Article: Pregnenolone : A Different Approach to Adrenal Problems

You can view the page at http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/content.php?172-Pregnenolone-A-Different-Approach-to-Adrenal-Problems

 

My internist told me not to play with Pregnenolone. I gave it a small try despite his warnings and it made me feel even more tired. Just my odd two cents on this one.

 

Thanks, Muffin. Hormones are nothing to play with for sure - which is why June made it clear that dosing was critical. Lots of doctors, as June noted, won't touch it because they're not sure about dosing.

 

I have Fibro and Lyme as well as CFS.

I chose to try Pregnenolone since it is supposed to make whatever hormones you are deficient in and only that and will not make too much of something you don't need, so I felt it was better than taking the individual hormones downstream of it, since I could be getting too much of them.

Pregnenolone made me happy again. It made me nice again.It made me tolerant and able to brush off stressful people's comments again. It took away my secondary depression and most of my Lyme rages, so I could be around people without fear of blowing up at them.

Unfortunately, it also brought back the migraines I'd had before menopause, since it had raised my low postmenopausal estrogen back to those levels, even on a small dose. Narcotics are incompatible with my blood pressure meds, making me stop breathing, so I had to lower the pregnenolone drastically. I had the kind of hormonally induced migraines that cause the most pain, and will make you stroke out if not knocked out completely with sleeping pills and narcotics.

I had started at 30 mgs. daily, which is a low dose, and after a migraine sent me to the Emer. Rm., I lowered it to 30 mgs. 3 X week, which is where I still got such great results, but my estrogen was still at premenopausal levels and caused migraines. This shows once again how sensitive we are, since many people start at 50 mgs. daily and go up from there!

I am now on 5 mgs. 3 X week. That helps me to be around people I like, and I get no migraines. I still have to avoid anyone I really don't like, but I don't think I'd still be married without it. I am afraid Codex will take it away from me, when they finally get around to enforcing it, since they've said they will take away hormone supplements first.

It is said to also improve cognitive function, but I guess I am not taking enough to notice that. My cognitive abilities are still going downhill.

klutzo

 

It's amazing how complex this illness is; many times I've received benefit from something only to find it kick off something else. It's great, though, that small doses are helping you.

 

Addison And ME/CFS

It's amazing how complex this illness is; many times I've received benefit from something only to find it kick off something else. It's great, though, that small doses are helping you.

Just want add my experience on Addison Disease here, hoping it is the proper place.

I was diagnosed with Addison after experiencing my very first major Addison Crisis. My Cortisol leve at peak hour was nearly -0-. I've been taking Cortef 2.5mg as my doc is concerned about my sensitivity of meds, I double of tripple the dose when I realize I'm on the edge of crisis.

Later on, we found a natural product which consists of Noni, Reishi, Chinese Licorice, and Astraglous (?)
...I tried it thinking it may help ME/CFS and which I take it religiously daily. It seems to boost control over my ME/CFS and Addison.

Thought I'd share this with you all.

Sending happy thoughts to everyone.

Jazzie

 

I take Pregnenolone. My blood is tested twice a year.

 

When i have used dhea in the past all it has done is raise my estrogen levels which seems to be common theme with males, now i am on pregnenolone cream to try and raise my low dhea without raising my estrogen, well its done that slightly but what it has done is raise my total testosterone to a good level and my free testosterone has increased but not quite to normal levels yet, my estrogen is controlled by another drug called arimidex, my morning cortisol is in low normal but havent had that retested yet. Symptom wise, it has helped with energy, and must be helping with inflammation as my joints dont hurt has much, muscle are a different storie though, lol, normally if i squat down my knee make a loud cracking noise, now u can hardly hear it. all up this hormone modulation has helped me shift some weight from around the middle too, so not just feeling but seeing results.

 

I m thinking of trying this.. Any more experiences??

 

I stopped using pregnenolone as it started to hype me up too much and i felt awful, anxious and sleep got worse if thats possible, although the first few weeks i felt great. I tried lower doses like 10mg, was using 50mg but it didnt help. I know there is no negative feedback with pregnenolone and dhea which means it doesnt stop your own production. I think with me it sort of got my system/hormones rolling again. AFter being off preg for about 6 weeks my latest hormone blood work looked good ie my total and free testosterone were improved and my dhea was abit better, it moved from extremeley low dhea into the low normal bracket. so i think it gave my hormones a push start. Do i feel any better for it now, mm not really but i think going by my last immune test that my viruses have reactivated as my lymphocytes were up slightly and my neutrophils are now low again, so probably why im not noticing anything. I am going to try a very low dose of dhea, 10mg and see how i go, but it will take a week or 2 before i get this.

Leaves i think you should go for it, especially if your hormones are low, but maybe start at a low dose like 10-15mg a day and only increase the doses every 2-3 weeks, i have heard creams a better when it comes to pregnenolone. I think everyone is different, but with pregnenolone we dont know where its going to go eg down the dhea/testosterone line or progesterone/cortisol line etc, the only way to know is to have a go. if it doesnt work for you then just stop, which is what i did.

Keep us all updated on how you go.

cheers!!!

 

Thanks for the report!! Actually I was planning to take 1 to 2 mg (that is recommended for long term use: see also http://www.raysahelian.com/pregnenolone.html)
10 mg sounds very high !
Yes my hormones are very low .. Hmm I've got good feelings on this one ...

 

Thanks for the report!! Actually I was planning to take 1 to 2 mg (that is recommended for long term use: see also http://www.raysahelian.com/pregnenolone.html)
10 mg sounds very high !
Yes my hormones are very low .. Hmm I've got good feelings on this one ...

In my research of pregnenolone, normal dosages were in the 50-100mg and sometimes higher, but if u can get 1-2mg doses that sounds like a good dosage to start with and can adjust upwards from there. I have read articles from ray sahelian and he seems very conservative in his dosing compared to others docs, but being conservative is good in cfs.

good luck,
cheers!!!

 

I started this a few days ago -at 5mg. It has a long half life so can build up in the system so caution is needed though 5 mgs seems to be safe. I am feeling so much better - it is a miracle for me as I feared I would have to to take hydrocortisone for my adrenals in order to treat my thyroid but if this works out it will be the key to continue in my healing.

 

http://www.endfatigue.com/health_ar...w_treatment_for_chronic_fatigue_syndrome.html

Hi, wondered if anyone else had seen this out today, saying CoQ10, pregnenolone and statins are the answer for treating latent viral infections. Teitelbaum says try 100mg pregnenolone for 3 months, which seems a massive dose just to try for the heck of it. Any thoughts?

 

Too high, best to start at 10mg transdermal creams(better then pills) and slowly increase from there as needed. Anything more then 50mg for most people would be too much.

cheers!!!

 

id do it even lower; like 2.5-3 mg. I did higher but it gave me headaches.

 

I use Dr. Dzugan to do all hormone balancing. He tests my blood twice a year for many things, including hormones. I take five hormones including Pregenolone, Thyroid etc. I would not know where to start with doses without the blood tests. Hormones control so many things in our body, so balance is good.

All of my hormones are compounded.

 

In the one study that I could find, mean Pregnenolone levels in women were insignificantly different from controls (actually, slightly elevated). However, a small but significant reduction was found in a subgroup (those taking antidepressants).
http://www.cfids-cab.org/cfs-inform/Hypotheses/murphy.etal03.pdf

If you are planning on taking pregnenolone, have your levels tested first (during the follicular phase if you are a woman).

 

It's amazing how complex this illness is; many times I've received benefit from something only to find it kick off something else. It's great, though, that small doses are helping you.

Yeah, I'm beginning to think maybe I should just stop all my supplements

http://www.endfatigue.com/health_ar...w_treatment_for_chronic_fatigue_syndrome.html

Hi, wondered if anyone else had seen this out today, saying CoQ10, pregnenolone and statins are the answer for treating latent viral infections. Teitelbaum says try 100mg pregnenolone for 3 months, which seems a massive dose just to try for the heck of it. Any thoughts?

There's another thread discussing that:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/statins-for-cfs.10525/

 

Ive used Pregnelone. It seems to have a hormone balancing effect. I would NOT play around with the other hormones, but this one is one of the few that is mentioned as being safer, as it doesent cause your body's natural production to tank in response like other hormone supplementation can do. It can act like a stimulant though, so I would never take it towards nighttime. No go...