Will progesterone help with my arthritic problems?

The Natural-Progesterone-Advisory-Network.com website has observed that many women experience increased intensity of joint and muscle pain at some stage of their progesterone therapy. One such case was Marie who reported significant discomfort around the seventh month. In those early days when she understood very little about the side effects of progesterone therapy, Marie went racing off to her rheumatoidologist who wanted to put her on cortisone-based anti-inflammatory drugs which would have counteracted progesterone benefits long term and perhaps impaired her hormonal health.

We now believe, based on women’s input, that the incidence, or exacerbation of joint and muscle pain while taking progesterone is a result of receptor activity (a wake up which is often delayed) in those areas. And when women complain of this insidious yet common theme, we encourage them to bear with it because it is an experience a good many women connected to our website have gone through. It occurs on different levels at various stages (7-8 months average), however, more importantly, the incidence of pain and increased discomfort does not appear to be suggestive of progressive degeneration of any pre-existing disease. Rather, we have to conclude based on women’s experiences that it’s an indication cell receptors are waking up; in most cases, a sign the body is responding favourably.

Many women with arthritic or inflammatory problems find, after about 2 years on progesterone, they are reporting significant joint and muscular mobility, and their pain has dramatically reduced, allowing them to resume physical activities that were once restrictive or beyond them. Many have reported remission of their arthritis with no further progression 3 years on.

There seems to be a very fine line between stress, diet, nutrition, lifestyle and hormone balancing. As in Marie’s situation, she knows the minute she’s out of balance because she experiences intense, deep right hip pain and her index finger becomes arthritic, painful, and loses mobility. This can be corrected within 36 hours of rebalancing her hormone profile.

She also reports that only one joint is now effected by arthritis where prior to progesterone therapy all joints were involved, causing swelling and disfigurement of her knuckles. Her finger joints are no longer ’shiny’. She has returned to knitting and fine embroidery these past 2 years whereas before progesterone therapy even weeding the garden created excruciating pain.

Marie believes progesterone has had a huge impact on her auto-immune system at various levels.