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Bioidentical Progesterone Cream: Anyone been using long-term?

Posted , 3 users are following.

shaznay96184
shaznay96184

Hiya

Just another of my questions about this Cream!

I and a number of other women on this forum have begun or are using this Bioidentical Progesterone Cream (Wellbeing), but I've not read a post from anyone who has been using this Cream long-term.

I am currently ping-ponging in my head whether to continue with my trial (started 1st Jan) or just give up the ghost, go see my GP and get some prescribed HRT.

I need something - anything! - for the aching joints mainly and long-term bone health.

Just be nice to hear from someone who has been a long-term 'user' and singing its benefits (or otherwise) as I don't want to keep prolonging putting off HRT (I'm 54 - probably been Peri for yonks and yonks, judging by my moods, lack of libido, drying skin etc. Shame the blob hasn't stopped or become irregular grrrr!) for the sake of me ol' bones.

Be great to hear back from someone who has used Bioidentical Progresterone only for the longer-term.

S x

PS - One good thing I've just read on an American bioidentical site is that Progresterone is believed to be the 'Happy Hormone' and that some women report a feeling of 'euthoria' when they're nice and balanced.  I have commented on her about having that very feeling when I finished a very long bleed over Xmas/NY. Felt really good, up-beat, and it went on at that level for ages. I actually feel pretty good - mentally - still.  So maybe this stuff is working for me afterall????

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Sandy07
    Sandy07 shaznay96184

    Posted

    Hi Shaznay, I'm deliberating exactly the same thing at the moment. Can't go on like this, quality of life is rubbish - think I need a little help. When I tried the cream for a couple of weeks, things were a little better, either due to the cream or coincidence. I am considering giving it a go for a couple of months just to see. At least I will know then and can decide where to go from there. I have emailed the company to see what they have to say about the bleed I had during the time off the cream. I'll let you know what they say and what I decide. For me at this point it's either that or HRT, ive tried everything else and need to start living again. Really would rather let nature take its course but need some help with these aches and pains. Xx
  • Sandy07
    Sandy07 shaznay96184

    Posted

    Hi Shaznay, I received a reply about the cream and this is what they said ' this blleding is not unusual and may no be an actual period but can occur as your hormones return to their normal

    balance.  Oestrogen dominance can cause both irregular cycles and

    retention of old blood, particularly if your previous periods were

    heavy. Because Natural Progesterone has a normalising effect on the

    menstrual cycle it can initially promote the shedding of this old

    blood which is desirable. Natural progesterone does not 'cause' this

    but helps your body to naturally rebalance and in this process the old

    lining can initially be shed but it will normalise.

    Old stored blood can increase the risk of endometrial cancer and It

    seems the body can 'store' this old blood for some time until it seems

    ready to shed it, but unless the bleeding is heavy or prolonged it is

    not a cause for concern.  If this does occur then go to your doctor,

    but otherwise treat this as a normal period and treat this bleeding as

    day 1 as you do not use the cream when bleeding. YOu would start your

    cream again on day 7 (or when it stops) to re-establish your cycle.

    However what is occurring with your worsening symptoms is that at the

    onset of using Natural Progesterone Cream a few women may experience

    an increase in oestrogen dominance symptoms.

    This is temporary and due to the Natural Progesterone waking up and

    making the oestrogen receptor sites more sensitive. If experienced,

    reduce Serenity to a tiny dot then build up gradually in the following

    weeks or until the symptoms subside, you may then resume normal

    application.

    The women that are usually affected by this phenomenon of 'worse

    before it gets better' are usually those with a high degree of

    oestrogen dominance and this response is not directly due to

    progesterone, as its role is to balance oestrogen which causes these

    symptoms, but you may well have a greater hormonal sensitivity to have

    responded as quickly as you have.

    This article by Dr Tony Coope will help make more sense of it, and he

    does suggest that the dosage can be reduced for a while to alleviate

    some of the symptoms, but it is vital to continue with the

    progesterone and return to a normal dose as the ‘flare up’ resolves.'

    don't know if that helps but it seems to make sense

    xx

    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 Sandy07

      Posted

      Mooma, that's great. What a read!!

      I'm really grateful for your reply and taking the time to forward that message.

      Yep, like you say, its bloody hard to know what to do for the best. But you sound exactly like me in the 'Shall I/Shan't I' debate of how bad to let myself feel before I go screaming for the HRT.

      Whether my using the cream is actually helping my mood (re the Happy Hormone symptoms i read about) or I'm just getting a grip of myself, I'm not sure. But I honestly don't feel anything like some of the really depressed/anxious ladies I read on here.

      They all seem to be starting to take ADs/SSRIs - not a route I want to go. How they're managing to get through the whole plethora of side effects, I'll never know. They're worse than anything I'm feeling!

      Had lovely chat with my ol' man, and he thinks I'm doing well.He says to do whatever I feel is best for me (HRT-wise). But he can't see that I need ADs at all.

      I note a lot of women complain about pelvic/ groin pain. The 'stored blood' don't sound so great(!), but how much of a problem this causes when it doesn't come away is anyone's guess.

      But having posted and got/read replies about benefits of actually bleeding, I'm leaning towards seeing that bloody Curse as not such a bad thing Afterall.

      I believe oestrogen can 'feed' fibroids, so the more we tackle its dominance the better I suppose!

      I hate this sort of waiting game, waiting to feel worse really, but I don't really feel that bad that I'm not able to cope just yet.But I truly believe when the sh*t hits the fan, I'll know it!!

      So the conclusion for me? Maybe give this pot of cream its due, finish the course, have another pot lined up and start writing my 'Carry on - It's only the Menopause' T-shirt!!

      Seriously if I can carry on feeling like this, and cope with the bleeding ( and euthoria when it stops) then maybe that ain't half bad.

      But the ,minute I feel like I'm proper rough, I'm getting me some HRT:-) !!!

      Let's just 'suck it and see' for a few more months. Got to let the little pot do its stuff. And who knows: it may will be the answer to all my dreams!?!

      Mooma, let me know how things go for you. It'll be interesting to see if we can both go this route together :-)

      Sx

    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 shaznay96184

      Posted

      Hi Shaznay, haha that made me smile. I'll have to get a t shirt too! I have decided to try the cream too for a couple of months and see if it makes any difference. I am at the point where I'm beginning to despair at all these awful headaches and almost at the point of beating down the Docs door for HRT and to hell with the consequences. So, I started it this morning and I'll see how it goes. My head is exploding today😞. I've stopped bleeding( up until this last week when it returned, even though much lighter than I'd had before). I just need to get rid of this muscle and joint pain in my neck, jaws and upper back, which I think is causing the headaches. Even my left foot and ankle is hurting now! I wonder how long it will be before bits start dropping off!! Lol. . Take care. I'll post on any developments . Xx
  • raelene_44389
    raelene_44389 shaznay96184

    Posted

    Hi Shaznay,

    I came across a very interesting blog about a lady who was initially diagnosed as bipolar.  She didnt want to accept this and after lots of research she found that she had an hormonal imbalance.  She was estrogen dominant and lacking in progesterone.  After supplementing with the cream her symptoms slowly faded away.  She finally got her health back after becoming balanced. 

    I am on 300mg of natural progesterone capsules at night and may be going to the cream once my sleep settles.  I have been on it a month and have noticed a little improvemnt.  Last 2 days more manageable after 70 days of hell. 

    I am going to give it a go for 6 months and see how I go.  My doc has also given me a low dose testosterone cream because my levels were very very low. (look out) 

    Have a read up on the bllog its very interesting.

    BLOG: Doris King - progesterone for hormonal imbalance.

    Let me know what you think about it. You can even email her and she replies with such great knowledge and encouragement.

    Take care

    Raelene  xxx

     

    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 raelene_44389

      Posted

      raelene, that's really nice of you to reply.

      Emmm, very interesting.  Especially as I've just read about progesterone referred to as the 'Happy Hormone' and all GPs want to do is shove us full of Happy Pills!!

      Iknow its not the same article, but I have read something very similiar - most recently in our Press around January - about the mis-diagnosis of hormonal imbalance.  I truly thing GPs just think us women are all OTT, emotional wreaks, so it stands to reason that EVERY female will become reliant on SSRIs/ADs at some point in their lives.  Thanks for nothing!

      The most recent article I read was of 3 women who were given SSRIs for their menopausal symptoms, but felt even worse when taking them. Each sang the praise of HRT in various shapes/forms, and all stopped taking SSRIs/ADs, although it wasn't necessarily a pro-HRT article at all. 

      When I went to my Nurse Pract'r she only could of heard me saying I was a bit moany and had cried while watching 'Don't tell the Bride' - my bloody sense of humour will be the death of me one day!  Silly cow:  was obviously anti-HRT. Tried to convince me the symptoms might only be for a couple of years, HRT will only defer them blah, blah, blah and the SSRIs may be all I need (think she must be sorting out the SSRI Rep, because she was almost 'pushing' them!!). Needless to say, I haven't taken them (the bloody side effects were worse than anything I'm feeling!) and I haven't been back, hence my asking about the long-term benefits of this Prog. Cream.

      I'm not 'dissing' SSRIs/ADs generally - would appear they would so well in improving the quality of a lot of womens' lives at this time. In fact I believe that I have actually replied to some women who appear to be really struggling mentally and even suggesting they might actually be of help to them! But, after a big Peri-meno-chat generally with my husband,we both don't see them meeting any peri symptom I have at the mo. What I'll be like in the future is anyone's guess!!

      Funny you mention testosterone: my friend was feeling a bit off in her early 40s. Turned out she was very low  in testosterone so her GP put her on a low dose of that. Her ol' man said he had to fight her off, no kidding!!lol  Funny really as we only ever hear of oestrogen and progesterone on this site: I wonder how many of us could do with a little testosterone too??

      I will definitely have a read of Doris' blog. 

      Thanks again raelene.  I'm sure you're as grateful for this forum as much as I am.  We gals seem to know more about this terrible time we're all programmed to go through by sharing experiences/ solutions. Seems even more ridiculous then that Docs seem to know so little about it and how best to help us through it! 

      I'll get back to you after a read

      S x

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