Hormones

Hormone imbalance is a real issue today that most doctors do not recognize. If you think you are imbalanced, you probably are - your intuition is one of your best resources. You can get a saliva test online which you can do at home. It's the most accurate way to measure. www.salivatest.com

My doc was going to put me on an anti-dep. and when I said no to that she gave me the birth control pill which worked but not without a host of side effects. birth control isn't the best option. I went off the pill and now use a bioidentical hormone balance cream. It started working in 1 month and it's completely changed my life!

I tried to cut and paste a document into this message below and it lost all the formatting and pictures. I can email it directly to you as a word document attachement. It's worth reading and lists some other resources too. My email address is ____@____.com. I would be happy to send the doc. to anyone that wants it -- also I can help direct you to a great hormone balance cream.

INTRODUCTION TO HORMONE BALANCE

The following is for hormone information taken from Dr. John Lee�s books and Dr.David Zava�s website.
Consult your professional health practitioner for medical advice.

The key to hormone health for men and women is BALANCE. Hormones are the messenger molecules that enter the bloodstream and seek cells with receptor sites into which they fit perfectly and in harmony. Hormones affect all parts of the body. They are intimately related to each other, each one being made from another hormone or turned back into another hormone, depending upon the need of the body. One hormone leads to another.

Progesterone is needed to make all other hormones. Progesterone is recommended by Dr. Lee for everyone regardless of hormone imbalance problem. Testosterone is created from DHEA, pregnenolone, progesterone, and androstenedione. What about �Estrogen Dominance� or too much estrogen? Progesterone creates balance. Progesterone is added to allow the body to heal and make its own estrogens. Bodies will heal themselves with the proper natural hormone therapy supplements�in balance.

PROGESTERONE

Progesterone and Estrogen are linked and must be in balance. Progesterone declines in aging, and declines at a much earlier age than previously thought. Low levels of progesterone are now being seen in both men and women. Progesterone must be present in the body to manufacture other hormones. Thus the 1st and natural hormone therapy is always Progesterone or some formula of USP Progesterone (20 mg/use or about 450 mg/oz.)

Prescription Progestin drugs are NOT progesterone. The actual progesterone molecule is not in nature outside the human body. The actual molecule can be synthesized using the Marker degradation process in a laboratory from wild yams or soybeans (Arbonne uses USP Progesterone from soy). The resulting molecule then is neither wild yam or soy. The result of the synthesis is a bioidentical molecule, USP Progesterone. This is why �wild yam creams� are not effective. Use only formulas providing USP ingredients and methods.

A large number of young women have too much estrogen and not enough progesterone at the end of a cycle. Fertility problems, PMS, migraines, and risk of hormone cancers can occur. Progesterone cream is of great benefit in PMS..

John R. Lee, M.D., successfully treated female patients with natural progesterone cream for over 15 years. Dr. Lee has defined the signs of progesterone deficiency for women to include swollen breasts, depression, low thyroid, fibrocystic breasts, water retention, weight gain, and loss of libido. Jerilyn C. Pryor, M.D., an endocrinology professor at the University of British Columbia, found through testing that 50 percent of the women in North America are severly deficient in progesterone by age 35 and that, during the menopausal years, progesterone levels decrease to almost zero while estrogen levels only decrease by 40 to 60 percent. Dr. Lee defines this syndrome as �estrogen dominance.� When this hormone imbalance occurs, the estrogen becomes toxic to the body. Treatment with natural progesterone restores the balance between these two main female hormones, eliminating the need for synthetic hormone therapy and the undesirable side effects.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I SHOULD USE PROGESTERONE?

What is the most effective way to get progesterone? The most effective method of restoring physiological levels of natural progesterone is by transdermal (via the skin) cream.

If you have PMS symptoms. PMS symptoms are those symptoms which occur consistently a week or 10 days before the period and stop with or shortly thereafter.

If you have Estrogen Dominance symptoms. These symptoms are water retention, breast swelling, fibrocystic breasts, uterine fibroids, loss of libido, mood swings, depression, craving for sweets, and weight gain, fat deposits at hips and thighs.

If you have had a hysterectomy, oophorectomy, (removal of ovaries) or menopausal symptoms. Many women experience hot flashes following a premenopausal, hysterectomy and in the beginning of the natural onset of menopause. Natural progesterone cream is effective for relieving the symptoms of hot flashes. Most women have reported a complete cessation of flushing within 3 to 8 weeks. After menopause, estrogen continues to be produced from the fat cells; however, progesterone production virtually ends.

Osteoporosis. Women over 50 years of age should use natural progesterone cream to prevent osteoporosis.

Where should I apply natural progesterone cream? Natural progesterone cream in a moisturizing cream can be applied to the face, hands, chest, breasts, inner arms or soles of feet. The cream is readily absorbed and leaves no trace after a few minutes. During absorption the cream the cream bypasses the liver and goes to specific receptor sites where progesterone is needed. A one-inch strip from the pump is equal to � tsp.

WHEN DO I USE NATURAL PROGESTERONE CREAM?

If you are still menstruating, use � teaspoon of cream twice a day after ovulation (which is generally 12-14 days from the first day of menstrual flow) until day 26. You do not use natural progesterone while menstruating; however, if you experience menstrual cramps try rubbing a small amount of cream on the lower abdomen. For migraines, rub cream of the back of your neck.

If you have endometriosis or uterine fibroids, use � to � teaspoon of cream twice per day beginning on the 8th day from day one of menstruation until day 26. (After 6 months, strat using cream 12 days from day 1 of menstruation until day 26.)

If you have menopausal symptoms and are not menstruating, have osteoporosis or for prevention of osteoporosis; use based on calendar month. Use 1/8 teaspoon twice per day beginning on the 8th day of each calendar month and continue for the remainder of the month.

Does natural progesterone help vaginal dryness? Yes

What exactly is natural progesterone and how does it differ from synthetic progesterone? Arbonne natural progesterone comes from soy. It matches exactly the chemical formulation of the body�s own progesterone and thus causes no side effects.

Manufacturers of synthetic progesterone alter the chemical makeup of progesterone in order to create progestins. Progestins in their altered molecular structure may cause many side effects, such as birth defects, abortion, fluid retention, epilepsy, migraine, asthma, cardiac or kidney dysfunction and depression.

Should estrogen be used without progesterone? Definitely not. It is very important that natural progesterone be used with any form of estrogen. Estrogen without progesterone can cause endometrial and vaginal cancers. Estrogen blocks thyroid production and causes water retention; and it can cause fibrocystic breast disease and even fibroid tumors and cysts in the ovary area.

Can natural progesterone be used during pregnancy? The cream is not only safe for use during pregnancy but is recommended to help maintain pregnancy. From conception use � to � teaspoon twice a day. Discontinue about two weeks before scheduled delivery time. Apply primarily to abdomen, breasts, low back and upper thighs (where it will tend to prevent the skin from stretching). Resume cream no sooner than one month after delivery if post-partum depression occurs. Use 1/8 teaspoon twice per day for three weeks each month as women not menstruating use. Otherwise, you may no need the cream until after you begin to cycle again: use � teaspoon of cream days 12 through 26 as women menstruating.

I�m post menopausal, will I start menstruating again if I use natural hormones? Occasionally, upon beginning use of natural hormone supplement, a post menopausal women could experience some breakthrough bleeding, or a �period.� This is a perfectly normal response and is nothing to cause alarm. The progesterone is simply causing the body to rid itself of excess stored estrogen which can sometimes stimulate a uterine shedding � thus breakthrough bleeding. If this continues for longer than several months, you should consult a physician.

Can young girls use natural progesterone? Yes. Low estrogen levels can adversely affect the general health of girls between the ages of 9 and 13. For a year or more before the onset of menstruation, blood calcium levels are so low that young girls often develop symptoms associated with menarche, which are usually accepted as normal behavior: emotional outbursts, irritable and temperamental behavior, and compulsive consumption of sweets. During puberty, the maturing ovaries require calcium to produce estrogen, thus diverting calcium from metabolic requirements. Introducing natural progesterone at this time will alleviate most of the symptoms mentioned above. Continued used of natural progesterone through the teenage years will maintain a high level of wellness with few or no PMS complaints.

Can I use natural progesterone if my family has a history of breast cancer? Yes. Breast cancer and endometrial cancer occur in tissues sensitive to gonadal hormones. Unopposed estrogen is the only known cause of endrometrial cancer, though other factors may be involved. Estrogen, or at least one or more of the various estrogens, may contribute to breast cancer. Progesterone balances the estrogen level in the body, thus lessening the risk.

Please note: Everyone is different. Some women require more progesterone cream to alleviate symptoms, while others can use less. For the first 3 months, use � teaspoon twice a day for your determined number of days. After 3 months, reduce the amount of cream: Women who are not menstruating or have had a hysterectomy, use 1/8 teaspoon twice per day for three weeks each month.

For women who are menstruating amounts may vary between 1/8 to � teaspoon depending on body needs, stay with � teaspoon for 14 days in the progesterone phase of your cycle if you feel balanced; otherwise, try to find the amount your body needs. In most cases, more is not better. If you do not get the desired result, seek consultation.

It is important to stop using progesterone cream at least five days each month, preferably seven in all categories except pregnancy. If there is a possibility you are pregnant, do not stop using the cream until you take a pregnancy blood test at day 26. If negative, then stop using cream and resume days 12-through 26 schedule.

Are there any other benefits of natural progesterone use? Men over 45 can use natural progesterone. One benefit is an increase in libido. Progesterone is the precursor of testosterone. Testosterone can stimulate new bone formation; a lack of testosterone can cause osteoporosis.

Recommended Reading:

John R. Lee, M.D., with Virginia Hopkins
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause.
New York: Warner Books, 1996

John R. Lee, M.D., Jesse Hanley, M.D., and Virginia Hopkins
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre-Menopause.
New York: Warner Books, 1999

John R. Lee, M.D., David Zava, Ph.D., and Virginia Hopkins
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer.
New York: Warner Books, 2002

I had a hormonal imbalance. I went to my ob/gyn and it was diagnosed with a simple blood test. I was low on both progesterone and estrogen. The doctor gave me a 3 month cycle of birth control pills which cleared it right up. I had weight gain, hair loss and really bad acne as well as an increase in body odor, btw

I thought I had hormonal imbalance and went out the doctor and it was sleep deprivation. You can be feeling that way for so many reasons I would go get checked out to make sure it's not thyroid disorder or even depression.. You just may be in a "funk"right now but I'd go get it checked out. You seem too young to be having hormonal problems. Good luck to you.

J.,
Many of us are mixed-up! I just want to say, be sure to take some kind of test, such as a saliva test. Many people, including doctors, give progesterone cream, because it is very popular. Make sure you know your entire problem. They put me on progesterone cream, which made matters worse--I was low on estrogen. Giving me progesterone cream only made the problem worse.
Also, check out www.liquidhealthinc.com. They have a really good PMS formula. I had great results after about 3 weeks of usage.
Good luck.
Amy

I would tend to agree with the other mom who commented on the unlikelyhood of your being hormonally inbalanced. Unless its a thyroid problem (which could possibly be) I think you should consider the exhaustion and depression route first. It sounds like you haven't had too much time for yourself being such a young mom with two kids already its hard to get any "me" time thus creating much possibility for feeling overwhelmed or depressed. The other option you should consider is that the agents used with nail polishes and all of that stuff (acrylics etc.) is utterly poisonous. I do not say that lightly. They all are carcinogenics (If you read the labels of the large wholesale bottles they tell you this) and therefore your body may be having an allergic reaction to them. I would possibly consider doing something else you enjoy thats healthier for you. Good luck either way and hope you feel better!