Emotional mess!

[Shesjay]

Firstly, probably something only the ladies can help with -- I’d been on progest-e for about a week (3 drops 3-4x each day); I felt fine with it being a low dose and decided that was probably because I was also taking thyroid medication. However, yesterday I got my period after only 18 days. And now I’ve crashed – I know my stress hormones are quite high because I get eczema outbreaks, super emotional, restless sleep, nausea, loss of appetite, among other things. I'd never responded to stress like this prior to eating this way, even the eczema is new. But I’m also not eating any food that I’ve never had before. So I have no idea why. Anyone know what could cause this short cycle/crash?

I’ve been trying everything to lower stress hormones, and nothing seems to be working. I’m still gaining weight, even after 6 months of this stuff. I still can’t go for more than 2 hours without food, or an hour if I’m out and about. I don’t get hunger pangs, just feel super tired, or sore, or dizzy. I’m trying every Peat type of recommendation I’ve come across to lose weight and stabilise blood sugar. It’s not working. I’m just about ready to give up on this kind of "diet", but then I don’t really know what to eat. I am yet to find a medical professional who doesn’t blame my weight gain on the sugar that I’m eating - which probably is the problem, but I do wonder why my body isn’t using it properly, despite my efforts. I can't easily get lab tests, unfortunately.
(Sorry that all my posts on here are whinges, I don't know what to do or where to go for help! Maybe I should just start eating vegetables again??)

 

[j.]

Do you take thyroid?

 

[charlie]

It seems like women need a LOT of progest-e in the beginning. Smalls doses seem to make things feel worse.

 

[Shesjay]

Yeah I've been taking thyroid for 3 weeks now. Still on a low dose (1/2 cynomel throughout day, 1/6th cynoplus at night) but temps aren't budging.

I tried mega-dosing progest-e when I realised what was happening, but I guess I was too late. I thought that thyroid was supposed to turn into progesterone so I wouldn't need as much... I hope that these good things aren't turning into bad things.
If a small dose has caused me this, I've learnt my lesson!

 

[4peatssake]

If a small dose has caused me this, I've learnt my lesson!

I was an emotional basket case the first time I took Progest-E and yes, I didn't dose high enough for it to be effective against my estrogen dominance.

Pregnenolone was really helpful for me until I could regroup and begin dosing Progest-E again. I made sure to follow the recommendations to dose high and I take it now without any problem. It is very helpful.

I will say this - the first time, the low dose immediately regulated my period which had become nuisance, very heavy, clotting and coming every 2 weeks. I am permimenopausal. Sorry if this is TMI folks.

It is important to keep slowly raising thyroid as you monitor your pulse and temps.

If you haven't already done so, you may also wish to write Ray Peat for his input on your situation.

Good luck!!

 

[charlie]

Yeah I've been taking thyroid for 3 weeks now. Still on a low dose (1/2 cynomel throughout day, 1/6th cynoplus at night) but temps aren't budging.

3 weeks is not much time at all.

 

[j.]

I am permimenopausal. Sorry if this is TMI folks.

Don't worry, I don't even know what perimenopausal means.

 

[4peatssake]

Don't worry, I don't even know what perimenopausal means.

which then leads to the following, in no particular order. :P

 

[Shesjay]

Lol ^

I was an emotional basket case the first time I took Progest-E and yes, I didn't dose high enough for it to be effective against my estrogen dominance.

Pregnenolone was really helpful for me until I could regroup and begin dosing Progest-E again. I made sure to follow the recommendations to dose high and I take it now without any problem. It is very helpful.

Okay thanks, I'm still deciding whether to try pregnenalone or not. I just worry that it would go down the wrong hormonal pathway, or it wouldn't do anything because I'm young. I used progesterone last cycle at about double the dose of this cycle, and was okay - dosing 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. But this time I have symptoms of endometriosis, again. Guess that is probably from estrogen dominance.

3 weeks is not much time at all.

I know, I was counting on my calendar expecting 6 weeks or so! Nope. I still thought that 3 weeks was enough time to notice an improvement of some sort. I feel like I'm going backwards.

 

[Mittir]

Progesterone increases thyroid hormone release from gland and you are taking thyroid. It is possible
you are having hyperthyroid symptoms now. Check your pulse and temperature to be sure
if you are in hyperthyroid state.Also check other symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

 

[Shesjay]

My temperatures tend to be around 36.4C (97.5) during the day.
In the tropics.

 

[Mittir]

RP recommended not to use progesterone if there is swollen thyroid glands.
Are you having 34.6 C after using both progesterone and thyroid?
You can ask Ray Peat about your condition.
You can check Rayser's posts. She did a lot of posts on
female hormonal issues.

 

[Shesjay]

Okay, thank you, again. Rayser's posts are good info.
When I changed my diet to have adequate nutrition and stuff I noticed that my temperatures would go up after meals. Since taking thyroid it's been going down after meals, and then not rising again. So yeah, after thyroid, but not progesterone. I know that when my temp's do rise, it's adrenaline. Like, just 30mins ago I had a bowl of fruit/coconut oil & a glass of milk, am very warm but my hands are going cold. It's so confusing.

 

[gretchen]

Have you tried aspirin? The carrot also seems to help; you might try 2 a day if 1 doesn't work for you.

 

[Shesjay]

Thanks gretchen - yes I've been having 2 (small) carrots a day and just added a daily aspirin or 2 back in. I'll continue with that.

 

[Shesjay]

Ahhh sorry to bump this - I didn't want to start a new post;
I just got my period AGAIN after 16 days. What? Why? I just started progesterone a few days ago, again - as a high dose. I'm quite confused. Any ladies had the same problem? Or know what could be happening?
My cycles only started again in June this year (after amenorrhoea). They were then normal for 3 months...

 

[LucyL]

16 days is about the time of ovulation, so its likely "breakthrough bleeding". I was using progesterone for close to a year for irregular menses, (prescribed by my obgyn) and began to have similar bleeding at about the 2 week mark. My obgyn retired and the new one said progesterone could thin out the lining of the uterus and make breakthrough bleeding much more likely. I didn't run that past Ray Peat, but it would be very interesting to. The new obgyn suggested stopping the progesterone, which I did. To soon to say though it that will solve the issue.

An ultrasound did reveal a thinnish lining (about 4 mm, when anything up to 25 is normal), so it seemed rational. Ray Peat told me once that one shouldn't have to use progesterone long term. Instead try to find out why there is a progesterone deficiency.

 

[Shesjay]

Thank you LucyL - it's good to know that this does happen. Though, it seems like for me it is the actual period. It's reasonably heavy and very, very painful. I think it may be endometriosis again based off the number of areas I have the pain (last night it was horrible all around my belly button and I felt so sick). I think that I should see a gyno. I'm just so confused that this can happen on the progesterone - and a high dose at that. I know for me, being on the pill for a couple of years (for suspected endometriosis & PCOS, hah) made me progesterone deficient. My body was then very undernourished so I guess the estrogen went nuts. I'm wanting to contact RP about it but he didnt answer my last email (3 weeks ago), so I'm scared that he's busy!

 

[HDD]

Hi Shesjay,

Here is a post from Rayser who has a lot of experience with Progest-e-, in case you didn't read this one.

"
....... I know of several women who have been using large amounts of progest-e-complex every day for years. Most of them got the recommendation from Ray Peat himself (like me). It cured them of several conditions. PMS, PCOS, infertility, endometriosis, myoma, cysts, osteoporosis, depression, migraines, heavy bleeding, no bleeding, scar tissue after surgery or other tissue trauma ... There are no negative effects from using progesterone. Ray Peat says there is the possibility of overdosing which would make you euphoric or tired. 19 women I know very well are using progest-e-complex, many of them on occasion a bottle in one to three days and not one of them ever felt tired or euphoric. You do feel mentally stable, not teary or insecure or helpless. If you feel like that when you use less, it's a sign you should use more. After I while you find out for yourself how much you need to be comfortable and that's usually a sign that you have the right dosage to repair inner damage as well.
I know it can be scary to "use hormones". The name alone has a bad reputation because of estrogen's and insulin's terrible effects. But as far as I can tell after four years of using progest-e-complex and recommending it to others: There are no negative effects. I doubt I would say that about any other supplement or drug. If you have any questions, you can always ask."

 

[HDD]

And some more important information from Rayser...

Re: Progest-E supplementation & menstrual cycle.
by Rayser » Wed Jul 10, 2013 7:38 am

"..........She was using one bottle of progest-e a week for a year. For the first half year her cycle didn't change though she was using progesterone every day and the amount was approximately the same every day. I think it has to do with the amount of protein you eat and how your thyroid gland works. If you don't get enough protein and don't have a fairly well working thyroid gland the progesterone cannot be used appropriately.It should be easy to find the dosage you would need to counter estrogen. When you get your menstruation, increase the dosage of progest-e until you stop bleeding.
I think it can be therapeutically necessary and healing to use a huge amount of progest-e every day and suppress the cycle for a while. But in the long run I think it's smart to use a moderate dosage every day. It will increase your own progesterone production and your hormonal cycle will not be disturbed."


I am menopausal so I do not have much personal experience that would help but Rayser's posts have a lot of helpful information. You also might find some good information on progest-e from Peatarian's posts.