My Karma Wheel

This is a CONSUMER-based forum that allows actual patients/users post their reactions to a variety of prescription drugs and supplements.

Just enter the name of the RX or supplement you want to research, then read pros and cons that have been posted by real people, revealing their real world experiences.

I’m a very athletic, normal-weight ( size 8 ) woman. A few years ago, I experienced a very surprising, almost inexplicable 3-day, 6 pound weight gain, centered exclusively in an area where I never gain weight (upper abdomen). I quickly realized that for some reason, my cortisol levels were up. I eventually traced this (thanks to askapatient.com) to a very tiny dose of bioidentical progesterone cream I’d been using for many months.

Much to my shock and concern, I learned from browsing through AskAPatient that many women are experiencing some HORRIBLE side effects from what is often considered a “safe” and side-effect-free over-the-counter cream.

As in anything else you supplement, if you need it, it’s great (surprisingly, it can be helpful to asthmatics and those with COPD); but if you don’t (or if you get too much, as I apparently did), you can start a cascade of negative side effects.

Fortunately, I worked at correcting my issue by stopping the cream and using something called DIM (to simplify, a supplement that helps metabolize out excess “bad” estrogens). It took almost 18 months to “get back to normal,” even with careful eating and intense exercise. My lesson? Don’t Mess With Hormones! There ARE alternative solutions that are much safer and better in the long run.

Just as an FYI, here’s an in-depth article about the interplay of hormones and their complex relationships from Women to Women.

If you’re into self-care, preventative medicine, and personal responsibility for your own health, you owe it to yourself to make good use of AskAPatient.com. You’ll have to do a lot of reading and evaluating for yourself, but this is a priceless treasure trove of real world experience. Good luck!