wild yam vs "natural" progesterone cream??

[HollyDay]

I am dealing with hormonal migraines (I posted earlier about it). Now that this cycle's headache is leaving, I am seeking solutions.

 

A midwife suggested trying wild yam cream. She specifically said not to use natural progesterone cream, but to use the wild yam. We only had a brief phone conversation so I didnt get to question her as I wanted to.

 

But, what is the difference. I thought they were the same??

[Suzanne in ABQ]

They're not same. Natural Progesterone is derived from wild yam, but your body doesn't turn wild yam into progesterone. I would ask your midwife her reasons. I'm no expert, but I know that Dr. John Lee (author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause) says *not* to use wild cream because your body can't do anything with it. He says specifically to use natural progesterone cream, not wild yam. But, perhaps that's for different symptoms. Maybe for migraines, wild yam is the way to go. Again, I'm no expert.

[LaxMom]

Wild yam is a tonic herb that helps the body regulate hormone production. It does not replace or boost levels of progesterone the way a progesterone cream would.

 

Women to Women (the VT women's clinic founded, in part, by Christiane Northrup, MD) has good information on hormonal headaches .

[lighthouseacademy]

What is the reason your midwife is suggesting wild yam?

 

As was mentioned before, progesterone cream is derived from wild yam, however, your body won't convert wild yam into progesterone.

 

Personally, I don't like the idea of using progesterone cream, even naturally derived, because it forces a change in hormone levels without addressing the problem that caused the imbalance in the first place. Second, you don't know how much your body truly needs and if you give your body progesterone, it may lower the levels it is making on its own (your body has a reason it isn't making progesterone, so if you supplement and don't deal with the imbalance, eventually, you don't make your own). In addition to all this, using progesterone cream can really screw up your cycle including preventing ovulation.

 

Personally, I like Dr. Christopher's Hormonal Changease to balance out the hormones naturally. There are no hormones in the formulation. Instead, there are several herbs which help the body to regulate itself. I also like the Master Gland formula because it helps regulate the pituitary gland to be able to regulate the other reproductive hormones more efficiently.

I also like Red Raspberry Leaf tea to help regulate hormones.