Aa
HRT
What side effects have you experienced since starting HRT.
I started 1 week ago today and I still have hot flashes and I have been very emotional the past few days. Is this normal? I am on antibiotics and have been for 4 weeks for wound separation. Could this affect the performance of the hormones?
I started 1 week ago today and I still have hot flashes and I have been very emotional the past few days. Is this normal? I am on antibiotics and have been for 4 weeks for wound separation. Could this affect the performance of the hormones?
With great respect to the FDA, I have done my own research and I'm only conveying the facts I have learned about BHRT. (With respect to you, MD).
Please keep in mind the FDA approved the HRT replacement that included the progesterone that was created from horse urine years ago- that caused so much cancer in women and wasn't removed from the shelves for years, (with company knowledge of the problem) until the an action had to take place...
The FDA will also state, that Testosterone treatment in women is 'not approved'. Feel free to look it up. Personally, I do not make testosterone naturally. Nope... Not a drop of natural testosterone in my body- '0 rads found' per my test results- Free open what ever. With this being said, (my opinion only here) the FDA needs to relook this statement and get with the times. They address men but not women. Without testosterone, my life would be in disarray as this hormone is essential to a mirad of things to provide health and well being- not just for sex.
BHRT isn't safer I agree: as anything added to the body can cause a risk...no two bodies are alike. Though it has been proven that BHRT can be metabolized by the body. Synthetics that are used, your body just has to deal with the dosage and side affects occur....(i.e. Testim (which I was on) when applied in the same location eventually will cause fuzzy hair growth in the location of application, adema, etc-see testim reactions on their website, etc).
BHRT is compounded to mimic the body's natural hormone composition per the readings and research I have done. Synthetics do not- they are a 'version' of the body's hormones naturally created... meaning a deviation in the makup (to allow patent). it is believed and only makes sense, that pharmaceutical companies push the synthetics because they can patten the formulas, raise the price and cause you the comsumer/ patient to pay the high prices... with no guarantee of safety. BHRTs are not unique in any way as the natural composition can be created over and over without patten infringement-because its a natural formula. Therefore limiting the price they can put on it as anyone who can compound, can make it and lower their price. So business wise... it's not a good investment to have what others can create in an open market... medical business 101. BHRT that is compounded is best recommended for individual application vice mixing it all up together. I have 2 seperate tubes to apply and in different locations- place a capsule I take as well.
I wish you luck to all who are considering BHRT I am new into the BHRT world but anything is better than wanting to jump off a cliff because it's easier to die than wake up each day or growing fuzz on my back.... I am finding the will to live and enjoy being alive.... as each one of has to find what works for us individually.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
all respect to Mary53 and the great encouragement she provides to so many folks on this forum, but i wanted to point out a FDA advisory today:
thought you folks taking bio's, BHRT, would be interested in this report today from the FDA saying that bio's are not better than taking the individual hormones separately. In fact, it can help to take them separately to individually adjust the dosing for each hormone:
FDA informed healthcare professionals and patients that the Agency sent letters warning seven pharmacy operations that the claims they make about the safety and effectiveness of their so-called "bio-identical hormone replacement therapy," or "BHRT" products are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading by the agency. The pharmacy operations improperly claim that their drugs, which contain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estriol (which is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use) are superior to FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy drugs and prevent or treat serious diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer. FDA is concerned that the claims for safety, effectiveness, and superiority that these pharmacy operations are making mislead patients, as well as doctors and other healthcare professionals. Compounded drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness.
Patients who use compounded hormone therapy drugs should discuss menopausal hormone therapy options with their healthcare provider to determine if compounded drugs are the best option for their specific medical needs.
Read the complete 2008 MedWatch Safety Summary including a link to the FDA New Release regarding this issue at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Menopause
thought you folks taking bio's, BHRT, would be interested in this report today from the FDA saying that bio's are not better than taking the individual hormones separately. In fact, it can help to take them separately to individually adjust the dosing for each hormone:
FDA informed healthcare professionals and patients that the Agency sent letters warning seven pharmacy operations that the claims they make about the safety and effectiveness of their so-called "bio-identical hormone replacement therapy," or "BHRT" products are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading by the agency. The pharmacy operations improperly claim that their drugs, which contain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estriol (which is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use) are superior to FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy drugs and prevent or treat serious diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer. FDA is concerned that the claims for safety, effectiveness, and superiority that these pharmacy operations are making mislead patients, as well as doctors and other healthcare professionals. Compounded drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness.
Patients who use compounded hormone therapy drugs should discuss menopausal hormone therapy options with their healthcare provider to determine if compounded drugs are the best option for their specific medical needs.
Read the complete 2008 MedWatch Safety Summary including a link to the FDA New Release regarding this issue at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Menopause
Hi,
I would recommend you go to this thread...it is on page 3 and it was there just now when I checked.
*******4/26 Forgetfulness problems after Surgery
Lisagarr*************
I suggest printing it or saving it to your hard drive, Email it to yourself just so you have the information since it is a lot to absorb. I have been studying this stuff since 2000 and still learning!
In the true sense of the word, HRT would refer to Hormonal Replacement Therapy and I don't mean to split hairs with anyone, but I think of myself on BHRT, Bioidentical Hormonal Replacement Therapy. Frankly, I do not know much about the HRT drugs that are prescribed, such as Premarin and Prempro except that I won't use them. Prempro has Progestagen, or Progestin in it, which is a synthetic Progesterone, and would not be used by anyone without a uterus, since it was mainly developed to counter one of the side effects (although rare) of using the synthetic estrogen (Premarin)...the side effect they were worried about is uterine cancer.
When a woman who has had a hysterectomy asks the doc for a script for Progesterone, she will get a blank stare unless the doctor is familiar with the positive benefits of using Bioidentical progesterone...it is just that the words are often, unfortunetly, used interchangeably.
I would not be without my Progesterone. I use very little estrogen (Vivelle, a bio patch) and I use Testosterone. It should take little time for the estrogen benefits to kick in, although this is a case by case situation, I am sure. As far as the progesterone, it takes three months for it to leave the body after the ovaries are removed and up to three months for it to be replenished. I started to feel so much better after about a month and a half of being on the Progesterone...back in 2001.I had been on Estrogen since the day after my surgery.
I am still on it (Progesterone) and use the cream from a compounding pharmacy and I use bio progesterone pills, too, to supplement the cream since I was needing to raise my levels. I have been under a lot of stress and the progesterone was being used by my body to make extra cortisol.....geez....
Sorry I cannot directly respond better than this. I assume you have called your doctor/nurse about this. Also, I would check to see what type of hormonal therapy you are on....synthetic or Bio....and, grab "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christianne Northrup, MD while you are at it...an excellent resource.
Best to you ..........and
HI TO STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary (almost 54!)
I would recommend you go to this thread...it is on page 3 and it was there just now when I checked.
*******4/26 Forgetfulness problems after Surgery
Lisagarr*************
I suggest printing it or saving it to your hard drive, Email it to yourself just so you have the information since it is a lot to absorb. I have been studying this stuff since 2000 and still learning!
In the true sense of the word, HRT would refer to Hormonal Replacement Therapy and I don't mean to split hairs with anyone, but I think of myself on BHRT, Bioidentical Hormonal Replacement Therapy. Frankly, I do not know much about the HRT drugs that are prescribed, such as Premarin and Prempro except that I won't use them. Prempro has Progestagen, or Progestin in it, which is a synthetic Progesterone, and would not be used by anyone without a uterus, since it was mainly developed to counter one of the side effects (although rare) of using the synthetic estrogen (Premarin)...the side effect they were worried about is uterine cancer.
When a woman who has had a hysterectomy asks the doc for a script for Progesterone, she will get a blank stare unless the doctor is familiar with the positive benefits of using Bioidentical progesterone...it is just that the words are often, unfortunetly, used interchangeably.
I would not be without my Progesterone. I use very little estrogen (Vivelle, a bio patch) and I use Testosterone. It should take little time for the estrogen benefits to kick in, although this is a case by case situation, I am sure. As far as the progesterone, it takes three months for it to leave the body after the ovaries are removed and up to three months for it to be replenished. I started to feel so much better after about a month and a half of being on the Progesterone...back in 2001.I had been on Estrogen since the day after my surgery.
I am still on it (Progesterone) and use the cream from a compounding pharmacy and I use bio progesterone pills, too, to supplement the cream since I was needing to raise my levels. I have been under a lot of stress and the progesterone was being used by my body to make extra cortisol.....geez....
Sorry I cannot directly respond better than this. I assume you have called your doctor/nurse about this. Also, I would check to see what type of hormonal therapy you are on....synthetic or Bio....and, grab "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christianne Northrup, MD while you are at it...an excellent resource.
Best to you ..........and
HI TO STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary (almost 54!)
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