bi-est & progesterone (correct balance)

[Guest guest]

Hi to all.

I have been a group member for several months but stopped posting a

while back due to a Lyme disease flare-up.

I'm wondering if anyone has had trouble finding the right balance when

supplementing hormones during perimenopause. Ruth Kriz is helping me

with this. I had seen her for IC, but I also have vestibulitis. She

has prescribed a compounded bi-est/progesterone cream.

I had trouble doing the full dose (or even half the dose) because of

irritability. Ruth suggested that I cut the dose, which helped with

irritability--but then I got my period after 19 days. I talked to the

compounding pharmasist a few days ago, and he suggested adding a bit

more progesterone until we find the right dose for me.

Is there a general rule about irritability and the

estrogen/progesterone balance? (Sorry if this question sounds

simplistic.) The last few days that I've added more progesterone, I

have less breast tenderness, more energy, and the headache is gone.

However, I'm irritable again. Maybe I'm looking for a magic bullet.

I'm 48 y.o. and the hormones are mainly to ease my vestibulitis and

urinary irritation. Before this Rx, I was using Estrace once a week

with an applicator, and that helped a lot with the dyspareunia.

However, everyone was saying that I should watch out when using

estrogen unapposed--so now I'm on bi-est & progesterone.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Margherita

[Guest guest]

Margheria

asked:

“I'm wondering if anyone has had trouble

finding the right balance when

supplementing hormones during perimenopause.”

Hey

there,

I

too am going through a long periomenopause (three years and counting) and my

hormones have been all over the place. My mood swings were the real problem –

intense rage which is totally unlike me. I went on Vitex – an herb –

and it made a huge difference. My moods are now totally back to normal –

maybe just a bit of irritability around my period.

But

now, I am having additional problems which may or may not be exacerbated by

endometriosis. I’ve lost my appetite – the only things I can eat

are very bland soft foods like oatmeal and yoghurt. And I’m a total

foodie so this retreat to soft food is a bit surprising. And I can’t keep

my internal thermostat balanced. I’m constantly cycling between cold

flashes and hot flashes – makes it very difficult to sleep. And the

headaches are becoming more omnipresent.

Of

course, none of this answers your question. I think I’m chiming in more

because I’m also wondering what the next step is. I’m cautious in

regards to tweaking my hormones – my VD/VV is relatively under control

and I really don’t want to rock the boat. Also, the options that I’ve

been presented with are pretty classic – various birth control pills or

SSRI’s to control the mood swing. Neither of those appeal to me.

I’m

wondering if I need to join a periomenopause email list. Does anyone know of a

good periomenopause list?

Steph

[Guest guest]

I personally think that there is way too much hype about the unaposed

estrogen. Those studies were done primarily with oral menopausal

strength estrogen. Estrace cream, even when used with an aplicator

does not absorb into the body nearly as much as oral or the patch or

even the estring or vagifem. This is according to a couple of vulvar

specialists I once saw (one of whom sucsessfully treated me for VVS).

The important thing is quality of life. There are risks whenever you

take medications and as long as you do your research and know what

you are getting into you should be able to decide weather or not

adding progesterone is right for you.

I have personally found that lower doses of unaposed estrogen

topically work a lot better than a combination dose for me. But then

I am in my 30's and although prematurally periomenopaual, not

necessarily at the same place in my hormone walk as you are.

As always a conversation with the doctor who you are working with may

be the best thing.

Bunny

>

> Hi to all.

>

> I have been a group member for several months but stopped posting a

> while back due to a Lyme disease flare-up.

>

> I'm wondering if anyone has had trouble finding the right balance

when

> supplementing hormones during perimenopause. Ruth Kriz is helping

me

> with this. I had seen her for IC, but I also have vestibulitis.

She

> has prescribed a compounded bi-est/progesterone cream.

>

> I had trouble doing the full dose (or even half the dose) because of

> irritability. Ruth suggested that I cut the dose, which helped with

> irritability--but then I got my period after 19 days. I talked to

the

> compounding pharmasist a few days ago, and he suggested adding a bit

> more progesterone until we find the right dose for me.

>

> Is there a general rule about irritability and the

> estrogen/progesterone balance? (Sorry if this question sounds

> simplistic.) The last few days that I've added more progesterone, I

> have less breast tenderness, more energy, and the headache is gone.

> However, I'm irritable again. Maybe I'm looking for a magic

bullet.

> I'm 48 y.o. and the hormones are mainly to ease my vestibulitis and

> urinary irritation. Before this Rx, I was using Estrace once a week

> with an applicator, and that helped a lot with the dyspareunia.

> However, everyone was saying that I should watch out when using

> estrogen unapposed--so now I'm on bi-est & progesterone.

>

> Thanks in advance for any comments.

>

> Margherita

>

[Guest guest]

Margherita,

Have you had your testosterone and DHEA levels tested? I found that the best mix for me was E & T. Progesterone did terrible things for me...

See AOL's top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for winter.

[Guest guest]

Thanks and for your replies.

I'm actually thinking of going off most of the hormones. I think I

want to go back to using just Estrace once or twice a week with an

applicator. Because I have Lyme, just dealing with the fatigue and

mood swings of this process (of finding the right mix of bi-est &

progesterone) is a full-time job.

I am super sensitive to meds and supplements. The one time I tried

birth control pills more than 20 years ago, I had to stop after the

second day because I felt so crummy.

As I mentioned in my original post, the main reason I'm doing the

bi-est and progesterone at all is to see if it will help with painful

sex and urinary issues. The Estrace on its own helps with these

problems, so maybe that's all I need.

Has anyone who is perimenopausal used bi-est and progesterone for the

reasons I mentioned? Or can anyone refer me to some on-line

information that covers this issue. Because of my brain-fog, I am not

looking for something super complicated.

Thanks again,

Margherita

> >

> > Hi to all.

> >

> > I have been a group member for several months but stopped posting a

> > while back due to a Lyme disease flare-up.

> >

> > I'm wondering if anyone has had trouble finding the right balance

> when

> > supplementing hormones during perimenopause. Ruth Kriz is helping

> me

> > with this. I had seen her for IC, but I also have vestibulitis.

> She

> > has prescribed a compounded bi-est/progesterone cream.

> >

> > I had trouble doing the full dose (or even half the dose) because of

> > irritability. Ruth suggested that I cut the dose, which helped with

> > irritability--but then I got my period after 19 days. I talked to

> the

> > compounding pharmasist a few days ago, and he suggested adding a bit

> > more progesterone until we find the right dose for me.

> >

> > Is there a general rule about irritability and the

> > estrogen/progesterone balance? (Sorry if this question sounds

> > simplistic.) The last few days that I've added more progesterone, I

> > have less breast tenderness, more energy, and the headache is gone.

> > However, I'm irritable again. Maybe I'm looking for a magic

> bullet.

> > I'm 48 y.o. and the hormones are mainly to ease my vestibulitis and

> > urinary irritation. Before this Rx, I was using Estrace once a week

> > with an applicator, and that helped a lot with the dyspareunia.

> > However, everyone was saying that I should watch out when using

> > estrogen unapposed--so now I'm on bi-est & progesterone.

> >

> > Thanks in advance for any comments.

> >

> > Margherita

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I have similar issues with medication sensitivity as well, especially

hormones and narcotics and I too found that the Estrace cream alone

was the best option for me. I see an OB yearly who does a complete

pelvic exam and he does not sound too worried about Uterine Cancer or

Stroke which they hype so much about in the media.

I hope that your able to find that balance. It is a challange isn't

it?

Bunny

> > >

> > > Hi to all.

> > >

> > > I have been a group member for several months but stopped

posting a

> > > while back due to a Lyme disease flare-up.

> > >

> > > I'm wondering if anyone has had trouble finding the right

balance

> > when

> > > supplementing hormones during perimenopause. Ruth Kriz is

helping

> > me

> > > with this. I had seen her for IC, but I also have

vestibulitis.

> > She

> > > has prescribed a compounded bi-est/progesterone cream.

> > >

> > > I had trouble doing the full dose (or even half the dose)

because of

> > > irritability. Ruth suggested that I cut the dose, which helped

with

> > > irritability--but then I got my period after 19 days. I talked

to

> > the

> > > compounding pharmasist a few days ago, and he suggested adding

a bit

> > > more progesterone until we find the right dose for me.

> > >

> > > Is there a general rule about irritability and the

> > > estrogen/progesterone balance? (Sorry if this question sounds

> > > simplistic.) The last few days that I've added more

progesterone, I

> > > have less breast tenderness, more energy, and the headache is

gone.

> > > However, I'm irritable again. Maybe I'm looking for a magic

> > bullet.

> > > I'm 48 y.o. and the hormones are mainly to ease my vestibulitis

and

> > > urinary irritation. Before this Rx, I was using Estrace once a

week

> > > with an applicator, and that helped a lot with the dyspareunia.

> > > However, everyone was saying that I should watch out when using

> > > estrogen unapposed--so now I'm on bi-est & progesterone.

> > >

> > > Thanks in advance for any comments.

> > >

> > > Margherita

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Blueberri,

what type of problems did you have with the progesterone? Was it the cream? I recently started using progesterone cream and I am just curious.

Mindy>> >. Progesterone did terrible things for me...> > > > > > > > > **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes > (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)>

[Guest guest]

It made my vulvar area burn like fire! My breast ached and generally felt like dirt.See AOL's top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for winter.

[Guest guest]

The vulvar burning increased 10 fold.!See AOL's top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for winter.