I'm SO happy you started this discussion.Thnks. WS! Yikes what a mind field. (pun intended). I'm not much of an Oprah fan per say, but I am grudging respectful of the enormous information cache on her web site, and for her keen interest in this subject, as she of course is going through menopause too. She has devoted a couple of her show in the last year to this subject. Pro and Con. If you go to her site, and enter "Bioidentical Hormones" there is a plethora of information and a video or two to peruse. I personally am not on anything at all. I seem to be a late late bloomer, still quasi perimenopausal (I know I know - 56 and how is this possible (?!) - me no know). so I'm VERY keen to see what everyone is doing and how everyone is coping.
Has anyone tried the Estoven products? I'd like something for the occasional warm blush and the 3 AM night heat wave. Suggestions please!
I'm sold on the Arbonne progesterone creams. I can't imagine life without them. Felicia and I have discussed this previously.
I had horrible mutliple periods every month -- not just 2, sometimes 5 of them, always unexpected and often huge. No doctor ever helped me with a remedy. And with my hypothyroid thing, hair thinning...
Finally -- the answer was progesterone, but natural progesterone and an assortment of vitamins -- discovered through a few books by Dr. Christiane Northrup ("The Wisdom of Menopause") and studies you can find on line by Dr. John R. Lee, or find his books.
Oh, I still get a few night sweats and occasional hot flashes, but nothing like 6 months ago. Thank God!
Oh!!!! Here you are! YEAH!!! I was hoping so that you would again post what you were using, as you did in the TBD1 and I needed to know this.
I'm having the exact problems you did. Right. Felicia, we will discus this. Karen, any direct links you might have to save me time would be deeply appreciated.
I will have a full check up in Toronto - but in the mean time, I need to do something, NOW! And my instincts and research tell me I'm low on progesterone.
I've been taking bioidentcals hormones for nearly a year now. I started going through menopause about 2 1/2 years ago & hit some really bad symptoms around July/August last year - all the usual stuff - no energy, depression, total lack of concentration, dry skin, abysmal sleeping habits, irritable, zero sex drive. Within a month of taking the hormones my energy was back, my mind felt clear, I basically felt like a new woman. It took a little longer for the sex drive to reappear but I put some of that down to being stale in my marriage. I've had to have the levels adjusted twice - the last time in the past few weeks. Now that I'm back in Australia they do things a little differently & I'm going to have to have my blood taken on a regular basis to check my levels & I'll have a telephone appointment with a doctor from the menopause center every couple of months just to make sure everything is progressing well.
So my personalized prescription is testosterone rubbed into my buttocks every morning & progesterone & biest lozenges every night.
Lets move there! I'll bring my leather wing chair, you bring the cat, Ms. Fly can put us up, we can stay for years! Warning though, Australia has icky and deadly bugs. And snakes. And crocodiles. And hoards of clever squid that are invading it's shores. We may have to wear hat all the time. And say "bugger" a lot, with a myriad number of appropriate inflictions. But it would be fun!
Thanks so much Kelley. interesting - the different manner in which you are being tended to in Australia, very civilized and smart it would seem! Are you finding it (the type of medical attention ) preferable?
Thanks for the answers - I've read all the stuff on the web, and heard Oprah talk about these, but really wanted some personal insights. It seems there isn't anyone in my area who prescribes these hormones, (yes, I know about premarin etc and am not interested in that). I have adjusted fairly well after much discomfort, but still feel dimwitted , still have moderate trouble sleeping and crave sweets etc.) I've been trying to decide whether it is worth the risk to open the whole can of worms again after finally settling down for the most part. (If it doesn't work I have to go through all that resettling again) yet the word of mouth (from people I don't know) seems good. I've ordered the books, but wanted to hear from real people.
Thanks 1, I decided I'm going to a doctor about this - I am tired of being emotional, dried out, irritable, unable to sleep, fat and craving sugar ALL THE TIME! I'll let everyone know what I find out - I'm going to a Nurse Practitioner who is very good at this (and is booked up for more than a month - I'll let everyone know what I learn/experience!