This is HUGE!

[bigeyes]

I don't even know where to begin!

I've posted before about how my health went downhill the first time I quit smoking, and how it mysteriously got better every time I started again, but no doctor could ever tell me why.

I've researched online and found that smoking raises cortisol, which is part of the picture, as it relates to thyroid health and how people process thyroid replacement hormones.

Wellllllll.........................

My doctors have recently determined that I'm low progesterone and high estrogen. High estrogen has the same symptoms as hypothyroid.

Guess what smoking does?

Lowers estrogen.

So all those years I was smoking, I was lowering my estrogen and self medicating.


The doc put me progesterone and so far I've been losing a pound a day.

But there's more! My fibro symptoms are lessening! Today I got on the floor to do my back exercises and was able to get up without help. I didn't have to hold onto anything, just GOT UP by myself!

I have not been able to do that for over 5 years.

So, while I am hypothyroid, it seems many of my ailments are actually coming from estrogen, and in only a week and 2 days of treatment I have made this much progress.



$10 copay beats the snot out of buying 3 packs of cigs a day.

I started vaping to see if I would get the same benefit as I did from smoking, and I didn't get as much, so it would seem it's tobacco rather than nicotine that does it, fwiw, which is unfortunate, cuz now I'm a diehard vaper.

Ah well, at least I can do it at my PC.

[Kate51]

Hello BigEyes!
What you described makes perfect sense to me! The thing that is so cruel though is that progesterone can have it's own un-savory side effects as well. But to find someone who knows what they're doing with hormone therapy is RARE! They usually just fulfill their obligations to PHARMA, and give you a prescription that is standard for every other person in the world, way off for you! I still have about 15 pounds of cellulite gained from HRT that won't go away, I just could kill that doc! She always made me feel like she was mad at me for being so screwed up. She was a piece of work. After a full hysterectomy the first thing she said to me was "Why are you here?" Looking right at my records in her hand. I knew right away was in trouble, this is something that had been screwed up in me for decades. No one ever did get it right. Have been taking Andrew Lessmans' Women's Wellness, now called "Releva" from ProCaps Laboratories for about the last 14 years, still can't go off without suffering the effects of improper hormone levels. I really can't recommend it high enough, I would be an absolute wreck without it.

I have no experience with fibro, but have heard people on this Forum having to switch juice to Vegetable Glycerin instead of Propylene Glycol, because of the lactic acid build up. May be something you'll want to look at.
But the thing with tobacco is that there's a lot more in a cigarette than tobacco, if you want real tobacco you have to switch to cigars or a pipe!

It is the nicotine that affects your brain. The thing is with vaping you actually absorb much less than you do with cigarette smoking. The question is then how much does one absolutely need to maintain that balance. I have ADD, would not even think of going 0 nicotine without some kind of substitute, I don't think that would be in my own best interest. Kinda ironic, isn't it!!

I suppose I could take a bunch of drugs instead.....somehow that doesn't seem very appealing.

[bigeyes]

At any rate, I'm feeling better!

It's just so annoying that doctors don't take you seriously when you tell them you know your own body, or they don't dig to find answers when you tell them what is happening.

Makes me wonder how many people are out there sick, needlessly, because of the anti smoking movement and ignorant doctors who refuse to listen to their patients and dig deeper for answers or do further testing.

[MaryKay]

You are singing my song BigEyes! I told them I was sick, I was in pain..they reccomended a shrink! he listened to me and sent me to a GYN for a hysterectomy. I had fibroid tumors with markers for cancer (no cancer then though) If I would have just gone with the program they were selling..most likely I would be dead.

I do take my estrogen and love it..no wrinkles, no werid facial hair and NO osteo problems (just had a bone density scan). I walk when I can (weather here is a problem) and I take my vitamins. The Dr. tried to take me off and I screammed blue murder. I told her I would score them on the street corner if I had to or go to Canada. Since I don't have most of the parts associated with cancer..what's the big deal. I have my pills.

You have to fight for your care. Reading is the best weapon you have. If you can find some studies or J.A.M.A. articals to take with you..even better.

I am glad you took the bull by the horns and got some real care. I do think E-cigs will be better for us in the long run..nic or no nic.

[shivadance]

Wow, glad you got a good doc to do the right tests and help figure this out. Who would have thunk?

Glad to hear you're having such improvements already!