NPC - has it helped regulate you and/or with PMS

naturaljoy · 02-06-2006, 04:39 PM

I am considering natural progesterone cream to help with weird cycles and baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad PMS. I've been struggling with this for awhile now. I can't tolerate BCPs. I'm not IR but my dr has suggested met to regulate my cycles, but that made me feel loopy and dizzy ALL the time, so that didn't work out for me. I am normal weight, I exercise a lot and I eat a relatively healthy diet, although I do not low-carb (don't like it, plus I do distance running and need the carbs to fuel those runs).

I take Optivite PMT for the bad PMS and some months it helps, others it doesn't.

Basically what happens is that I feel VERY good as soon as AF starts. Lots of energy, even mood, no trouble focusing, etc. Then about 2w in to my cycle, I notice EWCM and I break out and get very very moody. I am sure my body is trying very hard to ovulate. EWCM dries up, things get a little better, then they go downhill again. I assume it's PMS then AF never shows up. More EWCM, more acne, more moodiness, my body trying to ovulate again, but again no AF. I can go through this 2-3 times every cycle, so my cycles tend to be 6-8w long. The only part where I feel decent is the first two weeks before my body starts trying so hard to ovulate.

I *think* I finally ovulated and I think I'm in the PMS stage right now. So AF should be coming soon...but who knows. I'm so frustrated with being in hormonal h*ll! My dh is also very very frustrated because he keeps asking me what's wrong, I keep telling him I have PMS, then no AF and I almost think he thinks I'm making it up and I don't like him. He tells me I'm never happy and for about 6w out of every 8, he's probably right! I really don't think it's depression, it feels very hormonal. The fluctuations drive me crazy.

So would NPC help with this, help my body remember to just ovulate or try to ovulate once and then bring AF on in a timely fashion? If not NPC, any other suggestions?

I talked to my dr, she suggested Lexapro for what she's calling bad PMS, but it's not just bad PMS, it's bad ovulation too, it's just bad hormones!

Thanks.

Joy

ava2005 · 02-06-2006, 06:41 PM

Joy,

I used NPC. I was at a place in my life where I wasn't really ttc but, didn't want to take BCP or any other meds. I never had AF on my own. I would use it for 14 days and then stop. If you do not want to O, you can use it 21 days and then stop. AF would usually show shortly there after. It seemed like that I felt better when using the NPC. I had major hormone problems previously. Everything was really out of whack and I decided to try the NPC. I can NOT take BCP either. They make me absolutely crazy. I stopped using it because I wanted to ttc. So, I started met. I am now preg but, would definitely use it again.

Here is a link so that you can read more about it.

http://www.infertilityworkshop.com/a...ogesterone.htm

Good luck.

naturaljoy · 02-06-2006, 06:47 PM

Thank you! I'm going to get some today then. I should have clarified that I am not pg and am not TTCing. So really I am just looking for something other than BCPs or met to give me somewhat regular cycles and help me with this insane PMS that is ruining my life!

It's definitely worth giving the NPC a try

.

Congrats on your pg!!

Joy

guineapig · 02-06-2006, 08:02 PM

NPC nor Prometrium stopped me from bleeding constantly, but they did reduce my cyst. They'll make you sleepy probably though! I've been taking the mineral? DCI (see siggie) and it's been small good gains so far...whereas met spiralled me into a fat, vomiting, acne, raging hell.

TN Butterfly · 02-06-2006, 09:27 PM

I did alot of research on NPC before I used it to bring on AF. Alot of women report a feeling of "well-being" while taking NPC.

You asked if NPC would remind your body to ovulate. Well, when you start using the NPC, the progesterone causes your body to *think* you have already O'ed. So, it might help you in the sense of your body gearing up to O and not O'ing and then gearing right back up again. It prolly won't do that with the NPC. You should get AF much easier and sooner. But if you do wanna eventually start O'ing, after a couple of cycles the NPC might have given your hormones and ovaries a chance to "relax" and regain fertility.

I think alot of women could benefit from NPC instead of BCP. BCP do NOT use natural estrogen OR progesterone. THAT can really mess a woman's body up more. But docs don't seem to like to discuss more "natural" approaches.

Anyway, I hope you get good results on the NPC. I was on CD 30-something and used it to get AF. I got it within a week of using the NPC. I'd like to hear about your "journey" with NPC. I've been on a thread about anovulatory cycster using NPC on here.....if you wanna, keep me updated on there!
Good luck!

naturaljoy · 02-06-2006, 10:27 PM

Shanna thank you! So when you started on it, you didn't have to w/draw to get AF? I am desperate for this latest AF to get here, but am also looking for the NPC for long-term use as well. I was thinking I should NOT take it right now since I believe AF is imminent. I thought it might prolong my PMS because I thought you had to take it for 14 days then stop and wait for AF to come. I can't stand two more weeks of PMS, LOL. But you said you got AF while taking the NPC...interesting. Maybe it's worth me starting today.

I HATE BCPs. I took them for years when I was younger w/out any problems. I tried to start them again after I weaned my twins two years ago and OMG, they made me positively psychotic. I tried several different brands and gave up. My dr still thinks it's the best thing in the world to regulate my cycles, and that may be true, but they also make me homicidal, which probably is considered a negative side-effect, huh? LOL.

Joy

TN Butterfly · 02-07-2006, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naturaljoy

but they also make me homicidal, which probably is considered a negative side-effect, huh? LOL.

Joy

Yeah, that prolly is a negative side-effect!

Not good!!!

No, I didn't have to stop the NPC to get AF. I spotted a couple of times one day, still spotting the next day and AF by the evening.

So, did you start using it yet or not????

naturaljoy · 02-07-2006, 01:21 PM

I did 1/4 tsp last night and I think I'm going to do another 1/4 this morning. Is that right or should I stick to 1/4 for now?

Joy

TN Butterfly · 02-07-2006, 09:51 PM

I used 1/4 tsp at night. I think you should use more if you are using it after O to help in case you are preggo.
Remember to alternate where you put it each time.

naturaljoy · 02-07-2006, 10:20 PM

No chance I'm pg - my dh has had a vasectomy

.

I'm just trying to get AF here so I can get this wicked bad PMS OVER.

Joy

naturaljoy · 02-13-2006, 12:44 AM

It worked it worked it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AF arrived Sat morning and I was soooooooo happy to see her. I got desperately and violently ill on Thurs and Frid so was feeling BAD anyway, so it's hard to say if the cream helped at all with the last of my PMS, but neither here nor there, AF finally arrived just a few days after starting the cream (and missing two doses on Friday due to not getting out of the bed, LOL). So in 12 more days I'll start it again and see if it brings me a regular AF this month sans wicked bad PMS.

YEAH!

Binxsmommy · 02-13-2006, 01:02 AM

If I'm not mistaken I think Lexapro is an anti-depressent something to check out. Maybe she thinks your depressed on top of it? Sure hope things keep on the track seems like its working for you. I use progesterone cream the last 14 days of my cycle and it really seems to help with my PMS. GL

Rebecca527 · 02-14-2006, 12:58 AM

Oh I wish I had seen this thread earlier! I'm so glad it worked for you!!! I use NPC after ovulation (I'm TTC), and it usually takes about 8-11 days of using it to get AF. I use 1/2 tsp per day. A few tips I've found out...always "rotate" the areas you use it on so one area doesn't get too saturated with it, to help with absorption. I always use inner arms, chest, inner thighs or stomach. Also I heard that using it right after drying off from a shower is the best time, because the capillaries in your skin are more dialated and can absorb it better. Also, someone posted on here one time (and I'm racking my brain to remember where I read it) that you should not use the progesterone cream that is derived from wild yam or has wild yam in it. I'll see if I can find the thread I saw that in. Anyway, enough of me rambling! I hope this continues to be a good thing for you!!! You'll have to keep us updated on how you feel after AF is gone, see if it helps with the bad PMS. Congrats on it working!

ava2005 · 02-14-2006, 03:43 AM

Yeah JOY! Glad it worked for you!

TN Butterfly · 02-14-2006, 09:44 PM

I am sooooo happy that NPC worked for you!

Good to hear! Now if only more women would hear about it and use NPC INSTEAD of Provera.