Complex Hyperplasia Atypia and Progesterone

Hi,
Has anyone out there been treated for Complex Hyperplasia Atypia with Natural Progesterone?

Normally they give you Megace or Provera. Natural progesterone seems like it should be as good.

Thanks.

Judy

Hi Judy,

Can't help you out here, but I'll put out an SOS for other hostesses to see if they know anything about this.

As a sidebar ... I took Megace for several months following my hyst to help suppress any possible endo remnants. I did fine on it, even though I had heard about possible bad side effects.

Beth

Thank you Beth!

Judy

In January an endometrial biopsy indicated that I had complex hyperplasia with atypia. I had a D&C and hysteroscopy that confirmed what the biopsy had shown.

My doctor wanted to jump right to hysterectomy but I balked. She said OK, we can try Provera. I said what about natural progesterone (Prometrium). I had read that there might be fewer unpleasant side effects. She agreed to give it a try. I had a couple of really awful periods but no other bad side effects. I was pretty hightly motivated to give this a fair shot but I never really expected it to work. I was stalling.

After 3 months the next biopsy was completely normal (active endometrium.) I was surprised and I'm pretty sure my doctor was also. I have another biopsy scheduled in about three weeks. I've got my fingers crossed.

Oh my Gosh! You are the first live person I have reached whose doctor allowed them to try Natural Progesteron and it worked! I am so happy for you!

I am allergic to the megace and currently am not on anything! My symptoms are painful. Please tell me the type of progesterone you are on and the dose. Is it oral or vaginal?

Thank you so much for replying to my post! I am so excited it worked for you!! Think of the difference in your life if you had been docile and gone for the hysterectomy right away. Good for you for asking questions.

Good to meet you!

Judy

I also have been using natural progesterone cream (Progest I think) It was on recommended list of Dr. Lee. I really started it because of bad periods and two scary incidents with breast cysts which were removed because we could not be "sure". Breast issues are 100% better and periods seem a little better, not sure yet. I had abnormal pap in May, but last one in August was normal, ultrasound was normal too. One thing is you need to give it a good 3-4 month try so that your system settles in. I also have been taking vitamins recommended. B6, magnesium, E, calcium. Buy Dr. Lee's book "What your dr may not tell you about Menopause" There are really great ideas and tips in that book no matter where you are in your life. I highly recommend it. Good luck.

Faith

Judy,

I've taken what I think are fairly high doses of Prometrium.


I started with 400 mg. (2 200 mg capsules) for 25 days out of each month. (You need to take it at bedtime because it can make you really sleepy. I know this from experience.) On that dose I had a 20 day period with one really scary day of heavy bleeding. So I went to 600 mg a day for a couple months and now back to 400 mg. It will be six months at the end of August. Over all I've been well satisfied.

I've also made some changes in my life in other areas. This has been a real wake-up call for me. I'd been generally healthy but neglected a lot of the basics. Now I'm exercising and eating better. I've lost some weight and my blood pressure is down. Although I wouldn't have believed it during the first scary days, this is probably the best thing that could have happened for my overall health.

I'm no expert in this area but if there's anything else I can tell you about my experience just let me know.

Denese

Hi Denese,
I am very happy for you that this is working! That is great that your overall health is improving too. I have been eating better and exercising more too.

You are the first person I have heard of who takes Prometrium. Did you try the Megace or Provera first? Do you mind if I ask the name of your doctor. I have been searching high and low for a doctor who uses Prometrium as I am allergic to the progestins.

Besides the sleepiness do you notice anything?

Thanks again, Denese. Best wishes.

Judy

Depo provera was THE only thing that stopped my bleeding. I went to get my 2nd shot and I experienced a tightening of the trachea, thready pulse, etc. I noticed that Judy said she was allergic to megace. Were your symptoms the same?
Would someone please write me with the names of some of them and the delivery methods (patch, creams, pills, IM injections, etc)
I am bleeding again like crazy again and I think that if I could balance my estrogen/progesterone amounts, it would stop.
Thanks so much!
JoAnn

Prometrium is a prescription brand human-identical progesterone that's been used a long time in Europe but a much shorter time in the U.S. It's much stronger than anything over the counter. With hyperplasia I wouldn't gamble on anything but the higher strengths. It's oral, so it hits the liver pretty hard. Some people get drowsy from it or depressed but it's not the long list of side effects of the progestins. On the other hand, progesterone is a precursor hormone on a pathway that leads to testosterone and estrogen. So for some women and purposes it may not work as well. Also it's suspended in peanut oil, so anyone with peanut allergies should probably avoid it.

If you go through a compounding pharmacy you can get bio-identical progesterone in high enough strengths in a cream, hypoallergenic gel, or troche. But these aren't commercially available products and not all doctors are willing to work with them.

I too tried Prometrium pre-surgery and it helped with the heavy bleeding and clots but it turned out that my problems with heavy periods were a form of ovarian cancer, so it wasn't the answer.

There's some stuff on it at www.hormonejungle.con/progest.php though I wrote that with the ladies of the Hormone Jungle in mind--fine tuning symptoms.

Another thing that might help is to add a good B vitamin complex. Though the studies have been with cervical hyperplasia, B vitamins have helped reverse it. They aren't a substitute for other interventions, but a basic B complex can't hurt when added in either.

Hope some of this helps!