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i took it and it made me loose 20 pounds and for the seizures just stay away from caffeineCaffeine Caffeine-ergotamine, my doctor said a lot of caffeineCaffeine Caffeine-ergotamine while taking wellbutrin could cause seizures. other than that it helped me a lot. It's one of the best for depression in my book.
YES, Welbutrin can and does cause seizures. It is well worth considering this fact if you are thinking of taking this medication. It happened twiceTwice-a-day to me. Both times with no warning.The firstFirst progesterone mc10 First progesterone mc5 First-progesterone vgs 200 First-progesterone vgs 400 time I was traveling in China with a large tour group (no ill effects, my travel partner let me sleep it off and the next day I was fine) (the hotel doctor spoke no English). The second time I was visiting my father in a nursing home in Calif. I was taken by ambulance to hospital kept for three days and given many tests(MRI,CAT,spinal tap). No neurelogical problems were discovered.The DMV would not allow me to drive for a year unless I was taking a drug for epilepsy. I was allergic to all of them and no doctor would say that I was epileptic.
Finally more and more articles began appearing linking Welbutrin to seizures and the DMV in a closed door meeting reinstated my driving license.By then they had had three other seizure cases indicating this drug.
Sorry to go on and on but I want everyone to know what a serious problem this can be. Seizures are a PROVEN side effect of this drug and any good up to date doctor should warn you of this
I have been taking wellbutrin for over 2 years and have had no problems with seizures. I take diet pills with caffeine and I drink caffeine, as well, with no problems. However, if I go above 150mg twice daily I have a hard time sleeping. So then I have to take something to help me sleep.
I am on day 4 of wellbutrin. I seem to be having swollen lymph nodes and some ear pain wen I take it. Did you experience this at all? It is making me nervouse about continuing it.
My fiance and I have been together for well over a year, I think I know her better than allmost anybody else. While I was away on a job for work. She told me she was going to the doctor to try and get medication for her anxiety. I didn't even know she was anxious. I think she might be taking things a little too far, but I decided to give her a chance. The docto prescribed her welbutrin, are there any side effects that I need to know about? Are my fears of her faking her anxiety well founded? Please let me know.
Hello....I read your comments about Welbutrin and I am now looking at my bottle contemplating whether or not I should take this medication. I, too, have anxiety and panic attacks and the fear of meds increase my anxiety. I work in the medical field and my job requires me to be alert at all times.
I just wanted to share this with you.
Thank you.
Lisa
I work as a therapist in Mental Health. I work with troubled kids and many of our clients are on medication for various reasons. But, my experience with Welburtrin comes mainly from experiences reported by family members and friends. I have one friend whose Mom cannot take Welburtrin because it does make her much more anxious, but this is the only report I have heard that is negative. The woman has been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and would probably fare better with a drug similar to Prozac.
I have heard of people using Welbutrin to help control urges to smoke...and, it has also been helpful with people struggling with weight. When I used to work with kids with eating disorders, we had to see relatively high doses (like 80 to 100mg) of Prozac before the kids were able to let go of some of the control they had over the obsessions regarding weight and the fallout they were experiencing due to their incorrect perceptions. But, Welbutrin was not available at that time so I don't know if it is used in this type of treatment anymore or not. I have a friend who was on Welbutrin for five years and had no problems. Occasional use of Xanax (for flying and such) was permitted. She liked being on the anti-depressant. And, there were no sexual side effects, per report.
I think that many side effects of almost any drug should diminish within four weeks. If side effects do not go away...then consider switching meds. It is about knowing yourself and your body...and, having a good physician.
***********************************************************************************
To Hix22....just be there for your fiance. People don't make up issues with anxiety, and in fact, it is sometimes difficult to admit there is a problem with this in the first place...afraid of what others will think if they know, etc.
In fact, instead of thinking that she might be taking things a little far (not sure what you meant by that) you might want to consider why you have not heard of this problem before now. Was she afraid of your reaction? Maybe her fears were well founded. I wonder how hard she must have been struggling to keep the signs of this anxiety away from you. Or maybe in retrospect, you can now see the signs.
I am concerned that you mentioned you decided to "give her a chance" regarding her trying medication for this problem.Having said that, if this is something you are having difficulty accepting...well, that's just honest. But, do some research to help you understand triggers for anxiety, the way anxiety can manifest itself, the HUGE HUGE HUGE (okay....) role HORMONES play in anxiety.
Many women sail along quite well until they hit perimenopause and then WHAM....anxiety issues set in. The Progesterone/Estrogen ratio gets all out of balance for many women. If this imbalance is the cause of anxiety, there is treatment using bioidentical hormones, particularly Progesterone (not Progestin) to balance the system and calm the anxiety, but not all Health Care Personel are familiar with this type of treatment. The tide is starting to change, but this area is confusing and not well understood by many who should know about it...thus reseach is KEY. Then again, this is not always the cause....being proactive is the best course.
Some of the kids I work with as very dramatic, but they still have issues with depression and anxiety, so I wondered if your Fiance was acting in a dramatic way and that is why you wondered if she was taking things a little to far...In that case, she might just need to meet with a counselor or Therapist who does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy....she may need to have someone objectively help sort out her life. Counseling has been found to be just as significant in treatment as medication. The two together? Awesome results. I have seen pictures of brain scans proving the viability of these interventions. Interesting.
Well, I wish you and your fiance the best. My advice for a happy relationship? Just remind her now and then and for the rest of your life together that you think she is WODERFUL. Seriously.
My anxiety came out full force about 8 months before my wedding(I was 29). It had nothing to do with my husband rather the attention (I have very low self esteem and dont really like to be pain attention to - dont like any comments in my direction positive or negative.) Anyway - she is most likely not lying and I agree you should ask her why she hasnt told you until now. I DO NOT work for these people so this is not a plug for their product but I used a CD system and it changed my life. Try www.stresscenter.com Its is NOT a hoax. My dad got them for me and heard about them on AM radio. I learned a lot about myself and have worked on my issues every since. I used to think when I had panic attacks that I was having a heart attack and dying. She is likely scared and feels alone. Try at the very least to make her feel like she is not alone. Anxiety is mostly FEAR based. She likely has issues far deeper than you think. GOOD LUCK!
I took Welbutrin for over 2 years with mixed reviews. As with any medication, your mileage will vary. Some people take it and receive wonderful benefits. For others, not so good. My experiences were:
It became very easy to control my urges to smoke. I suffer from a mild form of Tourette's syndrome. Over these 2 years my tics became increasingly worse and I began to suffer from insomnia. It wasn't until I just stopped taking it cold turkey and I noticed a substantial lessening of my tics and an ability to fall asleep almost effortlessly that I realized it was the Welbutrin all along. During this period, my weight remained constant and I think it actually helped me to maintain this weight.
I'm on Klonopin and Welbutrin and this is the 13th day my period should have started. I saw that mentrual problems was on the less common list for Klonopin side effects but wondered if either med could cause you to not show up as pregnant on a pregnancy test. I'm having all the symptoms I did when I was prgnant with my son, had one urine test come out positive, three negative and a blood test come out negative. I'm waiting a couple weeks to test again. I also found that I had a severe withdrawal from the Klonopin when I tried to stop taking it this weekend at the request of my husband due to the posibility of pregnancy. The doctor said I should keep taking it until I get a positive pregnancy test but as I read more about it... It seems that taking Klonopin during the first three months of pregnancy can cause birth defects. I would never dream of hurting a child, and can't handle the idea of causing a child pain. Please let me know if anyone knows of similar occurances. Thank you.
I asked for an antidepressent Dec. '06 and was put on effexor, which made me lazier and dopier than I was before...and went off of it this past august. Durring that time, however, I had a complete ovario-hysterectomy(sp?) and went on hrt immediately. Within the 6 mos. (post surgery) I've gained 25 lbs...other than the convalescence the estrogen and effexor are the only things I can think of that would cause such a spike. I visited my gyn. today and he suggested I step off the hormone now, since the weight gain is causing trouble in my legs and lower back. Which brings me to asking about the wellbutrin. I dont expect to lose any weight but I absolutely CAN NOT gain anymore, and if my estrogen levels are going to drop precipitously I want to spare myself and my loved ones the disruption of living with a beast for the next while while my mind tries to make sense of the craziness my body will be going through. Any thoughts?
Oh dear! I can relate to you more than you will ever know. Please run don't walk to pick up the book, "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christianne Northrup, MD...the woman literally saved my life in more ways than I care to go into on this forum. But, you really need to educate yourself thoroughly on the whole hormone issue since is can be so very confusing and also very controversial. I have had medical professionals ask me strange questions about the bioidentical hormones I use...fortunately my OB/GYN was willing to learn along with me back in 200-2001 about the benefits from using the bioidenticals, particularly the bioidentical Progesterone (not to be confused with PROGESTIN, the synthetic stuff). I was on a bio estrogen patch (Vivelle) from my oncologist after my surgery but had to learn about the Progesterone on my own (that is where Northrup's book became my "bible." From that book, I picked up a book just on Progesterone that she recommended and as I was reading the books, I was crying and highlighting at the same time....it was practically all about me and what I was going through.
It took time for the progesterone to get into my system but once it did the Brain Fog lifted, my anxiety calmed, the wt. started to budge (I, too, gained 25 pounds within three months after my hysterectomy).....So, here I am 7 years later and still on a small amount of Estrogen via the patch, Progesterone via cream from a Compounding pharmacy, and a small amount of Testosterone (for muscle tone, libido, mental clarity, chemical sensitivity, and believe it or not, Clumsiness!). My weight is a struggle but has been manageable all these years with healthful eating and consistent aerobic/wt. training workouts that I do in my basement. But, a ruptured disk caused many problems including a wt. gain, thus I am on this forum...for that reason as well as a life long interest in this subject.
Having said all that, I do think that Wellbutrin is a great product and I actually spoke with a woman today who is using it for perimenopausal reasons but still having symptoms....(She took the names of the books I mentioned, oh, including any hormone info by Dr. Erika Schwartz).
If you want to check out the general archives in the Ovarian Cancer (Patient to Patient) forum, you can look for posts with the title "hormones," or, "Mary 53" ...kind of have to go way back though.
Thank you for your response, its terrific that you spent the time to help me. I just printed a coupon for borders books and WILL buy the first book you suggested with it. I read your comments to my husband and he said "she probably spent more time on you than your doctor did". Just more proof, we can count on the kindness of strangers. All the best to you!
sam
Hi, and Thanks for your comments to me. In fact, after I read them, I told my husband that I'd just received the kindest "thank you" regarding my hormone writing. Not sure what else to call it, but I have been trying to share my story with others to help get the word out there. It is tough because it can be so confusing, as I said in my other post. As I said to you, my doctor was willing to learn with me all those years ago about what is considered "alternative" hormone care. And my doc is one of the top in the state. But, if you think about it...this is more of a specialty area and there is only so much information that a doctor can get immersed in while in practice. I hope that made sense. I worked initially with a compounding pharmacist, a name given to me by my doctor, and he and I both learned so much from the compounder.
My doctor had to approve my prescriptions, but he listened to the pharmacist regarding research, etc. And, interestingly enough, the bioidentical products I use really are the origional hormone replacements ( I refrain from calling them 'drugs' since by virtue of being bioidentical they act in the body exactly as the hormones we are replacing) whereas the Premarin and Prempro drugs are the pharmaceutical companies answer to the bioidentical products. Most of these are made from pregnant horses urine and are one molecule off of what our bodies make. But that one molecule causes the problems you read about. Thus, the Women's Initiative Study was stopped...(although even the fact that it was stopped is even controversial). The bio's were not used in that study. When a person says the hormones are all the same, that is not true.
You cannot patent a bioidentical product so some drug companies do not want to touch them, thus there is low funding for research these days even though they were studied extensively in the 60's, after being developed in the 50's. The bioidentical estrogen patch I use is put out by a drug company ...would have to look up the name, Navarto?...something like that...but some women chose to have their estrogen mixed in a compounding pharmacy. I have had that done, but prefer the patch.
My biggest concern is the lack of Bio Progesterone in our systems. Once you stop ovulating (obviously after you have had ovaries removed) you stop producing Progesterone. One of the big reasons I suggested you reserch this like crazy is that it is not well-recognized (in my opinion) that this is critical for women's health. We have receptors for Progesterone in our lungs, our brains.....(can you say "brain fog"). Plus our bodies will make estrogen on it's own if we are not supplementing it, by making fat and taking the by-product from the fat in a menopausal woman and turning it into Estrone, a strong type of estrogen. So, even if you stop taking estrogen, your body will make some of it and the type it makes is the stronger type....I use the Vivelle Patch so I can add Estrodial into my system (the estrogen we have when we are in our late teens and early 20's). You need some estrogen for various reasons such as hot flashes, night sweats, bone health, etc, but also to keep the receptor sites at the cells open for the Progesterone.
OK....I did not mean to write a book. I have some more comments on the Menopausal page (patient to doctor forum) if you want to check it out. I do see that I guess I am the strongest proponent at this time regarding the need for progesterone, but after my studies and my own experiences, this is what has worked best for me.
I am not a doctor. I work in Mental Health..just to clarify. My sister teaches nursing and has studied this whole thing for years, too, and has also been on the bio hormones since her own Hysterectomy about 14 years ago.
Well, hang in there. And, good for you to be proactive regarding all this. Oh, if you want to let me know what type of HRT you were on, well, I was just curious. I mean, you may already be on the patch that I mentioned and may only need to "tweak" things a bit...just wondering. Let me know if you have any questions. It took me months and months of feeling horrible to find out what I needed to know....Happy to help now.
Isn't there anything that you all can say that is positive about Wellbutrin? Please?! I am getting ready to take this in the morning and now I am scared. I have had so many drugs in my system. Lexapro is the last one that I was put on and now the doctor is going to try me on this. I hope that I don't experience the problems that you all have.
My granddaughters mother is taking Welbutrin and is also breast feeding. The baby is 4 months old. I am very worried that the drug will go into the breast milk and have adverse effect on the baby. Can anyone help me with info on tis subject.
I have been on Welbutrin 150 XL for almost three years now. For the first few weeks I was extremely agitated and would have panic attacks. I was told by my mother, who is also an RN, to stick with it and that these side effects would lessen. And they did. I was happy with Welbutrin for about the past 2 and a half years, but over the last 6 months or so I have started to feel anxious when I take it and moody/snappy. I am not very good about taking it every single day, but I normally take it at the same time 5 days out of the week. Has anyone else who has been on this drug for over a few years experienced the same thing?
I am in the process of trying to get pregnant and definately going off Welbutrin. The drug is passed into the breast milk and, and it is not recommended to take the meds if you are pregnant or lactating. I would help get your grandaughter off the meds ASAP. just watch out for post pardum. The withdrawals for me so far are headaches, and flu like feelings. I am weaning off dosing every other day now every three days. GOOD LUCK !
i have been taking welbutrinxl 300mg now for about three weeks(was previously taking 150mg. i took zyprexa for like two months few years ago and i gained 70 lbs i noticed that when i take welbutrin i dont feel depressed. it works great. does welbutrin help with weight loss. i thought it made weight gain? im not sure if it causes weight loss or weight gain?
i also am thinking of getting off welbutrin. i know that it is every other day to get off the med but how long to you go every other an also when do you start every 3rd day. how long does it actually take to eventually dose down to nothing.
Went off Zoloft 2 weeks age due to tremors... went on welbutrin... in 2 days had my first seizure in a restaurant with my grown son. 3 days in the hospital....now i am being treated for something that i do not even have....mandatory
i was on zyprexa gained 70 lbs. i want to lose it buti just eat way too much now.i also started smokign when i got out of teh hospital. i hate myself for being fat now and i feel sooo depressed. i just want to lose all the weight.
I've struggled with anxiety, PTSD and depression my entire life due in large part to a crappy childhood and bad genes. I'm 47. In my thirties, I had extreme postpartum depression and anxiety that resulted in a suicide attempt--pretty severe stuff. As I've aged I've also gained a bit of wisdom about myself and how I want to live the rest of my life. Certainly not with all of these mental health problems. A year and a half ago, I started psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. First, Zoloft. Once my dosage was up to 200mg. per day (the adult dosage my doctor says), my anxiety decreased to a much tolerable level. But I was lethargic and void of ambition or motivation. Enter Wellbutrin. I'm taking 300mg. (200 in the morning and 100 at lunch, also the adult dosage.) I've had no seizures, but there were a few minor inconveniences when I started: low-grade headache,a dry mouth. Oh yes, and I am sensitive to heat but maybe these are menopausal hot flashes--I'm not sure.
One of the reasons I suffered for so many years was my acute fear of medication. I didn't want to be addicted and dependent. I told myself I needed to just buck up and stop feeling sorry for myself and get a grip...and many other self-defeating, self-deprecating internal messages. There is still a ton of negative stigma associated with mental illness.
Sometimes the side effects outweigh the benefits, and more often, the side effects are a small price to pay for feeling human! I'm so glad to be alive in an age where I can take medication instead of being locked up in some cold mental asylum.
Don't let the laundry list of possible side effects get the better of you. As I'm sure you know, drug companies are under legal obligation to print every possible scenario under the sun. Be smart and follow your doctor's orders and LIVE. --Gracepete
Hi all....I have MS and Chronic depression. Sometimes I am confident that the depression is more of a problem than having a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. I have been on Welbutrin for about 8 months as of now. I really like this antidepressant. I do believe that my anxiety is a slight worse than before and was on Celexa, however, I have found with Welbutrin that their are side effects in terms of sex, weight gain..as another said, I have lost close to 20 lbs..just do not have an appetite.. Also I did notice a touch of internal anger for my first several days on welbutrin... I have not had any other side effects at all... I am talking 200 mg twice a day
I was on Effexor for 5 yrs and loved it but its not a long term drug and started to get anxious and angry so my doctor put me on Lexapro a week ago and gained 7 pounds and swelled up so bad. I just went to the doc today and he now wants me to try Welbutrin. Of course with any meds i'm scared of reactions. He told me to start taking it at night any reason why at night?
I've been on and off wellbutrin for the past 6 years and I would seriously consider discussing with your doctor why he/she chose night. I have to take it in the am or I have trouble sleeping. I find that it gives me so much energy and really helps the physical symptoms of depression. Everyone is different though. I finally seem to have a combination that works for me because by itself I found that wellbutin didn't relieve the more mental symptoms of depression like agitation and moodiness. I find that a low dose of an SSRI like Celexa (I take 20 mg) and a low dose of Wellbutrin (I take 150 mg in am only) works for me. I had to request this though because I noticed that I wasn't moody or agitated on an SSRI but I was tired and unmotivated. I also new that the wellbutrin gave me a lot of energy, so with both I really feel like my depression is under control for the first time in my life!
I recently have been experiencing extreme anxiety, for the past few weeks and have seen a doctor who is not a pyschiatrist. My appt with the psychiatrist is August 18. This doctor put me on Welbutrin XR 150 mg take in the AM because it worked in the past.. As I write this I feel like I am going to jump out of my skin, having real major issues sleeping, and a bigggest knot in my stomach. I think they feel worst since starting this medication. I will see a counselor tomorrow ; and I think I will ask her to speak to the Doctor and request hormone levels and switch some of my medication. I not sure what sparked the anxiety it could be many things . I will buy the Northrop book because a friend also recommended it. I am wondering is it more of the hormones then the Welbutrin it self because frankly i can't believe an anti-depression can work this fast, I was told to give it a few weeks, all I want is relief and my life back.
I have been going through depression for over one year. I also have panic disorder that was diagnosed several years ago. Last summer the doc put me on effexor along with klonopin because my panic attacks had gotten so bad. I have noticed over the last few months that my short term memory has gotten really bad and my patience is not what it was. She started me on welbutrin 150 5 weeks ago and just increased it to 300. Since then I have been extremely nauseaus and have really bad dry mouth. Also, while trying to get my classroom ready today, I felt like I could not sit still. I could not finish anything and went from one thing to another. Could this be the meds? I don't like the way I feel at all. I have never had concentration problems and am one of the most patient people.
Please let us know what you find out about the hormones. I'm having the same issue and I don't know if it is hormone-induced depression or garden-variety depression. I'm having a hormone work up this week. Also, Prolactin level plays a big part in the dopamine level in the brain. I have extremely high Prolactin and Wellbutrin worked on my dopamine level, making me feel better. It is very interesting.
Are there any treatments for depression/OCD that have limited sexual side effects? I've been taking Zoloft for a long time. I wonder if this side effect is mainly w/ the SSRI's.
Thank you so much for any advice!
Finally more and more articles began appearing linking Welbutrin to seizures and the DMV in a closed door meeting reinstated my driving license.By then they had had three other seizure cases indicating this drug.
Sorry to go on and on but I want everyone to know what a serious problem this can be. Seizures are a PROVEN side effect of this drug and any good up to date doctor should warn you of this
I just wanted to share this with you.
Thank you.
Lisa
I have heard of people using Welbutrin to help control urges to smoke...and, it has also been helpful with people struggling with weight. When I used to work with kids with eating disorders, we had to see relatively high doses (like 80 to 100mg) of Prozac before the kids were able to let go of some of the control they had over the obsessions regarding weight and the fallout they were experiencing due to their incorrect perceptions. But, Welbutrin was not available at that time so I don't know if it is used in this type of treatment anymore or not. I have a friend who was on Welbutrin for five years and had no problems. Occasional use of Xanax (for flying and such) was permitted. She liked being on the anti-depressant. And, there were no sexual side effects, per report.
I think that many side effects of almost any drug should diminish within four weeks. If side effects do not go away...then consider switching meds. It is about knowing yourself and your body...and, having a good physician.
***********************************************************************************
To Hix22....just be there for your fiance. People don't make up issues with anxiety, and in fact, it is sometimes difficult to admit there is a problem with this in the first place...afraid of what others will think if they know, etc.
In fact, instead of thinking that she might be taking things a little far (not sure what you meant by that) you might want to consider why you have not heard of this problem before now. Was she afraid of your reaction? Maybe her fears were well founded. I wonder how hard she must have been struggling to keep the signs of this anxiety away from you. Or maybe in retrospect, you can now see the signs.
I am concerned that you mentioned you decided to "give her a chance" regarding her trying medication for this problem.Having said that, if this is something you are having difficulty accepting...well, that's just honest. But, do some research to help you understand triggers for anxiety, the way anxiety can manifest itself, the HUGE HUGE HUGE (okay....) role HORMONES play in anxiety.
Many women sail along quite well until they hit perimenopause and then WHAM....anxiety issues set in. The Progesterone/Estrogen ratio gets all out of balance for many women. If this imbalance is the cause of anxiety, there is treatment using bioidentical hormones, particularly Progesterone (not Progestin) to balance the system and calm the anxiety, but not all Health Care Personel are familiar with this type of treatment. The tide is starting to change, but this area is confusing and not well understood by many who should know about it...thus reseach is KEY. Then again, this is not always the cause....being proactive is the best course.
Some of the kids I work with as very dramatic, but they still have issues with depression and anxiety, so I wondered if your Fiance was acting in a dramatic way and that is why you wondered if she was taking things a little to far...In that case, she might just need to meet with a counselor or Therapist who does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy....she may need to have someone objectively help sort out her life. Counseling has been found to be just as significant in treatment as medication. The two together? Awesome results. I have seen pictures of brain scans proving the viability of these interventions. Interesting.
Well, I wish you and your fiance the best. My advice for a happy relationship? Just remind her now and then and for the rest of your life together that you think she is WODERFUL. Seriously.
Take care,
Mary
It became very easy to control my urges to smoke. I suffer from a mild form of Tourette's syndrome. Over these 2 years my tics became increasingly worse and I began to suffer from insomnia. It wasn't until I just stopped taking it cold turkey and I noticed a substantial lessening of my tics and an ability to fall asleep almost effortlessly that I realized it was the Welbutrin all along. During this period, my weight remained constant and I think it actually helped me to maintain this weight.
It took time for the progesterone to get into my system but once it did the Brain Fog lifted, my anxiety calmed, the wt. started to budge (I, too, gained 25 pounds within three months after my hysterectomy).....So, here I am 7 years later and still on a small amount of Estrogen via the patch, Progesterone via cream from a Compounding pharmacy, and a small amount of Testosterone (for muscle tone, libido, mental clarity, chemical sensitivity, and believe it or not, Clumsiness!). My weight is a struggle but has been manageable all these years with healthful eating and consistent aerobic/wt. training workouts that I do in my basement. But, a ruptured disk caused many problems including a wt. gain, thus I am on this forum...for that reason as well as a life long interest in this subject.
Having said all that, I do think that Wellbutrin is a great product and I actually spoke with a woman today who is using it for perimenopausal reasons but still having symptoms....(She took the names of the books I mentioned, oh, including any hormone info by Dr. Erika Schwartz).
If you want to check out the general archives in the Ovarian Cancer (Patient to Patient) forum, you can look for posts with the title "hormones," or, "Mary 53" ...kind of have to go way back though.
GOOOD LUCK.....Things will get better!
Mary
sam
My doctor had to approve my prescriptions, but he listened to the pharmacist regarding research, etc. And, interestingly enough, the bioidentical products I use really are the origional hormone replacements ( I refrain from calling them 'drugs' since by virtue of being bioidentical they act in the body exactly as the hormones we are replacing) whereas the Premarin and Prempro drugs are the pharmaceutical companies answer to the bioidentical products. Most of these are made from pregnant horses urine and are one molecule off of what our bodies make. But that one molecule causes the problems you read about. Thus, the Women's Initiative Study was stopped...(although even the fact that it was stopped is even controversial). The bio's were not used in that study. When a person says the hormones are all the same, that is not true.
You cannot patent a bioidentical product so some drug companies do not want to touch them, thus there is low funding for research these days even though they were studied extensively in the 60's, after being developed in the 50's. The bioidentical estrogen patch I use is put out by a drug company ...would have to look up the name, Navarto?...something like that...but some women chose to have their estrogen mixed in a compounding pharmacy. I have had that done, but prefer the patch.
My biggest concern is the lack of Bio Progesterone in our systems. Once you stop ovulating (obviously after you have had ovaries removed) you stop producing Progesterone. One of the big reasons I suggested you reserch this like crazy is that it is not well-recognized (in my opinion) that this is critical for women's health. We have receptors for Progesterone in our lungs, our brains.....(can you say "brain fog"). Plus our bodies will make estrogen on it's own if we are not supplementing it, by making fat and taking the by-product from the fat in a menopausal woman and turning it into Estrone, a strong type of estrogen. So, even if you stop taking estrogen, your body will make some of it and the type it makes is the stronger type....I use the Vivelle Patch so I can add Estrodial into my system (the estrogen we have when we are in our late teens and early 20's). You need some estrogen for various reasons such as hot flashes, night sweats, bone health, etc, but also to keep the receptor sites at the cells open for the Progesterone.
OK....I did not mean to write a book. I have some more comments on the Menopausal page (patient to doctor forum) if you want to check it out. I do see that I guess I am the strongest proponent at this time regarding the need for progesterone, but after my studies and my own experiences, this is what has worked best for me.
I am not a doctor. I work in Mental Health..just to clarify. My sister teaches nursing and has studied this whole thing for years, too, and has also been on the bio hormones since her own Hysterectomy about 14 years ago.
Well, hang in there. And, good for you to be proactive regarding all this. Oh, if you want to let me know what type of HRT you were on, well, I was just curious. I mean, you may already be on the patch that I mentioned and may only need to "tweak" things a bit...just wondering. Let me know if you have any questions. It took me months and months of feeling horrible to find out what I needed to know....Happy to help now.
Mary
One of the reasons I suffered for so many years was my acute fear of medication. I didn't want to be addicted and dependent. I told myself I needed to just buck up and stop feeling sorry for myself and get a grip...and many other self-defeating, self-deprecating internal messages. There is still a ton of negative stigma associated with mental illness.
Sometimes the side effects outweigh the benefits, and more often, the side effects are a small price to pay for feeling human! I'm so glad to be alive in an age where I can take medication instead of being locked up in some cold mental asylum.
Don't let the laundry list of possible side effects get the better of you. As I'm sure you know, drug companies are under legal obligation to print every possible scenario under the sun. Be smart and follow your doctor's orders and LIVE. --Gracepete
Thank you so much for any advice!