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Kat734 Member  Posts: 67 |
posted 08-28-2002 10:19 PM
  
Has anyone ever had or heard of side effects with the use of progesterone cream? I'm feeling very unusual and now having some chest tightness since beginning it 5 days ago. Does your body need to adjust to having the levels change? Am I possibly using too much? Should I stop using it? Please respond. IP: Logged |
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blondegal Senior Member Posts: 215 |
posted 08-30-2002 06:18 PM
How much of the progesterone cream are you using daily and what strength? IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 08-30-2002 08:04 PM
Thanks for responding, blondegal. I was getting a little discouraged with this board. I'm using "Natural Woman" by Products of Nature, one of the ones suggested by Dr. Lee, but I don't know what strength it is. I started out using about 1/4 tsp. twice a day. I just found out from Dr. Lee's website that it is 1/4 tsp. per day total, not 1/4 in the a.m. and 1/4 in the p.m. Although, I wasn't using that much, but was still confused by the directions on the label. Because I was feeling so awful, I cut back to using it only at night...I still don't feel great though. Basically, I don't know what to do, continue or stop it...is this unheard of? IP: Logged |
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blondegal Senior Member Posts: 215 |
posted 08-31-2002 09:48 AM
Hello Kat: I am using a product called ProGest and I have found that 1/4 tsp twice a day is too much. I think of it sort as a trial and error process so I've cut back just a little. My main symptom with too much is water retention and irritability. It has really been great for the heat I was feeling at night - I wouldn't call them hot flashes just an overall feeling of warmth. As far as the tightness in the chest - could you be allergic to something - maybe even the Progesterone Cream itself? I'm sort of stumped though on this. Maybe check with health care provider. Keep us posted. IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 08-31-2002 12:31 PM
Thanks again! I wonder if it is increasing anxiety in me, because anxiety will give me chest pain/tightness. I have a lot going on now with taking care of my mother-in-law who is sick, so I really question this, too. Hope it helps me instead of kills me.  I also hope it will make my hair stop falling out so much. I'm getting so worried about that as well. I hope that I'm not getting to this too late...afterall, it's been 10-11 yrs. since my partial hysterectomy and if the info is right and my ovaries could have stopped functioning yrs ago because of it, I'm thinking maybe I'm too late for help...maybe I'm developing heart disease...too much thinking! I wish I had all this info 10 yrs ago, but...AND, where is everybody lately? Nobody seems to have anything to say on the subject. Maybe they all are doing well now...hope so. IP: Logged |
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troain Junior Member Posts: 15 |
posted 09-08-2002 08:52 PM
I've been using the cream for 2 months now with great results. My night sweats are completely gone. I use 1/4 of a tsp. in the am and 1/4 tsp. again right before bed. Dr. Lee's book (page 273) suggests to use that amount, as does the jar of ProGest that I use. Good luck. IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 09-09-2002 08:25 AM
I must have a different book than you. Mine is "What Your Doctor may not tell you about Premenopause". Is that the one you have? I was going by what he says on pg. 326-327...I don't know if I'm in fact premenopausal or menopausal because I had the hysterectomy at age 33 (still have my ovaries, but how would I know if they are still functioning? Nobody seems to know what to tell me). Unless I get more desperate, I don't feel that I can afford to get all 4 of the saliva tests. Finding a nutrionally oriented health-care professional around here is virtually impossible. The chest tightness/pain is better, but I'm working on controlling the stress and I stopped using the progesterone cream, just in case. Maybe I should try another brand??? Dr. Lee states that the cream is so safe that it's harmless to use more than you need, but could I harm myself by using it if in fact I don't really need it? IP: Logged |
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troain Junior Member Posts: 15 |
posted 09-09-2002 07:44 PM
I have Dr. Lee's book about "Memopause", so no wonder we have different amounts. I read that you are in memopause if you haven't had a period in 1 year. Also, I take black kohash twice a day. This combined with the cream is working fine for me. I only wish you were having the same luck. Keep trying and hang in there. Best wishes. IP: Logged |
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bride527 Senior Member Posts: 126 |
posted 09-14-2002 05:42 PM
I recently had a saliva test done and my results show that I am on the very low end of progesterone. my estrogens were low also. I am thinking of trying the cream.What kind do you suggest? I have read in Dr. Lee's book a few that he suggests.. I am hoping it will work for me. I like that fact that you only use a little and not every day of your cycle. any comments? how do you like it? bride527 IP: Logged |
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scalab Newbie Posts: 2 |
posted 10-14-2002 04:25 PM
I tried progesteone cream after reading Dr. Lee's book. I used a brand that had a pump with a metered dose. I felt awful while on it. The depression was terrible and my blood pressure went up very high. I couldn't sleep at all. I felt like a cat on a hot tin roof! I called the company and was told that they had never had a compliant like this. My own diagnosis is that it was just too much of a dose for me. Also, I would caution against using any progesterone that has any added herbs or ingredients that might raise blood pressue. Pure is better in my books. IP: Logged |
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Beth Ann Senior Member Posts: 226 |
posted 10-14-2002 05:58 PM
I also use Progesterone cream and have had nothing but wonderful results. No more night sweats! I had night sweats for almost 5 years. I couldn't find a doctor that could find anything wrong, and the night sweats were taking my life away. Progesterone cream gave me my life back. I only use about an eighth of a tsp. twice a day, on days 10-26 of my cycle. I started out using the full dosage, but just thought that was too much. I tried days 12-26, but would begin sweating again, so that's why I started using it on day 10. Dr. Lee's book is wonderful-a life saver! Everyone needs to read it, in my opinion. But it is up to you, whether or not you want to use the cream. I talked to my doctor about it first, and he was all for it. IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 10-16-2002 08:11 PM
I notice that a few of you use the Pro-Gest brand...is that "pure" progesterone or does it have herbal additives in it? Would some of you share with me what brands you are using, whether or not they have other herbal ingredients and where you find it??? Please??? IP: Logged |
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bride527 Senior Member Posts: 126 |
posted 10-19-2002 10:26 PM
I got my cream at a Vitamin Store in the mall. I believe it is their brand. It does not contain any herbs. I have been using it twice a day (1/4 teasp. at a time) and am already feeling better. If this feeling of well being keeps up (hope it does) then I will be on this cream indefinitely. Nice to feel like my ol' self again.bride527 IP: Logged |
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Beth Ann Senior Member Posts: 226 |
posted 10-21-2002 03:19 PM
Mine is called Phyto Prolief. It is an Arbonne brand, and I get it from an independent Arbonne representative. Phyto Prolief does contain herbs, but aren't herbs the good stuff? It has Black Cohosh in it, which many people take for menopause symptoms, and also ginseng extract - only to name a few. I've been told that you can get progesterone cream at health food stores, and also at some pharmacies - but you have to ask the pharmacist for it. Hope this info helps. IP: Logged |
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M.Joy Newbie Posts: 4 |
posted 10-21-2002 09:08 PM
I use over-the-counter Estroven (also I have tried New Phase) but, I find Estroven to be more effective. It has herbs (Estroven has a percentage of Kava in it..to help stress). It doesn't help 100%, but it's better for you than HRT IP: Logged |
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rae78 Junior Member Posts: 11 |
posted 10-22-2002 11:30 PM
I am new to this message board. I used Progesta metered dose natural progesterone cream for about 2 years. I had a build up in my body even on less than 1/4 tsp per day. I felt dizzy and out of it. I have since stopped the cream and felt better. Once in a while a hot flash but not bad. I am not feeling so depressed now. At first the cream worked well and then it stopped working. You can get a build up from the cream in your tissues. It causes levels to go way too high. There is a better oral product out now and it is supposed to not cause build up. It will be offered through Dr. Joseph Mercola's web site. anyway that is my two cents. IP: Logged |
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Dianek Veteran  Posts: 345 |
posted 10-25-2002 06:19 PM
I tried progesterone cream one month only, and it was one of the worst periods I'd had in years following it. Full of huge clots that I passed for several hours. I guess I just don't need that yet and my body reacted. From now on, I'm just going to let nature take it's course. I don't really have any menopausal symptoms yet at age 47, and my bloodwork has come back as completely normal..no menopause on the horizon for me. IP: Logged |
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Beth Ann Senior Member Posts: 226 |
posted 10-25-2002 08:42 PM
Dianek, I'm curious. Why did you try the cream if you weren't having any premenopausal symptoms? IP: Logged |
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Dianek Veteran Posts: 345 |
posted 10-25-2002 09:17 PM
I guess I just thought that it might help with my heavy periods. I have an enlarged uterus to begin with, so that doesn't help and thought the progesterone might balance my cycle as I have more than enough estrogen in my system according to my doctor. IP: Logged |
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vlaire Junior Member Posts: 6 |
posted 11-08-2002 01:41 PM
Ihave been using a progesterone cream for 3 months with some good results and some bad. Last week, just before my period started I began to feel horrible. Extreme anxiety, like I feel I am going to die, a pounding heart, a swirling sensation in my head with dizziness and a sense that I can't focus. My period, after a week, still is not completely over. This has never happened to me before. All these symptoms are totally new. I decided not to start on the cream, though yesterday I rubbed a bit on my temples and it seemed that the swirliness and anxiety let up for a while. I feel horrible. I want my old body back with the moodiness and irritibility rather than this. Has anyone had a similiar experience with the cream? What did you do? I have read that the estrogen receptors will wake up, but then what does one do? Thanks. IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 11-08-2002 02:30 PM
What kind of progesterone cream are you using and how much per day? It may be that you are using too much or if there are herbal preparations in it, I would certainly consider side effects from those. I finally went to see a GYN to help me find out how to get me in balance the natural way. No synthetic drugs for me! After being on progesterone cream for 2 months I did see some relief in anxiety, headaches and irritability, but started having other problems and am trying to find out if the herbs in my progesterone cream don't agree with me. The doctor is going to have the clinic's pharmacy compound natural progesterone cream for me and maybe estrogen as soon as we find out my test results. I'm really hoping to get "straightened" out...I've been living a nightmare for years already, since my partial hysterectomy. I want to feel like myself again. Don't we all??? IP: Logged |
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vlaire Junior Member Posts: 6 |
posted 11-08-2002 03:17 PM
I used FemGest. I bought it at a health food/vitamin store. I don't think it has any herbs in it. If I live through these present symptoms and continue to use progesterone cream I plan on trying a different brand. I probably should see a doctor as well. What other things were reccommended to get balanced? I read about when started the cream, some women will get more estrogen dominance symptoms due to estrogen receptors being reawakened. I haven't found anything that says how long these new symptoms last or what to do during this time. IP: Logged |
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vlaire Junior Member Posts: 6 |
posted 11-08-2002 03:24 PM
I forgot to mention that I began by using about 1/4 tsp per day but decreased it because I got depressed one month, and then this month, before all these wierd swirly symptoms in my head, I got acne for the first time since highshool. I decreased to about 1/8 tsp or less 2 times a day. In the middle of this last month I had a wonderful sense of well-being so I thought, hey, this might work for me after all, and then I got acne and now chest tightness, extreme anxiety, not feeling like I can focus and discomfort in my eyes. Now, yesterday I just dabble a very small amount on my temples thinking that maybe this swirling sensation is like a migrane, which I have never had. Lee's book said to dab some on the temples for migraine. These sensations are the weirdest I have ever felt in my life. I'd rather be depressed. IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 11-08-2002 04:16 PM
I hear ya! The same thing happened to me...the first month I thought, "this must be euphoria"! I would have times where I'd be sitting there and have the most peaceful feeling of serenity come over me and the realization that I could actually feel this way again after so many years, was indescribable. BUT, this last month I also developed more acne than I'd seen in years,...so, what's up with that? Did I mention my hair is falling out for over a year now?? I've lost half of my hair already and I'm scared. I hope this new Dr. knows what she's doing and can "save" me. I'm a little unsure about her blood test approach to getting hormone levels, though. I think she did say she sends the blood away to Mayo for the results. You're not alone. Hang in there like I'm trying to do. IP: Logged |
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vlaire Junior Member Posts: 6 |
posted 11-08-2002 04:38 PM
How long have been using a cream? Do you still have the symptoms that I described? Or did they go away? It has been about a week now and I am more than a bit worried. I replied to this thread because of your initial question of progesterone side effects. I read, as well, that they are supposed to be side effect free. I wouldn't call what I have experienced side-effect free. I am trying to figure out what to do with these "re-awakened estrogen receptors". Do I continue to use the cream? Right now, the swirly in my head is a bit lessened, but I am feeling that tingling, almost numb feeling in my face. I worry that there is more wrong than premenopause. THis bugs me because I was trying to be proactive about getting involved before greater symptoms of menopause hit, and I really feel that I screwewd my body up. IP: Logged |
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Vickie24 Member Posts: 22 |
posted 11-08-2002 06:13 PM
Hi Ladies, I have been using the progesterone cream for a couple of weeks now. I find it has done wonderful things. I was having really bad anxiety, heart palpitaions, cramping, heavy periods, insomnia, migraines and other symptoms; I was just feeling terrible. The cream has helped tremendously with most of the problems. I can finally get to sleep a lot quicker by rubbing the cream on my face and on the back of my neck. My anxiety is gone and the heart palpilations almost nil. No migraines so far but still have to wait till my period to see how that goes along with the heavy bleeding. The cramping has been almost eliminated; just mild and occassional. You are correct about the estrogen receptors waking up. If you are having problems the correct way to deal with them according to another group that I belong to is.....DO NOT STOP the progesterone cream. You should take 5 doses a day, every day for three months...that is 1/4 teaspoon each in the morning and at night. In between take 1/8 of a teaspoon, three times throughout the day. Do not take any off days for three months. After three months returned to morning and night dosing of 1/4 teaspoon each and stop the cream right before your period for at least 3-7 days like the instructions recommend. They swear this system works. Sometimes you feel worse before you feel better but if you hang in there you will get the results you want. I will post the web site to the other group in my next post because I'm not too clear if it's allowed or not to post info on other groups and if it's not I don't want this message to be deleted for me being stupid...Hang in there and cheer up...It will get better. IP: Logged |
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Vickie24 Member Posts: 22 |
posted 11-08-2002 06:14 PM
This is the info for the board....... This is an invitation to check out a Menopause Message Board If you decide to visit us make sure you click on files where you'll To check out our Meno. Board click on the following: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalalternativestoHRT If you have any problems getting in please feel free to send an Hope you have a great day. Vickie Queen IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 11-08-2002 06:16 PM
I had used the cream for 2 months - 21 days on and 7 days off. Right now I am waiting until the new GYN I saw helps me figure out exactly what I need, because she (and I) seems to think I also need estrogen. I don't know what to tell you about the strange swirling sensations and tingling you're having. Are you nauseated as well? In the past, a couple of times, I remember having the numbness/tingling in parts of my face, but that was before the progesterone cream and I'm not sure, but think I read somewhere that it had something to do with peri-menopause symptoms. I think it will take a little time to "feel better" if you try not using the cream for awhile, because by now it may have built up in your fat tissues. I know all about worry...and I'm good at it. At first, when I began the progesterone cream, as I said above, I felt awful, too...with the chest tightness/pain, headaches, etc. I even started having hot flashes during the day for awhile there. But, that all did go away after the first month or so. I was at the same point you are at as far as not knowing what to do regarding stopping the cream. If you want my advice, because you seem to be having the same problems somewhat, make an appt. with a good OB/GYN. I found mine on an internet search. Or look in the yellow pages...maybe the best way though is to ask around. You want someone who will work with you in a natural approach - naturopathic medicine. Try www.naturopathic.org. Have you read Dr. John Lee's book, "What your Doctor may NOT tell you about PreMenopause"? There's a lot of good info in there. Keep me posted. IP: Logged |
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Kat734 Member Posts: 67 |
posted 11-08-2002 06:27 PM
Thanks Vickie, I just saw your posts after I finished mine. Are you sure??? 5 doses a day??? I mean, we're not going to kill ourselves are we? When I get this new compounded natural progesterone from the Dr., should I do the same thing? Like "Vlaire", I'm still searching for what will help me feel like a human being again. Appreciate your help and website. I'll check it out. IP: Logged |
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Vickie24 Member Posts: 22 |
posted 11-08-2002 08:02 PM
Not sure if you can do this with the compounded progesterone creams or not but you can with the over the counter ones. Check out the web site and the file section and also past posts. The owner of the web site has a lot of good ideas and the other ladies on the web site seem to love the ideas she has. IP: Logged |
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bride527 Senior Member Posts: 126 |
posted 11-10-2002 03:22 PM
I started the progesterone cream about one month ago. I have been feeling so much better on it. However about a week ago I started getting headaches. I am one who does not get headaches. They are very light but annoying to say the least. I am using 1/4 teasp. twice daily and stopping when i got my period which is due any day now. Has anyone else gotten headaches while on the cream. Someone told me it could be from the estrogen suddenly "waking up" that is causing them. Shoudl I decrease my dosage? any suggestions. bride527 IP: Logged |
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