Bio-Identical Hormones ??

**homemaker66** · 01-29-2009, 07:55 PM

Okey my dear FV family here I am once again asking an question to everyone. Has anyone tried, uses, or even heard of this for the menopause? I watch Oprha today and this was the topic. I am in my stages of life and I need something and I want to do it with natural goods not pills. So here I am asking for your input.

**PrairieRose** · 01-29-2009, 08:15 PM

I have heard of it, from Suzanne Somers as she was touting her book. I bought the book at a thrift store recently (ofcourse!) and am gonna read it. I talked to my (more natural leaning but not a true naturopath) and she said that she had not had good luck with them at all. She really loved the idea and all that but thus far no luck. I'm going back to see her in a couple of weeks and we're going to revisit this topic. I'll be interested to see what anyone here has to offer in the way of experience with.

**jas** · 01-29-2009, 08:29 PM

I have used them and like them alot. My mil turned me on to them and also my sil uses them. She had way more symptoms than I do. They were a miricle for her.

I use just a dab.

**homemaker66** · 01-29-2009, 08:33 PM

I don't even know where to get the cream type. I would love to try something I CAN"T STAND the hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats etc.... I have been going through this for five years enough is enough.

**IntlMom** · 01-29-2009, 08:42 PM

OK, so I guess I am the bio-identical "expert" here at the village. (that;s a scary thought!)

I have been on them for over a year and LOVE them!!! I don;t know that I can give you any of the science behind them, but I can tell you that I love love LOVE what they do for me!!

I take mine in the form of a troche (which like a disolveable gummy) in between my cheek and gum. They have helped with my lack of emotion and with my "ehemm" dryness issues.... heck, it's made a world of difference in general. I have a wonderful gal that I see. She is a physicans assistant, who has really specialized in bio identical hormones. In fact, she is certified by the AMA to educate MDs who are willing to learn about the benefits of HRT.

edit: mine are made just for me at a compounding pharmacy....just the right balance, just for me.
not cheap....but oh so worth all 89.00 a month!!!

**lovestoread** · 01-30-2009, 07:36 AM

Traci, I assume your lack of emotion is lack of desire? I too struggle with this .... the only time I can say I actually am interested is at the very end of my period..... I am very interested in this info,,,, OP thank you for bringing this up....I dvr'd Oprah but haven't watched it yet....Lisa could you let us know how the book is also???

Thanks, girls

**IntlMom** · 01-30-2009, 08:07 AM

Sheri....lack of desire, lack of motivation, lack of emotion.
for example: hubby and I could be having an agrument, I could really care less about what he is saying. The worst was one day, he was so frustrated with my "emtionales-ness", that he started crying and pleading with me to care....I sat there looking at him, staring at him, knowing full well that I was the reason that he was crying....I wanted to care, really I did....I just didn't. I couldn't make myself become emotional.
That's what I mean. After my hysterectomy, I had become totally caloused and lost my ability to feel emotionally attached to anything....it was the major pits. The weird part was, it didn;t bother me.....I didn;t care - it tore apart the ppl around me that love me.

So, do I love bio-identical hornomes??? YOU BET YOUR SWEET PATU-TEE I DO!!!

btw- all is good now, I cry regularly at Home Makeover....so I am back to weird-o normal self!?!

**thefrug** · 01-30-2009, 08:49 AM

whatever floats yer boat.
I didn't touch nothing when I was going thru it.No doctor I could find would give me the time of day for my menopause so the heck with it. I EXERCISED! *gasp*, watched the caffeine and spicy food, took a small amount of vitamin E, added some soy to my diet, used a cheap fan and kept one in every car and truck and one in my purse and I USED THEM. I didn't care what people thought and said. exp: Are you hot??!!, ans: NO uh huh, I'm just dripping sweat for the fun of it.....idiot.
Now, since I'm post menopausal, I only have an occasional flash which is greatly diminished in intensity and I just have to take a vitamin E and a calcium supplement every day and...heres that cuss word again...EXERCISE!.
I don't have to worry about what all that crap is doing to my body down the road, I don't have to rub or inject crap onto or into my body, I don't have to pay all that money.

Personal RANT:

oprah said, oprah said, oprah said. I am so sick of everybody hanging on every thing or word this woman says and does! ugh. oprahs fat, so I'll be fat, oprah's thin so I'll be thin. oprah reads a crappy book so I'll read the same book and bask in the oprah glow, knowing that I probably didn't understand a darn thing in the book, but I read it so I am ONE with oprah. oprahs going thru menopause so I MUST be too! UGH!!! geesh.
ok sorry,
END OF RANT

Like I said at the beginning of this rant (sorry about that, really), whatever floats your boat. but seriously, THINK about what you are putting into your body here. It's being mixed up and bottled in a lab or pharmacy. It's not cheap. It's not "natural" I don't care what Suzanne or anybody says. And is there really that many or any studies that show that this crap or any HRT is safe for you. Doesn't matter if it makes you feel " wonderful". Other drugs do that too, but they ain't good for you!
oh, and as for the desire, once a week whether you want it or not. It just takes longer fore-play wise. It'll happen.

really, sorry for the rant again.

**IntlMom** · 01-30-2009, 09:27 AM

Ya know Frug, I actually agree with you, if I had gone through "it" at a natural, normal time of life, I wouldn't touch the stuff either.

But I didn't. I was 34 when I had my VERY complete hysterectomy. Did I want the hyster? NO! Did I NEED it? YES (excrutiating, recurring endometriosis...)

I woke up with a patch on my thigh. I knew right away I ddn't want that....and so began my quest for some other solution. I went cold turkey for a few years. I had all the menopausal symptoms (what else could possibly cause your calves to start sweating profusely for absolutley no reason at all!!

). But the symptoms themselves didn't bother me. And really, you are right that there is no "proof" that HRT is safe for you ...... at least I am aware that the HRT that I am taking is "naturally occuring" Estriol, as opposed to Estadial, a major component of Premarin and PremPro.

Me taking a low dose HRT is the best solution for me, and my family. At least for now.

I look forward to being able to choose to be free of even my HRTs when I come to a "natural" menopausal age.

I have NEVER watched Oprah, don't care what she says.
I have NEVER read Suzanne Somers book, don;t care what she says either.

**MRAHoffman** · 01-30-2009, 09:31 AM

I guess I would just say to be careful as these have been known to increase your risk of breast cancer. I would talk to your doctor and weigh all the information before making a decision. Take care and God bless.

**homemaker66** · 01-31-2009, 08:32 AM

Intlmom thank you very much for all of your information. I am going to go to the doctors this week and get a complete check up and blood work done. I been struggling with this for five years now and I am sick of not having feelings, hotflashes, sleepless night, on and on. I do exercise alot and take vitamins I do watch what I eat and still I struggle. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !! no matter what you do or take everyone is at risk for cancer in so many ways that it is not even funny. All I know is I cant' not stand being me right now through this menopause.

**PrairieRose** · 01-31-2009, 09:30 AM

homemaker---I decided a looooooong time ago when I had to have a complete hysterectomy at the age of 25, having suffered the consequences more than once from total hormonal depletion (things like irregular heartbeat, horrible migraines, uncontrollable crying, total insomnia for weeks on end, not to mention the hotflashes which honestly compared to the other things is only an inconvenience, extreme mood swings, Omg I could go on and on and on) that quality of life actually is as important as quantity.

Just so you'll know my gyno told me that in years past many women were 'institutionalized' for 'emotional problems' that were really hormone and/or menopause related. So, I've been taking reg. hormones for 25 years. I've lost friends to cancer already who never took any......... I have much better quality of life than I could in any other manner......and so has my family

*eta*
So I say, you do what you have to do.....bio identical or otherwise........you'll feel a lot better.

**homemaker66** · 02-01-2009, 07:38 AM

I wonder if you can get natural products to help out with it. I am still doing alot of research on this all weekend. Tomorrow I am going to call the doctor and get an appointment. The thing that I hate worse of menopause is I try to loose weight and every time I gain even more ?? Before my surgery I was an bean pole and now I have gained 40 lbs and still gaining slowly and I try to loose it. The doc and I are going to have a long talk so she better be ready for me. Thank you everyone for your information I knew I can ask anything here.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 02-02-2009, 01:00 AM

I know there are some natural products out there to help with the symptoms of menopause. As far as natural HRT goes, I'm not too sure on it. I really haven't done my research. From what my mother's told me about her having perimenopause, though, it scares the crap out of me. I'm 31 and honestly, I don't want to have to deal with all of that stuff this early.

I get the worst hot flashes, lack of emotion, etc now and that's from the time of ovulation until after I get the visit from Mother Nature. It's appauling and it makes me sad that I make the guys around here feel like they can't do anything right, are doing things they're not sure if they're doing wrong, etc.

This really has me wanting to do more research because to be honest, I don't want to end up as some old crotchety hag screaming about it being too hot and about everything under the sun when it finally comes time.