Click on refresh after you post, it makes posts pop up!
You look after yourself, you have posted a wonderful wealth of information here. Don't overtire yourself. (but I sure enjoy reading what you've tried, etc.)
Love, Katie
PS speeeeking of mental health, my dad was a social worker. I taught special ed for many years, then I went down to half time a few years ago, then 3/10, then subbed and then quit! I started in 1978. Tough field, I am glad to be done but I do miss the kids.

Oh my, if this keeps up, you guys are not going to listen to anything I have to say.

I posted that long post I referenced on another thread, and I was looking for it on this one...waiting, and waiting.

So, more information is on the other one, Hormone Replacement 04/05 origionally started by lacjmc.

DebiR, I put an idea out there regarding your struggle getting answers and I mentioned Dr. Erika. You will see.

I had better get to bed and rest my brain! Goodnight. Mary

http://www.womenshealth.com/hrtregimen.html

Oh Dear...now I feel silly. It was on THIS thread that I put that other website....so, I just pasted it above. Katie, I am glad you liked it!

I think I need to get more sleep or something. I love my job (mental health) but, I have been overdoing it lately. I need to take better care of my own mental health....Oh well. Enjoy the sites. Take care. Mary

ok, that last post of mine will make no sense if the LONGGGG post I just wrote does not show up. Sometimes I see it takes awhile to get the longer ones to post, though, so I will wait til tomorrow before I rewrite anything...darn, it wasn't too bad, either (lol). The other post I am referring to, in case it does not show up, is drerika.com

Goodnight for now. I will check this thread tomorrow after work to make sure everything showed up. Mary

PS  I had my thyroid checked last week, as my doctor was checking to see if my anemia is improving. SOunds like thyroid really goes out of whack around these times too eh.... Thanks again, Katie

WOW MARY EXceLLLLenT as usual! That web site you posted is fantastic, just exactly what I have been looking for. It's all there! I do have some goodies being mailed to me, but I am thinking I might not need it if this works out. Don't bother asking me what I ordered, I forget!!!!! It'll be a nice surprise! The Visa total was somewhat shocking but it was fun  :)

I totally did that "looking at it and not seeing it" several times in the last few days. I just kind of go "Sigh" and carry on...I think I am doing OK actually, except for the headache. One thing my doctor said, that you said too, is that you have to wait and give it time....and not keep slamming more stuff onto yourself...which I can see myself doing! Too bad we don't have some kind of hormone-o-meter we could check in our armpit or somethin'. I have never heard of Temazepam but it sounds lovely...

Thank you again for all the information, I copy and save your posts.
One thing I noticed, when I have a day with a good brisk walk I sure feel better! and my dogs love me more too ;)
Cheers, Katie

Yes, you can add estrodial to the bi-est. I think I am at 50%-50% so that is an equal mix of estrodial and estriol. But, when I tried tri-est five years ago, I recall that the ratio was way different when starting me out (never mind that estrone was in the mix, I needed things to be stronger). But, I think I ended up getting too much estrogen cuz I went back to the 1.0mg. patch of estrodial in a patch simply because I was not in a position to take/receive/instigate many phone calls to the pharm/doctor, etc, so for convenience, I did the patch. But, then to balance it all out, I needed a higher dose of progesterone and I didn't take care of that for a long time. And, so when I did, my pharm. was fearful I would "blow out" my receptors....so, we lowered everything, took off patch, got bi-est, and 3% progesterone of which I use one half ml twice a day. It measures out nicely in a syringe type thing from the compounder.

DebiR...would the doctor consider separating the progesterone and the bi-est. I am not sure at the moment, but I wonder if this would be helpful while you are trying to settle on an effective dose. And, I do know it takes three months for progesterone to leave your body, and so, three months to build back up.....I am not sure how the estrogen depleates. Fat cells in women make estrone during menopause, so you do get some...not saying that is enough, though..but, since ovaries are the primary body parts that make progesterone, well, that loss is going to have a huge impact. I think the adrenals make a tiny amount...I just heard that. But, I always heard that once the ovaries were gone, say goodbye to progesterone. Sorry, I am kind of rambling. Like having a discussion with myself. Ok, I will move on!!!

I was going to suggest you talk with the compounder, but it sounds like he referred you back to the doctor. I was so hoping your compounder could have offered more advice. My compounder is sort of "at the wheel" with this whole thing. He makes it sound like I am at the head, then the doc, then him...but, well, NO...and, I am thankful for that. Is there another compounder, even if it is further away? I get my stuff mailed to me, although, once in a while I drive the 60 miles to pick it up, and to see my life-savers at the pharmacy.

Don't know how you all feel about this, but for sleeping, I sometimes use Temazepam. I got my first script right after my diagnosis six years ago (talk about not sleeping all night!). I get 15mg and usually open the capsule and put the powder in my mouth and take that, so one capsule lasts two nights, or two times, whichever comes first. They have a smaller mg size (7mg, maybe) but it is very expensive, since it is not commonly ordered. Just for the sake of sleeping on nights when my head is spinning with work stuff, etc, well, I do have it for every now and then. Just a thought.

Magnesium and calcium can make you sleepy, so I always take that at night. I had bone loss ( I swear it was cuz I waited too long to take the progesterone which has bone enhancing properties) years ago, and I was able to reverse the loss by adding more reg. wt. training, and upping my calcium and magnesium. Magnesium ( I take a high dose, more than the 400mg required, but I think it was in Northrup's book that said this mineral is sorely lacking and for bone health and other reasons, it is critical to take it) can make stools loose, but, I don't mind that, frankly. Okay, too much information!

Ok, I will share the trick I learned from my dentist..for the fingertips. It did help. I am afraid it is a bit time consuming, but worth a try. You take hot water (as hot as you can take it) in a bowl and soak your hands (fingertips) for about 15-20 minutes. Then you need Eucerin cream (the thick stuff) and put on a liberal amount and rub, rub, rub it in...add more Eucerin after that and rub it all in. It really absorbs and seals in the moisture. As I said, I got relief from that. As I posted, I do rely heavily on my steroid cream, but the relief is temporary. Bandaids help. My sister is a nurse, and she said that doctors she worked with used to have someone help them and one would hold the cut closed and the other would add crazy glue. I know hair dressers who do that. I have not been brave enough to try that one.

One last thing while I think of it. Talk about strange symptoms...I know I am "off" or unbalanced hormonally when (amoung other symptoms) I can be looking at a desk and my pen, keys, paper stack, etc...whatever it is I am looking for...is right there in front of me, and I cannot see it. And, processing information is different for me, too. That has gotten better lately. Dr. Northrup said that your brain literally rewires after menopause ( I would have to look, but, she may have referenced surgical menopause regarding this one..but, change does happen, no matter).

Well, let me know how it is going. And, if I missed something, ask away, and I will do my best for you. You know I am more than happy to help. As I have said, I wish I knew then what I know now...and, I am still learning. 'Night. Mary

http://www.womenshealth.com/hrtregimen.html    

OK. I am now getting brave. Hope it is okay to leave a website. I found this by googling (my best friend!) in estrace and bioidentical, because I could not remember if estrace was a bio or not. I figured it was (it is) and I have used it as a cream in the vaginal for urinary incontinence and vaginal dryness, but I see they have it in a pill form. Using it in the vagina only seems to affect the vagina only, so you don't necessarily add more estrogen overall to your system. I now use estroil in suppository form in the vagina.

Take a peek at this site, though, cuz it gives a nice explanation on the various types of estrogens. Estroil is the weakest. Estrone was found to be unnecessary so they have pretty much dropped it from the old tri-est, thus now it is bi-est and it has estroil and estrodial.

They talk about patch's vs. creams on this site. It is on the page the web address takes you too, and it not terribly long.

My understanding is that the creams take only minutes to absorb, so I don't worry about them rubbing off or sweating off. I was on the patch for years (vivelle) along with the cream progesterone, but I am liking the bi-est cream and my pharm. was eager to have me go off of it. Harder to adjust the strength, and maybe other reasons. I recall at one point I asked him if I could cut the thing in half and use it to acheive a lesser dose. He about had a heart attack. He said that it would make things so much worse. So, just a warning if anyone had thought of that.

Katie, any luck getting the progesterone in the mail??? You will feel a world of difference once you get that. How great the doctor is willing to work with you on this. What wonderful luck. I recall that you were concerned about thyroid. It seems to go hand in hand with total hyster's and I just got on something in Sept. that I had been praying for for years. My blood values showed I was "probably" ok with thyroid, but my body temp was barely above 97.2-97.4 . It has been a problem for years but has gotten worse since the surgery years ago. I started Armour thyroid and gradually "upped" the dose and I have been feeling better. Not falling asleep at red lights after work any longer (yea, not very safe, huh?) or sleeping hours and hour over the weekends.

Armour (made from pigs glands) has been around for 100 years and it is a natural product. It is controversial in that the doctors seem to prefer the synthetic, but there is a bandwagon that I jumped on to try to get the Armour and I did...it hits the t3 and t4 problem. It helped a little bit with my freezing hand thing that only made the fingertip problem worse. But, I still suffer with that, although another doctor thinks I am still being undertreated for thyroid. What a crazy life, huh?

ok, I am going to send this, and check your questions. I do have one idea for your brother, DebiR that helped me years ago...got the idea from my dentist (concerning the finger tip (cuts) problem).

Oh my, I have some thoughts...and questions. I need to get something first, but could not wait a minute longer to send a big ((( HUG ))) to you both! It does get better. I have had patches, creams, under the tongue things (!) and, now I just have opinions, and, yes, am feeling the best in a long while.

I will be right back. Hang in there.

OK the above was an "in joke" from the party! (Sorry Deborah)

I go to bed. I turn up the heat and dress kinda warmly because I am freeeezing. I lie there for hours and think dark ominous thoughts. Finally I fall asleep...only to be awakened thinking the house is on fire! So I hear ya Cysta! The Estraderm patch is estradiol 17B which my GP thinks is a good one. He thinks the creams rub off or sweat off and don't absorb as well. (My gyn put me on this patch in the hospital and didn't discuss it with me, and never tested any hormone levels or anything).  My GP says that they go more on how you feel.  I know, you think, "WHAT THE F*** does that mean?" You don't know how you feel, really. You just know you don't feel.... righty ho! He says your hormones fluctuate so much, and, what is a normal level for one is not normal for another. Last night, my temp was so up and down I could not have told you the approx temp in the room... Debi you are only two weeks out, and I think my levels have really changed since I was two weeks. I think you might need a different delivery system... maybe a patch. I am pretty sure I am in need of some progesterone. My headaches seem to be better on the lower dose.  It's like birth control pills, every one has a different formulation that works for them. Try plowing through Christianne Northrup's stuff. Her book The Wisdom of Menopause is good. Have you looked at her web page?  My problem is that, as I have lost my mind, I don't want to read about it, I just want it solved!
OK I promise to never tell you to breathe again! (didn't mean to give you flashbacks from the surgery!!!)
Let me know how your day went.
Love Katie

"OK OK I BELIEVE" that this hormone thing takes time. I have good days, and I have...erm...not so good days. Mary53, I had the best news! My own GP said he can work with me and a compounding pharmacist, and YES get me on natural bio-identicals, I was thrilled! He knew all about it. He's been away so I hadn't had a chance to talk to him. He knew all about Suzanne Summers book :)  yaaaay! I am feeling not too bad today on the reduced strength Estraderm patch. He said the patch may deliver better than the cream, but everyone is different and you have to try lots of different formulations and be patient, just like you said. I miss exercising SO much, but I don't relish the thought of bouncing off my step at aerobics class and landing on my neighbor in some drama queen fainting move.

Debi I notice I am literature impaired too, it's ridiculous and driving me crazy. Can't recall, talk, write, think or read as clearly. Weird.

Have you or your brother ever heard about a light therapy treatment for exema (also spelled excema I think?).

And by the way, the expert who finally returned my calls at the women's centre charges $600 for a 45 interview and one time hormone testing. My GP said "I can do the same for you" and it is covered.  We Shall See... but he did say he could give me Bi-est, Tri-est, natural, bio-identical, whatevah. Yippeee!

BREEEEEATHE DEBORAH! BREEEEEATHE!!!!  hahahahaha

Ughhhh - last night was horrible.  Awake every freaking hour sweating - then cold - than can't go back to sleep forever.  Finally fall back asleep only to wake up an hour later.  Then fantasize about strangling my very dear husband because of his loud and content snoring.  This just has to get better!!!!  Yes Mary's post about how great she is feeling is the only thing keeping me going right now.  I am going to call the doc and tell her that whatever the dose of biest - It aint workin!  I will be anxious to hear how you do on the compounded vs the patch.  I have been seriously thinking about switching to the Estrace which has much more estradiol vs the weaker estrone.  I am wondering if the biest just doesn't have enough estradiol to relieve the symptoms.  I wonder if the compounding pharm can add more estradiol to the mix?  I just want sooooommmmmmeeee sssllleeeeppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad to hear you are feeling better on the lower dose!  Yes my compounding phar charges a huge consult fee.  What a crock.  I'm rather cranky today.

I re-read the threads that you both mentioned.  So it sounds like it just takes some time.  I was so thrilled with how overall good I felt last week (other than waking up with a headache) but I was sleeping better then I had in quite a while.  Then the last three nights I have been awake every hour with sweats, etc.  

Anyway, I called my compounding pharm but they just said I had to call the doc.  I think tonight I am just going to up the amount of cream I used as the pharm did say that what I am on is a rather low dose and as my own estrogen depletes I may need the dose increased.  

Mary, by the way, my twin brother has the exact same condition on his fingertips.  It is horrible.  He is a firefighter and the stress of dealing with work and life when half the time his fingertips look like ground meat is just awful.  No matter what I am going through I always feel like his is so much worse because he is in such constant pain.  He has been to so many doctors and tried so many creams but nothing helps for long.  They did a biopsy and said it is exzema (did I spell that right - that is another side effect I am having - nothing looks spelled correctly to me.  very odd)  Anyway, let me know if you have found anything that helps.  I am very empathetic to your condition as I have watched him suffer for so many years.

Hi, I just checked the posts that I referenced. As Katie said, "Hot Flashes" is the name of the first post and it is dated March 25. The second post is just a reference to the Hot Flash post and yet it has information, too, and it is dated March 15. Hope that helps.

Hi Debir...I hear my name being called :)  Have not been on in a while. Sorry I missed the party on Saturday night. It was funny, because my husband and I were at my brother in law's house for dinner and something happened that caused me to jump up before sitting for dinner and exclaim, "I have been feeling soooo great...finally!" My husband pipes up, "Yea, watch out, she just had all her hormones changed and WOW!...two weeks ago she was part of the living dead."...or something close to that. Now, maybe you had to be there, but he was trying to compliment me. But, I thought it was interesting that he has noticed...other than the fact that I do go around saying that I am finally feeling well. Now, can the hormones (bioidentical estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, Testosterone, etc.)help with job stress??? Just way too busy lately.

I will have to ponder your question, DebiR...but, do check out the old posts "Hot Flashes" (around March 25th) and ...what was the other one where AnotherKatie and I practically had our "Bioidentical hormone website" (March 15-16) going? But, I know there was a ton of info and something might click. Have you picked up any books on the subject? Very helpful...I know I named a few.

Hang in there...don't give up. And, I would agree that the sheer job of body recovery from the surgery and the fact that anesthesia (sp?) takes so much out of you can play its toll. But, do try to figure it all out by asking questions and researching. I suffered needlessly for months until I found help.

Husband is fixing dinner...so, I am off for awhile. But, let me know if you have any thoughts.

Talk to you all later (My Maryland accent never really left)...Mary

LSO or RSO- depending on which side.

Thanks, Xray! So what is it called if they do just one?

Bilateral salpingo oopherectomy-bilateral ovary and tube removal.

Okay, new abbreaiation for me. What is BSO?

BTW...Tascha, My husband's sister is in Herndon, VA. Didn't know you were close to DC, too!   Cindi

You may need a higher dose.  Sounds like menopause to me.  Same symptoms.  I think the heart palpitations and the anxiety are the worst!  My dr. prescribed Lorazapan for the anxiety.  Hand in there, there is help available.
~Tascha

I think hormonally I felt better earlier too, and then started to sliiiiide a bit lately (I am five weeks post op). As I just mentioned somewhere else here, I heard it takes 3 months for all your natural hormones to become depleted. So yes I think you might need a stronger formulation. Don't feel bad, I have the same symptoms and feel pretty low some days too. I am on the Estroderm patch and it's giving me headaches...so I whine and give one to everyone around me (sharing is good).

Small world and getting smaller:-)
~Tascha