RA, Fibromyalgia, Lyme and estrogen allergy... Oh yes

Hi, My name is Ruth, and I'm 39 and I have a whole host of illnesses that lately I realise are probably all just estrogen dominance symptoms. I have had rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia since I was 15 years old and, with hindsight, I think this was because of exam stress and infrequent and weak ovulation, lead to estrogen dominance. I also have antibodies to Lyme, but this could be simply because I have antibodies to everything . I was on antibiotics for two years, which put my arthritis in remission, but in the end I think caused yet more estrogen dominance than I would otherwise have had.

I haven't read many Peat articles yet, but am very interested. My main health concern at the moment is a hypoglaecemic sort of attack I get in response to high estrogen, which makes me fall down and twitch, as well as trembling, weakness, hyperventilation and nausea. It lasts about 20-30 minutes at a time, and once it's over I feel tired, but otherwise I can get up and carry on with my day. if anyone knows how to combat this please let me know as it is very scary and I can go in and out of this state all day long around ovulation time. I combat it with buteyko breathing and progesterone oil at the moment.

I am slowly reading and find it all rather peculiar, but I have to say so far it rings true with my own experience. I hope to learn a butt load and begin to feel better. My arthritis is already improved tonnes on the progesterone oil, of which, I'm finding more is better. Thanks for listening!

Ruth (my video blog is at http://www.youtube.com/ruthheasman)

Hiya, good to hear things are improving.

Good luck on your journey!

~just a passing stranger :)

Spacehoppa said:

Hi, My name is Ruth, and I'm 39 and I have a whole host of illnesses that lately I realise are probably all just estrogen dominance symptoms. I have had rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia since I was 15 years old and, with hindsight, I think this was because of exam stress and infrequent and weak ovulation, lead to estrogen dominance. I also have antibodies to Lyme, but this could be simply because I have antibodies to everything . I was on antibiotics for two years, which put my arthritis in remission, but in the end I think caused yet more estrogen dominance than I would otherwise have had.

I haven't read many Peat articles yet, but am very interested. My main health concern at the moment is a hypoglaecemic sort of attack I get in response to high estrogen, which makes me fall down and twitch, as well as trembling, weakness, hyperventilation and nausea. It lasts about 20-30 minutes at a time, and once it's over I feel tired, but otherwise I can get up and carry on with my day. if anyone knows how to combat this please let me know as it is very scary and I can go in and out of this state all day long around ovulation time. I combat it with buteyko breathing and progesterone oil at the moment.

I am slowly reading and find it all rather peculiar, but I have to say so far it rings true with my own experience. I hope to learn a butt load and begin to feel better. My arthritis is already improved tonnes on the progesterone oil, of which, I'm finding more is better. Thanks for listening!

Ruth (my video blog is at http://www.youtube.com/ruthheasman)

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I was thinking you might add bag breathing to combat the blood sugar attack. And, when it happens, what foods have you eaten in say the last hour?
What I mean is that I get low blood sugar IF I eat an egg (heavy protein says Ray) without enough fat and fruit with it. I get a milder reaction but it includes trembling, weakness, breathless ness and sometimes nausea. I have to be careful to balance protein. This may not be your problem at all but it came to mind while reading your post.

Welcome.

Hi again, thanks for the lovely welcome. Well, what a day. It started with a herx (one of my spasming, nauseous, trembling attacks in response to high estrogen), followed by a long nap until 3pm. I had some success by asking my husband to bring me a paper bag to breathe into, a sugary drink and a salty snack and the 'herx' passed in less than 10 minutes.

Since then the day has improved greatly. I have been out for two walks and listened to a fantastic interview with RP by Josh Rubin in which they spoke about estrogen and progesterone. I recognised myself in almost everything he said. He even described the involuntary jerking/twitching that I do, saying that high estrogen causes an insulin spike which lowers blood sugars, causing the hypoglaecmeic type symptoms and over excites the brain causing the twitching. Fantastic stuff! I cried and then I leapt about the kitchen, finally understanding what has caused my poor health and finally knowing, roughly, what to do about it. Then I went for my second walk of the day. I don't usually have enough energy for one walk never mind two, but since I increased my progesterone dose I am feeling euphoric and full of energy, as well as my arthritis being much better, apart from around those pesky estrogen spikes.

RP is clearly some kind of genius. I would like to say a huge thank you to him as I feel that I have now finally reached the bottom of the rabbit hole of undertanding. There's still a long way between here and wellness, but knowing, with certainty, what the problem is is empowering and exhilarating and makes me very happy indeed.

I still have lots of questions and loads to read and understand, but my god, when this man speaks it's dynamite!!!

When I start feeling better I end up doing way too much and drop myself back into the hole. :2cents

Hi Charlie, yes, you're right of course, I do that too. Saying that, my energy levels are determined entirely by my estrogen/progesterone ratio and this morning it was estrogen dominant (hence the nap) and this afternoon progesterone dominant, hence the walk. When progesterone has the upper hand, I really do have energy to spare. It is actually as simple as that for me. I have a feeling that when the menopause finally arrives, it could be the best thing for my poor estrogen stressed body.