low progesterone, and low estrogen

tara

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Hi Faymus,

Sorry you're having a hard time with this. It is a big deal. :grouphug

A few things that I've gleaned from Peat that may differ from some endocrinologists views:

Estrogen has it's place, but to much of it for too long tends to cause a whole lot of unwanted effects. There are a lot of other chemicals around that have estrogenic effects too. Estrogens are not safe supplements. Progesterone is generally protective of health (your's and eventually your baby's). If there is enough of it, it helps counteract and protect against excess estrogen.

Progestogens are not the same as progesterone. Your body makes progesterone. Progestogens are somewhat different synthetic chemicals that may have some similar effects to progesterone, but usually also have some other negative effects. Some of those other effects are sometimes more like estrogen. If your dr recommends progestogen supplements, you can either see if s/he will prescribe a bio-identical progesterone supplement, or you can get progest-e yourself. Lots of people here use that (including me). (I only mentioned chaste tree yesterday because I think you refered to it. I don't know uch about it, so I'm not particularly recommending it. Progest-e is definitely progesterone and a more direct way of approaching it.)

True estrogen levels don't always show up in blood tests, because at some times of our lives more of it is tucked away inside other tissues (causing trouble). Sometimes there can be too high estrogen in tissues, with not enough progesterone to counter it. So a low estrogen blood test doesn't necessarily mean you are low in estrogen. In menopause, women often have too much estrogen for the lower level of progesterone available to safely deal with it. (Peat has an article on tissue-bound estrogen on his web site.)

The standard ranges for thyroid hormones that endocrinologists often go by usually say that much higher levels of TSH for instance is 'normal' than Peat thinks is consistent with healthy metabolism. If you can get all the actual numbers for the thyroid tests you've had, you can get opinions on them here if you want.

I think I have read that some women have delayed (and maybe reversed?) menopause by supplementing progesterone.
Also, (from youreatopia, not from Peat) young who have lost their periods by severe undereating or overexcercising usually eventually get their periods back when they eat enough and stop exercising. I don't know if this applies to you, but if it does, there is a good chance that you can get your reproductive hormones going again by addressing this. Thyroid hormones also get suppressed by undereating/overexercising, and they often improve too, with a reliably good fuel supply.

I would not recommend getting into an argument with your drs or endocrinologists. Some of them can apparently be touchy if they feel challenged, and you want them on your side. Do get as much information from them as you can, including numbers, as you have, but don't take their advice as gospel.
 

Blossom

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Faymus said:
Hi blossom,

Yes Thankyou hopefully they will start to do more investigations into finding out if I really am menopausal.

You know when you say many of you have resolved menopause symptoms? You don't mean you stopped yourselves from going through menopause do you?

I would love to reverse or stop it from happening so I can have children if it's not already happened.

Thankyou for you message. It's given me hope. Thankyou.
I think I will eventually go through actual menopause at a more appropriate age but when I was diagnosed as being in menopause I was in my early 40's. Maybe I was menopausal by conventional medical standards but I have managed to revive my remaining ovary (similar to Lindsay) making diet and lifestyle changes based on studying Peat's work. I guess I'm just encouraging you to exhaust all options before giving up. I didn't know about Peat when I lost my uterus in my 30's and I feel strongly that if I had known then what I know now I could have probably avoided all of that. I'm not trying to give you any false hope since I don't know all of the details of your situation but I think having some glimmer of hope and researching things ourselves can NEVER hurt. I'm wishing you the best.
 
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rtrollinger

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Hi Moss!

Thanks for your input. I'm still struggling along, progressing as far as the food is concerned (now I'm up to 114 pounds, gaining 15 pounds+ in the past 6 months). I haven't been taking many days off from the gym, it really is a release for me. And I have been doing it half as much cardiovascular (making sure my heart rate doesn't get to high), and I have been keeping my calories up, at least 2,500-3,000 cal. It seems so strange to not limit myself as far as food is concerned. The veins are still there but not as bad, arms and legs. I'be been researching recovering from an eating disorder and it seems that in some people veins are there because your body needs a lot of energy/heat and that relates to veins dilating and coming to the surface. Basically I'm trying to trust that my body has a balance (hormones, esp.) I'm not trying to lose weight when I go to the gym, I'm getting more and more comfortable with my body larger than it was. The next step for me is to let go of control-issues I have with my body; one step at a time, for me it is extraordinary that I have come this far. And for me, self-compassion is a big thing. I'm trying to not make going to the gym my only enjoyment for the day. I have branched out and am enjoying other things in life. Sorry to make this sound like therapy, but it kinda is each time I tell a bit of my story! ☺
Rachel
 

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