Re: Newbies, please introduce yourselves

May 9, 2005

My saliva levels of P are high-normal but my doctor they are inaccurate for women using a transdermal cream. The blood levels show only about 8.0 at day 21 (still at the low end) so I will not decrease the P. Yet if I go up, I feel bloated and uncomfortable.

Blood levels never showed much P in me, and got was told to go up to 18L'sP, yes, you saw that right....I can't believe I did it either....and my blood only went up to 7.7. I felt like I was drugged. Our bodies weren't ment to be saturated with this stuff, and this slow release P hangs in and hangs on, & on & on..... I too am on a P detox program right now....will add small amounts back when ready. Laurel's post earlier was right on. The key is balance and listening to our individual bodies....still so much more to know :-)))

May 9, 2005

Welcome, ,

Like you, a number of women started complaining at the three month point after having a great honeymoon on the WP. By three months, for some women at least, progesterone appears to get stored up in the tissues. Adding more appears to cause the initial benefits to vanish. Estrogen appears to get blocked also and this might play into the libido crashing.

As far as measuring goes (whether by blood or saliva) it's still hard to measure what's stored in the tissues and leaking out slowly into the saliva and blood.

It was great to hear your story. I'm sure you can rebalance to get your optimal level again by trial and error with less P.

Let us know what happens.

Lynne

I am . I am in peri-meno and have a naturally high E level (over 700 on day 12) and a family history of breast and ovarian cancer....my mother had three bouts!...so am balancing with P only....used from days 14-26. My period is scanty....almost non-existent except for headaches and bloating!!. I had a terrific response to low -dose transdermal P for about 3 months....including a newfound libido! Maybe my testosterone was improved by the P back then (blood level was about 45 ). Yes, I did gain 3-5 pounds but it was worth the benefits. My high prolactin was brought into the normal range and my grapefruit-sized fibroid became the size of a walnut.

But after a few months the halo effect diminished and my libido is low again (with a testosterone level of 36) so I am thinking of taking testosterone now as well. I don't want to do that if I can elevate the T simply by raising my dose of P. But from what I have been reading on these posts that may not be such a good idea! (I don't want to go bald, for example).

My saliva levels of P are high-normal but my doctor they are inaccurate for women using a transdermal cream. The blood levels show only about 8.0 at day 21 (still at the low end) so I will not decrease the P. Yet if I go up, I feel bloated and uncomfortable.

May 9, 2005

Welcome,Pamela.

I have been on WP for almost 4months. Personally I would stick with protocol as stated and stick with it for many months before making many adjustments.

So far my only adjustment has been to add 2 lines of E for whole cycle.

I attended a support group with Susie Wiley last week in Santa Barbara and I discussed with her the dosing. She said it can take a few months to get adjusted. I am going to be changing pharmacies soon, because of issues with the product and having some absorption issues.

You know at first the bleeding can be weird with spotting and not enough bleeding but learning to adjust the P and E is important.

Example: On day 19 I started to spot for 4 days. Susie said to stick with protocol. I did and on day 28 I stopped my P but my period came on day 33.

A few days late but it happened. So many variables for all women but this site has good people with good advice that you must think about and draw your own conclusions and use your best judgment. Hopefully you have a doc that can help with problems too.

I feel good on E and P so far.

May 9, 2005

Welcome Pamela,

A number of women on this list have similar headache histories. The estrogen really has eliminated them. I wish I had known about this years ago. Early on, somebody on the list gave me this tip-- if you feel a headache or migraine coming on, apply estrogen to the carotid artery immediately (or behind the ear) and it will most likely eliminate it.

You will have to experiment with how much progesterone you can tolerate. This varies widely. I, like others would sometimes feel a dull headache begin within minutes of applying progesterone. So I had to apply more E to avoid the headache.

As your body gets used to the hormones, you will get a sense of what you need. We'll be here to exchange thoughts with and we'll learn from each other. I'm so glad that you and your headaches found us. Can't wait for you to start to see how those headaches respond!

Lynne

PS-- It's a good idea to keep a journal/calendar of what dose you take and what symptoms you have.

Dear all,

I am preparing to start the WP within the next week, when my period starts

(provided it's on time, of course.) My main complaint is near-daily

headaches and migraines 2-3 times a month (around ovulation, pre-menstrual,

and 3 days into period). I'll be 50 in August. Blood tests and experiments

with progesterone cream and birth control pills have indicated that I'm low

in E, that high P and/or shifting E and P stimulate migraines. E also

greatly improves my mood. Reading over the messages in this group, it's

clear that I'll be experimenting a lot to get the right E:P ratio. Do you

all recommend that I start with the exact protocol or do you have

particular recommendations for me?

Also -- I have Wiley's book and just ordered Reiss. Any other suggestions?

I'm very grateful that you all are out there -- I'm looking hopefully

toward a long, supportive, and thriving relationship with you!

Pamela

May 9, 2005

Hi everyone,

I am . I am in peri-meno and have a naturally high E level

(over 700 on day 12) and a family history of breast and ovarian

cancer....my mother had three bouts!...so am balancing with P

only....used from days 14-26. My period is scanty....almost non-existent

except for headaches and bloating!!. I had a terrific response to low

-dose transdermal P for about 3 months....including a newfound

libido! Maybe my testosterone was improved by the P back then

(blood level was about 45 ). Yes, I did gain 3-5 pounds but it was worth

the benefits. My high prolactin was brought into the normal range and my

grapefruit-sized fibroid became the size of a walnut.

But after a few months the halo effect diminished and my libido is

low again (with a testosterone level of 36) so I am thinking of taking

testosterone now as well. I don't want to do that if I can elevate the T

simply by raising my dose of P. But from what I have been reading on

these posts that may not be such a good idea! (I don't want to go

bald, for example).

My saliva

levels of P are high-normal but my doctor they are inaccurate for women

using a transdermal cream. The blood levels show only about 8.0 at day 21

(still at the low end) so I will not decrease the P. Yet if I go

up, I feel bloated and uncomfortable.

At 10:21 AM 5/9/2005 -0400, you wrote:

Welcome

newbies,

Please tell us what you're doing with hormones and any successes or

problems you've had so far. We love new information and comparing

experiences.

Thanks,

Lynne

click here for our webpage

http://rhythmicliving.com/

Our sister group for research and high volume

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rhythmic_Living_Research/

**This group has no pharmacy or commercial affiliations. Any

mention of product or a pharmacy is within the scope of that group

member's experience and does not represent the view of the list owner.

Please check directly with pharmacies for details about their product and

policies. Not everything you hear on an e-mail list is the truth even if

it is a member's best effort to report their experience which may vary

from your own. There are many variables that determine how we

feel.***

**The group conversation is informational in nature and is not intended

as medical advice. Anyone wishing to actively use this information

or members' opionins for personal health improvement is advised to

consult with the qualified health care provider of their choice before

attempting to use the information. Membership on this list constitutes

agreement that you will not consider any of this medical advice.

Discuss your decisions with your doctor.**

May 9, 2005

Welcome aboard.

One factor that needs to be kept in mind when dealing with hormones is

discussed in Uzzi REiss's book p. 38-40 - the protein carriers such as

albumin and SHBG. Sounds like you did the right thing by balancing

your hormones by adding in the P. Your E:P ratio may have been skewed

in favor of E at that time i.e. you may have been progesterone deficient.

As you go through perimenopause there are so many changes occuring

that I personally was very challenged trying to figure them all out.

High estrogen peaks can force the liver to produce more SHBG, and

testosterone preferentially binds to this particular protein carrier,

taking it out of active, or bio-available mode.

Could it be that your estrogen levels are starting to drop?

Your doc says that saliva testing is inaccurate for P testing?

Interesting. Many would disagree and suggest that for P in

particular, saliva testing is the best way to measure. This is being

debated in the medical/ research community. Would any of the doctors

on board care to comment?

Personal anecdote: I measured hormones by saliva and serum (tests done

within an hour of each other) in January. Re-tested 2 month later

after being on estrogen and one week of high P doses . The blood serum

picked up the increased estrogens but showed a decline in P. The

saliva showed an increase in both. Anecdotal evidence but interesting.

Have your read the Gambrell study in the files section regarding the

use of HRT in women after cancer? I would be interested in hearing

your comments.

Carole

> >Welcome newbies,

> >

> >Please tell us what you're doing with hormones and any successes or

> >problems you've had so far. We love new information and comparing

experiences.

> >

> >Thanks,

> >Lynne

> >

> >click here for our webpage

> ><http://rhythmicliving.com/>http://rhythmicliving.com/

> >

> >Our sister group for research and high volume

>

><http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rhythmic_Living_Research/>http://health.g\

roups.yahoo.com/group/Rhythmic_Living_Research/

> >

> >**This group has no pharmacy or commercial affiliations. Any

mention of

> >product or a pharmacy is within the scope of that group member's

> >experience and does not represent the view of the list owner.

Please check

> >directly with pharmacies for details about their product and

policies. Not

> >everything you hear on an e-mail list is the truth even if it is a

> >member's best effort to report their experience which may vary from

your

> >own. There are many variables that determine how we feel.***

> >

> >**The group conversation is informational in nature and is not

intended as

> >medical advice. Anyone wishing to actively use this information

> >or members' opionins for personal health improvement is advised to

> >consult with the qualified health care provider of their choice before

> >attempting to use the information. Membership on this list constitutes

> >agreement that you will not consider any of this medical advice.

Discuss

> >your decisions with your doctor.**

> >

> >----------

> >

May 9, 2005