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extreme pms symptoms

by Aliisa
(Nebraska)

I get really sick starting at about ovulation and usually ending when my period starts or 1 or 2 days into it. I get nauseous, dizzy shaky and fatigued. I had all kinds of tests done and my doctor says there is nothing else she can do for me except deal with it. I did have a large benign cyst my doctor removed along with that ovary because she thought it would help with my symptoms. No such luck. I really felt like I was dying in some sense because my symptoms were so debilitating and lasted for so long. Plus I deal with anxiety. I'm wondering if progesterone therapy could help me.

Comments for extreme pms symptoms

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Nov 13, 2014
 extreme pms symptoms
by: Wray

Hi Aliisa You have a classic case of low progesterone, you are obviously not producing enough at ovulation, if any. So yes I do believe it could help you, but it's essential you use enough. I can't tell exactly how much, you'll have to experiment, but no less than 200mg/day. We have more info on the following pages about progesterone, How to use Progesterone Cream, and Ovarian Cysts. I also suggest you start taking iodine, cysts in the ovaries and Breast Cysts are often caused by a lack of iodine. We also have a page on Anxiety Take care Wray
Dec 02, 2014
 reply
by: Aliisa

Thank you for your response. I have one more question. I have the shakiness, fatigue throughout the month now and not just at ovulation to onset of period. I'll have better days than others. Blood sugar glucose tolerance test was fine. Is that normal if you have low progesterone? When I go to bed I feel like my body can't relax because it is just shaky/revved up inside and when I wake up I don't feel rested. My resting heart rate will be elevated sometimes, too, with some palpitations. My ekg was normal. My functional medicine chiropractor is having me do a saliva hormone test to check everything out for sure. Thank you so much for all the information you put out there about progesterone therapy. I know there is hope now of getting better.
Dec 13, 2014
 reply
by: Wray

Hi Aliisa The GTT might have been fine, but it could be you also have Insulin Resistance which it does not pick up. Please read through this page, and if you feel you have it, you can have a series of tests as shown on the page. Shaky and revved up could be either IR or high oestrogen. The palpitations are probably caused by oestrogen. It causes prolongation of the QT interval, which results in palpitations, arrhythmia, Torsades de Pointes and sudden death. Whereas progesterone shortens the QT interval, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. These symptoms occur far more frequently in women who naturally have a long QT interval, rather than men who naturally have a short QT interval. Make sure they check the ratio between progesterone and oestrogen. You might like to see the results of the Saliva Tests we run our cream. Take care Wray
Jan 28, 2015
 Extreme PMS Sympoms question/update
by: Aliisa

Hi again, Wray!

I am so frustrated I could pull my hair out. I'm working with a Naturopathic Doctor now that specializes in hormone balance. She doesn't want me to go any higher than 40ml/day of progesterone which is the progest cream. Of course when I start the progesterone on day 12 I just feel worse and continue to feel worse. Mainly I have the weakness and fatigue. My jitteriness has improved my guess is because I'm on a no sugar reduced carb diet. Out of desperation I was watching the videos of your interview on you tube. I got up the courage to bump it up. I now have natpro and increased to 100 for one day, then 160 3 days, then 400 for one day. Then I dropped down to 260 yesterday. Not surprisingly I haven't felt better because it wasn't long enough but I got scared because I watched this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94WQmiCER0g where this doctor said that if you use too much progesterone it can really mess up DHEA, testosterone and the adrenals which is really bad. Can you speak to that? When I got tested it was during the follicular phase because my period came really early and kind of messed it up but I was feeling so poorly she said to go ahead anyway. Estradiol 53pg/ml, FSH 30.1, 2.5ng/ml (I had already started using the cream 40ml/day for 1 cycle of ovulation). Vit D 76, DHEA 11, Testosterone free .4, Testosterone total 27. I so appreciate all you do in trying to help those of us struggling to get their lives back!
Jan 29, 2015
 Extreme PMS Sympoms question/update
by: Wray

Hi Aliisa I have listened to the video, he says he's frustrated, well it's nothing to what I feel with his comments! I wish they would learn more about progesterone, instead of lashing out with unfounded statements. Do you know that Vitamin D and progesterone are both made from cholesterol? It's the starting point of all our fat based steroid hormones. Well vitamin D is made in the skin from cholesterol, it then enters the fat cells to finally be taken up by capillaries and transported around the body. Those fat cells are not saturated with vitamin D, it doesn't just sit there, the body knows what to do with it. So why should it be any different with progesterone? Which incidentally is also made naturally in the skin. All those dire warnings he gives about those poor women coming to his rooms, well I'll guarantee they all, and I mean ALL, used very low amounts, i.e. 20-40mg/day. It's hardly surprising they all feel so awful. Maybe you'd like to read this comment, here, there are many more like it on the website. And in this comment here, scroll to 'Hormonal bipolar Menstrual psychosis the answer'. If small amounts of progesterone are used then yes it can be converted further into other hormones. If larger amounts are used it suppresses those other hormone. This is generally what we are all aiming for if we have severe symptoms, usually caused by excess oestrogen leading to Oestrogen Dominance. You might like to read our page on Progesterone Misconceptions. There's a study on the page showing how important it is that progesterone is absorbed by the fat cells. A pointless exercise to have told you to have your test done when it was, the figures you've given are meaningless. Please see our page on Hormone Testing. And do you know if your Vitamin D was given in nmol/L or ng/ml? If ng/ml then it's within the range of 70-100ng/ml recommended by vitamin D specialists. Thanks for the kind words. I can only give advice and studies to back it up, but its the individual who does all the hard work! Take care Wray
Feb 03, 2015
 lab work feedback
by: Aliisa

Hi Wray. Sorry to bug you. If you don't mind I would really appreciate your feedback on the labs I got back. I just had them tested again because the doctor wanted to recheck them and she just likes to do blood which I know is probably not as good as saliva. But I would really appreciate your interpretation if you don't mind.

I am 36 and have 1 ovary. Other removed along with benign cyst. This time the test was taken day 20 (day 1 being the first day of bleeding). So I should've been in the luteal phase. Progesterone 8.8 ng/mL. Estradiol 101 pg/mL. Ratio 87:1 if I did that right. I have been on some topical progesterone for 2 months following cycle but only 40-100 but mostly 40.

FSH was 29.9mIU/mL. I read on another page here that a high FSH indicates low progesterone. Correct? LH 12.1 mIU/mL.

Total testosterone 33 ng/dL. Testosterone free 1.6 pg/mL. Testosterone bioavailable 3.1 ng/dL. Sex hormone binding globulin 98 nmol/L.

I'm guessing that my progesterone is on the low side. Correct? Still feeling pretty yucky most of the time. See symptoms above in previous post. So I'm jumping all in and going to try 600ml/day for 2-3 months continuously.

Just a side note... since Natpro is out of stock right now I had to get another brand in the mean time. Wow! I like Natpro so much better! It absorbs so quickly and not greasy at all. Looking forward to being able to order some more.

Thank you so much for your time, Wray! - Aliisa
Feb 10, 2015
 update
by: Aliisa

Hi Wray. I sent a comment earlier but I think it might of got lost. So if you see this post twice I apologize. I would really like your feedback on my 2nd set of test results that were taken on day 20 of my cycle (day 1 is first day of bleeding). This time they were taken at the right time. It was a blood test. I am 36 years old. DHEA 115 mcg/dL. FSH 29.9mIU/mL. LH 12.1mIU/mL. Progesterone 8.8ng/mL. Estradiol 101pg/mL. Testosterone Total 33ng/d. Testosterone Free 1.6pg/mL. Testosterone bioavailable 3.1ng/dL. Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 98nmol/L. My ratio is 87:1. I was on progesterone when I did the test. I was on 40ml/day following my period but was so frustrated because I wasn't getting any better I bumped it up to 160 4 days before the test. I'm guessing my progesterone is still really low and I read on one of your pages that when the FSH is so high that means the progesterone is low. Am I correct?

I decided to bump up to 600ml/day and just go continually for 2-3 months. I spread it out over the day. Each day got better and better but now I feel like I'm starting to slide backwards again a little with the shaky fatigue/weakness again. Bad symptoms usually start up again about this time. But I'm not deterred because I have read on this site how that can happen.

Doc also tested thyroid and she said that is on the low side. TSH 2.49Miu/l. T4 Total 6.4mcg/dL. T4 Free 0.9ng/dL. T3 Free 2.5pg/mL. T3 Total 79ng/dL. Reverse T3 is not back yet. Would you agree thyroid is low? Does bumping up progesterone and getting that straightened out have an affect on thyroid.

I really appreciate you and all you do! You have given me hope when I didn't have any. Thank you!!!
Feb 21, 2015
 Another update
by: Aliisa

Hi Wray.
Just wanted to give an update. I'm 36. You can read above lab tests in the previous post. I've been on 600 ml/day progesterone for 19 days now. It is interesting because my symptoms occur about 6 days into my period for about 2 weeks. So I'm in the middle of that time right now. It wasn't always that way as stated in my first post above. Over the months it kind of morphed to this part of my cycle.

I have to say that a lot of my symptoms are being helped. I get cramping nausea during this time in my cycle and a feeling of unwellness. I take the cream continuously throughout the day. I can sometimes even drop overnight during the more difficult time in my cycle and can't wait to get the cream on in the morning. Sometimes I even get up in the middle of the night to put some on. But shortly after I put on the cream my cramping/nausea and unwellness improves. My shaky fatigue has also improved. Not perfect but improved.

The symptom I find the most troubling is I started getting the chest tightness/anxiousness feeling which does not seem to be helped as readily as the other symptoms. My heart rate stays at the normal rate 60-72bpm. Maybe a palpitation here and there but not normally. Just the tightness feeling. Some days I won't get it and other days I will. I've read about it on the site where others deal with it too. And I know you have said that is the estrogen and not the progesterone. I realize I'm only 19 days into this. I jumped up to the 600mg/day level because I was so tired of feeling sick all the time and I just wanted to try to overcome the estrogen dominance as quickly as I could. Should I bump it up a little bit for the chest tightness? I know it won't hurt me as you have shown with the studies. I guess I just need a little reassurance I'm on the right path.

Bless you, Wray, for all you do. I truly am alone in this. All the doctors I work with don't agree with increased progesterone levels but I've tried their ways with no relief. I am so thankful for you and your website. (I'm looking forward to Natpro getting back in stock. So much better absorption and doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky by the end of the day.) :-)

Feb 22, 2015
 lab work feedback
by: Wray

Hi Aliisa Thanks for your support and happy you like the Natpro. You're right, your ratio is 87:1, very low I feel. Have you looked at the Saliva Tests page I gave you above? We've found ratios of 600:1 and over seem to be ideal, but some women can do with a lower ratio. High FSH indicates the pituitary is trying to get the ovaries to produce eggs. It generally rises when Peri-menopause starts, rising even higher after Menopause. I gave you the link to our page on Hormone Testing, have you looked through it? It gives the thyroid ranges too. Progesterone can help, as it suppress oestrogen which does slow the thyroid. Take care Wray
Feb 22, 2015
 Another update 2 HELP!!! Scared!!!
by: Aliisa

So I just commented that I've been feeling the chest tightness over the last week. Well, last night I woke up in the middle of the night with palpitations. Put on some more cream and seemed to relax me and help and went to sleep. A couple hours later I woke up again with palpitations. Put some more cream on and fell asleep again. I struggled with palpitations all day then no matter how much cream I put on. I think I put on about 700mg today and the evening isn't done. I'm starting to think maybe I did the wrong thing by upping the dose. I'm so scared! Is someone out there that can give me some sort of advice? I've been on the 600mg/day dose for 20 days now. You can read more on the above posts.
Feb 23, 2015
 Another update 3
by: Aliisa

Well I did learn today that the supplement I was taking for my thyroid had ashwaganda in it. My chiropractor said that is esterogenic and may have caused my tight chest feeling and palpitations. I'm hoping that is right because I'm hoping it is ok that I'm still on 600mg/day of progesterone against my doctor's orders. The one who put me on ashwaganda. Been on 600mg/day for 21 days now. Feeling much better today versus yesterday with the palpitations. Getting some of my cramping and yuckiness feeling but it seems to be more tolerable so far more so than last month.
Feb 24, 2015
 Another update
by: Wray

Hi Aliisa Have you had your Vitamin D levels checked yet? This antioxidant is vital for the chest, it could be you don't have enough, see here, here, here and here. Progesterone is too, but it does need vitamin D to work well. I don't think you should increase the amount, you have been using it for such a short time. It can take 3 to 6 months to fully take affect. So pleased you like the Natpro. I'm glad you've found the source of the tight chest. Oestrogen causes prolongation of the QT interval, which results in palpitations, arrhythmia, Torsades de Pointes and sudden death. Whereas progesterone shortens the QT interval, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. These symptoms occur far more frequently in women who naturally have a long QT interval, rather than men who naturally have a short QT interval. Take care Wray
Feb 25, 2015
 Thank you - Wray
by: Aliisa

Thank you for your comments Wray. My vitamin D is within the range you suggest. 93 I believe it was. It was really low when I started all this about 9 months ago. It was 32. I've been on 5000 IU's per day and it has since gone up. Last test was 2 months ago. I guess it kind of scared me too reading on your site that 400mg/day of progesterone stops palpitations and here I am at 600mg/day and having all these heart symptoms. The ashwaganda was the only thing I could think of that might be extra estrogen in my system. Could that take a little while to get out of my system? Because I had stopped taking it a couple days before and I had another bout of palpitations.

I've read through the hormone testing page and the peri and menopause pages.
Mar 18, 2015
 Thank you - Wray
by: Wray

Hi Aliisa I can only agree with you about the ashwaganda, although I've not had much experience with it. I do hope by now everything has resolved. Take care Wray

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