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Am I Weird?

by Marnie
(Alabama)

I just don't understand it all. I am 51, perimenopausal. Using BHRT.
Progesterone is supposed to make you calm, and help you sleep. But when I take it, I feel HORRIBLE. It appears to raise my cortisol and cause all kinds of horrible symptoms. I will be feeling like " Life is grand" and can tolerate difficulties with ease, but after a week of P, I am depressed, life is not worth living, and increased fear and panic. So, I hate to even take it.

I have cut the dosage way down, because I don't need that endometrium build-up.

Surely, I am not the only one that reacts like this to Progesterone. And do you think it might help if I used OTC cream? Or can some women not use it, with minimal problems?

This is not a new issue, and am looking forward to hearing what you think about this.

Thank you....

Comments for Am I Weird?

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Dec 05, 2013
 Am I Weird?
by: Wray

Hi Marnie Progesterone is a potent anxiolytic, and does help sleep, but only if enough is used. And only if your Vitamin D is high. You say you're taking progesterone, well 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. You should consider using a progesterone cream or suppositories. As you're in Peri-menopause you could need anywhere up to 400mg/day, possibly more if your symptoms are severe. And no you're not the only one reacting like this. Our site site has over 5000 pages, if you care to look through them, you'll find the site littered with comments such as yours. All because women are using too little. The symptoms you have are not from raised cortisol, but from excess oestrogen, there's more info on our Oestrogen Dominance page. I have no idea where you got the info that progesterone builds up the endometrium, it doesn't. Only oestrogen can cause cells to proliferate, not progesterone. It does this once a month, and at the end of the cycle the lining is shed. It's shed because the MMP enzymes which break down the lining, can now get to work as progesterone levels have dropped. Progesterone suppresses the MMPs. Take care Wray
Dec 05, 2013
 weird
by: Anonymous

I am actually taking RX BHRT progesterone.

Thank you for responding!
I guess I didn't make myself totally clear, but the only reason I take it at all is because I am still having periods, and I know that it helps to keep the lining FROM building up in your uterus. If not for that, I would just quit it all together.

I am thinking that if I had estrogen dominance, I would be having some symptoms from that, but I am great after I quit taking progesterone. Only while taking P, does it cause problems.

I'm just wondering if too low of estrogen could cause this, when adding P in, because it causes E to drop even lower.



Dec 06, 2013
 Am I Weird?
by: RJ

Hello. P stimulates E and if you have a lot of E then you need lots of P to get over the ED that P is going to create for you when you take a low dose of P. All that low dosage of P is doing is activating all the years of E you have built up in your body. I know...I dealt with tons of E and only now, two years later has the P gotten the E under control and finally become the dominate hormone...well most months anyway...and I'm almost your age. Oh and try the Natpro...best of all the OTC...I've tried them all and so much cheaper than you script. Hello to you Wray! Enjoying tons of snow here today! God Bless! RJ
Dec 06, 2013
 Am I Weird?
by: Joy

Hi Marnie

Well there is your problem, you are 'taking' progesterone and I see that Wray has advised that oral progesterone is NOT the best delivery method as 96% is destroyed by the gut and liver. Please consider using a progesterone cream, but a cream that has the correct progesterone concentration - see here.

You are very clearly suffering from estrogen dominance, please read the information provided to you by Wray, it explains it all to you. If one uses too little progesterone is stimulates estrogen which leads to adverse symptoms as you have described. Progesterone does not build up the endometrium either.

If you do not use progesterone correctly and if your vitamin D level is low, it simply will not work.

Hope this has helped you.
Dec 06, 2013
 weird
by: Marnie

Thank you for getting back to me.

Do you have any suggestions on dealing with that horrible, and I mean HORRIBLE anxiety, panicky type feeling that comes on when I start taking P? I believe it is cortisol raising, causing this.

I can not tell you how terrible it makes me feel. I do not want to take Xanax, don't want to get addicted. But it is that bad! Lower Estrogen, quit taking it? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated......

M.
Dec 07, 2013
 Am I Weird?
by: Wray

Hi RJ You do make me laugh! I love your almost rap like first sentence. But you are right, so right. Bless you for your support as always. Snow is beautiful, but you can keep the cold! I was born in the tropics, so have tropical blood and find anything below 24 degrees Celsius difficult. I then have to wear warmer clothes, mid winter I look like the Michelin man! Take care Wray
Dec 07, 2013
 BHRT
by: Marnie

Joy, I have posted twice on here that I am using BHRT. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy. That IS creme. Rx creme.

This is the third time now. I think that just goes to show that sometimes we need to slow down, and actually READ the post and not just DECIDE what it is saying.

It makes it hard to try to get help.
Dec 08, 2013
 Am I Weird?
by: RJ

Marnie, I have to say that reading your comments I thought you were taking pill form also, as it can come in that manner too. I don't believe you said anything about it being a creme. Type in anxiety and panic attacks on Wray's front page site and you will see all the supplements that help relieve it. I too had it so severe I thought I was having a heart attack, was sure I was and the hospital released me giving a clean bill of health. I take a lot of taurine and GABA now, along with high doses of progesterone. There are so many supplements out there to help you. Research it and then try them, but they won't be quick fixes. Took me two years to get some relief. Lots of patience, you can't turn your body around over night with what we have done to it for years. Detox takes a long time. God Bless! RJ
Dec 09, 2013
 Oral or cream
by: Laura

Just to help you out, 'applying' would refer to a cream and 'taking' would be understood as oral. In your original post you state that you are 'taking'. So Joy has not read your post wrong. They are simply trying to help you the best they can, especially when it is not Natpro you are applying, so i think a little patience is required. ;-)xx
Dec 09, 2013
 Am I Weird
by: Joy

Hi Marnie

I did READ your post. You said when you 'take' progesterone, when one says they 'take' progesterone it is normally oral, a cream is actually used.

BHRT also covers estrogen and testoserone, we certainly do not need it, if your RX contains it then this would explain why you are feeling they way you are. No women should take extra estrogen and testosterone.

You might like to look at Wray's Progesterone Application page, it may help you - see https://www.progesteronetherapy.com/progesterone-application-methods.html#axzz2n0gdjSZl.

Take care.
Joy
Dec 12, 2013
 RJ and Joy
by: Anonymous

In my first post, I said USING BHRT. In my second I said taking BHRT. Anyone that knows hormones, would know the route of taking BHRT.

It is kind of you to defend Wray, but very unkind to attack me and accuse me of something I didn't do. I do not need that added stress, when all I was trying to go was to get WRAY's opinion on using, taking progesterone, and the problem it is causing me.

Like someone else replied on another post, you two are vultures. Egotistical Vultures, at that.
Dec 12, 2013
 Am I Weird?
by: RJ

Marnie, read your initial post. Nowhere did it say creme. Then on your Dec 7th post you said you did say it and got nasty at Joy for the way she responded to you. It doesn't say how you administer your hormones. My post wasn't in anyway nasty to you, other than stating you didn't say a creme. Are you going to go after Laura for stating the same thing, that you said you "take" it rather than "apply" it. That's fine I'll be the turkey vulture for you today....I don't mind. Do your research on here, lots of posts and responses. You'll find an answer. Whether you want to go ahead with the recommendations is all up to you. We cannot be there to make sure you follow through with it. Only you can. And if you read some of my last comments to Wray about a matter unrelated to yours, you will find that Wray told me a couple weeks ago that she would no longer be commenting on posts that are not using Natpro. Up until recent she has answered everyone whether they used her creme or not and I think it's great that she has incorporated that into her protocol. She makes Natpro and none of the others. How does she know how those products work. I came to Wray because I had a doctor who could have cared less and I was scared to death. With no insurance how was I going to afford the tests they wanted. If you have health insurance that is wonderful...go and have all the tests they want you to have. I had to find another solution and Wray's advice has helped me turn so much around. Cont.--
Dec 12, 2013
 Am I Weird? Part 2
by: RJ

Cont. -- So, go ahead and knock me for stating it's the best thing out there and will solve most of your problems. I thank the Lord above everytime I put the stuff on. By now who knows where the doctors would have lead me. And if you are taking Estrogen and Testosterone as Joy had mentioned it mustn't be working because you feel so bad. We eat so much estrogen everyday...GMO foods...do you use hairspray, deodorant, perfume, household cleaners,...all those things are pumping so much estrogen into you...why do you need them in a script form? And testosterone...geeze, look into what it does to the female body. I'm not being nasty to you....if you'd come to me and ask me to take your hand and lead you to someplace or someone that would help you, I'd take that hand and go and search until your problems were solved and you know what that's what Wray does, but because of nasty posters, as she has said, she is burnt out. You can only beat a dead horse so much, ya know. I was in your shoes two years ago and only now has things begun to turn around for me. Still have a ways to go, especially in the weight department, but I finally have the bleed and clots under control and I am no long the wicked witch to everyone around me and my husband has said I don't look so crazed anymore. It takes a long time to change all the ill-effects we have done to our bodies for years. Natural will not happen over night except for maybe unrefined coconut oil. Don't close your mind and try and remove the chip off your shoulder to those who are trying to give you some advice. Your answers are out there....research them. God Bless! RJ
I have to laugh, the word I have to put in the box is "zipper"...maybe that's God way of telling me to zip my lip lol. Hard to keep a woman's mouth shut isn't it ;)
Jan 07, 2014
 To RJ
by: Debbie

RJ are you still responding to posts I would like to "talk" to you lol!
Jan 07, 2014
 Am I Weird?
by: RJ

Hi Debbie,
I read every comment that comes to my email. I'm sure there are some out there that I don't ever see though. But I would be more than happy to talk to you. I guess you just need to start a new comment and I'll see it. Make sure you say you're this Debbie and that you click the box that says others can see your comment. God Bless! RJ
Jan 10, 2014
 Debbie
by: Joy

Hi RJ

If you are having problems communicating with Debbie, let me know and I will see what I can do to help connect you two.

Thanks for being so supportive of Wray.

Take care.
Jan 11, 2014
 Am I Weird?
by: RJ

Hi Joy,
I do not know how to contact anyone directly other than to write in the comment box. That's why I told Debbie to be sure to click the box that comes up and says notify me when others leave messages. If you can do something otherwise, please do because I'm not sure she saw my reply to her. Wray will do fine! If she can take herself from a postpartum state over 17 years ago when nobody knew about this hormone, do research all by herself, without so much as one doctor lifting a finger to help her other than telling her to live with it, Wray will come through this with bright, bold colors. Life is hard. We deal with everyday events in our own personal lives, which can be so overwhelming, then we take on the burden of hundreds of others which only amplifies all our own personal troubles. That flame inside our souls will never go out...it may dim...but will never go out. We just have to muddle through all the wet kindling to find the dry kindling to make it a roaring flame again and that takes time. The Lord is with her as He is hearing many prayers directed her way! God Bless! RJ
Jan 12, 2014
 Debbie
by: Joy

Hi RJ

I was waiting for you to respond. Oh Wray will be back all flames blazing just as soon as her batteries have been recharged!! Progesterone is her life and so are the people she helps!

Debbie has in fact replied to you see here.

The best way for me to put you both in touch with each other is for you both to contact me via my own website - see here. I will post the same on Debbie's post to you. Once I have your email addresses I will let you both know.

We do not encourage the posting of email addresses on the website as it encourages spam.

I will be in touch just as soon as I hear from Debbie.

Take care.

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