I picked up some progesterone cream at the health store yesterday. I've done some reading about the benefits of natural progesterone, and I thought I would give it a try. This is how it works: As soon as you ovulate, your body starts producing progesterone. This hormone helps to build up the lining of the uterus to make it ideal for implantation. Sometimes women don't have enough progesterone, or too much estrogen and it makes implantation nealry impossible. With taking supplements or using creams, it just helps to supplement your natural progesterone and ensure the lining of the uterus is good for implantation. So after driving all over creation to find some, I found some, bought it and applied. It says to apply it to areas where the circulation is good, like the wrists, neck, throat, inner thighs, feet, etc... or in places where the skin is thin. It absorbs into the subcutaneous layer (how's that for big words?? I learned it in Anat & phys, and now can use it in a sentance! cool huh?) which is basically the fat underneath your skin, and then feeds into the bloodstream, spreading it through your body.
I haven't noticed any affects or changes, but this has only been day 2 of using it, I imagine it will take a little longer if I do experience anything. But, it's not only supposed to help my uterine lining, but it should help balance excessive estrogen and help my cycles regulate, and be less painful, and lessen the affects of PMS (husbands are happy dancing everywhere for that one!) The cream I chose is 22mg of progesterone per dose, which is 1/2tsp. Not too much.
And for those who say, is that safe?? Yes it's safe. It is a natural hormone your body produces. It's generally safe to take while pregnant (though you should consult your doctor) your body in it's 3rd trimester actually produces over 400mg of progesterone a day, so 22mg isn't really a whole lot. While it's not a replacement, it's a supplement.
If you do take it to become pregnant, and you do. DO NOT STOP TAKING IT as it could induce a miscarriage, the sudden drop in progesterone levels (the sudden drop causes your period to start every month.) They advise you continue use until 12 weeks, then slowly taper off the cream. But it is safe to take all pregnacy. Good stuff to know huh?
Anyways, that's whats happening in the TTC world. I ovulated several days earlier than usual the past 2 months. Weird. But we'll see how it goes. I am already 6 DPO! Its going by fast!
For more info on using progesterone cream, just search google about it, there's tons out there!
You actually can wean yourself off the cream, just like they sometimes have women wean off the progesterone supplements they give prescriptions for without any adverse effects unless you have a progesterone deficiency (or a luteal phase defect). And if you are only taking 22mg a day, you can stop without much effect at all. Oh, and one thing that helped me when I was taking TONS of cream a day (triple the dose so 1 1/2 tbs 2 times a day) was I had a spreadsheet so I knew where I placed it before since you can become overstimulated to it if it is placed in the same place with less than 3 days in-between. The progesterone cream could also make your luteal phase longer when you are first starting it, so if you end up going farther than you have before, it is normal, it won't go farther than what is healthy for your body.
ReplyDeleteI was taking more a day than you, but I definitely noticed that I had more energy when I took the progesterone, the stuff and then taking a B6 or a complex B vitamin a day definitely helped keep my energy up and regulate a few of my hormones.
Sorry for the long comment - herbs/vitamins and all that jazz are some of my favorite things to learn about :)
Do you know if it's working yet? What is DPO?
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