The brand that I am using states that I could experience symptoms for the first few days but to bear with it. Indeed this has also been said when I conducted wider research. At the moment, my perimenooausal symptoms have not abated but I am just shy of a week in of taking it .
My question is, did anyone else experience this?
How long for?
When did you see improvement or did you decide to knock it on the head?
Thanks in advance
Progesterone cream is very misunderstood by GPs as they never prescribe it. I used ProgestaCare during my pause...I was through at 46 - early menopause is a sign of thyroid malfunction (although I'm not sure where I read that - here is the list according to TUK... thyroiduk.org/signs-symptom... ) I found it very helpful...
Until I went to see a 'menopause specialist' privately, who told me it was so mild I may as well use it every day. Now when he told me this - that'll be £200 please; and this was 17 years ago - I went a bit fruitcake and increased the amount I used, and didn't stop for 5/7 days every month, as you're supposed to. Cue stiff fingers inside of a month. Bloods revealed that my progesterone was off the scale; so I cut back and used it as I'd been advised by wise women on a meno forum. Had a very difficult pause. Sleepless, prone to tears and really sh*tty sweats. Progesterone cream, a chillow pillow and acupuncture got me through. The latter got me to the finishing post after two years of tough times.
For the full nine yards read What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause which is now available in one doorstopper with What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, both Dr John Lee (different Dr to the thyroid expert now RIP)
Best to you; another freaking challenge at a difficult time when children are flying the nest and I started to wonder if my 9 to 5, which had turned into a 5 to 9, was really worth it.
Thanks for replying Rapunzel. Sounds like you had quite a journey so pleased and reassured to hear you appear to have come out the other side.
I have not heard that about early menopause and thyroid, I just know that some of the symptoms may overlap and are similar.
I will check out those books at some stage too. Thanks for the recommendation
😊
I have been using progesterone cream for 15 years on and off and for past 3 years every day. I'm 62 and just went through menopause last year. Never had a hot flush or had any symptoms. I think the most important thing is don't use it blind, have regular testing. When I first started using it my heart rate went up but like thyroid hormone it soon settled. I take a break occasionally but if I go without it for more than a couple of days I get bad headaches. It saw me through the worst of times. I had heavy bleeding. I did the wrong thing and took the advice of my gynecologist she scoffed at it and told me to stop using it. So at age of 51 I grew fibroids and then had Adenomyosis. I wish I hadn't listened to her. The past 3 years the progesterone saw me through menopause and prevented endometrial cancer as I had thick womb lining but no hyperplasia thanks to progesterone. It's important also to be using good quality usp. I buy mine from USA.
Funny you should say this about stopping progesterone and growing a fibroid - same thing happened to me - back in the 1970's I used to attend the Family Planning Clinic which was private in those days £5 - and I saw a lovely lady Dr - I was on the pill - I felt so well on the pill - I lost a bit of weight and was really happy on it - then came a scare - the Government were saying if you smoke you must take the lower dose pill as it is dangerous to take the higher dose one - so I listened to the Dr who was only trying to be helpful - took the lower dose tablets and pretty soon I was putting on weight very very quickly - The Dr happened to see me when I was at a pedestrian crossing and her car pulled up to let me cross - she wound down her window and said - goodness - I didn't recognise you - make an appointment to see me urgently. I went to see her and she immediately put me back on the higher dose pill - unfortunately during the period I had been off the higher dose pill I grew a fibroid and then everything went downhill after that when I had to have a hysterectomy at aged 33.
I am convinced the higher dose pill was feeding a need I had for progesterone and once that was disturbed the hormonal balance was upset and it is a symptom of low progesterone to grow a fibroid - sad thing is - had I known this in those days - if I had taken progesterone at a higher dose just to help the imbalance the fibroid would have shrivelled up - but to get progesterone in those days would have been impossible. Couldn't even get HRT until Theresa Gorman MP stood up in Parliament and hit the men with her speech - if men had to go through what we have to go through HRT would be approved. She was a wonderful woman who died a couple of years ago - she started the Amarant Trust to fight for HRT for women - of which I was a member never knowing when I donated to her trust that many years down the line I would need HRT.
Sorry to hear your experience but appreciate you taking the time to share.
I hope that somewhere in the recesses of my brain im able to retain this knowledge to help guide me and relevant practitioner to supplement and or medicate me satisfactorily . In the meantime I do hope this cream starts to do something beneficial to me. My progesterone is through the floor so guess it will take time to build up but I am longing for the light
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I wish I could say I'm symptom free but alas that is not the case. I started having symptoms around age 45, no one else my age of my friends or peers are experiencing it yet but I appreciate our symptoms will be different as were our menstruation experiences etc. I have for example always had period cramps and during this time they have been constant.
But you are right and I am not going to do it alone. If nothing else my research to date has shown me what a minefield this whole area is!
Hi SandraCC:
I have been using progesterone, biest estrogen and testosterone - all creams, for about 9 years. Dispensed by a retired family doctor who then specialized in menopause.
I got a Nathropathic doctor this year who indicated the amounts were way to low to have any meaningful impact (which I agree, have not felt great for years).
She also indicated that too low sex hormones impact the thyroid.
She indicated that a minimum progesterone level of 7.5 is required for menopausal females (I am 2.2, no range because you should not have any progesterone after menopause........) and that a minimum estrogen level of 150 (range 50 to 220) (I am at 33) is required. She indicated these base minimum levels are the minimum to provide heart and bone benefits.
She also indicated that progesterone cream will not achieve the 7.5 level - the pharma pill works better and it provides better uterine care. She provided this article to me ......
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/272...
I am starting to investigate the relationship of female sex hormones and thyroid function. Found this interesting article (a for pay Dr in the USA) but her references are also the NCBI.
bioadaptivemedicine.com/new...
I also like Dr. Lam for information:
drlamcoaching.com/blog/pell...
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I sure feel awful all the time and I am starting to realize the hormonal system is complicated.
Hope people found this useful.
Kindest Regards
Hi ASkepticalConsumer
First off, I hope you start to feel better soon. Can I ask, I presume the creams worked as expected initially?
I also appreciate the links that you have included.
And yes, I agree that the hormonal system is complicated. As soon as I start to think that I have found someone professional and thereby (I believe) knowledgeable to help guide and support me then I start to realise how much there is to learn still. <sigh>
Best progesterone cream?
Oestrogen Dominance & oestrogen rebound with progesterone cream
For those who have tried t3 (self treated)
