Tincture Doses

[pinkmimi]

Hi Wen',

Each bottle recommends taking 15-30 drops one to three times daily, but there is no info. on how that translates into milligrams. I was trying to avoid the whole do-it-yourself routine with the vodka because that sounds like an awful lot of work! But as I look around at some of the other extract brands with more specific label info., they typically list, say, 60mg per serving (30 drops) with only 30 servings in the bottle. At that rate, I'd have to use up the whole bottle in a day to get 1800mg! I hate the thought of going through that filtering process. It just sounds so long and complicated. But it doesn't seem like there's any alternative.

And, no, I don't have any problems with the taste...because I'm not drinking it! I use the tinctures for massage only since I'm on BO and progesterone. Or, rather, I'm supposed to be on BO and progesterone, but I decided to forego the progesterone this month to see what would happen, and I think I still had too much of it in my system (lots of luteal swelling), so I may drop the prog. during my two months on. I used to be extremely deficient in prog. when I was younger, but that was years ago now, and the truth is that I don't really know if I still am. Beneficial changes in my diet and the natural stabilization of my hormones as I have gotten older lead me to believe that I am no longer as deficient as I once was.

But even if I drop the prog. and take the PR-blockers internally during my two months on, I would still like to be able to use the phytoestrogens for massage. I'm just reluctant to go through that messy process of do-it-yourself tinctures. If the tinctures are really this weak, why are they working for other people? Or TEXT they working?

Thanks for your help,

pinkmimi

[Wenonae]

O! You´re using for massages only...then, dosage doesn´t need to be as specific. It would be my guess that ticatures aren´t made all that differently...me, I just take 5-7 drops..and it´s more diluted since I´ve four mixed in one bottle...so, it doesn´t take A LOT, ya know?

If u´ve got lots of luteal swelling, then that means, you´re ALMOST there! Good thought to drop progesterone..or at least some of it this mos. Try that first. If no/little progesterone + BO doesn´t gain u size, then try PR-blockers + BO the next cycle.

I used to be progesterone deficient, too, until I went on Depo...so, now, I´m not so bad.

Hope this makes sense..and keep us updated!

[pinkmimi]

Hey Wen',

Thanks for all your help! I'm such a strange case. What's going on is that I'm simultaneously weaning myself from my estrogen sources (which are BO and topical estradiol that I bought while I was still following Bob's plan) in preparation for a break while adding the PR-blockers to see if they have any effect before my break. So this month I was using the damiana and red clover topically along with the BO and topical estradiol. Next month, I will halve the BO and topical estradiol, and then the following month, I'll try a short break, assess my progress, and then try a longer break if necessary. I really suspect that I need to lower my estrogen and maybe even take the extended break before any real progress happens, PR-blockers or no. But I think I'm going to try your oregano and damiana combo internally this coming month with red clover, damiana, and my topical estradiol for massage. After my topical estradiol runs out, I'm switching to phytos for the estrogen component of my massage.

Whew! I hope that made sense. I don't post more about all this because I'm in such a transitional phase between two programs (Bob's and this one) that I think I need to complete the transition before I can start serious tweaking. I'm going really slowwwly with the transition because I don't want to send my system into shock when I take the break.

So that's it from me. Thanks for your helpful comments.

pinkmimi

[Wenonae]

Pink',

What exactly is your hormonal profile? R u on BC which would dictate using PR-blockers as ur progesterone level is higher than normal?

I used damiana/oregano since that was my case.

I don't know about using estradiol...it just really sounds like ur doing too much.

Why not start simple, the work ur way up. Take a break starting Day 1 of ur next cycle..cleanse using milk thistle during ur luteal for 3 days or so, then start with BO + SP berries?

It's smart to try to wean urself over to another regime, but maybe a simple break will do more for u.

Could be possible that BO and estradiol are competing for receptors..and maybe are not doing much as a result..or ur sensors are OVERsensatized....just thoughts.

Do u have any sensations right now..prolly not as ur switching over

[mominator]

You know Pink...I was planning on dropping sloooooooowly like you are. But Mother Nature had other ideas So I dropped all at once on Day 1 of cycle.

I didn't loose much...maybe 1/4" hard to tell cuz I was bouncing between 10-10.5, so I am saying 1/4" since I am sticking at 10. But I gained fullness from using progesterone without any phyto-estrogens.

So you may want to give that thought? Just givin' ya' what I did. I wasn't planning on going back on the train until after Christmas, but because I had to drop at once...it's going to be right around Thanksgiving.

[pinkmimi]

Hi Wen' & Momi',

Thanks for your advice. My plan is pretty much set at this point, though. I don't know if you remember talking about this back at MSN (it was a number of months ago), but at that time I detailed my history, and a number of people suggested both the prog. blockers and the break. So I'm going to continue on my course for now, but I'll probably be asking for tweaking advice when I really get back on the boat in a couple of months. At that time, I'll also post a profile so you can see the facts and figures at a glance.

Thanks again for always being so helpful and offering lots of suggestions.

pinkmimi