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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.

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Jan 06, 2012
 Totally confused about progesterone now and my cycle
by: Wray

Hi Alison Thanks for the kind words, I'm so pleased I was able to help a little. It is a good idea to use the progesterone for 2-3 months, but that means through any period you might have. Please try this, it does no harm using it while bleeding. It's essential to make progesterone the dominant hormone, each time you take a break it drops, allowing oestrogen to rise. A break is fine if there are no adverse symptoms to deal with, but you do have them. Once you feel stable you can begin to follow a cycle, there's info on how to do this on our page How to use progesterone cream. The luteal phase lasts in all women 12-14 days, it always occurs prior to bleeding. It's called the luteal phase as the corpus luteum is now active and producing progesterone. You might like to see a Chart on how the hormones rise and fall. So if a woman has a 21 day cycle she will ovulate on day 7, but if a 35 day cycle, on day 21, with variations in between. It's best to use progesterone from ovulation, in fact it doesn't matter if it's a day or so before, as progesterone rises then too. Although this is not secreted by the corpus luteum, but comes from the brain. There's reason to believe this rise stimulates the rise in luteinising hormone which causes ovulation. There's also strong evidence this rise in progesterone before ovulation causes the feminine sexual response too. If progesterone is used 8 or more days before ovulation, it can act as a contraceptive, but amounts of 200mg/day or more are needed. You say you are thinking about starting a family, please read our page on Pregnancy. It gives you info on how and when to use it, and how much. A mini microscope is much easier and cheaper than ovulation sticks, see here. Many things can cause anovulation, stress, excess oestrogen, testosterone, LH and FSH. But generally this occurs because little to no progesterone is being made, a vicious cycle. By using progesterone the cycle normally rights itself. Continued below.
Jan 06, 2012
 Totally confused about progesterone now and my cycle Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Alison One essential nutrient for ovulation is vitamin D, this is also vital for a successful pregnancy and the growth of the foetus, see here, here, here, here and here. These are excellent videos to watch too, see here and here. Please have a test done. For more info on vitamin D levels, testing etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth, Birmingham Hospital and Vitamin D Links websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml or 175-250nmol/L and not the 30ng/ml or 75nmol/L most labs and doctors regard as adequate. The minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although the latest research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. Incidentally vitamin D is also vital for the thyroid, see here, here and here. You might consider taking taurine, this is also vital for the growth of the foetus, see here, here and here. Take care Wray

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