PROGESTERONE AND BENZOS

[[...]]

I also had problems trying progesterone during benzo w/d. I stopped bc pill during taper and then had lots of w/d symptoms whenever I got my period. Had hormones tested. Progestetone was low and estrogen was high. Tried progesterone  4 different times . Oral and topical. Every time I felt good for a few hours and then the panic attacks started. I tried low dose and high dose. Same thing. The longest I tried was 3 days. It would take about a week for me to feel better. Never touching it again. I'm trying to balance hormones through nutrition and supplements suggested to me by a nutrionist. Most people do well with the progesterone but obviously a lot don't do well with it either.

Mm

[[...]]

At least I know that I am not the only one. I just can't believe this threw me for a loop. I should have researched progesterone more extensively before I took it. I am just wondering how long this will go on? I don't want to up dose my klonopin to cover the progesterone withdrawl. The klonopin is not as effective right now. There is a lot of hype about how great progesterone is and many women have suffered from taking it whether it be too high of a dose or for too long. Sometimes it helps in the beginning from what I have read and then women start feeling awful after a few months. These people are not even benzo compromised. Anyway it is one day at a time. Also doing good nutrition and try to exercise when I am not feeling so horrible. 

[[as...]]

After  reading  all  of  this  I  am  terrified. I  started  bio identicals  before  my  taper  and  still  take  them  5  months  out  from  my  benzo  and  k  taper.  Are  you  saying  that  if  I  don't  get  off  of  them  then  I  might  not  be  able  to  heal?

[[as...]]

I  was  just  thinking.  Your  body  makes  progesterone  naturally  so  how  could  its'  presence  prevent  healing?

[[Su...]]

I am 2 years and 9 months off benzos and I have patiently waited and done everything I can think of and researched to bring  up my progesterone levels naturally...they are still very low.. reasons for it? Who knows??  I'm almost 42 and I'm sure I'm probably peri-menopausal. 

 

I changed my diet radically, exercise every day, eat hormone free meat, stopped eating out of plastic, etc.

 

I have waited and waited and waited believing benzo withdrawal caused the imbalance (although I'm pretty sure I've had low progesterone for many years)...but here I sit at almost 3 years off and I'm in the same place I started.

 

So what do I do now?

 

I keep reading that I need to find out the reason my progesterone is low...well, I don't think anyone really knows that...we are very imperfect, breathe in and soak in toxins day in and day out...no matter how healthy we try to eat, we still can't escape the toxins in our food.

 

So I guess I'm frustrated because reading this stuff scares me half to death of progesterone, yet having low progesterone and all the issues that arise from that scares me to death also. The anxiety, sleepless nights, mood swings, PMS from hell!

 

Any suggestions?

[[...]]

I hope I did not add to the confusion and fear about progesterone.  I had a total hysterectomy back 1997 which was not necessary. Now in retrospect I realize that I was not managed properly. I was on an estrogen patch which caused me to end up the hospital and put on klonopin. I realize now that after an ovarectomy you lose all hormones and most doctors are not going to replace the progesterone!  That leads to the withdrawl and the awful symptoms. I went through a living hell because of those doctors. Last Sept I decided with my Dr. to add it to my estradiol/testosterone which are bioidentical. I so believe HRT when it is needed. Especially with no ovaries. When estradiol dropped back in March to almost 0 it was horrific. I am now back up to where I need to be. I was on too high of a progesterone dose. I went to 125mg sublingual. It drove the estrogen down. Everything is a balance. Every woman is different and will respond differently. I read a lot about how great it is and some doctors online really push it. They make it sound like it will cure all. I knew it affected the GABA receptors, but not in such a powerful way. The best thing to do if you want to try it is to start low.  Also when my progesterone was tested I was high. I jumped off of a huge dose. I have learned so much in the past couple of months about hormones which is a good thing and I know I am getting balanced. I just need to get through this withdrawl. There is a doctor Uzzi Reiss who is a well know gyn and bioidentical hormone expert. In one of his books he states that progesterone will sometimes act like a toxic drug in women who have not been on it or produced for years. That really enlightened me also. I am still continuing to learn. Sometimes it is the hard way.

[[...]]

Maybe try and lower estrogen and not focus on raising progesterone. Maybe sluggish liver metabolism causing estrogen dominance . Copper toxicity causes estrogen dominance. Ever have a copper iud or use bc pills? It causes copper to build up in our body. Adrenal fatigue affects hormones too. I'm 38 and trying to figure this out too. Eating raw carrots is suppose to help metabolize the estrogen better. I try and eat one everyday. I got my last period exactly 28 days. I'm also taking magnesium and zinc and since then I sleep better too.

Mm

[[do...]]

So I guess I'm frustrated because reading this stuff scares me half to death of progesterone, yet having low progesterone and all the issues that arise from that scares me to death also. The anxiety, sleepless nights, mood swings, PMS from hell!

Any suggestions?

Hi Sunny,

No suggestions, alas - I am in the same situation after doing Prog. cream andf WD from it. You can see the details here:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=36868.0

 

I have "lower" progesterone, "higher" FSH (peri-menopouse); my last period was extreemely heavy so I used my Prog. cream for 5 days. After that I felt I was hooked on it again so I stopped. It was not as difficult to stop it this time compare to the perevious. All I can say is that I may use it only as an emergency or if there is no other option, i.e. if there is a choice between non-functioning without Prog. and highly functioning on Prog. I would probably choose Prog.

[[...]]

Ask-

Did you ever try adrenal extracts or glandulars? I'm considering these to help with my adrenal fatigue. They are suppose to help rebuild and or support the adrenals. Both my doctor and nutrionist have recommended this. I think I had adrenal fatigue before I even got on the benzos.

Mm

[[Su...]]

I tried pregnenalone and it cause a huge surge in my anxiety! Plus it's kind of a crap shoot which hormone it will turn into..sometimes, as in my case, it just increased coritsol... it's a precurssor to progesterone, but there's no guarantee it will go that route.

 

My estrogen levels are completely normal, they're just considered "dominant" because the ratio of my estrogen to progesterone is way out of whack because my progesterone is so low.

 

If I even try to touch my adrenals my anxiety increases 10 fold...

 

 

[[...]]

My Dr said that my pregnenalone was alright, but my DHEA was very low. I am 59 and it does decrease with age. He told me to try 25mg oral. I started with just 5mg oral and had anxiety. A low grade anxiety. I tried the oral a few times over the course of a year, but the same effect. I then thought the sublingual might be better. It was 5mg but it caused the anxiety. I have a friend who takes the pregnenalone and dhea with no problem.  I think once the GABA receptors have been compromised it is hard to tell how we are going to react to any hormone, med or supplement.

[[su...]]

Hey ladies,

 

Just wanted to commiserate, I really don't know what to do either.  I've had a heck of a time with my hormones for some time.  I was on benzos for about 10 years and on hormones for hormone dysfunction for the last five years or so of them.  Who can say for sure if benzos were the cause but it's likely.  My period during wd has been a special nightmare - PMDD like symptoms for over a week before and at the start of my periods each month, and really long and heavy bleeding and clotting during (sorry if that's TMI).  I'm in my 30s. 

 

I weaned off the progesterone cream that I had been on for years during wd, which is basically withdrawal squared!  But like you Sunny, I've been committed to seeing if my body can work itself out.  Another poster shared this site https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/hormones-and-miscarriage/progesterone-research/how-to-increase-progesterone  (sorry, can't remember who it was) on how to increase progesterone naturally and I've been trying a bunch of more natural tips from it.

 

I'm currently taking Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, selenium (in an iodine supplement), and Nordic Naturals Omega Woman, along with several other supplements.  I didn't take any supplements earlier in wd but I'm to the point where I'm more able to tolerate them and I believe they can help, especially where I know I'm deficient (B12, D, ferritin, etc,).  I'm working on correcting hypothyroidism, eating low carb, eating regular meals every 3-4 hrs (to keep my blood sugar levels stable), and I completely cleaned through my cosmetics using the EWG site since many cosmetics, soaps and beauty products contain hormone disruptors.  Like Sunny71, I also cleaned through all my plastic containers to make sure they were BPA free and I never heat food in any plastic.  I also make sure my meat is hormone free.  And I'm on the lookout for BPA free canned tomatoes, otherwise I eat very little food out of cans.  I'm being monitored by my doc, a Doctor of Osteopathy.   

 

I don't want to take chasteberry/vitex because as I understand it it affects dopamine and I don't want to be messing with another neurotransmitter. 

 

My doc has also suggested an adrenal extract from New Zealand but there are many reasons I don't want to go on that either (at the moment). 

 

So I guess I'm frustrated because reading this stuff scares me half to death of progesterone, yet having low progesterone and all the issues that arise from that scares me to death also. The anxiety, sleepless nights, mood swings, PMS from hell!

 

 

Yes, exactly!!  Sigh. 

[[Be...]]

I took some progesterone cream while in tolerance w/d and going through menopause since the doc thought my anxiety was from the menopause hormone changes.  The next day at work, I got quite lightheaded and knew it was from the hormone cream.  Also, why was my ACTH sky high at around 48, yet my adrenal labs were normal?  The endocrinologist or doc couldn't answer that one for me? 

[[Ji...]]

I'm really interested in this thread. I was put on progesterone only pill (contraceptive) in an attempt to treat the ridiculous depression, paranoia and anxiety that I was having twice a month related to my cycle I think.

 

I really think I had a dreadful reaction to the pill. It increased my depression and anxiety (also obsessive thinking)

 

I weaned off of it. Whilst also weaning off benzos as I know they are cross tolerant.

 

I'm wondering what other people's experiences are of pmdd?

[[do...]]

I'm really interested in this thread. I was put on progesterone only pill (contraceptive) in an attempt to treat the ridiculous depression, paranoia and anxiety that I was having twice a month related to my cycle I think.

 

I really think I had a dreadful reaction to the pill. It increased my depression and anxiety (also obsessive thinking)

 

I weaned off of it. Whilst also weaning off benzos as I know they are cross tolerant.

 

I'm wondering what other people's experiences are of pmdd?

Hi JigglyJo,

I tried prog. only pill in the past and developed OCD & depression. Prog. tablets to shut down the blood flow caused a similar responce.

As for PMDD I have had it for all my life but only after I started using Clonazepam it truly blossomed, to the point of premenstrual psychosis.

 

--------------------------

I have been using bioidentical prog. cream for 12 days, stopped yesterday "to make" a period. So far I do not experience any WD symptoms. I hope it will continue like this.

Prog. definitely improved my anxiety, "doom and gloom" depression, "pure obsession", and also memory and energy.

Interestingly, when I tried the same cream two years ago, soon after Clon. WD it did not work like that; I also could not stop using it b.o. WD symptoms.

 

[[do...]]

I don't want to take chasteberry/vitex because as I understand it it affects dopamine and I don't want to be messing with another neurotransmitter. 

Hi sunnygirl02

You are wise. I did not know that Vitex affects dopamine; I tried and it sent me bats , just like almost everything I tried to fix myself.

[[su...]]

I don't want to take chasteberry/vitex because as I understand it it affects dopamine and I don't want to be messing with another neurotransmitter. 

Hi sunnygirl02

You are wise. I did not know that Vitex affects dopamine; I tried and it sent me bats , just like almost everything I tried to fix myself.

 

Yikes!  I'm sorry to hear that.  Thanks for letting me know; it was still in the back of my mind to maybe someday try.  It really sucks that to be stuck helpless (mostly) in this limbo. 

 

I will have to check out your blog!

[[Ji...]]

I'm really interested in this thread. I was put on progesterone only pill (contraceptive) in an attempt to treat the ridiculous depression, paranoia and anxiety that I was having twice a month related to my cycle I think.

 

I really think I had a dreadful reaction to the pill. It increased my depression and anxiety (also obsessive thinking)

 

I weaned off of it. Whilst also weaning off benzos as I know they are cross tolerant.

 

I'm wondering what other people's experiences are of pmdd?

Hi JigglyJo,

I tried prog. only pill in the past and developed OCD & depression. Prog. tablets to shut down the blood flow caused a similar responce.

As for PMDD I have had it for all my life but only after I started using Clonazepam it truly blossomed, to the point of premenstrual psychosis.

 

--------------------------

I have been using bioidentical prog. cream for 12 days, stopped yesterday "to make" a period. So far I do not experience any WD symptoms. I hope it will continue like this.

Prog. definitely improved my anxiety, "doom and gloom" depression, "pure obsession", and also memory and energy.

Interestingly, when I tried the same cream two years ago, soon after Clon. WD it did not work like that; I also could not stop using it b.o. WD symptoms.

 

i can say that I too have probably had some form of PMDD all my life but it was made much much worse by psych meds. I am really interested to hear that you had the same reaction to Progestrone! Its so odd because its the one thing they use here to TREAT PMDD.

 

I have had two periods since stopping the progesterone and each cyle I get two really bad lows (once around ovulation time and then the week leading up to a period) It is hard to know but I think it is also flaring up my withdrawal type symptoms also. I have noticed an increased in the obsessive thoughts and black hopeless depression. Also immense fatigue, like cant get out of bed to make a drink even. SCARY stuff all this!

 

However. I have just got back from seeing my dr and he has put me on an anti-depressant now. I am determined to take it for at least 6 weeks and see if it helps. I need to get some form of life back after all this. Its ridiculous.

[[do...]]

i can say that I too have probably had some form of PMDD all my life but it was made much much worse by psych meds. I am really interested to hear that you had the same reaction to Progestrone! Its so odd because its the one thing they use here to TREAT PMDD.

 

I have had two periods since stopping the progesterone and each cyle I get two really bad lows (once around ovulation time and then the week leading up to a period) It is hard to know but I think it is also flaring up my withdrawal type symptoms also. I have noticed an increased in the obsessive thoughts and black hopeless depression. Also immense fatigue, like cant get out of bed to make a drink even. SCARY stuff all this!

 

Your cyclic mood pattern (ovulation - period) reminds me of catamenial epilepsy. I am working right now but I will attempt to find the excellent paper on this issue (your pattern - not necessary epilepsy) and post the link.

Also, I recall that women with "cyclic psychosis" (it is me, well, I do get "mad" on ovulation and during bleeding) cannot tolerate "chemical" prog. but have a good responce to bio-prog.

I have my period now, after two weeks on prog. cream. I am not nearly as mad as during the last one when I was without prog. I am even working. I would rate my state as "three times better".

I am currently taking Keppra (anticonvulsant) only when I feel the aura to prevent a coming seizure, i.e. a few times a month.

[[do...]]

The article title is Psychoneuroendocrine aspects of temporolimbic epilepsy.

You can Google it, ithas three parts.

[[Ji...]]

Hey, gosh I never even heard of this before.

 

I have been checked in the past for epilepsy using ECG scan. They found nothing.

 

I am wondering what on earth is wrong with me. The antidepressant was horrific. I stayed awake with palpitations and terror last night. I'm not taking it again after that.

 

 

What tests can they do to find out your hormone levels?

[[pr...]]

Persy,

 

i hope you come back soon and read this. i had been using progesterone (prometrium) 200mg only on my legs for the last 4 years. i had never taken it orally or vaginally. lately, i wanted to try it out since the doctor said that i needed to protect my uterus because my hormones are still so low so i took it orally for the first time 4 days ago. the first 3 days we re fine and i didn't feel any difference. but today, i felt just like i had taken a benzo. i was so out of it and even slept really hard during the day which i never do.

 

it made me really loopy and sedated of which i liked the way i felt. and i would like to continue to take the progesterone. but now i am concerned that it will halt my healing since it made me so sedated like a benzo. i don't know what to do? will my body ever balance out naturally and normally after withdrawal is over -- if it is ever going to be over?

 

also, i had talked to you on one of your other threads about elavil (Amitriptyline) that i had taken only a very small amount (10mg) one night 'cause i couldn't sleep and that made me groggy kind of sedated and didn't like it at all.

 

Birdman is talking about the Amitriptyline on her 'tinnitus' thread and having great results with it and posting all these links about how it's good for brain neural repair and of course makes me tempted to start taking this drug. and even other people are tempted to starting "messing" with this drug. now, this one is a no brainer for me, i just can't take it. it's too strong for this kindling brain.

 

but wanted to know your thoughts about it and if you could read some of her posts on the thread?

 

here is the last page but if you go back 4-5 pages -- she posts a lot about it and would like to know your thoughts?

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=96554.1020

 

 

thanks, pretty

[[Ha...]]

Old post... But I been on progesterone 2'weeks im in a 6 month wave... Anyone else take it??

 

[[Be...]]

I used progesterone cream when I was in tolerance withdrawal and it made me go nearly blind and I got so dizzy at work, I thought I'd pass out.  Had to go lie down in the womens' shower room. 

[[pr...]]

Old post... But I been on progesterone 2'weeks im in a 6 month wave... Anyone else take it??

 

 

i was using some bioidentical progesterone early in acute but i stopped it and now going to wait until more healed to try it out again. it's supposed to be cross tolerant with benzo's and binds to the GABAA receptor's in the same way that benzo's do.