Estrogen Dominance?

pixiesis

pixiesis

Cathlete
Hi Smart People,

I've been reading "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Christiane Northrup and researching hormonal issues elsewhere, and I recently stumbled upon the condition of estrogen dominance and I have MANY of the symptoms. In fact I have enough symptoms that several sources place me in the most-likely-to-have-it category.

I trace the beginnings of these symptoms to when I started taking hormonal BCPs. While on the pill I gained about 70 pounds (!!!) and during this time I was exercising and usually eating well. The doctors I asked about it over the years didn't believe me and clearly thought I was gaining weight because of my lifestyle (the sad part is that even *I* started to believe it and gave up on my innate feeling that the pill had seriously changed my chemistry). I also had other symptoms besides the weight gain that I now see coincide with estrogen dominance. I have been off the pill for about a year (and I will NEVER take it again) but I still have symptoms of estrogen dominance. I have managed to S...L...O...W...L...Y... lose some weight (about 20-25 lbs, putting me around 50 lbs above my pre-BCP weight).

I'm wondering if anyone else has had experience with this? I know I need to see a doc to figure this out, but do I go to my gyno or an endocrinologist? I went ahead and got the natural progesterone cream I've seen recommended and have been using it for a few days. It might be a placebo, but I think I already feel a bit better. Any help/advice/sharing is much appreciated!

TIA!
 
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I think you should see an endocrinologist. Besides female hormone issues, you could also have thyroid issues or diabetes/pre-diabetes. Best to get a complete workup done and find out exactly what's going on. Good luck!

Stebby
 
Thanks Stebby, I was thinking endocrinologist too! My gyno isn't very good and usually rushes me out of there when I see her for my annuals. I guess I should have mentioned that I have had several thyroid and diabetes tests over the years and also recently and they are always normal. The only thing off about my bloodwork was slightly low B vitamins (which I and my doc attributed to being vegan but now I see that this is also a sign of estrogen dominance).
 
For me, estrogen dominance is a very real thing. The natural progesterone cream really helps me. I can tell a real difference in my symptoms when I use it.
 
Thanks, Elsie. Would you mind sharing some of the symptoms you have? And do you think the progesterone cream completely eliminates them?
 
Definitely have your hormone levels checked and make sure they test each hormone individually ... estrogen, progesterone, testosterone ... you might be out of balance and don't want to take too much of one thing without considering it could be a different hormone. I take bioidentical hormones, which works really well for me. It's one small pill, compounded, and took a little adjusting to get the ratios right.

I would go to a doctor who listens to you ... it's too frustrating being rushed!
 
Hi Amy!

Get your FSH levels tested, your estrogen tested, and your testosterone levels tested. I don't know which symptoms you have but I'm not surprised that you put on weight with BCP. I'm estrogen dominant. I have a borderline high testosterone level. T-levels are increased when the body converts unused estrogen into testosterone. The irritating part is that makes it harder to lose weight rather than easier.

I don't know if you have cysts on your ovaries or not, but there is a book called the "PCOS Protection Plan" which has helped me.

Fish oil helps, evening primrose oil helps, if you have the facial hair, Saw Palmetto can help some (it reduces testosterone, usually its sold to males.) Cardio helps with insulin resistance. I don't know if you are pre-diabetic. Eating low carb has helped a lot.
 
pixiesis said:
Thanks, Elsie. Would you mind sharing some of the symptoms you have? And do you think the progesterone cream completely eliminates them?
Click to expand...

My symptoms include extreme irritability and over-sensitivity to things--like noises bothering me; an overwhelmed feeling--like I can't handle anything; fatigue--even with enough sleep, difficulty concentrating, and acne--especially on my chin and around mouth. I actually use my face as a visual indication of if I'm getting too much or too little cream. Too much will cause breakouts, too. The cream makes things manageable. If it forget to use it, I'll get all out-of-control and start wondering what's going on. And then I'll realize I've forgotten the cream. It eliminates my worst symptoms. I still get some PMS, but it's more like the usual stuff--including (unfortunately) hunger. But I don't get so out-of-control.

I think the advice to have your hormone levels checked is excellent. Balance is the key: too much progesterone isn't good, either. It's tricky to find out how much cream to use. My neighbor recommended a very helpful book that deals with estrogen dominance and how to effectively use progesterone cream:

'What your doctor may not tell you about premenopause : balance your hormones and your life from thirty to fifty Author Lee, John R. Publisher: Warner Books.'

I got a copy from my library. I didn't read the whole thing--just the stuff that applied to me.

Good luck, and hope this helps.
 
You need to get your homone levels checked. This includes estrogen, testesterone, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol/adrenal glands, and T3/T4 for thyroid. You'll be amazed how well you feel once your hormones are balanced! :)
 
My estrogen / estradiol levels were way out of wack a while ago according to the blood tests they ran. I had to get them down and get them down fast.

The best thing I did was changing my diet, as my weight came down so did the estrogen levels. Any excess weight will increase your estrogen levels. I know! Easier said than done, huh? My diet is pretty much based on the book The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose.

I added flax seeds, cut out dairy, soy (except raw soy sauce, miso and tempeh) and any meat (other than fish/seafood). And no wine, beer or any other alcohol. Even one glass of wine can raise your estrogen levels significantly. Cardio will also help keep you estrogen levels in check.

Now, I was pretty strict but I was on a mission to get it down fast without any medication. It worked within a few months my estrogen / estradiol levels came down and were 2/3 less than before. But not everyone is a nut like I am :eek::eek:. I would say, any little change you can make would be helpful.

I would definitely get your hormone levels checked.

HTH
 
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Y'know, I really, really HATE that doctors are always claiming the Pill has nothing to do with weight gain, despite (admittedly largely anecdotal) evidence that women often gain weight on the Pill. I mean, YES, eating more calories than you burn causes weight gain, but having your hormones messed with affects your levels of hunger AND your metabolism, so isn't it just possible that the Pill can create a propensity for you to eat more calories while your body is burning less? I think it is.

The Pill works by convincing your body that it is already pregnant, and so you do not ovulate. But when women are pregnant (or when your body thinks it is), don't we hold on to fat a little more readily?

I stopped taking the Pill six months ago and I have found it SO much easier to control cravings. It took a while for my hormones to stabilize, but they have finally begun to even out, and I can feel the difference. My SO noticed that I looked slimmer within about a month. I retain less water, feel less hungry, and have more energy. My first few periods after I stopped were a little nightmarish, but once my body got used to the idea that I was no longer pumping myself full of artificial hormones, it started getting back to normal.

This is just my personal experience, of course. I should also add that I have Hashimoto's thyroidosis (low thyroid) and take synthroid, but my thyroid levels have been steady for the last 8 years or so with the same dosage, even when I was on the Pill. I really think doctors need to do more studies regarding women, hormones, and weight while on the Pill, but of course, women's health and reproductive issues seem chronically under-studied. (Growls with frustration). :mad:
 
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