[mochaccino]

I decided I need some more tests just so that I know what's really going on. Last time, it took FOREVER to receive the tests, send them in, and then finally get the results. In the mean time I think I will just make the changes to my program that I already mentioned. I'm already using the PC everyday. I'll probably finish one more cycle while using PC in luteal phase, then I'll take a break from NBE before taking the tests.

I'm not sure which tests I'll order, but at the very least, I need to confirm that I really do have low T. It turns out that I took the wrong kind of test at the wrong time of the month, so I can't be sure that it was correct. I'll get both testosterone an SHBG tested this time, so I can find out what my actual free T levels are. I'll definitely have to check my progesterone as well. I might also get some other tests done, but I'm not sure which ones.

[mochaccino]

Tibetan, I guess those women are not imaging things, I checked again and it turns out that grape seed really has been shown to inhibit aromatase in vivo, but it's kind of a moot point. I think AI's are a dead end for me, because I'm young and I obviously have no problem producing loads of estradiol. Doctors don't bother using AI's on young women, unless they're in some kind of induced menopause, because healthy young women produce more than enough aromatase to completely negate the effects of AI's.

[mochaccino]

The PC is making me extremely sleepy, sedated, and weak, just like last time. It was hard to wake up, but at least I didn't get "trapped in sleep" and slip into weird hypnopompic hallucinations like I did last time (They're basically just a kind of vivid dream that happens with your eyes open in between being fully awake and being asleep). When that happened the last time, I though it meant that my progesterone was already high, so I stopped taking it completely. Now that I know my progesterone is low, I'll just lower my daily dose until the sleepiness goes away. I wish it were easier to measure out an exact dose.

[TibetanPrincess]

The PC is making me extremely sleepy, sedated, and weak, just like last time. It was hard to wake up, but at least I didn't get "trapped in sleep" and slip into weird hypnopompic hallucinations like I did last time (They're basically just a kind of vivid dream that happens with your eyes open in between being fully awake and being asleep). When that happened the last time, I though it meant that my progesterone was already high, so I stopped taking it completely. Now that I know my progesterone is low, I'll just lower my daily dose until the sleepiness goes away. I wish it were easier to measure out an exact dose.

Otc PC? Or Doc prescribed? Its hard to really say what otc pc really does as its not exactly chemically suited to act as progesterone. If I were you, I would get a script for BIo Identical PC since you are low (if you haven't already).

Have you looked into vitex? Its not in actor of progesterone but it actually helps your body restore its function to make real progesterone.

[mochaccino]

Bioidentical PC is OTC in the US. I'm using Emerita.

[mochaccino]

Vitex is a great suggestion. I might take vitex, but I wish I knew more about it's effect on estrogen and testosterone. None of the studies directly tested E and T in women. I did find this great article on vitex that lists all the studies and grades them: http://examine.com/supplements/Vitex+Agn...summary2-0 I need to read it again and look into the details more thoroughly. I really hope that a much smarter person will read it and glean more from it than I did. Wahaika has always been against the use of vitex for NBE, but I never found out why. Sometimes he has a clearly defined reason for his recommendations, and sometimes he does not.

[TibetanPrincess]

Bioidentical PC is OTC in the US. I'm using Emerita.

Well, that is all the more reason why you may not get what you need from it. Its one of those phytochemicals that one will never know what its truly doing to their hormonal system. I gave up on otc pc when my doc told me that bio identical created in the lab is superior and is the only kind that act as progesterone in the body.

I wonder how true this is. From reading on other forums, otc pc doesn't do the job for supplementing progesterone the body needs.

[AbiDrew85]

Bioidentical PC is OTC in the US. I'm using Emerita.

Well, that is all the more reason why you may not get what you need from it. Its one of those phytochemicals that one will never know what its truly doing to their hormonal system. I gave up on otc pc when my doc told me that bio identical created in the lab is superior and is the only kind that act as progesterone in the body.

I wonder how true this is. From reading on other forums, otc pc doesn't do the job for supplementing progesterone the body needs.

The TRUE truth is it depends on the cream! It is POSSIBLE to buy the real thing in the US OTC. But not all creams sold in the US as a progesterone cream are the real thing, many are WY creams.

As for other countries, I honestly don't know what they do or do not have.

Anyways, just look for a PC with "USP Progesterone" on the ingredients list. That's what we're wanting. The more of it the better.

[mochaccino]

Emerita is a USP progesterone cream. 20mg per dose. All USP progesterone is exactly the same no matter where you buy it. The only difference with the prescription gel is that it absorbs much better. I don't really need better absorption because the Emerita is already a little too strong for me. I lowered my dose.

[mochaccino]

I am almost out of Maruman pig placenta and I decided to order domestically this time. Pig placenta supplements are almost unheard of in the US, so I had to choose between lamb placenta and bovine ovary. I haven't actually ordered it yet, so I still have time to back out.

I chose bovine ovary because so far it looks like most people who took lamb placenta felt that it didn't do much of anything, either good or bad. People take lamb placenta for their skin, sometimes in large doses, without even knowing what their existing hormone levels are, and they don't seem to notice any sudden hormonal issues popping up. That may sound like a good thing, but IMO it's a bad sign. It makes me wonder if the lamb placenta is even doing anything. BTW, this is kinda off topic, why the heck do they call it "lamb placenta". Babies don't have placentas Must be because it comes out of the mother attached to a lamb. By the same logic they should call bovine placenta "calf placenta".

Multiple people have had blood work done after taking bovine ovary, and while it's hard to draw any conclusions from what I've seen on this board, it's pretty clear that they all felt it had a very noticeable effect on their bloodwork. Too bad that not enough people posted exact details.

I'm really not sure what dose of bovine ovary I should take. I assume I should take a low dose, since I'm already taking PM.

I need to do more research and I have a very important question to ask, but I'm going to post it separately so that it doesn't get lost in all my yammering.