Since I am applying PC cream (and with the help of the lovely ladies here i now know to apply it later), i think i'm more balanced now. So i was wondering what i should take? I was thinking of taking borage oil, multivitamins, and hops. i'm thinking whether or not i should add fenugreek or fennel.... I know that it sounds odd that i am adding estrogen based herbs into my formerly estrogen domnimant body...but i haven't had real growth from PC cream alone and i'm thinking the extra estrogen might help since i'm balanced now... any suggestions?

Does taking Vitex [another progesterone producing supplement] instead of Progesterone cream go the same -- You have to take it on certain days. Maybe I shouldn't be taking Vitex everyday and only on certain days. But I don't know.

Oh and what makes you think your hormones are balanced? Are you for sure? You'd have to be taking it for a while for it to actually work.

Hi Jackie,

You are supposed to use Vitex every day for several months (till it works I suppose, not sure when you are supposed to stop actually), whereas Progesterone Cream you are only supposed to use from day 13 (when you start menstruating is Day 1) to Day 27 (or so, depending on how long your cycle is).

Oh and I forgot to respond to Chocochip's original question. However, I don't know the answer, lol. But, would like to know myself so hopefully somebody else can provide some insight.

Hi Chocochip,
You may have to be careful in what you chose herb wise if you are recovering from estrogen dominance. It would be better to steer clear of any strongly estrogenic herbs like red clover or licorice. Hops also sometimes gets listed as a highly estrogenic herb.

If you wanted to try some of the galactogouges they might be okay. Fenugreek might work - I tried it but it did not work for me (caused low blood sugar) - but I can't say it increased my estrogen dominance symptoms.

Fennel is fairly low in estrogen, so if you really want to try an estrogenic herb it might be best to start with it. I tried it and it increased my estrogen dominance symptoms (but then again it might have been the fenugreek since I took them so close together).

My advice is to add only one thing at a time and wait 2 - 3 weeks before adding anything else. This will give you time to evaluate your response. Keep you dosages low - don't ramp up very high. If you get tingles or other positive response then you are taking the right amount - don't go higher.

Also keep using the PC while you are trying these things out (I mean of course during the days when you are supposed to use it). This will help to keep you more in balance if the herbs raise your overall estrogen level.

Let us know how you are doing. I would be really interested in your response.

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Jackie - Vitex does not work exactly like the progesterone cream. With vitex your body only makes the progesterone during the time of month you are supposed to have it. If you stop taking the vitex daily you are likely to never get help from it.

waxingmoon

Jackie... i know that for PC cream you are supposed to apply it only starting on day 12-15 (counting your first day of period as day one). I've applied it too early, (day 12) and caused myself not to ovulate, thus causing early periods. But now i know better (thanks waxingmoon :) ) so i'm waiting till day 15 and see if that fixes my cylce. But yea so far i don't think PC cream necessarily helped with NBE yet or its too early to tell (it's only been less then a month and a half), but i have less estrogen symptoms on my periods. For example, i noticed that my excessive aches and cramps are gone. I am definitely not as weepy or emotional. I am still really sleepy and bloat a bit (swelling in the breasts too) but i noticed better skin from it. So yea, that's why i think i was right in thinking that i was estrogen dominant before and PC cream is helping me because frankly, it's only done positive things for me thus far. So even if it doesn't help with NBE, i'll still use it to help me with PMS.

Waxingmoon, before taking PC cream, i actually used borage oil and did some massaging (about 5 minutes a day) and i actually went from a 34A to a small 34B (about 2 - 2.5CM increase) in about 2-3 weeks. I've stopped taking borage oil for about a month as i started PC cream and the massaging, and they haven't shrunk. So that's why i am definitely adding borage oil back now (since i know now why my cycle was weird) but i wanted to amp things up before summer...thus adding new herbs. I realized a lot of people had positive response from these three herbs (hops, fennel, fenugreek) but since all three are estrogen based i wasn't sure what to use. but i think i'll do as you say and add one thing at a time with each new week to see how it affects me. Thanks again for helping me out with this :) I'll definitely keep my regimen poseted (i'll start a program page with everything thus far when i start the herbs).

Waxingmoon,

Does fenugreek lower blood sugar in everyone or are some people susceptible? I've take n more than 2000mg daily (7x WU) with no ill effects and I already take metformin! Do I need to worry tha my sugar's usually through the roof?! I know if I don't eat for ages I get dizzy and headachey which is low blood sugar but tha happens only as much as maybe 1-2x monthly....guess I probably do eat a fair amount of sugar!

"With vitex your body only makes the progesterone during the time of month you are supposed to have it."

Jeez, I did not know that. But thanks!!!!