Can someone help me!?

[[Am...]]

I take progesteone which is cross tolerant with benzos. They are working off the same receptor. What the hell am in in for. I’m on bio identical hormones because of cancer related early menopause at 34. What should I do. Will this impact healing? I’m already kindled. Help please... thank you

[Guest [ba...]]

I honestly don't know, but I'll take a stab at some kind of answer.  Please don't roast me if I come up with something ridiculous.  This isn't my area of expertise by a long shot.

 

First - I'm guessing that there's probably some optimal dose regime of progesterone for somebody doing replacement therapy.  It makes sense to me to get back to the 'proper' dosage/schedule first. 

 

Once 'stable' then I would think you could begin to attack the benzo taper.

 

Will it impact healing??  If the levels are similar to 'natural' levels, then I wouldn't think that the effect should be too much different than it is for a women who is naturally producing the hormone. 

[[ho...]]

Understand the conundrum. Due to your history, cutting off all hormone therapy might create its own issues. Found I was much more sensitive to lower doses of progesterone during WD. I could not use it at all during some periods, but later could tolerate a small dose once a week.  Working up to normal schedule.

 

Do you have an endocrinologist? If not, might be good idea to get one with your history to help coach you through.

 

My opinion, take it for what its worth. First you need data. Do the progesterone spit test to see what your levels are. Remember that WD alters all kinds of things like thyroid function which in turn affects sex hormones. Even if the dose is the same, the effect can be quite different.

 

I wouldn't necessarily cut off the progesterone, but dose according to your symptoms. You need to monitor your ability to handle it by keeping a journal as it will reveal patterns.

 

Another tool is a basal temperature chart. Gives some indication of thyroid function as it affects basal metabolism. Please note that WD will affect the temp. regulatory center of the brain. What you would look for is trends to indicate how well you're tolerating the progesterone.

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/what-your-basal-temps-reveal-about-thyroid-function-11265

 

Hope that gives some ideas for you to find your treatment options.

 

[[Am...]]

I honestly don't know, but I'll take a stab at some kind of answer.  Please don't roast me if I come up with something ridiculous.  This isn't my area of expertise by a long shot.

 

First - I'm guessing that there's probably some optimal dose regime of progesterone for somebody doing replacement therapy.  It makes sense to me to get back to the 'proper' dosage/schedule first. 

 

Once 'stable' then I would think you could begin to attack the benzo taper.

 

Will it impact healing??  If the levels are similar to 'natural' levels, then I wouldn't think that the effect should be too much different than it is for a women who is naturally producing the hormone.

 

Thank you so much for your answer... the thing I am worried about is... will healing be possible while taking something that is cross tolerant with a benzo... would this be similar to if I were drinking every day? How would the receptors heal if I’m beating them over the head with more gaba substances. . So confusing... thank you for responding

[[Am...]]

Understand the conundrum. Due to your history, cutting off all hormone therapy might create its own issues. Found I was much more sensitive to lower doses of progesterone during WD. I could not use it at all during some periods, but later could tolerate a small dose once a week.  Working up to normal schedule.

 

Do you have an endocrinologist? If not, might be good idea to get one with your history to help coach you through.

 

My opinion, take it for what its worth. First you need data. Do the progesterone spit test to see what your levels are. Remember that WD alters all kinds of things like thyroid function which in turn affects sex hormones. Even if the dose is the same, the effect can be quite different.

 

I wouldn't necessarily cut off the progesterone, but dose according to your symptoms. You need to monitor your ability to handle it by keeping a journal as it will reveal patterns.

 

Another tool is a basal temperature chart. Gives some indication of thyroid function as it affects basal metabolism. Please note that WD will affect the temp. regulatory center of the brain. What you would look for is trends to indicate how well you're tolerating the progesterone.

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/what-your-basal-temps-reveal-about-thyroid-function-11265

 

Hope that gives some ideas for you to find your treatment options.

 

Thank you so much for all this really amazing info... people say, don’t mess with hormone therapy while doing this becauE of the cross tolerance between benzos and progesteone... is it essentially like drinking every night while trying to heal? Confusing. I can’t be without hormones at 34. I just survived a bone marrow transplant where they literally killed me and brought me back to life with the strongest chemo not to mention 8 shots of chemo to the brain because the leukemia crossed blood brain barrier.. uuughhh, anyway, this has been a rollercoaster. I have come on and off Ativan so many times while in treatment and the last time I cold turkied after a month, 4 months later I took Ativan for 2 months and then BAM. I can’t get off it. I tried so hard with the Ativan but lost close to 15 pounds in 5 weeks. A psych up- dosed me from .5mg Ativan straight to 7.5 Valium. Now I’m lost. Lots of ptsd from 2 years of chemo treatment but nothing compares to when I was trying to get off Ativan for those 2 weeks. Now I’m not withdrawing, but extremely depressed. Can’t leave my room. I’ll be getting a hormone panel soon to see where everything is... I so do not want to stop my hormones, but how will I heal if progesteone is cross tolerant. Thank you so much for talking to me:)

[Guest [ba...]]

I honestly don't know, but I'll take a stab at some kind of answer.  Please don't roast me if I come up with something ridiculous.  This isn't my area of expertise by a long shot.

 

First - I'm guessing that there's probably some optimal dose regime of progesterone for somebody doing replacement therapy.  It makes sense to me to get back to the 'proper' dosage/schedule first. 

 

Once 'stable' then I would think you could begin to attack the benzo taper.

 

Will it impact healing??  If the levels are similar to 'natural' levels, then I wouldn't think that the effect should be too much different than it is for a women who is naturally producing the hormone.

 

Thank you so much for your answer... the thing I am worried about is... will healing be possible while taking something that is cross tolerant with a benzo... would this be similar to if I were drinking every day? How would the receptors heal if I’m beating them over the head with more gaba substances. . So confusing... thank you for responding

 

I don't think it'll be like drinking since the hormone is a PAM and not an agonist like alcohol.  I see it more like you're taking valium and klonopin and you're going to taper just one of them.  That's not all that uncommon around here.  I think your body will slowly adjust to less PAM (regardless of the source).

 

I'm kind of ignorant about this stuff.  Do you vary your dose during the month or is it constant??  Or do different people do it different ways??

[[Am...]]

Hi, thanks for your reply:) I’m new around here as I feel my family does not understand. They just want me off the stuff quickly and don’t understand that I’ve kindled a few times and that I need to take it slow. I sure hope the kindled heal. I take the same dose every night.

[[Am...]]

I honestly don't know, but I'll take a stab at some kind of answer.  Please don't roast me if I come up with something ridiculous.  This isn't my area of expertise by a long shot.

 

First - I'm guessing that there's probably some optimal dose regime of progesterone for somebody doing replacement therapy.  It makes sense to me to get back to the 'proper' dosage/schedule first. 

 

Once 'stable' then I would think you could begin to attack the benzo taper.

 

Will it impact healing??  If the levels are similar to 'natural' levels, then I wouldn't think that the effect should be too much different than it is for a women who is naturally producing the hormone.

 

Thank you so much for your answer... the thing I am worried about is... will healing be possible while taking something that is cross tolerant with a benzo... would this be similar to if I were drinking every day? How would the receptors heal if I’m beating them over the head with more gaba substances. . So confusing... thank you for responding

 

I don't think it'll be like drinking since the hormone is a PAM and not an agonist like alcohol.  I see it more like you're taking valium and klonopin and you're going to taper just one of them.  That's not all that uncommon around here.  I think your body will slowly adjust to less PAM (regardless of the source).

 

I'm kind of ignorant about this stuff.  Do you vary your dose during the month or is it constant??  Or do different people do it different ways??

 

Hi, thanks for your reply:) I’m new around here as I feel my family does not understand. They just want me off the stuff quickly and don’t understand that I’ve kindled a few times and that I need to take it slow. I sure hope the kindled heal. I take the same dose every night.

Not sure if I’m replying right...

[Guest [ba...]]

Hi, thanks for your reply:) I’m new around here as I feel my family does not understand. They just want me off the stuff quickly and don’t understand that I’ve kindled a few times and that I need to take it slow. I sure hope the kindled heal. I take the same dose every night.

 

It's that way for a lot of people.  Your family doesn't understand nor will they.  It's pretty impossible to understand what people here go thru unless you go thru it yourself.

 

You're doing your homework.  That's the best path to start out.

[[Am...]]

Hi, thanks for your reply:) I’m new around here as I feel my family does not understand. They just want me off the stuff quickly and don’t understand that I’ve kindled a few times and that I need to take it slow. I sure hope the kindled heal. I take the same dose every night.

 

It's that way for a lot of people.  Your family doesn't understand nor will they.  It's pretty impossible to understand what people here go thru unless you go thru it yourself.

 

You're doing your homework.  That's the best path to start out.

 

Thank you:) in your experience, do Kindled people take much longer to heal or are their symptoms just worse. Been obsessing about it.

[Guest [ba...]]

I'd say that kindled people report that each taper becomes more difficult.  Some had zero difficulty the first time (or two), but more difficulty (more symptoms) in subsequent tapers.  It's obviously impossible to know what you'll encounter.  Everybody's withdrawal is pretty different.  Go slow.  No c/t's this time.

 

You've been thru a lot.  Let's please have this withdrawal be an easy one.

[[Ch...]]

I have three decades of off-and-on benzodiazepine use, the bulk of the time with intermittent use of Temazepam for insomnia. I’d take it for so few months when insomnia was bad then go off for a long period.  Then back on when insomnia affected my quality of life significantly.  Imdidn4t know I should taper, I’d just stop taking them when the prescription ran out.  That’s a tried and true recipe for kindling.

 

My taper was a only little challenging until the end, when I attempted to quit at too high of a dose. I reinstated and finished tapering but the symptoms from the first attempt to quit stuck with me.

 

It took me some time to feel significantly better.  Fortunately I knew this could happen, thanks to reading about others’ experiences here on the forum. It allowed me to accept the process for what it was.

 

We’re each on a different timeline, as Bads said.  Accepting the length of the process was a game changer for me.  I knew I’d heal, just not the timeline for it.

 

You’ve been through hell with your cancer treatment.  I’m sorry for that, I’m currently helping a good friend get through chemo and radiation and it takes a lot of strength and courage.

 

I’d recommend taking withdrawal as slow as you can. It will take the least toll that way.

 

[Guest [...]]

Understand the conundrum. Due to your history, cutting off all hormone therapy might create its own issues. Found I was much more sensitive to lower doses of progesterone during WD. I could not use it at all during some periods, but later could tolerate a small dose once a week.  Working up to normal schedule.

 

Do you have an endocrinologist? If not, might be good idea to get one with your history to help coach you through.

 

My opinion, take it for what its worth. First you need data. Do the progesterone spit test to see what your levels are. Remember that WD alters all kinds of things like thyroid function which in turn affects sex hormones. Even if the dose is the same, the effect can be quite different.

 

I wouldn't necessarily cut off the progesterone, but dose according to your symptoms. You need to monitor your ability to handle it by keeping a journal as it will reveal patterns.

 

Another tool is a basal temperature chart. Gives some indication of thyroid function as it affects basal metabolism. Please note that WD will affect the temp. regulatory center of the brain. What you would look for is trends to indicate how well you're tolerating the progesterone.

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/what-your-basal-temps-reveal-about-thyroid-function-11265

 

Hope that gives some ideas for you to find your treatment options.

 

Thank you so much for all this really amazing info... people say, don’t mess with hormone therapy while doing this becauE of the cross tolerance between benzos and progesteone... is it essentially like drinking every night while trying to heal? Confusing. I can’t be without hormones at 34. I just survived a bone marrow transplant where they literally killed me and brought me back to life with the strongest chemo not to mention 8 shots of chemo to the brain because the leukemia crossed blood brain barrier.. uuughhh, anyway, this has been a rollercoaster. I have come on and off Ativan so many times while in treatment and the last time I cold turkied after a month, 4 months later I took Ativan for 2 months and then BAM. I can’t get off it. I tried so hard with the Ativan but lost close to 15 pounds in 5 weeks. A psych up- dosed me from .5mg Ativan straight to 7.5 Valium. Now I’m lost. Lots of ptsd from 2 years of chemo treatment but nothing compares to when I was trying to get off Ativan for those 2 weeks. Now I’m not withdrawing, but extremely depressed. Can’t leave my room. I’ll be getting a hormone panel soon to see where everything is... I so do not want to stop my hormones, but how will I heal if progesteone is cross tolerant. Thank you so much for talking to me:)

 

Amlsucks,

 

Wanted to share that I was on progesterone during the beginning of my benzo tapers and I did not have any difficulties tapering off.  Additionally, towards the end of my valium taper, my hormones took a beating and I added in both estrogen and progesterone again and tapered a second time having some difficulties with the estrogen but rapidly removed the progesterone without consequence.

 

Everyone is different of course, but wanted to share that despite having great difficulty tapering my benzo's, tapering progesterone was not an issue for me at all.

 

Wishing you well....