[surferjoe2007]

Ok, so I've been at this NBE stuff for like 2+ years with zero success. I've tried quite a few different products that caused bad reactions (allergic?), and other stuff I've used (topical creams and whatnot) I probably just didn't give them enough time to begin working. Currently, I'm just massaging using ylang ylang and geranium essential oils.

I took an online quiz, and pretty sure I'm estrogen dominant (32yo female, 3 children). My question is: Do I need to have my hormones checked before I devise an NBE program, or can I simply use Vitex to clear out and balance hormones, or can I just try out progesterone cream and see how that goes?

I do have adrenal fatigue and some hypothyroid symptoms, if that helps.

Thanks so much!

If you have been trying for 2 years it would be best to find out for sure what your hormone levels are before you waste any more time and money on guesswork. If you do have high estrogen then you can cycle progesterone cream or you can use vitex daily. Progesterone cream is much stronger. Cycling isn't always 100% necessary, but the spotting issues you had in another post are probably from not cycling. Vitex is much weaker and doesn't need to be cycled, but it will take longer. Even after your estrogen dominance goes away, continue using PC or vitex for as long as you continue NBE. Even after your hormones get balanced it will be necessary if you add phytoestrogens. And until your estrogen dominance goes away don't use any phytoestrogens at all. The danger of not getting a hormone test is finding out that you were not estrogen dominant and then all that progesterone cream leaves you with too much progesterone instead causing a new set of problems (and no NBE). Progesterone and estrogen must be matched to each other both for hormonal balance and NBE purposes.

Get a kelp seasoning shaker for your thyroid. Good nutrition in general would also be a great idea to prevent further frustration from nutritional obstacles preventing you from growing. See the program in my sig. It also has herbal tips for after you get good nutrition and balanced hormones. Until you take care of those two things the herbs may not be that useful though and are more likely to give you trouble too. You probably only need some kelp and progesterone, but it's much better to be thorough before you slip up and waste more time.

I agree you shouldn't use essential oils or most herbs until you get everything sorted out. Many are phytoestrogens, or at the very least may be less tolerated by someone lacking in nutrition such as iodine (found in kelp, a lack of which is the most common cause of hypothyroidism).