Totally confused about progesterone now and my cycle

by Allison
(CA USA)

Hi Wray, not my first time here, but I have to say you've helped me so much I can't even express it in words. I found this website about a year ago in 2011 around the same time, and although my problems have not gone away completely, I do feel a little better. At first I was only using about 36 mg of progesterone a day, from January 2011 to May, came back here and you told me I needed 100-200mg a day. So I upped my dose to 150mg a day. My cycle which was usually 28 days, started to fluctutate from 23-25 days, not a big deal. My hair still had not grown back, my weight was the same (about 80 pounds overweight) and my acne did clear up some, although I still get breakouts right after my bleeding stops. My energy levels got much better, and my depression did too, although I still have bouts here and there. I thought I knew how to use the cream and how my cycle worked, but I am wrong. I am in my early 30's and have been thinking of starting a family. I bought ovulation sticks to see if I could pinpoint when I ovulated for future reference and also thought I could use the progesterone cream more accurately since you state we should use the cream AFTER ovulation and I was typically using it on day 14. Well I tested myself on day 14 and no ovulation, then again on day 16, still no ovulation, again on day 18, 19, and 20 and no ovulation. I did not use the cream during this time bc I was trying to figure out when I ovulated. I finally gave up because according to the tests, I was not ovulating. I started to use the cream again and was only able to use it for about 10 days before my period started. Obviously my progesterone levels are still low, so I decided that the next cycle I would not give myself a break, that I would use the cream continuously for 3-4 months to top my progesterone levels off. After my period ended on day 5, I started the cream on day 7 thinking I was using it before ovulation. Now I come to find out today that I started to bleed, which is really really surprising to me because I thought I caught it in time, meaning I thought I used the cream BEFORE ovulation. I am thoroughly confused!! According to your website a woman with a 21 day cycle needs to use the cream after day 7, but my cycles have typically been 28 days, what is going on? And now if I want to use the cream without a break for 2-3 months, how do I figure out when to use it? I have no idea when I ovulate if I do at all, I need to use the cream before "ovulation," but now that I'm bleeding again, this is day 1, do I use it on day 5? Even if I"m still bleeding? Please help, I am so confused now, and what's worse, I think I may be forcing my body into a pattern that is not natural. Before when I was using the cream on day 14, I was only able to use it the cream until day 21, 23 or 25 before my period started. I was never able to use it until day 28 and then stop on my own. I always started to bleed before the 28 days were up, does that have anything to do with it? I thought I knew how my cycle worked but I guess I am wrong. I have to admit I dont' understand what a luteal phase is and I'm certain mine isn't working or else I would've been able to figure out when I ovulated, how do I fix an anovulatory cycle?. I can't take my basal temperature, because I am estrogen dominant, unfortunately it's affected my adrenals and my thyroid, so my temperature sometimes dips below 98.6 which makes it even harder to figure out when I ovulate if I ovulate at all. I know you are extremely busy, but if you could find it in your heart to reply as soon as you could I would very much appreciate it. If I don't hear from you or someone knowledgeable, I may just start using the cream on day 4 or 5 to prevent ovulation in order to use the cream without a break.