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Post menopause, could I need progesterone?

by Barbara Hicks
(Mabelvale, Arkansas)

I’m a 65 yr old female. My daughter is concerned that Progesterone may be my problem. She has received a lot of help here and even her doctor is starting to listen. So at her recommendation I’m trying and I hope that it can help me. I took the test you have on the home page an scored 53 but I know other things can cause that.

At around 22 or 23 I started having panic attacks. I had started taking birth control pills a year or so before. I was put on medication for the attacks and I improved but I had them periodically from that point on. Later I blamed low blood sugar and couldn’t understand why eating didn’t help.
I’ve had depression, panic attacks, low thyroid, breast cancer, mild MS, brown spots that started too early to be age related. Bloody spots on my arms with the smallest bump. I do what I call checking out, when I can’t handle things. I’m in a fog, not really here but gone none the less. Those times I can’t really think clearly, have terrible short term memory lost. I blame that on MS but my MS is not progressing an my Neuro released me. I can’t handle heat and that could be MS but in my case I retain fluid instead of the usual MS symptoms. And last but certainly not least I’ve tested low D3 and B12. I take pills for the d3 and shots for the b12. I went completely through menopause in my mid forties. My life at that time was out of control so I couldn’t blame what I was feeling on anything other than my life.

Now I have no energy and tire way too easily. I can’t handle stress at all without my heart pounding and this fog dropping over me. My panic attacks got so bad at one point I had to quit driving in heavy traffic or on freeways. Some days I can do that now.

I see that above I listed breast cancer almost as an after thought and I know its not. I took Tamoxifen for two years and Arimidex for three. I had radiation but not chemo. The drugs took their toll on me. I developed osteoporosis but that is reversing now I think. I’ve been off those for about two years.

Today my blood pressure is fine 119/66, my heat beat is low but okay at 56. I feel numb all over, my face and feet are the worst. My eye lids, my face feels swelled and water logged. I’m foggy, heavy, light headed and tired.
I am on a pill for my blood pressure, a water pill and a thyroid pill.

Any help you can give me will certainly be appreciated. Thank you.

Comments for Post menopause, could I need progesterone?

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Aug 13, 2010
 Post menopause, could I need progesterone?
by: Wray

Hi Barbara It sounds as if you needed progesterone all your life! Panic attacks are caused by a drop in GABA levels, this is one of our most calming neurotransmitters. Progesterone activates the GABA receptor sites, so without it GABA doesn't work well. Blood glucose does affect them too, but it's not a low level but a fast drop. This would occur if eating anything with sugar in it, bread, sweet fruits or sweet root or fruit veggies. Blood glucose rises too fast, the pancreas pumps out too much insulin, which causes the glucose level to drop too quickly. Progesterone also helps depression, cancer, MS, brown spots, hypothyroidism and the mental fog too. All these symptoms are exacerbated, if not caused by excess oestrogen. This is a mitogen, causing cells to divide and multiply, including fat cells. It's a known initiator of inflammation too. Stress drops progesterone levels sharply, so your 'out of control life' would certainly have caused stress. Progesterone also helps high BP and water retention. In fact it's such a good diuretic it's now given via IV transfusion to brain trauma victims to prevent the oedema that forms. But I believe above all you need to get your vitamin D level up as fast as you safely can. Low vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone too. I do hope you are taking about 5000iu's per day, possibly 10,000iu?s, you need to get your level to a minimum of 50ng/ml year round. Better still if it's in the 80-100ng/ml range, please see the Vitamin D council website for more info. A lack of vitamin D causes high BP, depression and thyroid problems, cancer and MS too. But please consult someone who understands vitamin D and high doses. If you do consider progesterone please read this page on Menopause. But please read this page on Oestrogen Dominance first. I suspect you will react initially to the progesterone, as it appears you have high oestrogen/low progesterone. To reassure yourself please read this page on Cancer and progesterone. I generally recommend 100-200mg/day progesterone, but you might need the higher amount to begin with. Progesterone does help the skin, specially the brown spots, it also helps strengthen it. But you need to take at least 2000mg/day N-acetyl cysteine. The skin comprises 14% cysteine, making it strong and stopping those 'bloody spots'. Cysteine is essential for strong hair and nails too. It appears your cells are not getting the 'fuel' they need, hence the lack of energy and tiredness, please read this page on Insulin Resistance. Take care Wray
Jul 25, 2017
 What form to take?
by: Missy

I'd love to know what form is recommended for N-acetyl cysteine? I have very similar problems to this post, although have not had cancer, and am 61 now.
Jul 26, 2017
 What form to take?
by: Joy

N-Acetyle Cysteine (NAC) is what it is. Ask for it at your local pharmacy.

Please read the information posted by Wray as well as the references.
Sep 10, 2022
 A very long journey of over 30 years of conflicting advice and getting no where
by: Laurianne

Hello, my name is Laurianne and i am 68 years old. About the age of 16 i started with extremely bad acne. Teenage problems the doctor said and put me on a course of tetracycline which they did in the early 1970's. When i came off them the acne came back. It was pretty much all over my face. Tis lasted for four years. At 24 I very abruptly started with the collection of symptoms called Chronic Fatigue after a long term relationship broke up and a very stressful job. I had symptoms of brain fog, no energy, weight gain, bluree vision, balance issued, muscle weakness. After many tests no conclusion was made. I had a year off work. y periods were very regular until the age of 40 and no warning they just stopped. A few years before i started with regular urinary infections and again full blown acne. A trigger was a divorce with alot of abuse. I was put on HRT but made me feel bad. I came off and until i reached 50 i did not really have any symptoms. I then started again with all the symptoms above. The doctors were very unhelpful and i started looking for advice on the internet. I was put on natural progesterone but only 20mg and it did nothing for me. I went from Chinese medicine practioners who said it was the kidney meridian, lymphatic system as i was retaining water under the skin and liver deficiency. I recently saw a Functional Medicine Practitioner who again went through the process of doing tests on the biochemical procedure including adrenals, stress, but i did not feel any better with the supplements she gave me. However, the last lot of tests came up with low acetycholine and electrolytes. I have suffered with no sex drive, vaginal inflammation and frequent urinary tract infections. I had a labia bioby and this came back with long term inflammation. Use betnovate sparingly!!! Oh dear my frustration with the western medicine treatment makes me very angry. Since around 55 i became very bloated and i ended up with a bladder prolapse.I use oestrogen cream, but over the years the doctors wont prescribe it without going through a Nazi Interrogation Interview!!! Its your age and just use some gel for intercourse!!! My blood pressure has always been in the right area until a few years ago when it went up to over 200. I went onto medication and finally came off it after tweeking exercise, healthy eating and trying to be more stress free. I have always kept myself as free of toxins as possible for over 20 years. I feel miserable, lacking no spark, brain fog is very bad, constant tinnitus, water retention at the cell level which is causing heaviness all over my body. I have had a huge amount of stress in my life and i have noticed this is one of the triggers. I have had 28 years of no periods and hormones. Doctors say you dont need hormones after menopause Oh Dear me!! My blood presssure has had another lapse of going over 200 and i have now had to go back on meds. I try my best to stay off pharma meds as they are so toxic to our bodies.

If anybody has had similiar symptoms and experience i would be grateful of any relief treatment that they have tried.

The progesterone theory does make sense to me.

Kind regards

Laurianne
Sep 12, 2022
 A very long journey of over 30 years of conflicting advice and getting no where
by: Joy

Hi Laurianne

Oh dear you really have had a torrid time and most of it is/was so unnecessary! I totally agree with you, conflicting information is enough to confuse one and is usually given by uninformed people. Do be careful where you do your research, the internet is full of misinformation.

Mainly your hormones needed to be balanced way back when you were 16. Acne is caused by high testosterone levels and too much sugar in the diet. You certainly have had your fair share of Stress, it can be extremely debilitating. Stress destroys so much i.e. progesterone levels, Vitamin D3, B vitamins and so much more. A D3 deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone and is connected to every single function cell in our bodies making it vital. Levels should be optimal at all times. Adrenals take a pounding too. Cortisol levels are affected. The common Adrenal Cocktail is excellent for adrenal fatigue, please consider trying.

ADRENAL FATIGUE COCKTAIL
* 125ml Orange Juice or *Grapefruit Juice, you are looking for vitamin C
* 1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt or pink Himalayan
* 1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Mix the above at the start of the day with enough liquid for two (2) applications i.e. 8oz/125ml of orange juice. Drink it mid-morning, as well as mid-afternoon. In addition, any time that you are feeling particularly anxious it would be advisable to prepare another mixture and take it.. Certain med can conflict with grapefruit, so please make sure that this isn't the case with you.

Your body is screaming out Estrogen Dominance, made worse by possible birth control and the HRT that you were given. They both have a potential to cause harm. Water retention or edema is also caused by excess estrogen. The estrogen dominance page has a list of adverse symptoms, you have quite a few sadly. Taurine is an excellent and necessary amino acid, it's an osmolyte, guiding cellular osmosis. Calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium are vital electrolytes, but without taurine they cannot enter a cell so muscles become weak and in some cases cramping occurs and tiredness sets in. If you do decide to try it, aim for 5000mg per day, starting off on 500mg/day.

Testosterone levels affect Libido. Progesterone helps to balance all hormones. A good organic progesterone cream such as Natpro which is a 3% cream is excellent when inserted in the vagina at night, helps with inflammation and dryness. Antibiotics are given for UTI's, often unsuccessfully, or repeatedly in the belief it's killing the pathogen.

I understand your frustration with western medicine. Personally I try to avoid them as much as possible, they are merely band aids and never get to the cause. Doctors do not seem to listen to us and try to understand what is going on. I don't think many are trained for any great length of time on hormones either. Why does estrogen always get prescribed and natural progesterone is not even mentioned? They fail to see or acknowledge it's benefits. Surprising as it is one of the oldest hormones. To say that a women doesn't need hormones after Menopause is ridiculous. Progesterone is needed more than ever. It benefits young and old, male and female. If you do decide to use progesterone please consider Natpro which was formulated over 30 years ago. The How to use Progesterone Cream explains how to use it. Use no less than twice a day, once in the morning and the other half at night. Insert some of the night time dose in the vagina, it helps with dryness and inflammation as mentioned.

You need to address your Inflammation and your gut. If your gut is not healthy it affects so many aspects of your health. Consider eating fermented foods. They are the best probiotics available, better than any OTC ones and delicious.

Another thing that you should look at is your thyroid, has this been tested as well as your iodine and selenium?

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