I am so glad I found this cream! I am in my early forties and had begun to experience bouts of extreme insomnia. I was so exhausted. Once I finally fell asleep, I was only able to stay asleep for a couple of hours at a time. I also noticed that my periods, which had always been like clockwork, were starting to come early one month and late the next. Then, I had my first hot flash. Oh no, I thought. Is this a sign of menopause? I’m too young for this! I began searching the internet for menopause symptoms and came across a recommendation for Dr. John Lee’s book, “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause”. I purchased the Kindle version and read it in one night. One of the women mentioned in the book had symptoms identical to mine. The book recommends the use of natural progesterone cream for the symptoms. I decided to give it a try. After only one week using Emerita Pro-Gest, I was like a different person. My insomnia is now gone! I am able to sleep for 8 hours a night. My energy level is higher than it has been in years. My periods are back to normal and I haven’t experienced any more hot flashes. For anyone who is having similar symptoms, I urge you to read Dr. Lee’s book and then try this cream. ***Edit for clarification – I had been using this creme for approx 6 months when I wrote this review. It’s now 2011 and I’m still using the creme.***

[...]
Have had pretty much the same results as everyone else – near miraculous righting of some pretty bad wrongs, in my case severe PMS-related edema (bloating), depression, insomnia, and general flulike symptoms, sometimes lasting for nearly three weeks. I’m 40 years old and have been to many doctors over the years – since I was about 25 – getting my hormone levels checked. All anyone would ever tell me was that my levels were normal and they’d imply all my symptoms were in my head.

I realize I sound like an informercial, but I started to get desperate. I had tried completely eliminating caffeine (it can boost estrogen levels), started different vitamins and made dietary changes, none of which worked. I read about this cream in an article about PMS and tried it almost on a whim. I started slathering it on and noticed a near immediate dramatic improvement. After years and years and years of trying to find something that would help, it feels like a miracle. I’m still getting some swelling, but for the first time in my life my period’s on time and this last month I didn’t suffer severe PMS-related depression, for the first time in about 15 years. I feel like I have my life back.

One caveat: You’ll really need to experiment with the cream to figure out how much you need without causing some unwanted side effects. The directions on the package say to use this twice a day, and to use about a half teaspoon. I did this for the first month or two before realizing that much cream will give me severe insomnia for about three days, worse than what I had been experiencing with the PMS. Apparently progesterone is a steroid hormone, which can cause sleeplessness. Long story short, a little dab of this will do me – I use probably a quarter teaspoon only once per day to get these miraculous effects. I use it first thing in the morning and only for two weeks out of the month. Sometimes I don’t use it for a day or two near the tail end of my cycle – rising progesterone upsets my stomach and if I’m starting to notice that I’ll slack off a little bit. (Update after having used this a while: I’m now down to using it only once per day every other day…a dollop about the size of a dime. If I use more than that I just can’t take the insomnia – and I still get relief from the worst of the PMS symptoms.)

I’m not crazy about the smell, which is kind of like wheat (it’s not unpleasant, just not floral or perfumey). The cream itself is sort of thick and sticky – I personally put it on my calves, where I don’t seem to notice the heavy feel so much. But it doesn’t matter – I’d bathe in it if I had to, or smear it all over my face, it’s helped me so much.

THANKS EMERITA!!!! I can’t tell you how much you’ve helped me. And my poor husband.

UPDATE…I’m pleased to report my PMS symptoms are showing even more improvement, the longer I’ve been using the Emerita cream. I no longer swell double every month (which is wonderful, as I can stop buying clothing in two sizes) and the difference in my mood and sense is wellness is nothing short of amazing. My one regret about this product is that I didn’t find it 15 years ago. I can’t recommend it enough.

I am so happy that ProGest is available to Canadians. It is sold over the counter in the USA where I discovered it, thanx to the writing of Dr. Lee who has written extensively on the health benefits of natural progesterone for women. A writer, I read his books and interviewed him by request for a BC women’s magazine. Since I am post menopause and a few years past a complete hysterectomy, I became interested enough to try this product. What I experienced in a few hours was a boost in energy and more clear thinking, similar to getting a good night’s sleep, not like a caffeine induced high. When I notice my energy flagging mid afternoon, I apply another small amount of the ProGest and feel more energetic again. I think it it a great product and wish it was sold over the counter in Canada, as well. Worth every cent and no side effects, unlike costly prescription hormones I took in the past. Darlene White

I was a 54 year old menopausal, hot flashing, anxiety filled woman who could not get help from my doctors to help me with my symptoms. A friend (plus Oprah) told me about progesterone cream. I am amazed about how it has helped reduce hot flashes, calmed my frenzied feelings, helped me to sleep better and be just in a better general mood. Don’t let the doctors tell you there is nothing to be done, that it will go away in time. Why waste years of your life suffering when a 1/4 tsp smeared on your tummy can help you feel so much better? Try it! Our bodies are changing! Do the best to take care of yourself! You and those around you need you to be the happy person you really are.

I’m a very perimenopausal 48 year old. My PMS is getting worse and worse. My psychologist, who is post-menopausal, told me about this cream – she’s used it for years. The first month I used it, absolutely no PMS symptoms at all. My period totally snuck up on me, I had to check my calendar because I thought it was early, but it was right on time! The second month, I had one or two days of feeling some bloatedness, but it went away and again I had a surprise visit from my period. This seems to work, but read the directions carefully because different age women use it slightly differently. Why don’t gynecologists mention this stuff when you complain about PMS?

I am 46 and began having MAJOR heart palpitations and arrhythmias. My heart beat was so irregular it would skip beats for several seconds and have extra beats – all over the map. I felt horrible and went to see an endocrinologist (male) because I thought it was related to my thyroid condition. I told him about the hot flashes, too, but my thyroid hormones were still normal and he gave me a referral to a cardiologist.

Luckily, I got some good advice from my sister and did some online research regarding perimenopause and found out the heart thing could be related to estrogen dominance. I took ONE dose of the Emerita cream and I began to feel immediately better. The weird pressure feeling in my head and neck went away and my heartbeat improved. After about FIVE applications over three days my heart rate and rhythm were COMPLETELY NORMAL. It was a total godsend, as I had begun thinking I would need a pacemaker at an early age, and worrying that I might die in my sleep (it was always worse at night). . ! Also, the hot flashes are almost all gone, and are much reduced when they do come. It’s only been a couple weeks!! I cancelled my appointment with the cardiologist and I feel great – thank you!

This stuff has changed my life!!!

I am off antidepressant, off antianxiety meds, off sleeping pills. Pro-Gest is a miracle. I am extremely frustrated that doctors don’t/won’t discuss BIHRT because of money, pharmaceutical companies, patenting, etc etc. That is REALLY sad. Thank God I took my health into my own hands otherwise my doctor would still be wanting me to try different and more pills. I was EXTREMELY moody with horrible PMS, PMDD, breast tenderness, cramps, weight gain, and 10-day heavy periods as well as I was exhausted all day but with insomnia at night.

Since starting Pro-Gest, I am in a GREAT mood, my PMS is very minimal, PMDD is gone, breast tenderness is minimal, cramps gone, I’ve lost 6 pounds, periods are normal and now only 5 days, and I have tons of energy all day and sleep perfectly fine and deep at night.

Pro-Gest is amazing.

For a year and a half, I experienced pretty serious menopause symptoms. I was miserable and desperate. Recently I picked up a copy of “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause” by John R. Lee, MD and started to learn about progesterone supplementation. I spent a lot of time educating myself through other sources as well. Eventually I decided to try Pro-Gest. Within days the hot flashes STOPPED. I will admit that for the first couple weeks I was vaguely aware of what may have passed for a very, very mild version of a hot flash, but NOTHING like the real deal. By the end of the third week, I found myself more energetic and better able to concentrate. Because I feel so much better, I am a lot happier. I am starting to remember what I used to be like! My family is thrilled and so am I. Don’t tell the manufacturer, but this stuff is worth five times the cost. I bought 4 tubes for friends and have subscribed so that I won’t ever accidently run out. I love it. Read Dr. Lee’s book, he does a great job of explaining why progesterone deficiency/estrogen dominance causes so many problems. I suppose it is worth noting that I am in good health otherwise, normal weight, active lifestyle, and I follow a helathy diet. I am following Dr. Lee’s “Hormone Balancing Program” outlined in his book including his recommended vitamin regimen. I have no question that the Pro-Gest (maybe in conjunction with the vitamin supplements) is what has turned my life around. It is worth a try. I will say this is the best $20 I have ever spent in my life. And no, no one paid me to write this! Good luck!

I heard about progesterone cream about 1 1/2 years ago and was skeptical. I’m an RN and a natural health care consultant. I am now almost 49 years old. I think I’ve had hormone imbalances for many years, estrogen dominance. In the last 2 years it’s been pretty tough. I employ dietary and lifestyle measures to decrease exogenous estrogen sources but my endogenous is very active due to high stress levels and heredity. I decided to try Pro-gest without going to a doctor and getting hormone levels tested with the idea that if things got crazy, I’d see an anti-aging holistically inclined hormone specialist (hint: I work for one… I started taking the cream at around 80mg(1 teaspoon) twice daily for a total of about 160-200mg daily. This is much more than the typical recommendation but from what I’ve researched, this may be necessary initially to prevent worsening of unpleasant estrogen dominance symptoms as progesterone turns on more estrogen receptors (sensitizes dormant receptors)and this can go on for awhile. So, after a couple of days of the regularly recommended 40 mg/day and non-stop headaches, I increased my dose. I started Progest 6 weeks ago and within hours of my super duper dosing, the headaches went away and have not returned. Other immediate benefits that have me hooked on progesterone cream: Happiness even in challenging situations, calm, amazingly improved sleep, reduced breast soreness (this was lasting all month long before the cream). What has not happened yet: reduced fluid retention or weight loss. I am a puffy person with lots of fluid retention. This has not yet improved after 6 weeks, but apparently this can take 3-6 months as it takes awhile to balance the ratio between the two. I’ve had other lab done to rule out liver or kidney issues for the fluid retention and was just told that it’s probably just “me”. Great. Anyways, the mood, headaches and sleep are tremendously improved. Because of the large volume of cream that I’ve been applying, it takes forever to get it to absorb, it’s pretty oily. So, I’ve tried the Source Naturals Paraben free and it works well and is less oily and absorbs much quicker than the Pro-gest. Source Naturals is less expensive and you can get it here on Amazon. It’s just a tad stronger than progest and 4 ounces of it(2000mg) is $14.00. The cream I just received in the mail and have used twice is Natpro. It is 2.2 times as strong as Progest and therefore requires less volume, and, the best part is that it rubs right in immediately with no oily or sticky residue at all. Plus, it seems to work faster(ie calming effects quick in faster). Unfortunately it is not sold on amazon, but is a great price 2000mg for $24.00 or less if you order 3 at a time. The sum total of this review. I like Progest and it works well. The dosage that I am using requires an easier application. I think if you’re using the small amount recommended, it’s a great product and really works.