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Has anyone had success with bcp or conventional hrt after bio identicals failed?

Posted , 6 users are following.

karen60759
karen60759

Hello! I've just been through the worst cycle,  only feeling myself for about a week - nausea, low mood, hot flashes, night sweats the works! I tried bio identical gel for a year, but although it helped initially it actually stopped working and all my symptoms came back, has anyone else experienced this and then had better success with bcp or synthetic hrt? I'm

scared to put my body through more medication but I also want some relief, I'm 41, thanks

1 like, 31 replies

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  • vicky77852
    vicky77852 karen60759

    Posted

    Hi! I'm at the same age, I am on hrt, estradiol and norgestel. My gyns don't trust bio identical and I think you need a standard high dose of hrt for brotection for your bones, heart and skin. You can try progesterone pill that is a bio identical one and estradiol. 

    • karen60759
      karen60759 vicky77852

      Posted

      Thanks Vicky, it's really interesting you say that because generally the advice seems to be that bio identicals are best, however I have been reading today that for women in early Peri where it's actually fluctuating levels not low levels of hormones that are the problem, low dose bcp is better, as it just shuts down the ovaries rather then adding hormones on top, which can cause problems, I'm reallly scared to go on it through as I've reacted badly in the past,  but I thinking now that it can't be any worse than what I'm suffering with now, feel absolutely awful 

  • zoe62821
    zoe62821 karen60759

    Edited

    Hi karen

    Can you share your story please?

    I'm 43 and been trying HRT since August. Not sure it's helping but interested in your views regarding peri and hormones fluctuations

    • karen60759
      karen60759 zoe62821

      Edited

      Hi Zoe, I've been having peri symptoms since my cycle began after I stopped nursing my second child - I loved not having a cycle as I'd always had spells of pmt, so I knew that as my symptoms came back as soon as my cycle did, that my symptoms were related to that, so I went to  dr John studd, who put me on bi oestrogen gel, no questions asked I actually don't think he even did a blood test! I was nauseous on it at first,  but after a few weeks I started to feel better, in fact I started feeling like a teenager - getting crushes on guys and going out, which was a bit much reallly! Then all the symptoms came back - I guess my body reacted to it abdd it didn't have any effect any more, doctor just wanted to increase the dose to 4 pumps but that didn't help and was reallly inconvenient - I pursued with it until August when I went to a duffersnt doctor who told me to come off it...so since then I've just been managing with diet and excercise, but I've just had the worst cycle and I'm now willing to try bcp, most reviews are positive, I guess it can't make things worse, I think it will ssuit me better as I think I'm still producing lots of hormones but they are all over the place!! Particularly because I was well in pregnancy and breastfeeding when there was no cycle, I'm seeing my doctor in a couple of weeks, and will keep you updated x

  • gailannie
    gailannie karen60759

    Posted

    Ladies, I'm going to jump in here and mention that YES a birth control pill will shut down and take over for a fluctuating system.  It will provide a constant and steady hormone base, and therefore can make a women feel much better.  But here's the point I wanted to mention, NOT ALL BIRTH CONTROL PILLS ARE THE SAME.  What works well for one woman will put another under the bed.  There is even a manual for physicians "Management of the Contraceptive Pill Patient" that helps guide physicians as to the problems with BCPs.  

    So if you try one, just remember that they are all different (with dozens f different formulas and combinations)  If one doesn't work well, try another.  

    • zoe62821
      zoe62821 gailannie

      Posted

      Thanks Gailanne

      Of course you are right. I used to be on bcp when I was younger. Would they be a good place to start or are there certain ones more suited for peri?

    • karen60759
      karen60759 gailannie

      Posted

      Hi Gail, good advice always, I've reacted badly in the past to Yaz so I know to steer clear of that, I'm happy to go along with what the dr recomends and hope for the best x

    • gailannie
      gailannie zoe62821

      Posted

      If it worked well for you in the past, that brand/ strength is certainly worth trying.  You can always make adjustments if they don’t work. 

  • kelle34850
    kelle34850 karen60759

    Posted

    I want to start bcp as well. I am 41 and have started out with adrenaline surges when trying to sleep, night sweats, heart racing, anxiety (out of nowhere), and aches - muscles and joints. I am only 41. I started with a bio progesterone cream recently and I feel it has helped but I think I need some estrogen too. Anyways, I am ready to go to the gym to see what she says. I just am clueless as to what pill to start with.
    • karen60759
      karen60759 kelle34850

      Posted

      Hi Kelle, so good to hear from someone in the same boat :-) most of the time when I tell friends that I think i'm have peri menopause symptoms, they look at me like I have 2 heads and I feel like a freak :-/ on paper bcp seems like the answer, especially as i have taken HRT gel before and that stopped working after a while, I'm.just so scared to take it when there is so much bad press about it - though I have read a lot of positive comments from women going through peri, so I figure it's worth a try. My symptoms come and go - I tend to have really bad spells which can last most of a cycle - sweats, nausea, depression, dry skin being the main symptoms, and then over night they can just disappear and i feel great for a few weeks, and then  they are back again - talk about a roller coaster! have you experienced this? i never know how I'm going to be feeling and its quite scary,.. 

  • jackie33067
    jackie33067 karen60759

    Posted

    I went into peri after I had an ovary removed. My dr put me on low dose BCP and I can say it really helped. Night sweats almost completely stopped, anxiety decreased and I could sleep a bit better. Now, it’s definitely not perfect. I can go from feeling fabulous for a week to feeling uneasy among other physical symptoms. Who knew peri was such a pain! Anyway, I would say it’s worth a try for sure. I’m on Lo Loestrin, which is the lowest dose. My dr mentioned she could bump me up to see if that took care of even more symptoms (it really is trial and error!) Good luck!
    • karen60759
      karen60759 jackie33067

      Posted

      thanks Jackie, I often wonder if I have a badly functioning ovary as i had a dermoid cyst on one of them, and then it was removed and doctor said it was big - so it must have affected that ovary and would explain why i get symptoms so early.and often only every other month, did you get any side effects? were you on it before ?are you in the UK ? I've pretty much decided I'm going to give it a try and give my poor old ovaries a break! will keep posting on here to update, thanks so much for the feedback x

    • gailannie
      gailannie jackie33067

      Posted

      They put me on Loestrin and BOY IT PUT ME UNDER.  It really wasn't right for my body's chemistry.  Everyone is so different.  I did better with a pill that had higher estrogen content.  It really is trial and error with BCPs.  

    • karen60759
      karen60759 gailannie

      Posted

      Well this is true, everyone reacts differently, when I read the reviews it's either loved or hated equally, which one worked for you Gail?

    • gailannie
      gailannie karen60759

      Posted

      Well it wasn't prefect by any means, but Ortho Novum 1/35 worked better than Loestrin for me.  It had a higher estrogen content.  

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