Hi all. Haven't posted for a bit, but I didnt' just suddenly become well ( more's the pity). I have been doing self experimentation which is always fun and interesting ( not).
I have found a lot of stuff that didn't work, some stuff that helped ( i think) and continue to plug away.
But for anyone in my stage of the game ( somewhere in the middle of perimenopause I'm guessing...maybe trending towards the end???) some of it may be helpful.
Estrogen: started estrogen in January ( initially 25ug) and felt immediate improvement in symptoms of panic/weepiness/energy/libido/skin/etc etc. Generally just felt better. Did not take progesterone at all in the first month as I wanted to know which hormone was causing which symptoms. Waited till month 2 to start the progesterone.
Felt great until around ovulation and then the drop triggered all kinds of fun symptoms so increased to 37.5ug ( MISTAKE ONE>>>wait the full three months before changing doses...we are all desperate to make it better NOW NOW NOW, but it doesn't work that way). BOO. Felt pretty darn good t 37.5ug but did notice some panic, and painful cramping in backs of legs. Some increased hair loss.
Took prometrium 200mg vaginally from day 14- day 24. Had the first 'normal' period I've had in over a year. yay.
By month three doing pretty well mood wise, but still having weird stuff going on. Noticed some pretty severe cramping in the back of my legs around ovulation time. This went away post ovulation and weird horrible symptoms appeared with the drop in ovulation again ...increased to 50ug ( BAD BAD BAD)....Month three...shit hits fan.
I now know the symptoms of high estrogen...see if they sound familiar: anxiety and panic attacks, heart arrhythmia and shakiness, freezing to the point of wrapping in a blanket and shuddering in front of the fire, hair loss in handfuls, weeping and weeping, cold hands and feet, painful aching in the backs of my legs, headache constantly and horribly, internal vibrations like a cell phone on vibrate going off in my chest. Hmmmm these symptoms sound a lot like what I though were low estrogen symptoms. NOPE. Pulled off the estrogen and felt immediately better within a day or two.
CONCLUSION: I have normal estrogen AT SOME TIMES, too much estrogen sometimes and not nearly enough at others. This sucks as it seems it will be nearly impossible to regulate the estrogen component of this until I drop to a new steady low. BUMMER. Currently at 12.5ug estrogen and plan to stay here for 3 months. lol.
PROGESTERONE: This is a big one for the perimenopausal bleeders among us. My period is 100% re-regulated and lighter, with a 5 day light to medium bleed every 28 days. This is a HUGE change from a blood bath at random times, sometimes every 2 weeks. Micronized progesterone day 12-24 will help regulate bleeding. I am taking it intravaginally and don't seem to have too much side effects except for massive food cravings and a complete and total loss of my shit when I stop taking it to have a period. PMS X 10. ah well.
It may also contribute to the fact I'm sleeping better and it has anxiolytic properties. Taking it vaginally may prevent or reduce some of the symptoms in women with a sensitivity to progesterone ( like low energy, mood issues etc).
SUPPLEMENTS: Investigated black cohosh. I really wanted to try this as it acts like a selective estrogen regulator. Meaning it blocks to much estrogen sometimes, and acts like estrogen in other places. I have a weird ( and supposedly benign) liver issue so elected to not try this one. there have been sporadic reports of some pretty major liver complications with this one...but might be worth it for someone who's liver is a-one. hmmmm
THEANINE: I think this has helped. An amino acid and pretty neutral as far as safety goes. They use it to help with kids with ADD etc. I think it's useful for the anxiety filled women amongst us. I take 100mg morning and night. I have found a marked reduction in anxiety and improved sleep ( adrenaline keeps us awake often). It's in a lot of over the counter 'anxiety' formulas, but the safety margin is wide so why not try.
MELATONIN: Am fed up with not sleeping and do not want to be taking ambient or benedryl every night, both of which make me feel drugged out and weird in the morning with dry mouth. Started on 5mg at bedtime ( with the L-theanine) 2 weeks ago. Marked improvement in sleep length although not normal yet, definitely better. Reduced to 2.5mg last night and still slept. Think this is another useful one.
That's it for me. I highly recommend the utrogestan for the bleeders, and the melatonin/theanine combo for the anxious non sleepers amongst us.
My next experiment is DHEA... precursor to estrogen and testosterone. If I grow a beard and change my name to Harry I'll let you know.
Tara
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Topic: updates on self experimentation. (Read 10505 times)