Progress Your Health Podcast

When is it too Late to Start HRT? Recently we received a great question/comment from a listener of our podcast (The Progress Your Health Podcast). I’ll call her ‘Jenny’ (because I never reveal any personal information for the sake of privacy). Jenny was wondering if she is too far into menopause to be able to take bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. She has been post-menopausal for the last...

Perimenopause is the time in a woman’s life prior to entering menopause. Most people are familiar with menopause, which is when the ovaries stop producing hormones and women stop their periods. There are many options to deal with menopause (which is an entirely different podcast and blog). But perimenopause is a completely different animal compared to menopause. Perimenopause is usually between th...

Perimenopause is the time in a woman’s life prior to entering menopause. Most people are familiar with menopause, which is when the ovaries stop producing hormones and women stop their periods. There are many options to deal with menopause (which is an entirely different podcast and blog). But perimenopause is a completely different animal compared to menopause. Perimenopause is usually between th...

Some things are just plain hard to talk about. Especially, when it comes to issues, “down south.” And after going through menopause there are some changes that need to be discussed. It’s hard to talk about vaginal dryness, vaginal irritation. It’s hard to talk about urinary leakage, incontinence. Trying to bring up a conversation with your doc about painful intercourse or tender vaginal tissues ca...

Some things are just plain hard to talk about. Especially, when it comes to issues, “down south.” And after going through menopause there are some changes that need to be discussed. It’s hard to talk about vaginal dryness, vaginal irritation. It’s hard to talk about urinary leakage, incontinence. Trying to bring up a conversation with your doc about painful intercourse or tender vaginal tissues ca...

  Download the diagram above, click here . Tracy’s Question:  Episode 052 – What Biest Ratio is Best for Menopause?  This is such helpful information. I have often wondered who 80:20 is good for and who 50:50 is good for. One thing I’m still confused by is the estrogen weight gain component. You said that estrogen (as well as menopause in general) could be the cause of her weight gain. I can relat...

  ‘Doc, I really don’t feel like myself. I think it’s my hormones. Could it be my hormones? Can you test my hormones?’  How many times have I heard new clients tell me this story? They go to see their GP, Gyno, or Internist, asking to have their hormones tested. Only to be told that there is no testing for hormones. Or that it’s not necessary to test hormones. Only to leave feeling dismissed, with...

Michelle’s Question: Hi, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us!  In March 2022 at 42 years old, I had a total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy because of stage 4 endometriosis, grapefruit-sized fibroids, ovarian cysts, and my left ovary adhered to my colon.   I was immediately put on an estradiol patch.  I was recovering and doing well until the beginning of June. ...

Laura’s Questions: I am on 25 mcg of Levothyroxine for 6 yrs with hypo symptoms, every one! My endocrinologist just took a panel, and the results are the following:  TSH 2.36 uUI/mL        Reference Range = 0.45 to 4.5 uUI/mL  Free T4 1.1 ng/dL         Reference Range = 0.82 to 1.77 ng/dL  Free T3 2.9 pg/mL       Reference Range = 2.0 to 4.4 pg/mL Should we up my dose of Levothyroxine to 50 or sho...

Patient Question: Why am I getting acne in my 40s? Short Answer:  Women’s hormones are always changing. From puberty to middle age, to when the ovaries cease producing hormones in menopause. When we hit our 40s, our progesterone starts to decline. And our estrogen levels drop slightly as well. But the androgens, which are testosterone and DHEA do not decline. That means that there is less progeste...

  Listener’s Question:  Hello, recently my Nurse Practitioner recommended that I should start taking progesterone because she mentioned that I was estrogen dominant. I don’t have any real symptoms, so just want to make sure if I even need to take the progesterone. Thanks. Short Answer: If you don’t have any direct symptoms, then progesterone would not be necessary. We prescribe progesterone to wom...

                  Sarah’s Question: Hi I was diagnosed with ovarian failure at the age of 36. Its been 4 years now, I have been to a few different clinics, trying to figure out what works best for myself. Right now I am using estrogen patches, which do seem to work well, and Prometrium. My main problem that I still face is lack of sleep. The estrogen patches help my mood and sleep some but I have...

Megan’s Question:  This was great information. I have been 130lbs until I turned 48. Now up to 157. Weight gain all in my stomach, legs, arms, boobs and butt. I have still been working out intensely with weights and cardio and no weight loss . After listening to this is sounds like I should do less intense workouts and eat more. No period for 7 months now. I am soooo frustrated and want to loss th...

Question: I am forty-six years old and a 34A. Now, I’m a 34BC. My breasts hurt at least two weeks out of the month. Swollen, heavy, painful, have to take ibuprofen. It’s annoying as hell and it’s changed how I view my body. Not to mention, my midsection has changed too. I never wanted large breasts. I know BC cup is not large, but it is to me. And now I need to wear two sports bras to run. And I l...

Patient Question: A patient in her later 40’s, who is having a tough time with perimenopausal symptoms, recently asked me w hich is worse, perimenopause or menopause? Short Answer:  After dealing with many patients over the years, it is clear that both Perimenopause and Menopause are difficult and the symptoms can have a significant impact on a women’s quality of life. However, there are better tr...

Kathy’s Question: I tried progesterone 100 mg pill. I felt dizzy and felt like I could not stand upright. Does a cream have the same side effect? I was also prescribed an estrogen patch. Short Question:  It is certainly possible that progesterone can cause someone to feel dizzy. It is often prescribed to help with sleep issues and anxiety, but some women claim to feel dizzy or “weird” after taking...

Danielle’s Question: So, Thank you for this article. I’m having side effects from taking 200 milligrams of oral progesterone. I take forever to wake up and feel really, really groggy. I read where you said that take it early and when I take it early and out in an hour, I can barely keep my eyes open and feel drunk or drugged. So, I usually take it in half an hour before bed. I sleep like a rock bu...

Amanda’s Question: I’m 41. I have regular periods every 35 days. I have some anxiety, tiredness, stress, but I do work a lot. I don’t have trouble sleeping, but my doctor checked my serum progesterone level, and at day 21, it was .5. She said it was low. She had prescribed me oral 200 milligrams a day of compounded progesterone. I work at a job that requires 24-hour shifts twice a week. I’m trying...

Tammy’s Question: Hi. Recently, I read your article about estriol. I’m currently using a Biest Progesterone Vaginal Cream, but it’s compounded, and it’s expensive. I could use an estradiol patch and Prometrium and this therapy could be much more affordable. Would I expect a big change in that? Short Answer:  First off, we don’t recommend using Biest for vaginal use. We use Estriol only for vaginal...

Kate’s Question: Hi, I’ve been doing extensive research and I came across your site. I don’t know if you’re still responding to email questions or not, but I thought I’d give it a try. I just completed my first year of no periods. Dryness, I have the beginning of atrophy, is really my only issue. But I was given 50/50 ratio Biest, one gram a day. I do that vaginally as an insertion for two weeks,...

Anne’s Question: Since moving to the high desert, I have to use very large doses of Bio HRT or bioidentical hormone cream, and it is still not getting blood levels up to where my doctor would like. I tried switching to the patch and the level dropped to less than half. This is all giving me terrible symptoms and impacting my quality of life. I am worried the high doses are harming me somehow. Can...

Carrie’s Question: I am currently taking, .25ml’s Biest which is 1.25mg, 70/30 ratio per gram. I apply it to the labia and vaginal area at night, every night. About how long do I have to wait for it to absorb before having intercourse? I am getting conflicting reports. My doctor says I do not have to wait at all, as it will not affect my husband but the pharmacist says, it will affect my husband a...

Joy’s Question: Is the Vivelle patch good to use? My gyno prescribed it for hot flashes, vaginal burning, vaginal itching, and mood issues during ovulation before my period. I have not tried it yet, though. Short Answer:  Some women do fine with the Vivelle patch. However, in our experience, many women do not tolerate the patch very well, or it does not provide full relief of menopausal symptoms....

Mary’s Question: I am 58 years old and lost my thyroid to cancer eight years ago. I am finding it impossible to lose weight and have thinning hair near my hairline and no eyebrows. I started Bi-est cream, 50/50 ratio, 2.5 milligrams; progesterone, a 175 milligrams; and testosterone, 1 mg. About a year ago, it was lower doses and then went up to those as recently my doctor had me using it twice a d...

Monica’s Question: Hi, I have been prescribed testosterone cream and I have been advised to apply it to my inner thigh. I was wondering, in doing so, will this reverse the results of my laser hair removal on my bikini line? As per you stated that someone had a similar experience to this. Should I apply it there or should I apply in another area? Thank you.  Short Answer:  Applying testosterone cre...