Bioidentical Progesterone...improved my sleep
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:17 pm
I'm 49, and haven't reached menopause yet. In fact, I've seen several naturopaths in the past year that said I have no symptoms of it starting yet. Then I saw a naturopath that specializes in bioidentical hormones and she said that on average around 35 years old, woman start their path toward menopause and the symptoms vary. Progesterone is the precursor to many important hormones and is mostly made in two ways, from the adrenal glands and from an egg dropped during ovulation. But around 35 years old women tend to not drop eggs every cycle (even if they get their period) so the progesterone doesn't get made, and a shortage starts in the body. If you have stressed adrenal glands, and who doesn't in this world, then the shortage can be even greater.
I started with over-the-counter bioidentical progesterone cream and the first night I could feel a big difference. I felt a natural sleepiness that reminded me of my pre-RLS days. Normally I'm wired-but-tired and my sleepiness feels drug induced. Because I was so sleepy and relaxed, for two weeks I was able to completely drop my use of a marijuana vaporizer before bed (I resumed after two weeks because food sensitivities started causing inconsistency so I started vaping again). The other big benefit was that I started being able to wake up from PLMs symptoms and go right back to sleep. Always, I had to take a medication or supplement to get back to sleep. I've also noticed that my anxiety went down another notch or two. Side Note: The waking and not taking additional medication was inconsistent though, and didn't become a regular pattern until I started a Low-Sulfur diet.
Then my hormone doctor had me drop the cream and replaced it with bioidentical progesterone pills from a local compounding pharmacy. She explained that this method is the only one that produces GABA since digested progesterone creates GABA in the liver. I felt a little different on the pills in that the relaxed sleepiness before bed wasn't as profound. I stuck with it for 2 weeks and still had the other benefits but missed the effects of the cream. So my doctor told me it was fine to do them both, and get the benefits that both forms offer. Often times, it takes months for your hormones to adjust and balance, so it's a bit of a waiting situation, but some people feel immediate relief from various symptoms in a week or two.
So each night...1 hour before bed, I take two compounded pills of 25mg progesterone each, or 50mg total. Then, 30 minutes before bed I apply the progesterone cream. I use over-the-counter Emerita brand cream called Pro-Gest. I have a kitchen measuring spoon and squeeze out 1/4 teaspoon. I rotate the areas of application each night. Then I wash my hands so I don't transfer it to pets or family. I use this cream every single night, and do not take any breaks from it, like some do, according to their hormone cycle. I once took a break when my cycle started and couldn't make it past three days because my sleep worsened so dramatically. As soon as I started again, things immediately improved back to normal, so I stay on the cream, and my doctor approves of this.
If you need a naturopath that understands bio-identical hormone treatment, I highly suggest finding the best rated compounding pharmacy in your area (check Yelp) and visiting them to ask for a recommendation. My compounding pharmacy asked me who I was seeing and told me my doctor was one of the best. Otherwise, Yelp can be helpful too. And you don't necessarily need a local compounding pharmacy because you can do mail order.
Emerita Pro-Gest progesterone cream, 4 oz tube
I use this brand because it's recommended by the pioneer in bio-identical progesterone cream use, Dr John Lee (his books are very informative). It's also the highest rated on Amazon. I like that it's fragrance and paraban free. The cheapest source I've found is online at Walmart, but you can get it at Amazon, or health food stores: http://bit.ly/2tzqAXM
https://www.johnleemd.com/
I started with over-the-counter bioidentical progesterone cream and the first night I could feel a big difference. I felt a natural sleepiness that reminded me of my pre-RLS days. Normally I'm wired-but-tired and my sleepiness feels drug induced. Because I was so sleepy and relaxed, for two weeks I was able to completely drop my use of a marijuana vaporizer before bed (I resumed after two weeks because food sensitivities started causing inconsistency so I started vaping again). The other big benefit was that I started being able to wake up from PLMs symptoms and go right back to sleep. Always, I had to take a medication or supplement to get back to sleep. I've also noticed that my anxiety went down another notch or two. Side Note: The waking and not taking additional medication was inconsistent though, and didn't become a regular pattern until I started a Low-Sulfur diet.
Then my hormone doctor had me drop the cream and replaced it with bioidentical progesterone pills from a local compounding pharmacy. She explained that this method is the only one that produces GABA since digested progesterone creates GABA in the liver. I felt a little different on the pills in that the relaxed sleepiness before bed wasn't as profound. I stuck with it for 2 weeks and still had the other benefits but missed the effects of the cream. So my doctor told me it was fine to do them both, and get the benefits that both forms offer. Often times, it takes months for your hormones to adjust and balance, so it's a bit of a waiting situation, but some people feel immediate relief from various symptoms in a week or two.
So each night...1 hour before bed, I take two compounded pills of 25mg progesterone each, or 50mg total. Then, 30 minutes before bed I apply the progesterone cream. I use over-the-counter Emerita brand cream called Pro-Gest. I have a kitchen measuring spoon and squeeze out 1/4 teaspoon. I rotate the areas of application each night. Then I wash my hands so I don't transfer it to pets or family. I use this cream every single night, and do not take any breaks from it, like some do, according to their hormone cycle. I once took a break when my cycle started and couldn't make it past three days because my sleep worsened so dramatically. As soon as I started again, things immediately improved back to normal, so I stay on the cream, and my doctor approves of this.
If you need a naturopath that understands bio-identical hormone treatment, I highly suggest finding the best rated compounding pharmacy in your area (check Yelp) and visiting them to ask for a recommendation. My compounding pharmacy asked me who I was seeing and told me my doctor was one of the best. Otherwise, Yelp can be helpful too. And you don't necessarily need a local compounding pharmacy because you can do mail order.
Emerita Pro-Gest progesterone cream, 4 oz tube
I use this brand because it's recommended by the pioneer in bio-identical progesterone cream use, Dr John Lee (his books are very informative). It's also the highest rated on Amazon. I like that it's fragrance and paraban free. The cheapest source I've found is online at Walmart, but you can get it at Amazon, or health food stores: http://bit.ly/2tzqAXM
https://www.johnleemd.com/