Bio identical HRT

Juast found this  ..I will paste it.. but it might not ne allowed ...

The problem with bioidentical hormones comes with the progestogen components. The much heralded expensive progesterone cream available on the internet with exaggerated claims of increase in bone density and improvement of depression, hot flushes, sweats, etc is in fact virtually ineffective as it is hardly absorbed. My team have spent more than £100,000 studying this preparation over the last few years and it has no effect whatsoever on bone density, no effect upon mood and no effect upon the symptoms of flushes, sweats and headaches which are the common symptoms of the menopause. It might have a tranquilising and sedating effect if it is absorbed. These results have been published in Menopause International (Benster et al)

It is therefore necessary to give an effective progesterone/progestogen to protect the lining of the womb in patients receiving oestrogens. Most gynaecologists would use a synthetic progesterone such as Norethisterone or Medroyxprogesterone which certainly protects the uterus and produces regular scanty periods. Unfortunately, it often reproduces PMS symptoms in those women who are progesterone intolerant and therefore there is a move to use a more natural progesterone such as Utrogestan 100 mgs for 7 days of each calendar month. This is in contrast to the orthodox management of 14 days of progestogen a month because of the frequent problems of depression, breast discomfort and loss of energy that occurs with a longer course of progestogen in those women with PMS and progestogen intolerance.

The best method of taking bioidentical hormones would in my view be Oestrogel 2-3 measures daily with the possible addition of transdermal testosterone gel and then Utrogestan 100 mgs daily for the first 7 days of each calendar month. This would bring about a regular scanty bleed on about the 10th day of each calendar month. You will find more details of this treatment for menopausal symptoms, hormone responsive depression and osteoporosis in this web site but please remember that it is not a recent American discovery. That would be too much to bear!

Oestradiol oestrogen is bio-identical.  It comes in the form of patches, and gel by prescription from a pharmacy.  You might also be able to get a compound chemist to make up an oestradiol pellet which needs to be implanted into a fatty part of the abdomen.  Transdermal hrt needs to be placed on fatty parts to be absorbed into the fat, but never above the waist.

Oestradiol is plant based and most closely resembles the human oestrogen.  There is a bio-identical progesterone out now called Prometrium in the form of capsules which are available by prescription in Australia, so possibly elsewhere too.  I have not tried it yet because I could not remember the name of it when I saw my doc last week, and she seemed oblivious to it.

I don't really need a progesterone/gen/ten as I do not have a uterus but my doc seems to think I do, and I find the Ralovera/Provera Medroyxprogesterone is giving me the sweats as it is an oestrogen antagonist.  I am going to stop using it tomorrow.  I am fed up with this sweating, it got worse when I went back on the Ralovera last week after seeing my doc.  I just need more oestradiol oestrogen.

So good luck Maisie.  If you still have a uterus, you will need progesterone.  You can get oestradiol oestrogen separate from progesterone, which will allow you to regulate both better.

The oestradiol patches I use are Estraderm MX (make sure you get the MX which allows the oestrogen to be distributed over a period of time, rather than in one hit), and the oestradiol gel which I use to top up the patches when they run out too soon, is Sandrina.  They might be have a different brand name in the UK.

I was prescribed bioidentical HRT (progesterone caps & estrogen patches/gel) by consultants at the Menopause clinic at Chelsea & Westminster Hosp in London, my GP now repeats the prescriptions.

Hi Maisie05

Have you come across any appropriate clinics in the Northwest/Manchester area?

I'm just starting the hrt research journey - and quick searches so far haven't brought up much for me.

Regards