I was a little worried also. I had a previous DVT so I guess you know why I was scared to try it..but my GYN made a good point when she prescribed it to me. She said I was already receiving good amounts of estrogen from my ovaries..This stuff was just like my own hormone..just a lesser amount and she felt that since it was a lesser amount and it was estrogen, I would have a less risk of blood clots. Of course I've already been tested out the ying yang for risk of clotting factors & I do have a vena cava filter..which did put my mind at rest.
She said the benefits/pros of the HRT outweigh the risk and if there was any issue I could always choose to stop it. HRTs do help with a lot of issues, pelvic floor health, bone health, heart health, etc..but they do come with risk.
It's an individual choice, but I personal like it and I feel no different. Think it through and if you need to, talk over your concerns with your doctor or give me a holler. :)
thanks slightlybroken, I like what you said..... the Climara is just estrogen because we have nothing left anymore due to my surgery in April, so they say it is a small dose and will help with the hot flashes etc. I still have not applied any.... waiting to completely think this one through, thought I had, but keep reading, and it scares me somewhat....
Hope you are doing well,
Hugs to you,
Candy
Hi,
I'm on a HRT (Vivelle-Dot) but I'm also a limbolander, but I might be of some help. I was put on Vivelle-Dot after loosing all my hormones due to a hysterectomy.
Both Vivelle-Dot and Climara seem to contain estradiol (a form of estrogen bioidentical to your body's own). In the summer, I have been on this med for a year. I was put on this med right after my last form of hormone was removed (which was one ovary by this point).
When I was first put on the med, I had the occasional hot flash until my body got use to the lower dosage of estrogen. How my doctor put it was..The patch gives you estrogen but it's not nearly the amount that the ovaries put out, so your body does need to adjust. I actual love the patch and I haven't suffered from any problems from menopause.
The only issues that I've found, is remembering to change the darn thing..and what day I did it (I have to change the patch out twice a week) and the sticky residue left on the skin from the patch ( I take a cotton ball with alcohol and wipe it off).
As far as the effects on MS and hormones..They have researched using Estriol as an adjunctive therapy in treating MS. I don't know if there was every an outcome in that research but..I would think the HRT would be beneficial by itself by preserving your bones, helping with heart health, and preventing atrophy that can occur with menopause etc.
Take Care
Hi, Candy-
Yeah, I read the pages of the links I sent you, so I ended up learning what it was. Lol
Anyways, please let us know what you decide to do and how it works for you. I hope you find something that gives you some relief. I can definitely see how hot flashes would not be a good mix. :/
Hugs,
Addi
Hi, Addi, thanks.... hormone replacement therapy is what it means, and I guess you have to old like me to know about that...LOL
They want me to take Clamira.... it is just estrogen because I have had surgical menopause last April when I had a tumor removed...
Now, I'm suffereing the hot flashes, and upset, and things like that that go along with menopause....
Hope you are doing well...... thanks again,
*hugs*
xoxox
Hi, Candy-
When I saw your post I didn't reply because I had never heard of HRT. Every time I ran across your post I still saw no reply. So I googled. Lol
I am not sure if you did this already but I thought I would throw some links your way that I found. Hope this helps!
http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseaction/show/pageid/820
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0850/is_n2_v16/ai_20970645/
http://www.obgyn.net/menopause/menopause.asp?page=/meno/news_articles/ask_barensten_0999
http://ezinearticles.com/?Multiple-Sclerosis-and-Menopause---What-is-All-the-Fuss-About-HRT?&id=3579185
Addi