When your hormones are out of balance you can have a wide range of symptoms and it can be hard to work out what is going on. To pinpoint the problem, you can have blood tests to measure the levels of the hormones FSH, TSH, Estradiol, Progesterone, Testosterone (free and total) and DHEA-S. These blood tests are very accurate. When a woman's FSH blood level is consistently elevated to 30 mIU/mL or higher, and she has not had a menstrual period for a year, it is generally accepted that she has reached menopause.

The levels of the hormones estradiol and progesterone fluctuate (go up and down) a lot during a typical monthly menstrual cycle which makes it harder to interpret results. This is why the FSH test is the most accurate test for menopause. Our handy table on Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalances can help you to diagnose what your hormonal imbalance is.

         SYMPTOMS OF HORMONE IMBALANCE

ESTROGEN DEFICIENCY ESTROGEN EXCESS
Hot flashes Tender and/or lumpy breasts
Insomnia Headaches, including migraines
Poor libido Depression
Dryness of vagina Worsening of varicose veins
Bladder irritability Fluid retention
PROGESTERONE DEFICIENCY PROGESTERONE EXCESS
Heavy/painful periods Sleepiness
Infrequent/irregular periods Constipation
Fibroids Breakthrough bleeding/spotting
Dryness of vagina
Endometriosis/adenomyosis
Unexplained infertility
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Premenstrual syndrome
Postnatal depression
Moodiness or PMT
Chronic Iron deficiency
Hair loss
Worsening of autoimmune diseases
Breast pain and lumpiness
Premenstrual epilepsy
TESTOSTERONE DEFICIENCY TESTOSTERONE EXCESS
Poor libido Facial hair
Aches and pains Hair loss
Depression Excess libido
Fatigue Weight gain
Osteoporosis Acne and greasy skin
Muscle loss Deepening of the voice
DHEA DEFICIENCY DHEA EXCESS
Fatigue Acne and greasy skin
Aches and pains Weight gain

Natural Progesterone

Natural progesterone is bioidentical to your body’s own progesterone. Progesterone is the hormone of fertility and is beneficial for a healthy immune system and thyroid function. Progesterone is made by the ovary after ovulation occurs and can be deficient in women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), older women in the perimenopausal age group, and women with thyroid problems. Progesterone can reduce premenstrual tension and has a relaxing effect. Progesterone can reduce post-natal depression.

How to use Progesterone Cream

The progesterone cream is rubbed into the inner upper thighs or into the opening of the vagina. Rub well into these areas, until all cream has gone.

Use as follows –

Rub one gram once daily, into the skin. Apply cream after a shower or you will wash the cream off your skin.

Use the cream every day until your menstrual bleeding starts; then stop using the cream on day one of bleeding. Ten days later (10 days after the first day of your menstrual bleeding) begin to use the cream again every day, until your next bleeding begins.

Natural bioidentical progesterone is not effective if you are taking the contraceptive pill. Natural progesterone can increase your fertility.

How to use Hormone Replacement Cream

If you are menopausal and no longer have menstrual periods, then you can use the HRT cream everyday. Ideally creams used for hormone replacement for menopause will not cause any bleeding and/or menstrual periods because the doses of hormones used in the creams are so low that they should not cause the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to grow. If you do get a period, stop using the cream and wait until the bleeding is finished. Once the bleeding is completely gone, start using the cream again, but in half the dose, as it is best to avoid bleeding on HRT. If bleeding persists, consult your doctor for an examination and pelvic ultrasound scan or see a specialist gynecologist for tests to exclude things like endometrial hyperplasia, polyps, fibroids, or cancer. One can never be too careful!

HRT cream contains a combination of hormones – such as some type of estrogen (eg. estriol, estradiol or estrone) plus natural progesterone and sometimes testosterone, and sometimes DHEA. The doses of each hormone vary according to your symptoms and age and requirements and are easily adjusted.

The hormones in creams can relieve symptoms after one to two weeks in most women. Some women choose to keep using bioidentical hormones for many years after menopause and this is fine to do if you have regular checkups and mammograms. Another benefit of hormone creams is they are much easier for the liver to break down compared to taking hormones orally in the form of tablets or capsules. This is especially beneficial for those with a fatty liver or hepatitis.

Women who have had breast cancer are told to avoid bioidentical hormones or HRT treatment which is the safer way to go.

Some women prefer to use supplements containing plant derived hormones such as FemmePhase.

FemmePhase can help to relieve menopausal symptoms such as poor libido, hair loss, dryness of the skin and membranes, and wrinkling skin. Femmephase can boost your flagging estrogen and progesterone levels in a safe way. It contains herbs that contain plant estrogens as well as vitamin D and vitamin K for bone health and B vitamins to reduce anxiety. FemmePhase contains iodine which supports a healthy thyroid gland which is most important when you are going through menopause.

If you have any problems or questions, I recommend my books titled:

“HRT – The Real Truth – balance your hormones naturally and swing from the chandeliers!"and “How Not to Kill Your Husband”

You may also email my naturopaths or myself from our websites

www.liverdoctor.com and www.drsandracabotclinics.com.au