Moaning About Hormones
By: Anna Louise

In February of this year, I picked up a pamphlet about Natural Hormone Therapy - Creating Hormonal Harmony. Felicity Sinden and her team run Patient Advocates Ltd in Tauranga. On the inside cover was a list of symptoms caused by hormonal imbalance (see further in this article for the list). I was in the fifth year of suffering from M.E. (chronic fatigue syndrome) and had given up looking for a cure - which actually made me feel a whole lot better! Whilst my health had picked up quite a lot I had been wondering whether some of my symptoms were due to being premenopausal - being in that age group. After reading this list I identified with many symptoms so I just had to check out this Felicity Sinden and hear what she had to say. After the initial contact, I needed a series of blood tests done to check my current hormone levels and was off to my GP to get them ordered. My GP had been very supportive of me during the M.E. years and had encouraged me to look at alternative methods of healing. She knew of Felicity and her work and was extremely happy to support me in this endeavour as well. It took some weeks of waiting, till 31st May, by the time the tests were back, to get to see Felicity, but it was worth the wait.

THE PROCESS
I can remember sitting in her office, feeling extremely fatigued and trying hard to concentrate on this amazing woman who had such in depth knowledge of the female anatomy and hormonal system. She was so confident, caring and knowledgeable that I knew I was in the right place with the right person. It was hard to keep up with her but I made notes, she did drawings and I began to understand how vital it is to have hormones functioning normally and doing the job they are supposed to do. My progesterone level was 2.1 and Felicity wanted to get it up to the normal level of 8. Whew, we had some work to do! A hormone, DHEA, that is produced from the adrenal glands, is vital in the normal functioning of the hormonal system and, as my level was down, I was to go on DHEA capsules to increase the amount in my system.

As I understand it from Felicity, progesterone is supposed to be the dominant hormone. The other main hormone, oestrogen, works properly when the correct level of progesterone is present. If oestrogen is dominant, especially in the form of 'xenoestrogens' or false oestrogens, then progesterone has a hard time doing what it is supposed to do - regulating all the hormones - and all sorts of havoc is created. That's a very unscientific explanation I know, but in layman's terms, that's about what happens.

I started that day on DIM (oestrogen-down regulator made from cruciferous veges) and BJM, a nutrient support for bone, muscle and joint health. In early June I started using the DHEA capsules, 20mg of natural Progesterone cream and cut down on my contraceptive pill. One of the things I wanted to achieve was to be free of using an oral contraceptive - one less chemical (an oestrogen-dominant one) in my body. In late July I did just that and it was with great gusto that I threw the last of the little buggers into the bin!!

Using the progesterone cream nightly on different non-fatty parts of my body was very different and took some getting used to but, with Philip involved too, we made it a lot of fun. During the next months there was an increase in my energy levels and a decrease in premenstrual pain. I had been experiencing pain in the same place in the uterus where a small amount of Endometriosis had been lazered three years ago. I had been loath to go through the same medical procedure again so it was with relief that I realised that the pain had significantly subsided. Without the regulation of the Pill, my periods fluctuated - and still are fluctuating - but I feel that they are definitely settling down and are going to taper off to nothing in the next year. Yippee!

I always felt that when a woman had finished child bearing or didn't want to have children at all, that she should be able to flick a switch and stop the monthly flow altogether - and still stay hormonally balanced.

On August 18 I met with Felicity again and my progesterone level had almost doubled to 3.9. A good sign but a little slow, so she upped the progesterone application by 5 mg a night (more of the gooey white stuff to rub into my body). But if that's what it took then so be it - I am woman!

THE RESULTS
I can categorically say that my health has improved since starting this natural hormone regime. I don't need to have a rest every afternoon like I used to, I can go out more in the evenings and I have even started low level power-walking! My journey with M.E. (which has been my greatest teacher but I'm not sad to see it go) is almost over and I'm convinced this hormone treatment has seen me move through it quicker that I otherwise would have. Every month at the same time I used to get severe headaches and they have now stopped. I don't get as anxious or overwhelmed as I used to, especially when the magazine deadline is looming - you can ask Philip what I was like! Life looks a lot more energetic for me now and can only get better as my moaning hormones become quietly fulfilled. While it will still take some time to increase my progesterone level to where it should be, the slight increase in this level plus DHEA has turned my life around. I would recommend anyone who is suffering from the following symptoms to contact their nearest clinic.

The Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance: