These are the types of letters, faxes and phone calls that Dr. Lee and Dr. Hanley receive daily from premenopausal women with symptoms cleared up after he began using natural progesterone cream. It may sound too good to be true, but its just a case of supplying the body what it needs to maintain balance. Youve read about how out of balance of our environment has become estrogen, and Wonder Woman do not feel much better when using some of progesterone. br Unlike estrogen, progesterone is not a generic name, but is the name of the hormone produced by the corpus luteum after ovulation and in lesser amounts by the adrenal gland. It is synthesized in humans in a biochemical pathway leading from cholesterol to pregnenolone to progesterone. In turn, progesterone is the precursor of steroids and testosterone. Progesterone is also synthesized in large quantities by the placenta during pregnancy. br Progesterone is a specific molecule made by mammals and has multiple functions in the body. It effects every tissue in the body including the uterus, cervix and vagina, the endocrine system (hormone) system, brain cells, fat metabolism, the thyroid hormone function, water balance, the sheath of peripheral nerve myelin synthesis, bone cells, energy production and thermogenesis, the immune system, survival and development of the embryo and the growth and development of the fetus. Although known as a sex hormone, progesterone conveys no specific secondary sex characteristics, and as such can not be called a male or female hormone. br progesterone is highly fat soluble compound very well absorbed transdermally, or when applied to the skin. According to hormone researcher David Zava, Ph.D., progesterone is by far the most lipophilic, or fat, steroid hormones lover. Circulating in the blood, carried by fatsoluble substances like membranes of red blood cells. From 70 to 80 percent of ovarian progesterone was performed in red blood cells and therefore is not measured by testing serum or plasma. This progesterone is available to the agency for use, and readily filters through the saliva glands into saliva where it can be measured accurately. The remaining 20 percent to 30 percent of progesterone in the body is protein and is in the watery blood plasma where it can be measured by testing serum or plasma. However, only 1 to 9 percent of progesterone are available for the body to use. That is why saliva testing is a test much more accurate and relevant blood tests to measure bioavailable progesterone. br The fall of progesterone levels at menopause is proportionately much greater than the drop in estrogen levels. While estrogen falls only 40 to 60 percent from baseline, on average, progesterone may decrease to almost zero. Furthermore, anovulatory cycles will cause low levels of progesterone and out during the years of menopause. br The uterus is one of the first organs to manifest symptoms when a womans hormones are out of balance. Two of the most common uterine symptoms of premenopause syndrome is an enlarged uterus, and uterine fibroids. Women with PMS often experience painful periods (dysmenorrhea) which are most often caused when the endometrial lining of the uterus extends into the muscular wall of the uterus (adenomyosis). When the shedding of the endometrium occurs (menstruation), blood is released into the muscular lining, causing severe pain. Conventional medicine treats this pain with NSAIDs (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen, but ignores the underlying metabolic hormonal imbalance that caused it. The problem can be solved only by restoring adequate levels of progesterone, which restores normal growth and shedding of the endometrium. br Estrogen dominance causes the uterus to grow, and without the monthly balancing effect of progesterone, which has no signal to stop growing. In some women, this translates into an enlarged uterus pressing on other organs including the bladder, and often in the digestive system and usually causes discomfort and heavy menstrual bleeding. In other results of estrogen dominance in women fibroids, which are hard, fibrous, noncancerous lumps that grow in the uterus. Some fibroids can grow to the size of a grapefruit or cantaloupe, because of the constant bleeding and heavy menstrual periods and all that blood loss is similar to hemorrhage. br Fibroids always reduce menopause, but the usual course of action when a physician has a patient presents with a fibroid uterus is removed. The explanation given is that a fibroid is very difficult to remove without irreversibly damaging the uterus. But in most cases, this is no longer true. If you end up need to have a fibroid surgically removed, finding a doctor who can do it without removing the uterus of the same. If you have many small fibroids may be more difficult to remove. In addition, its smaller size may make it easier to treat without surgery. br premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is by far the most common complaint of premenopausal women. Current estimates are that severe PMS occurs in 2.5 to 5 percent of women, and mild PMS occurs in 33 percent of women. PMS was first described in 1931 as a state of unbearable tension, a description most women can understand to some extent. Some women have PMS from the time you start having menstrual cycles but for most, PMS begins in the years of menopause, around the midthirties, and becomes increasingly serious as the years pass. Although its possible to create a list of dozens of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, the most common are swelling and water retention and weight gain resulting breast tenderness and lumpiness, headaches, cramps, fatigue, irritability, changes mood and anxiety. In women with severe PMS, irritability and mood swings can become angry outbursts and rage. By definition the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome occurring in the two weeks before menstruation and sometimes for a few days in menstruation. br You should know right from the outset that there is no magic bullet for PMS. A bit of progesterone will help a lot, and in some women it solves the problem, as it relieves the effects of environmental estrogens and anovulatory cycles, but PMS is a multifactorial problem that must be handled in many physical levels as well as the level emotional. Youll find out more about the emotional level, when we speak of the emotional part of premenopause in the next chapter. br Stress is almost always involved in PMS. Stress increases cortisol levels, which blocks progesterone receptors. Therefore, normal levels of progesterone does not mean that supplemental progesterone is not necessary. Additional progesterone is necessary to overcome the blockade of cortisol receptors. When a woman discovers she has a handle on controlling her PMS, which will help you manage stress better. Then the lower levels of progesterone will operate normally again. br For years it was assumed that since PMS symptoms occur when progesterone levels are relatively high, which is progesterone that was causing the symptoms. In theory, the symptoms may relate to elevated levels of progesterone or progesterone deficiency (estrogen dominance). Elevated levels of progesterone are unlikely since, during pregnancy, progesterone levels are 10 to 20 times higher than normal levels of the midcycle and similar symptoms do not occur. Progesterone deficiency (estrogen dominance) is much more likely since many of the symptoms correlate with symptoms of estrogen dominance, including fluid retention, swollen breasts, headaches, changes in mood, loss of libido, and sleep patterns of the poor. br A womans answer to their own cyclical hormones is extremely individual, and this is part of the reason that has been so difficult to identify the causes of PMS. Estrogen levels that cause anxiety and bloating in a woman will have virtually no effect on the other. A woman browsing through an anovulatory cycle with hardly ripple is in stark contrast with the woman who suffers from migraine or premenstrual anger when she does ovulate. Birth control pills and menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will cause a long list of side effects (including PMS) in many women, while others say they feel good. This is why its so important that you become familiar with their own bodies and their own symptoms, and do not let anyone say that what you are experiencing is only an emotional problem, or an antidepressant or tranquilizer is all you need . br You know from the chapter on hormone balance that stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone mainly secreted by the adrenal glands in response to feelings of fear, danger, or even a sense of competition. In the excess of cortisol can stimulate feelings of irritability, anger and rage. Cortisol is also released when you get to work through tiredness day after day. Think of cortisol as a backup power system. Like a battery backup electronics when the power goes off, you can not just keep using them to give full powers, or they'll wear and you'll also lose that source of energy. Similarly, you can not rely on their cortisol and adrenal glands continue to drink beyond their physical limits or eventually you will create depleted organs and chronic fatigue. br Since cortisol and progesterone compete for common receptors on cells, cortisol impairs progesterone activity, setting the stage for estrogen dominance. Chronically elevated cortisol levels may be a direct cause of estrogen dominance, with all the familiar symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. br High levels of cortisol also affect blood sugar. Cortisol sends to glucose (blood sugar), floods in the cells. The initial charge of glucose into the cells may feel great, but twenty minutes later, his body will be working overtime to produce more glucose and youll be looking for cabinets or desk drawers in his chocolate bars, biscuits and chips to get your blood sugar and energy up. Most of the calories are converted to fat and the pattern is maintained long term, you'll be struggling to maintain your weight and your energy up. br Fluctuating blood sugar creates another type of negative feedback cycle, where high levels of blood sugar stimulates the release of adrenaline, which in turn stimulates the release of cortisol, which in turn causes a craving for quick calories , and so on. br Its hard to describe the relief I feel when women balance their hormones and leave the bad effects of premenopause syndrome. One of the best descriptions we've read comes from a woman named Linda, who has made a longer version of the following letter as a pamphlet and handed it to the woman who will have to: br mood swings, chronic fatigue, thought foggy, depression, leg cramps, migraine headaches, periods of great pain, anemia, endometriosis, kick back and extremity pain, fluid retention and swelling, sleep dysfunction, anxiety attacks, thinning hair, allergies, chronic sinus infections, fever blisters, acne, dry skin, infertility, symptoms of hypoglycemia and fibroids are just some of the many symptoms that dominated my life for almost two years. br Those years were so difficult physically and emotionally, I thought Id never survive! At the age of 30 years, doctors were giving me every diagnosis in conflict in the world, having the money to do it, yet left me without any help or suggestions for help. Vi gynecologists, endocrinologists, dermatologists, neurologists, sociologists and a host of others. His comments range from, the evidence shows that is perfectly healthy. Must be in the head, take this Xanax, a Something is definitely wrong, but I do not know what it is. Emotionally I felt like I was on the verge of mental collapse. I felt very alone. br Finally, I took four hours to see a specialist who put me on synthetic estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. At first I felt so good I thought it was a miracle that I had been praying. But within two years of starting treatment for the symptoms returned. The doctors response was to keep increasing my dose until I was at the highest level: six implants, the patch and shots in the middle. I went to see him every six months to every three months. Hormones are only valid for two months and last month before he could come back for more implants I felt emotionally and physically as if I had taken a tenstory building. For six years I lived my life survivor of the office visit to visit the office. I had constant back pain, heavy bleeding, anemia and varying degrees of all the above symptoms, some worse than before. My Pap smear started showing precancerous cells. This lasted about a year before they finally agreed to a hysterectomy. The surgery relieved the bleeding, anemia, back pain, for obvious reasons of my uterus was three times its normal size and density! However, all other symptoms continued. br progesterone was three years after surgery before learning about natural and began using it. After a brief period of withdrawal of synthetic hormones, hormone I used only during the last four years is br natural progesterone cream. Have also combined this with a balanced diet, exercise and nutritional supplements. My life has changed dramatically. Today I feel like I did when I was in my twenties, I have the energy, can think clearly, not depressed, my skin is wonderful, I'm losing weight, they can sleep at night, no more migraines, my hair has stopped falling out, dark facial hair is disappearing, and my allergies have disappeared. No more antihistamines! This is the answer to my prayers. My family is happy to have the real me again. br It is sad to say that history is not so unusual Lindas. It is very common to hear stories of women whose symptoms are less severe, but they suffer from similar problems. Dr. Lee has been (wrongly) accused of talking only about natural progesterone cream, as if the magic solution to a womans all problems, but this letter shows why. Progesterone cream is certainly not a magic potion. But it is the best remedy we've found so far to counter the effects of living in a state of excess xenohormone. No, of course, need to supplement progesterone. Mother Nature has equipped us to live a long and healthy life as a healthy robust. If we were living in a stress free, unpolluted world, and if we were eating all organic fresh foods, and if we have a lot of outdoor exercise, probably would not ever need progesterone. br br
