02-04-2024, 01:17
Where do I begin? I've been reading this forum for the past 4 months as a part of trying to understand endocrinology and sex hormones. I'm interested in NBE but I feel like other issues I'm experiencing are more pressing. Not sure if I can hit two or three birds with one stone, or if my goals are contradictory. I'm trying my best to become informed on all this, so I made an account to better engage.
In another intro thread, someone told a new user to post in Personal Programs. I've been looking for that but can't find it? Sorry if this is long and in the wrong place.
A bit about me:
"Herbs: Increase each cycle, allowing 2-4 cycles before the max amount. If less growth is desired, stop the PM and PC at lower amounts.
50% saponin shatavari extract: 600mg increased to 1,800-2,400mg.
Saw palmetto extract: 320mg.
Pueraria mirifica: Follicular, 100mg increased to 750-1000mg. Luteal, 100mg
Progesterone cream: Follicular, 1/8tsp. Luteal, 1/4tsp increased to 3/4-1tsp."
I already massage because it feels good, and put 1/2tsp of maca in my coffee (1 large cup in the morning, don't wanna overdo caffeine), because it tastes good. Never knew this was a small dose before these forums and didn't know it "balanced hormones." (Does anyone have more info on this? I'm down to increase or eliminate it.)
This is a small handful of things, each of which I understand the purpose behind, that I feel like I can keep track of and modify comprehensibly as time goes on.
It was in that or another thread where someone said that NBE and hormone balance are not contradictory goals; they are the same goals. Crossing my fingers here, ready to experiment. I'd love to hear what people think.
Thanks for reading. This was even helpful for me to just write all out. Hopefully others can also learn from this weird mess of stuff going on with me. Again, let me know if this kind of post belongs elsewhere!
In another intro thread, someone told a new user to post in Personal Programs. I've been looking for that but can't find it? Sorry if this is long and in the wrong place.
A bit about me:
- Cis female (I am actually non-binary and gender is VERY complicated for me, but I have never been on HRT).
- Age: 33
- 5'4", 130lbs, fairly low body fat percentage, though I haven't measured. I've been lifting weights since I was 19 and have always done very physical work. I used to train cycling seriously, haven't for the past 3 years since I moved and have been working more -- construction, tree work, landscaping, and I live off-grid deep in the mountains so I'm pretty damn wrung out all the time. A lot of my attention is spent on feeding myself properly and managing strength training with what I physically do otherwise.
- Diet: I eat as much as I possibly can, but have a very low appetite. Lots of forcing myself to eat and it's kind of miserable. I have mild IBS and can't seem to gain weight to save my life, but I'm always trying. I was raised with health-conscious eating and since starting strength training 14 years ago, I've eaten relatively high protein, little to no sugar, lots of vegetables (especially beets and sweet potatoes), nuts and seeds, and some whole grains and white rice. Gluten, oats, beans and soy seem to give my stomach the most trouble and I avoid them. I make almost all my food at home, have for over a decade, and really don't eat much otherwise-processed food.
- Sleep: I prioritize getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep each night. However I smoke a small spliff (weed and a tiny amount of tobacco, legal where I am), to help me fall asleep. It feels like a negligible amount, but I know that cannabis interferes with REM cycles. This is something I've taken breaks from or quit for long periods but it's part of stress management for me. Otherwise, I do not drink or do other drugs.
- During puberty and through high school, I stopped eating lunch because I "didn't want to get fat" -- not totally an eating disorder, but I'm sure I was undernourished (also slept like garbage in high school). I went from 112-118lbs in those years until I gained 25 amazing pounds lifting weights and finally eating enough from ages 19-20 (up to 140lbs). I lost 20 pounds to bad food poisoning when I was 23 (down to 120lbs), kind of gained it back after 3 years, but have been at 130-135 ever since.
- Build and boobs: I have a huge butt but narrow-ish hips (fine), tree trunk of muscular torso (love it), aaaaaand A-cups (meh). They have been essentially the same since age 15, pretty full and round but quite small. I could write a whole essay on how I feel/have felt about them but for now I'll just say I'd like to grow them, to a B or C cup. Measurements are about 34-30-37, with a 30" underbust.
- I've never been pregnant and don't plan on it. Was on the mini-pill briefly when I was 18 but no BCP since. No HRT as I mentioned, and no PEDS.
- I've been coming to grips with the strong likelihood that I have PMDD. My periods are very regular at 30 or 31 days, and the week before I bleed I am an inconsolable mess of wretched anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation that has been particularly frightening recently. It's especially dark in the last 3 days of my cycle. I've only recently accepted that these days go beyond the other "crazy" that I experience, on a journey of healing with CPTSD. I'm only beginning to understand more about PMDD and honestly am pretty lost on the hormonal correlations/causations. I do understand typical menstrual hormone fluctuations, and have been tracking my cycle, though I have not pinpointed ovulation. I get noticeable breast pain and swelling around day 20, but that's inconsistent.
- I also experience severe menstrual cramping and very heavy bleeding the first two days of my period (which typically lasts 5 days, sometimes 6 or 7, and is always very light after day 3). The pain is unpredictable; some months are not so bad, and I'm trying to keep a better journal to understand correlations. Often, without painkillers I am on the ground writhing in absolutely blinding pain. NSAIDs will help if I catch it early enough, though a couple of times I have thrown them up (there were three months where the pain so was bad that I vomited/dry heaved. I'm super not a puker and this has been really scary!). The past four months have been fine though? And it mostly has not been this way for me until this past year. Pain yes, a few times this bad but mostly I could stay consciously in this world through it, usually walking or biking gently. I don't know what's going on here. I don't have other endometriosis symptoms and no migraines.
- I do want to get a hormone test soon. (open to suggestions on what's good without insurance in the US). Been figuring I have estrogen dominance given my pear shape (hips had more fat deposited before I started working out so much). Testosterone is likely high given the strength training, but I've been skeptical about how much that actually increases it. I've never had acne. I get 3 or 4 dark hairs on my chin, and *several* around my nipples (always have). Very thick armpit, pubic, head hair and eyebrows, but very light arm and leg hair (including inner thigh and happy trail). I also have a very high libido. Lord knows where that puts me, and I'm still so confused about progesterone. I know I gotta shell out one of these days for a test to find out.
"Herbs: Increase each cycle, allowing 2-4 cycles before the max amount. If less growth is desired, stop the PM and PC at lower amounts.
50% saponin shatavari extract: 600mg increased to 1,800-2,400mg.
Saw palmetto extract: 320mg.
Pueraria mirifica: Follicular, 100mg increased to 750-1000mg. Luteal, 100mg
Progesterone cream: Follicular, 1/8tsp. Luteal, 1/4tsp increased to 3/4-1tsp."
I already massage because it feels good, and put 1/2tsp of maca in my coffee (1 large cup in the morning, don't wanna overdo caffeine), because it tastes good. Never knew this was a small dose before these forums and didn't know it "balanced hormones." (Does anyone have more info on this? I'm down to increase or eliminate it.)
This is a small handful of things, each of which I understand the purpose behind, that I feel like I can keep track of and modify comprehensibly as time goes on.
It was in that or another thread where someone said that NBE and hormone balance are not contradictory goals; they are the same goals. Crossing my fingers here, ready to experiment. I'd love to hear what people think.
Thanks for reading. This was even helpful for me to just write all out. Hopefully others can also learn from this weird mess of stuff going on with me. Again, let me know if this kind of post belongs elsewhere!