My doctor has me on naturally compounded progesterone cream. I've been on it for three cycles and it has helped me tremendously!! Thats why you don't see me on these boards as much!! Anyways, I'm supposed to apply it from day 10 thru day 23 of my cycle. Then, once my period starts, start the count again and start the cream again on day 10. My question is, once I stop my period, would it be ok to start the cream again before day 10? I just feel so much better on it and my symptoms start to come back shortly after my period ends. Any help is appreciated!!

From the Power Surge Recommendations Page:

Natural Progesterone Cream: An OTC (over the counter) transdermal natural progesterone cream. For best results massage 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the cream to the soft tissue (breasts, underarms, thighs, stomach) of your body one (1) to two (2) times daily. Apply for 21 days and discontinue use for 7 days, then repeat. Just as menopausal women's bodies loses estrogen, they also lose progesterone. You can get OTC natural progesterone cream from one of our consulting pharmacists, Pete Hueseman. Should you or your healthcare practitioner feel you may benefit from a stronger dose of natural progesterone cream, you can discuss your hormone issues with Pete Hueseman, R.Ph, R.D., formerly with College Pharmacy, now the owner of Bellevue Pharmacy Solutions. Pete compounds "natural, bio-identical" or as he calls them, HIH, human-identical hormones. You can read Pete's transcripts in the Library. Natural progesterone is touted as a remedy for menopausal issues, such as hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, vaginal dryness, bones, thinning hair, et al. Some women experience adverse side effects, such as depression, irritability and/or anxiety while using natural progesterone (in any modality), but as with everything else, playing with doses may erradicate those side effects. The transcript of Dr. John Lee, provides useful information about natural progesterone.

Also, Power Surge Newsletter 13 was a comprehensive look at progesterone cream. Part of that page reads:

If you have menopausal symptoms, but are still menstruating, don't apply the cream during your period, from Day 1 to Day 6 -- apply 1/4 teaspoon twice a day from Day 7 to Day 20 [during which time ovulation should occur, usually on Day 14]; then 1/2 teaspoon twice a day from Day 21 to the start of your period. If you are NO LONGER MENSTRUATING, don't apply the cream for the first week of the calendar month [Days 1 through 6], and then proceed as above.

I believe if you take it at other times, you may mess up your periods, but read Dr Lee's transcript and the other things that Dearest has provided on the website. You could also check with your doctor or pharmacist to learn their thoughts.

Hi Lisa- I know nothing about progesterone cream! Sorry! But I think you should probably take it as directed. I HAVE missed seeing you around these boards, but I am THRILLED that this is working for you!! You take care!!

I think it depends on the strength and who u get it from. they each vary alittle bit. i tke one from Helen Pensanti MD and it is designed pretty much like the rest on how often u take it . what differs is that if u are 48 years to 80 something u can take one fourth tsp twice a day for 25 to 28 days and skip 3 to 5 days usually but if u get bad symptoms during the skip u can go ahead and keep taking it and count another 28 days again. this has saved my life because my symptoms were so severe and this is from a doc whom Dr. john Lee gives his endorsement too. Remember this is otc so it is lower in strength but man does it work for me. darling

So far it has not goofed up the cycles much. i have started a few days earlier each time. nothing major. also i am taking a combo of phyto-estro and phyto-progesterone. u have to fill out a questionere and based on that they decide what u can start on. if u have had any history of breast cancer overian cancer etc they won't recommend the combination estro and progesterone. darling:o

Hi everyone, I hope it's okay to post here, as my question regards the timing of progesterone cream as well. I've been using it for 3 months now and I think I'm still adapting, although things have been much better. I just finished a period (8 days) yesterday. This morning, as directed, I applied the cream as the 1st application of this new cycle. However, by this evening the bleeding has started up again. This I do not like!!! I realize everyone's body is different, but is it possible that the cream restarted my period? Perhaps someone like me should wait afew days until after the period has ended before beginning again? My periods are usually 7 days long (ugh!) but I was hoping the magical cream would shorten them. I guess I should add that I have fibroids too, which I've read are also "controlled" sometimes by progesterone cream application. My doctor has always been very vague about irregular bleeding, saying things like: "Well, maybe it's your fibroids?" Maybe. Maybe not. Is there any way to tell if bleeding is hormonal or from a fibroid? Hope this isn't too scattered a question. I appreciate any information anyone might have in these areas, and thank you in advance for taking the time to read and answer.

When I was in the period of time where my periods were very irregular (which, for me, lasted about 1 1/2 years until they just stopped altogether) I would sometimes stop my period only to have it restart - with no progesterone cream at all. So it's a normal peri-menopausal symptom, and it's hard to say if it would have happened without the cream anyway. BTW - I don't have fibroids, and still went through the "irregular bleeding" symptom. As for "knowing" the reason your period restarted - unfortunately, blood is blood and I don't believe there's a way to tell what started some bleeding. Hope you get it straightened out soon!

Hello all, I have used progesterone cream for about five years...when I first started through menopause. I actually found out about it from Dr. John Lee's book..."What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You About Menopause". It truly saved my life. It stimulates your body to produce estrogen, thereby bringing your hormones back into balance. Doctors have told women for years that when they go through menopause they don't need progesterone any longer, which most of us know, is a crock. There have been a couple of times that I attempted to go without the progesterone cream and each time I found myself running off to the health store to buy more. I tried four different ones. There are some good ones out there but I found that the last one I tried worked the best for me. I use Progesta-Care. It comes in a pump container which measures out the correct amount. Have a good day, Leslie

Progesterone makes me feel much worse.