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Trying Your Treatment

by Karen
(PA)

Hi Wray, I was a once bubbly energetic worker who suffered a concussion/bad fall called a TBI (nothing showed up on the MRI). But after this I slowly became fatigued, depressed and unable to work. I was put on various antidepressants that really didnt help me.

More recently, I went to a naturopath who did an Adrenal Stress Index test (by Diagnos Techs) and found that my morning cortisol levels were normal (17 at 8 am, 6 at noon, 7 at 5pm) evening cortisol levels were slightly elevated (6 at midnight) and that my DHEA was borderline low (3). I was also having trouble with sleep and am on .5 mg Ativan which helps me sleep at night but I think gives me anxiety during the day and we are going to slowly try to wean me off of it.

The naturopath gave me 10 mg of Pregnenolone by Pure Encapsulations to take in the morning. I also take 3 Seriphos at 5pm, 3 at 8 pm and 3 at bedtime to help with sleep, lower my cortisol and help me get off the Ativan.

He asked me to use 100 mg of Progesterone three weeks on, one week off. I told him about your progesterone and that I had used it years earlier briefly and it made a big difference. My question is that if I use it every day instead of the last 14 days, will that affect my cycle or ability to conceive (I am 43 and never had a child or got married)? I read on your site that the first month to try 200 mg per day. Would it be beneficial/detrimental to use 200 mg for three weeks the first month and then switch to 100 mg after that? How do I determine whether to use it the whole three weeks or do the last 14 days. (I still Menstruate regularly and have always had long and heavy periods with a short amount of time in between.

In addition, the naturopath did not check my progesterone levels but I do have a blood test that a doctor did that shows my estradiol was 240 (I got my period on 4/16 and the test was done on 4/21 which means I still had my period at the time.)

I am also taking Biotin because it has apparently been shown that when you are on Ativan you can be depleted of this vitamin. I have tried to take a B vitamin complex, especially because they are low but I get palpitations when I try to take them. (I tend to struggle with palpitations anyway. My heart is healthy as it's been checked.)

I also take 5,000 IU Vit D3 because my D3 is low (28). They want it to be 50 because I have osteopenia.

I am slightly underweight and have never had a problem with weight because I don't get a big appetite stimulus. In fact, I eat all three meals even though I don't always feel hungry for them.

Do you know if there are any problmes with taking pregnenolone and how long it is ok to take it? And can you tell me how people typically determine how much cream is 100 mg? Should I use a measuring spoon? I have a 1/4 and 1/3 tsp measuring spoons if that would be helpful.

The last thing is that my breast nipples are itchy. Would it help to put the cream on them? I have gone to dermatologists about it and there are no marks and the cortizone creams they have given me have never helped.

Thanks for your help and thank you for creating this. I am looking forward to using your cream.

Comments for Trying Your Treatment

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Nov 01, 2010
 Additional Information
by: Karen

I also found out today that my TSH level was checked and it is low (.29). It says that low levels can cause fatigue and palpitations. The strange thing is that my levels were checked in May and they were fine.
Nov 03, 2010
 Trying Your Treatment
by: Wray

Hi Karen What a pity you weren't given progesterone for the TBI! The studies most probably post dated this, the first was published in 2006. 100 patients with coma were included. They were given progesterone via IV transfusion, the results were remarkable, see here and here. They are now doing a multi centre study, see here. The amount of progesterone used was over 1200mg/day. They've also found a lack of vitamin D reduces the benefits of progesterone, see here. So I'm pleased you're taking 5000iu's per day, 28 is very low. You might need to increase to 10,000iu's per day, as I've found even the 5000iu's, which is much higher than the normal recommended, is not enough if the level is low. The minimum your level should be is 50ng/ml, better if it's 80-100ng/ml, see the Vitamin D council website. Pregnenolone is also the precursor to DHEA, I assume this is why you've been given it. But comparing 10mg of this, which still has to be converted into progesterone, with the 100-200mg/day progesterone I've found is needed, it's not going to go very far! A waste of money to my mind. Using progesterone 3 weeks on, 1 week off is most odd. It should be used from ovulation for the next 12-14 days, the duration of the luteal phase. Bleeding should occur shortly after stopping. I have found if symptoms are severe, it's better to use it daily, through the period too. It's easy enough to regulate the cycle once symptoms have reduced. Heavy bleeding is an indication your oestrogen is too high, you might find you need more than 200mg/day initially, you'll have to experiment. If you don't want your cycle disrupted, then use it from ovulation, more info here on How to use progesterone cream. Try rubbing the cream on your nipples, breasts too. It's good for painful breasts, please let me know if the itching goes. 100mg progesterone is 3ml, if you're going to use the Natpro. 1/4tsp is 2.5ml and a 1/3tsp is 1.7ml. 1 tsp (5ml) will give you ±170mg/day. Oestrogen also causes prolongation of the QT interval, which results in palpitations, arrhythmia and Torsades de Pointes. Whereas progesterone shortens the QT interval, see here and here Take care Wray
Jan 10, 2011
 Correct Measurement
by: Anonymous

I'm confused. If a 1/4 tsp is 2.5 ml then wouldn't 1/2 tsp be 5 ml which would be +- 170 mg which is what I would use? Could you clarify? Also when you give the directions could you also include tsp rather than just ml. I don't know of any measuring spoons that are in ml. I just have ones that are in tsp increments. I hope that's clear.
Jan 12, 2011
 Correct Measurement
by: Wray

Hi there 1tsp is 5ml, so 1/4tsp is 1.25ml, 1/2tsp is 2.5ml. We use ml as the rest of the world uses it, it's only Americans who use teaspoons. But you have a point! The leaflet only mentions ml, I think we have room to add in the tsp value too. Thanks for bringing this up. Please scroll to the bottom of this page on How to use progesterone cream. It gives the conversions between ml and tsp. To clarify further, 1/4tsp contains 41mg, 1/2tsp contains 83mg, 3/4tsp contains 125mg and 1tsp contains about 170mg. I believe you can get ml measuring spoons here. Take care Wray
Feb 10, 2011
 Re: Measurements
by: Anonymous

Thank you. I hope you didn't mind my asking. I just want to make sure I use the right amount. Thank you again.
Feb 21, 2011
 aches and pain
by: Mango

Hello, I am 3rd day on progest.cream, my first day was sooo great, calmer and libido up, truly an amazing feeling, than my second and third day pain and aches, like arthritis..ouch, I was moving like old lady, my every bone sore......otherwise no another problem, still calmer,will the pain stop soon? Thank you...
Feb 22, 2011
 Re: Measurements
by: Wray

Hi there Of course I don't mind you asking, it would help if there was only one standard of measuring across the world! Apart from teaspoons and ml, we have feet and miles versus centimetres and kilometres. Pounds or kilos too. But the worst is the scientific field. The Conventional Unit is generally used in America, whereas the SI Unit is used by the rest of the world. Reference ranges can vary between countries and between labs. Furthermore some results are given in pg/ml and others in ng/ml. A pg is 1000 times smaller than a ng. To add to the confusion, if there is only one Unit given, that is the standard the world over. Take care Wray
Feb 25, 2011
 Re. aches and pain
by: Mango

Dear Wray,
ok I was not feeling myself at all.......sure thing estrogen dominance......anyway I am using 6% 1,300 mg progest usp 100%grade, was using 350mg, so I had pain and aches etc.......not asthma, but some strange uncomfortable burning in my vagina, also having nose like hound, my urin had an unusuall smell.......my observations
I had done some reading on it....and u can not really overdose on progest., in our final days of pregnancy we make about 400 mg and it doesn't harma baby at all......if I use it the whole jar of cream Imay sleep 2 days.....LOL. All other sites sugest 20-30 mg for perimenopoasal, I am 43 years old, had some spotting , regular periods, ontime actually, but some anger etc. so I lower my dose and got soooo bloated, wow, I guess estrogen right, so I slowly uo it again......and pee a lot and got my bload under control again. Strange thing....
I done more reading and find site of dr. Jerylin Price (MCOR) ENDOCRYNOLOGIE SPECIALIST , ovulation etc......and she is using triple bioindentical progest. pill to fight estrogens errors in woman......she triple is! so basically 400mg.......she is right.....no estrogens, but progesterone........so your theories are making SENSE!!!

My question is now, how long am I have to be on 350mg about.....when can I lower it? dr. Wright also saying it will last about a year and than go back to before.......what is your experience?....... thank you.
Nov 27, 2011
 Re. aches and pain
by: Wray

Hi Mango Your post was so many months ago, I'm not sure if you'll get my reply. I've no idea why I didn't receive it, but many apologies. Jerilyn Prior has such sound advice, although I don't agree with oral progesterone, it's not the best Delivery system. Your symptoms make sense, these can occur when first using progesterone. It's caused by the progesterone stimulating oestrogen resulting in Oestrogen Dominance. How long they take to go depends on too many things! Some experience relief in a few days, in others it can take 3-6 months. I do hope yours have resolved by now. I always recommend reducing very slowly, no more than 16mg/day. And staying on that amount till stable, before reducing again. Finally finding your optimum level. Not forgetting stress reduces progesterone levels, so more is needed during a stressful time. We do have more info on our page How to use progesterone cream. You are probably in the very early stages of Peri-menopause, please look through this page for more advice. Take care Wray
Dec 06, 2015
 Please contact me!
by: Anonymous

Do you have an email address that I can sent a private message to??? Please write to me ttayja@hotmail.com

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