Hi, everyone! A very interesting thread, and one that should prove informative to many members here. I hope it continues to attract commentary and input for a long time to come, since this is an area that offers an ever developing and growing variety of protocols and treatments.
I am about to turn 55 (July), and I was menopausal from approx. 49 to 53/54. I was no doubt perimenopausal for the ten years prior to that. I am also thyroid hormone resistant, which simply means that my cells have trouble converting T4 to T3 (which is essential for the proper functioning of my metabolism).
In addition to taking Armour thyroid and Cytomel for my thyroid situation, I have for approx. three years sought to restore to balance my menopausally declining reproductive hormone levels; thus I am on a protocol of bioidential biest cream and progesterone cream (the latter cycled for two weeks of each month), and now (for about four months) bioID testosterone cream as well.
I feel wonderful. I will be continuing the creams--tweaking them as needed depending on the level(s) of stress in my life--for as long as I remain in charge of my own health.
I am currently interested in switching to the "rhythmic dosing" protocol Dr. Wiley discusses in
Sex, Lies, and Menopause, but my hormone MD doesn't feel that it's something to get into right now. I may have to decide otherwise. But for now, the "static dose" cycling I am on will continue--I should be bleeding at the end of each "cycle," but I'm not--an indication that my estrogen levels still remain too low, even at the dosages I'm currently on. Which likely means I will be raising my dosages a tad, until I reach the level that enables me to bleed at the end of each cycle (given the proper estrogen/progesterone balance). I subscribe to the idea that my dosages should maintain me at levels that I sustained when I was producing a full complement of hormones on my own...rather than just enough to keep away the symptoms classic of menopause.
Bawdy, I began this post because I wanted to comment on something you wrote:
Quote:
I haven't been sleeping, so she started me on some natural estrogen from a compounding pharmacist. She'll be adjusting my dosage every two months until we find what works. I'm also on progesterone 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Also a bunch of supplements to bolster the adrenal function. Also some stuff for cortisol.
It's costing a small fortune, but at least she said that we would probably start weaning off in August, and by October I should be taking only the basic multi-vitamin and probably the fish oil.
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Bawdy, putting aside the adrenal fatigue you are likely to be suffering from, and the need to supplement with DHEA and adrenal support nutritionals, this quote interested me for this reason:
From perimenopause, to menopause, to postmenopause, our major hormones--but specifically estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone--begin to decline production in our bodies. In perimenopause, this decline is gradual, such that we are subject to often wild fluctuations in levels of these hormones (and we all know what that means for us: no period one month, a flood the next, mood swings, bloating, and on and on); perimenopause can take ten years to lead to menopause, at which point the decline continues and deepens.
Bawdy, the decline is not reversible on its own. You can restore levels to what you had been producing yourself (once upon a time!
) through bioID hormone creams, but the feeling of good health and well-being that will likely result--the balance--is coming from the bioID supplementation. You are feeding your need for appropriate levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (and each of us requires a different tweaking to reach balance), but
they are what keep us balanced. In menopause, your body
on its own will not start re-producing estrogen and progesterone and testosterone at levels that will keep you healthy, just because you once restored balance through the creams.
Stop the creams when things get balanced, and you will slowly (or maybe not so slowly) lose that balance again.
I'm not talking about your adrenal situation--through proper supplementation and other means, you can restore adrenals to their proper function. And if you don't blow them out again, they should be good to go.
But the reproductive hormones won't work that way once one is in decline (from perimenopause on). And that's why I don't understand why your NP wants to "wean" you off them once you reach balance.
Many GYNs try to do this, once the hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings subside through hormonal supplementation. But that's not the entire issue here: maintaining systemwide health through
sustaining beneficial levels of these hormones is very important--to you bones, your mood, your brain function/memory, your immune system, and more.
I guess that's pretty much what I wanted to say for now. maybe ask your NP about this, see what she has to say.
For me, I keep testing my levels every four months or so, and making sure that I'm where I want to be--where I feel (and seem to be) as healthy as I can be, as balanced as possible, for as long as I can.
Edited to Add: I really meant to add (and forgot) that I realize there are many different approaches to menopause, and to hormone supplementation/therapy (even to no supplementation at all). Each person has to determine (through many different factors) what works best on an individual basis and what their goals are here. There is no "one right way" about this issue. I wanted to add my personal experiences and results, in hopes they might prove interesting (maybe even informative).
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