Bio Identical Progesterone Cream: 1 week in

[weekari]

Hello Ladies

I have posted a lot about my very bumpy journey towards diagnosis and my dissatisfaction with the proposed treatment plan (zoladex) from my consultant (general gynae). I'm still chasing up the drs, trying to find out more about my diagnosis- I've been given a very murky, vague picture of things but from the info I've been given, I've decided to 'go rogue' and not follow the Drs orders. I had already worked on other important hormone related factors- diet, environment, emotions but I wasn't seeing any real improvement. If anything, things seemed to be getting worse. I decided to try bio identical progesterone cream and this is a summary of my first week using it. I'll try keep it brief but that is not really my strong point! I've updated my profile to give more info about my background.

I consulted a naturopath who specialises in women's hormones and was instructed to use between 15-30mg of progesterone a day of the cream,was given tiny measuring spoons and to make the measurements easier, I decided to start on 20mg a day. That was 10mg in the morning and 10mg in early evening. It really is a tiny amount of cream and I thought there was no way such a small amount of cream could really do much. I was sceptical.

I was warned that a lot of women can have an increase in symptoms for the first week or 2 as the estrogen receptors can be activated. Just 2 hours after my first dose, I had intense cramps- like period pains. It didn't last long but it was there and happened like that for the next few days. I also felt unbelievably thirsty, which passed as the other symptoms lifted. I had extreme tiredness which felt very different to my usual fatigue. It was like a heavy sleepiness and I did actually have to take a nap a few times, which is very unlike me. My fatigue is usually not 'tiredness', It's just like I'm in a big cloud of treacle. I also had a sore head for about 2-3 days. It was bad but not awful. After day 5, that all stopped but my back started to become very sore- worse than usual. The level of pain was probably the same but it was just constant and I couldn't get any relief from it. I've just been to my chiroprachtor so my pain is hugely reduced now- she said my alignment was awful today. Usually when my back is at it's worst, my fatigue is usually pretty bad too but this wasn't the case. Yesterday and today, I've definitely felt a change in my fatigue. It's still there but it's almost like it's getting thinner and I can start to see through it. In terms of fatigue, today is probably the best I have felt in about 5 months. I'm by no means bounding with energy but I am finding myself doing things and realising that I wouldn't normally manage- like today I have done yoga, hung out a washing, hoovered and walked to a chiropractor appointment. This is way more than usual, the yoga was less of a 'ugh' effort, I just usually can't manage hoovering and did it without a thought and I would usually drive to my chiropractor, even though it's a 5 min walk. I've done all of this and I actually feel ok. As I said, I'm not bounding with energy but it's a noticeable difference. Usually I struggle through yoga and then I'm just pulling myself through the day and just being alive feels such a struggle. I feel a little brighter.

I'm not in any way saying 'everyone do this', I really think we all have to approach our endo as our own individual disease and try balance our hormones with an individualised approach- looking at the factors that are most likely to be causing us the issues. I had already worked on diet, environment and emotions so this was the only thing left. I believe we need to balance all factors.

I'm just sharing my experience, the information I have gathered. My aim is really just to help people be informed about what their options are. I wish I knew 2 years ago what I know now.

Feel free to ask me anything.

[Emmyeve]

Still waiting for this cream to arrive for me and then I’ll get started. Thanks for the update x

[weekari in reply to Emmyeve]

Will it arrive in time for you to start it at the right time in your cycle? I was so worried I'd miss my window but it arrived just in time.

I really hope you get some benefit. I'm feeling quite optimistic about what I'm noticing but also trying to not get my hopes up. *fingers crossed*

x

[Emmyeve in reply to weekari]

I’m still waiting to find out if I’m pregnant so yes it should do. What days of cycle are you stopping and starting?

[Emmyeve in reply to Emmyeve]

I was reading your bio. How are your skin issues now given that you still have endo present? are you on Facebook? I’m on one of the endo groups on there & one of the admin members who is very very knowledgeable has a similar story to you. I’m sure she could offer some advise surgery wise. X

[weekari in reply to Emmyeve]

Generally my skin is OK now. I stopped getting the really painful blisters after about 10 months. Until I started the cream, I was having regular rashes on my neck and forearms bit haven't had them all week. I feel these random things are just my immune system trying to deal with it all.

I'd love more info about the Facebook page.

As for when I'm using the cream, I started on day 8 of my cycle and will use until day 26. I was told that with endo you can start day 8 but if its just general estrogen dominance, then you start day 13.

I didn't realise you were waiting to see if you're pregnant. I take it that's what you would like, so good luck for that! X

[Emmyeve in reply to weekari]

Judy suggested day 13 to me. I wonder why when I have endo too.

Yes we have been trying to conceive. We start IVF soon so I’m hoping to crack in naturally beforehand to avoid all the drugs etc.

The Facebook group is Endorevisited - UK Endometriosis support and information group.

If you posted your bio on there as a post, I’m sure Linda (woman I was talking about) would have some insight.

What did you use for the blisters? Was there anything specific you think helped ease them? I suffer with skin issues when I’m not on strict clean diet. Histamine type bumps, Candida reactions.

[weekari in reply to Emmyeve]

She mentioned day 13 with me too but then she said I could start at 8 too and it said the same in the info sheet - that start day 8 with endo. I just decided on my own that I'd go for day 8, probably because I do have endo and I was so desperate to get started! I'm guessing it won't make a huge difference, just might bring my next period a little early.

Thanks for the Facebook page info. I'll definitely do that. I would love to hear from someone who's had a similar experience as I feel my doctors are scratching their heads with me. I do feel like a bit of a freak, especially seeing my body described as "chaotic" and "bizarre" in my notes!

With my skin issues, the GP initially thought I had impitigo and gave me course after course of antibiotic- I had to about 8 in 6 months and one full month long course. It would seem like it was clearing up and then would just resurface again. Then they thought it might be a type of cold sore/herpes type thing so I had course after course if antivirals (acyclovir) and at one time, both antibiotic and antiviral together. They didn't help at all and I'm sure just added to the mess going on inside me.

Looking back, I wonder if it was hormonal as it did seem to go in a cycle but I never tracked it with my periods back then as I didn't even consider that.

When all that kicked off, I was under weight and had been for about 18 months. I had an eating disorder and was exercising obsessively. I ate really high amounts of protein and had soy protein powder a lot. I was also VERY stressed. I think all my systems were just in a total mess and everything I did was adding to it. Something was going to give eventually. My cortisol was likely sky high and I suspect I had a leaky gut due to the stress, antibiotics etc as I started reacting to all sorts of foods.

My skin started to calm down when I went off sick and totally stopped due to the fatigue (that was in Oct 2014) I stopped working out (because I couldn't) and was eating more but I was eating really healthily. I cut out gluten too which I think gave my gut a break. I later did a gut healing diet with a nutritionist (eating lots of bone broth, sauerkraut, pro biotic, organic food etc and no gluten, sugar, nightshades, soy, inflammatory food etc) which I think repaired it and now I don't react to any food at all. I've gone through periods of eating gluten again and I've never had that skin condition return.

In short, I've no idea what caused it or what cured it. I think it might have just been a whole barrage of things and the reduction in stress from work, eating more and stopping exercising plus stopping gluten was enough to sort it enough.

I did see a dermatologist who just said it was 'non specific' and discharged me. Helpful.

At that time, I thought I had coeliac disease as you can get a skin condition with that. I was tested for that though and it was negative (blood test and endoscopy).

It's just another mystery!

X

[Emmyeve in reply to weekari]

Wow it’s scary how similar your story sounds to mine! I won’t bore you with mine but really sounds so so similar. I too had lots of antibiotics and just made things worse ultimately. I didn’t link my skins issues with endo at all but I knew it was gut related, Be it Candida and / or histamine related. It wasn’t until I read a book on endo (Linda recommended) & it spoke about how endo presents with Candida and histamine problems. I definitely developed food issues as I noticed when I starved myself but ate just protein & couple veggies that everything cleared up. I have to stick to gluten free, anti inflammatory low histamine anti Candida or if all floods back. Some of us show up or troubles in skin and others digestive issues. My skin is definitely the first thing to act out if something is out of balance. At the time this started I had changed jobs to a really really stressful and emotionally draining job & was eating crap to deal with the stress. All of that for sure kicked things off!

[weekari in reply to Emmyeve]

Oh that is interesting!

I actually did the candida diet 13 years ago! At that time I thought I had awful ibs. It was really bad and I think it probably was something like that going on. I helped my gut but I didn't resolve all the underlying issues with stress and emotions so I think it just developed into other issues of hormone imbalance and growing nasty things inside.

It's like body is communicating but we just don't know the language! X

[weekari]

Thanks!

No spotting. I was told that my period may come a little earlier but nothing about spotting was mentioned. I don't have any bleeding related issues though, I'm very regularly, with 5 day, fairly light periods, so might be be different for someone who is bleeding heavily.

X

[Sunflower1968]

Really interesting and I’ve read all of you journey and once again I can see so many similarities and I think we often forget skin is our largest organ so it is our greatest indicator of our overall Health. Then our poor gut is given all these chemicals like antibiotics which we think are helping but in fact they are stripping our gut of all it’s healthy bacteria. I’m so pleased you have like myself gone back to basics almost like we are rebuilding and healing ourselves from the inside out.

I find it amazing how so little time is allowed for a GP to see a patient and they treat a symptom and not the cause. My daughter has all the endo symptoms and her skin has been awful and her diet is amazing. Our GP prescribed harsh medications steroids and antibiotics against my gut feeling I went along with it. Months later I said let’s try just following a simple routine and we used organic rosehip and jojoba oil and we already have illiminated SLS products and within two weeks her skin began to glow again and heal.

I was at a meditation class yesterday and we focused on the importance of quality of breath for detoxification I don’t mean air quality but the depth of our breathing - I have found practicing deep breathing has helped my overall health.

I’m very interested to see how the cream helps you. I have reduced my medications to just 8 a day in two weeks and shall be down to just 3 by next week. Then just my levothyroxine daily.

I’m on week two of my prostap journey and I’m so grateful it’s halfway to being out of my system. Never again fur me!

I have my bio progesterone gel ready and I do find my probiotics really help my gut I use organic peppermint decaf tea too.

I’ve found the deep breathing had really helped my IBS symptoms and the ice packs for pain!

I’m very grateful for this site xx