Re: Pregnenolone vs progesterone

Low estrogen can give feelings of anxiousness, panic, and insomnia - many women hitting menopause experience these things as estrogen synthesis slows.
On preg.and prog. sounds overkill - but i guess without testing what the preg. is turning into you won't know and IF it is turning into more prog. you'll definitely be feeling the effects of low estrogen ratio to prog.

I assumed, before getting tests, that alot of my symptoms were due to high or low cortisol - some were, but the anxiety, insomnia, panic, and sweats were always more intense the 2 weeks around menstruation when my low estrogen went even lower.

Through dna testing i was able to see which enzymes for hormone production are working well and which are mutated and hindering hormone synthesis - i took the 23andme route and did all the research myself - it took ages - i wouldn't recommend it - but what you could do to get an idea of your levels while on your supplement protocol is to take a saliva hormone panel, dec1are to the lab of the hormones you are taking, don't alter your protocol, and you will get a better idea what the pregnenolone is converting into.

I went on the pill when i was younger, progesterone based pill, before i knew anything about synthetic hormones - and it kicked me to hell symptom-wise. I already had whacked-out hormone levels and the pill made it worse.

If you get a saliva panel done - based on that you can cut the prog. pill out or the preg. depending on levels - it *sounds* like your prog. dominant.

If you are on the pill for contraception i understand - but personally, despite its convenience - i wouldn't use that for contraception ever again, it's a high dose synthetic hormone.
Other methods are equally as damaging hormonally too - very little choice out there that is truly healthy and doesn't imbalance the body in some way or another - the condom is the only method i know of that's safer, or complete abstinence!

Bio-identical hormones are better recognised (and detoxed) from the body than synthetic hormones.
When i was on Ray Peat's prog gel, the effect was immediate without any adverse symptoms. I literally was on a VERY small dose at the time.

So the only way to know your levels is to do a saliva panel during ovulation and for accuracy sake - also at menstruation.
I've always been nervous of taking preg. because it could convert into anything down the line and my body at the time was a testosterone making machine so i didn't want to add fuel to that fire! (im female).
I understand you wanting to take preg. for adrenal reserves - but it could easily be converting into something else - and not having any effect on adrenal health.
The B5, vit c etc protocol for adrenal health is a good baseline to follow carefully, adding hormones without knowing for sure how they're being converted can easily cause the confusing symptoms you're experiencing.

Depending how long you've been on the preg. and cortex will also have an impact on how you're feeling. If it's been a while, then your symptoms suggest levels are still not optimal - again, a saliva test can glean info on this. If you've only just started the preg. prog. and cortex then the symptoms could be your body adjusting and worth waiting a couple of weeks to see how you feel.

If you suddenly stop the hormones and do a saliva test the test will be inaccurate - do the test while on hormones to see your levels - or do the test after stopping the hormones for 4 weeks to see your natural body synthesis levels.