Any known contraindications for supplementing progesterone?

Honeycomb

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Hi!
This is my first post. I have been on the forum reading over the last six months and found a lot of very useful information, links etc.

For a bit of background information - I am a 50 year old female and post menopausal (for about 2 years). My main current health issues are: not sleeping through the night/short nights, hair loss, bit underweight (lost 6kgs in the last 12 months), varicose veins... Recent blood tests showed super high cholesterol - Total cholesterol 309 & LDL cholesterol 243, TSH 0.38, Free T4 12.3.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. It was a triple negative cancer (where the cells don’t have receptors for either the hormones oestrogen and progesterone or the Her2 protein). The tumor was very large and I was very lucky that it hadn’t spread. I underwent surgery to remove the lump, then reluctantly had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I haven’t been on any medication since and all subsequent mammograms have been clear.

Apart from magnesium, I don’t take any supplements but I was thinking about trying progesterone. I have read a lot of Ray Peat’s works and think that progesterone could be beneficial but I am still hesitant. I am wondering if it is safe for me to take. The conventional advice is to stay clear off any hormone supplement after breast cancer. If someone can offer some input or point me in the right direction, I would be really thankful.

Thank you.
 

xeliex

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Welcome! Glad you are still with us. I lost my aunt to triple neg. Some folks on this forum think that all cancer, including triple neg is still related to estrogen.

Progesterone sometimes can cause people with goiters to go hyperthyroid for a small period of time and thus it's recommended to address the goiter first. Other than that, it might increase the cells' purging of estrogen into the blood stream for a short while as well.

Perhaps more people can chime in here, but I personally would not be afraid of using it nor recommending it to a loved one.
 
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Honeycomb

Honeycomb

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Thank you @xeliex. I know what you are saying regarding the potential relation of all cancers with estrogen.
I am having a daily carrot salad and cooked mushrooms regularly. I wasn’t aware of the effect of progesterone on goiter so thank you for pointing that out.
I am very sorry to hear that you lost your aunt to this horrible disease. I hope that she didn’t suffer too much.
I feel lucky and dealing with menopausal issues is a blessing!
If not taking progesterone, what would you recommend, if anything, to boost levels naturally?
 

xeliex

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Thank you 💖
I'd say good thyroid function and nourishing food. Your TSH looks good but given the high cholesterol, I'd personally evaluate for hypothyroidism using Broda Barnes" methods. I'd also check thyroid antibodies and T4 and T3. Broda Barnes has some very old and easy to read books on Amazon.
 
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Honeycomb

Honeycomb

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I have actually been meaning to read some Broda Barnes’ books @xeliex so thank you for that suggestion. I think I should. I have often thought of hypothyroidism myself.

General practitioners in the UK only test for TSH and Free T4. All my results, over the last 18 months, have been within “normal “ range.

I also recently saw a consultant in Metabolic Medicine. He ruled out an under active thyroid and said that the high cholesterol was likely inherited. I had a full lipid panel which showed some other problematic markers and there is also a history of CVD on my mother’s side. He offered testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia - and statins which I politely declined!

I should have other thyroid tests in view of my other symptoms.

He questioned under eating as a cause of hypercholesterolaemia but I do eat anything between 2000 and 2600 calories! I am focusing on good nutrition, eating enough and have cut out all thyroid suppressing foods.
 

Ildikó

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I have actually been meaning to read some Broda Barnes’ books @xeliex so thank you for that suggestion. I think I should. I have often thought of hypothyroidism myself.

General practitioners in the UK only test for TSH and Free T4. All my results, over the last 18 months, have been within “normal “ range.

I also recently saw a consultant in Metabolic Medicine. He ruled out an under active thyroid and said that the high cholesterol was likely inherited. I had a full lipid panel which showed some other problematic markers and there is also a history of CVD on my mother’s side. He offered testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia - and statins which I politely declined!

I should have other thyroid tests in view of my other symptoms.

He questioned under eating as a cause of hypercholesterolaemia but I do eat anything between 2000 and 2600 calories! I am focusing on good nutrition, eating enough and have cut out all thyroid suppressing foods.
I am postmenopausal and have had total hysterectomy 3 years ago. My cholesterol was very high over 350. Although my tsh was in normal range 1.4 but my resting heart rate and temperature was low. I started to take levo 50 mg and it did bring my tsh lower but my heart rate did not increase and my cholesterol did not decrease. I emailed to Dr. Peat and he said that taking just t4 will not decrease my cholesterol and make any difference in pulse, it is t3 the active thyroid hormone what will make a difference. So i ordered Cynomel and added to my t4. I was amazed that in farly short time it has lowered my cholesterol to normal range and my pulse is also increased. Unfortunately in my country endocrinologists do not prescribe t3, so i decided to be my own healer. I do not take huge amount of thyroid hormones only enough to raise my metabolism which lowers with age and also my total hysterectomy had to make me hypothyroid.
I do have private blood test once a year also to make sure everything is in range.
 
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Honeycomb

Honeycomb

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Hi @Ildikó ! Thank you so much for sharing this. That is such a positive story! I am glad that your cholesterol is now within the normal range (I was quite freaked out at my numbers and still am!) and your pulse has increased.

I think my pulse is okay but my temperature can be a little low, especially on rising. It varies a bit and always increases after meals. I know that it is definitely not optimal but I can see that eating a well balanced meal makes a difference. My TSH is 0.38 so I don’t think it needs lowering. My Free T4 is 12.3 which seems good too. Unfortunately I do not have a result for T3.

Over the last year and a half, my TSH has lowered. That is a good thing, isn’t it?

August 2022 - TSH 0.38 Free T4 12.3
April 2022 - TSH 0.52 Free T4 12.3
February 2022 - TSH 1.03 Free T4 12.9

October 2021 - TSH 0.61 Free T4 11.9
March 2021 - TSH 1.00. Free T4 12.0

Because my thyroid seems fine on paper, I started to think about progesterone and whether I should try it. I am just anxious about supplements in general because I had breast cancer 8 years ago.

Can I ask which country you buy Cynomel from? I don’t think that I will be able to get thyroid in the UK either. I would also have to go privately to check any other thyroid markers.
 

Neeters 27

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Thank you @xeliex. I know what you are saying regarding the potential relation of all cancers with estrogen.
I am having a daily carrot salad and cooked mushrooms regularly. I wasn’t aware of the effect of progesterone on goiter so thank you for pointing that out.
I am very sorry to hear that you lost your aunt to this horrible disease. I hope that she didn’t suffer too much.
I feel lucky and dealing with menopausal issues is a blessing!
If not taking progesterone, what would you recommend, if anything, to boost levels naturally?
You can only boost levels if you are still ovulating. nothing helps after menopause. once your ovaries quit their day job, that's it. the adrenal glands are supposed to make some but for most women we are tired and adrenals are weak. so it is necessary to take P. dont be afraid of it. I take Progesterone at quite high levels, for over 11 years now, plus i am hypo and take NDT. P never made my hyper, but sometimes if i take too much I will get a tad sweaty. it depends on how much I use. More when I do heavy workouts, and I admit i use it to help fall back asleep when my hubby wakes me at 4 am when he goes to work...Progesterone saved my life! I was low even in my 30s and 40s, had to take it during pregnancy.
 
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Honeycomb

Honeycomb

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Thank you for the advice @Neeters 27 I have read so many stories from women who say the exact same thing - it saved their lives! I have some Progest-e in a virtual basket ready to be purchased and I have also been contemplating the progesterone from Lifeblud. Which progesterone do you take? Do you have a preference for any particular product?
 

Ildikó

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Hi @Ildikó ! Thank you so much for sharing this. That is such a positive story! I am glad that your cholesterol is now within the normal range (I was quite freaked out at my numbers and still am!) and your pulse has increased.

I think my pulse is okay but my temperature can be a little low, especially on rising. It varies a bit and always increases after meals. I know that it is definitely not optimal but I can see that eating a well balanced meal makes a difference. My TSH is 0.38 so I don’t think it needs lowering. My Free T4 is 12.3 which seems good too. Unfortunately I do not have a result for T3.

Over the last year and a half, my TSH has lowered. That is a good thing, isn’t it?

August 2022 - TSH 0.38 Free T4 12.3
April 2022 - TSH 0.52 Free T4 12.3
February 2022 - TSH 1.03 Free T4 12.9

October 2021 - TSH 0.61 Free T4 11.9
March 2021 - TSH 1.00. Free T4 12.0

Because my thyroid seems fine on paper, I started to think about progesterone and whether I should try it. I am just anxious about supplements in general because I had breast cancer 8 years ago.

Can I ask which country you buy Cynomel from? I don’t think that I will be able to get thyroid in the UK either. I would also have to go privately to check any other thyroid markers.
Hi, i order my Cynomel from the Mexican Farmacia Del Nino's website. I have ordered several times without any problem, but the delivery time is around two month.
Your thyroid results look fine, (I am no expert) but if your waking temp is low and your cholesterol is high your body is probably not able to convert steroid hormones from your cholesterol. This is what i have understood from Dr Peats interviews.
In my case after taking low amount of t4, t3 my high cholesterol went right down to normal range.
I am taking progesterone also for my insomnia.
Unfortunately as we age we do seem to become a little hypothyroid, i do not mind to supplement a little bit, may be it prevent future heart problem also by lowering very high cholesterol.
I have read and listened every single article and youtube interview with Dr. Peat and have also read Broda Barnes book about hypothyroidism before i decided to take thyroid supp.
I hope you will also find a right solution to lower your cholesterol🙂
You could try to email to Dr. Peat, he has always replied when for my questions.
 
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Honeycomb

Honeycomb

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Thanks for your kind words and for sharing your experience @Ildikó I am going to order some Progest-e to start. It seems easy enough to find. Hopefully it will help me sleep better and help with stress too. Maybe I too should contact Ray Peat. Could you PM his email please? I would be very interested in his viewpoint. I have read a lot of his work and listened to many many podcasts. That is what I spent most of my time on this summer, trying to figure out my issues and learning/unlearning!

Chris Masterjohn lists cholesterol concentration in the liver, thyroid activity, insulin and inflammation as the 4 factors that control the LDL receptor. My blood tests show no issues with thyroid, insulin or inflammation. Liver function tests were fine too. That is why the lipid consultant thinks I may have familial hypercholesterolaemia.

I have 6 small meals/snacks per day, hopefully providing enough glucose to my liver. I am also trying to improve my blood lipids by replacing as much fat as I can with carbs and am eating lots of fruit. I am doing roughly 20% protein, 63% carbs, 17% fat. I am not sure that cutting down more on fat would make much of a difference. I could maybe try niacin and vitamin e to help regulate the cholesterol. My diet includes plenty of polyphenol and flavanone rich foods.

I will do some research on where to get some further thyroid testing, privately. Like you said, my super high cholesterol could just be a conversion to T3 issue.

You said you managed to lower your cholesterol levels in a fairly short time. Weeks? Months?

Thank you again!
 

Ildikó

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Thanks for your kind words and for sharing your experience @Ildikó I am going to order some Progest-e to start. It seems easy enough to find. Hopefully it will help me sleep better and help with stress too. Maybe I too should contact Ray Peat. Could you PM his email please? I would be very interested in his viewpoint. I have read a lot of his work and listened to many many podcasts. That is what I spent most of my time on this summer, trying to figure out my issues and learning/unlearning!

Chris Masterjohn lists cholesterol concentration in the liver, thyroid activity, insulin and inflammation as the 4 factors that control the LDL receptor. My blood tests show no issues with thyroid, insulin or inflammation. Liver function tests were fine too. That is why the lipid consultant thinks I may have familial hypercholesterolaemia.

I have 6 small meals/snacks per day, hopefully providing enough glucose to my liver. I am also trying to improve my blood lipids by replacing as much fat as I can with carbs and am eating lots of fruit. I am doing roughly 20% protein, 63% carbs, 17% fat. I am not sure that cutting down more on fat would make much of a difference. I could maybe try niacin and vitamin e to help regulate the cholesterol. My diet includes plenty of polyphenol and flavanone rich foods.

I will do some research on where to get some further thyroid testing, privately. Like you said, my super high cholesterol could just be a conversion to T3 issue.

You said you managed to lower your cholesterol levels in a fairly short time. Weeks? Months?

Thank you again!
I had my cholesterol lowered in about 4-5 month or so.
Dr. Peat advising niacinamide 5O mg a few times per day, he does not suggest to take niacin.
I do have Dr Peats email address, where can I send it to you?
 
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Honeycomb

Honeycomb

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Hello @Ildikó ! I would love to have Dr Peat’ email address but I am not sure how private messages work on the forum. Can you click on my profile picture and then maybe it’s “start a conversation”? Thanks.
 

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