Progesterone Question for SimplyStar

Hi there!  I have tried to look this up online but only come across kind of abstract clinical studies or ads for progesterone creams.  My question is this...How does progesterone work in our bodies and what does it do?  I'm a little embarassed to ask this.

I'm using my ProGest cream to stop the spotting I've had for over 2 weeks.  It has slowed it down a little.  I'm just wondering if it causes me to stop bleeding, then how will I know when my period will start?  I've not had a "real" period since my surgery on 11/13.  I did bleed heavily the week of my surgery.  The doctor thinks this was a forced period b/c had I not had surgery I would have been in an ovulation week.  I started spotting 31 days after surgery.

Hormonally, I'm messed up but THANKFULLY I am OK emotionally, meaning the hormones aren't causing me extreme ups and downs.

Any information from anyone is most welcomed!
Thanks, Lori

[SimplyStar]

Best place I found was on the official web site for John Lee MD  he was a pioneer in progestrone research.  this is considered the most important homone for women, we lose alot of it by the time we are thirty. The cream does well for irregular bleeding. All I know for sure is that no woman should be put on estrogen therapy. many women are using the cream now as an osteophoresis preventive.

[cirella]

Thank you!  I'll check those out.

Lori

[AnotherKatie]

Dr Lee is a good starting point but sadly he has been dead for several years and a lot of his claims are, to be blunt, unsubstantiated.  

More up to date information about bioidenticals can be found at
www.drerika.com   and
http://www.drnorthrup.com

On the CBS page, they did an extensive story about hormones a few weeks back.
http://www.cbs.com/cbs_cares/menopause/index.shtml

[SimplyStar]

Thanks , I was quite impressed with Dr. Lee's research. It all makes sense to me.  If we lose our Progesterone around 35  then naturally the Estrogen becomes strong. Many researchers have died before their work is appriciated, we have already ordered the cream from a supplier. If there is an 800 number , I always call and check out their credits. We are not anticipating a recurrance but it is better  to be pro active and prepare.  My son with Downs Syndrome is at risk for Luekemia, so he is on a natural preventative, has been for years. God gave us the natural cures, all we have to do is find them. If all researchers would dedicate themselves to finding them, instead of looking to produce more synthetic drugs, what a blessing that would be. Happy New Year All

[Mary 53]

Lee's books are awesome!

Many women are on Progestereone therapy only, whether they have reached menopause, surgically induced or not.  However, if you do the research, talk it over with a doctor you trust who knows a lot about hormones and the effect both protective and harmful of the female hormones, some women decide to use supplemental estrogen such as Estrodial or Estroil. One of the reasons women use estrogen is to help keep the receptor sites open so that the body can utilize progesterone. I will have to dig out my books, but I believe progesterone uses the same cell receptor sites as estrogen. Progesterone will balance the estrogen effects and so even if you are not taking supplemental estrogen, you are making some estrogen as a by-product of a substance made in the fat of menopausal women. It is called Estrone and it is a strong estrogen. But for women with no ovaries some do elect to take estrogen, but not the synthetic type of hormone used in Premarin which comes with a separate list of problems.

There are some women who may not take estrogen. The amount that many typically take results in amounts approximately equal to six times less than what was in your system before menopause.

And, again, if the estrogen is balanced with progesterone, you avoid "estrogen dominance" and all the ill effects that can come from that. Estrogen Dominance is the term coined by Dr. John Lee. When women start to skip ovulation, which can start as early as the early 30's, then progesterone is not produced and if you start skipping ovulation more frequently, you become so low on progesterone...then the estrogen in your system becomes dominant. This can happen even when your estrogen levels are dwindling as in perimenopause. So, even a small amount of estrogen without progesterone to balance it out can cause problems. Without my progesterone supplementation, my husband, even at age 60, makes more progesterone in his body than I do!  I believe it was Dr. Lee who did a study with women over the age of 80 who were given progesterone supplementation. They did so well on the supplemental hormone...they cited even being able to play bridge again...think clearly, etc., amongst other things.

As far as helping with the the bleeding, Lori, I do not know off the top of my head. As far as learning about progesterone and what it does for the body, google Progesterone, the New Estrogen, or Progesterone, the estrogen alternative and also, a great book, "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christianne Nothrup, MD. Simplystar mentioned Dr. Lee's website and Katie mentioned Dr. Erika Schwartz's site. Both excellent.


The suspicion is that my cervical dysplasia and my ovarian cancer were both caused by estrogen dominance. If only I'd known....I would have been on progesterone years ago. I'd heard a little bit about it in the early 80's but did not bother to look into it. I am not sure where I would be without it now. In fact, I just put some on before I posted! For me and many others who have had a surgical menopause and have been allowed to take bioidentical estrogen, progestereone, and testosterone, the results have been helpful. My hope is that all of this confusion will some day be cleared up and more health care professionals will have a better understanding about all this.

Mary

[cirella]

Wow, thank you all for your knowledge!  I appreciate it very much.  I know I get bogged down in all the technical stuff that comes with the information but I must take control of what I can for my body.

Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Lori

[AnotherKatie]

Hopefully your cycle will settle down now and become regular.  The surgery certainly could have thrown you off.
I know my doctor has prescribed prometrium to patients in your situation, you could google that....
Good luck!