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Slight steady weight gain

by Bobbi Casellas
(Westminster, CO)

I am 42 years old, and I do feel I fit the description of having low progesterone levels, but my symptoms are rather minor. PMS exhibiting moodiness, mild depression.

In the last three months, I have noticed not a tremendous but an unusual slight steady weight gain. As many others have stated, unusual because I am physically active and fit and have not changed my regimen. My periods are still rather regular and bleeding is very moderate and easy to manage. I don't suffer from bad cramps, insomnia, hot flashes, sweats or the like.

Approximately 48 hours ago I started w/1/8th of a teaspoon 2x/day of Emeritus progest cream. I have experienced insomnia for the last two evenings. This has never happened. I have also very obviously and visually increased in size around my stomach, thighs, buttocks and breasts. My normally "boney" ankles are completely swollen. This has me very concerned and worried if this will not go away. My plan is to discontinue using the cream.

Will this water retention (?) subside? Am I now going to experience bad withdrawals? How can I be sure this would not happen again? I'm not sure if this is caused by improper use of the cream, but honestly it does seem rather complicated to figure it out and I am rather discouraged because of my experience. If I did this again I would want to be reassured of only positive effects no negatives. I have a hard time w/the theory that one's body must adapt to negative effects of a therapy, then they will eventually go away. I apologize if this note has a negative tone. It's just that I am worried that I may have made a change to my body that will be very hard to undo.

Comments for Slight steady weight gain

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Jun 21, 2011
 Slight steady weight gain
by: Wray

Hi Bobbi From about age 35 we begin getting anovulatory cycles. Without ovulation, no progesterone is produced by the ovaries. So oestrogen rises, this hormone is inflammatory, plus it's a mitogen causing cells to divide and multiply, including fat cells. Fat cells are a non-ovarian source of oestrogen, so a vicious cycle starts. Oestrogen also causes water retention, hence your swelling, and Insulin Resistance. What this means is weight gain, which would account for the slight but steady gain in weight you're experiencing. The idea behind using progesterone is to reverse this trend, ie by supplying the missing progesterone. Progesterone is thermogenic, in other words it increases metabolism slightly, plus it's an excellent diuretic, so reduces water retention. In fact so good, it's now being used for brain trauma victims, it's given via IV transfusion. It's also an anti-inflammatory, so reduces both the oedema and inflammation which occurs in the injury in TBI victims, see here and here. Unfortunately many brands of progesterone cream do not explain about Oestrogen Dominance, plus they recommend far too low an amount. I've found 100-200mg/day is needed to prevent or lessen oestrogen dominance symptoms. You're getting about 20mg/day, which is the standard recommended amount. The insomnia is caused by oestrogen, progesterone helps sleep, see here. Unfortunately it's not a theory, adverse symptoms do occur when first using progesterone, but the reason is it stimulates oestrogen. The converse also occurs when using oestrogen. It is essential to make progesterone the dominant hormone. We've found from Saliva Tests we run, that the ratio should be 600:1 and over to feel well. Peri-menopause starts 5 to 10 years before Menopause, the average age of this is 51. I can only suggest using more progesterone to reverse the symptoms you have. You might like to read these comments here and here. Take care Wray

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