progesterone

[Guest guest]

i was taking prog shots daily during my IVF cycle and once i became

pregnant, but i miscarried on 6/21. who's to know, but maybe the prog

contributed to my fibroids growing (tripled in size in less than 2 yrs). i

would find out more about prog first.

Beth

>

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[Guest guest]

I am kind of torn regarding this information about progesterone. The

reason is that I have been on loestrin since last October. The

doctor prescribed it initially because she felt that I was in

perimenopause. At the same time, she scheduled an ultrasound to

check on my fibroids. She discovered that they had continued to

grow, she decided to keep me on the loestrin to help control

bleeding. I admit that it has helped, but not to the extent she had

predicted. I had used the progesterone cream in the past to help cut

down amount of bleeding (discovered that it did work) and have used a

smaller amount to supplement what the pill offers. During the past

couple of months, my periods have been considerably lighter. Now, I

am worried that although I have solved one problem, I am creating

another. BUT (sigh), it has been nice to have the lighter periods.

n

>

> > In a message dated 01-07-24 16:09:08 EDT, you write:

> >

> > << Are you ( anyone) using Progesterone cream ( 20 mg/day) as

recommended by

> > Dr.. Lee ( " What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About

Premenopause " -

> > book). I am seriously considering doing that and making dietary

changes and

> > use of supplements that are supposedly needed to decrease the

estrogen that

> > produces these crazy fibroids. Has anyone had ANY SUCCESS with

this type

> > of

> > treatment?????? >>

> >

> > Be careful of using progesterone. The jury really is still out as

to which

> > hormone or combination of hormones in our systems are responsible

for growing

> > fibroids. I'm in a clinical trial taking an anti-progesterone (RU-

486, also

> > known as mifepristone), and my fibroids shrank almost 50% in 6

months.

> > Unfortunately, the drug isn't available for this use yet. I don't

know how

> > many studies or years it'll take before gynecologists would be

able to write

> > a prescription for us to treat our fibroids.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Progesterone cream? How is that applied? I'm open to any non surgical non

Lupron options to lessening the bleeding!

[Guest guest]

I read DR. Lee's book on this, but hear VERY little about anyone who has

tried this form of progesterone much less its success (or failure)!?

[Guest guest]

n:

Did not mean to upset you. Those were just my experiences w/progesterone. Many

women on this list

have used it successfully. At the point I had tried it, the loestrin was

keeping the bleeding to the

7 days, but the heavy flow days had increased over the years from 1 to 4-6.

Obviously things were

going downhill for me. Sounds like things are getting better for you, so that

is a good sign.

Marilyn

mtang51@... wrote:

> I am kind of torn regarding this information about progesterone. The

> reason is that I have been on loestrin since last October. The

> doctor prescribed it initially because she felt that I was in

> perimenopause. At the same time, she scheduled an ultrasound to

> check on my fibroids. She discovered that they had continued to

> grow, she decided to keep me on the loestrin to help control

> bleeding. I admit that it has helped, but not to the extent she had

> predicted. I had used the progesterone cream in the past to help cut

> down amount of bleeding (discovered that it did work) and have used a

> smaller amount to supplement what the pill offers. During the past

> couple of months, my periods have been considerably lighter. Now, I

> am worried that although I have solved one problem, I am creating

> another. BUT (sigh), it has been nice to have the lighter periods.

> n

>

> >

> > > In a message dated 01-07-24 16:09:08 EDT, you write:

> > >

> > > << Are you ( anyone) using Progesterone cream ( 20 mg/day) as

> recommended by

> > > Dr.. Lee ( " What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About

> Premenopause " -

> > > book). I am seriously considering doing that and making dietary

> changes and

> > > use of supplements that are supposedly needed to decrease the

> estrogen that

> > > produces these crazy fibroids. Has anyone had ANY SUCCESS with

> this type

> > > of

> > > treatment?????? >>

> > >

> > > Be careful of using progesterone. The jury really is still out as

> to which

> > > hormone or combination of hormones in our systems are responsible

> for growing

> > > fibroids. I'm in a clinical trial taking an anti-progesterone (RU-

> 486, also

> > > known as mifepristone), and my fibroids shrank almost 50% in 6

> months.

> > > Unfortunately, the drug isn't available for this use yet. I don't

> know how

> > > many studies or years it'll take before gynecologists would be

> able to write

> > > a prescription for us to treat our fibroids.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Who is it that said they went to Dr. West? I was wondering what your opinion is

of him, I am thinking about making an appointment with him for a 2nd opinion.?

Re: Re: progesterone

n:

Did not mean to upset you. Those were just my experiences w/progesterone. Many

women on this list

have used it successfully. At the point I had tried it, the loestrin was

keeping the bleeding to the

7 days, but the heavy flow days had increased over the years from 1 to 4-6.

Obviously things were

going downhill for me. Sounds like things are getting better for you, so that

is a good sign.

Marilyn

mtang51@... wrote:

> I am kind of torn regarding this information about progesterone. The

> reason is that I have been on loestrin since last October. The

> doctor prescribed it initially because she felt that I was in

> perimenopause. At the same time, she scheduled an ultrasound to

> check on my fibroids. She discovered that they had continued to

> grow, she decided to keep me on the loestrin to help control

> bleeding. I admit that it has helped, but not to the extent she had

> predicted. I had used the progesterone cream in the past to help cut

> down amount of bleeding (discovered that it did work) and have used a

> smaller amount to supplement what the pill offers. During the past

> couple of months, my periods have been considerably lighter. Now, I

> am worried that although I have solved one problem, I am creating

> another. BUT (sigh), it has been nice to have the lighter periods.

> n

>

> >

> > > In a message dated 01-07-24 16:09:08 EDT, you write:

> > >

> > > << Are you ( anyone) using Progesterone cream ( 20 mg/day) as

> recommended by

> > > Dr.. Lee ( " What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About

> Premenopause " -

> > > book). I am seriously considering doing that and making dietary

> changes and

> > > use of supplements that are supposedly needed to decrease the

> estrogen that

> > > produces these crazy fibroids. Has anyone had ANY SUCCESS with

> this type

> > > of

> > > treatment?????? >>

> > >

> > > Be careful of using progesterone. The jury really is still out as

> to which

> > > hormone or combination of hormones in our systems are responsible

> for growing

> > > fibroids. I'm in a clinical trial taking an anti-progesterone (RU-

> 486, also

> > > known as mifepristone), and my fibroids shrank almost 50% in 6

> months.

> > > Unfortunately, the drug isn't available for this use yet. I don't

> know how

> > > many studies or years it'll take before gynecologists would be

> able to write

> > > a prescription for us to treat our fibroids.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Dear Marilyn,

Thanks for your reply. Actually, I am more concerned than upset about the

information regarding progesterone and the growth of fibroids. I will not be

checked again until October and I am just hoping that they won't find that

the fibroids have undergone rapid growth. The Loestrin seems to have caused

me to gain weight around my tummy so I can't tell whether I'm " fatter "

because of the pill or because of the fibroid. But I don't feel pressure so

I can't imagine the fibroid would have grown so much without putting some

pressure on the surrounding organs. I am adding the progesterone cream

because it " seems " to help reduce the bleeding further. As you can tell,

after all these years, I have no confidence in what is reality and what is

wishful thinking.

n

[Guest guest]

I can relate to you thinking that you spend too much time, well, THINKING

about these things. Here I am, with symptomless fibroids, so I really

shouldn't be obsessed with them, and I think about it constantly. I read

everything I can, I search the web, I also think about food that I eat. I

basically came to this conclusion regarding food and lifestyle: I eat

fairly well anyway and exercise somewhat regularly and can't let every aspect

of my life be ruled by something that I can't control. I really honestly

believe that NOTHING I do will influence these fibroids, except for if I

actually ingested estrogen pills (like birthcontrol, etc.). I believe you

are either genetically predisposed to fibroids or you are not. I think we

can all improve how we feel overall by eating well and exercising, but you

can drive yourself batty if you analyze every little thing. I freak myself

out thinking about pesticides and hormone fed animals, etc. and it seems

that most everything that I eat could be influenced by those things in some

shape or form, so instead of becoming a lunatic I've decided just to keep

LIVING. It's hard, though............I do still obsess.........

Best wishes

Amy

[Guest guest]

n wrote:

<<As you can tell, after all these years, I have no confidence in what is

reality and what is wishful thinking.>>

That sure hits home. I've been really tormented lately about treating my

fibroids. I'm not in a hurry, since I have few symptoms, but I'm feeling

urgency at the same time. I want them OUT! One reason why I feel this way

is I'm tired of them defining me and of second-guessing everything I do. I

want to feel normal again, even if it's only for a while.

One thing I find torturous is not knowing anything about them definitively.

Everyday, I find myself asking myself things like, if I drink this coffee

will it affect my fibroids? Is this progesterone cream making my fibroids

grow or helping them? Is chocolate contributing to fibroids? Does soy help

or hurt? Would birth control pills help or hurt? What about the cheese I'm

eating? What vitamins/herbs shoudl I take? Is my exercise increasing my risk

of prolapse? Sometimes I even wonder if I should quit receiving the fibroid

mail list. Would my fibroids torment me so much if I didn't see these

messages constantly reminding me of them? Shouldn't I just go out and live?

Since we don't know for sure what causes or influences fibroids, we

second-guess everything. We do everything we can to TRY to live right, to

make healthier choices, etc. but does any of it make a difference?

Hopefully, it still makes us healthier overall, but it also causes a lot of

stress (which certainly isn't healthy!). We sometimes feel responsible, as

if we've done something wrong to cause their growth, and that can lead to

self-blame. What can I do to stop this growth? Well, it may be TOTALLY out

of our control. I wonder if any of these answers will come in our lifetime.

It seems questions about fibroids float into and out of my brain every day.

The problem is, there are rarely answers for any of them. It seems that the

only things we have to go on are opinions (mainly our own) and gut feelings.

That can be very frustrating, lonely, and painful. Fear of making the wrong

choice sometimes paralyzes me. I have definitely narrowed my choices, but

which of those final two options is the right one?

Sorry to ramble, I just felt I wanted to express some of the nutty thoughts

that come my way (with some people who might actually understand).

[Guest guest]

Cheers to and Amy! I believe that as with any illness or stress factor in

your life you can let

it take over or you can do your best to move forward and live your life to the

fullest! We are all

asking the same questions and as you have said - there are no concrete answers

to most of them

(especially those of us looking to reduce them or stop their growth). We can go

batty trying to

figure it all out!

This site is a wealth of information in addition to everything we are reading.

As I get closer to the

serious decisions I know I will rely more and more on the advice found here.

Eat right, excercise and enjoy the life that you have! You never know - maybe

that will be the what

causes these things to go away! It is sure worth a try!

Joan

ba1070@... wrote:

>

>

> I can relate to you thinking that you spend too much time, well, THINKING

> about these things. Here I am, with symptomless fibroids, so I really

> shouldn't be obsessed with them, and I think about it constantly. I read

> everything I can, I search the web, I also think about food that I eat. I

> basically came to this conclusion regarding food and lifestyle: I eat

> fairly well anyway and exercise somewhat regularly and can't let every aspect

> of my life be ruled by something that I can't control. I really honestly

> believe that NOTHING I do will influence these fibroids, except for if I

> actually ingested estrogen pills (like birthcontrol, etc.). I believe you

> are either genetically predisposed to fibroids or you are not. I think we

> can all improve how we feel overall by eating well and exercising, but you

> can drive yourself batty if you analyze every little thing. I freak myself

> out thinking about pesticides and hormone fed animals, etc. and it seems

> that most everything that I eat could be influenced by those things in some

> shape or form, so instead of becoming a lunatic I've decided just to keep

> LIVING. It's hard, though............I do still obsess.........

>

> Best wishes

>

> Amy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have been reading Dr. Lee's book " What Your Doctor May Not

Tell You About Breast Cancer " . This book tends to indicate

progesterone may be advantageous in the fight against breast cancer.

How does progesterone effect ER+/PR- breast cancer? Is there any

danger in taking progesterone if someone is ER+/PR-?

Thanks for any thoughts or experiences,

Jan