Progesterone [Sedation, Dosage]

[velo]

Hello everyone, I have another thread active with some more information about my diet/hormonal tests etc but have a very specific question and would appreciate any advice, didn't manage to find anything specific while googling.

I started to take a slightly higher dose of progesterone (after taking three drops of progest-e for two months and not noticing any difference). I have PCOS. And already the first day after the fourth dose of three drops (36 ml total progesterone) it completely knocked me out. I am so exhausted I can barley talk. I don't feel particularly bad, more like totally high/sedated. Kind of like waking up from surgery. Coffee usually makes me a bit jittery but I already drank three today but don't feel a thing from it, very funny feeling!

Its been two days now and I still feel the same way. I read about an overdose being sedative but how can such a low dose (recommendation was to take 100 ml-150 ml daily) for me who seems to also be gravely lacking progesterone, have this effect? And more importantly how long before it wears off? How would one continue to dose?

Any help would be very appreciated!

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Hi velo...I can only speak from my personal experience, but when I first started Progest-E I had the sedated feeling and also a strange float-y sensation like my head was not attached to my body, kinda dizzy like.

It all went away eventually, I don't recall exactly how long it took, maybe a couple of weeks? Now when I use Progest-E it simply makes me feel very warm and mellow. Hang in there!

 

[Peata]

My first time or two with it, I had a drunk feeling that lasted more than 24 hours. I stopped taking it until it faded away. After that, when I took it I never got that drunk feeling again. And I have taken some very high doses of it.

 

[Stilgar]

the first time i took it I took a lot, and felt very high indeed. I was madly euphoric, bouncy, happy and giggly, and felt drunk. And I subsequently fell asleep, and was so tired I couldn't finish my dinner. I actually loved this feeling. I have never been so lacking anxiety as my first few days on progesterone.

Since then I can take the same amount and not have such an extreme effect. I kind of miss it, because it was lovely to feel that intense relaxation after so long as an anxious person. I can now take many many drops a day (more like large globs than drops!), multiple times a day, and have no sedation, only relaxation.

Hang in there, indeed! The long-term is more than worth it.

 

[tara]

People seem very different with how much progest-e it takes to have an effect. The only time I've experienced something like you describe was when I'd taken a lot more - can't remember exactly but maybe 80-100mg, to try to deal with a migraine. The doziness was probably also part of the migraine process, but with the progest-e it was really hard to find the energy to move at all. (Didnt stop the migraine, unfortunately.)

In addition to other possible effects, I wonder if it could be you have been so used to running on stress hormones, when you reduced them with progest-e you got to feel how much you've really been needing to rest. Maybe you just really badly needed to catch up on your sleep, and your body was letting you know?

You should be able to avoid excessive sedation by just taking a very small dose, and waiting a bit before taking more. Make sure you are eating enough to support it - for me, progest-e without sufficient sugar available in my system did not feel good. (I only did that once.)

 

[velo]

Hello everyone, thanks for the comforting responses.. "glad" to hear people have experienced the same thing.

I went down to three drops a day like before, still feel this very tired feeling and a worsening of my symptoms and some new low thyroid symptoms, dandruff, throat tightness, my cysts are more painful, body temperature are lower, slower heart rate etc.. I understood that the progesterone can make things temporarily worse but it feels a bit counter intuitive to continue to take it. Could it be that it is just not for me? I seem to react very strongly to it anyway.

 

[Velve921]

I am not as in tuned with physiology yet but I have heard Dr. Peat discuss how progesterone can act on the same receptors as estrogen. I believe this is why he recommends to slowly start increasing progest e as high doses can increase estrogen symptoms. Based on your symptoms that very much could be the case.

I also agree with Tara, when I started doing progest e before bed time it completely chilled me out! So there is a chance that you could be going through what I like to call an "adrenaline or estrogen dump"...

During my first 2 months of following Peat's lifestyle recommendation, I was so far gone that I could take a quarter of a T3 at 2am and it would put me to sleep. (not good) I also tried progest e before bed for a couple months and initially it sedated me hard! But then it eventually wore off and had no effect.

I would possibly conclude that your body is dumping stress do to the pro metabolic, protective effects of progesterone and the body is trying to resist.

I would agree with everyone...hang tight Velo! I would suggest staying as consistent with your metabolic support as possible. I agree with Tara in making sure sugar content is sufficient to support healing.

Some other possible thoughts to help:

Sunlight or red light - I like to do 1 egg with 8oz of OJ and salt while being stimulated. I notice this really increases feeling of well being when I do this combination.
Epsom Salt Bath - I think this could help with any body aches as well as reduce high estrogen effects. Before bed time is when I prefer. I usually do 2 baths a week with 4lbs per bath.
Coffee Cocktail - Coffee + coconut oil + sugar + gelatin (I find coconut oil with coffee is great for mental clarity)
1 Raw Carrot a day - keep estrogen levels low in the intestine.

As I do not know the rest of your lifestyle these are just some generic thoughts. I would love to hear everyone elses thoughts as well.

 

[Velve921]

Just found this clip...think this might give more reassurance as to what could be happening:

 

[tara]

I am not as in tuned with physiology yet but I have heard Dr. Peat discuss how progesterone can act on the same receptors as estrogen. I believe this is why he recommends to slowly start increasing progest e as high doses can increase estrogen symptoms. Based on your symptoms that very much could be the case.

I understood the opposite - that too low a start can cause issues, by releasing estrogen into circulation but being insufficient to adequately oppose it. I think Peat has suggested starting higher then tappering down as symptoms come under control.
https://www.longnaturalhealth.com/sites ... ctions.pdf

 

[Velve921]

Tara,

Thank you for correcting me. I was mistaken about dr. Peats recommendation!

I know from my experience starting slow worked for me and one of my mentors has expressed the same thing when he's been working with some women.

I guess also naturally I think when increasing the metabolism with thyroid, pregnenolone of progesterone slow implementation is better as to make sure metabolic support from diet is sufficent. However, I trust Dr. peats judgement of that's what he recommends.

Thanks Tara!

 

[velo]

Hello, thanks for the great response. I really recognize myself in your description.. except for some physical symptoms my biggest symptom is being super tired, and every supplement or dietary change seems to make me more tired! Prog-e, anti-histamine, aspirin, coffee (somehow also makes me tired!) so it feels so counter intuitive often to continue. I'm sure I'll find the right combination in the end.

I must have timed my ovulation wrong as my period is now 4 days late. I wonder now, I stopped taking the progesterone for my period to start as per the 14 day on/off reccomendation.. but all the PMS symptoms I take the progesterone for just started now instead. They were indeed gone for the time I was taking a higher dose (50-100 mg day), but maybe it was just because I didn't even ovulate.. am a bit confused now as if to continue to take it, or stop. I am in now some kind of greyzone, where I stopped taking it to get a period, but the period doesn't come, and instead I get the pms symptoms.. any advice would be appreciated..

I am not as in tuned with physiology yet but I have heard Dr. Peat discuss how progesterone can act on the same receptors as estrogen. I believe this is why he recommends to slowly start increasing progest e as high doses can increase estrogen symptoms. Based on your symptoms that very much could be the case.

I also agree with Tara, when I started doing progest e before bed time it completely chilled me out! So there is a chance that you could be going through what I like to call an "adrenaline or estrogen dump"...

During my first 2 months of following Peat's lifestyle recommendation, I was so far gone that I could take a quarter of a T3 at 2am and it would put me to sleep. (not good) I also tried progest e before bed for a couple months and initially it sedated me hard! But then it eventually wore off and had no effect.

I would possibly conclude that your body is dumping stress do to the pro metabolic, protective effects of progesterone and the body is trying to resist.

I would agree with everyone...hang tight Velo! I would suggest staying as consistent with your metabolic support as possible. I agree with Tara in making sure sugar content is sufficient to support healing.

Some other possible thoughts to help:

Sunlight or red light - I like to do 1 egg with 8oz of OJ and salt while being stimulated. I notice this really increases feeling of well being when I do this combination.
Epsom Salt Bath - I think this could help with any body aches as well as reduce high estrogen effects. Before bed time is when I prefer. I usually do 2 baths a week with 4lbs per bath.
Coffee Cocktail - Coffee + coconut oil + sugar + gelatin (I find coconut oil with coffee is great for mental clarity)
1 Raw Carrot a day - keep estrogen levels low in the intestine.

As I do not know the rest of your lifestyle these are just some generic thoughts. I would love to hear everyone elses thoughts as well.

 

[linz]

People seem very different with how much progest-e it takes to have an effect. The only time I've experienced something like you describe was when I'd taken a lot more - can't remember exactly but maybe 80-100mg, to try to deal with a migraine. The doziness was probably also part of the migraine process, but with the progest-e it was really hard to find the energy to move at all. (Didnt stop the migraine, unfortunately.)

In addition to other possible effects, I wonder if it could be you have been so used to running on stress hormones, when you reduced them with progest-e you got to feel how much you've really been needing to rest. Maybe you just really badly needed to catch up on your sleep, and your body was letting you know?

You should be able to avoid excessive sedation by just taking a very small dose, and waiting a bit before taking more. Make sure you are eating enough to support it - for me, progest-e without sufficient sugar available in my system did not feel good. (I only did that once.)

I realize this is years past…but I would love to know why sugar is important for taking progesterone. I took a 40mg dose (I’m postpartum and need a boost) the other night and it gave me insomnia and a racing heart beat until I ate honey and cheese. I figured I hadn’t had enough to eat that day, but why would that make such an effect?

 

[equipoise]

I realize this is years past…but I would love to know why sugar is important for taking progesterone. I took a 40mg dose (I’m postpartum and need a boost) the other night and it gave me insomnia and a racing heart beat until I ate honey and cheese. I figured I hadn’t had enough to eat that day, but why would that make such an effect?

Increased metabolic rate and demand of certain nutrients goes up (namely calcium and magnesium).

 

[Happycat]

Reminder from the Godmother of Progesterone, Dr. Katharina Dalton:
"progesterone receptors cannot transport or bind to, a molecule of progesterone if there has been a drop in blood sugar"
"progesterone receptors do not transport progesterone molecules into the nucleus of cells if adrenaline is present".

If you apply progesterone and you are fasting or skip a meal and have a drop in blood sugar, where do you think that progesterone goes?
1. To progesterone heaven
2. Cortisol

 

[equipoise]

Reminder from the Godmother of Progesterone, Dr. Katharina Dalton:
"progesterone receptors cannot transport or bind to, a molecule of progesterone if there has been a drop in blood sugar"
"progesterone receptors do not transport progesterone molecules into the nucleus of cells if adrenaline is present".

If you apply progesterone and you are fasting or skip a meal and have a drop in blood sugar, where do you think that progesterone goes?
1. To progesterone heaven
2. Cortisol

Carbs up!

 

[linz]

Increased metabolic rate and demand of certain nutrients goes up (namely calcium and magnesium).

Thank you!

Reminder from the Godmother of Progesterone, Dr. Katharina Dalton:
"progesterone receptors cannot transport or bind to, a molecule of progesterone if there has been a drop in blood sugar"
"progesterone receptors do not transport progesterone molecules into the nucleus of cells if adrenaline is present".

If you apply progesterone and you are fasting or skip a meal and have a drop in blood sugar, where do you think that progesterone goes?
1. To progesterone heaven
2. Cortisol

Thank you, looks like I need to read her book before I try again!