Progesterone Cream Question

[Rosie85]

I went to the doctor for testing and am waiting on some results but looking online I indeed have a TON of symptoms of being estrogen dominant and low in progesterone. I am wanting to use a cream even if the doc doesn't suggest it....

They unfortunately pulled blood work when it wasn't ideal testing time for the progesterone so I doubt it would come back low at all.

Which is the best brand to use during pregnancy?? Should I also be taking vitamin b6 with it??

[atomic sagebrush]

Rosie, the "estrogen dominance" scam is the number one pile of crap they're promoting on the internet. I'm not saying it's completely made up (jury still out on that) but it is NOT this plague affecting women everywhere that is in dire need of treatment. These long vague lists of symptoms that are allegedly caused by being estrogen dominant - they're nonsense. They are being made up to sell women treatments that they do not need. So many things can cause these generic symptoms and the biggest is THYROID which is a really real issue that really does affect tons of women.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't start playing with "progesterone creams". You are SUPPOSED to be super low in prog. in the beginning of the cycle. THat is NORMAL and anyone using them in the follicular phase will be delaying ovulation and possibly diminishing egg quality. In the back half of the cycle, the OTC creams that they sell at vitamin stores and online are NOT strong enough to sustain a pregnancy. They are designed for peri- and post- menopausal women who really truly aren't making prog on their own any more. To sustain pregnancy you need a cream that is as much as 200 times stronger and that is only available from your doctor's office. (and by the way - they are not proven to even help sustain a pregnancy anyway - most of the time all they do is just make it take longer to miscarry.)

The more you mess around with stuff like this, the WORSE things tend to get. The best way to fix issues with cycles and such, is give your body what it needs to fix the issue ITSELF and then stay out of its way while it does. What I would do is have you on Atomic Fertility Diet with the full fat dairy daily, 6 eggs a week, salmon 1x a week, and eating lots of fiber-rich fresh fruits and vegetables, doing the zinc 3x a week, b12 1x a week, and Vit. D 1-2 times a week and that will really help. Possilby we could add in Pregnitude as well, that stuff is great at removing excess estrogen.

If you give me a rundown of why you think you are "estrogen dominant" then I can give you more specialized advice.

[Rosie85]

Hey, well basically my doctor said my hormones seem very off by the symptoms I am having. I went from having a very light period to now it is so heavy I cannot leave the house and go through 40+ pads in two days. My hair is falling out, I am extremely fatigued, irregular cycles, headaches, severe ovary pain, vaginal dryness, bloating, sore breasts, no sex drive when I did have one before, fat gain for no reason...my two miscarriages and now suddenly not being able to conceive as easily. Something is wrong for sure it is just a matter of what...

I am waiting on a call to see if the blood work found anything and if not I am going to have an ultrasound and such done.

If my progesterone is low how do I fix it without supplements of progesterone? Do you think b vitamins would be enough??

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, obviously that's not normal so let's see what the blood work tells us. There are other causes of this that have absolutely nothing to do with estrogen. Did they check your thyroid?? Iron levels?? I want you on 18-60 mg iron NOW (Feosol is my preferred brand) and take it daily for the next 2 months due to those heavy periods.

Is your LP shorter than normal???

If there is nothing else going on, you will do things to help reduce estrogen levels while giving your body the raw materials it needs to make progesterone instead. They are made out of the same raw materials and so we have to be cautious and be sure we're taking action to keep your body from making too much estrogen at the expense of the progesterone. The AFD will help with that.

Personally I don't think the B vitamins are very helpful to most people. If you want to try them, get the absolute lowest dose you can find of a B12/B6 combo and take it every other day.

[Rosie85]

Yup they are checking those things....

My lp isnt shorter...not really anway. I think it varies between 12 and 14 days.

So the afd diet should help all of this you think?? Can I replace the fish with something else? I really dislike food that swims.

[Rosie85]

I will be sure to update you with the blood results later. I doubt it is thyroid since it was just tested a few months ago and it was normal then.

[atomic sagebrush]

If your LP is 12-14 days then you do not have low progesterone. I know it's a low-tech test, but it really works!

Yes of course - switch salmon to well-marbled beef (not lean). Even 2x a week for a few weeks, then you can cut back to 1x a week.

Yes, the AFD will help because too many carbs, esp. empty carbs, may be tricking your body into making too much of some hormones at the expense of others. The AFD has better carbs and fewer carbs and it is more favorable to normal hormonal function.

[atomic sagebrush]

I will be sure to update you with the blood results later. I doubt it is thyroid since it was just tested a few months ago and it was normal then.

Was it in the low range of normal? Some have benefitted from treating even low normal range.

IDK, 12 week loss and hair loss is "thyroid-y" to me. But do keep in mind that you can lose hair after a miscarriage (just like you lose it after having a baby) and so if the hair loss is concerning to you, it may very well be coincidental and nothing to do with your hormones being awry but instead an artifact of just having had a loss.

[Adia]

Thyroid is sooooo tricky. Thyroid is so intertwined with so many things that have to do with making babies.

It almost seems like if we could find a 'starting point', aka what to fix first, it would be so much easier!

Good luck Rosie. I feel your pain. I have had 2 miscarriages and a heck of a time getting prego after 3 kids.
I finally got a BFP after 2 yrs TTC but with all the thyroid/hormone issues i have had lately, I am so nervous that it won't stick.

[Rosie85]

Okay I finally got a call back. My vitamin d came back pretty low and my progesterone came back super low as well. They are putting me on progesterone suppositories. They suspect I am perimenopausal so the suppositories will help me maintain a pregnancy.