Synthetic HRT vs Natural Bioidenticals ?

[Ann]

I am thinking of making the switch, I have an appt. with a doc this coming week.
The cancer scares are enough to send me running, but I''m in the camp of believers
that any estrogen is still estrogen. I''ve only been on HRT 1 yr., but I want
to believe in what I am taking.

Anyone gone through this change?
(I know we are in the minority here on PS!)

 

[ladykemma]

i recently went off HRT. i was on such a low dose anyway.

in one month i had only one rip-snorter of a hot flash. that was it. so far so good!

 

[gailrmv]

I did some research on this for a school project. (I am NOOOO expert though.) My understanding is that traditional HRT is made from pregnant mare urine and that bioidenticals are made from human estrogen. I went to a meeting to learn more about bioidenticals and there seemed to be a lot of good reasons to at least consider switching (fuzzy on the details.)

 

[Ann]

Date: 5/20/2007 10:41:46 PM
Author: gailrmv
I did some research on this for a school project. (I am NOOOO expert though.) My understanding is that traditional HRT is made from pregnant mare urine and that bioidenticals are made from human estrogen. I went to a meeting to learn more about bioidenticals and there seemed to be a lot of good reasons to at least consider switching (fuzzy on the details.)

either Prempro or Premarin is made from the horse urine. I am on one of the newer theraphies that is not manufactured from horse urine - thank God!
The bio''s are compounded from plants. I have studied like crazy, but still get it all confused. There are many docs out there that can help, but finding one that will prescribe the bio''s takes some work. Suzanne Sommers has written 2 books on the subjects, but she takes it all too far, IMHO. Ha, now she is pushing FaceMaster! (remember ThighMaster?)

 

[Kaleigh]

Ann,
I am not there yet... But feel I will be sometime soon. Please let us know what you find out. I am scared of the cancer risks as well since it runs in my family. TIA and good luck!!! Lisa

 

[Sundial]

I too will be interested in your findings Ann. Although I believe we are the same age, I have not gone through the change or had any problems with hot flashes. I have not taken anything so far, but I know that it is probably only a matter of time before I have to make this decision myself.

 

[FireGoddess]

I am far from needing this but am very interested in what you find out. My mom had HRT and it turns out her breast cancer was ER/PR positive...so it is possible that HRT caused or at least contributed to the problem. Will never know for sure, but enough to be wary about it.

 

[Ann]

I am 52 and started noticing all the changes when I was 50. Last year I couldn''t bear the hot flashes and night sweats any longer and saw my doc. I was amazed that he did not check my hormone levels, he just said here take this (Femhrt) and you''ll be a new woman in weeks. Well, yes it helped tons. But then I go into nothing lightly, so I started researching Hormone Replacement Theraphy. My God, there is so much out there. The docs and big pharm companies want you to believe the way to go is with synthetics. Then there is the other side that says why put that crap in your system, use bio''s. Well, to make this short, my belief now is estrogen is estrogen, no matter how it is made. It causes cell receptors to respond, no matter what. For synthetic hormones, you can take them orally or with a patch. A patch is better because the drugs by pass your liver and go directly through your system. I still want to try the bioidenticals. I completed the new doc''s questionaire last night, at least 20 pages long. It identifies thyroid issues, adrenal functions, yeast overgrowth (very common, but misunderstood) and mineral loss. I am going to take 1 issue at a time. It''s also very costly. Many women feel awful, but don''t know why. Going through a doctor like this or a wellness center can identify what the needs are. So many women these days are put on anti-depressants, when really it''s thyroid and/or hormone levels out of whack.
An excellent book for women is "Screaming to be heard" by Elizabeth Vliet. After you read it, it makes sense. Women today have to take control of our own bodies, we cannot expect one little pill to be the end all answer for each and every one of us. We are each unique and have different needs.
I am still learning so much, but I feel I know more than my friends. Never again will a doctor say, here take this, without me knowing why!
LadyKemma - did you go cold turkey? If you don''t mind sharing, what were you taking and why did you get off?
I have to say I need the hormones. I am one of those women whose life is hell without the additional hormones, but I want to find a better way to do it!

 

[ladykemma]

i was on loestrin, which is as low as one can go. Yes, cold turkey, I was SCARED-- so far, no major problems and i have a lot more energy.

perhaps wean down to loestrin, then wean off altogther?

from a science point of view, the bioidenticals seems like a lot of hooey. why change what is working?

 

[ladykemma]

i went and checked and the hrt you are taking is also the lowest dose, like loestrin.. so going off it should not be difficult, when it''s time.

my doc told me she wanted me off it by age 48, I''m 44 now and went off it early. ran out and chose not to refilll. i menopaused at age 40.

 

[Ann]

Lk - Yeah, the Femhrt is a low dose, but I know I''m going to need this stuff for a while, so I want to feel comfortable with what I''m doing. I think I need a higher dosage for mood swings, so the individualized dosage of bio''s could fill that requirement.
I tried weaning myself off, just didn''t work. Not my time yet! Meanwhile I have discovered things I can do to help out where the hormones fail. Funny, my Dr. didn''t mention one of these to me - I had to find all this on my own. That ticks me off because he is supposed to be one of Houston''s top docs, I have been going to him for 25 yrs. I will try the bio''s and we will see which is better.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

When I started all those annoying symptoms, my doctor put me on very low dose birth control pills. I was worried about them and went off last year. I am taking nothing now and most of the bad stuff has past. I am tired a lot, but it is at least partly because I need more exercise. I told my husband I need him to mount a laptop on a treadmill for me!

 

[divergrrl]

I'm no expert on this, but my MIL, mom & stepmom all went through menopause....

Mom & stepmom opted to forgo HRT due to cancer risks. (they didn't take anything for it, except calcium supplements to help counteract bone loss)

MIL was on Premarin for EVER! (she just went off at my urging--she's 73--why her doc left her on it that long is beyond me).

In our local newspaper, there was a story on a the most comprehensive National Study on HRT & I apologize for not being able to cite my source, but it did state that it was the most exhaustive research ever on the subject & that the cancer risks associated with HRT are incredibly high & not worth taking to alleviate menopause symptoms.

I've also read that no studies have proven whether or not naturopathic/homeopathic remedies even help & some of them can be harmful if administered incorrectly.

HTH.

Diver

 

[Ann]

Date: 5/22/2007 2:01:10 PM
Author: divergrrl
I''m no expert on this, but my MIL, mom & stepmom all went through menopause....


Mom & stepmom opted to forgo HRT due to cancer risks. (they didn''t take anything for it, except calcium supplements to help counteract bone loss)


MIL was on Premarin for EVER! (she just went off at my urging--she''s 73--why her doc left her on it that long is beyond me).


In our local newspaper, there was a story on a the most comprehensive National Study on HRT & I apologize for not being able to cite my source, but it did state that it was the most exhaustive research ever on the subject & that the cancer risks associated with HRT are incredibly high & not worth taking to alleviate menopause symptoms.


I''ve also read that no studies have proven whether or not naturopathic/homeopathic remedies even help & some of them can be harmful if administered incorrectly.


HTH.


Diver

I think the study you are referring to is the Womens Health Study, it was halted when
the studies found cancer was somewhat higher in the women taking the HRT. But I think the study was only following women who were taking Premarin and Prempro. I could be wrong on that, I''d have to refer back to my books for the stats. I wish I could not take anything, but I really need the support for a while til the horrible symptoms decrease.