And a Little Progesterone
Was All I Needed

      As so many women have hormone problems, I thought you might be interested to hear my "story."

     In 1991 I had a hysterectomy because of heavy bleeding and irregular menses, which sent me into an early menopause. I began experiencing classic menopausal symptoms, such as breast swelling, tenderness and lumps, night sweats, mood swings, hot flashes, water retention, headaches, and so on. My gynecologist said that I wouldn't need hormone replacement until I was about 50.

     When I was 50 in April 1998 my doctor did some tests and said that I needed oestrogen, so I started oestrogen replacement therapy. I started using skin patches 'Estraderm', this made me feel much worse. 5 months later my doctor said that I should try a different type of oestrogen, he gave me an injection, this didn't agree with me at all, it made me feel awful, the injection lasts for 5 to 6 weeks, so I had to sit out 6 weeks of what I now realize was heavy oestrogen overdose.

     I had now been suffering for about 8 years since I had the hysterectomy. In spite of the treatment I had been having, I was getting worse. Because I felt so unwell I decided to stop the estrogen therapy, and see what would happen. The aching got worse and I was chronically fatigued. I was then sent to a specialist neurologist who diagnosed me as having fibromialgia!!

     At this stage I was unable to walk more than 100 steps due to constant pain in my legs. I soon developed high blood pressure, palpitations, high cholesterol, and aching joints. I was referred to a specialist physician; he told me to buy elastic stockings, which I should wear during the day! He couldn't find anything wrong, but felt that I needed to have the veins in my legs checked (as they were very swollen and painful) by a specialist vascular surgeon. This I did, but was told that the problem was not my veins.

     By this time I had constant pain in my legs and arms, and frequent pain in my kidneys and liver. From being an active tennis player to this! I had to give up working (we had a clothing shop in a large shopping centre) so that I could rest and try to get well.

     In October 98 my daughter's friend told me about a video on Natural Progesterone, I watched the video and started using n.n. natural progesterone cream. The n.n. natural progesterone cream gave me back my life - after 2 months I had no lumps in my breasts, and my other symptoms were slowly becoming less and less.

     I went back to my GP to tell him what I was doing and show him the results, and on examining me; he was surprised at my improvement (especially the lumps in my breasts). He asked if he could do a blood test, the tests came back with normal oestrogen levels and my cholesterol was down.

     After 15 months of using n.n. natural progesterone cream my cholesterol is down and I no longer take medication for high blood pressure. I now also use some herbal dietary fiber and barley juice, which I find have speeded up the healing time and helped increase my energy level. I am walking 3 Kilometers most days, have lost 10Kg's all other symptoms are gone!

     Regular HRT has so many dangerous side effects and most women don't know this.

Note: n.n.= (no name) and represents the brand of natural progesterone cream used.

Julie Upfold upfold@icon.co.za