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Need help. Doctor put me on progesterone therapy from a compounding pharmacy.

By February 23, 2009 - 11:03am
 
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Ok, so i was diagnosed with pmdd. I knew i had something because 2 weeks before my period its hell, anyway been placed on all of the depression meds you can imagine finally found the right one pristiq, the dr also wanted to check my progesterone levels and she informed me that they were low 1. This was 2 weeks before i started my period. She sent me to a compounding pharmacy and they put together progesterone. I started taking 2 weeks ago and feel ok. I also started weight watchers about 7 weeks ago and had steady loss every week. UNTIL 2 WEEKS ago, last week i gained 1.5 lbs and this week 3.5...... MY EATING HAS NOT CHANGED! I am frustrated, that is alot of weight to gain in 1 week, you would think that i was eating big macs every day. So, the question i have is, is this normal for one to gain weight on this type of med? PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Jolaina

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Hi there. You may have adrenal and/or pituitary issues. My daughter just went though many of the things you are discussing. Including dropping to 1 hour of sleep a night and gaining 60 pounds while doing P90X. Many doctors are just not familiar enough with pituitary or adrenal issues. We now go to an Internal medicine Doctor (MD) who is Holistically trained. My daughter is probably 6-8 months away from a full recover. Additionally, I would highly recommend that you get a book called the Wahl's Protocol. It is written by Terry Wahl an MD who had second progressive MS and was in a reclining wheel chair for 4 years. She studied how to heal the brain and within a year she was biking to work. Once we started our daughter on the diet, she was off all meds in a month. Including 2 controlled substances for sleep. I can't tell you what a blessing her protocol has been for us. However, you still need a doctor that is aware of auto immune diets. Her new doctor found, hopefully, the remaining missing puzzle pieces. If you are any where near Nashville TN, we highly recommend Dr. Joseph Lamb at St. Thomas Hospital. It takes 3 months to get into see him, but he is extremely thorough.

October 2, 2016 - 10:24am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

What did your doc put you on??!

March 19, 2016 - 2:00pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Hello! I would really like to know more about what interventions your doctor used to correct your issues. I think it is nearly impossible to find a good MD and would like to know more so I can talk to my doctor about options. Thank you so much!

August 7, 2015 - 6:52pm
(reply to Anonymous)

Thank you for your response. I had a saliva test done and am taking dhea, levothyroxine, progest and bi-est and test cream my acne is starting to clear and now just scars it's the puffy face hands I can't wear my wedding rings and the weight gain. I take dim , vit D ,C and b6 also on my own from my own internet searching. What did you end up doing to start losing weight?

June 22, 2015 - 5:23pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Sarahmonz)

I didn't do anything. Once I found out I had a normal glucose and elevated insulin level , everything made sense. My insulin wasn't working because , I had high cortisol, no progesterone or vitamin d and abnormal t3. I had metabolic syndrome amd was insulin wasn't working. Therefore, everything I ate got stored to fat. Even though I ate 1200 cal low glycemic index diet. Once, I found a doctor to check my cortisol, insuli, t3, t4 and started to correct them . I lost weight. You have to find a doctor who knows what metabolic syndrome is and how to treat it. If you don't correct your lab , nothing will work.

June 22, 2015 - 5:41pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I have the same problems low t3 and have gained 20 pounds in the past year. I have been on progesterone for 2 years and am slowly trying to taper off because I've been gaining weight having mood swings and now am chronically dizzy. However when I started progesterone 2 years ago I lost weight and had no pms symtoms and basically felt great. I am also 25. I am not obese and workout 5-6 days a week and eat a low carb low calorie diet. My doctor thinks I'm insultine resistant and wants to put me on metformin but I'm afraid to take it. I also take nature thyroid. But cannot lose weight no matter what! Does any one know what is wrong with my is my doctor right should i take the metformin and ween off the progesterone? Or will it make me worse!??? Anyone have any answers I'm so worried I messed my body up and now I'm just gonna be a fat hormonal mess!

June 19, 2016 - 6:33pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I have the same problems low t3 and have gained 20 pounds in the past year. I have been on progesterone for 2 years and am slowly trying to taper off because I've been gaining weight having mood swings and now am chronically dizzy. However when I started progesterone 2 years ago I lost weight and had no pms symtoms and basically felt great. Now I'm moody unhappy gaining weight and dizzy and I don't know what changed. I am also 25. I am not obese and workout 5-6 days a week and eat a low carb low calorie diet. My doctor thinks I'm insultine resistant and wants to put me on metformin but I'm afraid to take it. I also take nature thyroid. But cannot lose weight no matter what! Does any one know what is wrong with my is my doctor right should i take the metformin and ween off the progesterone? Or will it make me worse!??? Anyone have any answers I'm so worried I messed my body up and now I'm just gonna be a fat hormonal mess!

June 19, 2016 - 6:29pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

are there any other options? i've been on progesterone for 4 months now - gained 8lbs, feel awful (can't imagine gaining more). i've been having peri-menopuase symptoms, migraines before my period - but this weight gain is NOT worth it - i would rather be off work 1 day a month with migraines! HELP!

June 15, 2015 - 5:56am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

You need to possibly adding more Progesterone cream. You sound like you are still feeling the effects of Estrogen Dominance. See the below link for the most info I have found on this.
http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/progesterone-cream.html#axzz3jAw3Tk1t

August 18, 2015 - 7:05am

I started progesterone 9 months ago and have gained 10 lbs. I have NEVER had a weight problem. This weight was mostly around my stomach. I truly had a progesterone deficiency. I am also high in Testosterone DHT.
i went back to the doctor and he told me that progesterone is what women are dominant with when they are pregnant. Pregnancy causes weight gain. He cut my natural progesterone intake in half. He told me to eat clean and exercise vigorously daily. He also told me to NOT eat BEEF, eliminate plastics, and to eat hard fruits only. I will see him again in September.

June 13, 2015 - 5:10am
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