Boy am I glad I didn't post this last week. If I had, this is what you would've read:
When I last left you at the close of Estrogen Dominance Part 1, I was in the beginning stages of symptom improvement based on my use of natural progesterone cream. I hadn't planned to report in again on this subject for at least another month or more. As I discussed in the previous post, natural hormone supplements can take an extensive amount of time to reach full effectiveness. Especially if you've been out of balance for a long time, like I have. Well to my surprise, I have some really great news. My symptoms have improved even further, and I have some additional tips to add if you're thinking of giving progesterone cream a go.CUE THE RECORD NEEDLE SCRATCH
Just after writing these unicorns-and-butterfly words I began to experience a multitude of ghosts from symptoms past - symptoms I USED to have, prior to my diet and exercise changes 3 years ago. Symptoms I THOUGHT I'd gotten rid of. These include, but are not limited to: hot flashes, headaches, boob achiness, pelvic achiness, fatigue, new cravings and emotional weepiness. This was compounded upon the 10 lb and growing weight gain, along with the feeling of being pregnant all the time (but without the knitted booties or kind compliments and wonder over my burgeoning belly).
GAAAH!!! How is a woman supposed to figure this sh*t out?!? I ask you. HOW?
So on one hand I was having clearer skin (yes it was finally starting to work), a happier mood (though pathologically teary) and seemingly reduced joint pain. On the other hand, I was about to tear my hair out over all the new gently used symptoms.
It's my own fault, really. During Part 1, I was taking a pretty minimal dose of a lower concentration progesterone cream - about 20mg per day. But I noticed that on some days my neck pain would return, and I was still gaining weight. I pored over every page of this website in hopes of another answer. Upon reading about the scads of women who'd been helped using massive dosages to get progesterone to achieve dominance, I ordered the more concentrated cream advertised on that site and waited (with my stilettos and whip in hand, - sorry Christian). Now the woman running this site is not a medical professional, but she DID have lots and lots of testimonials and was very consistent with the 'facts' in her responses to people in the forums. And she's been advising on progesterone therapy for like 14 years. It was a last ditch effort. You'd believe her too if you were as miserable as I was.
Welp, the stronger cream arrived. And about 2 minutes after the UPS truck drove away I lathered it on at the suggested higher dose of 200mg and all the ghosts came raging back. Immediately. To judge fairly, though, I should have stuck with it. Maybe it could have worked. Really, it could have. Maybe just 6 months more. But I just couldn't take it any longer, so I stopped cold turkey. It's been almost 2 months since I started this ridiculous experiment and I'm done. In fact, when I finally worked up the courage to stop, I actually took both bottles of cream that I had and threw them up on top of my really tall armoire so I couldn't get to them easily. I had become so desperate for the 'quick fix' that I still couldn't bring myself to throw them away, and I knew I'd rationalize digging into them again.
INSANITY
Now that I'm more sane (and I use that term loosely), I feel in my gut that my initial reaction to progesterone therapy (and pretty much every reaction since) is negative. There may be some glimmers here and there of fleeting symptomatic relief, but it all boils down to the fact that, overall, it's just not for me. And by the way, I have YET to find one reference to a woman who's lost the weight she gained while still using it. Not one.
I do have positive news to report since stopping the cream though:
- I am starting to release the water weight, and my clothes are fitting better. I am also using the scale to monitor things since I'm just basically looking for a frame of reference here. Down is good. That's it.
- My fatigue has pretty much disappeared.
- My cravings are in check as well.
- My joint pain is gradually subsiding.
- My mood has improved, and I don't cry at toilet paper commercials anymore. I also feel energized and not *meh*.
Unfortunately the zits have returned, but that is really all I can complain about right now. Still on both prescriptions for it, so wish me luck.
So, by now (if you're crazy enough to still be reading this) you're probably shaking your head saying, "Cassye you're off the rails. You started, then you stopped, then you started again and it was good. Now it's bad and you stopped AGAIN! I'm done listening to you because you are impatient and really just whacked."
I agree. I have felt a little like Sybil, even on my good days. I am so tired of thinking and talking about this crap, I'm about done with me too. But before I leave you, I have to reveal the reason why I believe numbers 1-5 above are happening right now. Except for 3. I have no idea about 3, but I will handle that if it changes.
It all harkens back to the basics. Eating well and exercising. I'll reference #4 in Part 1:
4. The fatigue is basically gone. That can also be attributed to the fact that I am back on schedule with my regular workouts, which we all know helps with that too.
I am back on schedule with my regular workouts, which we all know helps with that too. Hmm. Sounds familiar doesn't it? Sounds like what I tell you and all my clients, doesn't it? And if you are one of my clients, feel free to wag your finger at me next training session.
And what else does regular exercise help with? Well, kind readers, there's mood and joint pain. Yes, studies show a significant improvement for people with depression when they are active. And people with osteoarthritis tend to feel much better when they keep their joints moving. I neglected to mention that I do have some mild arthritis in my neck, knees and shoulders. In the wise words of my mentor Dr. Bill Sears, "motion is the lotion." And he's right. I notice a distinct increase in my joint pain and stiffness when I skip a workout. I just wasn't prepared to be THAT old yet.
I guess the main question at this point is: am I still estrogen dominant? Maybe, but in retrospect I feel like my body was doing an OK job adjusting to the changes, and my hope is that it will continue to do so. But as I've mentioned before, it's all one big experiment.
So, we're back to square one. And I mean really numero uno here. Eating clean and exercising. Consistently. Whew! So glad THAT'S over.
Have you tried progesterone cream? How did it go, did it work for you?
Disclaimer: I'm a medical nobody. This is an account of my personal experience, and what works for me may not work for you (and this may not even work for me either). Every woman is different. You should consult with your doctor before taking any type of supplement.
