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Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)?

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  • tanyaleighcummings
    tanyaleighcummings Posts: 105
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    Thank you!!! That is very helpful to know!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Thank you!!! That is very helpful to know!
    my doc and I made a plan A, plan B and plan C.

    My doc is pretty "traditional" but was open to MY plan A (which didn't include synthetic HRT). But she asked me to be open to NOT doing it all "naturally" or bio-identically... right now, I'd say I'm at about an 80/20 blend. Day to day, I'm winging it with supplements and about 4 days a month I use something, be it: benadryl, tylenol PM, or, xanax (or wine)). We both acknowledge that that balance is fluid and may shift, repeatedly.

    I LIKE that my doc is willing to listen and learn and that while she had never had a patient who requested bio-identical progesterone before (I'd used another doc previously) she's open to it, and she likes that I'm open minded as well.

    Here's hoping it continues to work. Last time I saw her she commented that I looked less bloated, and happier. Next time I hope to convince her to order another trans-vaginal ultrasound to see if progesterone has also reduced the size of my fibroids. We'll see if she (and insurance) go for it.
  • tanyaleighcummings
    tanyaleighcummings Posts: 105
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    Awesome! I know my mom has never been exactly stable but her change was difficult and long and she didn't get help with it because she kept thinking it must be almost over by now...she started early too.

    I think hormonally she and I are a lot alike. I don't want to start too early but I don't want to suffer through the process without help either.

    I really like the balance that you and your doc came up with. I will use this model myself...to come up with my own plan.
  • shadow3829
    shadow3829 Posts: 103 Member
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    To or not to is always a 50/50 opinion. Myself I take them, the benefits for me out way the risk. I do take the lowest effective dose. Its the quality of life that is the decision maker for me.
  • sweatymary
    sweatymary Posts: 67
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    Great new website about to launch giving no nonsense advice about the menopause - definitely worth a look - www.thechangeexplained.com ;-D x
  • cnmince
    cnmince Posts: 20 Member
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    I'm new here and 54 yo. LMP was August 2011 so I'm almost officially menopausal. I have entertained the notion of prescription HRT but once I figured out that it would just delay menopause's discomforts and not eliminate them totally, I decided against it for now. I don't see any mention here of Genistein/PhytoEstrogen. It's a soy phytoestrogen and I think it has improved mood, memory and sleep for me. Not dramatically but just enough to deserve a mention. It's the kind of HRT you get from the health food store, not the pharmacy. Again, it's just a delaying tactic but meanwhile I'm sorting out my weight/diet/exercise, etc.

    I can usually get to sleep but my problem is that I wake up in the middle of the night and toss and turn for 1-2 hours. For sleeping I will do any of the following:

    Meditation/yoga DVD in the evening
    take Valerian root (530 mg capsule) before bedtime
    take Advil PM before bedtime
    take Melatonin - wears off in about 3 hours but that's perfect at 3 am

    I'm not on any kind of maintenance meds (HBP, insulin, statins) at all. I have no idea how any of these things would interact with other drugs or supplements. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary...
  • sparklyball
    sparklyball Posts: 93 Member
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    Going on a synthetic hormone (HRT) was never a consideration for me. I found the idea of taking something made from pregnant mares urine repulsive.

    I did an enormous amount of research about the phases of menopause and I have virtually eliminated all of my symptoms the natural way. Healthy balanced diet, plenty of exercise and reducing my stress levels among other things.

    I feel so strongly about the misinformation given to women and the marketing billions spent by pharmaceutical companies to make women think it's HRT or nothing that I have changed career to promote the alternatives to HRT. My new website and magazine will be published in May.

    With changes to my lifestyle I have survived perimenopause and now feel 20 years younger :-D

    There is a new generation of women who are helping to normalize and celebrate this natural transition in every womans life.
  • sparklyball
    sparklyball Posts: 93 Member
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    hi mary, i didnt know how to reply on your comment

    i too never had any intention of taking hrt, my menopause came earlyish and i actually couldn't believe it, ( i was about 42ish), it rocked me, couldn't think straight, after a few years the anxiety was so much i relented and took hrt

    i also resarched, tried to eat better, ect, we are all different but is there anything specific you did diet wise or otherwise that you can share

    thank you

    ps i am vegetarian, used to consume a lot of tofu, became very confused about the conflicting reports so i kinda don't eat it very often now

    thank you

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