estradiol is the answer or a little low dose of testosterone or DHEA?
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hello ladies,
we are not doctors but we are know our bodies better than anyone else.
Do you believe that in this peri hell estradiol is the answer in order to find some relief?
I have read that testosterone in small amounts are also necessary for preventing osteoporosis, for libido etc
But I am hesitant to ask my doctor about this...
any experiences/ any opinions
1 like, 13 replies
louise25018 evi75119
Posted
thankyou so much for starting this thread!! i have must been prescribed this too and am thinking/wondering the same.
i am just about getting by with my meno symptoms thanks to finding meditation and yoga (believe it or not!) but i have awful vaginal atrophy and im really hoping estradiol will help with this?
hopefully the lovely ladies on this forum can help.
xxx
vicky77852 evi75119
Posted
Testosterone is not approved for POF at Europe and you only can find it privately.
We need mainly estrogen and testo is used more for libido.
DHEA is used more commonly for fertility treatments, it lowers FSH.
evi75119 vicky77852
Posted
Kalimera Vicky,
you are right, I have read the same information on the internet.
I cannot wait to start HRT despite the fact that I am afraid of but....I cannot bear this hell anymore. I will give a try even a low dosage.
How are you doing with your treatment?
evi75119 vicky77852
Posted
I have also read that since we are still have uterus we need progesterone.
I asked about testosterone because I have read that testosterone is converted into estradiol in females body....I know that it is not approved but I am so desperate and I am afraid estradiol because of cancer.
My Lord give me strength and mercy me.
Today, I have just finished my period and my waistline area is aching horribly and my vaginal area is burning. Instead of being better after my period, I feel worse...I am cursed
vicky77852 evi75119
Posted
I am ok with my treatment, I feel normal, no symptoms at all.
Testosterone isn't safer than estrogen. The opposite! There isn't enough data about and is used more at women with hysterectomy.
The more I read the more I think that hrt is crucial for us and modern hrt is considered safe nowdays.
theresa53424 evi75119
Posted
You're not alone. I fell asleep last night at 7:00 and woke up at 9:00pm and from there my hellish night began. All night I suffered with Night Sweats combined with Hot Flashes. At night I have the heat set to 55 with a fan next to my bed and I switch out Ice Packs every two hours. The hot flashes and sweats didn't stop until 7:30 this morning. Of course anxiety comes with it, then I find myself crying and begging God to make it stop. I've decided to Start BHRT, its different then HRT treatment and yesterday I ordered DIM off AMAZON and Progesterone Cream. My BHRT appointment isn't until Dec. 14th but will call and ask to be seen sooner. This is my last resort, seeing how I have tried every medication and supplement, still nothing helps. I'm full blown Peri and have been going through this for a year 1/2 now. If the BHRT treatment doesn't work then I'm out of options. My Peri menopause has ruined my life and has drained my bank account. Something has to give. Right now I'm praying that I can make it into work tomorrow. Of course we all know it will pass but in the mean time we have jobs, families to care for, etc. Again, something has to give. Hope you find some relief soon. Take Care
evi75119 theresa53424
Posted
Exaclty Theresa,
BHRT is my last resort, too
My life has been ruined by the hellish hormones. I made patience for 2,5 years but I cannot bear it anymore...I will also have an appointment with my doctor within next month
Thank you, I hope we find relief from this torture.
Hugs!
staci88515 evi75119
Posted
I am glad you asked this question because it confuses me how people figure out exactly what they need to replace. I would assume if I were to take HRT that it would be estrogen, but my vision is blurry, I cry over everything, and my breasts are swollen and tender. Wouldn't that mean my estrogen is fine or in abundance? I know when my obgyn did blood work, she only tested for estradoil, FSH, and LH. I wonder why she didn't test for progesterone and/or testosterone. Anyway, I am glad you asked because I definitely find it confusing.
evi75119 staci88515
Posted
Hello and thank u for your reply,
from my own experience tender swollen breasts or calves may be caused by higher progesterone ratio to estradiol...is considered as PMS symptom.
crying is absolutely low estrogen symptom...the first day of my period I am crying all the day. I cannot stop. I also have dry eyes, sensitivity to lights and weird vision sensations.
According to scientific research testosterone is associated with libido, muscle strength etc
My libido is almost nothing...only one or two days every month.
I am on deadlock with these hormones
staci88515 evi75119
Posted
Really? Geez, I cannot believe how ignorant I am about being a woman. All of this perimenopause stuff has blindsided me. How could I be an intelligent woman and be so out-of-the-loop about the signs and symptoms of perimenopause. I need a manual!!!!!!!
evi75119 staci88515
Posted
hahaha you made me laugh!
to be honest, I was ignorant before peri hits me like a train!
I understood the dirty and insidious tricks of hormonal imbalances from writing down and correlating my symptoms with each phase of my cycle. And of course from reading articles and the experiences of other women on forums.
Guest evi75119
Posted
The complexity of the hormones is the key to everything. When I first started perimenopause almost 5 years ago, I was still getting periods regularly but I started having a lot of digestive issues (i.e. upper gi distention and pain, gerd). I went to my ob/gyn because I was concerned about ovarian cancer. In conjunction with an US, he ordered blood tests. Based on those blood tests, he said "You're in menopause.". I said, "I can't be - I am still getting my period.". He told me that my estrogen was extremely low (for the time in my cycle) and my FHS was elevated - first indicators of the beginning of menopause.
I understand now from reading anything I can get my hands on is that progesterone is what typically tanks first causing erratic periods and many times flooding (which eventually did happen to me). Then estrogen follows. When that started happening, I had my hormones tested again and my DHEA was very high but estrogen and progesterone were almost non existant. I never have had my testosterone tested.
What makes it even more complex is that everybody reacts differently to hormones when you try to re-introduce them (HRT). I was on the pill for 10 years and never had a problem with any side effects, etc. When I tried bio-hrt for the first time (prescribed minivelle patch - lowest dose available) and 100 mg. oral progesterone, I got side effects immediately. I actually started with the patch first without taking the progesterone. Within 24 hours of putting it on, I got a headache, bloated, and my nipples became so sore I had to wear bandaids on them under my bra. I stuck it out for 4 days but the side effects just continued to get worse. I took the patch off...I never even tried the progesterone.
Some have told me that if I had given it at least two weeks, my body would have adjusted to them and I would have begun to feel much better.
I have my ob/gyn appt in January and am going to try again as I am just so tired of feeling awful.
evi75119 Guest
Posted
indeed, the mechanism of our hormones is very complicated and differs from woman to woman.
Similarly, I am still having regular periods every month but I feel awful after period, which is not normal and the symptoms are horrible and for the last 2 and half years on daily basis especially the digestive and my IBS symptoms are unbearable and interfering to working and function properly.
I have to try sth, a treatment to see if I would have an improvement. I cannot be housebounded and suffer the rest of my life....I have all the list of peri symptoms. I am suffering so much...
My tests revealed a high fsh and too low estrogen on day 3 of my cycle. Doctors told me that I am still ovulating but believe me I feel awful every day.
I had three hormone tests...the two first showed an fsh around 10 and estradiol between 40-50...the last one fsh 20,5 and estradiol 23...Doctor said that low estradiol during period is a good indicator, though ....I am so confused.
So, I was wondering about androgens because some years before I had tested my hormones because that time I was experiencing hair loss . That time I have been told that I had mild pcos syndrome. I had elevated levels of an hormone called androstendione and about testosterone it was a little higher close to high end normal levels,....I doubt, now about pcos syndrome diagnosis...Sth wrong is happening with my hormonal genetic profile.
So, I took birth control pill in order to reduce my androgens and after two months I stopped the pill, I checked my hormones and my testosterone was much lower and the androstendione no in normal levels again but much lower and the hair loss stopped, many new hair and everythin was better...On tat test, estradiol was around 23 and fsh 6,7 higher than before started the pill and an LH f 10,8. Thus, I thought that low testosterone may raise fsh levels.
What kind of reflux are you experiencing? The official diagnosis of gastritis and bile reflux was my first physical symptom in order to underastant that all of anxiety and depression have hormonal root.