Estrogen is the hormone that produces the essence of femininity. It is powerful stuff that shapes the uniqueness of a woman`s mind, emotion and body. Estrogen powers the transformation from childhood to womanhood and sets the stage for implantation and nourishment of the early embryo. It makes a woman feel sensual, bringing fullness to the breasts, clarity to the mind, and moisture to the vagina. Estrogen is the foundation of female pride, vitality and sensuality. It is this essence that is lost when hormonal levels decline.

Estradiol is the growth hormone responsible for breast enlargement as well as changes in the body shape affecting bones, joints and fat deposition. It modifies fat structure and skin composition, and plays a significant role in a woman`s mental health. Sudden withdrawal, fluctuating levels, and periods of sustained low levels correlate with mood depression and anxiety.

Estrogen deficiency is usually the cause of those awful migraines women suffer during their late 20's and on from there. Symptoms are signals that there is something going on that needs attention and should not be ignored. Memory loss and dropped thoughts are symptoms of hormonal decline and imbalance.

Progesterone has a calming effect in the body. It builds bone, and is a natural diuretic and fat burner. It restores proper cellular oxygen levels, improves vascular tone, normalizes blood clotting, and prevents cyclical migraines and arterial plaque. Progesterone helps balance the actions of estrogen and acts with estrogen and testosterone to prevent cancer and other degenerative diseases. A low level of progesterone results in irritability, anxiety, obsessive behaviors, weight gain, itching, bloating, sweating, digestive problems, flatulence, and loss of memory.

Progesterone is naturally present in the body only during the second half of the monthly cycle. The declining level of progesterone is what causes breasts to swell and be painful during this time. While synthetic progestin drugs administered continuously rather than cyclically have been implicated in breast cancer, natural bioidentical progesterone administered during the second half of the menstrual cycle acts to prevent all hormone related cancers. Since progesterone is present in the body naturally for about 15 days a month, replacement bioidentical progesterone should follow this pattern. It is only during pregnancy that progesterone is continuously present in the body for a sustained period of time.

Testosterone is the hormone of personality. It provides motivation, assertiveness, a sense of power and control, feelings of well being, and enhanced drive. With adequate testosterone women are able to take risks, act assertively and live their lives with zest. Without testosterone women exist as if in black and white. It is testosterone that brings them into full living color.

Testosterone conveys powerful anti-aging effects for women. It works with estrogen to keep skin supple, increase bone mineral density, boost mood, and increase the ability to handle stress. It turns fat into muscle and makes exercise workouts worthwhile. Low levels of testosterone are associated with heart attack, Alzheimer`s disease, osteoporosis, and depression. Testosterone improves looks, figure, energy, outlook, enjoyment of living, sex appeal and sexual fulfillment


These are just random snipets I took of this article that I thought might help some of us who are trying to determine how their symptoms match up to the hormones. It's a very interesting 3 part series written by Barbara Minton that includes all the hormones and not just the sex hormones. Part I is here: http://www.naturalnews.com/025340.html

Interesting, except that for me, it was HIGH levels of P that caused the symptoms that they said are caused by low levels of P. And it was the P only that causes my breasts to swell, as it did when I was first pregnant with the high P levels of pregnancy.

Uhmm, interesting...

thanks for posting....

Thank you, CarolH. I've bookmarked the site for future reading. I particularly like what the posted article said about estriol. Thanks for the great resource.

That is why I went searching. I know many articles and books I've read seem to indicate that P is the problem yet here on this board most women seem to think E is the answer. I have had such a difficult time trying to determine what I need. It seems most of the compound E was not absorbing so my E has been low for 2 years. Even so.. whatever has been absorbed (be it E, P or T) has eliminated the anxiety, the moodiness and most of the hot flashes however I'm still left with the 'can't put your finger on it' misery. I simply don't feel good and struggle just to get the minimal required done for the day. I really want the old me back and I'm not talking about the svelte figure or less wrinkles and I can accept the odd aches and pains but this black and white existence .. I want more.

So.. starting today.. I'm going to try a double dose of Estrogel (1.5) and start taking T again. I'm thinking maybe my E wasn't high enough to counter the T and I will only use the P on a every other month cycle for 14 days.

Anyone using Procheive? This is what I'm going to be taking but I'm a little scared of what to expect.

Progesterone is naturally present in the body only during the second half of the monthly cycle. The declining level of progesterone is what causes breasts to swell and be painful during this time. While synthetic progestin drugs administered continuously rather than cyclically have been implicated in breast cancer, natural bioidentical progesterone administered during the second half of the menstrual cycle acts to prevent all hormone related cancers. Since progesterone is present in the body naturally for about 15 days a month, replacement bioidentical progesterone should follow this pattern. It is only during pregnancy that progesterone is continuously present in the body for a sustained period of time.

I re-read this and found it enlightening. Some BHRT docs give women continuous P with no breaks which is not normal for the body to have continuous P, so it stands to reason it could be risky to use it continually. I know some women feel they do well on continuous P in their BHRT, but they could be increasing their risk of breast cancer.

I do well on 1.5 (mgs?) of the Estrogel. Any less and i have hot flashes. I do the continuous prometrium and no T. I also take Paxil.

I feel a thousand times better than I did during my big crash of 07. However, having said that.....I am still low on energy, motivation and zest!! I do what needs to be done, and very little extra. I have no sex drive. I feel like a slug. I am fat, never been this fat in my life. I really hate being so fat, can't fit into my clothes anymore, can't afford new ones!!

So I wonder if it is the Paxil doing this to me, or lack of T?

I tried lowering the Paxil dose and all that got me was a whole lot of anxiety and back to near panic state - so that didn't work out at all!!

I generally don't complain, because I am so much better than I was - that in itself feels like a miracle of sorts - but I would really like to have some zest, some energy, the ability to exercise, some libido.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

My guess would be lack of T and possibly the continuous P being accountable for your lack of 'energy, motivation and zest'. Maybe thyroid, too. I don't know about Paxil's effects, but I do know that if I were w/o T and were on continuous P, I would have written the exact same words you have written. Exact words. I saw my MD yesterday and asked her whether many of her female patients do well on P, and she said most of her patients have hard time with it. While T is great for libido, I sometimes think libido can become the sole focus of T. It has many health benefits and, for me, is the key to having that zest you mention. Among other things, for me E (Estrogel) eliminates my fatigue and gives me clarity of thought and positive mood. I do not have fatigue with E, but I do not have particularly noticeable energy. Add T, and I gain physical energy, subtle sense of stamina, definite sense of purpose and absolute well-being. Finally, with me, when I add more than a dot-size dab of P (100 mg), all this is wiped out and I am groping again. How about getting checked for thyroid and T? I wish you well. Have been in your shoes and really sympathize.

Floater, The estrogel I have is 0.75 estradiol per pumped dose so to get 1.5 I have to use two doses. Is this the same with you? If so, do you use both doses at once or split them through the day?

Gilk, I've been off P for a couple of weeks now and I do notice a difference (I don't sleep as well but do seem to have more energy) however I still have no zest. I'm not tired but I'm not interested in doing things either. I had stopped taking my T because it seemed to be giving me aggression without the perks. So if I'm getting 1.5 of estradiol, How much T would you suggest? And how does one deal with insomnia on the non-P days?

Don't know. Maybe get your levels checked? Or just go back to your former T and use half dose, or quarter dose, keeping a log? As for sleep, I've posted here about my 25-year dependency on sleep RX's which started at the dawn of peri, when I was prescribed benzo's when I needed HRT instead. Hope you don't go there. I've tried melatonin but it backfired on me and like you, get some help with P but don't like the downside. Sorry I don't have any ideas other than all the usual insomnia advice, sleep hygiene stuff.

I had another thought about our sometimes lack of zest. Absence of sunshine . I forget this every year and find myself in ultra-slug mode until I've spent sometime in the sunshine. By summer, I feel fine. Have you seen the Vitamin D posts with discussion of depression, esp. the Horlick presentation? I get that way. Not actual sadness and feelings of worthlessness, but dull and without zest or drive, even with the E and T. Could this be a factor?

We need a poster: Got Zest?

GK

I think that lack of sunshine is a HUGE factor!!! The last few days have finally been sunny where I live, and I have gone out each day and walked for an hour in the sun. I feel so much more lively!

I also have one of those small desk size full spectrum lights which has helped my sleep pattern immensely. Before I started using it, I was wide awake at midnight, restless about 4 a.m. and then could barely drag myself out of bed by 10. As soon as I started using the light, I immediately switched my pattern: sleepy by 10 or 11 and sleep fairly soundly until 7 a.m. I was NEVER like this before, so I think that the light has really helped.

I also use P two weeks out of the month, vitamin d, fish oil, calcium/mag and 5htp , but it was adding the light in the wintertime that seemed to finally do the trick. Not that I have the full zest back- but definitely some of it!!

inthemoment

What brand of light do you use?

Yes, absolutely. I'm very low in Vit D however the supplements don't work well for me. After about 3 days taking them I begin to feel worse so I stop taking them. I'll come along later and try to take them again but again, it only last for about 3 days till I decide to go off again. I'm never sure if it's the supplements I take or the hormones so.. I like your idea of keeping a log. I should have already been doing that. It's the only way to get answers for 'my' body. Thanks!

PS.. I like the poster idea.

It is Litebook Elite. It was expensive, but the shop I bought it from told me I could use it for 60 days and return it if I didn't like it.

Carol,
I'm curious, what symptoms do you get from taking D? My friend also says it bothers her.

I get down in the dumps, not depressed actually but quiet and it gives me gas.

I take vitamin D ( 2000 IU daily) and have never had a problem. I am not saying it isn't possible but it shouldn't have a negative affect. I just took a blood test to check my D level. Without a blood test you cannot have any idea how low or high you are. I have only heard good things from people I know who were low on D and took it to bring their levels back up to normal. It may not be the D but fluctuating hormones. I always try to read read read everything I can on a subject so keep poking around ad see what you find.


wendy

Hi Wendy, I've been thinking about you. How are you doing? Have you been able to find a doctor?

I've had my blood levels checked and two different doctors have told me that I'm dangerously low. I do tend to do 'everything' at once then quit, then restart.. so yes, it could be the hormones or even other supplements (DHEA perhaps) that are causing me the problems that I blame on Vit D. I'm going to start keeping a log and try to discern what works and what doesn't. The do seem to give me gas though...

Thanks for your input,

CarolH. Are you taking vit d3? That is what all my drs say to take. Another thing to consider is the type of calcium supplement you may be taking with it. Certain types of calcium are problematic for me and not the d. Good luck.

Carol,

Thank-you so much for posting. I am more convinced than ever that I am low on progesterone. I am getting a little sick and tired of my doctor just shrugging me off. He checked my estriadol and fsh and didn't even bother to ask for my progesterone. I have dryness,irritibility and have suffered gaining an extra twenty pounds for no reason. In short I am not a happy camper Oh and the insomnia! As you can see by this post it's 4:20 in the morning here. I'm booking a visit to a gynecologist and am getting a whole battery of tests.

God Bless
Tara

It sounds like you might be hypothyroid. See if you can find a Dr. that will test for your free T3 and free T4, tho finding one may not be easy. Paxil is a fluoridated drug and that will negatively affect your thyroid. If you have a thyroid problem, eating a lot of soy products and goitrogens is also not recommended. Just a thought...