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I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating.

by Mary
(Wisconsin)

I am 45 yrs old. Have been through the doctor turn stile. Nephorologists, Reumatologists, OB/gyn, Internists, you name it. I have been to naturopathic doctors and got more answers from them then any other doctor. But, the naturopath thought I had lyme disease and was put on certain medications. Some things were addressed as my adrenals were in crisis. I was taking a phospylated serine supplement for the high cortisol levels.

I have lost alot of weight because of the high cortisol levels and it is extremely hard to get this under control. I have since looked for a new doctor and she had some progesterone cream compounded at 5ml 1-12 and 10ml from day 13-21. I'm on a shorter cycle from a 28 day one. I started it and did find relief for the first 5 days and then today I woke up with huge and debilitating symptoms again. The doctor told me to stop the cortisol managing supplements and wonder if this is the cause?

My symptoms are extreme anxiety and extreme shakiness/tremors where it is hard to even walk normally. Almost as if I have mad cow disease. I try eating upon waking as it is sometimes hypoglycemic at times. It didn't seem to help much. I also put on 5ml of the progesterone. It helped a little but still crying and the anxiety is horrible. So I put another 5ml on and again, helped a little. I also took that Serine supplement and still not complete relief.

I sit here crying, shaking, my head hurts like a migraine, never had migraines before, low back pain, dizziness i am afraid to move about for fear of falling or passing out. That is how it feels anyways. I get migrating pains from knees to hands to ankles or back. I feel like I going to die. The fear is also intense. I am home alone for the majority of the time. My husband is home maybe 4 waking hours, I hate being alone. Why? Is this? I used to be so independent and self sufficient. I have no appetite and bouts of nausea. I force myself to eat and continue to lose weight. I am very thin by nature and any weight loss is dramatic.

I think I need mega doses of progesterone as this has cycled on and off for years until now where nothing seems to be helping me. Like another story, doctors just want to up my anti depressant. Aaarrggh! They think this is all mental, I try telling them it is chemical and physical as when it is controlled or subsided I feel like myself again. I never had anxiety, fear, and all these crazy emotions before.

How much should I take? How long before I see,some relief or improvements?
I only have enough,for a month and looks like that will be used up in half the time.I feel like I losing my mind! This is the worst thing to go through ever. I am home bound because I can't drive because of either the dizziness or the anxiety. This is not life, this is existing in a hell of sorts!
Please help, any advice would be most appreciated.
Oh, am I to start the cream on day 1 of first bleed? I just got the script on Feb. 20. My cycle was on Feb. 9th. I took 5ml for 5 days and today used 10ml as I was pretty bad this morning and still not right.

The direction on the cream say as follows.....
Apply 2 clicks (5ml) on days 1-12
Apply 4 clicks (10ml) on days 13-21
Assuming I stop for bleed

Comments for I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating.

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Feb 26, 2013
 I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating.
by: Carol K

Hi there

It sounds like you are going through a very tough time. I am sure Wray will get back to you as soon as she can and I am sure she will be able to give you some very good advice. You need to be using her Natpro Progesterone Cream, which you can order from this site. You need to use large amounts of cream and I think you need to use it daily and not worry about your cycle. Please listen to Wray. You can trust her.

Good luck
Carol.
Feb 27, 2013
 to Mary
by: Julie

Hi Mary,

I know Wray will be along to give you some help shortly but I just wanted to try to help you a little until then. I understand what you are going through! I also have had bad inner trembling and feeling shaky, buzzy and dizzy during times of estrogen dominance. I googled and found this is a common symptom for many women. In your case if I am understanding how much cream is in a ml, then you are using 100mg of cream a day when you use 5ml. Since you have so many symptoms you will find your issues resolve quicker on a higher dose like 400mg a day. I am on 500mg a day right now and still dealing with some estrogen dominance symptoms ( the progesterone wakes up the estrogen receptors so you feel worse for a little while before the progesterone levels go up and then start feeling better). Right now it has been 3 weeks of being back on the cream and I am not there yet but in the past I was on the cream and after 6 weeks was about 90-95% better! It was like a miracle after feeling horrid for 6 months. You can read my story in the FAQ section under the title of 37 year old mom of 5. Hope this helps and I hope you feel better soon.
Feb 28, 2013
 I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating
by: Joy

Hi Mary

I am sure that Wray will reply with all the correct answers shortly.

Sounds like you are in peri-menopause hence a lot of your symptoms. Crying, shaking, headaches,low back pain, dizziness etc are all estrogen dominance symptoms. It's a difficult time and progesterone certainly does help, but you will need to use more, normally 400mg/12ml per day, more if symptoms are severe. It can also take anything from 3 to 6 months before things improve, sometimes longer depending on how severe symptoms are. One thing that I must comment on, you seem to use the cream all at once, it is best used twice a day. This helps to keep the progesterone level stable. The cream should be used every day through-out any bleeding.

May I suggest that you have your Vitamin D level tested, a deficiency can cause so many problems and a lack of it reduces the benefits of progesterone. Wray will explain in more detail.

I hope this has helped a little until Wray replies to you. Hang in there, it is a difficult time.

Take care.
Mar 02, 2013
 I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating
by: Wray

Hi Mary You are in Peri-menopause which is an extremely difficult time. With dropping progesterone levels and normal oestrogen. I spent my time crying, dizzy and had agoraphobia too. You don't say how much progesterone you're using, only how much cream you're using. I feel you'd need about 400mg/day to overcome the symptoms effectively, possibly more. Anything less will make you feel worse, much worse. Too little progesterone stimulates oestrogen leading to Oestrogen Dominance. Please use the 400mg daily, through any bleeding too. This will ensure progesterone becomes dominant and suppresses the excess oestrogen. I also suggest you get your vitamin D levels checked too, as lack of this not only reduces the benefits of progesterone, but causes depression, Anxiety and more. For more info on vitamin D levels, test kits etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth and Birmingham Hospital. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml (175-250nmol/L) and not the 30ng/ml (75nmol/L) most labs and doctors regard as adequate. The minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although recent research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. Please consider taking some of the nutrients listed on the anxiety page too. Take care Wray
Mar 03, 2013
 I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating
by: Wray

Bless all of you for your support! I'm not managing to keep up now. I took off two days to finish a page I started on memory loss 6 months ago. I really need to keep writing new pages, and update old ones. But those two days has cost me dear. Yesterday I answered 12 emails and 11 new submissions. Once finished I went on to our server site to publish new comments, to find 37! I've just looked at the site again and see 2 new submissions and 19 comments! I don't like to do it, but feel I'll only be able to help those who use Natpro, and ask the others to ask whoever they got their progesterone from for advice. And Carol thanks so much for saying they must use Natpro, they'll think I pay you! Hugs to all of you, take care Wray
May 27, 2013
 Menopause sister
by: Lisa

Oh honey! i have every single symptom as you..It is a living hell...Just know that you are not alone.....
Jun 10, 2013
 I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating
by: Staci

I have had nearly all of your symptoms. I too felt like my life was completely falling apart (and sometimes still do) but the cream will work with time. Take no less than 1000 mg per day of Natpro to start and break it up over several times per day so you have a continuous amount of it. It will take a long time to feel better and you will have lots of ups and downs but it will definitely help! I had to take nearly 1500 mg per day in the beginning to even start to feel like I could get through the day. Now, 8 months later I need about 700 mg per day. Find an amount that helps and then don't try to reduce it for a long time and when you do reduce very slowly.
Jun 11, 2013
 I feel like I'm losing my mind and my health is deteriorating
by: Wray

Hi Staci Thanks so much for the encouraging words to Mary. It seems she hasn't seen all the replies she's received as she hasn't made a comment, such a pity. Take care Wray
Jan 07, 2014
 I feel your pain.
by: Anonymous

I've been through the exactly same symptoms for the last 4 months. I'm 46 and going through peri-menopause. I just started progesterone cream last month, and still trying to figure out the right amount to use for me.

What really helped me for the last 3 months though is Black Cohosh Supplement. Now my anxiety, brain fog and panic attacks are minimal. I'm hoping whatever left over symptoms will go away with use of progesterone cream. I think I'm going through estrogen dominance stages at the moment since my symptoms got worse this month. I'm going to increase the amount of cream to get through this. i hope you found some help with your symptoms. I'm so thankful for this website for all the comments. This really gives me hope!
Nov 17, 2014
 Thank you and Update
by: Mary

I would like to thank everyone who responded and I am so grateful for the support you all have given. It was a VERY dark place I was in and I am still recovering. Bless you all.

I would like to update you as to what happened. I was diagnosed with Lyme but the doctors failed to address an autoimmune disorder that can be fatal. I have since seen multiple naturopaths and found a great one who has helped me in restoring my health.

I have Pernicious Anemia=a B12 deficiency that can be fatal, hence the word Pernicious. I must self inject B12 weekly. We also learned I had almost NO vitamin C and that mega doses helped my adrenals to function better.

I was also diagnosed with a gene mutation called MTHFR, an acronym for a big word but to simplify it comes down to "detoxing pathways" or Methylation as they call it. I do not detox well so this has been addressed with L-methylFolate and Iron. Which helps the B12 deficiency as well. It is a complicated disorder but if you are wanting more info just google MTHFR. it will pull up methylation articles.

I am in perimenopause and do use progesterone topically which also is a detox pathway as well.

I also have been dealing with overgrowth of Candida which is been very stubborn to balance out. I take HCL a digestive enzyme at each meal and probiotics away from candida treatments which some are herbal and one script of Nystatin. My 5,000 in Vit D3, Magnesium and a few other things.

I am better but not balanced. I really thought I was dying. I probably wasn't to far off if the B12 wouldn't have been addressed. I will have to self inject for the rest of my life as one with PA can't make the intrinsic factor needed to utilize the B12. It's an autoimmune disorder.
So I just wanted to update you all and to thank you for your support and responses. I swear I went to Hell and now I am back slowly recovering. What a long road but looking better and better.

Keep pushing for your health and never quit searching to find what is going on with you. Don't fall for and accept those bogus diagnoses or let them tell you "It's all in your head" fire that doctor and keep looking. You only have ONE life to live.
Thanks and appreciate this forum/website, as it is very important that this information is out there because we almost have to become our own internet doctors. Research research so important. I brought this up to so many docs and was blown off countless times. Keep advocating for your own health. Thank you Wray for all your hard work.
Nov 19, 2014
 Thank you and Update
by: Wray

Hi Mary Thanks so much for this update, a year and 8 months later! And thanks for the kind words. I can't believe it's taken so long to get to the bottom of your problems. A combination of pernicious anaemia and a MTHFR gene mutation would send your body spiralling down. I can only imagine it was entering Peri-menopause that affected things so badly. Your homocysteine was probably high, you might find adding a few more supplements help the detox process, i.e. vitamin B2, B6, B12 (you are already taking), folate (you're already taking), zinc and TMG (tri-methyl glycine). TMG supplies much needed methyl groups to assist in methylation and detoxing. We have a page on Candida which might help you. I recommend MCT oil as it kills candida, Nystatin is good, but does not enter the blood stream which the MCT oil does, so killing any systemic candida. The body can also use MCT as an energy source, without the fear of it being deposited as fat. It's also used as part of the Ketogenic Diet. I'm delighted that everything is slowly getting better. Take care Wray
Nov 28, 2014
 update reply
by: Mary

Thank you Wray,
You won't believe this but it is worse than that. I spent 2 years seeing a host of Allopathic doctors & specialists. ALL a big waste of time. I finally found Functional/Intagrative medicine but unfortunately was led down the path of Lyme disease for 2 years and that was about the time I found your wonderful website.
I moved on to several other Functional doctors until I found my current one. Thank God for her. Yes, my Homocysteine is high and a MMA test was used. We are currently holding off any extra B supplementation because that can feed candida, as that needs to pass through the stomach/intestines. My injection for B12 by passes this. I am taking Pau D'Arco tea and looking into a way to freeze coconut oil into pill size as for some strange reason, I have a huge aversion to eating coconut. Gag reflex and dry heaves but I tell you I have taken many tinctures that are far worse than coconut but I have no idea why I can't swallow it. Haha ODD! Caprylic Acid in the beginning worked well but not so much any more. I also had a couple surgeries during this journey my gall bladder removed (taking beet powder as ox bile wasn't great for me) and my appendix removed. So I wonder if coconut oil would be difficult for me to digest. I suppose titrating up the amounts slowly would be best.

I will definitely look into TMG. That is to lower homocysteine, correct? With mthfr depending on your "snps" as some can over methylate. That is why I use hydroxocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin. It gave me the most severe head pain. It is worth a go to try it though.

The main issue that is hanging my recovery up is my high WBC. We have not figured why this remains so high. I have had root canals removed, organs removed, tested for infections like UTI's etc. That issue remains a mystery as of yet.

Thank you for all the good tips.
Blessings
Mary
Dec 02, 2014
 update reply
by: Wray

Hi Mary I'm so delighted you've found functional medicine, I'm such a believer in it. In fact we have a video clip on our site you might be interested in listening to, see here. I know some people don't like coconut, but not heard of such an aversion as yours! But the MCT oil has no taste at all, so maybe you could tolerate that? I use it on my food as a dressing and cook with it too. Each 5ml contains 3000mg caprylic acid, although I eat far more than that each day! Makes a delicious mayo too. Fat intake can be a problem without a gall bladder. Maybe the MCT oil would not affect it as much? It's the only oil that does not require bile for digestion and chylomicrons for transport, that gets transported unchanged directly through the gut wall and straight to the liver, and thence to the cells where it's used for energy. Please have a look through those websites I gave you on the keto diet, they use MCT oil, it's by far the best anti-candida diet too. I've not heard of the B vitamins feeding candida, it sounds highly improbable to me! Fungi eat sugars, lignin and cellulose. But maybe I've missed something in my education. Yes the TMG is to lower homocysteine. Could your WBC be high due to all the trauma you've been through before discovering exactly what was wrong? Surely it will take time to come down, your body is in a state of high alert! You've only recently found a doctor who's been able to help you. I do hope things improve quickly. Take care Wray
May 31, 2016
 Methylation snps
by: Anonymous

The gallbladder issue and intolerance to methyl donors seems to point strongly to problem with COMT, as in a +/+ polymorphism. This is tricky because it causes the enzyme that clears catecholamines to be 300-400% less efficient. Thus anxiety issues,etc. due to excessive excitatory factors. Dr. Rosenberg in Idaho is the only one I know who links gallbladder to COMT. I am a 64 yo male with this same problem and it can be hell for sure. Find a good endocrinologist if you possibly can to check ferritin and other inflammatory things. You may want to look into low dose naltrexone and thymic
Protein a. Both will balance immune responses.
Jun 01, 2016
 Reply
by: Anonymous

Thank you for your response. I've not looked into testing for mthfr though I'm sure there is a mutation and it's possible it's COMT. It is tough road and have had some other enlightening testing which has showed I was severely deficient in Vitamin C. Fruits along with supplementing C has given me some more relief. I've also implemented B vitamins which also another instrumental part in taming the anxiety and panic, especially B6. I'm still working out some symptoms but I'm miles better since I posted this initially. I appreciate your comment.

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