Menstrual Support Group

[[je...]]

Hi Karlie~Welcome! I honestly do not know much about bio indenticals. Hopefully Smiff  can chime in here for us. If not you can look up the hormonal support group, if I can find the link I will put it on here. Thanks for joining us! Jenny

[[Sm...]]

So has anyone had trouble taking bio identical progesterone while in WD? I have heard it may not be a good thing to do...I have been taking it ....capsules....14 days on and 14 days off and have not felt as good since I started it. I am 2 1/2 years off my meds including Xanax, multiple ads and mood stabilizers. Thank you!

 

Hey Karlie

 

I don't actually take progesterone so I may be no help. I take a very small amount of estrogen and even then only sometimes.

 

You say you are 2.5 years off meds but you still feel like  you are in w/d?

 

The issue of w/d gets rather complicated with progesterone. It is cross tolerant to benzos in that it does some similarish action on GABA receptors. So w/d from it can look like benzo w/d so it does need to be tapered. Having said that you may 2.5 years on be genuinely low in progesterone and so your feeling better may be because of that. Other women without any w/d history can feel better with progesterone or estrogen because they are genuinely low in it, and they do affect parts of our brains that relate to anxiety, sleep etc. Personally if it was helping me 2.5 years out I'd go with it and just keep in mind that when I want off I'll have to taper it (though again nothing as ghastly difficult or as long as benzos).

 

Hope that helps

Smiff

[[pr...]]

So has anyone had trouble taking bio identical progesterone while in WD? I have heard it may not be a good thing to do...I have been taking it ....capsules....14 days on and 14 days off and have not felt as good since I started it. I am 2 1/2 years off my meds including Xanax, multiple ads and mood stabilizers. Thank you!

 

hi karlie,

 

i am on both an estradiol patch and the prometrium (progesterone) bioidentical. i use very small amount and with the progesterone i don't ingest it or insert it vaginally. right now, i just put the capsule ingredients on my inner thighs. i've been doing it for awhile so i am not sure how much is really absorbed although i am sure some is. it's true that progresterone is cross tolerant to benzo's and act on the same GABA receptor's so it would need to be tapered like Smiff said. i got off all the bioidenticals cold turkey in the very beginning as i heard from a few people it wasn't good while in benzo withdrawal but it was too much for me so i stayed on the very little amount and i feel like i am healing. i am 22 months out and still not that great -- but healing nevertheless.

 

pretty

[[je...]]

Iggy - I don't envy you at all....  Nobody likes Paps, Mamograms or Colonoscopys. YUCK!!! And during withdrawal? No way!!!!!

 

Jenny  - is the pain/ache gone?

 

Pretty - welcome to the thread pretty. I lost a ton of weight at the beginning of my taper and didn't get get my period either. Are you still losing weight? Once my weight stabilized and I stopped dropping my period came back. This month I got it twice  :'(

 

 

Hi Kiddo,

The pain went away a few days ago. If it was ovulation that would mean I started ovulating 7 days after I started my period. If that is the case then my periods are seriously jacked up.....who knows... I feel like I wont really know what's going on with my body until Im fully healed. Thanks Kiddo, Jenny

[[Di...]]

So has anyone had trouble taking bio identical progesterone while in WD? I have heard it may not be a good thing to do...I have been taking it ....capsules....14 days on and 14 days off and have not felt as good since I started it. I am 2 1/2 years off my meds including Xanax, multiple ads and mood stabilizers. Thank you!

 

Going by what you've posted, I'm assuming that you're using this routine for peri-menopause? You are also using an estrogen too I'm guessing? You would be better off posting in the Hormone/Menopause Support Group thread (the link is in my signature below).

 

To be really honest with you, I doubt that the problems you are having with the progesterone is related to your meds, seeing as you've been off them for so long. Some women just do not do well with progesterone.

 

Are you using Prometrium, or maybe Utrogestan? Just because these are bioidentical (although I don't like using that term) you can still have problems with it. I certainly do. I am currently trialing a progestogen (Medroxyprogesterone). I've only used it for 1 day, so I can't say how I will do with it, but so far so good. The last time I used the Prometrium I had problems right from day 1.

 

If you are only using it for 14 days per month, you definitely don't need to taper off it. Peri-meno women (and some meno women) normally have that kind of routine and they only use it for part of the month, and then stop, and that gives them a bleed a few days after stopping.

[[Di...]]

So has anyone had trouble taking bio identical progesterone while in WD? I have heard it may not be a good thing to do...I have been taking it ....capsules....14 days on and 14 days off and have not felt as good since I started it. I am 2 1/2 years off my meds including Xanax, multiple ads and mood stabilizers. Thank you!

 

hi karlie,

 

i am on both an estradiol patch and the prometrium (progesterone) bioidentical. i use very small amount and with the progesterone i don't ingest it or insert it vaginally. right now, i just put the capsule ingredients on my inner thighs. i've been doing it for awhile so i am not sure how much is really absorbed although i am sure some is. it's true that progresterone is cross tolerant to benzo's and act on the same GABA receptor's so it would need to be tapered like Smiff said. i got off all the bioidenticals cold turkey in the very beginning as i heard from a few people it wasn't good while in benzo withdrawal but it was too much for me so i stayed on the very little amount and i feel like i am healing. i am 22 months out and still not that great -- but healing nevertheless.

 

pretty

 

Pretty - Are you having any natural periods? If you are using an estradiol patch, using the prometrium that way may not give you adequate uterine protection, especially if you are not having any natural periods, because Prometrium is definitely not designed to be used that way. It needs to be taken internally, either vaginally or orally.

 

I hope you are getting yourself checked by a doctor. Allowing the uterine lining to build up can have very serious consequences.

[[pr...]]

So has anyone had trouble taking bio identical progesterone while in WD? I have heard it may not be a good thing to do...I have been taking it ....capsules....14 days on and 14 days off and have not felt as good since I started it. I am 2 1/2 years off my meds including Xanax, multiple ads and mood stabilizers. Thank you!

 

hi karlie,

 

i am on both an estradiol patch and the prometrium (progesterone) bioidentical. i use very small amount and with the progesterone i don't ingest it or insert it vaginally. right now, i just put the capsule ingredients on my inner thighs. i've been doing it for awhile so i am not sure how much is really absorbed although i am sure some is. it's true that progresterone is cross tolerant to benzo's and act on the same GABA receptor's so it would need to be tapered like Smiff said. i got off all the bioidenticals cold turkey in the very beginning as i heard from a few people it wasn't good while in benzo withdrawal but it was too much for me so i stayed on the very little amount and i feel like i am healing. i am 22 months out and still not that great -- but healing nevertheless.

 

pretty

 

Pretty - Are you having any natural periods? If you are using an estradiol patch, using the prometrium that way may not give you adequate uterine protection, especially if you are not having any natural periods, because Prometrium is definitely not designed to be used that way. It needs to be taken internally, either vaginally or orally.

 

I hope you are getting yourself checked by a doctor. Allowing the uterine lining to build up can have very serious consequences.

 

i didn't want to take the progesterone internally since perseverance told me to not be on bioidenticals while healing. i don't know what to do? haven't had a period since Feb 14th. i am still onlly 88lbs and very thin. i should be about 112lbs. i am also still with lot's of benzo withdrawal symptoms. what should i do?

[[Di...]]

What dose of estradiol patch are you using? I'd be surprised if your doctor was okay with you using the Prometrium this way. You definitely need to be talking to your doctor about this. You can have scans done of the uterus to see if there is any build up. I think the last time we spoke about this, I don't think you were using estradiol, so it wasn't such an issue, but if you are now using estradiol, it does need to be checked.

 

If you are regularly using even a low dose 25mcg/0.025mg estradiol patch you should definitely be using a progestogen - as prescribed - especially if you are not getting any natural periods. If you are using Prometrium you need to use it internally. Topical or transdermal progestogen of any kind (even the compounded progesterones) have not be proved to be effective in protecting the uterus. Prometrium will not protect you if used that way.

 

I understand you may want to follow what perseverance told you, but trust me, if you are now using estradiol continuously, I'm afraid that advice is no longer applicable. I've been on hormones the whole time I've been tapering, and have no plans of stopping any time soon. My taper would have been impossible if I hadn't been using them.

 

Continuous progesterone use is not always a good idea for some women, but using it for 10-14 days a month shouldn't present too many problems, apart from some temporary s/x, if it affects you that way, but not all women are affected by progestogens. Also, the peace of mind of using it for part of the month is a good thing.

[[pr...]]

What dose of estradiol patch are you using? I'd be surprised if your doctor was okay with you using the Prometrium this way. You definitely need to be talking to your doctor about this. You can have scans done of the uterus to see if there is any build up. I think the last time we spoke about this, I don't think you were using estradiol, so it wasn't such an issue, but if you are now using estradiol, it does need to be checked.

 

If you are regularly using even a low dose 25mcg/0.025mg estradiol patch you should definitely be using a progestogen - as prescribed - especially if you are not getting any natural periods. If you are using Prometrium you need to use it internally. Topical or transdermal progestogen of any kind (even the compounded progesterones) have not be proved to be effective in protecting the uterus. Prometrium will not protect you if used that way.

 

I understand you may want to follow what perseverance told you, but trust me, if you are now using estradiol continuously, I'm afraid that advice is no longer applicable. I've been on hormones the whole time I've been tapering, and have no plans of stopping any time soon. My taper would have been impossible if I hadn't been using them.

 

Continuous progesterone use is not always a good idea for some women, but using it for 10-14 days a month shouldn't present too many problems, apart from some temporary s/x, if it affects you that way, but not all women are affected by progestogens. Also, the peace of mind of using it for part of the month is a good thing.

 

i am using a 0.05 estradoil "vivelle dot" patch twice weekly but my plan is to taper off that and only be on the prometrium and just putting it on my legs. i just didn't want to change anything while i am still with so many acute benzo symptoms. i wanted to wait until i wasn't so revved up all the time from the benzo withdrawal.

 

does any of the prometrium go into the body by using it just on my legs?

 

i will make an appt to have a scan done. i get so confused about this. i know it's also got to be my low weight that is causing my period to not be here for these months. it's got to be -- i'm only 88 lbs. i'm almost 30lbs under weight. i am scared to take the prometrium internally while i am still so knee deep in these benzo withdrawals and wanted to be more healed when or if i do. i am still not the age of menopause just yet but i understand i proabably could be peri. espeically with all that the benzo's have done and how long i've been on them and how many c/t's and rapid tapers i've done. my body is still a total mess and i shouldn't be alive from this. anyway, still not sure what to do?

[[pr...]]

DP,

 

i have some other questions for you. since i have been planning to taper off the estradiol patch, do you think i should taper the 0.05 by putting on just one patch a week instead of two patches per week? or should i cut it in half to make 0.25 and still put it on twice weekly? do you think it would be okay for me to be off it completely or not? i really don't want to be on it right now but afraid of how i will feel if i don't since i've bene on it for many many months.

 

i also have this compounded progesterone forumula and i guess it's like the prometrium but not in a capsule with the peanut oil; it's a powder in a capsule that is meant to be taken orally -- i could start taking that one orally as i don't like taking the peanut oil in the other capsule of prometrium. if i do that could i still use the other prometrium on my legs like i have been doing? so in essence i would be putting it on my legs and also taking it orally -- what do you think?

 

and someone also told me to take the prometrium days 12-26 to start getting a period but my doctor's office says it doesn't matter and that i could take it either days 1-12 or 12-26 -- could you tell me what the better days are to hopefully get a period?

 

and lastly, jenny and the other's -- i'm sorry for taking over the thread with HRT/bioidentical talk but maybe hopefully anyone else reading this who is interested in all of this can get something out of it.

 

thanks, Pretty

[[Di...]]

The dose you are taking is a medium dose, which is the dose that a fully meno woman would be prescribed, and definitely too high a dose to not be using a progestogen as prescribed (and that means not just on your legs). It's the dose of estradiol that I'm taking and I'm 55 yo, and menopausal for the last 3-4 years.

 

Is you doctor fully aware of how you are using the Prometrium? He/she is probably assuming you are using it as prescribed (orally or vaginally).

 

btw - I'll clarify something I said above...I said "Topical or transdermal progestogen of any kind (even the compounded progesterones) have not be proved to be effective in protecting the uterus." I should have specified that I was talking about natural prog which is used in compounded creams or OTC prog creams. Prog is an unstable hormone and there is not enough evidence that administering prog this way will protect the uterus. However, you can use a regulated progestogen (ie a synthetic progestin) as a patch, but this is not a "natural" progesterone.

 

Having said that, I doubt very much that putting it on your legs will mean that enough prog is being absorbed, so you definitely need to talk to your doctor about this, and let him/her decide if you need a scan. TBH, if you are going to taper off the estradiol, you are probably wasting your money by only putting the Prometrium on your legs, because very little is probably being absorbed anyway. Of course, once again, you would need to talk to your doctor about this.

[[Di...]]

Putting one patch on for a whole week could give you up and down estradiol levels. I think I would prefer to cut each patch (maybe cut a ¼ off initially) and still use it twice a week. That way your dose will reduce, but you won’t get the “highs and lows” of only using one patch for a whole week.

 

I honestly couldn’t comment on the compounded progesterone, because I have never actually seen any studies that have said that compounded progesterone is effective in protecting the uterus. However, if you are taking it internally, it could be better than the compounded prog creams that are used transdermally. It’s something that I think you should discuss with your doctor.

 

As your doctor said, it really doesn’t matter what days you take the Prometrium. Essentially as long as you use it for 12-14 days each month you will hopefully get a period a few days after you stop using it. My preference is to use mine from the 1st of the month for 10-12 days because it’s easier to remember than having to remember a day in the middle of the month.

 

To anyone who is interested in discussing HRT/progesterone etc, you can pop over to the menopause/hormonal support thread, where there is a whole heap of really interesting information. (The link is in my signature below).

 

[[Mo...]]

I have not had my period in 8 monthes. My PCP prescribed 10 days of progestren and Premarin to try to get me to have my period. No luck. I'd didn't work:( I am 30 now and haven't had a period since 29. Sucks:(

[[je...]]

Hi Molly! Welcome have you gone back to your doctor to see what they say?

[[pr...]]

I have not had my period in 8 monthes. My PCP prescribed 10 days of progestren and Premarin to try to get me to have my period. No luck. I'd didn't work:( I am 30 now and haven't had a period since 29. Sucks:(

 

molly,

 

what is your weight like? i haven't had a period in awhile either but i'm only 88lbs still and i should be at least 112lbs.

[[pe...]]

Here we go again. I've been in a wave for 4 days and I'm wondering if my hormones are doing a little dance. It's been six weeks since my last period and they only come every 7 to 8 weeks. Ten to fourteen days of dramatic PMS and a huge up tic in symptoms. That's a real possibility, right?

A week ago I was doing quite well, though I wasn't convinced it was so much better. But now, with this nose dive, I'm convinced I was doing better.

 

How's everyone else?

 

Peace2

[[Ki...]]

Peace - I'm right there with ya. I had two periods last month and gearing up for my scheduled one this month next week. I seem to be worse the week before my period. Either way I'm feeling pretty miserable right now  . Sometimes I'm just so f-ing sick of all this I could just SCREAM!!!

 

Hormones, without a doubt, play a role in waves.....in my humble opinion of course 

[[pe...]]

Kiddo- glad for the company but sorry you're on the wheel with me. I am really sick of it too. I feel like I've seen improvements since completing my taper, but I'm at the point in my cycle where I just don't care because right now I feel awful. I'm glad my kids are having a break from me and only my husband has to ride the roller coaster with me for awhile.

Boof. Hormones.

 

 

[[je...]]

Count me in with this one girls. I am so incredibly frustrated with how moody I am a week before my period. Its like PMS times 10!! I have been soooo irritable the last few days and Im like NO, I just had my period --it cant be that. I go and look at my calendar and yep Im about 10 days till next period, but it always comes early so that explains why I have zero patience today. Im also getting the dull, achy pain in my uterus that runs down my legs. This is torture every month!

[[pe...]]

Jenny,

Torture is right.

 

Ladies,

This is me today:

Cry, cry, cry. I am a failure. My family would be better off with out me. When will I ever be whole again? My poor children. Cry, cry, cry.

 

My husband is like - hormones! This isn't you. This is so much worse than your regular symptoms.

 

So, what gives?!??!!

 

Last time I saw my psych, I brought up the terrible 'PMS' and asked what to do. He said - do nothing. I think your body is trying to get back into balance. I generally agree with that and know that everything I take whacks me out. But there's got to be something I can take or do (or take!!!) during the two weeks of insanity. What are all of your thoughts? Would being on birth control or something like that make a difference?

 

Thanks. In sadness,

Peace2

[[He...]]

Hi Ladies!

I came by to offer some encouragement toward the hormone side of symptoms.  It gets better, it really does.  I just passed the year mark from being med-free, and while I had a small spike in symptoms with this period, it was nothing compared to how I used to be months 3 - 10.  My periods are still irregular, and this one was only 2 days  , but I didn't have the extreme anxiety/depression/wave that I would normally get.  Last month was similar, a small spike, but not anything extreme like it used to be.  Things are heading in the right direction! 

 

Peace, I think your psych is right.  Our poor bodies just have to find their way back to balance.  It's a long, slow, tough process....but they will. 

 

Love and hugs to you all!

 

 

 

[[Ki...]]

Oh sweet Peace - you and I are have been riding the same roller coaster the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I was cry cry cry "I don't want to live like this" then cry cry cry "this is so unfair" then cry cry cry "I hate everything and everyone" then cry cry cry "I'm such a loser, I don't deserve to have all these people love me" blah blah blah. Today is not weepy but the benzo rage is in full force. My hormones are killing me. Truly. I can barely function for 2 weeks a month? Wtf? I wish I knew what helped. Unfortunately, I think your pdoc is right. Our bodies are trying to find homeostasis. I'm getting tired of hearing myself repeat my positive mantra too. I'd like my positivity to go f**k itself. 

 

Jenny - healinghope just wrote that her cycle is getting better at a year out. Your almost there 

[[pe...]]

Ok, Healinghope and Kiddo-

I hear what you're saying about steering clear of meds. But right now I feel like a little bit of Ritalin and a morsel of birth control would blow the benzo withdrawal right out of the water.

 

Kiddo- your description made me laugh. All the cry, cry is kind of funny in writing. 

 

I'm glad I've only got 6 more months (which will only be about three cycles for me) until I see some improvements. Boof. 

 

Love this thread.

[[He...]]

Ok, Healinghope and Kiddo-

I hear what you're saying about steering clear of meds. But right now I feel like a little bit of Ritalin and a morsel of birth control would blow the benzo withdrawal right out of the water.

 

Kiddo- your description made me laugh. All the cry, cry is kind of funny in writing. 

 

I'm glad I've only got 6 more months (which will only be about three cycles for me) until I see some improvements. Boof. 

 

Love this thread.

 

Check out the post I addressed to you over in the Club.  It's an interesting supplement that you may want to check out. 

[[Ki...]]

Peace - I have a million more cycles to go since I'm getting my period twice a month AND Im still tapering AND I still need to go through recovery. How do I not need a blood transfusion?!?!? I probably do. That's probably why I'm so tired. Oh well. Not going to the hospital for one regardless. I bet benzo's are used off label to treat PMS and blood loss    Are we havin' fun yet?