HRT

[ShawnP]

My doc started my on Premarin .625 mg the day I left the hospital.  My question is to those of you who may be on some form of HRT is:  I am having difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep.  It seems I wake up hourly.  I've had bad experiences with prescription sleep aides and was wondering if any you had the same issue and if so, did you find a resolution?
Or is it something that will pass once my body adjusts to all it's been through?

Thank you in advance,
Shawn

[Mary 53]

HRT or Not - Bleason: 08/06/2006

I am on my way out to pick up some progesterone cream right now since I have not yet received my new monthly prescriptions of hormones from the compounding pharmacist I use. I have them mailed to me since the pharmacy is 60 miles away. Thank goodness for the over the counter cream or I would not be doing well. My legs get the worst cramps when I am low in progesterone (and if too low for long, my cholesterol raises up, I am more moody, anxious, less calm....) and for some reason I run out of that first each month. I am currently waiting now for the results of a saliva/blood test to see if we need to increase my doses. I have been using the bioidentical hormones (progesterone and bi-est, which is a combination of two estrogens...not synthetics) and testostereone for six years.

I wanted to mention my recent post under the thread that you see above at the top of this message to you...from 08/06/06....check it out and you will get some answers.

Progesterone is so very very often confused with progestins, the synthetic hormone (drug) from the drug companies. But, the progesterone you are talking about (that you use) is identical to what your body would produce if you had ovaries(some women with ovaries supplement with this hormone since it declines once you start skipping ovulation as in perimenopause). Once you do some research on this I think you will feel much more comfortable. The words "hormone" and HRT are used so interchangebly that it is very confusing. The bioidentical hormones cannot be patented so you don't hear that much about them since the drug companies are not interested in them for the most part. I used the Vivelle patch (estrogen, a bioidentical)for years...and, it is from the drug company "Novartis"...I am grateful they cared enough to produce this for women. But, many women get their hormones from compounding pharmacists. And, although the over the counter cream is good, many use the one they get with a prescription from their doctor and have it filled at a compounding pharmacy.

Well, I will stop and let you check the other posts...I explain more of why there is so much confusion about all this. I have been doing tons of reading/research on these for the past six years.

Take care, Mary

[lactac1224]

I have been using an over the counter progesterone cream and it is working great.  I am going to double check with my gyn/onc to make sure this is ok after seeing some of the posts that HRT is a no-no for anyone dx with ovca.  If you change anything or have any questions be sure to ask your doctor.

[sippy]

Hi,
I am on no hormones at all and I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping since my TAH 2 months ago...as if the hot flashes weren't bad enough. :)

sippy

[Gatsby]

I have found that 3 mg of Melatonin has helped me to sleep very well.  You should start with 1 mg and then take more if you need to.  It can be found in health food stores and GNC.  Google it to find out more for yourself.  I hope this helps.
~Tascha

[ShawnP]

Tascha:

I will give that a try right away.  Thank you for the information.

Shawn