themartian1000
Member
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2021
- Messages
- 96
I was put on a benzo for insomnia short term and taken off cold turkey. I discovered later than my problem was likely low progesterone and low thyroid (based on lab results, which are corrected now but too late). The result was ten months of the worst torture imaginable. Eventually, I was put on pregabalin and then able to function but it all comes at a price. I am now working to slowly taper pregabalin, restore brain function and get my life back. My main symptoms are anxiety, extreme sensitivity to stimulation, exercise intolerance, and some autonomic nervous system imbalance (heart pounding after eating and randomly). I have been following Ray Peat and this forum for many years now, but have only been a member a short time and this is my first post. I have been helped so many times by this terrific community, and am hoping to hear your thoughts.
I have been using high dose progesterone to stop my cycles. The fluctuation in progesterone and allopreganolone caused severe anxiety that was preventing brain healing. I take 200mg oral progesterone (prometrium) twice daily and have also tried suppositories as well as Progest E. I know when my progesterone is stable based on Oura ring data showing a body temperature of + 0.1 - +0.5. This was a better option for me than birth control as I consider progestins to be toxic and detrimental. This has been a game changer, but I am not sure that high dose progesterone is sustainable.
I am wondering if it would be better for brain healing to switch to high dose pregnenolone for a while, tapering off progesterone (but keeping a maintenance level). As I understand it, the body and brain should use the pregnenolone to make what is needed, perhaps balancing out what I need after using so much progesterone. I have seen studies using as much as 500mg, but am just uncertain about it.
As for the other areas to address, I take 5mcg T3 in the morning and noon and 1/2 Cynoplus in the early evening. My labs show a TSH of 1.8 (a bit higher than ideal), T3 mid range and T4 low mid range. Progesterone is a big high, estrogen normal but at the low end, DHEA-S mid range, other labs normal. So not too bad. I take CoQ10, K2, and niacinamide. I limit PUFA, try to get 100g of protein daily including gelatin, drink mostly orange juice and milk and drink a bit of caffeine in the morning.
Main questions:
1) Is pregnenolone a good idea for me to help heal my brain, maintain high allopregnanolone (I feel I need this right now), balance other neurosteroids and help reduce progesterone to a more reasonable level
2) Has anyone else used high dose progesterone to stop cycles? It's a miracle for me, but haven't really seen it done much
3) Is there anything else I can do to heal my brain, reduce glutamate, repair receptors (both glutamate and GABA), and restore my health. I was a mentally and physically healthy insomniac before and now, due to pharmaceuticals, I am nowhere near where I was even 14 months later.
Thanks!
I have been using high dose progesterone to stop my cycles. The fluctuation in progesterone and allopreganolone caused severe anxiety that was preventing brain healing. I take 200mg oral progesterone (prometrium) twice daily and have also tried suppositories as well as Progest E. I know when my progesterone is stable based on Oura ring data showing a body temperature of + 0.1 - +0.5. This was a better option for me than birth control as I consider progestins to be toxic and detrimental. This has been a game changer, but I am not sure that high dose progesterone is sustainable.
I am wondering if it would be better for brain healing to switch to high dose pregnenolone for a while, tapering off progesterone (but keeping a maintenance level). As I understand it, the body and brain should use the pregnenolone to make what is needed, perhaps balancing out what I need after using so much progesterone. I have seen studies using as much as 500mg, but am just uncertain about it.
As for the other areas to address, I take 5mcg T3 in the morning and noon and 1/2 Cynoplus in the early evening. My labs show a TSH of 1.8 (a bit higher than ideal), T3 mid range and T4 low mid range. Progesterone is a big high, estrogen normal but at the low end, DHEA-S mid range, other labs normal. So not too bad. I take CoQ10, K2, and niacinamide. I limit PUFA, try to get 100g of protein daily including gelatin, drink mostly orange juice and milk and drink a bit of caffeine in the morning.
Main questions:
1) Is pregnenolone a good idea for me to help heal my brain, maintain high allopregnanolone (I feel I need this right now), balance other neurosteroids and help reduce progesterone to a more reasonable level
2) Has anyone else used high dose progesterone to stop cycles? It's a miracle for me, but haven't really seen it done much
3) Is there anything else I can do to heal my brain, reduce glutamate, repair receptors (both glutamate and GABA), and restore my health. I was a mentally and physically healthy insomniac before and now, due to pharmaceuticals, I am nowhere near where I was even 14 months later.
Thanks!