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Two weeks and feeling great!

by Nancy Frazer
(Toronto, ON, Canada)

I'm 48 this year and have felt terrible for the last 5 years. Low energy. Fogginess. Loss of memory. Unable to lose weight, especially around the middle. Even though I was able to fall asleep quickly when I went to bed I never felt rested in the morning.

I heard about bioidenticals last spring when my step mother went to a conference on it. I did a little research and started hearing more and more about it. I am a big fan of Rosie O'Donnells and she started talking about it - she was introduced to Bioidenticals by Susanne Sommers. Well - after a long search for a Doctor who worked with these hormones in Toronto I was able to see him and have been on them for just over 2 weeks. All I can say is - it's incredible.

I did have some side effects in beginning. I had trouble getting to sleep and I have never had that problem but it soon went away and I'm back to falling fast asleep. I wake up well rested and ready to go. I have lost 10 lbs and I feel like it is just falling off of me. My fogginess seems to be getting better and I just feel so much better!

Comments for Two weeks and feeling great!

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Mar 12, 2010
 Bioidentical hormones and feeling great questions
by: Anonymous

Nancy can you tell us more about the symptoms you had and what went away with the bioidentical hormones that were prescribed? Did you get progesterone or estrogen? What was the process the doctor went through to figure out what you needed. Are these likely to cause cancer at all?

I have the same things you mentioned: foggy brain, poor memory, fall asleep fine but awaken a lot at night, mood swings with irritability. Not much hot sweating though a little warm at times. (If I take soy or 'Remifemin' I get hot/warm flashes - go figure). I'd like my brain back - any info anyone can add as to how they did it would help. I'm up to daily dance classes and walking for exercises and that is helping a lot but my painful knees may not last.
Mar 12, 2010
 Two weeks and feeling great!
by: Wray

Hi Nancy. Lovely to hear of your success! Peri-menopause is such a difficult time, you might like to read more about it here. The adverse side affects do occur when first using progesterone, it's not unusual, more info here. And in case you're using oestrogen too, please have a look at this web page. Take care, Wray
Mar 12, 2010
 Bioidentical hormones and feeling great questions
by: Wray

Doctors normally do blood or saliva tests to check levels, but these only tell how much of any one hormone is in the blood. They cannot tell how we are feeling, which is far more to the point. All your symptoms suggest a lack of progesterone, or an excess of oestrogen. If the ratio of these is out adverse symptoms do occur. Both soy and black cohosh are oestrogenic, so I would avoid them. Progesterone is an anti-inflammatory, so if you decide to use it, rub some on your knees, it might help. If you can, avoid oestrogen as it sounds as if you have more than enough. It's implicated in many cancers and other problems, please see. Progesterone doesn't cause cancer, and has been used successfully against some, please see this. Take care, Wray
Mar 13, 2010
 Two weeks and feeling great
by: Cheryl

I went through menopause at age 51. For a year I dealt with hot flashes (every hour), night sweats (4-5 a night). I also couldn't think straight, everything was so foggy, my ears rang constantly and I was really bitchy! I also gained 25 pounds.

Thank heavens for a book I ran accross by John R. Lee, MD. I learned that prgesterone was the only hormone that most women need. We produce our own oestrogen from each of our fat cells.

Any way, I have been using 100 - 200 mg of natural progesterone cream for a little over 3 months now and I am finally losing weight from my middle. I feel so much better, my ears don't ring any more and I maybe have 1 hot flush a day. It is almost like I awoke from a year's sleep, I can actually remember things now. My moods are so much better now also.

Best of luck in your endeavor. It does take over 3 months to feel the benefits of Progesterone.
Mar 15, 2010
 Two weeks and feeling great!
by: Wray

Hi Cheryl. Thanks for your contribution, it makes good reading! I'm glad you're using enough cream too, so many use too little and wonder why it doesn't help. Please remember stress drops progesterone levels sharply, even good stress, so it's best to increase the amount to cover the stressful time. Take care, Wray
Mar 22, 2010
 No improvement in 4 weeks
by: robyn

I have been using natural progesterone + DHEA with a small amount of estrogen for the past month and I have to say there hasn't been any real significant changes, which is so disappointing as I was hoping to lose a bit of weight as well as restore my brain power and hair etc etc.
Mar 23, 2010
 No improvement in 4 weeks
by: Wray

Hi Robyn. You've seen no improvement because you're using oestrogen and DHEA, both these hormones suppress progesterone. It could also be because you are not using enough, you don't mention how much. The amount should be between 100-200mg/day. Please see here.

Excess oestrogen is converted into androgens, which cause hair loss, and certainly won't help restore hair. DHEA is something you shouldn't be taking, it can cause cysts and cancer, as it increases both oestrogen and androgens. It seems you have too much of these if you have a lack of brain power and hair problems. Please see these web pages...
physiology
discoveryhospital
interscience
Take care, Wray
May 17, 2010
 Just went to the doctor
by: Lisa

Found your web page...love it! I just went to the doctor today to get results from blood work and guess what? My estrogen was normal but my progesterone low, making me estrogen dominent. I am 45 going on 46 this year and can not lose weight, foggy thinking, tired and hair loss. I had my thyroid checked but that is all normal. So my doctor is going to send a prescription for progesterone cream to be componded. I will see him in 6 weeks to see if I feel better. Also I have been having periods twice a month. Wray, do you think my hair will grow back and I will feel better on progesterone cream? Thanks for your wisdom!
May 19, 2010
 I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL
by: Nancy

Nancy, I am on the bio-identical therapy also. I can't believe how much better I feel. I have been on it since May 1, 2010. It is amazing how much better I felt in the first week. My Pharmacist tells me it takes 2-3 months to get the best results. I can't imagine how I will be feeling by then. Prior to the natural therapy, I had a hysterectomy on March 1, 2010 and my body was such a mess. For the past 8 months I had such a foggy feeling in my head, sluggish, loss of sex drive, and I just knew something wasn't right. After my surgery my gyno put me on a estergen patch. After taking the siliva test that I took for the bio identical therapy, the pharmasist found I didn't need the estrogen. It was the progesterone that I was lacking. I am a total believer in NATURAL everything if possible. And here again, the natural way is working great for me. It sounds like you and I had some of the same issues. I am amazed and thrilled with the bio-identical therapy. Good Luck to YOU!! TH
May 19, 2010
 Bio-identical Therapy since May 1, 2010
by: Lisa

Lisa, I noticed a difference within the first week. It was amazing. My pharmacist that does the compounding said it takes 2-3 months to see all the affects of the compound. I can't imagine how I will feel. I have lost 5 pounds also. I know we are all different, be patient. It does work. If it isn't working for you, find another doctor and a Great Pharmacist that can help you. TH
May 19, 2010
 Just went to the doctor
by: Wray

Hi Lisa. Thanks for the kind words! You are going through peri-menopause now, an impossible time for most women. It was for me, hence this web site! You might not have seen the page we have on it, please have a look here.

The hair loss is caused by the excess oestrogen being converted into androgens, it's commonly called male pattern baldness. Progesterone suppresses both oestrogen and the androgens. And please consider taking the following supplements 2000-4000mg/day of the B vitamin inositol, this is often called the anti-alopecia vitamin. And 1000-2000mg/day of the amino acid N-acetyl cysteine. The hair, nails and skin contain about 14% cysteine, it makes the difference between whether these are healthy and strong or weak. Cysteine is also a powerful antioxidant, it protects cells internally from free radical damage and the resultant inflammation. Our cycles become very erratic during peri-menopause, there's nothing we can do about it, as the ovaries are slowing down. Progesterone is excellent at regulating a cycle when younger though. It can take 3-6 months for a really positive effect from the progesterone, although I did find some symptoms going in the early days. You might get oestrogen dominance occurring, so please be aware of this, as it's most disconcerting! See here. Take care, Wray

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