Thanks To both of you for the information. I did have my appt with the doctor. She seemed knowledgeable and answered all the questions I had written down. I have to have the blood work done this week. She said it will be many tubes.

Marlene it's a little scary that you feel more tired with the progesterone. That's the last thing I need. I'm so tired all the time now, I can't afford to have it get worse. Also, I already have joint pain. I'll keep all that in mind for the progesterone. She also said she uses mainly creams but does often use oral progesterone. Seems like she leans toward oral.

IllPN I didn't have a hysterectomy but my mother and sister both had one in their thirties. I saw how awful it was for them. Both had severe menopausal symptoms. When the study concerning hormone replacement came out in 2002 my sister completely stopped the hormones and never took them again.

My GYN put me on Estring and the more information I read it appears you should never be on estrogen alone. Did you hear that?

Have you had good results with replacement? I told my mom that I'm going to try replacement hormones and she is concerned. I'm not going to tell anyone else. Everyone seems to believe replacement can increase your chance of cancer. I did ask the doctor about that. She said they have been using bio identically in Europe for many years and research shows that is not true.

Do either of you worry about that?

Thanks again for all your help!

I like creams for estrogen and progesterone. You can start low that way. I have no sleepiness at all. Just tell the doctor you would like to start low and go up slowly. Doesn't take much. The ratio is important.

For me, the symptoms of menopause were very disruptive. I tried for over a year to deal with it naturally but nothing helped.

Think about what it is you want to accomplish with bio-idential HRT. And like Sally said....start low and go slow. You may want to just get to a point where you have symptom relief and stop there. Some like to restore hormones to a higher levels.

I started with the Vivelle Dot .025 dose. After two weeks, had to up to .0375. I finally ended up at .075. I don't change the patch as often as they say. Seems I can get more out of it and save some money.

Apply progesterone at night before bedtime.

I don't think I am at a high risk for cancer but I do get an annual ob/gyn exam.
I was dealing with heart palpitations, racing heart, anxiety....all cleared up with the estrogen. Apparently, you have estrogen receptors in the heart too.

Have any of you found that bio identical hormones helped ease your neuropathy?

It my husband who has the PN so I cannot say if it would help or not. But I have read that progesterone can.

I'm hoping it works on a few things. I am unhappy most of the time. Not my usual. It's is causing a lot of issues in my marriage. I snap a lot. Personal but my libido has been low for a long time. I actually have gone to several doctors about it to no avail. I feel sorry for my husband because cause it has only gotten worse with the pain. I think it really started when I developed hypothyroidism. I have taken snythroid for years now. I'm just so exhausted all the time.

I just hope it helps! I feel like a nut sometimes. Funny thing is I don't have hot flashes. Maybe because of the Estring.

I would say the Estring would prevent hot flashes. And as long as you have an uterus, my doc say you have to use progesterone along with the estradiol. Hopefully this new doc can help you balance out all your hormones. Nothing happens in isolation.

Hi
to answer I hope the questions... yes I worry about cancer. My mom had breast cancer. When I started with hormones, I was a wreck. I would move and break out in sweats, I was getting anxious...etc. I was not getting sleep. I went and had a sleep test done which showed mild apnea. I got the machine did not use it.. I called my dr and she said you need estrogen. It did help.
I was using oral progesterone before I had my surgery. I have some now have not taken as yet. The pharmacy suggested using this to help with sleep. I am having some issues with getting to sleep. I was also told by them that testosterone can help with fatigue. I get that every other time as my insurance will not pay for this for women. I am bad about using these day and night which is probably not good for my body. I think I want to go to a patch eventually. I had that initially. Some drs, will prescribe estrogen without progesterone but I too have read too not a good idea.
Someone posted on here about a thyroid seminar I listened to hrs and hrs of talks online. Some of these drs are not against bio-identical hormones in fact they were for them. My dr says it is about quality of life. You can read too only use for 5 yrs. I don't think I will ever stop as with me there is no natural progression as in menopause as in menopause you get over symptoms once you are through all that.


They always talk about balancing your hormones. I wanted to go to a local specialist to do this but they don't take insurance. They charge a small fortune.
What area do you live in? Did you see your gyn for this?

I listened to the thyroid seminars someone posted online about. They talked about using a natural thyroid replacement for the thyroid. I have nodules -my sister had hers out as got the goiter... thyroid issues I guess can run in a family. Some how I have gotten all the bad genes. I have so much arthritis and the neuropathy that I have no idea why I have. It gets me down more and more. I am lucky as the neuropathy pain has not kicked in yet. Oh my spine is a mess too.
Any way, what I wanted to say is you might try and find a dr that uses this kind of treatment. Also be sure they ck all your thyroid levels not just TSH.

Thanks everyone for your answers. I really do appreciate it.
My GYN was the dr that gave me the estring.

The doctor I am seeing now is strictly bio identical hormone replacement. I'm definitely going to request the cream.

IllPN do you find the thyroid seminars on this site? I'm so sorry this is getting you down. Sometimes it all just seems so overwhelming. I hope you begin to fell a little better both physically and emotionally.