Another newcomer
Question:
>advised to stop taking the Provera, that perhaps I was not producing enough >estrogen at this time. That was 3 weeks ago, and I am now apprehensive. I >have had some hot flashes this past week or so. Otherwise, energy is fine, >no fluid retention, and I’m working on the belly bulge. I think I’ve >covered it. For all I know, I will be fine without it, and I do think this >hcp is good.
I’m hoping you’ll be fine without it, too. However, if you do go back to progesterone, why don’t you consider one of the "natural" progesterones—-the standardly ones available thru your local corner drugstore are Prometrium and Crinone. Then there are various forms available thru a compounding pharmacy. (All these, of course, require a prescription.) I have heard of MANY women, who have many fewer problems with one of these natural progesterones, than with Provera. Provera is famous for causing problems with women who take it—I truly don’t understand why docs keep prescribing it. (It is not chemically identical to what a human female body produces.) Kathie
Response:
Thanks for the advise on natural progesterones. I will make a note of that and inquire about them if I find I’m having a problem doing this without medication. — Carole D
Response:
As I sit here reading all these posts, I already feel better. I had a hot flash while reading, and it was not that bad because I was distracted. I have heard that there is life after all this passes, and you have made me hope that this is indeed true. I’m 51, and right now I am dreading next week, because I decided to try going without Provera again. The last time I did that, I had horrible back cramps and debilitating bleeding, so I’m a little nervous, but the Provera was driving me crazy – fluid retention, anxiety, swings between insomnia and sleepiness, and let’s not even go into the weight I’ve gained (all around the middle). Next week I’m due for my next period, and I’m hoping it just doesn’t come, because I’m so afraid it will be the old story again if it does. Am I ranting? Do I sound perimenopausal? Probably. Does anyone have any natural suggestions to avoid the Provera route if things get too painful/bloody again? I exercise and jog, take vitamin E and calcium, along with St. John’s Wort and multivitamins and minerals. — Carole D
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I’m 51, and right now I am dreading next week, because I decided to try >going without Provera again. The last time I did that, I had horrible back >cramps and debilitating bleeding, so I’m a little nervous, but the Provera >was driving me crazy – fluid retention, anxiety, swings between insomnia and >sleepiness, and let’s not even go into the weight I’ve gained (all around >the middle). Next week I’m due for my next period, and I’m hoping it just >doesn’t come, because I’m so afraid it will be the old story again if it >does. >Am I ranting? Do I sound perimenopausal? Probably. >Does anyone have any natural suggestions to avoid the Provera route if >things get too painful/bloody again? I exercise and jog, take vitamin E and >calcium, along with St. John’s Wort and multivitamins and minerals. >– >Carole D
Hi, Carole. As an ex-sufferer at the hands of (?) provera, I sympathize. I am assuming you are not taking estrogen therapy along with provera, and that you understand the dangers of taking estrogen without taking provera (or other brand of progesterone). If you will share a little more about your history, others who have had similar experiences may be able to help you. My own hormonal supplemental history was that I took a combination of estrace (estrogen) and provera (progesterone) for a year and a half, and had to stop due to the ill effects of the provera. I was taking, at first, 10 mg daily provera for part of the month, and later was switched to 2.5 mg daily, and I was unable to tolerate it at all. I was depressed, felt ill, gained weight–the only good result was that I didn’t have hot flashes. When I quit, I adjusted back to normal (post-menopausal) after some months. That’s been about 2 years, and my hot flashes are very tolerable now. Please keep reading, and if you tell a little more about your provera situation, I’m sure someone else here has had a similar story and can help you. Jackie
Response:
Carole writes: >I’m 51, and right now I am dreading next week, because I decided to try >going without Provera again. The last time I did that, I had horrible back >cramps and debilitating bleeding, so I’m a little nervous, but the Provera >was driving me crazy – fluid retention, anxiety, swings between insomnia and >sleepiness, and let’s not even go into the weight I’ve gained (all around >the middle).
Carole, you’re not taking estrogen too, are you? If you’re just taking Provera, you might want to discuss a strategy of tapering off the stuff with your health care provider. That’s what I did — I dropped from 20 mg/day to 10/mg to 5 mg/day over a period of between 6 weeks and 3 months (the details are starting to blur in my head). Then, after a few months at 5 mg/day, I dropped to 2.5 mg/day, kept the dosage there for about three months, and then discontinued it altogether. That worked fairly well for me. Possibly it could have been accomplished on a more accelerated timeframe, but my body had already reacted pretty vehemently to sudden shifts in dosage. Regards, Laura Blanchard lblanch…@aol.com http://members.aol.com/lblanch000/ http://members.tripod.com/menopause/ (Land o’Links –click the cormorant for Menopause & Beyond)
Response:
Okay, I’ll try to remember my history !!! Initially, I was seeing some jerk who put me on birth control for 3 months under protest, because he thought I should have a hysterectomy. Needless to say, I dropped him, and I went elsewhere. The new doc did some extensive questioning and testing to make sure what was happening (heavy, heavy bleeding and backaches) was perimenopause and nothing else. Once he established that, he took me off the pill and all was well for a while (a few skipped periods, which he said was normal), but then about four months ago, the serious bleeding and backache started again (I sware it was stress-induced. Both times were stressful times for me). The gyn then put me on Provera on days 16-25 (l0mg). This did slow down the bleeding during my period for the first couple of months, but the weight gain was really annoying (a pot belly emerged – literally – and I had to go up a pants size because of it). Then last month, just before my period was due, I got really bad cramping, my ankles got swollen, I had terrible mood swings, and my period was late in coming and very light at first, then normal. I called the doctor, and I was advised to stop taking the Provera, that perhaps I was not producing enough estrogen at this time. That was 3 weeks ago, and I am now apprehensive. I have had some hot flashes this past week or so. Otherwise, energy is fine, no fluid retention, and I’m working on the belly bulge. I think I’ve covered it. For all I know, I will be fine without it, and I do think this hcp is good. I’d just appreciate any shared experiences, advise, etc., any of you good women (and men) can provide. Thanks. I’ll keep reading and posting. — Carole D
Response:
> For all I know, I will be fine without it, and I do think this >hcp is good. I’d just appreciate any shared experiences, advise, etc., any >of you good women (and men) can provide. Thanks. I’ll keep reading and >posting. >– >Carole D
Good. Maybe others can help you with their stories; as for me, I did much better without HRT–but, as you’ll soon learn here, everyone’s different. Jackie
