just sensitivity during pregnancy. My friend told me it does something to the fibrinogen in the blood.That is why they warn you about blood clots while taking the pill.

Progesterone and Weight Gain
by: Wray

Hi Brianna. Weight gain can occur when first using progesterone. The reason for this is progesterone initially stimulates oestrogen, which causes the water retention. Progesterone is such a good diuretic it is now being used via IV transfusion for brain trauma victims. Please read our web page here on oestrogen dominance.

Although the progesterone has helped you in other areas, I don't believe you are using enough. All the successful studies have used between 100-200mg/day, so I would suggest you increase the dose, you should find this helps. Take care, Wray

Progesterone and Weight gain
by: Aylin

Do not worry, I don't think so it is from progesterone, especially because you use natural progesterone. I use sinthetic progesterone and I didn't take any gain plus... It can be just your body which keeps the water and does not eliminate it. Try to drink green tea every evening and morning. Good luck !