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RA when nursing and now with menopause-How much Progesterone to start?

by Rose
(NC)

Hello,
I want to use the creme for RA symptoms but I have others as well, hot flashes, loss of libido(ha! who am I kidding, NO libido!)weight gain,foggy brain, tiredness,etc! I'm wondering if I should start with 200mg a day or higher? I thought I'd also order the Energy Boost. Here's my story:
I am 55 years old and have been in menopause for 5 years. I had my first flare of RA when I was 35 and nursing my daughter.(she was my 2nd. child-I had no problems with my first but I was only 26) It started about 7 weeks after her birth and came on literally overnight.The pain and inflammation would roam-sometimes my hands, or feet, or knees etc. The symptoms started to diminish later on but I don't remember when but I think it coincided with starting to add solid foods so she was nursing less. I had no more flares after that UNTIL, I gave birth 2 years later and the same thing happened at about the same timing, only it was more severe this time. Again, the symptoms disappeared and no more flares, until I hit menopause. (I also started using a natural progesterone creme around the age of 40 for perio menopause symptoms. I don't remember when or why I stopped, but it wasn't at the rec. dosage here anyway, but it did help with the pms type symptoms) The RA symptoms started in the last year of spotty periods but was only in a few joints in my toes and fingers that it was easy to dismiss, then after my periods stopped, in about 8 mos. it flared hard. I've always felt that there was a hormone connection because of this but hadn't found anything to support my theory. After reading some of the articles here, it makes perfect sense! I wish, wish, wish I had found this site back then. I have tried numerous alternative therapies for RA and have had some success with pain relief I still have pain, inflammation and flares. My wrists are almost "frozen" with very little mobility because of the inflammation. I saw a functional dr for a couple of years and had blood work done. I know that my CRP and other inflammation markers were high and my A1c was high normal. I asked him to do a hormone test because of my theory and I don't remember all the results, but my progesterone was very low. We tried a progesterone liquid supplement, but it seemed to exacerbate the flares and now I know why-not enough! I have experimented with dietary changes as well. I have been organic for 20 years, but am now gluten and dairy free. Recently I tried vegetarian and that seems to help as well. I do eat eggs on occasion. I don't eat much sugar. So, should I start with 200mg a day or should I go higher? Thanks in advance to anyone who responds!With gratitude,Rose

Comments for RA when nursing and now with menopause-How much Progesterone to start?

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Jan 07, 2016
 RA when nursing and now with menopause-How much Progesterone to start?
by: RJ

Hello Rose!
Going higher will not hurt you. If you have lots of estrogen in your body the lower dosage will only makes the estrogen dominant symptoms harder to endure. Start high and overcome the ED more quickly. Have you ever had your Vitamin D levels checked. My mother has suffered from RA for a long time and her D levels like to hang low. I am constantly putting 20-30,000 units in front of her each morning to take. If you have RA your D level should be in the 80's or a bit higher...it has been very difficult to get my mother's that high. Go to Greenmedinfo.com and type in RA, Sayer Ji is a wonderful person also organicelifestylemagazine.com, Michael has overcome some real debilitating health issues and he has some wonderful information to share also. Remember do not take vitamin D without vitamin K2, Magnesium, Zinc and Boron. Have you looked into taking turmeric, it is a good anti-inflammatory also. I will tell you that I am 50 and have taken 300-1,000 mg a day non-stop for almost four years and I am so, so much better. But I also take lots of other supplements too. Wray recently has been on 2,000 mg a day because of her stress levels. Progesterone is so wonderful, but it does need other supplemented things to work correctly. Investigate Wray's site you will find a wealth of information on it. Hang in there that light is down that tunnel! God Bless! RJ
Jan 07, 2016
 Menopause
by: Diane

Hi There~
Check out the menopause page on the left. Very informational. Also, make sure to read the page on Estrogen Dominance.
I am perimenopausal and have settled on doses btwn 200mg and 300mg. Give yourself a few months to settle in as well. You may or may not experience E Dominance, so again make sure you read about in on this website. I have a recommendation for you. Get Dr. Michael Platt's book "The Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones". It is full of great information.
As far as RA goes, it is an inflammatory chronic condition and progesterone is a powerful anti-inflammatory hormone. I'm not suggesting that it will cure it, but it certainly won't exacerbate it. Also maker sure your Vitamin D levels are optimal..atleast at 80. It is a powerful Pre-hormone that helps all your hormones function better. It also is linked helping prevent autoimmune diseases.
Please don't hesitate to share how you are doing and ask other questions. My biggest recommendation is READ...especially the pertinent page links on the left.
Take care and wish you well.

Diane
Jan 07, 2016
 Re: RA when nursing and menopause
by: Rose

Thank you RJ and Dianne for your responses. I appreciate it. I have read A LOT of the info on the site and was already somewhat familiar with estrogen dominance and the benefit of natural progesterone. Wray's insight and perspective however is different than anything I had read before! So much great info on this site! I do take vit. D but I will up it. I'm hoping 200mg a day of the creme will help as that's about all I can afford right now. I tried to order some and it's out of stock and I noticed some other comments back in May mentioning the same. I got another kind for now. Hopefully they'll have more soon.
Thanks again!

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