Hi. Would love some help. My doc is not into any of this.
I seem to have a tremendous sensitivity to progesterone creams and to Prometrium. Am using Estrogel .75mgs twice a day and cycling Prometrium 100mg for 10 - 12 days. Feel absolutely wonderful on the Estrogel, but as soon as I take the Prometrium, I feel hot, bloated, angry - pre-menstrual really. Have also tried progesterone creams such as progest, but even the tiniest bit starts an "angry bloat". Am 55 and periods stopped three years ago.
Question is: What else can I try? Still have a uterus so have to take something.
Many thanks.

Hey Westie.......

Funny you should ask about the progesterone thing. I was just reading through Dr. Christiane Northrup's book, The Wisdom of Menopause last night. I came across some information for women who can't tolerate progesterone in any form, apparently it acts sort of opposite as to how it works in other women's bodies. I am 54 and also post-meno and have been messing around with taking Estradiol in patch or pill form and 100-200 mg. of Prometrium a day. Luckily, my body loves Prometrium..... (knock on wood).

And so, to get to your question. Dr. Northrup recommends for women that are sensitive to progesterone, an herb called chaste berry, to increase your own body's progesterone naturally. And I quote......."Chaste berry comes from the chaste tree, which is native to the Mediterranean. It is widely available at natural food stores, often under the name vitex. It has been shown to have a profound effect on the pituitary function, increasing the secretion of LH (luteinizing hormone) and decreasing the production of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), which in turn shifts the production of hormones toward more progesterone and less estrogen. Chaste berry is particularly beneficial for women who are having PMS-like symptoms or are experiencing scanty, irregular periods. It has been shown to suppress appetite (my personal favorite ), relieve depression, and improve sleep. It can take several months to work (good news/bad news thingy).

How that helps.......sounds like a wonder herb to me!

booboolena

Hi Westie,

If you hate oral and topical progesterone, you could try vaginal. I take my progesterone vaginally. I feel awful on oral progesterone. I do not think we need as much vaginal progesterone as oral. I take 50 mg at bedtime and 25 mg in the morning for 9-12 days. The vaginal progesterone does make me somewhat irritable but it is tolerable. There is a long acting vaginal progesterone that I have read about that seems to cause more side effects than compounded vaginal progesterone (personally I would stay away from the long acting vaginal progesterone—Crinone/Procheive—just because of what I have read). Prometrium can be used vaginally (read the insert) but the dose may be higher than you want. I have used Prometrium vaginally in the past and I have opened the capsule and divided the oil inside and used it vaginally. I used to use a higher dose but I found that I got depressed; lowering my dose helped the depression. If I lower my dose too much though I get spotting, breakthrough bleeding, and early periods, so I have experimented (for months) to find my dose.

Good luck.

Kathy

Hi Westie,

I'm having the same problem. At first I wasn't sure if it was the estrogen or Prometrium because I started them together about 6 wee,s ago. I got Dr. Reiss' book which suggests just doing one at a time, so I went off the Prometrium and just took estrogen Tri-est 1.5 2x per day. I felt wonderful on it. I asked the Dr. if I could try 12.5 progesterone (broken into two doses daily) I did O.K. os 12.5 yesterday. Today I tried 12.5 progesterone in one dose, and I'm trembling, heart is pounding and I fell anxious. I don't think there is anything else you can take other than trying the progesterone, vaginally. Some of the younger women cycle it for 14 days out of the month and get a period. I think Susan Sommers does this too, even though she's older. I'm 58 and haven't had a period in 14 mos. Let's keep in touch and maybe we can support eachother. I think the only solution is to start very low on progesterone and gradually increase it to your level of tolerance, which seems very low for me. Not sure what your Dr. would recomment. You can also work with Belvue Pharmacy through Power Surge and they can help you, if you will buy from them and your Dr. will work with them. If your Dr. won't they have Physicians who can help you. I haven't gone that route yet.

Hope this helps, and keep us informed.

Ethans Nana

Wow Ethan's NaNa, you are 58 and had a period 14 months ago ? You are definitely a late memopause woman then ! Based on my mother's and sister's experiences, I suspect I will be menopausal in a year or two, and I am 46 now. How old were you when you started experiencing significant irregularities in your cycle ?

Hi Sandra,

I never had any arregularity in periods. I had r egular periods until I was 57, then just stopped. I haven't had another since. I recognize now that I was getting depressed and my hair started thinning, but otherwise, I didn't even know I was in peri for several years. I thought I sailed through peri when I stopped but last Dec. I crashed and had to go on BHRT due to depression. We're all so different. Good to hear from you.

Blessings,
Ethan's Nana

I'm sure this will sound goofy, but I hope you had a lot of kids !!!! :-) This comment is based on my theory that late menopause should be bred into our human specie by all of the late menopause women having more kids and the early menopause women haveing fewer kids. I am helping by having NO kids. :-) (Totally by choice.)

Sandra,

I had four children and breastfed them as well. Not sure if that means anything or not but I kept wondering when I would stop having periods.

Ethans Nana

Interesting... I've been trying a little more P lately with my .05 Vivelle Dot to help with pelvic pain and today I noted in my journal that I was feeling shaky. I read your post about trembling, heart pounding and realize that's what I was feeling. I've been meno for 2 years and on BHRT since April 06. I also went on them for depression as I'd read so much about them improving that. They did for a while, but for 4 months now I've had recurring headaches and the pain is pulling me back under.

Jeanne