Wiley Bio-identical Hormone/Schwarzbein Updates

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From another list, where I have been posting my journals, sometimes daily, since I started both programs on the New Moon at the end of December 2005.

Wiley Bio-identical Hormone Update/Schwarzbein Update

I am on the 10th day of the fourth month of what my doctor, Leah Morton, labels the T. S. Wiley hormone program, as described and explained in her book, 'Sex, Lies and Menopause.' Dr. Morton wouldn't allow me to start the hormone program until I read that book.

Monday, the 12th day, I will have a blood test four hours after my morning hormone cream application, for this is the time when my estrogen will be at the monthly peak. Once my doctor has the information in her office, about a week later, I will speak to her nurse by phone to see if I need to change the amount of estrogen cream I am using, or continue what I am doing now.

On the 21st day of the cycle, I will have another blood test, this time on the day when progesterone is at its peak. I will either speak to the nurse on the phone about a week later, or wait to talk to my doctor when I have an appointment with her in person, on April 24.

The third month my period lasted seven days. This time, the fourth month, it has lasted 11 days, although it has been extremely scanty the last few days. It wouldn't surprise me if my blood count shows I may need to use less estrogen, since it is my understanding that estrogen causes the bleeding, and too much estrogen causes too much bleeding.

OR, I may be told to increase the progesterone instead. I can't wait to find out, for I find this entire process fascinating.

Throughout the third month, and now in the fourth month, I am using the amount of estrogen called for on the standard Wiley program, which is listed in the book for those of you who have the book. But because of some negative symptoms that began when I started using the progesterone the very first month, I am not using nearly as much progesterone as the standard program requires.

The blood tests this month are very important, since I didn't have them last month when my doctor wanted me to, due to weather and driving conditions (I live in the mountains an hour one way from the lab).

But I feel great, and all kinds of good things are happening as I continue through my fourth month of the program.

I continue to use the Schwarzbein eating plan as my foundational food program, as per my doctor's instructions, but I have given up on eating three to five times a day, as Schwarzbein recommends. I always eat twice a day, and usually three times a day. But instead of finite meals, I tend to graze all day. Breakfast may last for three or four hours, but does include a complete balance of protein, complex carbs, healthy fats and oils and non-starchy veggies. Lunch or a snack may be a few spoonfuls of organic peanut butter and non-starchy veggies, eaten over a period of an hour or two. Dinner may be seafood, homemade organic soup made from squash, and non-starchy veggies, eaten over a couple of hours. So it seems I eat most of the day, primarily due to the amount of time it takes to eat all those crispy raw veggies -- cups and cups of organic baby carrots, organic celery, organic green beans, etc. etc.

I do not have scales, they are in storage, so I haven't weighed since I was in my doctor's office in December. My doctor told me to expect to gain some weight at first on Schwarzbein, and I think I did the first few weeks, but don't know for sure. Now that the hormones are definitely 'doing their thing,' my body is changing rapidly and dramatically, both shape and hunger patterns. Both are becoming more like they used to be, when I was much slimmer. I am becoming more shapely, the blubbery bloated old-lady mid-section look I was developing since menopause is starting to deflate and go away, slowly but it is happening! My breasts are MUCH firmer, and larger, and more defined, although I haven't bought any new bras yet, because I don't want to spend the money until the changes stop. The bosom change helps my mid-section look smaller, my waistline is starting to define itself again, and now I just need to exercise more to get my legs back in shape.

I have been walking three miles over mountainous, hilly terrain at a 7,000 foot altitude once or twice a week, and a mile over the same kind of terrain on some of the other days.

I will describe my supplement and herb program in another post. It hasn't changed much since the last time I posted it many weeks ago.