Bio Identical Progesterone Cream: Week 2 Update

[weekari]

I thought I would give an update as to how I am getting on with using bio identical progesterone cream as a way to balance my estrogen dominance. More info about my situation in in my bio and the week 1 update.

Week 2 has been a complete roller coaster. I had a few days of feeling the best I'd felt in over 6 months, which then quickly turned to feeling really bad. The good days were not 'normal', I still had the fatigue hanging over me but I could feel it was lifting and I had a moment of excitement that 'this was it'. The first good day, I did do more than I should have- I wasn't going mad but I should have kept my activities to what I normally do to avoid the 'boom and bust' thing. The following day, I was even better though but I managed to behave and did just my usual routine. But the day after that I was flat out, with the following 2 days even worse. It was so hard to not feel a knock from the change- it was like the good days were teasing me!

Since being floored at the weekend, my energy has continued to be low and I have been having a lot of abdominal pains. Not the usual type of things I feel though- this has been really odd stuff- lots around my right ovary, like a dragging feeling and a lot of pain around where I know my large fibroid with endo is- almost like a kicking sensation (is it actually fighting me?!! lol). My back pain has also increased a lot. It's been much more constant than normal and I've had to take more painkillers than normal. I got myself some heatpacks and used that last night which meant I managed to not use any painkillers.They seem great for my back pain but a disaster for my finances and the environment! It's still a week until I see my chiropractor and it can't come soon enough.

It does feel like 'something' is happening. I just don't know what that something is and whether it is a good something!

I have wondered if perhaps the pain is from things shrinking and the increaase in fatigue is from my body dealing with it all. I wondered, if I have adhesions, then this may be painful if it's shrinking and pulling away from where it's stuck. My scans did suggest that the endo/fibroid/weirdo mass was attached to a few things so this could be a possibility? I'm just guessing though. I don't know if the change in hormones would be enough to actually break down the fibroid and I know a degenerating fibroid can be pretty painful and can make you feel rough as it's broken down by the body- so I wondered about this too. Just all me guessing though.

Because of my 'wonderings' I decided to start taking milk thistle to help my liver with the clean up job and some Serrapeptase as this is supposed to help the body break down 'dead tissue'. I am just starting taking these today. I've taken milk thistle a lot in the past but this will be my first time trying serrapeptase.

If my cycle stays on track, I will be stopping the cream in 4 days. And my period should start a few days after. It will be interesting to see if my period will be any different. I don't usually have any major issues with my period- just a bit of pain the day before and first day but it's been much lighter since all my health issues started.

I wasn't expecting this to be a miracle cure but I did think it would be a little more 'steady', it's been very up and down.

[Emmyeve]

Interesting . Perhaps a little too early to say? I’ve been using serrapeptase for months now. Not sure what you mean about shrinking? I’m not sure anything can shrink can it? Surely only get bigger

[weekari in reply to Emmyeve]

Definitely too early to know.

I've got a few big fibroids too- apparently the prog cream can help shrink them (not the endo unfortunately). I've heard a lot of really positive stories about that but I know my situation is a bit of an odd one. It feels like it's just all a big guessing game!

[Emmyeve in reply to weekari]

My cream arrived. I’ve a week left before due to try it. I’m scared to try haha! I worry about the oestrogen receptors kicking in & perhaps flaring up my skin or something at the beginning. I go on holiday end of October so I want to be careful but I also want to see if can help me TTC this month.

[weekari in reply to Emmyeve]

it was just the first 3 days that were really horrendous for me with headaches and insane tiredness. Other than that, it's not been hugely different to usual for me- I've just had a couple of really good days, which was a pleasant change. Hopefully the timing of it will work out ok for you.

I was so scared to try it too! I was mostly scared of it not working and then not having any hope- so by not starting it, I'd still have hope!

Fingers crossed for you! x

[Lyn84]

I have been thinking of trying progesterone cream so it is interesting to read this to give an idea of what to expect

[Hidden]

I haven't used progesterone cream but I started using vitex which is supposed to help increase progesterone in the body and I've been taking DIM which is supposed to help the body rid of estrogen and I've had the same symptoms of constant back ache like you've had so maybe it's doing something!

[weekari in reply to Hidden]

I'd heard good things about DIM. I was considering getting it but didn't want to try lots of things at once as I'll never know what's doing what. It's on my list of things to try though.

Did you have back pain before using these? Back pain has always been one of my main symptoms but it's just a lot worse this past week or so. I really hope it is doing stuff. I'm just imagining my fibroid griping on to the wall of my insides for dear life while it's being slowly broken apart! ha ha!!

Fingers crossed it's all helping. x

[Hidden in reply to weekari]

I get back ache on and off some months are worse than others and it's usually around the time of my period however I have noticed it's increased this month since I've started using DIM and vitex, plus I've noticed a lot of period cramping since I ovulated and pain around my ovaries! I don't normally suffer from this so that's interesting but yeah I'm hoping it's cause it's doing something good lol!! Will have to wait and see as I've only been taking it for about 3 weeks now xx

[Gillypop]

Sorry to be dumb. But are you using Bio Identical Hormones and are you getting them off the NHS?? By the way, you write really well and I'm sure it helps loads of people. x

[weekari in reply to Gillypop]

Hey, you're not my dumb at all! Yes it's bio identical progesterone cream I'm using. This isn't what the Dr has recommend but I thought I'd give it a try before trying the more extreme options.

Thanks for the compliment about me writing it's actually my dream to be a writer once I'm on my feet so it actually means a lot! I hope to use my experiences to help others.

Xx

[Gillypop in reply to weekari]

So how did you know what to take. How did you know you were Estrogen dominent? Thinking about taking things in my own hands, fed up with Dr, all they suggest is HRT which I really don't want x

[weekari in reply to Gillypop]

I was fed up with what I was doing getting from the drs too. They were suggesting chemical menopause which didn't make sense to me and I knew want a long term treatment.

I read up about it at much as I could, what causes endo to thrive and what causes fibroids (I have them too) and estrogen was always mentioned as being the driving force behind these issues. I paid to get my progesterone and estrogen levels checked for estrogen dominance through a company called Verisana (about £80) and I paid to have a skype consultation with a naturopath who specialises in women's hormones (Judy Evans). I'd read about how to use progesterone cream but I felt more confident having talked it through with someone. If you have endo, you start it on day 8 of your cycle (day 13 if you're just balancing your hormones) and you use it until day 26 (or 2 days before your period is due if your cycle isn't 28 days). They recommend 15-30mg of progesterone a day which is a tiny amount of the cream I'm using but would very depending on the brand. I'm taking 20mg of progesterone which is 1ml of the cream. They suggest dividing it up to 2 doses throughout the day. And you rub it into places where skin is thinnest, where the blood vessels easily show through the skin - tops of feet, forearms, neck, chest and behind the knees and you tissue where you put the cream so it's not the same place each time.

I'm trying as best as I can to do it methodically so I know what it's doing, how much I'm using etc.

Today is my last day using it before I have a break for a week. I still feel its too soon to say if its doing anything positive but I definitely feel things happening. I just don't know if they're good things!

X