Hormone imbalance

Posted , 4 users are following.

I am a 26 year old female who has been in hell for the last six or so years due to what I'm 99% sure is hormone related.

I got a blood test a few months back that showed both my estrogen and progesterone were in "low but normal" range.

My periods have been wildly irregular since they first began. I began noticing other symptoms around the age of 20:

-Irregular periods

-Acne

-Intense insomnia

-96 body temperature

-Anxiety/panic attacks

-Inability to lose weight (3-5 pounds will fall off magically during my period if I have been exercising and eating right, but ONLY on my period -- which only comes every 35-60 days otherwise the scale won't budge.) Also carry most weight in love handles, hips, thighs.

-Total lack of energy

-Intolerance of alcohol (rapid heart rate/huge blood pressure rise hours after consuming -- unsure if directly related)

-Random rapid heart rate/tachycardia

-Semi intolerance to exercise (never feel like I'm improving -- always very hard, could be just lack of general energy).

-Ovarian cyst (one that goes away and comes back over and over, biopsied as benign)

I have been working with a naturopath for the last few years who is always baffled as to what could be going on (hasn't necessarily focused on hormones though so I think it's being overlooked even with blood results showing they are low).

Now, for the strange part. I have tried many different hormone balancing supplements (maca, vitex, tulsi, symplex f, the list goes on and on) a few years back they seemed to work great. I believe back then I was estrogen dominant (because of the insomnia). But NOW whenever I take even the smallest does of any of these, I am overcome with crippling fatigue. The feeling of having been sedated with a horse tranquilizer.

I began taking maca in powder form five months ago due to insomnia (wasn't taking any other hormone balancers at the time and thought maca may be different). It worked great for about a month -- I was having regular periods (but it was very thick, gel like blood... Maybe TMI but I think this is progesterone related) and then I began realizing a week before my period and during my period I couldn't get out of bed. Exhaustion. Then this effect took over and was happening everyday. It took a turn for the worse so I quit the maca but am still suffering from the fatigue. I have some good weeks but still low energy.

I am ASSUMING I had estrogen dominance and the hormone balancer supplements were only driving up my progesterone for whatever reason, leaving me completely unbalanced in the opposite direction (insomnia to sleeping all day and night everyday). Unfortunately, because I took the maca for so long the fatigue has been lasting.

I thought perhaps it had to do with thyroid or adrenal fatigue, but I tried some natural supplement for both these issues as well, and both made me wake up in the middle of the night suddenly with 165/95 blood pressure and 150 bpm heart rate. So I'm assuming thyroid/adrenals aren't necessarily the problem.

My current state is debating whether or not to get on the pill, because at this point -- I'm desperate. I have tried every angle (all the remedies, diets, exercise, I've done them all.) And nothing seems to bring my body to a point of balance and not a swinging wildly from extreme to extreme status.

My fear is I will take a pill that drives my already low hormones down lower, or drives one up higher and, like the supplements did, I'm left in an extreme state of insomnia or anxiety or fatigue or whatever.

What would be my best option from the info given?

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    I think you should get off these "natural remedies" and see a qualified gynecologist as well as an endocrinologist. Yoru symptoms cannot be guessed at and exoerimentasl self-medication  with all sorts of supplements is dangerous.
  • Posted

    Of what you're telling here, I would suggest to see a doctor and have your thyroid and adrenal functions tested by bloodtests.  

    It is important that you know precisely what is going on.  After a good diagnoses treatment can be started.  

  • Posted

    I agree with Ian and Hanny. There's so much going on, and we are not qualified to judge what's safe when taken in combination. I would stop everything, and preferably see a GP, or at least a qualified herbalist/nutritionist. Apart from a multivitamin I wouldn't know how natural remedies interact.
  • Posted

    Im not a doctor but it appears to be PCOS and an endocrinologist can take care of this. Your prolactin levels are most likely off and it is a requested test not done by gps or doc at all. Its done endocrinologist or you can ask your gyn. I would hands doubt place a bet on pcos

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