February 14th, 2019 | Posted By: Magdalena Wszelaki | Posted in Adrenals, Anti-Candida, Articles, Estrogen Dominance, Menopause, PCOS, Thyroid | Tagged

Topical Progesterone: When, Why, and How—Part 2

Topical Progesterone - When, Why, and How - Part 2

Thank you so much for the ton of questions we received in regards to progesterone. I spoke to two renowned colleagues, both board-certified ObGyns—Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Shawn Tassone to get their input on more nuanced cases of using progesterone.

Dr. Anna Cabeca has worked with women for over 20 years (she no longer works with private patients) and is the creator of the highly popular vaginal rejuvenation cream, Julva (our Hormones Balance community loves it) and Mighty Maca—a wonderful and gentle pick-me-up maca blend I often drink in the afternoon.

Dr. Tassone is one of the very few colleagues who still takes one-on-one patients. If you need a consult, especially pertaining to bioidentical hormone usage, I highly recommend consulting with him (he’s Austin, Texas-based but offers Skype calls). In my experience, talented, and popular practitioners stop taking patients at some point. I, therefore, recommend reaching out to him sooner than later. You can reach out to him here.

In part 1 of the Progesterone Series, “Topical Progesterone – When, Why, and How – Part 1”, I covered the basics of using progesterone—how it can help, who would benefit the most, how to pick the cleanest product, the product I use (ProgestPure Cream), when to use it, and how to dose.

In this article, we will go deeper to answer more complex questions.

1. “I used progesterone for a while and had adverse reactions. Why?”

(Your comments here varied from weight gain, insomnia, lumpy breasts, bigger fibroids, feeling dizzy, lightheaded, angry, depressed, experiencing rising heart rate, and water retention.)

First of all, most women using bioidentical progesterone experience the complete opposite reaction and this is why progesterone is so popular among millions of women.

The first thing to look at is the type of progesterone you tried— was it synthetic or bioidentical?

Was it synthetic progesterone, called progestin, or medroxyprogesterone (sold under brand names such as Provera, Prempro, Premphase, and various others as birth control pills)? This form of progesterone has been linked to causing breast cancer and is why the Women’s Health Initiative was terminated earlier. This is not the form of progesterone any woman should ever use—this includes contraceptives. Dr. Cabeca shared that lower body extremities such as growing fibroids or leg edema are pretty common symptoms when using synthetic progesterone.

If you used bioidentical progesterone (compounded is also bioidentical), there could be a few reasons why you may have had a paradoxical reaction:

Adrenal issues. In all her years of private practice, Dr. Anna Cabeca shared that most adverse reactions were related to the adrenals. Since cortisol is made from progesterone, a person with high cortisol levels and a stressful life will drive the cortisol pathway—causing many of the symptoms described above.

In these circumstances, Dr. Cabeca recommends starting on smaller doses of topical progesterone (not the pill, so we bypass the liver) and starting with as little as 10mg. Some women may need as low of a dose as 1mg.

In tandem, adding in adrenal support—using adaptogens (I wrote about them here), getting enough sleep, getting out in nature, self-care (get #MeCare ideas here)—will be critical to improving your tolerance to progesterone.

Progesterone in a pill form can have a dose as high as 100mg; starting at 20mg might be a better option.

2. “My estrogen dominance symptoms got worse with progesterone. Why?”

According to International Women’s Pharmacy, this could be the reason:

“Ironically, estrogen side-effects may occur when progesterone therapy is initiated. Estrogen symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and depression sometimes get worse with progesterone replacement, particularly when the dose is small. Progesterone stimulates estrogen receptors for estrogen. The initial stimulation occurs and potentiates the estrogen effect. When activity is potentiated, the amount of non-converted progesterone may not be enough to counter or balance these symptoms. Higher doses of progesterone may be needed.”

3. “Can progesterone help Candida (yeast overgrowth)?”

According to a number of studies, yes.

This research showed that estrogen drives up and progesterone opposes the growth of Candida. This study demonstrated that progesterone can help with preventing candida biofilm formation (which is part of the reason why candida is so hard to get rid of).

4. “Can progesterone help with weight loss?”

Yes, if the weight gain is caused by estrogen dominance or adrenal issues. It might help, to some degree, women with low thyroid function. It should however not be seen as the only go-to weight management tool.

5. “Who should not be using progesterone?”

Women with vaginal bleeding should not use progesterone or any other hormone therapy until a diagnosis is made.

6. Do you need progesterone after having a full or partial hysterectomy?

YES! It’s allopathic medicine’s post-hysterectomy protocol to only prescribe estrogen. So why not progesterone? It goes back to a short-sighted and incomplete view of progesterone as a reproductive hormone and therefore deemed unnecessary for women with no uterus. The reality is that all adult women need and benefit immensely from progesterone to experience proper sleep, stable mood, healthy cholesterol levels, breast and bone health. It is unfortunate because it unnecessarily leaves many women suffering for years.

7. “Why are my symptoms of Candida worse when I supplement with progesterone?”

Some women experience the contrary—worsening of Candida. This is what happens: A week before menstruation, progesterone levels rise. Progesterone increases glucose (or sugar) levels in the blood, which is exactly what Candida yeast cells thrive on. (This also explains why women with Candida crave sugar and carbs before their period.). Then, the increased sugar intake often leads to irritability, mood swings, and depression.

Other women have no such result. I’ve struggled with Candida for years and have never noticed progesterone making it worse.

8. “Can women with PR+ (progesterone receptor positive cancer) use progesterone?”

This is a controversial topic and you would need to do your own research to decide what resonates with you. Progestin (the synthetic progesterone) has been linked to various forms of cancers; it is, however, a totally different animal from bioidentical progesterone. Please read Part 1 of the Progesterone Series article that cites all the studies that prove this point. What fuels the cells is either synthetic progesterone or the “dirty” progesterones (which are the unfavorable metabolites of progesterone) which are broken down in your gut and liver.

For simplicity, it is contraindicated for women with a history of PR+ breast cancer to take progesterone as a DIY solution. However, if you agree with the above paragraph, I recommend working with a functional practitioner to lay the foundation for a safe application. This may mean doing some gut healing and liver detoxification to prepare your body for a safe progesterone metabolism. I also recommend testing to see how you progress.

9. “What is better—progesterone in pill or topical form?”

The answers vary depending on who you ask.

Dr. Anna prefers to use topical progesterone and Dr. Shawn prefers a pill, even though he often compounds progesterone with other hormones (like estrogen, DHEA, or testosterone), and he ends up using progesterone in the topical form most of the time.

Oral progesterone tends to have better results in women with GABA deficiency and who struggle with anxiety. However, it is contraindicated in women with digestive issues (such as SIBO or candida yeast overgrowth) and liver issues such as the non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL).

Topical progesterone is easy to obtain as it’s an over-the-counter product (even health stores sell them) so it’s easier for you to pick one. A pill is prescription-only and you would need to work with a functional practitioner to get it.

At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice and you can try both to see which helps you more. I personally opted out from a pill just because I don’t want to take yet another pill and tax my digestion and liver.

It is possible to use both oral and topical progesterone at the same time and get the benefits of both.

10. “Should I stop taking progesterone at some point?”

It depends on the person. Here are some guidelines.

Some women only need to take progesterone for a while and then their body recalibrates—when they stop, the symptoms do not return.

Other women feel their symptoms return, in which case, continuing is advised.

In conclusion: Try progesterone for a few months and then take a couple of weeks off to see how you feel. If symptoms return, get back on it. Some women reduce the dose which is perfectly fine.

11. “Will my body stop producing its own progesterone when I start supplementing?”

That’s a really good question. Both Dr. Cabeca and Dr. Tassone agree that it does not as long as we don’t use very high doses. The added progesterone needs to act as a complementary source that reduces your symptoms. You will still be producing your own hormones and only using the supplemental progesterone to replenish the lack and mitigate symptoms.

12. “Can I use progesterone-enhancing herbs such as vitex and maca or supplements like zinc and vitamin E?”

Yes, absolutely. Dr. Cabeca recommends many of them be used in conjunction with progesterone.

13. “Can I start feeling worse before feeling better?”

Yes, it can happen. Some women experience exacerbated symptoms of estrogen dominance (such as tender breast, poor sleep) before they feel better. Functional practitioners recommend reducing the dose by half (meaning: 10mg per day) and trying that for a month before slowly titrating up. If you find no relief, I recommend working with a skilled practitioner who can guide you. If you need help finding one, please email my team here and we will do our best to help you.

14. “Can lactating women take progesterone?”

If you are suffering from postpartum depression, progesterone may help. It’s best to work with a functional practitioner to manage your condition.

15. “If I’m on estrogen HRT, should I also use progesterone?”

Yes, absolutely. Allopathic doctors have not evolved in their belief that women only need estrogen, many of them still cite the Women’s Health Initiative that concluded that progestin was the cause of women’s cancers, cardiovascular problems, etc.

As mentioned earlier, progestin is a synthetic hormone and should not be compared to bioidentical progesterone. It is best and safest for women to supplement with progesterone to oppose and balance out the added estrogen.

15. “Can I take progesterone after having a hysterectomy?”

Yes, definitely. It’s not only safe but recommended, especially if you were put on estrogen therapy.

16. “Could I use progesterone in menopause and postmenopause?”

Yes! It’s an erroneous assumption by allopathic doctors that women in menopause and postmenopause need no progesterone. The adrenal glands still produce progesterone. Women in menopause and postmenopause can benefit greatly from progesterone and mitigate symptoms such as memory loss, poor mood, cognitive decline, osteoporosis, leaky bladder, and hot flashes.

17. “How best to use progesterone in menopause and postmenopause?”

The best practice is 25 days on and 5 days off.  

18. “Where should I apply progesterone?”

We recommend rotating between fatty and non-fatty areas. Since fat will store the progesterone and absorb it into capillary blood, progesterone applied to thinner areas will more readily be taken up into the body and metabolized.

19. “What is your progesterone made of?”

Our ProgestPure Cream is made from yams. Even though Frankie (from Grace and Frankie, a sitcom on Netflix) makes yam cream to help menopausal women, in reality, it won’t work. Yams need to get processed in a lab for the molecule to resemble women’s progesterone—that’s what ProgestPure Cream is made from.

20. “Do you have soy in your ProgestPure Cream?”

No, we do not, Our progesterone cream is made from yams.

21. “Why does your ProgestPure Cream carry the California Pro 65 warning?”

“Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986” was originally intended to protect drinking water sources from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and to inform citizens about exposures to such chemicals. Each year the Governor posts a list of chemicals “known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.”

Progesterone is on the list.

Progesterone is a hormone that actually prevents cancer, it also helps with your thyroid, sleep, cycle, moods, pregnancy, bone health, and more.

There are four major flaws in the study that caused progesterone to be added to the Prop 65 warning list:

1. The vast majority of the studies implicating progesterone were done on SYNTHETIC progesterone (progestins and other progesterone-like compounds called progestagens). These studies were NOT based on BIOIDENTICAL progesterone (as used in our ProgestPure Cream).

Progestins and progestagens are similar in molecular structure to progesterone, but when they bind to progesterone receptors, their effects are amplified and more likely to cause abnormal responses—just like the ones in birth control pills.

2. The majority of the studies were done in combination with synthetic estrogens. Again, our ProgestPure Cream does not use ANY synthetic hormones.

3. The few studies done on bio-identical progesterone were done with excessive and unreal doses (from 10 times to 10000 times the standard recommended dose).

4. No studies were done using transdermal creams. Only oral injected and suppository forms were used. This is important to note because hormones absorbed through the skin are metabolized differently than hormones that are administered via other means.

Like you, I was very surprised to hear that our product would bear such a warning, despite it being one of the purest bioidentical progesterone creams available.

To learn more about how to balance your hormones with supplements (and which to take), you can download our FREE Supplement Guide here.

Learn more with Overcoming Estrogen Dominance

OED Book Pages - Article Footer

“The body has an amazing ability to heal. We just need to give it the right resources.”

In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, my goal is to empower and give you the tools to take control of your hormones and health.

More than 70% of women experience estrogen dominance. The symptoms range from lumpy and fibrocystic breasts to thyroid nodules, hot flashes, fibroids, uterine polyps, painful, heavy or irregular periods to infertility and miscarriages, from mood swings to insomnia, weight gain to fatigue.

So many women have experienced the pain and frustration that comes when they feel their symptoms and complaints are dismissed or minimized. This is particularly true for women who are experiencing the symptoms of hormone imbalance. Even when doctors do offer treatment, it’s typically in the form of prescription medication or invasive surgical procedures.

In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, I hope to show that those extreme interventions are often unnecessary and to give women a roadmap to reverse estrogen dominance using food, herbs, supplements, and natural protocols to rebalance hormones.

To get your copy of Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, go here.

Disclaimer

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

57 Comments to Topical Progesterone: When, Why, and How—Part 2

  1. Can Progesterone be used only a couple of days a week or every other day. Also, I have low cortisol. Would Progesterone bring my levels up? Thanks

  2. Hi you did not mention the quick dissove/sublingual form of progesterone that has become quite popular. Is it also contra-indicated for digestive and liver issues, or not so because it is absorbed sublingually to bypass the liver altogether? Thank you.

    • Hi Dolores, Magdalena stated in the article as to which form is better, internal or topical, and the answers vary depending on who you ask.

      “Dr. Anna prefers to use topical progesterone and Dr. Shawn prefers a pill, even though he often compounds progesterone with other hormones (like estrogen, DHEA or testosterone) – and he ends up using progesterone in the topical form most of the time.

      Oral progesterone tends to have better results in women with GABA deficiency and who struggle with anxiety. However, it is contraindicated in women with digestive issues (such as SIBO or candida yeast overgrowth) and liver issues such as the non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL).

      Topical progesterone is easy to obtain as it’s an over-the-counter product (even health stores sell them) so it’s easier for you to pick one. A pill is prescription-only and you would need to work with a functional practitioner to get it.”

      If you are wondering which form is right for you, please consult with a skilled practitioner who specializes in bioidentical hormones.

      Here is a helpful tool, to locate someone in your area: https://www.functionalmedicine.org/practitioner_search.aspx?id=117.

      I hope this helps.

      Jeanne HB Team

  3. I’m 53 and post-menopausal. I’ve been using Dr Cabeca’s vulva cream for vaginal atrophy. It does have some progesterone in it, not sure how much though. My question is this, how do I know if I’m getting the right amount, do I need something additional or is the amount in the vulva cream enough?

  4. Hi again, I just submitted a question above, but forgot to state that the quick dissolve/sublingual progesterone is compounded. Thanks again.

    • Hi Ruth, Magdalena discusses adverse reactions under “#1 I used progesterone for a while and had adverse reactions. Why?” I hope this helps:)
      Jeanne HB Team

  5. Good afternoon,

    Might you have any articles I can read about fibroid surgery and using the Mirena IUD to help progesterone levels after surgery to help with the heavy blood flow–and to keep the fibroids from growing. I am curious to know your thoughts on the IUD.

    Thank you! I love your content.

    Cindy

  6. It was my understanding that using topical progesterone / Bioidentical will not protect the Uterus from uterine cancer like
    the oral pill form of progesterone?

  7. Would bioidentical progesterone include Prometrium? My doctor has said he would allow me to take Prometrium for 10 days every few months to initiate a period (instead of using Provera – which I vehemently said I did not want to take). I have HA and am working on lifestyle issues, but they are anxious to get me to have a period.

      • Prometrium is bioidentical progesterone in a peanut oil base and gel cap?? It’s is NOT synthetic. Please be careful posting incorrect information.

        • Everything I’m finding on Prometrium says that it is bioidentical. Personally I wouldn’t take it due to the inactive ingredients. There is a list of its ingredients that I found online: “Prometrium Capsules contain 100 mg or 200 mg micronized progesterone. The inactive ingredients for Prometrium Capsules 100 mg include: peanut oil NF, gelatin NF, glycerin USP, lecithin NF, titanium dioxide USP, FD&C Red No. 40, and D&C Yellow No. 10.” There are reports of different manufacturers having different ingredients along with differing reported results. It looks like the original manufacturer is Watson, Teva is a generic with different reported results. It’s so very important to research everything, read labels!

    • Danielle, you are correct, prometrium is prescription bioidentical, micronized progesterone in an oil base (peanut) and gel cap. If you have an allergy to peanuts, you would want to skip this one.

  8. Hi Magdalena, thank you for this helpful article. As a woman with a ER+ (estrogen receptor positive) breast cancer history, I wonder whether there is a safe way to use progesterone also.
    Thank you for your response! Ula

    • Hi Ula,

      We are thrilled you enjoyed reading the article. Here is what Magdalena said in part 1 of the progesterone article and the link:

      “The scare of hormones causing cancer and other health issues started with the World Health Initiative. It studied more than 15,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79 who were given HRT in the form of estrogen and progestin (not bioidentical progesterone) for a period of over 10 years.

      The study had to be stopped early due to the high occurrence of breast cancers, blood clots, strokes, and cardiovascular diseases. This sent waves of fear amongst women and doctors and all hormones were declared unsafe.

      If you want to know more on this topic, please read my friend, Dr. Mache Siebel’s post. Today we know that progestin was the likely culprit. Not surprisingly, a pharmaceutical company was behind supplying the progestin to the WHI study.

      Enough studies have been done to date to establish, over extended periods of time, that bioidentical progesterone is a completely different compound and its benefits outweigh the risks.

      https://hormonesbalance.com/articles/topical-progesterone-when-why-and-how-part-1/

      We also suggest you work with a skilled practitioner who specializes in bioidentical hormones.

      Here is a helpful tool, to locate someone in your area: https://www.functionalmedicine.org/practitioner_search.aspx?id=117.

      I hope this helps!

      Jeanne HB Team

  9. I have been on several bc pills and they usually work at first, but then once I have a stressful situation, they stop working and I have to find a new one. I can’t figure out why it works for several months, and then stops when I encounter stress. Any ideas?

  10. Hello, I was told by my oncologist that I would not be able to take any progesterone or hormone replacement after my total hysterectomy because I had ovarian cancer due to endometriosis. Is this true also for a bio identical progesterone?
    Thank you
    Claudia

  11. I’ve read that progesterone can help with seizure symptoms? Is this true and is there any supporting information you can refer me to?
    Thanks
    Lindsay

    • Hi Lindsay, where did you read that about progesterone helping with seizure symptoms? ~ Jeanne HB Team

  12. I’d like to start using the Progestpure and have had problems with progesterone before so I will need to support my adrenals. I cannot tolerate ashwaganda which is in your adrenal supplement so what should I take?

  13. Please, help!!!!
    I’m 51 and was taking 90-120 mg of natural, plant and oil based molecular progesterone as my periods became a bit irregular or were disappearing. All was fine. But beginning February this year until present, I am experiencing severe stress and most of the time in “fight or flight” state and my estrogen level dropped suddenly from 455 to 150. Got terrible, frequent hot flashes which don’t let me to sleep at night.
    Started taking Ashwaghanda 2 weeks ago (1000 mg, 2 times a day).
    Should I take bioidentical estrogen? If yes, how much?
    And on what dose should I start ? How much of progesterone should I take along with estrogen? My progesterone levels are looking ok on blood test ( this is what my naturopath said- also stating that my estrogen levels are to low.
    I don’t know what should be the ratio between progesterone and estrogen ( if supplementing with the progesterone oil and estrogen bioidentical cream).
    Please, help me to understand and find out the solution.
    Thanks a million!!
    Alina

    • Alina – have you had tests done to try to figure out why you are experiencing the “fight or flight” issues? Speaking from experience, I would pay attention to this ASAP if you haven’t. You’ll want to do a saliva 24 hr cortisol test, available from many sources, just make sure it’s saliva! A full adrenal panel would be the best if you can swing it. And you’ll want a super knowledgeable practitioner to help you determine the best course of action for you. Research a lot on your own if you don’t currently have a practitioner who thinks “out of the box” about adrenal issues and bioidenticals, you’ll want to any way, it’s a very complex issue. Best of luck to you! 🙂

  14. Is there a similar product available to buy in the UK? I just tried to order this but they don’t ship to the UK unfortunately. Thanks

    • Hi Gaynor, Please follow the guidelines in this article Magdalena wrote on how to choose a topical progesterone cream in your area:. https://hormonesbalance.com/articles/topical-progesterone-when-why-and-how-part-1/

      We advocate balancing your hormones in this order of priorities:

      Dial in your diet (anti-inflammatory foods, good gut health, healthy liver, and stable sugar levels).
      Add natural tools such as the seed rotation.
      Only then, add the supplements.
      If that’s not enough, consider bioidentical hormones. Bioidentical hormones are not the same as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
      If you want to learn about how food can balance hormones, here is her free 8-day Cooking for Balance Program preview: https://hormonesbalance.com/cfb.
      And, here is a little quiz to give you an idea of possible hormonal imbalances https://hormonesbalance.com/quiz/.

      I hope this helps!

      ~ Jeanne HB Team

  15. I used Dr Anna’s progesterone cream, can you tell me what’s different with ProgestPure?

  16. Hello,

    Thank You for this very informative article! I’ve been on the fence about purchasing a natural/organic based progesterone product and your attention to detail has been superb. I’m commenting because I’m confused on one thing. Under paragraph #5 Who Should Not Be Using Progesterone, it states women with vaginal bleeding should not without a diagnosis. Due to a D&C for heavy, prolonged bleeding the lab results showed “pockets” of simple hyperplasia without atypia. From what I understand this is caused by numerous factors but mostly estrogen dominance.
    Within just 2 months after the procedure, my heavy cycles returned and lasted more than 2 weeks. Is it safe to say, along with added exercise and dietary changes, that trying out a natural progesterone cream or serum is a good idea to get this under control? I do not want to succumb to the medical “band-aid” of Provera, which is what’s been presented to me. I’m 37 and would love to finally conceive a child…but this bleeding needs to stop first. I have also started micro dosing Vitex liquid from Gaia Herbs too which I feel has helped within a few days of ingesting. I appreciate your time to read this as well as your feedback 🙂

    • Hey Ali,

      It would be good if you found a trusted practitioner to discuss these concerns with on an individual basis. Many clients have had success with a functional medicine doctor. If you need help locating one in your area, here is a good tool

      https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/

      I hope this sends you in a helpful direction!
      Healthy Regards,
      HB Team

      • Thank You for your response and guidance toward a practitioner! I have since used a progesterone cream, continuing the vitex and will be taking an Estrogen Detox suggested by a midwife. With the information from your article plus additional research, I feel like I’m on a path to healing 🙂 Thank You again!

  17. I have tried the Progestpure and I find it helps me sleep better at night and to feel more “balanced”. My only concern is that it might inadvertently get transferred to my husband – would it be harmful for him?

      • I tried topical progesterone and developed severe vaginal dryness. This was not an issue for me prior to using the bio identical topical. When I stopped using it that issue went away. My gynecologist said that it could possibly bind to estrogen receptors in the vagina and cause this reaction. I’m considering trying topical progesterone again for insomnia, mood swings in the second half of the month, and acne that also increases from ovulation on. I’m concerned about developing dryness again though. Any advice?
        I’ve done the elimination diet and have been seed cycling, but it doesn’t seem to be enough.
        Thanks

        • Hi Holly, you could explore Julva. It’s a feminine cream that can help vaginal dryness, incontinence and more. Here is the link to explore: dranna.com/magdalena

  18. Great article. Very helpful. I’m currently using ProgestPure (20mg) and tested my hormones and my progesterone was off the charts at 3077 (measured in pg/mL). Should I’ve concerned?

  19. Great article. Very helpful. I’m currently using ProgestPure (20mg) and tested my hormones and my progesterone was off the charts at 3077 (measured in pg/mL)

  20. Hi Amy, it’s great to hear that you obtained testing to gain more insights into your hormones. It may be worth discussing your health practitioner what dosage of ProgestPure is needed to sustain a healthy range of progesterone. ~HB Support

  21. Great article! I’m glad that I found him.
    For 3 months I was using Now progesterone cream (at that time I was also using Vitex 1200 mg) – 2 cycles I had during this time shortened to 26 days (and sometimes it lasted 150 days). In the third month, I increased the dose of the cream twice to 30 mg and no menstruation occurred. I took a 14-day break and introduced the 20 mg cream again (I stopped Vitex because it led to depression), during this time my body weight started to increase slightly (I did not change anything else, I am a dietitian, I take great care of my diet and physical activity) After a week, I stopped using the cream for fear of this water retention. Bleeding started after 2 weeks, but the water remained. After another 2 weeks, I reintroduced the cream, the weight tended to increase again, I stopped after 5 days, the bleeding started immediately – it lasted 3 days. The water has not come off. For these 2 months I have been holding 2 extra kg (I am very slim, it feels a lot). If it was too little cream that led to an estrogen advantage (before I started the cream, I was low in both estrogen and progesterone), will I see it in the test results? What can I do to get rid of this residual water? After this experience, I don’t want to go back to the cream. How long can I feel its effects? I really hope for some answer. I would be very grateful for any tip. Greetings!

    • I’ve had this same thing happen a few times when I have gone on and off of progesterone. You should shed the water with your next period. Some times it takes a couple cycles to do so. Hope that helps.

  22. Hi M, if you obtained hormonal testing prior to starting the cream, you could compare these against your current lab results and evaluate which changes made an impact. Water retention can be a sign of Estrogen Dominance, and it is still possible to experience low estrogen and Estrogen Dominant. Here is a video of the 3 types of estrogen dominance, you might find helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH9ccki65RI

    Balancing your blood sugar, support estrogen metabolism and liver detoxification, and focusing on digestive health can all help resolve Estrogen Dominance. I hope this helps! ~HB Support

  23. Thank you for your answer. Please let me know if there is an increased estrogen advantage after using the cream, will it also be visible in the test results (increased estradiol) or will these be only typical symptoms related to well-being?

  24. Hi M, a DUTCH test will show a breakdown of your bodies different types of estrogen. For hormone testing Magdalena refers people to https://hormonesbalance.com/articles/what-lab-tests-to-order-to-manage-your-hormones/ You can order the tests from that site yourself. It is important to find a skilled physician to interpret those results. Using a topical progesterone could reduce the occurrence, and symptoms related to Estrogen Dominance if you you currently have an imbalance of progesterone-to-estrogen. It won’t increase estrogen in your body alone. Once hormonal balance is restored, a topical could also help sustain this balance when combined with supportive dietary and lifestyle habits. ~HB Support

  25. I am 53, last period 10 months ago, I have a very large fibroid and I was really trying to avoid having a hysterectomy, the fibroid causing spotting quite regularly, I am estrogen dominant, should I use progesterone cream, I read somewhere that you shouldn’t use it with large fibroid, mine is about 14cm, any help would be greatly appreciated.

    • Hi Jacquie, in cases of fibroids you do not want to use synthetic progesterone but using bioidentical can be helpful if you are experiencing estrogen dominance due to low progesterone or excess estrogen. In such a situation it would be worth working with a naturopathic endocrinologist or other functional medicine doctor who can guide you through if topical progesterone is right for you and how to use it. If you need resources, please email us at [email protected]. ~HB Support

  26. Hi, I’m post menopausal and using the very accurate Dutch test I’ve been found to be extremely low in oestrogen. I have experienced sudden weight gain, aches and pains and low mood since being menopausal. Is it OK to use progesterone cream or am I likely to be out of balance? I’m reluctant to supplement with any oestrogen as there is ovarian cancer in my family. What would you advise?

  27. Thank you for such a valuable information..
    i really appreciate you for this post.

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