I called all the health food stores and compounding pharmacies in my town, they all said you need a prescription, except for for wild yam cream (that's available in health food stores). I was able to order Emerita on Amazon.ca today, but it will be awhile before it gets here. Is that a good brand? So, as as you know, taking spiro won't negatively impact using progesterone cream or vice versa?

Emerita has is one of the most popular progesterone creams as they have been around for over 35 years. I haven't used it personally, but I'm fairly certain they know what they are doing. As far as ingredients go, it checks out.

When you use it, I would consider applying it to the labia rather than whatever the box recommends.

• Ideally, progesterone cream should NOT be applied to your skin. Instead use mucous epithelial membranes of your labia or rectum. Absorption through these membranes is more complete than through skin, and hormones absorbed through vaginal membranes enter the same pelvic plexus of veins that your ovaries normally empty into.

Most people recommend one dose in the morning and one at night. But I found that I could not handle progesterone cream during the day. It made me too drowsy. Sometimes you "get over" this effect with repeated use, but sometimes you don't. I switched to only an evening dose (which often put me right to sleep) so I could still function during the day. Just a heads up if you start feeling really tired...

Thank you ladies!

WishClean, so I wonder if the glucosmart is managing my progesterone levels on it's own then? It is a pricey supplement but my mom pays for it because of the hell I went through with other medications over the years. I have blonde hair, so facial hair is not that noticeable, though I do occasionally get a random long one on my cheek or something (awkward). I do think glucosmart and spiro help with that though.

GreenGables, what do you think- would the glucosmart and progesterone be overboard or would they work together with spiro to help my acne? I've gone back to taking my spiro at night, I'm not sure if that will make a difference but, in retracing my steps, I've decided to go back to my prebreakout regimen in order to be sure there isn't something small I'm missing that could have been the catalyst for this (like time of day I take spiro). So would it be better to take the progesterone cream a few hours apart from the time I take spiro or does it matter? What do you think the impact, if any, of the bcomplex (I took and stopped) could be?

I'm taking metformin right now for my PCOS and it works great for lowering my testosterone, but just ok for my skin. I do get less inflamed pimples on it, but the improvement is nothing like taking spiro which cleared my skin completely. I think, though, that I am going to have to stop taking the metformin because it is making my hair fall out. Spiro makes my hair fall out too so I feel like I can't win with any hormonal treatments

Have you guys heard of berberine? I'm considering trying it instead of metformin because of the hair loss. Here's some info I found:

http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?article=387

Thank you ladies!

WishClean, so I wonder if the glucosmart is managing my progesterone levels on it's own then? It is a pricey supplement but my mom pays for it because of the hell I went through with other medications over the years. I have blonde hair, so facial hair is not that noticeable, though I do occasionally get a random long one on my cheek or something (awkward). I do think glucosmart and spiro help with that though.

GreenGables, what do you think- would the glucosmart and progesterone be overboard or would they work together with spiro to help my acne? I've gone back to taking my spiro at night, I'm not sure if that will make a difference but, in retracing my steps, I've decided to go back to my prebreakout regimen in order to be sure there isn't something small I'm missing that could have been the catalyst for this (like time of day I take spiro). So would it be better to take the progesterone cream a few hours apart from the time I take spiro or does it matter? What do you think the impact, if any, of the bcomplex (I took and stopped) could be?

Well, it's hard to tell without getting tested to at least have an indication of whether your progesterone is still low or not. I read the product description on the Glucosmart website, and they are alleging that it "halts PCOS", which is definitely an exaggerated claim to make! Maybe it helps make PCOS more manageable, but I doubt there is a supplement or a drug that cures PCOS completely. Also, they are saying it's suitable for both men and women, so maybe the dosage of inositol is not that high so that men can use it too....I'm not sure.

As for b-complexes, they usually give you more B12 and B6 than you need compared to all the other Bs, so it's best to get the Bs you need separately or from food. For some people, high amounts of B12 and B6 can aggravate acne.

I'm taking metformin right now for my PCOS and it works great for lowering my testosterone, but just ok for my skin. I do get less inflamed pimples on it, but the improvement is nothing like taking spiro which cleared my skin completely. I think, though, that I am going to have to stop taking the metformin because it is making my hair fall out. Spiro makes my hair fall out too so I feel like I can't win with any hormonal treatments

Have you guys heard of berberine? I'm considering trying it instead of metformin because of the hair loss. Here's some info I found:

http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?article=387

Hmm berberine sounds promising...the issue with the study you cited is that the participants were also receiving an antiandrogen in a birth control pill (for both groups), so it's hard to say what the effects would be if berberine was taken on its own.

My doctor told me that metformin can help with PCOS but will probably not entirely clear my skin, but I never tried it. If you want to see a study that compares the effects of inositol (what I'm taking) to metmorfin, check this out: http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?article=326

When comparing the effects of metmorfin and inositol to ovulation (which many PCOS women have issues with, resulting to acne in some), this is what they found:

"In this study, myo-inositol offered a significant advantage over metformin in restoration of spontaneous ovulation in patients with PCOS. This also resulted in a non-significant increase in pregnancy rate. In addition, patients on myo-inositol reported no side effects during the course of treatment. Myo-inositol should be considered as a first-line treatment in patients with PCOS experiencing chronic anovulation or infertility secondary to anovulation."

Now, if a supplement can exceed the effects of a drug in terms of regulating ovulation, then it has potential for exceeding the benefits of metformin in other respects too. But of course, pharmaceutical companies don't want us to know this. There are some studies on its impact on acne as well. Some studies combine it with folic acid, but I discovered it works just as well on its own in powder form.

Anyway, just another option for you to think about.

Hmm berberine sounds promising...the issue with the study you cited is that the participants were also receiving an antiandrogen in a birth control pill (for both groups), so it's hard to say what the effects would be if berberine was taken on its own.

My doctor told me that metformin can help with PCOS but will probably not entirely clear my skin, but I never tried it. If you want to see a study that compares the effects of inositol (what I'm taking) to metmorfin, check this out: http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?article=326

When comparing the effects of metmorfin and inositol to ovulation (which many PCOS women have issues with, resulting to acne in some), this is what they found:

"In this study, myo-inositol offered a significant advantage over metformin in restoration of spontaneous ovulation in patients with PCOS. This also resulted in a non-significant increase in pregnancy rate. In addition, patients on myo-inositol reported no side effects during the course of treatment. Myo-inositol should be considered as a first-line treatment in patients with PCOS experiencing chronic anovulation or infertility secondary to anovulation."

Now, if a supplement can exceed the effects of a drug in terms of regulating ovulation, then it has potential for exceeding the benefits of metformin in other respects too. But of course, pharmaceutical companies don't want us to know this. There are some studies on its impact on acne as well. Some studies combine it with folic acid, but I discovered it works just as well on its own in powder form.

Anyway, just another option for you to think about.

Here's another article on berberine which shows comparable results to metformin

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/

I have read about myo-inositol on a PCOS forum I also visit and I think it also sounds interesting. I might consider trying it in the future. I'm really scared of stopping the met though because my skin is in a very good place. I've lost about half my hair though

Do you notice any skin benefits from the myo-inositol?

That's very interesting. And it just goes to show that we don't need to resort to drugs because supplements can work just as well. My doctor wants me to exhaust all natural options before prescribing anything, and that's what I'm doing.

If you are losing your hair, then obviously the met is setting some of your other hormones off balance. I would say maybe biotin supplements or l-cysteine could help (if you check the B5 hair loss thread, you will find more suggestions that may apply to you), but the logical thing would be to stop taking what's causing the hairloss, or maybe decrease the dosage? Maybe it's too strong for you? What did your doctor say?

I've only been taking inositol for 3 weeks, and I'm also taking a high dosage of D2 prescribed by my doctor, so I think they are both helping with skin texture and reduction of acne. I haven't noticed any hair loss, I think my hair looks healthier but again, it could also be the vit. D. When I added inositol, I was taking a low dose and this week I upped it a bit more and noticed that any breakouts I get take less time to heal. But it's a bit too early to tell. The studies I read saw results from anywhere between 8 weeks to 3 months.

Thanks WishClean, I totally agree, over exaggerated claims on supplements can be highly suspect. :-S

I hope things straighten out soon; I've ordered some progesterone cream but it takes up to three weeks for delivery. And my chin is really sore .

Thank you ladies!

WishClean, so I wonder if the glucosmart is managing my progesterone levels on it's own then? It is a pricey supplement but my mom pays for it because of the hell I went through with other medications over the years. I have blonde hair, so facial hair is not that noticeable, though I do occasionally get a random long one on my cheek or something (awkward). I do think glucosmart and spiro help with that though.

GreenGables, what do you think- would the glucosmart and progesterone be overboard or would they work together with spiro to help my acne? I've gone back to taking my spiro at night, I'm not sure if that will make a difference but, in retracing my steps, I've decided to go back to my prebreakout regimen in order to be sure there isn't something small I'm missing that could have been the catalyst for this (like time of day I take spiro). So would it be better to take the progesterone cream a few hours apart from the time I take spiro or does it matter? What do you think the impact, if any, of the bcomplex (I took and stopped) could be?

I took spiro with breakfast, and then with lunch. I took progesterone before I went to sleep. So they were definitely hours apart. Who's to say if it actually makes a difference, but I figure the body can only handle so much at a one time.

I'm taking metformin right now for my PCOS and it works great for lowering my testosterone, but just ok for my skin. I do get less inflamed pimples on it, but the improvement is nothing like taking spiro which cleared my skin completely. I think, though, that I am going to have to stop taking the metformin because it is making my hair fall out. Spiro makes my hair fall out too so I feel like I can't win with any hormonal treatments

Have you guys heard of berberine? I'm considering trying it instead of metformin because of the hair loss. Here's some info I found:

http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?article=387

What's funny is that on spiro my hair is thinner on my head, overall, but my hairline has changed slightly. I don't know what to call them, but you know those Vs on the temples at a lot of people have? Mine were kind of far back before spiro....almost resembling a guy just starting to bald. Even though I have less hair overall, those Vs are smaller now, more hair has grown in those places.

From what I've read, less hair overall on the scalp is more of a "female" trait. We think when we're losing hair we're balding and something is wrong. Balding is actually correlated more to a specific pattern of hair loss (on the crown of the head, and those V shapes on the temple). But balding men, with high testosterone, will actually have more hair on other parts of their head, and then have no hair in the specific balding spots.

Does that make sense?

Not to underwhelm any hair loss you had. Just wanted to let you know that it is fairly normal to have less "overall" hair, body AND scalp, when your testosterone goes down. But if you had any "balding" spots, those would have gotten better at the same time.

Thanks GreenGables.

What's funny is that on spiro my hair is thinner on my head, overall, but my hairline has changed slightly. I don't know what to call them, but you know those Vs on the temples at a lot of people have? Mine were kind of far back before spiro....almost resembling a guy just starting to bald. Even though I have less hair overall, those Vs are smaller now, more hair has grown in those places.

From what I've read, less hair overall on the scalp is more of a "female" trait. We think when we're losing hair we're balding and something is wrong. Balding is actually correlated more to a specific pattern of hair loss (on the crown of the head, and those V shapes on the temple). But balding men, with high testosterone, will actually have more hair on other parts of their head, and then have no hair in the specific balding spots.

Does that make sense?

Not to underwhelm any hair loss you had. Just wanted to let you know that it is fairly normal to have less "overall" hair, body AND scalp, when your testosterone goes down. But if you had any "balding" spots, those would have gotten better at the same time.

I understand what you're saying. However, in my case my hair loss isn't normal. No one in my family has hair as thin as mine right now and the part in my hair looks abnormally sparse. I've been doing some research into why metformin might give me this side effect, and all I've been able to find is that it is an aromatase inhibitor which might cause hair loss. Unfortunately the berberine I was going to try is also an aromatase inhibitor -_-

@ paigems...hair loss is a risk whenever we try to regulate our hormones using synthetic drugs, or even herbs and supplements (there's a massive thread on B5 hairloss from people who megadosed on it). I would say, if you choose to replace metformin with berberine, the hairloss -- and also the blockage of aromatase -- will probably lessen because on its own, it seems to be a bit weaker than metformin but could be just as effective in terms of the positives.

The inositol I'm taking is supposed to inhibit aromatase too, among other things, but I haven't noticed any more hair shedding than usual. Whenever I have tried to regulate my PCOS - whether by birth control, antiandrogens, herbs -- I always seem to get some hair shedding.

It sucks that we try to fix one issue and then another issue emerges

@ paigems...hair loss is a risk whenever we try to regulate our hormones using synthetic drugs, or even herbs and supplements (there's a massive thread on B5 hairloss from people who megadosed on it). I would say, if you choose to replace metformin with berberine, the hairloss -- and also the blockage of aromatase -- will probably lessen because on its own, it seems to be a bit weaker than metformin but could be just as effective in terms of the positives.

The inositol I'm taking is supposed to inhibit aromatase too, among other things, but I haven't noticed any more hair shedding than usual. Whenever I have tried to regulate my PCOS - whether by birth control, antiandrogens, herbs -- I always seem to get some hair shedding.

It sucks that we try to fix one issue and then another issue emerges

I agree it does suck! Thankfully birth control doesn't cause my hair to shed. Keep us updated on your experience with inositol please

@ paigems...hair loss is a risk whenever we try to regulate our hormones using synthetic drugs, or even herbs and supplements (there's a massive thread on B5 hairloss from people who megadosed on it). I would say, if you choose to replace metformin with berberine, the hairloss -- and also the blockage of aromatase -- will probably lessen because on its own, it seems to be a bit weaker than metformin but could be just as effective in terms of the positives.

The inositol I'm taking is supposed to inhibit aromatase too, among other things, but I haven't noticed any more hair shedding than usual. Whenever I have tried to regulate my PCOS - whether by birth control, antiandrogens, herbs -- I always seem to get some hair shedding.

It sucks that we try to fix one issue and then another issue emerges

I agree it does suck! Thankfully birth control doesn't cause my hair to shed. Keep us updated on your experience with inositol please

I actually just updated on heart's thread... here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/333143-pics-how-i-cleared-my-hormonal-acne-naturally/page-2

Inositol has given me promising results so far in such a short amount of time and low dosage...I thought my hormones were so messed up because they haven't been responding to things that used to work for me in the past. Anyway, read my update and let me know what you think! It's not just my skin that's improving, it's other symptoms too.