Hi Faymus,
Sorry you're having a hard time with this. It is a big deal.
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.
Sorry you're having a hard time with this. It is a big deal.
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.